I have been reading your newsletter for a long time. I try to think of you as a recovering attorney. One of the biggest ideas I raised my kids with is called the 7 Ps
Prior
Planning and
Preparation
Prevent
Piss
Poor
Performance
A good strategy for everything in life. Both of my daughters are very successful taxpayers in high demand.
all this pardoning on both sides, totally out of control.
Not a good way for Biden to leave, esp w/ the preemptive stuff & lies about his son.
Not at all a good way for Trump to start w/ the pardon of Ulbricht, & when asked directly about pardoning those who struck the cops protecting our Capitol on Jan 6 Trump said he’d review them on a case by case basis.
JD Vance as recently as last week said no one who committed violence would be released. Pam Bondi during her hearing did the lawyer thing and said “if she was asked” she would advise against it.
He thinks a lot more than you - or me - he's smart, just say'n. When/if/fingers crossed Trump goes naturally, sooner than later & Vance is POTUS, which is what he was thinking, imo, he'll revert back to his ways before he started licking T's boots.
the advice of your friends & Galayda's are great - I always used your other tidbit "Write Stuff Down" w/ my kids --- I'm pretty sure 2 out of 3 continue in some form or fashion. And I always do.
Love these points. It's tax season, so I'll have plenty of opportunity to freak out. My favorites are Call a Friend and Clean Up. I have a dear friend in San Antonio who I call when need some fresh perspective. I also know she prays for me all the time, so...two birds. Don't need to work out if I'm expending all that energy cleaning house. I can, and often do, fume and pray while cleaning, so again...two birds (or is that four now). Thanks Bill. I appreciate you.
I had seven silver bracelets I wore. One said 'breathe'. A woman said "you need to be reminded to do that?"... :-)
Oh, & I used to be a facilitator/workshop leader/whatever they're called these days for Weight Watchers --- one suggestion was to take a bite, then before the next, take a breath, as you suggested (w/out the step back), allowing yourself to think about if you needed the next bite... sometimes, yes, sometimes no...
Bill, along with your “Not freaking out”, I would add that I always try to think of the worst case scenario. For me, that sets the boundary as to where the problem COULD go, but then it seems rational thinking comes back.
I was the first of my friends to be married, and the last to start a family. After 10 years of fertility hell we adopted our first child in 2001. By that time, most of my friends' kids were in upper elementary school. While my oldest graduated college in 2024 and my youngest graduated HS in 2024, we've been to weddings and baby showers for my friends' kids. It is what it is, but going through the fertility stuff for so long, we adopted the mantra, 'no drama'. We had too much going on in our struggle to start a family, and watching the crap that would split people up, we decided early on that everything else was background noise. No Drama allowed. We also separated ourselves from couples that had lots of drama, and decided that we would never sugar coat anything to each other, our kids or our friends (another story for another day, but when a friend came to me and asked me who else knew about her husband cheating on her, we had a very honest conversation, which she appreciated because no one else would tell her).
On a funny note about writing things down, I went camping with my best friend and 2 other girls in 8th grade. Her dad was in a separate tent. Two of us girls decided to check out a loud, college age party going on a few campsites away, and left a note for the other two about what we were doing so they could meet us there. I have no idea where they were at the time. When we woke up the next morning, after sneaking back to our tent around 3:30am, her dad was sitting at the picnic table reading "War and Peace". He looked up at us and said, you know what's a good thing to remember? Never commit anything to writing that you don't want others to read", and he pulled the note out of his book. That was all he ever said about us sneaking away to a party full of twenty-somethings, but I never kept a journal because of that statement. By the way, I'm still friends with that girl, 53 years and counting, but her dad passed away during Covid, so I never got to follow through on my plan to leave a note in his casket when he died.
I learned from diving that you need to keep your wits about you. Always have a plan B, have the right tool for the job, and stop and think whenever something happens. Also, always be ready to improvise. No one is going to help you so you better figure it out and not waste time thinking of anything else. .
