英语博客：Quite a social calendar.

　　Do you use calendars very much? I do. Without them, I'm sure I would forget a lot of appointments. I have a calendar conveniently placed in my kitchen, just above where I do my podcasts. I have a collection of other important things on this 'mini-desk' of mine, so it keeps me organized while I do my little projects, check my E-mails, or pay the bills. My husband has one on his iPad that is much more sophisticated¹ than mine. He relies on his to keep his business affairs straight. However you use a calendar, it can be a great tool for remembering important appointments or events. In English, we say that people have a busy 'social' calendar, when they have appointments with friends, or commitments² that are fun. I have a few of those on my calendar, but most of the things I have written down are mundane³: dentist appointments, volunteering dates, taking the dogs to the vets⁴ for shots etc etc. But as I look up now to my calendar, I see that I do have some fun, social things planned for this month. I have lunch with my siser-in-law next week. Then there is a walk with a friend of mine in the park. We go every fortnight (or two weeks) There is a school bingo night which is to raise money for school supplies. And then, of course, there is Thanksgiving on the 25th. My birthday is also somewhere on the calendar, but I won't tell you where. This one calendar has been so useful for the whole family, that I bought a dry-erase version⁵ that hangs in the children's mud room. It is reusable, and has all of their school, sports, and music dates. If other people stay organized, it certainly takes the pressure off of me.
Grammar notes.
Related⁶ vocabulary: convenient, to pay the bills, to keep your affairs straight, mundane.
1. A large supermarket is being built where we live, how convenient!
2. It's that time of the month again; I have to pay the bills.
3. This business is very complex. It takes a lot of time and effort to keep your affairs straight.
4. Household chores are so mundane; they can get downright boring.

1 sophisticated   

adj.老练的，精密的，尖端的，高雅的

参考例句：

• She has become very sophisticated since she went to live in London.移居伦敦后她变得世故多了。
• This is a very sophisticated machine.这是一台非常精密的机器。

2 commitments   

n.委托( commitment的名词复数 )；任务；承担的义务

参考例句：

• I am very tired because I have taken on so many commitments. 我很累，因为我承担了很多的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These commitments have already been breached. 这些承诺已遭背弃。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 mundane   

adj.平凡的；尘世的；宇宙的

参考例句：

• I hope I can get an interesting job and not something mundane.我希望我可以得到的是一份有趣的工作，而不是一份平凡无奇的。
• I find it humorous sometimes that even the most mundane occurrences can have an impact on our awareness.我发现生活有时挺诙谐的，即使是最平凡的事情也能影响我们的感知。

4 vets   

abbr.veterans （复数）老手，退伍军人；veterinaries （复数）兽医n.兽医( vet的名词复数 )；老兵；退伍军人；兽医诊所v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的第三人称单数 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• I helped train many young vets and veterinary nurses too. 我还帮助培训了许多年青的兽医和护士。 来自互联网
• In fact, we've expanded mental health counseling and services for our vets. 实际上，我们已经扩大了退伍军人的心理健康咨询和服务。 来自互联网

5 version   

n.版本；型号；叙述，说法

参考例句：

• His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
• What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？

6 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。