Planning guides

Originally published in the Ketchikan Daily News, October 2006; written by Lisa Pearson.

Be prepared. In these last few weeks before the start of my maternity leave, I have taken that as my motto, and have been focusing my energies on getting things in order (no, this isn’t nesting – I have my normal healthy aversion to housework). But any event in life deserves a little consideration and planning, even if it’s something as mundane as buying an appliance. Of course, the library is a brilliant source of information. So I have compiled a small selection of planning guides available at the Ketchikan Public Library. (In terms of appliance purchasing, the library subscribes to Consumer Reports magazine, as well as the yearly index.)

For those of you who are contemplating taking a trip, I recommend “How to Travel Practically Anywhere” by Susan Stellin. Travel insurance, home exchanges, immunizations and volunteer vacations are all covered in this helpful little book. The author also has tips on choosing the right cabin on a cruise ship, selecting the best time of year to travel, and the most hassle-free way of getting through airports. And if you need help with the nitty-gritty details of planning your trip, we have a large selection of up-to-date travel guides covering dozens of countries and every continent.

The new school year has just started, but it’s never too early to start thinking about “How to Survive the Real World: life after college graduation”. Published by Hundreds of Heads Books, this guide relies on tips from actual college graduates that have made actual mistakes. They’ll tell how not to use IM at work, the trouble with dating coworkers, how to set up a bank account, and the importance of dressing like a grown-up. One of the most important tips? Keep in touch with your parents.

For a staccato guide to life, try “Your Little Legal Companion: helpful advice for life’s big events” by the editors of Nolo. The advice for each event is boiled down to a top-ten list of things to do (and not do), along with some interesting statistics and factoids. I wouldn’t use this as my sole source of information, especially for topics such as ‘Getting Sued’ and ‘Surviving a Natural Disaster’, but it’s a fun read. And for some items – “When Your Child Starts Kindergarten” – ten tips is just about right.

My favorite guide at the moment is “Easy Labor: every woman’s guide to choosing less pain and more joy during childbirth”, by Dr. William Camann and Kathryn Alexander. I actually pulled this off the shelf because I thought the title was the stupidest thing I had ever seen, but on reading through the chapters, I found that this is actually a very good source of information. And in fact, the focus of the book is on providing information, not setting an agenda. The only point that the authors advocate is that the more you know, the easier it is to adapt to changing situations during labor and delivery. In addition to pharmacological methods of pain relief, such as epidurals, narcotics and pudendal blocks, the authors also discuss aromatherapy, massage, and hydrotherapy. The anecdotes from caregivers and mothers help reinforce the message that there is no one-size-fits-all birth experience.

At the other end of life’s spectrum is “The Easy Will and Living Will Kit” by Joy Chambers. It’s a sad fact that accidents happen, so waiting until the last possible moment to prepare your will and let your family know your wishes rarely works out. This book, which includes a CD-ROM that contains all the forms, will help walk you through the process of getting your affairs in order. Even if you are having your will professionally prepared, it always helps to know what is involved. And if you want an Elvis impersonator at your funeral, the time to let people know is now.