Every year in December, we hit a wall. Literally. We flip the last page of our calendar and have nothing but the wall to write on. Despite our devices, we still like a shared space to scribble our commitments so Tarun and I can stay in sync. In busy season, our friends invite us months ahead of time and without a visual cue we would find it impossible to show up at the right place at the right time.
And every year, Tarun and I spend a significant amount of time choosing a calendar with dogs (beagles, of course!), mountains, lakes, birds, bridges, cityscapes, or inspirational quotes. This year everything is different. Our politics, our news, our sensibilities, and our tastes. We didn't want to do the same old. We want our very own imprint on the year ahead. I am an amateur photographer and I wondered about making a calendar from my pictures. From the confines of our family room, I looked to the internet for a creative solution.
I clicked to my go-to place. Tarun and I selected the 13 photos worthy of 2019. We previewed, we adjusted, and we clicked ok. We changed the layout a bit so the images took less room and I didn't have to fuss with the resolution. For the price we would have paid for a mass produced calendar, we ordered a unique experience crafted just for us.
Of special note is November. It's Josh's birthday month and I have a picture of him (photo credit: Humera) suspended in mid-air in sheer delight. He is our pin-up boy of 2019!
And from India, the hot sun will reset us on muggy days in DC. The haze and orange will cue a tall glass of ice tea as we rest on weekend afternoons.
Chicago will entice us in March with a reflection of one building on the facade of another. A recursive capture that caught my attention as we did the architectural tour of the city.
Each month, our new wall calendar will remind us of a sweet spot in the past. I cannot wait for 2019 to arrive so we can start recording our moments and seeing them through our lens. And if you are keen on doing this, I recommend vistaprint.com. You'll enjoy looking ahead by looking back at your fondest memories. Let me know how yours turns out!