What Day Was That?
Jan 29th 2010
Sabrina JeffriesMy Life As A Plebe & Sabrina Jeffries
I’m bad with dates. I admit it. Not sure why, but there’s a reason I have a calendar that reminds me in several ways of various appointments, and even then I’ve been known to miss one because I didn’t check my calendar first thing when I got up. It’s a sickness, I swear.
I have this really BAD tendency to schedule things on the same day without making the connection. If it’s two different worlds (for example, my son’s school schedule and my public appearance schedule), they don’t correlate in my mind. At some point, however, the worlds inevitably cross and I am SO screwed when I realize I’m double-booked.
For the most part this problem has been eradicated by slavish use of an online calendar. But with my life so busy these days, even THAT doesn’t prevent all trouble. Like when my parents stayed longer after Thanksgiving than I’d expected, so I ended up with the following events scheduled on ONE day: their departure (someone had to drive them to the airport), my husband’s dental surgery (someone had to drive HIM to the dentist and back, on account of the drugs), and my own one-year appointment at Duke (which had been set up weeks in advance). Hubby hadn’t bothered to consult with me when he set up his surgery and my parents kind of had no choice, so I was screwed. Fortunately, the appointments were at different times, so somehow I managed to do all three. I ate in the car (twice), and had to really book it to Duke, though. Didn’t get any writing done that day, either. Duh.
So how are you with appointments? Are you better making some than others? What’s the worst appointment mess-up you ever had? Do you ever double-book? And what do you think of the new Dread Pirate Roberts action figure I got for Christmas–isn’t he dreamy??
48 Comments »
48 Responses to “What Day Was That?”
LoriHandeland on 29 Jan 2010 at 6:38 am #
If I didn’t use a datebook my schedule would be a mess. I don’t remember when I have stuff unless I look at the calendar.
It was really bad when I had two kids in school with multiple sports. Sometimes I could barely read the thing.
The worst mess up I had was when both boys had baseball tournaments in different cities. IV went with one kid, I went with the other and we actually did pass each other in the parking lot at one point and wave. I don’t like missing either kid’s game. It seems like every time I did it, they ended up in an ambulance or on crutches. It was freaky.
I love the Dread Pirate Roberts!! That is one of our favorite movies. We watch it all the time and often quote from it. “Prepare to die!”
Pesky on 29 Jan 2010 at 6:42 am #
I’m great with appointments, I write them onto little 1/2 index cards and I put them into my blackberry. I however stink at birthdays, etc.
I remember the big ones, nephews, sisters, brothers….friends…they know they gotta mention it to me. The second they mention it to me, it signifies that it’s a big deal to them, and I provide an appropriately big party with the friends. I make the calls, pick the venue and go out and get or make a gift for them… However, someone has to remind me.
Why? Well because we never made a big deal out of birthdays in my house, I don’t attach much to them, and unless it’s a fiver year… (25, 35,45…) I don’t even notice my own.
SuzyQ on 29 Jan 2010 at 7:36 am #
I am horrible at appointments. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten calls from doctors offices calling me asking if I’m coming to the appointment. As for meetings at work, that’s all covered through my outlook calendar which sends me reminders. I do have a date book, but I always forget to write in it. I know, it’s really sad.
And thank God for Facebook events which let me know when everyone’s birthday is. Otherwise I would forget that too.
LisaK on 29 Jan 2010 at 7:40 am #
Oooooh, another Will & Jane! And Dread Pirate Roberts is confused but cool!
I’m very good with dates. I tend to remember the stupidest things someone else has to do on this and that day. My good memory helps here but also the fact that I only own a very small calendar with little space so when I don’t have any space left to write something else into the line, I cannot do the second thing! Simple, I know, but it works.
And I in general check with my calender first before I fix some major appointment. I’m always like “Wait ’til I’ve checked my appointments and I’ll call you.” Very good way to not getting confused (as Poor Robert is!).
