A tunable optical filter is disclosed having an input port, a beam translator for translating input and output optical beams, an element having optical power for collimating the translated beam, a reflective wavelength dispersive element, and an output port. The width of the clamping pieces is exactly one half of that of the positioning pieces. The device further includes a buffer control circuit supplying the buffer control signal to the first tri-state buffer. An event timeline that uses a \u201cfuzzy\u201d reminder method allows for reminders to be associated with tasks where some tasks must be accomplished or must occur at hard datestimes, but where other tasks may be accomplished or may occur during soft or \u201cfuzzy\u201d datetime ranges.