Newsletter awakening

I awoke the other morning at 1 with a disturbing revelation.  I’d been thrilled that my first newsletter about downsizing was finally out, after no small round of technical glitches.  “WooHoo!” I’d planned to report to friends in an email.  And suddenly, it occurred to me that the header for the newsletter, “Unpacking With Pat Snyder,” also needed some downsizing.

“The fact that this newsletter is not about me but about the importance of YOUR downsizing stories – had me up and in the office emailing the person who designed it and asking for a change.  From now on, the header will simply say “Unpacking Your Stories.”

Fortunately, the designer is in Albania, where the time is six hours later than here, and she is very patient.  As I hope you will be.  If you haven’t had a chance to subscribe, there’s still time. There’s a subscription link here on the web page. And you will get your first newsletter with the revised header.  Whew!

Next Balancing Act: Unpacking

There’s nothing like back-to-back summer vacations followed by two weeks in Central Europe followed by Covid (ugh) to throw life – and book promotions – off balance.  Thanks to those who have continued to read – and recommend – Best of Balancing Act as a quick read for crazy times.

Anyone who’s working on a holiday gift list and knows someone who’d benefit from a break from the news (who wouldn’t?) can still find it here on Amazon.

Meanwhile, I’m excited now to start speaking and writing about how downsizing can unlock the important stories of your life, as it has mine.  I hope you’ll learn more about searching for your own stories in those packing boxes by subscribing to my new Unpacking newsletter here on my web page.  Welcome aboard!!

Calling All Morning People

OK. Here’s one more gripe about the heat. With apologies to those who put up with more intense temps or focus on more serious issues like climate change, let me just say:  It’s tough to be a morning person when there’s so much to fit into a morning.

Even for the happily retired, there was already breakfast and journaling and reading the morning paper before 9 AM.  But now there’s weeding before it’s too hot, walking or cycling before it’s too hot, and if there wasn’t a severe thunderstorm the night before, watering. This morning, one more thing.  The no-wait time for an oil change at Valvoline was 8 AM, when they open.

The only solution seems to be rising at 5 AM and – if there’s not a power outage – starting with the inside stuff and then sneaking outdoors at sunrise.

Any other morning people with this problem?  How are you dealing?

Small World in Book World

A real treat being out in the community with Best of Balancing Act has been running into column readers from way back, especially when they themselves are writers. One such person is Cindy May.

Cindy stopped by to say hi at the Columbus Book Festival. She first got in touch back in 2015 when I wrote a piece about being addicted to books. Cindy, it turned out, suffered from the same addiction – so much so that she framed the column back then and her husband took a picture. She says her book addiction set in after she got married and especially after she and her husband moved into their first house. In case you didn’t know – and like to learn something new every day – Cindy says there’s a Japanese word for our addiction: tsundoku.

Happily, the book addiction column (“Help! I’m A Biblioholic”) made it into the new book, along with another of her favorites, “Book Groups Divided Between Haves and Have Nots.” I’m honored to know that Best of Balancing Act will be going on vacation with Cindy to Cape Cod this summer.