My life tends to revolve around show dates and magazine deadlines. Simple.

Now that CHA summer is over I feel like I can concentrate on the business of blogging and putting a magazine out and catching up with some contacts  that are equally busy. I am sure you get or have sent similar emails.. "I haven't forgotten you, it's just been CRAZY here."

I might even take a few days off to download the brain cache. In fact that actually results in more ideas- when you are away from the office your mind tends to open up.

What do you do after CHA Summer before you gear up for holiday selling? I hope you are taking some time now to take a few days off (if it is really slow- now is the time!) and plan some interesting things for the fall/winter season.

Grant Madsen from American Crafts' article  in the August/September issue on promoting for the holidays is so right on. This is not going to be  spendy Christmas for most folks, yet we still want to preserve our activities and traditions.

Let's continue the dialogue on making your store a destination. Folks are going to be weary this holiday season and your store can be a bright spot.

I hope you'll take some time in this "end of summer" quite zone and reward yourself for your hard work. Go ahead. Call an old friend, lay by the pool, go see a 1:00pm movie. Give yourself some down time. The only rule is... turn off the phone and the blackberry. You need to get 100% "away". In order to stay strong in competive times you need some downtime to refuel.

You are good to your employees, your family and friends. Please be good to yourself.--Beth