What do you do when things won’t go your way? Stay cool. That’s my new mantra.

I live on the east coast of the United States, which means I’m trying not to melt. Even inside the house my air conditioner wants to commit suicide, but at least it’s still working (though struggling) so I won’t complain. I won’t get upset, I’ll stay cool.

I wanted to show you pictures from my trip to LA and the BEA but my system won’t upload them. Do I punch a hole in my computer screen and try to break my keyboard in half? No, I stay cool.

A thunderstorm swept through my area and knocked out the cable so the TV won’t work. My car is making funny noises, there’s stagnant water in my front lawn because the trench is blocked so mosquitoes are turning it into a nursery. What do I do? Yes, I stay cool.

I stay cool when I return from my trip to LA and see I have page proofs I have to get through within a week; when I learn that I have to give the cover artist an idea for my next book that won’t be released until July of next year so they can begin marketing it; when a movie I’ve been looking forward to turns out to be a dud; when a package I’ve been expecting hasn’t arrived; when my Writer’s Digest magazine stops coming for no reason and my To-Do list makes me want to laugh like a crazy person.

I don’t worry about it. I stay cool. But it is getting obscenely hot and humid so I’m presently thinking of moving into my refrigerator.