Didn’t Expect That To Happen Twice
I’m a Dilbert fan. I identify with the geeky engineer who is slightly, okay, more than slightly socially awkward. A few years ago, I wrote about how I Learned Everything About Being A Manager From Dilbert’s Pointy Haired Boss.
I indulge my fandom with an annual Dilbert desk calendar. A desk calendar is one where you get one cartoon per day. It’s not particularly useful as a calendar. Sure, when you look at it, it will tell you what day of the month it is. But, so will your watch, your phone, and your computer. And a wall calendar will at least show you the days of the month.
No, a desk calendar is mostly just to look at the funny pictures once per day. I was introduced to desk calendars, and the Dilbert one specifically when a member of my team had one. I would wander by his desk and randomly read through it. I never understood why he didn’t read a head.
Once I got my first one I got it. If you read tomorrow’s comic today, what will you read tomorrow? So, I strictly limit myself to one page per day.
Calendars make great Christmas gifts. They are fairly inexpensive, and the end of the year is a great time to get a new calendar. Every year I would put it on my Christmas list.
In my family we draw names for Christmas. You don’t know who has your name. And everyone posts a list of Christmas gifts they would like. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to get what’s on their Christmas list. In fact, typically we put much more on the Christmas last than would be reasonable to expect for Christmas, both to give be a chance to be creative, and also to make sure people have gifts that are in a range of different prices.
My lists were always a little longer than others’. My birthday is at the end of December, between Christmas and New Years. My Christmas list and birthday list were combined. Naturally I included Dilbert’s Desk Calendar on my Christmas list every year. And every year I would end up buying my own copy. Every Christmas, I would get a wonderful assortment of gifts. Some extremely expensive. But, no desk calendar. And then, on my birthday, when everyone was buying a gift for me, I’d open each one with great appreciation. Each was given in love.
But, still no desk calendar.
So, I’d buy it myself. Some years I lucked out, I’d find one half price at Walmart in January. But, the last few years I’ve had to order it online.
Christmas this year was no different. I received amazing thoughtful gifts. My son-in-law gave me a Dewalt planer. I’ve always wanted a planer. They are a specialized woodworking tool that I just could never justify purchasing. They take rough boards and make them smooth. (It’s cooler than it sounds.)
Anyway, wonderful gifts, but no calendar.
Three days later we had my birthday. And as you might have guessed, I finally got my calendar. My daughter bought it for me. As you might imagine I was pleased. It hadn’t happened before, and my daughter knew how much it meant to me. And then it came time to open my lovely wife’s gift. And it happened again.
After years of getting none, I then got two. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. . .and birthday, you know if it was your birthday. . .and a Happy New Year.
Stay safe
Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren.
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