When my delightful granddaughter mumbled, "Aw, tartar sauce!" more than once on Thanksgiving day, we couldn't help but laugh. She meant many things by using those two words. She was showing her exasperation for the unfairness of her condition (being stuck with grown-ups who didn't want to play or stop for ice cream or let her stay up late); she was expressing herself in an acceptable manner...taught by - oh, I expect she figured that out on her own; and she was deliberately being funny - she likes to laugh.

What I heard was a little girl reacting to her situation in an appropriate way. I got to thinking that if we all could learn to say, "Aw, tartar sauce," when things are going wrong, what a different world this would be. Such a simple expression - fairly nonsensical, under the circumstances - might calm us down. It might make us laugh, the way it makes Miah laugh. It might help keep those dark clouds at bay - long enough to clear our minds and make a positive move forward.

I'm always grateful for the way Lena and Mary show us creative and purposeful ways to succeed. Ways to focus on the things that need focusing on. Donna has such fabulous advice on using contests and sweepstakes, and Robbi does great book reviews, but sometimes, we need that little, unexpected shout out to startle us out of our "same old, same old" approach. 

The next time something goes wrong - when you feel like the world is closing in on you; the next time you get caught up in a pity party; the next time you find yourself shaking your head in disbelief over a lost client, a broken promise, a flat tire - stop, sigh, and say, "Aw, tartar sauce!" loud enough for the person next to you to hear. And watch the sun come out. A warm, shining ray of sun is just what you need to clear up that distressful situation.

So, put a little tartar sauce on it.