I have to admit I was initially skeptical about the eReaders that began flooding the market a few years ago.

The first one I held and played with was Sony’s eReader.  Then an acquaintance, (actually, Ex #1′s husband) got a Kindle and I saw it in action. The clarity was interesting but I still wasn’t sold.

Besides, he paid $350 for the first generation Kindle: too much for me.

Then came the Kindle 2, its redesigned exterior and some real improvements on the inside like a PDF viewer, a music player function, and better annotating tools (highlighting, underlining, inserting notes) and the lower price ($259). That sold me.

If you’re an iPod owner, the first thing you notice about it is its packaging: Sleek, well-planned, a definite anticipation builder. Then once you unwrap the iPod you hold it and are immediately impressed with it’s simplicity.

Amazon must have taken a lesson from Apple on that one because the Kindle 2′s packaging is no different. It’s impressive, simple, and green (in the environmental sense).  The product itself is just as impressive, almost Zen-like in its appearance.

Holding the Kindle for the first time is like holding an iPod. I was afraid I’d drop it. But since I also ordered the leather (hardback like) cover for it, I inserted it into the cover and felt better about its ability to withstand a jolt.

The screen is not back-lit and though you might think it would be hard to read, it’s actually easier to read than a computer screen or an iPod Touch.  Amazon calls this ‘Ink On Paper’ technology and I’ve tested it in the direct sunlight as well as in the shade and it makes no difference in my ability to read, focus, or enjoy the visual presentation of the display.

My Top 5 Likes…so far.

1. Whispernet delivery of eBooks. Silent and fast -a 300 page novel delivered in under 35 seconds via a 3G wireless network. And (this is a big advantage over the Sony eReader) I don’t have to shop with my computer or download the books to the laptop. I could, but why would I?
2. Intuitive Navigation. It does function just like a book.  I thought I’d have difficulty adjusting but I haven’t. The ‘Next Page’ button is on the right side and the ‘Previous Page’ button is on the left.  Lefties will appreciate the location of a second ‘Next Page’ button on the left as well.
3. Ease of Annotation. I love underlining and writing in the margins of my paper books.  With the Kindle 2, I can do the same. Underline and even insert a note using the QWERTY keyboard on the unit.
4. Switching Books.  It’s my practice to have 3-4 books going at once.  I used to pack a couple of books in my briefcase to read at lunch or on planes depending on what I felt like that day. Now I can easily choose any one of my books simply by pressing the Home button. Each time I access a book I’m taken back to the page I last read whether or not I inserted a bookmark.
5. Native PDF Viewer. I have a lot of eBooks and I work with huge PDF documents that are sometimes bulky and inconvenient to carry on trips. By plugging into my laptop using the USB connection (that doubles as a battery charging device) I can load any number of PDFs on my Kindle 2 and they show up on the Home page TOC as a PDF.  The only drawback to this is I can’t manipulate the font size on a PDF. A small inconvenience but it sure beats carrying a 3-inch binder containing a 900 page RFP on the plane with me.

My 1 Unofficial Like

• The MP3 Player. I can also upload MP3 files and plug in my 3.5mm ear buds from my iPod. But that seems like overkill to me.  Besides, I have iTunes on my laptop and the Kindle 2 won’t play ACC or other iTune formats.  But if I wanted to read and listen to music, I could.  But that doesn’t work for me. It distracts my uni-tasking mind. It doesn’t quite make the list of likes at this point.

Apple iPad is sure to provide some competition for the Kindle 2.  It’s got a color display and it’s an Apple. The jury’s still out on that one for me.

But, so far I love my Kindle 2. Can you tell?

For more information on the Kindle 2, click here!

Less is more in many ways.

It’s certainly the case when speaking of the effects I experienced after reading Leo Babauta’s book, The Power of Less: the fine art of limiting yourself to the essential…in business and in life.

If you’re not familiar with Leo Babauta, he’s the author behind ZenHabits.net, a blog that is a must read if you’re interested in living simply, efficiently, and productively.

