Sometimes Silent

So a long time ago I got interviewed for a book for the American Management Association. At the time I thought it was more a business to business book that was showing case studies of different business models (Cafepress included) and that it wouldn’t be widely available. Well, turns out it’s more of a motivational, “you can do this too book” (though it seems to have hands on exercises and even tutorials as well — not done with it yet) and it’s being sold on Amazon.

It’s pretty interesting so far. When I first learned what the title was going to be I had to laugh — “Internet Riches” — and the subtitle is… “The Simple Money Making Secrets of Online Millionaires”. I wrote back that I hoped I was an example of how you can start with little start up and end up NOT being a millionaire.

Anyway, I got my copy the other day and seeing just how many folks are profiled in it (including WeddingChannel.com and FARK, but also folks like the creators of Bathboats.com who are NOT millionaires) I feel a bit better about not being a fraud, lol.

If you’d like to buy a copy you can see the book here:

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So Getting Things Done what is it?

It’ s a book about getting organized. I first read it in February of 2004. I got gung ho about it and followed it to the letter at first. I also experimented with a paper system partially modeled after something in 43 Folders, decided I was taking too much time and trouble in trying out a new system and then I settled on an electronic system involving a Treo PDA/Cell Phone.

After a few months though, I slacked off a little in that I didn’t always empty my email in-boxes, and then I slacked off a little more by not checking my tickler files. Now; however, I’m back on track.

What I did not fail to do since February of ‘04, was to keep my task and project lists. I think for that part alone, this book was well worth it. And when I’m completely on track, I’d say it’s even more so.

The whole thing centers around two main things in my mind. One is “what the next action” is. Care is taken to show you that the next action isn’t something like, “Clean the apartment” but “Pick up the clothes on the floor” which can be the difference between something that sounds overwhelming and something that can be done. Taken to bigger levels it can mean that “Get a new job” can be accomplished one smaller next action at a time instead of being a nagging thought in your brain.

The other main concept I found very helpful was actions in context. This is so that you only keep in mind things that can be done when you can actually do them. You don’t sit at work worrying about cleaning your apartment. Also, when you are out at errands, you have a list of things that can be done while out on errands, or even things that can be done anywhere, including while waiting for a haircut for instance.

Both of these things help your mind in a few ways. One, you are breaking down big things into manageable steps…. at the same time you are recording these things so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to do them. Two, you don’t spend time worrying about something you can’t get done in the moment anyway.

As I said, even though I slacked off for maybe 3.5 months total since February of 2004, I still think the Getting Things Done system really helped me. Plus, the system is so easy and — as I found out — forgiving once you get done with the first brain dump, that you can get back into it without much guilt and catch up work.

I forsee sticking with this for years to come.

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The Public Domain Podcast

This is my newest project. The Public Domain Podcast is a weekly show of entertaining works from the public domain read out loud. I will most likely get into appropriately tagged Creative Commons works as well. So far stories have been released every Sunday but I am thinking of changing that to a Monday release. The first three stories are from Edgar Allen Poe, Lafcadio Hearn and Mark Twain.

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I finally finished this book the other day. I say finally because I kept having to eek out some free time to read it. If had had my druthers I would have finished the book in two days — it became that gripping.

Notice that I said “became”. The novel is a fantasy piece mixed with a historical fiction and a dash of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. For good measure, sprinkle in “Pride and Prejudice” in small amounts for more British flavor and “Frankenstein” for mood moments. At the beginning of the tale we are introduced to a rather boring gentleman who is keen on restoring Magic to Britain. However, he is a scholarly type and the reader must get used to this tale told with many footnotes, and with discourses about theoretical magic. “Practical Magic” is also performed fortunately and the novel begins to take off.

Though the title mentions two men, we first follow one before ever becoming introduced to the other. The relationship between the men is believable in my opinion (having known scholarly / academic types myself). That relationship in place, what makes me think of this book as a page turner in is the terrific depiction of fairies and the land of Faerie. It is spooky, creepy, scary, and untrustworthy and through certain turns in the book we find out just how extreme all of those adjectives can be.

Overall my reaction to the book is a mixture of the feelings I get when reading good Literature (I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in English) and of reading an adult fairy tale (hence my Grimm reference vs Disney-fied fairy stories). I thought the work to be quite original and the detail in the world reminded me of Tolkien who also made use of footnotes to recall the extensive world he had created.

Supposedly the book is 800 pages long. The copy I read is 782 pages. I would have liked to have read more. As far as I can tell the book has been having successful sales so I believe I will get that chance.