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Recently I’ve been told by several people, men in particular, that “If I’d just focus I’d be more productive.”  I laugh because I’ve learned that the masculine part of us is single-focused and feminine part has diffuse awareness (to pour in every direction).

A man described it to me perfectly. “I’m on a one lane road, doing the next task that is before me, while you are are on a 10-lane freeway, easily changing lanes.”

I received this in an email and it describes what I’ve been experiencing to a “T” and this is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden.

As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide my car needs washing.

As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mailbox earlier.

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.

So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think, since I’m going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my checkbook off the table, and see that there is only one check left.

My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking.

I’m going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don’t accidentally knock it over. I realize the Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye–they need to be watered.

I set the Coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glasses that I’ve been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I’m going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote, but I won’t remember that it’s on the kitchen table!! , so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I’ll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.

So, I set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:

the driveway is flooded
the car isn’t washed,
the bills aren’t paid,
there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter,
there is still only one check in my check book,
I can’t find the remote,
I can’t find my glasses,
and I don’t remember what I did with the car keys.

Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I’m really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I’m really tired.

Is proofreading a dying art? Even though verbiage passes the word processor’s spellchecker, does it make sense?

Great titles and headings are compelling and entice you to read more. And then there are those which make you say “Huh?”  A friend sent me an email with the following. Enjoy.

• Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges (You mean there’s something stronger than duct tape?)
• If Strike Isn’t Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile (Ya think?!)
• Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures (Who would have thought?!)
• Caskets found as workers demolish mausoleum “We had no idea anyone was buried there.” (So what did you think was in there?)
• Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says (Really? Ya think?) Read the rest of this entry →

I’m in the middle of editing audio of a conversation I had with Lynne Klippel for Secrets To Getting Published, an upcoming digital product for authors. We chatted about ways authors can self-publish and market books. She shared that when someone orders her book online, she surprises them with an immediate copy of the eBook version. Great idea.

This morning I woke up to a recommendation by a friend on Facebook to read “Tech is Too Cheap to Meter: It’s Time to Manage for Abundance, Not Scarcity.”

Of course I clicked on the link, as I’m always interested in anything which talks about focusing on abundance (what you want vs. what you don’t want).

Much to my surprise, the article included a short, five minute video where Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief of Wired discusses his latest book, Free: The Future of a Radical Price. In this video, he talks about all the versions of the book that are available. Many of them are free—yes free—as in $0.00. Brilliant marketing.

How great to live in a time where being generous actually creates more business—a win/win. I like that.

If you are a book author, I suggest you read the article and watch the video.

As an author, what versions will your book be available in? Which formats will you give away?

I’m a firm believer of the power of  words—written words, spoken words, even those thoughts running around in my head.

One of the beauties of being on Twitter, is there are lots of tweeple (people) spreading good words. I like that.

Discovered this video this morning from Warren Whitlock, who shares good words. He said he had a lump in his throat, I had tears rolling down my cheeks.

Enjoy as you watch this short, yet impactful video.

What is your personal signature?

Ernest Schaak 1924-2007

My dad, Ernie Schaak, would have been 85 today if he were still alive.

I had the pleasure of helping my dad create his memoir, No Name Montana Boy. I “dragged out the process” as it allowed quality time with my dad. There was some tears, lots of laughter, and sometimes we laughed so hard we cried.

Even though part of me cringes because technically it’s not the greatest book—widows, orphans, and a serious need for more editing—the book has so much heart and love. That I am very proud of.

Working with my dad as he wrote his book allowed us to connect on a heart-to-heart level that we never had had before. Hearing the stories of his life from his point-of-view was priceless. Read the rest of this entry →