Leo is also the author of Zen To Done, an eBook that teaches Leo’s simple yet effective system of managing time, projects, and everything else on your plate.  (You can check out my review of ZTD here.)

Practical Lessons from The Power of Less (TPoL)

Remember when you were a kid and life seemed so simple? You were free to play whenever you wanted and free to choose who you wanted to spend time with.

Taking a moment to reflect on the simplicity of those years, don’t you wish your life was that simple and carefree today?

TPoL is about making your life simple again. It may not ever be as carefree as it once was, but life can be a lot less stressful and complicated by returning to its inherent simplicity.

Leo’s approach to returning to the simplicity you once enjoyed in life focuses on making conscious choices. And there are only two.

Choice #1: Identify the Essential

There is so much clutter in our lives today.  We are continually bombarded by choices of all kinds.  Just walk down the cereal aisle at the grocery store and you’re confronted with a myriad of possibilities…and that’s only breakfast!

But our lives become cluttered at light speed. Before long we’ve collected a lot of physical stuff as well as way too much mental clutter.

So how do you get back to that simple existence of your childhood? Identifying only what it essential is the place to begin.

Choice #2: Eliminate the Rest

After you’ve chosen only what’s essential, you’re free to jettison the rest.

Take my briefcase. One day not too long ago I realized that I was carrying all kinds of needless items to and from the office. I decided to take Leo’s advice and pare down my daily load to only the essentials.

When I eliminated what wasn’t essential, not only was my briefcase lighter (which meant my neck didn’t hurt any longer from carrying around all that crap), but the energy around it was more positive.

You know that feeling when you walk into your teenager’s room and you can’t see the floor? Or open a ‘junk drawer’ and close it immediately because the thought of sifting through all the junk is intimidating?  That’s what it felt like each time I opened my briefcase. Yuk.

TPoL TOC

Here’s how Leo has organized the book:

Part One – The Principles In this section Leo lays out the principles behind TPoL approach to life. Each chapter needs to be read carefully because though Leo write in a simple, straightforward manner, each sentence is packed with meaning.

1. Why Less is Powerful
2. The Art of Setting Limits
3. Choosing the Essential, and Simplifying
4. Simple Focus
5. Create New Habits, and TPoL Challenge

Part Two – In Practice Here’s where the rubber meets the road.  Putting TPoL principles into practice is at once liberating and relaxing.  I say relaxing because I’ve found that when I reduce to what’s essential and lest the rest go, my energy is more positive and my attitude is more relaxed.

1. Simple Goals and Projects
2. Simple Tasks
3. Simple Time Management
4. Simple Email
5. Simple Internet
6. Simple Filing
7. Simple Commitments
8. Simple Daily Routine
9. Declutter Your Workspace
10. Slow Down
11. Simple Health and Fitness
12. On Motivation

TPoL is a great read, especially during  summer when most of us have a lot of projects that need to be completed before fall. It’s a slim volume, only 170 pages and packaged in a simple, yet elegant, hardback cover.  It’s even available on the Kindle for just $9.99.

I urge you to read TPol and put into practice it’s simple, direct teachings. I’m glad I did!

Preview the Hardback Book Here on Amazon.com

I’ve been a fan of most of Wayne Dyer’s books and PBS talks for years.  He’s a modern philosopher and spiritual teacher in the lineage of Emerson and Thoreau.

In fact, I credit one of the most significant shifts in my life to his book Your Sacred Self. I recommend it anyone seeking their own version of truth.

The book I’m reading now is his latest, Excuses Begone! How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits.

Part I opens with the following quote by Lao-tzu: 

“Every human being’s essential nature is perfect and faultless, but after years of immersion in the world we easily forget our roots and take on a counterfeit nature.”

How true this is.

Old psychic tapes, popular culture, even mainstream religion teaches the opposite: You’re too young, too old, not strong enough, not mature enough, too inexperienced, lacking in real-world experience…the list of excuses are endless.

While these are well-meaning and for the most part well-intentioned, we fall victim to the ‘mind viruses’ they impart.  Dyer believes these mental memes or mind viruses to be as infectious as influenza.

I think he’s right.

