If you ask me what I was doing last year on this day, I could tell you. The year before that or five years ago ... I have that too. I wouldn’t know off the top of my head like Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, but give me a few minutes in my archives of notebooks and I’d have the answer.

A woman I worked with taught me the two most valuable tools anyone could have were a notebook and a month-at-a-glance calendar. That was 20 plus years ago. When all the Covey organizers came out a group of people wooed me over to try the new and better way to keep life in order. That lasted about six months before I was back to the wide ruled spiral notebook and separate calendar. The same thing happened when Palm Pilots hit stores. That time I refused to go to the dark side.

I have a Blackberry but my notebook and month-at-a-glance calendar are still with me. Writing things down with a pen or pencil may be old fashioned, but it feels good and kind of organic, like I should be wearing Birkenstocks. Soon we'll be telling remember when stories about #2 pencils.

I worry about most of my family. A few of us like a plan and like to work the plan. I question if the rest of them even know there is a plan. They would say there is, but I think they make it up as they go. I'm sure they think I need to let go of the plan a little bit and be more spontaneous. I probably do. I’m trying.

The pretend organizers are big fans of sticky notes. I love them too and wish I would have invented them. The problem is they don’t get stuck in a central location and show up in the sleeve of a coat or on the back of a magazine. I found a sticky note on Jim’s desk from five years ago the other day. I’m guessing he missed that appointment.

My kids are on to me to get the newest iPhone. Why do I need to confuse myself even more? I think I’ll stick with my Blackberry. Anyway, I’d probably look silly at Starbucks with the latest in electronics writing in my notebook and calendar with a mechanical pencil.