I know the Dashboard is seconds away from a quick key-press, but having your calendar pleasantly displayed on your desktop is really handy.
Enter in Dateline. It essentially displays the date… in a line. It reminds me of sparklines! Ok, seriously it’s far more useful if you go check it out, rather than my terrible explanation. Here’s a screenshot:
The free version works just fine, with no silly pop ups or anything distracting. If you wish to donate, the price is cheap at $4.95. Registering opens up some nifty little options. I love software that is both reasonable and appropriately priced.