I love lists.

And I love datebooks. You know- paper calendars? PAPER, yes, people still use paper organizers/ planner/ datebooks, whatever it is you want to refer to them as. Well, at least I do, and I'm assuming there are few other people who do, as well, since there is quite a fine selection of them for sale at various bookstores and stationary boutiques across this city. I like keeping lists in my datebook too.

I carry a smallish journal with me at all times, in case I get inspired, or that one great line runs through my head while sitting in the concourse of Rockefeller Center, or while eating sushi in Grand Central Station. I use it more for real writing. But, usually, I end up jotting down notes to myself in my datebook.

If one were to glance through the pages, flipping between March and September and into December, they would see some curious lines. In my 2009 planner, at some point or another, I have written: fix typos, 8:00pm ABC- Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, sign lease, order a gift for Shirley online, 11:15 massage- take coupon!!!, mandatory dress rehearsal, 9:30AM Penn Station- train to Long Beach, Chris unplugged AM Svc.

Additionally, I found it necessary to write that on Dec. 6th at 2:30 I was to buy moving boxes at The Container Store, Kim returned from Texas on July 13th, and that Lora's due date was July 31st. I took a book to Heidi on August 10th between 9-2, had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Shadlow on Sutton Place at 8:45 on September 21st (although, now that I think about it, I didn't go....), responded to Melissa's email on August 17th and mailed Rick's card on January 31st.

In my datebook I have written down Chris's vacation days from school for the 2009-2010 academic year, LB's newest address on Walton Drive, the phone number of the place I now work, and the pro's and con's of moving out of our current apartment. (This is actually something Chris and I did over a slice of cheese pizza while sitting in Gramercy waiting on a call from a broker. We were trying to decide why/ when/ if we really wanted or needed to move.) And in Chris's handwriting, the hours of our local NY Public Library on 96th and Lexington Ave.

I love lists. I love making notes. I don't see how other people can make it though the day without knowing what to do. And a datebook helps me keep all that stuff together: where to be and when, addresses, times, what to bring, numbers to call when I get lost. My datebook is a journal of sorts, it tells a story of where I've been and what I've been doing. Nothing is color-coded or uniform, however there are lots of highlighted days, bright colors, post-it notes, markers, and words in purple, green and red.

I know when booth pieces were do (for writing class), when I met Courtney for dinner at Taco Taco, when Laila was on the Today Show, when I had a "park day" or "motorcycle day," and what my mom's flight number is on December 28th.

And on Saturday, April 4th, the day before Palm Sunday, I have written, "Chris = Jesus 8am-1pm TBC."

While in the future I may not need to know what day I saw Wicked on, or bought hosiery on, or went to new member orientation on, I will keep this calendar throughout 2010- at least.