This turns out to be a pretty neat calendar if you're willing to put in just a little effort and put it all together.

Supplies:

You will need the following:

1. Download either the 1999 Calendar or the 2000 Calendar.
2. The files are MSWord version 2.0 or higher files (it might work with other wordprocessors but I'm not sure).
3. Either a good printer to print out the pages of the calendar and a way to "pad" paper OR you can head over to your local printers (a place like Kinko's) who will have the right equipment to help you make your calendar. Don't worry, it won't cost you too much for them to help you.

Directions:

Step 1
Download the file of your choice, if you haven't done so already, by clicking on the link above. It is in Microsoft Word format, so if you do not have access to that, I don't know how it will translate into other word processing files. If you are serious about making one, many of the printing places will let you rent computers and printers by the hour. Kinko's charges about 40 cents per minute plus a charge for printing.

Step 2
You can add information that is important to you from your personal calendar or day-planner to the TAGS Daily calendar you are about to make. The file you download has some TAGS notables' birthdays and show dates or anniversaries listed. I have edited mine to add my friend's birthdays or anniversaries, so you can add/subtract as you see fit. This is your calendar so do what you want to it. Do watch out for the pages reformatting and adjusting of the type if you add information. Sometimes WYSIWYG  (What You See Is What You Get) isn't quite that, so check each page to make sure you don't lose text when it is printed. You can space and change font as necessary to make it all fit from what your printer will allow.

Step 3
Print the calendar file. This is the easy part. Be sure NOT to look at the trivia too closely because the answers are posted on the following day and that would be cheating!! It is best to keep the pages in the order they print.

Step 4
The months are set in order that if you stack them on top of each other, you end up with Jan 1-5, Jan 6-10, Jan 11-15, etc. on top of the next month in that same order (Feb 1-5, Feb 6-10… Mar 1-5, etc.). It just made it easier to organize the days/trivia laying it out this way, but does create some work getting the final calendar in order.

Take the printed copies to a printer/copy place (i.e. Kinkos) and have them cut the whole stack of 12 months into 6 equal sized pieces - 3 x 3.667" lengthwise (11" wide) and 2 x 4.25" across (8-1/2" tall). The sheets are not marked but will work if they measure it exactly. They usually have a machine that can cut the whole stack all at once and it will be MUCH better than trying to use the paper cutter at the office to do 5-6 sheets at a time, but that is an option.

Step 5
Either camp out in their work space, or take them home, but you need to sort through the cut days to put them in order. I make 12 stacks and sort them by month, then put them all together in order. You will find that there are some stray 31 days scattered throughout the year. I was trying to fill some empty cells and not waste any more paper that I could. They will cut 365 printed days and a dozen or so blank sheets - save at least a few blanks.

Step 6
With the calendar days in order, ask the printers to "pad" the stack. They may recognize the term, but you can explain that it is a daily calendar and you want it to be glued at the top end - just like a notepad. Most everyone will recognize a day-by-day calendar and understand. Be sure to put a couple of blank pages after December 31 so you will have a "throw away" page to glue to your holder. The whole process should not cost you about $5 if you have sort it at the store and then pad it. They may charge more if you come back a week later to pad, but that is up to them.

Step 7

Calendar Stand (Back View)

Calendar Stand (Side View)

You can make a holder one of two ways - recycle an old one you have from 1998 or make your own. I used cardboard and pasted blue and/or orange poster paper to it, accenting the edges in the complimentary color for that Mayberry look. I measured the cardboard 6" x 4.25" so there is enough border around the calendar on top and each side and enough at the bottom for the fold to support the weight of the calendar (the glue may not be strong enough for that much paper). Regular white glue (Elmers) seems to work fine for me. Cut a wedge shaped piece of cardboard and use good, strong packing tape to attach it to the back, it forms a frame that will stand up.

You can be much more creative with the holder - add text at the top, print out graphics along the edge, give it a personal touch.

Starting January 1, you will have a quote and a pretty good trivia question (they aren't all easy) each day, all year.

I spent a lot of fun hours collecting quotes from the Peggy's Quotes and trivia from the show, and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Jeff Koontz
a.k.a. Opie at Sarah's