“The Dog” Journal
Welcome to the Dog Journal, a blog where I periodically share my best finds for taming those puppies that gnaw at your planner.
Could be a quick time management tip, a smell-the-flowers moment, a comment overheard on the elevator. Whatever the inspiration, I hope you’ll blog right along with me by commenting and sharing your tips and stories for taming an overbooked life.
Picture-Perfect Lunch Hours
After lunching the other day with a lawyer friend on a really tight schedule, I remembered a crazy-busy time in my own life when the best lunch break involved throwing a camera in my bag and sneaking out of the office to shoot pictures. Trees were a favorite, and flowers. Anything natural and interesting and right-brain happy. Anything but writing another legal analysis.
I’m sure I’m not alone here. Anyone else have a favorite stress-relief break from the office? Or a mini-break you wouldn’t try again? Do tell.
Pooper-Scooper Contest
What kind of Dog Journal would this be if we didn’t salute National Scoop-The-Poop Week?
And the best way I know to celebrate is to share our favorite pooper-scooper stories.
Has your little friend ever humiliated you on that trip around the block? Made you laugh? Share your best pooper-scooper story here.
The winning entry will receive a free autographed copy of my upcoming book “The Dog Ate My Planner” and – who knows – maybe some of those nifty little scooper bags.
Texting: the new salvation?
I’ve been pretty lukewarm about texting. Much easier to send an receive voice messages, I thought. That was before my car – driven by child #3 on a college campus – got towed to make way for the street cleaner.
“What?” I said when she delivered the news. “How could you have possibly known it was street-cleaning day?”
She looked sheepish. “Third Tuesday,” she replied. “The sign said.”
It is too painful to disclose the towing cost, though it was hers, not mine, to pay. Suffice it to say she could have bought several weeks’ worth of groceries.
The silver lining is that the experience introduced us to an amazing free service called Antitow, aka online as www.antitow.com. This now month-old service sends free text message alerts when the street sweepers are coming into any one of seven campus neighborhoods.
What a concept! Just wish they’d expand their services to the off-campus world. In case you’re listening, Antitow, how about texting me with Garbage Day alerts? Rumpke reminders? Nudges to get an oil change? I’m all over this idea. Anyone else?
Worry on Wednesday
Worried in this economy? Take a tip from Bill Slabodnick of Columbus. Bill, an 80-something who looks and acts a decade younger than his age, has a system. He worries only on Wednesdays from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
If something comes up in between?
“I just wait till Wednesday,” he says.
Anyone else have a Worry Wart remover? Please share and help the rest of us get our lives back in balance.
