Thursday, January 1, 2015

The Great Argument Solver

In my family, we often have conversations about something that happened in the past, but just about every time, there is a major fact that none of us can place.  It drives us crazy.  So we call and text each other trying to find out the whole story.

We remember ridiculous details like what someone was wearing, eating or doing, but why the person was there or when it was or where it was is always fuzzy.  And  in my family, we like to know all of the details, major and minor.

It drives us nuts.

A few years ago, we had one of those discussions and without warning, my mother whipped out a pile of argument solvers.  I had no idea she had them. And it just about solved the mystery of that conversation.

I say just about because there was one specific piece of information missing.  But I learned from that mistake, as you will see.

So I got to thinking, we all need to have our own argument solvers for the future.  Or at least, I do.

Let me present to you, the simplest argument solvers ever made.

That's right, these little calendars.  Who even uses these anymore, you ask?  Well, my mother and I certainly do. I don't know about my sisters.

Here's how you use it.  You don't use it for the day to day things you do.  Most people use their fancy technology for that.

No, these handy little things are to be used for things like recording visits from relatives, major events like deaths and births or major purchases like buying a house.  And you need to be specific.  Like when relatives visit, write when they arrived, when they left, why they were there and any major events that took place.  Whose bedroom they slept in, what they smelled like, how many times they wore the same shirt, etc.  And of course, who exactly was with them when they visited.

I can't tell you how many of my own arguments (those that I have only with myself, in my head) I have solved by going back to see if I wrote down why we were at so and so's house with long lost cousins while wearing cheese hats in the middle of June.

Or whatever.

So, as we embark on a new year, I open another 2 year calendar to input crucial information for future conversations that inevitably result in loud arguments.  And I strongly encourage you to do your own.

Keep it near your checkbook so when a major thing happens, you know right where to look.

And remember, be specific!  You don't have to write what people we wearing because someone will always remember that.  But you must write names, locations and specific events.

And then you too can amaze your family in the future when you whip out your own little pile of argument solvers!

Linking up here:
http://www.lovebakesgoodcakes.com/2015/01/freedom-fridays-with-all-my-bloggy.html#more

1 comment:

  1. I am a great fan of the two year pocket book calendars. Mine would not ever be mistaken for argument solvers, but as I don't have photographic memory of what is on my 12" x 17" wall calendar at home, the pocket guy is meant to duplicate most appointments and lunch dates. And since I won't trust my entire list of friends to my cell phone contacts, it is useful to record some phone numbers.

    ReplyDelete

I love comments almost as much as I love summer. I reply to all comments except those ridiculous anonymous comments offering me dirty deeds and real estate. When you leave your comment, please make sure your own settings will allow me to reply to you. Nothing makes me sadder than replying to your comments and then realizing it’s going to the no-reply@blogger address!