CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING: What To Do When It Just Snows and Snows!!!

I woke up early this morning to see if there had been another snowstorm or if we were REALLY going to start school and the beginning of winter quarter! After doing my exercises and 25 situps and stretches, I got my delicious cup of coffee(a blend we brought back from Hawaii), sat by the fire, and since it was just 3:45 am decided to check a few blogs.

I went to my daughter Jessi's blog about creative problem solving when you have lots of snow, and I couldn't stop laughing!! What a GREAT reminder about making lemonade out of lemons and how to reframe situations you can't control in a positive manner!
As my Dad used to say to me...."Honey, when the going gets tough, the tough get going!"

Part of my genetic heritage is to tackle things in a positive manner, and Jessi's post was a great reminder for me as I start 2009! (so thanks Jess Jess!)

Now some folks may not want to hear these suggestions from someone who just came back from sunny Hawaii. They may even be cynical enough to say..."well, easy for you to say Linda as you have been in tank tops and flip flops for two weeks." Yes, that's true enough. But I think the lesson of doing creative problem solving is a "Life Lesson", not just a lesson about snow.:)

So here are a few of the ways the Salisbury's are using creative problem solving at our house,and in our lives, when it just snows and snows:

*Note: As I said in my post on Jessi's blog, please get a visual picture of solution #1...and no, I am not exaggerating this. Feel free to stop by and observe for yourself :)

1) PROBLEM: When you have a long and narrow driveway that winds DOWN to your carport, and because of all the snow you now have a snow tunnel that extends the last part of the driveway to where you park your cars, your visibility for driving (and not getting stuck) gets limited.

SOLUTION: Do as my dear hubby did yesterday- Take your homemade Barak Obama campaign signs and your garden rakes and tools and plant them along the top ridge of the tunnel to mark your way! No, I am not kidding or making this up! It makes me laugh just to think about it! You have to know and love Bert to know how real this is!

2) PROBLEM: Everyone is talking about and focused on snow to the exclusion of more interesting topics.

SOLUTION: Write down the story of the winter of 2008-09 and take pictures! When you get to be my age you'll have a non-boring story to tell your grandchildren!

3) PROBLEM: You feel stuck inside and feel house-bound!

SOLUTION: Aren't we always saying..."If I only had time, I'd clean up this or that?"
Now we DO have time when we are inside more! We've also been getting out some favorite dvd movies and watching them!

4) PROBLEM: I want to be outside so I can get some exercise

SOLUTION: You burn off 500+ calories per hour shoveling snow!!!

5) PROBLEM: You are feeling kind of down and negative.

SOLUTION: Go shovel someone else's sidewalk or driveway. You'll feel better in minutes! Or another solution is to read the amazing book "Christmas on Jane Street!" by Billy Romp (a true story). What a great attitude adjuster (I got this for Christmas from my dear friend Sharon Hartnett and just finished it yesterday) WOW! What a thought-provoking and inspirational read!

6) PROBLEM: You are teacher and need a creative way to re-engage your students at the start of a new quarter

SOLUTION: Give them this exercise to do the first day of class and have them work with other new students on creative problem solving. Give extra credit for "snow photos"!!:)
Am I on a roll or what!! :):)

Well it's time to get going and get ready to roll...out the driveway, my path marked and my car facing forward in the carport so I'll have momentum (thanks to my sweetie!)

Have fun in the snow today and feel free to send me any "creative problem solving" ideas you have with all this snow! I'll share them in my class!!

God Bless and keep shoveling!
Love Linda