My conclusion....

MR. NEWMAN IS FULL OF CRAP!

(Just in case you were wondering how the stress management was going.)

Okay...just so as not to make it sound like my day was total poo, and that this proactive approach to handling day-to-day activity isn't working at all, I will list here my favorite things of the day:

1. Enjoyed a lovely view of Baltimore from an eighth-floor conference room.
2. Had a smooth depo and the enjoyment of meeting two nice attorneys from North Carolina.
3. Finally started listening to "The Vendetta Defense" on tape in the car, which I borrowed from Mothwoman. So far it's a great story, and my very first audio book experience.
4. Found out I could still jump, thanks to a cockroach in the parking garage.
5. Heard the phrase, "Hello, Nice Customer!" from the friendly parking attendant with the interesting accent.
6. Narrowly escaped being sent to Reno, Nevada for four days! Whew!
7. Remembered I had a little one-pint container of cookie dough ice cream in the freezer! YES!
8. Enjoyed David's chanting, "Can you feel it, Mr. Krabs? Can you feel it, Mr. Krabs? Can you feel it, Mr. Krabs?"
9. Listened to the kids play tag with Invisible Pickle.
10. Pretended to be scared when Sammie told me to close my eyes and then put a rubber bug on my leg. (I had practice earlier with the cockroach in Baltimore.)

Now, I must say, I haven't completely thrown out all of Mr. Newman's teachings. From the time I left the house this morning, until the time I walked back in the door, everything was pretty fantastic, even though I circled a half a city block on foot in the rain for no reason! It was the chaos that broke out once I crossed back into the disaster of my living room that made me fall apart. I need a lot of work in the domestic stress control area. HELP!!