Amy on 29 Jan 2010 at 7:40 am #
I have 2 calendars in my kitchen, and I write the appointments on both, that way I am bound to see one. I also have my reminders set in my blackberry. I hate to be late, or to miss scheduled appointments, especially if they are medical related because they charge $50 for missed appointments.
I remember in high school forgetting to write down a presentation I had to do for a history class. I was oblivious until I walked into the room and saw my name on the board. I tried to reschedule, but my teacher wouldn’t agree, so I ended up winging a presentation on Gen. Douglas McArthur. It was one of my worst high school moments, and one of my worst ever grades. I always made sure future assignments went straight into my planner the minute they were announced.
Great new action figure!
cail on 29 Jan 2010 at 7:42 am #
we have a big desk blotter calendar that is hanging on the side of the fridge. all events and appointments and visits go on that, including times. i’m really good at not missing stuff, but my DH can’t remember to do anything, unless i remind him a million times. if i don’t (when he tells me he can handle it) he sometimes ends up in a mess. like the time he forgot to mail in his registration renewal for his car, got a ticket, decided to contest the ticket to see if he could save money, then forgot to go to the court date (although i actually don’t remember anything coming about a court date), and then finally got a suspension notice for his drivers license in the mail. He has a week now, to get his butt to the court and either pay up or argue. of course, he is leaving the state on wednesday, so really he has tuesday to do it. he’s to hoping he doesn’t forget…. actually, im going to put it on the calendar right now…
Karen Rose on 29 Jan 2010 at 8:09 am #
Love the comic!!
I always forget to put up dates. I know the appts are upcoming and have this slew of appt cards in my purse that never go into my PDA, therefore never get transferred to my laptop.
Mr. R is better with keeping track. Now we have a family Google calendar so we can all keep track of my business travel and the kids’ doctors appts and such. I know my Outlook somehow syncs with Google, but haven’t taken the time to figure it out. Maybe I should schedule time for that, LOL.
evlqn on 29 Jan 2010 at 8:14 am #
Until I had my”heart incident” a couple of months ago I could remember things just fine but for some unknown reason my short term memory is circling the drain since then. I still used my Google calendar as a just in case.
I also have it set up that I get text messages on my phone about appointments, when I hear that ‘knock-knock” I know there is something I have to do. Of course remembering to get to appointments or events would be easier if people didn’t change times, dates and locations at the last minute. B-ball tourney got changed last night, only upside is games are earlier than first posted.
We have the big calendar in our kitchen too, plus two school calendars (one to use, one to lose), and the dry-erase board.
Love the Dread Pirate Roberts btw.
Michelle B on 29 Jan 2010 at 8:15 am #
I’m very good with dates and appointments because I learned at my mother’s knee to keep a calendar. In fact I have improved upon her system out of neccessity. Her calendar was always on her wall by the phone. I took to carrying one in my purse. It seems most scheduling was taking place when I was out of the house.
The purse calendar has to be a monthly one (must see the whole month in a glance) and it is about 8×10, so all of my purses are bought to fit the calendar. At one point in my life I was balancing schedules for my military DH, three kids, my volunteer work and my office schedule. I took to color coding then, too easy to miss something. No palm pilots or blackberries for me, too easy to lose it all. I’m a paper girl all the way.
Love your action figure pirate and the comic!
Freshechelle on 29 Jan 2010 at 8:39 am #
OK, it’s not just me. Whew! I put appts on my blackberry which is in my bag which I drop when I visit a job site, then realize I missed a meeting because I was away from my alarm.
Gotta figure out how to set the iPhone calendar to automatically set alarms or reminders for stuff. I keep that closer than the bb.
Love the new Dread Pirate Robert! Jane is good with short men and tall men. Who knew?
Sabrina Jeffries on 29 Jan 2010 at 8:55 am #
The only thing I don’t like about my new action figure is his legs don’t really move. He’s in permanent “en garde” position. Oh, and the sheath doesn’t stay attached to the sword. It falls off. But he IS very lifelike. *G* And I’ve always loved that movie. And I couldn’t resist giving Wallace Shawn’s line to Westley.
