Days of our lives.(2008 Calendars)

Sure, you can keep track of your appointments on your cell phone, your Palm Pilot or your Blackberry; you can check out dates on an Ipod or a wristwatch; and of course Google is always just a keystroke away. But "old-fashioned" wall calendars, desk diaries et al. were around long before any of the aforementioned technological advances and, judging from publishers' output, they're still as popular, as useful and as varied as ever. Check out these 2008 calendars, where you don't need to push a single button to access the info.

ABRAMS

New 2008 calendars in 16-month wall format include: Angry Little Girls (still in a bad mood); music fans will appreciate R. Crumb's Heroes of Blues, Jazz, & Country; kitties cavort on Cattitude; the work of Donny Miller depicts Beautiful People with Beautiful Feelings; Chococat by Higashi Glaser includes 75 stickers; The Queen Anne House: America's Most Beautiful Victorian Homes displays these lovely ladies; nature in all its beauty is seen in Rivers of America and Treehouses of the World ($12.95 each). Returning favorites include Lady Cottington's Press Fairy Calendar, Peeps, William Wegman Man's Best Friend and William Wegman Puppies ($12.95 each); Graffiti World shows off this form of street art ($14.95). Hello Kitty Hello 2008! comes in mini-wall format ($9.95) and 16-month wall ($12.95). Boxed calendars include The Universe 365 Days and The Lazy Environmentalist ($13.95 each); engagement calendars include Blue Dog: The Art of George Rodrigue and Hello Kitty ($14.95 each). Harry N. Abrams, 115 W. 18th St., New York, N.Y. 10011; (212) 206-7715. www.hnabooks.com.

AMBER LOTUS

This environmentally conscious publisher specializes in calendars that illuminate spirit and beauty. New for 2008, all priced at $13.99: Environmental Art celebrates our connection to the natural world; Hidden Messages in Water highlights the work of scientist and author Masaru Emoto; Celtic Blessings takes a modern look at Celtic themes; Posters for Peace and Justice offers reprints of political action posters; Chicano Art showcases the works of contemporary Chicano and Chicana artists; A Year of Healthy Living features topics that approach food as a nurturing component of life. Terms: 48-95, 45% discount; 96-191, 50%; 192-479, 55%; 480+, 55%, returnable; 1-47, 50% discount, 48-95, 53%, 96-191, 55%, 192-479, 58%, 480+, 60%, nonreturnable. Amber Lotus, P.O. Box 11329, Portland, Ore.; (503) 284-6400. E-mail: neworder@amberlotus.com.

ANDREWS MCMEEL

For 2008, AM is introducing these new formats: the Grab-n-Go Family Calendar, available in ... Flower or ... Paisley, keeps track of activities for family members and can sit on a desk or closed to take along (easel-back, $12.99 each); the Lift-a-Flap Calendar comes in gaming versions: Blackjack and Texas Hold 'em ($14.99 each); Ultimate Calendars combine daily notes, a sticky note pad and a flower pen in three formats: Inspirational, Chuckle-a-Day and Friendship ($14.99 each). eDay2Day, introduced last year, allows users to view Microsoft Outlook appointments alongside cartoons, quotes, jokes or puzzles and returns with additional subjects: George W. Bushisms, Sudoku, Teachers, Dilbert, Women's Wit and more ($14.99 each). Returning bestsellers include Dilbert Day-to-Day ($11.99), Easy Scrapbooking Crop-a-Day ($14.99) and The Far Side Desk Calendar ($12.99). Terms: 50% returnable, 55% nonreturnable; minimum order $100 net. Andrews McMeel Publishing, 4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111-7701; (816) 932-6700. www.andrewsmcmeel.com.

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

The Scenic Arizona calendar features "when you go" info about each location (wall, $13.99). Also available: Arizona Highways Classic calendar provides room for daily reminders (wall, $7.99), while the Engagement Calendar provides photos of the state's wildlife and most notable sites ($11.99). Terms: 1-24, 50% discount, 24-49, 52%, 50-99, 54%, 99+, 55%, non-returnable. Arizona Highways, 2039 W. Lewis Ave., Phoenix, Ariz. 85009-2893; (602) 712-2200. www.arizhwys.com.

AVALANCHE

Featured for 2008: Mom's Plan It provides space for family members' activities, pockets for notes/reminders/coupons and a supply of stickers ($13.99); in the destination series, Antarctica debuts with views of this frozen world and The World's Most Difficult Golf Holes depicts scenic and challenging courses ($12.99 each). Terms: no returns; minimum orders: new customers, $250, existing customers, $150. …