Calendars.

We live in an ever changing world and at this time of year it was traditional for many firms to offer a new year calendar. In the past this resulted in a flood of calendars - from the butcher, the chemist, the greengrocer - and the people who delivered bread to every street in the city.

Each year the offering of calendars has been shrinking, both because of cost and the reduction of services as we use our cars to concentrate purchases at a supermarket.

We still get calendars but now they are mainly " freebies " - appearing in our letter boxes along with vast volumes of junk mail, and their advertising purpose has changed from those supplying us goods - to those who are looking for new customers.

The business being advertised on next year's calendars is very predictable. There will surely be several from real estate agents. Whoever is the local member of both state and Federal parliament will have one to remind us of their existence - and of course we will get one from Wollongong council to remind us which wheelie bin to put out each week.

The one thing these will all have in common is - a magnet on the back and a suitable size to stick on the fridge door.

Gone are the huge calendars of yesteryear - some with floral scenes of great beauty to adorn our walls - and some " girlie " calendars more suitable for the tool shed in the backyard.

Just one more change - in this ever changing world !