You’ve probably heard this expression before about eating dessert first.  Taken literally it seems crazy, and even as much as I like dessert and sometimes feel addicted to sugar, I’ll bet my body would freak out were I really to do this.  We talk about crazy neighbors who we believe eat dessert for dinner sometimes.  Crazy right?

Well this is not so much about eating, as consumption during the rest of the day.  I recently started reading the actual paper on the train in.  I know this is against all things green, but there is something I like about the permenance of the story being there, even if I don’t get to it.  And there are no batteries to worry about and no distractions popping up at you.

What I love about the paper is also part of my dessert strategy.  I read the NYTimes Business section with keen interest because the stories there highlight businesses and the solutions they have created to serve customers and tackle needs.  As a wannabe entrepreneur, these are examples that I learn from.  Since I want to read that section specifically and intently, I first go through all the other sections quickly so I make sure there is nothing I’d miss there and also be able to recycle most of the paper.  Then I would sit down with the section I like most.  

Unfortunately, like reading that paragraph before getting to this one, my train would get to the end of the line before I could get to my favorite section.  I was getting so full with dinner, that I would not have room for dessert!  So I would save the section and bring it home for reading later.  And sometimes I might have some work that would slow me down from even getting to the main course and nothing would get read, so I would now have a lot more paper in my bag.  And as you might surmise, I have a huge stack of paper at home, waiting for me to eat.

New strategy: eat dessert first.  Now I open the paper and read my section first.  If I get to the other sections, great.  But I know dessert was what I really wanted, so I will make sure that is finished before going on.  In a meeting yesterday I mentioned that the key points were worth sticking on so we were all aligned, even if we didn’t get to the “main course.”  And in discussions with family on important topics, let’s just get right to it.  We can beat around the bush later!  I think I might even go to Marie Calendars, my favorite place for heated berry pie a la mode and eat my dessert first.  Why not? I think the kids might love this strategy…