Possibly, if you were not born in July, you have never noticed this phenomenon. But calendar-makers quite typically save all their worst photos or illustrations for that month. Perhaps they think everyone will be on vacation, will not give their wall-calendars so much as a glance, and will therefore not even notice their laziness.
But I notice. Am I the only person who opens a calendar directly to her birth-month page to see what is represented there? Quite often I am tempted to make my calendar-purchase decisions based on the picture staring at me out of July. Often, but not always. If it were always, I would never buy any calendars at all, because July calendar art is usually ugly, or boring, or tritely patriotic, or a bad guy. This year I bought a Beatrix Potter calendar on sale in mid-January, partly because it was on-sale in mid-January, and partly because even though the character respresented on the July page is a fox (one of the bad guys, though I do not recall from which story), it's an engaging illustration. Sometimes you have to settle.
Roommate-Rachel, however, has saved the day. (Or the month.) She has a Lord of the Rings character-portrait calendar on which we write our weekly work-schedules, hanging in the kitchen. Staring mysteriously out at us from behind her glistening white hood is Galadriel in all her elvish glory. I have always like Galadriel. I've pretty much always liked elves, too. I fully endorse this calendar.
11 comments:
Mine is on the 11th. When is your special day, my fellow July-baby?
Er, that was not a term of endearment, it just means you were born in July. :-)
Well, I've always thought you would make a great Galadrial--reminding me, as you do, of Cate Blanchette--so that is indeed a most fitting illustration! :-)
Happy Birthday Month!!! And so sorry for the calendar makers with no imagination.
My sister's birthday is on the fourth (oops, better get her a present huh.) I think every year how wonderful it is that everyone shoots off fireworks to celebrate (cheesy, but I really think it).
I do digress - Happy Birthday!
Craver--Ha ha. ;)
See? I'll bet you know what I'm talking about.
I shall refrain from saying happy birthday until the 11th . . . and then I'll probably forget. So maybe I'll stage whisper it now (happy birthday), just in case. Mine is the 16th.
Mom--I remind you of Cate Blanchette? Well, we DO both have big noses I guess. (That's the one drawback to this particular calendar portrait--Cate's schnoz is fairly evident in all its elvish glory, too.)
Stacey--Thanks! Yeah, fireworks on one's birthday has to be a good thing. It might make up for lame calendars.
Well, you're also tall, thin, sometimes elegant, and blonde in the summer! :-)
Five days difference... omigosh! We were almost twins! Sorry for not getting you presents all these years. I'll see if I can acquire a Shetland Pony and a means to ship it.
Until that pony arrives, have a happy birthday month! :-)
Craver--really?! A Shetland pony? How did you know that's what I've always wanted? (Seriously. When I was a kid, that was definitely on the top of my birthday list.
Mom--"sometimes elegant." I cracked up laughing. (I'm sure THAT'S not very elegant.)
I know this is way too late, but I totally agree! I always check out July first and foremost for the same reason, and am usually disappointed. This year for Christmas my eldest sister gave me a calendar made up of pictures of my nephews. And the July picture was great. Saved!
GreekGeek--you're a July baby, too? How come I don't remember this? When is yours?
Happy birthday! I am reading your blog backwards:) I feel the same about most calenders - about the June page! It is usually not ugly - just a little less nice than the other pages:)
But a fox is a very beautiful animal despite the stories - at least outward, or doesn't that count? I would be happy with a fox - though he isn't a nice character in BP's stories I think, so you have a point. (I remember the story about a goose) So I agree with you, it wasn't a nice thing to do to put the fox on the July page. :)
Justme--thanks for reading. And commenting. And wishing me a happy birthday! (It's this Monday.) A belated happy birthday to you, too, I guess--since June was a month ago.
You're right; foxes are beautiful animals. I don't object too much to the picture in that particular calendar, but I was just making the point that July is often a letdown.
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