Lori, I’m so glad Nick doesn’t have tons of school activities. I can barely keep up with my OWN schedule!
Pesky, I think what I need is a blackberry. Or an Iphone. Or just not to be so clueless. *G*
SuzyQ, you’ve described me to a T. I’m very bad about missing appts. Very bad. I’m better now that I use Google calendar, though, but as you say, you have to remember to put things IN it.
LisaK, I have a selective memory that way, too. I’ll remember a date for my husband’s dentist appt. and not my own. Weird.
Julia London on 29 Jan 2010 at 9:02 am #
I am prompt. I generally don’t forget. But I write it in red on a big calendar in my office, along with my blog dates. I used to be able to keep that stuff in my head, but time has a way of wearing down the old brain cells.
Sabrina Jeffries on 29 Jan 2010 at 9:04 am #
Amy, oddly enough I was good with homework in school. Never forgot that stuff. But nowadays ….
cail, that series of events you describe for your DH could easily be me. Fortunately, my umpteen electronic calendars save me, because I swear I’ve been known to do such things as miss a specialist’s doctor’s appt. that takes six months to reschedule. Arghhh!
KarenR, that’s why I need some sort of electronic thing. I put the cards in my purse to transfer to my Google calendar, and then I forget about the cards.
eviqn, sorry to hear you had a “heart incident”! I hope it wasn’t too serious and that you’re doing better. Take care of yourself!
MichelleB, I’ve tried using paper, but then I never had the paper nearby when I needed it (most of my time is spent at home and I don’t carry my purse around with me in the house *G*), so I find electronic works better. Which is why I need an electronic thing for my purse!
Fresh, I could anticipate a romance with Jane and Roberts, if only he could close his legs! (Never thought I’d be saying that for a guy *G*).
Claudia Dain on 29 Jan 2010 at 9:10 am #
I rely on my datebook to keep me together. As long as I write it down, I’m good. I always check it. The problem is when I make a commitment and forget to write it down. Which has happened. Ouch.
Karen Rose on 29 Jan 2010 at 9:13 am #
Then there are the days when I think it’s one day because that’s the day in the book I’m writing and not the day in real life. I have the appts on my calendar, but look at the wrong day.
But that’s an entirely different issue I think.
Sabrina Jeffries on 29 Jan 2010 at 9:21 am #
Yeah, that’s a writer issue, KarenR. I’ve actually done that, too. *G*
Claudia, that’s my biggest problem. If it gets TO the calendar, I’m great. It’s getting it to the calendar.
Julia, come to think of it, I think you might be the only goddess who’s never forgotten her blog date. I’m not sure, but I think so. Oh, and Claudia. She never forgets. *G*
evlqn on 29 Jan 2010 at 9:39 am #
My doctor said yesterday that everything is ticking along nicely, that’s why they called it an “incident” rather than an attack, because everything is working well. Of course if my mom had anything to say about it I would be in the motorized chair she immediately bought for me, fortunately we got her money back. I like my stroller just fine, I get to walk until I am tired than I sit down and I can pile all kinds of stuff on it to transport from place to place.
Rachel Gibson on 29 Jan 2010 at 9:51 am #
I am a slave to my calender. If I don’t write it down, I will forget.
Love The Dead Pirate Roberts/aka Wesley. He is awesome.
Tina on 29 Jan 2010 at 10:51 am #
I have a calendar at work where I write appts, I just don’t alwayslook at it.
One of these days I’ll have to find my calendar at home and put appts on it.
Louisa Cornell on 29 Jan 2010 at 10:53 am #
LOVE the cartoon! I need one of those Dread Pirate Roberts figures !! Too cute!
Congrats on Stoneville making it to the NYT list! SO deserved. I LOVE that book!
