It’s at this time of year that the space allocated for the 2010 diary notes starts to really bulge with information and scribbled notes that you know will not be legible in a few weeks time. Most clergy get diaries which begin in Advent, the start of our liturgical year, and so it is just a few weeks away from The Beginning of the New Diary. This is a time of year that I love. I love the crisp new pages waiting to be filled. I love spending time writing in all the birthdays and dates I have to remember. (Yes, and if I missed you this year I am so sorry but the pink pen wasn’t really eye-catching enough.) I love writing in phone numbers to remember on the Notes page at the back.
My big dilemma this year is ‘which diary to buy’? Usually I have bought my diary by now but this year I’ve been putting it off for some time. Do I want to go with the Parson’s Pocket Book for Filofax as I did last year, or back to the normal Parson’s Pocket Book? The Filofax is lovely (lavender, in case you’re interested, but no matter what I do to it it has never aged and still looks brand new) and handy but it is a bit bulky for my handbag. And now that my Blackberry keeps all my address book up to date I don’t feel that I really need all that the Filofax offers. Why am I not using my Blackberry for the calendar as well, I hear you cry? Of course I could. However, that would require me finding reading specs and then doing quite a bit of scrolling through the days and months. Whereas with a paper diary I can manage without specs, it is much quicker, and you do get a better sense of overview for a week when planning.
I will confess to having bought an SPCK Church Pocket Book and Diary (in pink) but I’m afraid it was far too small for the amount of appointments I have. And I do love the extra page with the PPB for appointment addresses, prayer concerns, things to remember and a whole host of other info.
So it looks like it is the PPB once again. They are never thrown out either but sit all lined up in the bureau. Many is the time when I’ve had to go back to look something up, and you can’t always do that with your mobile phone, can you?
So what’s your diary of choice? What do you look for in a calendar? Week to view or page a day?
RevRuth's Rantings 
I use the Canterbury Church Book & Desk Diary Filofax version – plenty of space, readings and full Collects. Works well for me. I was all electronic and syncronised with the phone and desktop PC which worked well, but I had a blip with it last year and lost info and lost confidence in it. So the Filofax does it for me but I haven’t tried the Parsons Pocket Book version.
I don’t know about these “diary” things but we use Google Calendar exclusively these days. Fine online; good integration with RememberTheMilk; automagically syncs with the moobiles along with contacts and other bits&pieces; calendar-sharing rocks. “Agenda” view by default, a few lines of what’s listed for the current day with a week either side for context. Sorted.
There’s a lot to be said for more churches & churchy people getting into google-calendar as a way to organize stuff.
Sorry…. did I just read that your handbag is not big enough for a filofax….
After many years of electrnic I am trying a paper diary – a Quo Vadis desk diary (Trinote). It is week to view, days in columns down the page with time graduations. It may be a bit big for a handbag (they do pocket size, but I have to admit they’re not really big enough – I used one for some years).
Oh, diaries, how I love them! I prefer to use Letts Slim Week to View (nice design on cover and an elastic band around it to keep it closed, plus ribbon to mark date) Academic Diary. I love it for three reasons.
Small enough to fit in any bag (except possibly a tiny evening bag – when I wouldn’t want it anyway) without taking up much space.
Runs from September to the following December (15 months – so yes, some overlap each year, but helps no end with that old diary/new diary transition).
Has a large chunk of lined pages at the end for notes, to do lists, phone numbers, grocery lists, book lists. Did i mention that I love lists?
This year I was too slow and had to get the A6 version, which I don’t love as much, but that’s what happens when you buy an academic diary in mid-October.
Ah but Cliff, is that not a page a day version? That makes the filofax really heavy to lug around. I am just a weak female remember.
Tim, I keep getting told about how good Google Calendar is and I am tempted. Just now I use Outlook and sync it but my computer skills are not good enough to transfer it all over and sort out my email accounts. You offering?!
Paul, I know the one you mention – a friend always got that one – but it is too big. Gorgeous though.
Elizabeth, it sounds divine. You are a girl after my own heart.
Ah Ian, it all depends on the handbag!
Do you know that moleskin do diaries – John Lewis.
mmm, Son #1 has it and I’ve been tempted.
I love my Parson’s Pocket Book and had one shipped to Canada last month.. would not be without it !
Good for you pet!
Hi Ruth – yes that is a page a day and two for Sundays – there is nothing weak about you and you would manage it fine. As for synching Google Calander that is a doddle just one click of the mouse and it syncs with Outlook even I can do it!
OK, if you’re on standby on the phone then I might just brave it this weekend.
Go for it – in fact I am in Edinburgh this week end but please don’t tell anyone!
This debate strikes me as a bit posterier but it resonates with me! I have tried every stationery and IT tool in my endless quest to find the perfect diary solution including including software stuffand syncing as I love the idea of that that little 007 chic square mini organiser and pen thing. In the end I have an unbeatable template schedule on a word doc that can manage endless projects, family, house and self, all colour coded. I transfer people appointments into a Collins A5 week to view academic diary which fits in my bag when I have to meet someone who I know will want an appointment … sad but true
Ah Abigail-who-loves-stationery-too, I forgot about the Publisher template that I used to give to my colleagues when we do diary meetings. Very useful. Is the Word one a diary one or just homemade?
Not that I meant to diss homemade, you understand. 😉
Hon knitted
Ah. OK.
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