By the time you read this, Gustav will have passed by and from the looks of the storm, not a lot of damage will be left behind which is a relief to Baldwin County.

With all the drama of this storm, the gas prices rising and falling and the political display we are seeing, I feel the need to make my writing this week more light-hearted.

Good heavens, we are bombarded by political news, the effects of high gas prices with our food prices rising, and the uncertainty of the future. We need a break from the world. School has started and the season will change to the fall of the year. Football season has started up again and the holidays are just around the corner.

So as I sit at home with seven children in the house-enduring the storm not being able to leave the house for over 24 hours I wrote something that would be entertaining in a light hearted way: Fifteen ways to maintain a healthy level of insanity at work. Or maybe I should write fifteen ways to maintain a healthy level of insanity at home. You decide and make it fit into your life.

1. During your lunch break, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.

2. Page yourself over the intercom. Don't disguise your voice.

3. Every time some one asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.

4. Put your garbage can on your desk and label it "In."

5. Put decaf in the coffee pot for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.

6. Finish all your sentences with "In Accordance With the Prophecy."

7. Don't use any punctuation in any of your writings

8. As often as possible, skip rather than walk.

9. At lunch time, order diet water with a serious face.

10. Switch the radio station to opera and sing along.

11. Put mosquito netting around your work area and play tropical sounds all day.

12. Five days in advance, tell your co-workers you can't attend the office party because you're not in the mood.

13. Have your co-workers address you by your wrestling name, “Rock Bottom”.

14. For your 15 minute break, sit under your desk and play tidily winks with sound affects.

15. And the final way to keep a healthy level of insanity…….

So as you go back to work on Friday, use these ideas to help your mind relax and appreciate the fact that another work week has gone by and you have survived.

Loxley resident Valerie J. Steimle is the author of two books, “Home Is Where The Heart Is, A look at strengthening the American Family,” and her latest book, “Home Is Where The Learning Is” (www.amazon.com/gp/product/1403379637). Contact her at valeriesteimle@yahoo.com or visit her website at www.stengthenyourhome.com.