Writing things down for me is and always has been a big joke whether it be from my students when I was teaching or from the girls who work in my bakery now. I have index cards in my pocket all the time for writing, but my bakery girls use them to write things down for me to do. If they don’t IT DOESN’T GET DONE !!
When I taught my students did the same thing. If they were having a tutor session (English and History) or a voice lesson they KNEW they had better write it down in THE BOOK or I would not show up!
When I was singing we had someone who did our bookings and kept track. She was constantly demanding to see our datebooks so she could record our performance dates and if we dared to schedule something, anything without consulting she had a meltdown. A short stout German woman screaming at you in German is NOT pretty!
In grad school I did manage to schedule singing the solos in Handel’s Messiah one Christmas at four events in two days. That is NOT a recommended pattern for a soprano. I was hoarse for a week after.
Louisa Cornell on 29 Jan 2010 at 10:57 am #
And can I just say anyone who has not read Ravishing in Red get thee to a bookstore ASAP and buy it. I finally broke down and read it in spite of the fact I have NOT finished my revisions. It was just sitting there on my desk all red and shiny. I couldn’t resist. It is AMAZING !! Great story, GREAT ROMANCE, sexy and it sweeps you away. Truly one of your best ever, Madeline.
Now, Nicole’s To Tame a Dangerous Lord is sitting on my desk as the reward for finishing my revisions. Any bets on how long I’m going to last against that temptation?
If my agent yells at me for not getting my revisions done quickly enough, I’m blaming the Goddesses!
Freshechelle on 29 Jan 2010 at 11:14 am #
Sabrina !!! Ha!
My sister and I say this about every man we’ve sat next to on a commuter bus. Unless you’ve got a very special gift, close your freakin’ legs guys who I don’t want to know better. You’re violating my space.
dbrown3400 on 29 Jan 2010 at 11:57 am #
Love the new cartoon, Sabrina, and The Pirate Lord, Dread Robert. Stoneville is coming from B&N courtesy of a Christmas gift card.
Life is much simpler now that I’m babysitting my granddaughter 90% of the time. The problem arises when I have an appointment and there is the possibility DD might be working. I give her fair notice and luckily she has flex hours on her job and can make the arrangements. My biggest snafu was going to the doctor’s office on the wrong day!
The biggest scheduling issue we have is with DD’s appointments. She forgets even to schedule them! I know I’m a nag when it comes to her daily living but she lets the biggest, most important things slip by. I won’t get on a soap box but I do get angry, especially when it comes to the baby. Today we’re going for the baby’s 18 month’s shots and she’s 21 months old. No excuse IMO! Aaargh! Sorry for the rant.
Sabrina Jeffries on 29 Jan 2010 at 12:08 pm #
Well, eviqn, take care of yourself!
Rachel, I got him for Christmas! Isn’t he great?
Tina, yeah, the looking at it is the hard part!
Wow, Louisa, I KNOW how challenging the Messiah is–I can’t imagine how you did those at four events in two days.
Fresh, LOL!!!
dbrown3400, I understand how you feel. Children should come first. Oddly, I tend not to forget my son’s appts., just my own.
Lisa H on 29 Jan 2010 at 1:17 pm #
A girl can never have too many pirate action figures. The bigger the betta, if you ask me!
Sabrina my problem with dates is that even when I have looked at my calander and see that I have to be such and such place on Tuesday at 9:00, I might show up on Wednesday at 9:00 or Tuesday at 4:00. I swear I read one thing and make mistakes. L:uckily most of my appointments are with kind people who understand that I am not trying to be rude, just a bit confused. Now I check my calander constantly the day before and day of an event just in case I remember it wrong.
Sabrina Jeffries on 29 Jan 2010 at 1:29 pm #
LisaH, I do that, too! It’ll say at 9 on Thursday, but I’ll have another appt. at 12 on Friday, and I’ll get them switched, so by the time I show up at 12 on Thursday, I’ve already missed the appt.! That’s why I love those Google things, although even then, I’ve been known to do the “read one thing and register another.” I really hate that.
cail on 29 Jan 2010 at 3:09 pm #
BTW, Sabrina, I just watched your video on your website. You look AMAZING!
