Have a Productive New Year

Okay so it's a little bit past making resolutions for the New Year. But it's a dreary, rainy day here in California, and that always makes me a bit introspective.

Do you make New Year's resolutions? Do they last? Have they fallen by the wayside already?

I'm not much of a resolution maker. When I see something I want to change, I make a plan and change it. And I've found two tools to help me with that.

Mary Ellen Tribby has a great website and daily e-mail loaded with tips for working moms, though I daresay any one could benefit from her tips.

The other resource I've been using for a couple of years is Mark Joyner's Simpleology 101. It's a great tool for determining your goals and a plan for how to reach them.

Happy goal setting!

Laughter is Serious Business

I like laughing. I like things that are funny. And if they aren't funny, I generally try to find a way to make them so. I amuse myself quite often. Others probably not so much. But that's okay.

So, if you are intrigued by all things funny, you might check out this post on the Simpleology blog.

Blogger Bean Jones discusses Robert R. Provine's book, Laughter: A Scientific Investigation, which discusses the psychology behind laughter, as well as its mental benefits.

Jones uses this quote from the book:

"Laughter is a fundamental part of the texture of everyday life," says Provine. "It is so fundamental, in fact, that we tend to forget how strange--and how important--it is. Yet while laughter is one of the most common human behaviors, it has, until recently, escaped the scientific scrutiny that has dissected every other aspect of our characters."

Sounds intriguing and I plan on checking it out. But wouldn't it really be fun to be a scientist studying laughter? Just think of the possibilities...

A Brand New Bag

Sissy got a bunch of craft projects for Christmas, which is fun for both of us. Look what we made.

Here's the front.


Here's the back.


I was excited about this project because I was looking for a bag to hold my various notebooks, pens, iPod, etc. Especially since my car doesn't lock, and I can't leave anything important in it.

The bag on the right came with Sissy's kit. I bought the green bag at Wal-Mart for $2 and decorated it with items from Sissy's kit. Fun, huh?

Stay tuned
I don't do New Year's Resolutions really. I figure if something needs to be resolved, do it now, don't wait until the new year. Anyhow... I've been working on some organization systems and stuff using the Simpleology plan I mentioned before. I'm almost finished with the course and I'm pretty happy with it. I'll be sharing what I've learned next week.

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

• The best blogging techniques.
• How to get traffic to your blog.
• How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

So we'll see what comes of all of that. Yeah, I know, you can't wait. :)