Pause Gem #32 – You Can Laugh It Off To Lighten Up
July 30, 2014
Reflection & Action: I chose a poor day to renew my driver’s license. That day, problems with the phone lines made credit and debit card transactions impossible. Customers dug for checks, scrounged for spare change, or dashed down the block to the cash machine.
The cashiers did their best, but progress was slow. A fellow who arrived just moments after I’d entered the queue didn’t appreciate the delay. Like a bull in the paddock, he shifted from foot to foot, snorting and pawing the ground. Jingling the change in his pocket and rustling the papers in his hand did nothing to calm his jangling nerves. Neither the repeated checks of his wristwatch nor the disgusted glares he zinged at the cashiers brought him relief.
A few minutes after his arrival, a newcomer fell in line behind the restless rustler. In the loudest possible voice, the raging bull cautioned her that he hoped she’d brought a book and planned to spend the day because he’d been waiting in line all morning!
In less than five minutes, it was my turn at the counter. I leaned in close to the cashier and told her I hoped she had 911 on her speed dial; I thought our friend, the raging bull, was about to pop an artery. She chuckled and rolled her eyes, clearly relieved to connect with an understanding customer who showed a sense of humor.
Here it is! The fifth of nine chances in the 2014 ‘Summer Sketchbook Special’ to own a piece of original art at a sizzling price of just $49 (plus applicable taxes and $10 for shipping).
Each 4” x 6” postcard features the Pauseworks Studio 2014 postmark in an upper corner.
Each will be surface mounted on a coordinating 6” x 8” mat board ready for framing or display as is.
To claim your PW Postcard, just send me an email with the words ‘I’ll Take It’ in the subject line.
The first reader to call dibs on each week’s mini masterpiece takes it. Enjoy … and may the early bird snag the sketch.
BTW – if another early bird beats you to the draw, and you’d like to order a print or prefer something in a larger size, here’s the link to make that happen: Backroads of Vermont.
Note: Only the original bears the PW Studio stamp.
Reflection & Action: A business man races through the Denver airport towing his roller board suitcase with one hand – briefcase and coat balanced precariously on top. His ‘free’ hand, held near one ear, grips boarding card and cell phone. Deep in phone conversation and all but oblivious to his surroundings, he steps onto an ‘up’ escalator that, instead of taking him down one floor, dumps him back where he started.
The mind-racing, self professed ‘Efficiency Queen’ confesses to blurting out this phrase in the heat of an intimate moment with her husband: “Man, those bagels are sure going to taste good in the morning!”
A frenzied mother tells her teenage daughter to take her dinner plate to the counter and eat standing up so that the girl can empty the dishwasher and finish dinner at the same time.
Three real people. Three real events. All three actions share one belief – that it’s a waste of time to do only one thing at once. Multitasking rules!
There are times when multitasking does make sense. There are times when it does not. (more…)
Your Fourth Pauseworks Postcard Pick Of The Week
July 23, 2014
Here it is! The fourth of nine chances in the 2014 ‘Summer Sketchbook Special’ to own a piece of original art at a sizzling price of just $49 (plus applicable taxes and $10 for shipping).
Each 4” x 6” postcard features the Pauseworks Studio 2014 postmark in an upper corner.
Each will be surface mounted on a coordinating 6” x 8” mat board ready for framing or display as is.
To claim your PW Postcard, just send me an email with the words ‘I’ll Take It’ in the subject line.
The first reader to call dibs on each week’s mini masterpiece takes it. Enjoy … and may the early bird snag the sketch.
BTW – if another early bird beats you to the draw, and you’d like to order a print or prefer something in a larger size, here’s the link to make that happen: What’s Behind That Door?
Note: Only the original bears the PW Studio stamp.
Reflection & Action: I caught a ride on a beautiful fall day with a cab driver who could easily have taken the grand prize for the world’s darkest outlook on life. In response to my comments on the freshness of the morning, the beauty of the autumn leaves, and the glassy calm of Wascana Lake, he responded in turn, “Frost last night – gonna make the harvest tough! Just reminds me winter’s coming! It’s never like that when I go fishing!”
I’m sure if he won a hundred thousand dollars in the lottery, he wouldn’t waste a minute celebrating. He would launch right into a litany of complaints about the uselessness of a prize that small!
Our mindset has a lot to do with our experience of the day. It is possible to shift from pure pessimism to a more optimistic response to life. It’s a matter of attention. What do you notice? What do you hang on to? How do you start your conversations with yourself and others?
As day’s end nears, and you shut down your computer, pull on your coat, or jump in the car to head home, ask yourself this simple question: “What went well today?”
Ask the same question of colleagues as you close up shop, and of family members as you gather for the evening. Yes, you’ll eventually get to the complaints, but at least the good news of the day will hold center stage and pride of place. That’s all it takes to start the shift of focus. (more…)
Your Third Pauseworks Postcard Pick Of The Week
July 16, 2014
Here it is! The third of nine chances in the 2014 ‘Summer Sketchbook Special’ to own a piece of original art at a sizzling price of just $49 (plus applicable taxes and $10 for shipping).