Freshechelle on 29 Jan 2010 at 3:43 pm #
Cail’s right, S, you do look great!
Judy F on 29 Jan 2010 at 4:05 pm #
Sabrina you have the best toys. I love that movie… as you wish…… LOL
I like to think I am pretty good with appointments I write things down in my dayplanner, calendar at work and at home. Though I have written things down on the wrong day before.
Now my mental calendar gets messed up sometimes. Back when my sister and I would take turns feeding dad dinner for some reason I thought it was friday and my day to go. Here it was thursday. LOL all the aides and my sister thought that was funny.
evlqn on 29 Jan 2010 at 4:17 pm #
Another thing that goes onto our calendars so no one forgets, is who is on restriction, why and for how long. It really cuts down on the confusion. We are cutting down on confusion right now with our 13 y.o. We told him to return the M rated Call to Duty to the friend who lent it to him, instead he decided to sneak it back into the house; his brother ratted him out. Now there are no game, computer or phone privileges until Sunday. I’m not on his Christmas card list at the moment.
Sabrina Jeffries on 29 Jan 2010 at 4:47 pm #
Thanks, Cail and Fresh! I’m stuck at this weight, and it’s driving me crazy. And now we’re expecting lots of snow tomorrow. No walking outside tomorrow! Guess it’s the treadmill for me.
JudyF, that’s the problem for me–that mental calendar thing. Thank God for Google calendar!
eviqn, teenagers are just a pain, aren’t they?
Erica Ridley on 29 Jan 2010 at 4:50 pm #
I am calendar-tarded. Terminally. I try to keep my online calendar updated, flag emails etc for follow-up, and decoupage my walls with sticky notes of things-to-do, and still, STILL…. yeah. I hear you. Should you come across a cure, do let me know… =)
P.S.
Cute comic!! I love Wesley!!
Nicole Jordan on 29 Jan 2010 at 4:53 pm #
Funny you should mentiion appts, Sabrina, since I just forgot one yesterday! Which I don’t normally do. I somehow remembered twenty minutues before my haircut appt and raced out the house to make it.
I usually have a calander, the put individual appts on little note paper, and spread those on my desk each week. I just forgot to look on my desk yesterday.
And yes, your new pirate is dreamy, and the cartoon is fab.
Big congrats on your NYT showing!
And thanks so much, Lousia, for picking up Dangerous Lord. Hope it lives up to your high expectations!
evlqn on 29 Jan 2010 at 4:54 pm #
And creative, he tried to convince me that using the computer to make a CD was NOT the same as just USING it. Sunday is soon enough to make a CD.
Sabrina Jeffries on 29 Jan 2010 at 5:10 pm #
Erica, I’m with you. I need a cure. Desperately.
Nicole, thanks for the congrats! My copy of To Tame a Dangerous Lord is on its way (I ordered online–can’t leave the house right now). Can’t wait to get it!
eviqn, you are SO mean.
evlqn on 29 Jan 2010 at 5:17 pm #
It’s a gift.
Gannon on 29 Jan 2010 at 9:46 pm #
I have to track everything on my calendar or I’ll forget.
Sabrina, yes, you’re Dread Pirate Roberts action figure is the best!
Karen Hawkins on 30 Jan 2010 at 12:20 am #
I want a Dread Pirate Roberts of my very own. Gimme!
