Managing the Mayhem – August

This Was Not on the Agenda

I started August with an agenda. A neat, organized, beautifully structured agenda that made me feel like I had everything under control. August took one look at it, shrugged, and said, “That’s cute,” before tossing it directly into the cosmic recycling bin.

Because this month? This month had other ideas.

August opened with a project I genuinely believed was wrapped, only for it to politely inform me that it had additional opinions and would like to revisit several sections, thank you very much. Right behind it came a tech gremlin staging a full comeback tour, complete with unexpected glitches and a dramatic flair I did not request. Several authors arrived with updates, questions, surprises, and one “quick thing” that was absolutely not quick, no matter how many times I squinted at it.

My schedule attempted to escape out the window again — I caught it, it hissed, and we’re still negotiating the terms of its captivity. And in the background, IUPH’s anniversary began creeping closer, reminding me that celebrations require planning… even when the agenda has already been eaten.

None of this was on the agenda. But it all happened anyway.

The Lesson August Is Trying to Teach Me

Sometimes the agenda isn’t the point. Sometimes the point is simply adapting, adjusting, and laughing at the absurdity of it all. Sometimes the agenda is just the warm‑up act before the real chaos arrives. And sometimes the real chaos is… fine. Manageable. Even a little funny once the caffeine kicks in and the inbox stops hissing.

The work still moved forward. The authors still got what they needed. The mayhem was wrangled, redirected, bribed with snacks, and occasionally threatened with exile. The books moved forward, the projects found their footing, and the chaos — as always — was herded into a corner until it calmed down.

And honestly? That’s enough.

Looking Ahead to September

August may have shredded my agenda, but September is already peeking around the corner with a suspiciously cheerful grin and a stack of surprises to add to my calendar. And somewhere in the middle of all of this, I now have a new project I’m working on... one that suddenly sprang to life because I asked a wistful question. The universe, through an unexpected intermediary, answered with sparkles and laughter. I’ll be putting the finishing touches on my latest unhinged idea: a new book app that I hope will delight you as much as it delights me when I unveil it later this fall. Because if the universe insists on chaos, I might as well contribute creatively.

And it’s going to be okay. I’ll make another agenda. It will last slightly longer than the last one. Maybe. Probably. We’ll see.

Until then, keep managing your mayhem… or at least pretending you are.

Pretending still counts.

Always.

By Lisa M. Orban