At BJ’s last weekend I saw a display that had some 2026 calendars.

I’m a bit of a sucker for a planner.

In years past it was how I organized writing deadlines and comedy shows and other things I had to keep track of back when I went to more places than I do now.

I actually haven’t used one at all the past 6 months or so - the last couple I have gotten were July to July-type calendars…and after this July I wasn’t sure I needed one.

I’ve struggled to find the ones I like - which have two big criteria: 1) a regular calendar year, January through December, and 2) no tabs. I don’t like the ones that have the monthly tabs sticking out the side. I think the ones without that just look cleaner.

So I saw this planner, and it was pretty cheap - just $12.99 - and it met my criteria, so I figured I should go for it.

I don’t know yet exactly how I’ll use it.

I don't have the writing obligations I used to have. I certainly don’t have any shows scheduled.

Of course I’ve thought about putting my running plans in there.

But I do have some ideas for 2026 that might involve some planning out - I’d like to be a little more active on Instagram in the new year - so maybe this can help me organize all of that.

It has some fun little bells and whistles - checklist boxes, stickers, all kinds of lines to write different things - and monthly as well as weekly overviews.

I definitely don’t need all of that.

But I think it will be good for me to have this organizational tool.

I won’t be doing this kind of writing here every day in the new year - but maybe keeping track of things in the planner every day in 2026 will scratch the itch that this has satisfied in 2025.