Honey, if you’re diving without a buddy, there goes your plan B. My first few dives, my instructor husband at the time had to remind me to either breathe or not breathe so fast since it was all so new. We had a friend who went on a windjammer dive boat in the Bahamas, went down by himself to about 90’ and saw a grouper swim into a hole. He had his spear gun with him so he followed behind to shoot it. He was successful, hitting the 90# fish mid back just under the backbone so didn’t kill it outright; just made it furious. That fish stirred up so much sand in that cave that our crazy friend couldn’t find his way out with his prize without a scary, life-flashing event happening first. He did make it though, had his trophy mounted and showed us his stainless steel spear as well. It looked like a sat upon U. That’s how much torc that 90# grouper put on that spear. All my husband had to say was, Frank was one lucky son of a bitch. Dude even survived crashing his private plane too. He didn’t believe in plan B yet somehow managed to survive.
When I get distraught, I go into the garage and scream as loud as I can. My husband usually the source of the distress can not hear me and it relieves some of the tension for me.
I’ve seen pictures from Georgia around the Atlanta area. They must have gotten a wintry mix of snow and sleet. There were cars all over the roads. As hot as it gets here(it got up to 91° here-it’s summer, after all)I do not miss the cold or the weird weather we could get in the NC mountains.
Apparently, the Duke of Sussex got a fulsome apology for what they had done to his mom, to him and his brother along with an 8 figure settlement from the Murdock bunch. Made me happy to hear that. Murdock should have known better than to mess with a red head.
I have been reading your newsletter for a long time. I try to think of you as a recovering attorney. One of the biggest ideas I raised my kids with is called the 7 Ps
Prior
Planning and
Preparation
Prevent
Piss
Poor
Performance
A good strategy for everything in life. Both of my daughters are very successful taxpayers in high demand.
all this pardoning on both sides, totally out of control.
Not a good way for Biden to leave, esp w/ the preemptive stuff & lies about his son.
Not at all a good way for Trump to start w/ the pardon of Ulbricht, & when asked directly about pardoning those who struck the cops protecting our Capitol on Jan 6 Trump said he’d review them on a case by case basis.
JD Vance as recently as last week said no one who committed violence would be released. Pam Bondi during her hearing did the lawyer thing and said “if she was asked” she would advise against it.
I wonder what Vance is thinking...
Vance thinks?
He thinks a lot more than you - or me - he's smart, just say'n. When/if/fingers crossed Trump goes naturally, sooner than later & Vance is POTUS, which is what he was thinking, imo, he'll revert back to his ways before he started licking T's boots.
I have a son & granddaughter in Baton Rouge. They loved the snow!! Ha! So did their dog. It was a pretty snow. Most likely all gone today.
the advice of your friends & Galayda's are great - I always used your other tidbit "Write Stuff Down" w/ my kids --- I'm pretty sure 2 out of 3 continue in some form or fashion. And I always do.
Love these points. It's tax season, so I'll have plenty of opportunity to freak out. My favorites are Call a Friend and Clean Up. I have a dear friend in San Antonio who I call when need some fresh perspective. I also know she prays for me all the time, so...two birds. Don't need to work out if I'm expending all that energy cleaning house. I can, and often do, fume and pray while cleaning, so again...two birds (or is that four now). Thanks Bill. I appreciate you.
One of the biggest items that people forget to do when they start feeling overwhelmed is…breath.
It’s the simplest and most basic and easiest item to accomplish.
When l start to get overwhelmed, I follow these simple steps:
1. STOP what I’m doing.
2. Take a step back.
3. If you can, close your eyes (wouldn’t recommend while driving).
4 take a log deep breath lasting about 4 seconds, hold it for 4 seconds, then slowly release breath over 4 seconds.
Repeat step 4 for 2-3 times. It will clear your mind, and allow you to reset.
Tey it.
I had seven silver bracelets I wore. One said 'breathe'. A woman said "you need to be reminded to do that?"... :-)
Oh, & I used to be a facilitator/workshop leader/whatever they're called these days for Weight Watchers --- one suggestion was to take a bite, then before the next, take a breath, as you suggested (w/out the step back), allowing yourself to think about if you needed the next bite... sometimes, yes, sometimes no...