In my own life I’ve seen the effects of belief in any number of these excuses.  And while each false belief needs to be individually assessed in our own lives, I belive that false beliefs about our abilitites or inabilities (excuses) are all too easy to access and live by.

Some false beliefs lead to lying.

There was a time in my life when I lied about nearly everything. I was in high school at the time and not only was I the shortest person among the 1200 students (true) but I was also the most insignificant (a false belief in my life at the time).

Because I believed I was so insignificant (growing up hearing that I was a failure only reinforced this), I felt I needed to create a world that was more attractive to others, more attractive to myself, and one that allowed me to feel that I mattered in some way.

I created experiences that were totally false, and even cut out magazine photos and tried to pass them off as myself to my friends.

I look back on it now and I laugh a little -and cry a little, too-, but at the time, the false belief that I would always be a failure was so pervasive that creating this false world where I was the center of attention seemed like my only hope.

The Book’s Organization

Part I  – Identifying and Removing Habitual Thinking: In this section Dyers sets the stage for making possible the journey that lies ahead.  There is a chapter that examines the most common excuses we use and how to overcome them.

There is a saying that when you turn on the light, the darkness shrinks and truth is revealed.  This portion of the book is similar to turning on the lights.  Excuses become exposed for what they are when the lights of commonsense and truth are flipped on.

Part II – Key Principles: In this section Dyer puts forth and examines seven principles that help make excuses a thing of the past.  Each chapter in this section has tips for applying the prinicples to your life.

Admittedly, this is where most authors like Dyer go wrong, in my opinion. Seven principles and the seven questions in Part III are a bit much to keep track of…or is that just an excuse?

Part III- Excuses Begone – A Paradigm Shift: In the final section, Dyer writes about seven questions to pose when examining the validity of something you believe abut yourself.  By asking these questions, you can be in a better position to know whether or not this belief serves or deludes you.

I recommend this book.

If you’d like to read more about it and look at the table of contents, click on the images on this page and they will take you to the Amazon.com site where you you can look inside the book and decide for yourself.

What are you reading?

What book has you currently secreting away hours at a time to read?  Is it something you’d recommend?  Tell us what you think by leaving a comment.  As always, your comments are welcome! :)

Can 6 Words Sum Up Your Life?

For my birthday a few days ago, I received a copy of the neat little volume, Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs from Writers Famous and Obscure.

It’s a collection of 1,000 six-word memoirs from writers attempting to summarize their life experience in six words.

The introduction thinly lays claim to Hemingway being the first to write a six-word story. It’s said Hem responded to the challenge with, “For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn.”

Regardless of whether Hemingway initiated the fun, it’s actually quite a challenge to come up with six words that summarize your life. Most Solo-Dads I know have quite a few six-word memoirs in them!

Yesterday, Little Elvis and I were sitting outside at our local Starbucks, taking turns reading the memoirs aloud.  Some are hilarious while some are poignant, even sad.

Here are some examples of what got LE cracking up:

“Bad brakes discovered at high speed.”  -Paul Schultz

“Living for Jesus because Earth sucks.”  -Johnny Johnson

“Seventy years, few tears, hairy ears.”  -Bill Querrenguesser

A few of my favorites included:

“After Harvard, had baby with crackhead.”  -Robin Templeton

“Happiest when ignoring huge financial debt.”  -Ayanna Bryan

“Lived in moment, until moment sucked.” -Janine Goss

“Verbal hemophilia. Why can’t I clot?”  -Scott Mebus

There are many others…993 to be exact, that you’ll have to buy to the book to enjoy.

Solo-Dad’s Six-Word Memoirs

I’ve come up with a few six-word memoirs I could readily apply to my life, thus far.

Here are some:

“Four kids. Starbucks Coffee. Life’s good!”

“Too many degrees, not enough savings.”

“Wised up and left the tribe.”

“Waded into marriage, ran back ashore.”

What About You?

Want to take the Six-Word-Memoir challenge and sum up your life as a Solo-Dad (or Mom)?  Got more than one?  Give it some thought and share them below in a comment!