Kindergarten-teacher Katrina decided to hold an awards ceremony mid-year to encourage great behavior during that time of year when kids tend to climb the walls.

She announced the ceremony a few weeks before it was to happen and told the kids about the different awards she’d be giving out–things like “Most imaginative color-er” and “Best at hand-raising.” As part of her announcement, she highlighted five specific awards.

Perhaps you’re one of those people who think you do better off-the-cuff when it comes to your newsletter. Not for you are the schedules, the folder full of great ideas for upcoming issues, or even a regular template to follow.

You’re a “free spirit,” you say, creative, and unrestrained by the ordinary bounds of other folks.

Hogwash!

At the start of each summer, there are certain things I make sure I include in my plans–things like listening to plenty of summery music, going on a picnic, and making sun tea. (In other words, the really ambitious stuff .) This list helps to make sure I “have a summer,” as coach Dr. Humbert says.

As I was going over my list today, I noticed I’d missed something–I hadn’t yet listened to one of my very favorite summer musicians. While searching for her CD before sitting down to write today’s newsletter, I realized this is the perfect time of year, not just for sun tea and picnics, but also for you to try some snazzy newsletter techniques.

In the “old days,” when Western Union charged by the word for telegrams, laconic was trendy. Poetic, even.

Using email instead of telegrams has meant that we simply don’t have to watch our word count as carefully. And people don’t watch their word count as carefully these days, do they?

If you’ve spent much time reading any time management literature, you’ve probably seen the recommendation to limit your intake of news and other media. Whether they advise you to turn off the TV, stop reading so many magazines, or stay off the Internet news sites, most time management gurus recommend information consumption diets of one kind or another.

What is new, at least to me, is hearing marketing people proclaim the value of limiting media consumption.