Bill, along with your “Not freaking out”, I would add that I always try to think of the worst case scenario. For me, that sets the boundary as to where the problem COULD go, but then it seems rational thinking comes back.
I was the first of my friends to be married, and the last to start a family. After 10 years of fertility hell we adopted our first child in 2001. By that time, most of my friends' kids were in upper elementary school. While my oldest graduated college in 2024 and my youngest graduated HS in 2024, we've been to weddings and baby showers for my friends' kids. It is what it is, but going through the fertility stuff for so long, we adopted the mantra, 'no drama'. We had too much going on in our struggle to start a family, and watching the crap that would split people up, we decided early on that everything else was background noise. No Drama allowed. We also separated ourselves from couples that had lots of drama, and decided that we would never sugar coat anything to each other, our kids or our friends (another story for another day, but when a friend came to me and asked me who else knew about her husband cheating on her, we had a very honest conversation, which she appreciated because no one else would tell her).
On a funny note about writing things down, I went camping with my best friend and 2 other girls in 8th grade. Her dad was in a separate tent. Two of us girls decided to check out a loud, college age party going on a few campsites away, and left a note for the other two about what we were doing so they could meet us there. I have no idea where they were at the time. When we woke up the next morning, after sneaking back to our tent around 3:30am, her dad was sitting at the picnic table reading "War and Peace". He looked up at us and said, you know what's a good thing to remember? Never commit anything to writing that you don't want others to read", and he pulled the note out of his book. That was all he ever said about us sneaking away to a party full of twenty-somethings, but I never kept a journal because of that statement. By the way, I'm still friends with that girl, 53 years and counting, but her dad passed away during Covid, so I never got to follow through on my plan to leave a note in his casket when he died.
I learned from diving that you need to keep your wits about you. Always have a plan B, have the right tool for the job, and stop and think whenever something happens. Also, always be ready to improvise. No one is going to help you so you better figure it out and not waste time thinking of anything else. .
Honey, if you’re diving without a buddy, there goes your plan B. My first few dives, my instructor husband at the time had to remind me to either breathe or not breathe so fast since it was all so new. We had a friend who went on a windjammer dive boat in the Bahamas, went down by himself to about 90’ and saw a grouper swim into a hole. He had his spear gun with him so he followed behind to shoot it. He was successful, hitting the 90# fish mid back just under the backbone so didn’t kill it outright; just made it furious. That fish stirred up so much sand in that cave that our crazy friend couldn’t find his way out with his prize without a scary, life-flashing event happening first. He did make it though, had his trophy mounted and showed us his stainless steel spear as well. It looked like a sat upon U. That’s how much torc that 90# grouper put on that spear. All my husband had to say was, Frank was one lucky son of a bitch. Dude even survived crashing his private plane too. He didn’t believe in plan B yet somehow managed to survive.
well, I was gonna say something, but then, you know... anyway, rules of diving, & I have my diving certificate, is you ALWAYS DIVE W/ A BUDDY
Duh. You missed my point.
When I get distraught, I go into the garage and scream as loud as I can. My husband usually the source of the distress can not hear me and it relieves some of the tension for me.
I would be very interested in a column about presidential pardons. Your legal background would provide an interesting perspective.
I’ve seen pictures from Georgia around the Atlanta area. They must have gotten a wintry mix of snow and sleet. There were cars all over the roads. As hot as it gets here(it got up to 91° here-it’s summer, after all)I do not miss the cold or the weird weather we could get in the NC mountains.
Apparently, the Duke of Sussex got a fulsome apology for what they had done to his mom, to him and his brother along with an 8 figure settlement from the Murdock bunch. Made me happy to hear that. Murdock should have known better than to mess with a red head.
HALT
Hungry-Angry-Lonely-Tired
HALT
Stop, breathe, think. Repeat as necessary.
‘Rule #1 Don’t freak out’ ! Thank-you & all these wonderful comments & stories 💫