Gazing Out To Sea is number three in the series of Pauseworks Postcards.
Each 4” x 6” postcard features the Pauseworks Studio 2014 postmark in an upper corner.
Each will be surface mounted on a coordinating 6” x 8” mat board ready for framing or display as is.
To claim your PW Postcard, just send me an email with the words ‘I’ll Take It’ in the subject line.
The first reader to call dibs on each week’s mini masterpiece takes it. Enjoy … and may the early bird snag the sketch. Last week, twelve folks were angling to be the early bird.
BTW – if another early bird beats you to the draw, and you’d like to order a print or prefer something in a larger size, here’s the link to make that happen: Gazing Out To Sea.
Note: Only the original bears the PW Studio stamp.
Reflection & Action: If you drive, you will be very familiar with red lights and stop signs. It’s a sign of our preoccupation with getting places fast, that those lights and signs often seem to be working against us and in favor of the opposing traffic.
When you are out on the highway, you are sure to find yourself stuck behind a slow moving vehicle of one sort or another. Slow, of course, is a relative concept. When you are in a rush, slow may mean that the unit ahead is ‘just’ driving the speed limit.
With more multi lane highways and passing lanes, slower moving traffic is less of a problem than it was during the days of single lane highways and Air Stream trailer convoys. Still, for most of us, patience is not a strong point in our high-speed non-stop world.
Here it is! The 2014 ‘Summer Sketchbook Special’ – the second of nine chances to own a piece of original art at a sizzling price of just $49 (plus applicable taxes and $10 for shipping).
Each 4” x 6” postcard features the Pauseworks Studio 2014 postmark in an upper corner.
Each will be surface mounted on a coordinating 6” x 8” mat board ready for framing or display as is.
To claim your PW Postcard, just send me an email with the words ‘I’ll Take It’ in the subject line.
The first reader to call dibs on each week’s mini masterpiece takes it. Enjoy … and may the early bird snag the sketch.
BTW – if another early bird beats you to the draw, and you’d like to order a print or prefer something in a larger size, here’s the link to make that happen: Prairie Rustbucket.
Note: Only the original bears the PW Studio stamp.
Pause Gem #28 – Are You Sporting Badges Of Honour?
July 2, 2014
Editor’s Note: During the months of July and August, your weekly Pause Blog posts will feature the ‘Best of Pause’. These are readers’ favorite messages from the earlier years of the Pause e-zine. Featuring these Pause Gems will give me a bit of a breather, and also introduce our newer subscribers to some of those early editions.
Whether you are a long time subscriber, or new to our list, I sincerely hope you enjoy these messages. Come September, your Pause messages will once again feature all new info and resources.
PS – The Summer Reading Bookshelf shares the titles of some of the books I’ll be dipping into over the next couple of months.
Reflection & Action: From time to time, I have worked with colleagues who sparred for brownie points by quizzing each other about issues like these: How late did your meeting run last night? How many weekends will you be on the road? How many holidays are you carrying over? How many miles have you clocked on the company car? What’s the points total on your frequent flyer plan? How many emails stacked up while you were on vacation?
More recently, I listened to a panel of work-life balance experts talk about their successes and failures in balancing their own busy lives. They admitted they were challenged to live up to the goals they set for themselves. That’s true for all of us. Still, something in the tone of their responses seemed to suggest that it was okay for their lives to be out of whack because they were doing such important work.
It took me back to other conversations where professional or personal success were measured in terms of load, distance, sacrifice, and ‘face time’. The scale paid little attention to results and none at all to balance.
Eavesdrop on the tone of your own conversations with friends and colleagues when you talk about work-life balance. (more…)
Your First Summer Pauseworks Postcard Pick Of The Week
July 2, 2014
Here it is! The 2014 ‘Summer Sketchbook Special’ – the first of nine chances to own a piece of original art at a sizzling price of just $49 (plus applicable taxes and $10 for shipping).
Duomo From Il Villino is the first in the series of Pauseworks Postcards inspired by my personal or armchair travels.
Each 4” x 6” postcard features the Pauseworks Studio 2014 postmark in an upper corner.
Each will be surface mounted on a coordinating 6” x 8” mat board ready for framing or display as is.
To claim your PW Postcard, just send me an email with the words ‘I’ll Take It’ in the subject line.
The first reader to call dibs on each week’s mini masterpiece takes it. Enjoy … and may the early bird snag the sketch.
BTW – if another early bird beats you to the draw, and you’d like to order a print or prefer something in a larger size, here’s the link to make that happen: Duomo From Il Villino.
Note: Only the original bears the PW Studio stamp.
Reflection & Action: I chose a poor day to renew my driver’s license. That day, problems with the phone lines made credit and debit card transactions impossible. Customers dug for checks, scrounged for spare change, or dashed down the block to the cash machine.