I am HORRIBLE about thinking, “Hm, that date sounds familiar just as I schedule something on top of something else.” You’d think I’d have learned to pay attention to that signal, but ah . . . no. ;0)
SexxySelly69 on 30 Jan 2010 at 11:36 am #
Sabrina,
When it comes to scheduling appointments for my 2 kids, I try to do all of them on the same day. Our family doctor has block scheduling, so I schedule one appointment atleast 20 minutes apart from the next one, since they are both visiting the same doctor. When it comes to Parent/Teacher Conferences, they get scheduled one week apart from each other. I am a very organized mom when it comes to scheduling appointments. I carry my appointment book every where I go. I never schedule an appointment without my book. I try not to double-book any appointments because it becomes a hassle and a nussance to have to re-schedule them. I try not to book more than 2 appointments per day. I even color code my appointments in different color markers. I have a very neat and colorful appointment book. Some people call it OCD. I call it my life-line!!! Hopefully, this may help you out with preventing you from double-booking and over-stressing yourself out over scheduling necessary appointments… I wish you lots of luck with this…
Julie on 08 Feb 2010 at 8:06 pm #
love the comic. I am usually good about keeping appointments. I try to get there at least 15 minutes early. Every once in a while I foget because someone else has one at the same time and I end up having to take them and find out latter I had one myself.
reid edwards on 08 Feb 2010 at 10:11 pm #
I simply adore Will and Jane….appointments…..i live on an island so any visit to doctor or the dentist also includes a ferry ride….why is it that the timing of ferry and bus schedules never match up with your appointments??? I have learned to ALWAYS carry a book….
Terry on 10 Feb 2010 at 6:12 pm #
I love the dreaded pirate Roberts, where did you get an action figure of him? I’m so jealous..lol
I generally don’t have a problem with keeping my appointments straight, as long as I know what day I am on. which lately seems to be a problem…. I blame the weather and the groundhog.
Sabrina Jeffries on 10 Feb 2010 at 11:30 pm #
I got the Dread Pirate Roberts from a site suggested by one of y’all–ThinkGeek. If you want one for yourself, just go to http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/collectibles/a3c8/?cpg=froogle .
Kelly Tinder on 11 Feb 2010 at 11:04 am #
I seldom ever miss an appointment, only two that I know of and both times they were because I scheduled them on what was already special, busy days: one, a dentist appointment on my daughter’s birthday, and another, a doctor appointment on New Year’s Eve day. I know not to schedule like that anymore or double book. I keep a calender by our phone and my family says I’m the queen of “post-its”. That is how I am able to remember all my family’s and my appointments. I do like the Dread Pirate Roberts!
Debra G on 11 Feb 2010 at 10:47 pm #
I’m good with scheduling and keeping appointments and I do like the Dread Pirate Roberts!
Cathi O on 13 Feb 2010 at 9:52 am #
I am good at scheduling and keeping my appointments. I moved a dr. appt up by ten days recently. While I remembered this, the office called to confirm the original appointment they never removed!
Love your new toy!
Sabrina Jeffries on 13 Feb 2010 at 6:34 pm #
Glad y’all are liking the Dread Pirate figure! I’m figuring he would be a great date for Jane. *G*
TIFFY on 14 Feb 2010 at 8:15 am #
I’M THE QUEEN AT SCHEDULING AND KEEPING MY APPOINTMENTS. I’M ALWAYS ON TIME. JUST CALL ME A NERD
APPOINTMENT CHICK. THE WORST MESS-UP APPOINTMENT, HAPPEN TO ME IN 2008. I WAS IN H&R BLOCK
OFFICE, WAITING PATIENTLY TO FILE MY TAXES. SO AN HOUR LATER, I WAS ASK IF I HAD AN APPOINTMENT, SO
I TOLD THE LADY YES. SO SHE LOOK IN HER BOOK AND TOLD ME, THAT I WASN’T DOWN ON THEIR BOOK. I SAT
THERE FOR AN HOUR AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORST, I MADE THAT APPOINTMENT TWO WEEKS AGO. THE STUPID
LADY NEVER WROTE IT DOWN. I WAS SO MAD!!!! YOUR ACTION FIGURE DREAD PIRATE ROBERTS IS DREAMY
AND VERY CUTE!!!