Suck It, Chandler's

I have found my Chandler's replacement (although, admittedly, I would still be happy with a Chandler's if they decided to come back. Hmmm, but maybe I would be cold to them for a while for ditching me so brutally). After visiting Walgreen's, Target, Staples, Office Depot, and Office Max, I chose to purchase a Trapper brand student planner [sadly, there are no pictures online, and I am too lazy to take and upload one]. It's definitely not as classy as a Chandler's, but it does have a see-through, pocket cover, for both storage capability and allowing you to design and change your own covers. The pages are blue, without annoying "1:00, 2:00,..." that they have in a lot of books these days. I really don't plan my days that closely, or if I do, I like to write in the times myself. The address area was weak, of course, but what I did was (don't laugh) took scrapbook letters and added several address pages on the pages designated for "notes;" at the top of each page, I put the 3-4 letters that would be represented on each page (just like in the Chandler's address book). The best parts of this book are the pages in the back that show you how to create a secret code, chat lingo and emoticon dictionaries, and sign language, Braille and Morse Code keys! And-- each page has a fun 80s factoid at the bottom. I guess because Trapper Keepers were only cool in the 80s? I still think Chandler's had the design down. They were smart enough to have their cover extend past the pages so that the pages did not get destroyed. Alas, my Trapper does not. I guess this is a test year. Sigh. I bet you all are thinking that I am over-thinking this, but obviously whoever made those Chandler's knew what they were doing and really were able to perfect things over time.

80s Factoid of the week: The Tom Cruise movie Top Gun was linked to a 40% sales increase of Ray Ban "Aviator" sunglasses in 1986. [Product placement?]