Hot August days and nights. A heated presidential showdown. Inattentive drivers. A contentious local vote in November.

These things and more seem to be driving up people's tempers, mine included.

Perhaps a few tips to "keep your cool" are in order.

Air-conditioned offices, stores, cars and homes help keep your body cooler. Also, you could jump into the ocean — we're lucky here because it's only minutes away. The ocean temperatures are right around 65 degrees right now — tolerable. Or jump into a cold shower.

Turn off the TV. Since the Republicans' and Democrats' conventions ended, the national news media have made Donald and Hillary top priority. It's not "must see" or "hear" news.

Drive slower and pay attention to the other drivers. Locally, lots of visitors are not familiar with the roads so they may all of a sudden come to a stop, forget to turn on their turn signal (or they turn left after they signaled right), and they are here on vacation so they may be driving slower than you want them to. Practice patience.

August — and the two months ahead — would be a good time to really reflect on what the roundabout vote will mean for our region. Take the time to do your homework on the issue before voting in November. Find information on the internet, visit or contact towns that have a roundabout, ask your selectmen what they think, etc.

And — one of the local issues that always gets our tempers rising — Shoppers at Hannaford who aren't considerate. Don't leave your cart in a position where other shoppers can't pass. Don't have a family/neighborhood reunion in the aisle so shoppers have to wait. And, don't go in the 14 items or less checkout with your cart loaded with 20-plus items.

There. I feel "cooler" already.