I love this time of year, and one reason is the coming new year and the opening of a fresh, new, leather-bound calendar book. Clicking a PDA or cellphone calendar entry on January 1 just doesn’t feel the same does it?

Even though I have a smartphone, I enjoy keeping a nice calendar book, one with substance and heft.

So in November, I bought a nice brown and navy hardbound calendar book, about 6″ x 9″. And began penciling in our dates for 2010. The San Francisco writers conference in February. A weekend in Sonoma in March. Our trip to Ireland and Scotland in June. Our birthdays (like we could forget).

I like seeing the tangible evidence of plans in my book. Best part is, I can actually see entries without reading glasses, and can view detailed events for a month at a glance, unlike the dots on my PDA’s monthly view.

Progress is good; I’m all for it. Electronic calendars on phones have their place.

But I am always going to like the substance and detail of a nice calendar book.

Looking forward to turning the page at midnight and the year to come.