My Telephone Diary – An Evolving Story
My connection with my family, my friends, my world
My daughter says…….. it’s my lifeline.
I would like to share what makes my diary so special that I do not venture out without it.
First page has all the details of my husband and me…. Passport Numbers, Club Numbers, Airlines Frequent Flier Numbers, PAN Card Numbers. I write frequently used email ids of my husband, children and special friends. I write the fax numbers of a place near my house, in case mine is not working.
Then comes few quotations which are used frequently….. So, when I am out of town and don’t have my references handy with me, it is helpful. For example, Wishes for New Baby, words of consolation for death for someone close, various blessings for the wedding, or shlokas for the bride or groom, including some special occasions like landmark birthday / anniversary messages and finally some uplifting and inspirational quotes.
I write frequently used numbers of the city where I live organized by category and locality. For example Jewellers together, Textiles and Local Artists at one place, for example all the places I visit in Charminar are listed together, so I don’t have to scan all the pages.
When I write about people I jot down the names of their children and grand children, their interests and special bond we share, so when I talk to them I can inquire about them with their names and other topics of common interest.
Together with the Doctor’s numbers, I write my medical record number and the name of the person who gives the appointment. While asking for an appointment, I talk to the secretary, so that there is warm personal rapport stablished. Regarding our Hyderabad L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, I have assigned a page in L for the hospital and I maintain a record of all my family and friend’s medical record numbers, so when they call me for an appointment, I just consult my diary and do the needful.
Example…….LVPEI = Maa – P6629, Puneet – P106355, SKP – P226364
I also make different categories for professionals, like all local doctors at one place and all out station/ international doctors together. Similar arrangement is apt for Artist and other dealers.
Likewise with textiles also I write the dealers area wise, Benaras, Delhi, Kolkata, Orissa, Gujrat. This has saved me a lot of time because it is easier to recollect the area, than the exact name of the dealer.
In case of relatives and close family I plan city-wise details. For example, all my daughter’s in-laws whose family name is More, will be categorized under various cities like More – Mumbai, More – Delhi, More – Kolkata etc. this way I can relate to “More” relatives with different last names also. To illustrate, my daughter who has an aunt –in-law with family name as Kanoria, staying in Kolkata will be written as More / Konaria under More.
Initially, I faced difficulty in relating and remembering all the details. This is an easier way for me to connect.
Being from a large family, I write the names with hierarchy of their age. Maa.. oldest brother… after that my cousins… It helps me when I prepare an invite list for occasions. This way I don’t miss out any name or anyone of importance.
In case a relative or a friend has married daughters, I put their details under my friends details only. If I put the married daughters under the new married family names, sometimes, I have trouble in recollecting and associating.
Example… Nevatia Sarla + Vinay, (daughter) Nevatia/ Agarwal, Kumud & Vinod
Some Metro Cities I do a city page. For example, take the city of Kolkata,. I will note the flower shop, sweet shop, papad shop, some special caterer’s numbers. Supari person number, local tailor’s number, message lady, mehendi artist, any special things and services, I might need from that city.
If I visit a new city or country, I will write important details. Restaurants details… Sometimes I mention the speciality dishes also, private taxi, translators, wholesale stores and I jot a comment on the store,, local crafts person’s details etc…
With time I keep on filling relevant details in my diary, that is why I call it evolving. For example, in case of a weaver, I have his Bank Account details, so that I can transfer money directly, name in which cheque has to be written, name and number of the local Courier and Angadia service.
I also try to put a landmark next to the address, especially, if they are difficult to locate. Example, next to Artist Shuva Prasanna’s address, I write near Water tank no.7 and next to Vaikumtam’s House, I note the name of the sweet shop “Agarwal Sweets” before the lane I need to take a left turn. Also, next to the artist’s particulars, I will mention if he has a frame maker and write his contact details also.
When I organize alphabetically, I list under alphabets and city-wise also so that I don’t have to scan # pages for one number. For example
‘A’ … ‘A’ Delhi
‘A’ Kolkata
‘A’ Mumbai
‘A’ Rest of the cities
These being the 3 cities where I have most of my relatives and I frequent the most.
I dedicate last few pages for birthdays and anniversaries…
For example… for January…
19 Sept, ‘B’ Birthday… Avanee
29 Nov, ‘Anniversary’… Pallavi & Niraj
I keep on fine tuning my diary… this telephone diary is so much a part of me that when I go shopping for an evening bag… however nice or branded it might be, I will not busy it if it cannot accommodate this very dear diary which just 5”X71/2”
A little note about Visiting cards. I recently learnt to put the date on which I got the visiting cards, from people and shops. This helps me to recollect when I met the person and how long I have been dealing with the person. The shop keeper also feels assured to be told that he had been associated since long.
First I used to keep Visiting cards in an album assigned to different categories like, Artists, Textiles, Doctors, out station contacts. But I found that I was unable to refer to them readily. Recently I met a friend who keeps city wise visiting cards in separate sheet. Whichever city she visits, she carries that sheet along. I am yet to process my visiting cards album, but seems to be very workable idea, similar to my concept of organizing city-wise details.
When I go to very specialized interesting shops, I pickup more than one visiting card, so that i can hand them over to my friends.
When I print my visiting card, I wrote a quote / something I want to share with friends, on the reverse of the card. I keep on changing the text as and when my beliefs change.
I constantly flip over my diary while waiting in the airports or traffic, it is strange how many times I have caught up with an old friend by doing this.
Off late I am incorporating this learning to my mobile phone also.
My Diary is like the footprints in my life, it is I a bundle of memories I carry with me making me feel I am surrounded with people filled with warmth and affection…. not alone…. only a phone call away…..
