Balancing Tips
Issue No. 8 August 2009 
In This Issue
Lessons from Chautauqua
Delivery Room Wisdom
Put On The Dog!
Leash Law No. 8
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Dear Friends of Balancing Act, 
Age of Miracles Book Cover 
Since I last wrote, two exciting deliveries have arrived: a new grandbaby at my son James' house and my first 400 copies of The Dog Ate My Planner in my garage.  
 
It took less than a New York minute to conclude that the grandbaby was way prettier than the books.  Taylor Joy Ravenscraft is a beauty by any measure. But also, a friend quickly noticed that the books had a typo I'd missed, right on the back cover! Planner was spelled planwner.
 
 I would like to say that my response was immediately to "Laugh Away the Chaos." After all, that's what I recommend in the book. But the truth is,  it took at least 24 hours to get to the "Laugh Away" response.  Meanwhile, I was stewing and scheming. 
 
Happily, friends to the rescue!  While the publisher printed corrected copies, we planted Waiting Room Copy labels over the error and will give a bonus book to everyone who purchases a regular copy at the book launch party on September 13.  
  
Best of all, the waiting room campaign is the perfect tribute to my late husband Bob, who spent plenty of time in doctors' waiting rooms and had planned to leave copies wherever he went.  Now we will have a whole army doing it.
 
I hope you'll join us at this event, along with Henry the Time Management Dog, the precious pooch owned by Mary B. Relotto, who won the Name That Dog contest. Henry will pose for a drawing by the book's cartoonist, Michael H. Whiting.
The launch is from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Lavash Caf� in Clintonville.
 
 Meanwhile, I hope you're laughing away the chaos in YOUR lives.
 
Pat
.

 
Lessons from Chautauqua
Miller Bell TowerI would like to kidnap all my friends and take them with me for a week at the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York.  My daughter Sarah, who joined me for "State of Mind" week, describes the non-stop lectures/concert/workshop venue as "Disneyland for Adults." 
 
The next best thing to being there is to tune in to the pre-lecture
interviews with Chautauqua's amazing speakers, which are available free as podcasts and to listen to live web streams of lectures August 11-14.
 
On a humbler scale, a remarkable group of folks came out for my laughter, humor and creativity workshop last month, where we experimented with exercises and activities designed to enhance our creativity and problem-solving abilities. 
 
One of the exercises - a brainstorming session on getting the most out of Chautauqua - produced results worth passing along.  They apply not only to making the most of the overbooked world of Chautauqua but also in our overbooked lives at home: 
 
            Plan time for yourself
            Push out of your comfort zone
            Make new connections
            Open yourself up to serendipity
 
Kudos to
Michael Todd, a participant from Marion, OH, who went full-tilt on the push-your-comfort-zone exercise of wandering the grounds wearing a clown nose.  His story is featured in the Dog Journal.  
    
Beauty and Wisdom from the Delivery Room
 
Taylor
OK. Here's the inevitable photo of my first grandchild, Taylor Joy Ravenscraft, who arrived July 14, so you can conclude for yourselves that there never was a more beautiful child. But beyond that, some wisdom from her mother Tracy Joy.
            
Labor and delivery can be harrowing.  And I'm absolutely sure I never said anything in a delivery room that I'd want repeated. So I was impressed with my daughter-in-law's response to the nurse who asked if she made quick work of the delivery because she was the "competitive" type.
 
 "No," said Tracy, without missing a beat.  "Just goal-oriented."
 
The more I think about the distinction, the more I like it. How many times do we distract ourselves by worrying about the competition instead of staying focused on the goal?

 
Put On The Dog !
 
tote bagIn case you'd like to join me in confessing your dis-organizational skills, now there's a way.  Mousepads, T-shirts, hats, and even a tote bag announce that the dog ate your planner.  
 
What's more, anyone sporting this special doggie wear at the book launch party will be featured in a special group photo and receive a $5 discount off the book.  So visit The Dog's online store and suit up!  
  
Leash Law No. 8: Coping With Medical Disasters
 
Age of Miracles Book CoverWhile politicians are focused on national medical disasters, here's a tip on handling your personal ones, from Chapter 4 of The Dog ("Not What The Doctor Ordered"):
 
Medical disasters are bound to hit en masse for anyone who's caring for several family members. For sandwich generation caregivers, who have responsibility for parents, kids, themselves and spouses, the odds of mega disasters increase exponentially.
 
This is not the time to host a family reunion, prom party or welcoming party for the new neighbors. Instead, cut back to the bare essentials, enlist paid and/or volunteer help and schedule a block of just-for-you time everyday. By the way, screaming in the shower also helps.
 

In Conclusion...
           
           
Thankfully, the dog did not eat the July 23 quote of the day from my paper planner, courtesy of John Andrew Holmes, a physician who in 1927 published a book called  Wisdom in Small Doses.
 
           
It is well to remember that the entire population of the universe, with one thrilling exception, is composed of others.
 
            Kind of puts things in perspective.

Copyright 2009 Pat Snyder