Now is generally the time of year when I start thinking about next year’s planner. For the past few years I’ve been using my friend Nikol’s Year of the Planner, and before that I loved Ruff House Print Shop’s Weekly Planners. I find having weekly spreads where I can make to do list and note daily events to be my favorite kind of planner. I was just planning on proceeding apace with one of the two options above. Until I saw the Effin’ Birds 2023 Monthly/Weekly Planner Calendar.
If you’re not familiar with Effin’ Birds, it started as a Twitter account where author Aaron Reynolds paired “vintage black-and-white bird illustrations with sayings that, more often than not, rely heavily on the F-bomb and other curse words.” The Effin’ empire grew to include other social media platforms, a book, and associated merchandise (stickers, shirts, mugs, posters, etc.) As long as you’re not averse to cursing, it feels like there is an appropriate Effin’ Bird for every occasion.
I’ll admit that during the pandemic, Effin’ Birds could always be counted on for a laugh, or a snort, and brightened my days several times. So I couldn’t resist the siren call of a planner that would give me new things to laugh about weekly!
The planner itself is a sturdy soft cardstock cover, with a sewn binding. This give the cover a bit more of a sturdy feel, but the pages open and lie flat, meaning you don’t need to break the binding to use it. The pages are “printed on FSC certified paper with soy-based ink” and have a sturdy feel as well. Closed, the calendar measures 7.25″ x 9.25″ (18.5cm x 23.5 cm). When opened, it expands to 14.75″ (37.5cm) wide. It weighs in at 1 lb., 1oz. or 485gm.
The planner is divided into sections. At the front you have 12 month’s at a glance in 2 page spreads. Then come the weekly spreads with illustrations on one side, and daily sections on the other. Finally you have a few pages entitled 2024 planning, a few years at a glance and a section for notes. A ribbon bookmark, helps you keep your place.
I have to say I’m super pleased with the paper. I tested various fountain pen inks and nib widths and the paper behaved beautifully. I thought it might feather or bleed, but it didn’t! And there was zero show through.
While I know there are many of you that are die-hard Hobonichi afficionados, I tend to choose thicker papers, and something a little arty in my planner. I guess Effin’ Birds doesn’t qualify as high art, but I think it’s going to keep me amused (and organized) in 2023.
DISCLAIMER: I purchased this planner with my own funds from Amazon.com. Please see the About page for more details.
That’s @#$% funny, even though I am indeed a %^&* diehard Hobonichi A6 Day-Free fan!
Why is this filthy cursing here?
And why are birds, which are noble and superior creatures, portrayed as depraved, with belligerent attitudes and toilet bowl mouths?
Fun planner! Reminds me of a story told by a family friend with a colorful work history. In his younger days, the friend worked in a carpet warehouse. He saw a bird in the warehouse one day, and remarked to his boss in awe: “Hey, there’s a bird in the warehouse! I wonder how it got in? Boss, do you know what kind of bird that is?”
To which the boss replied: “It’s a f**king bird! Now get to work!”
“It’s a f**king bird” has been part of our family lore for years, an illustrative phrase we employ at opportune moments. Who knew there would be a planner to go with it?