Monday, February 21, 2011

Why, I oughta...

Frugal and Old School.

I've been called both by a certain partner who mocks me for wearing socks with holes and sneakers with soles worn paper-thin.

Ah, but I sure have some nice tools.  We all have our priorities.

Which is why, when my 15-year-old plastic desk calendar met with an abrupt demise last week due to the uncharacteristic actions of a mild mannered graphic designer who momentarily lost her cool at work, I was reluctant to replace it with a newfangled, electronic gadget with which to record my daily activities.

My partner incorrectly surmised that this event was "the universe beckoning me to join the 21st-century."

What a bunch of hooey.

So, I made tracks to the nearby office supply store to buy a plastic base replacement for the loose calendar pages.

Two cardboard boxes of replacements were on the shelf. To my dismay, I discovered that one had been torn open and was completely empty. The other box was mangled and contained only the plastic base—the U-shaped metal tangs that are used to lock the calendar pages in place were missing.

Not a problem.  I had frugally, nay, wisely saved the metal tangs from my broken calendar base.

I considered purchasing the incomplete product, when I suddenly remembered, "Hey...I'm a woodworker, by gum!"

Back on the shelf went the battered box. And I went home. To my shop. Where I made my own darn calendar base from a piece of cherry.

I saved $10 and I have a much prettier desk calendar to greet me at work each day. It will look spiffy next to my rolodex holder.

The universe was imploring me to get with the times? Horsefeathers!