What Are Your Tricks?

I am, ostensibly, a grown up. I've lived more of my life in the years since turning eighteen than in the years before. I have a family and assets and stuff.

I used to think that grown ups just gain a certain grace--a mixture of competence and patience.

Really, though, I hear from so many peers that we all feel like we're faking it. 

Well, with those conversations, I share some of the items from my bag of tricks, strategies to get me through all the things on that grown up checklist.

Meetings are among my challenges--it's hard to just sit and it's so easy for my mind to wander.

• I take copious notes, sometimes verbatim. 
• I figure out the prime factorization of the day's date. Sometimes both 91414 and 9142014.
• I look around the table, coming up with at least three facts I know about each person at the table.
• I am careful about where I sit in the room, trying to find a spot where the view isn't too distracting. Bookshelves and skyline views are especially distracting.
• I count the vowels on the meeting agenda or whatever other handout is available.

Grace? Well, at least I mostly behave myself.

What are the strategies you've come up with over the years?