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Your Bookshelves are not Trophy Cases

I love the Library of America imprint. They compile the works of great authors and wrap them in accessible and attractive editions.

When I’m on my periodic browsing trips to Half-Price Books, if I ever see a compilation I don’t own yet, and it’s in good condition, I immediately grab it (usually for less than $10, which is a stupid deal). I don’t even care who the author is. I know they will be someone worth reading or referencing, in some capacity.

New Proverbs Memorization Workbook

I’ve put together a workbook to help your child memorize 15 different Proverbs. In the form of a daily journal, it adds a bit of writing each day, and at the end of the week, they should have a fresh Proverb engraved on their mind.

The series title is taken from Proverbs 8:6: “Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right…”

Perfect for homeschoolers!

You can buy the ebook to print out yourself here. Unlimited copies, limited only by your paper and ink supply.

If you would like a week’s sample of the workbook, you can fill out this form.

Eventually, I will have physical copies you can buy that I can then mail to you in real life, but I am still working out some details.

Anyway, check out the sample. If you like it and want to wait for the printed copies, let me know in the comments below.

If this is helpful for enough people, I’ll put some more of these together.

Cardcaptor Sakura and a World Without Envy

In an early episode of this classic anime series, Tomoyo, one of Sakura’s friends, gets out of a convoy, surrounded by bodyguards. She obviously comes from wealth.

Enchanted by the display, Sakura remarks that not many school kids have their very own bodyguards.

“Well,” remarks Tomoyo, “There are even fewer who have their own magical powers.” This isn’t said with snark, just a stating of the facts.

Focus Tip: Learn to Draw

How do you get into the “flow” state, where time seems to both stand still and rush by. A state of focus that allows you to do deep work and be productive beyond your normal capabilities?

First, you need to know what it feels like, and get more practice in creating that bubble for yourself, and in my experience, learning to draw is one of the best ways to accomplish this.

Just Shut Up…and Say Thanks

Just say thanks. This is one exercise in the Dale Carnegie Training seminar that has stuck with me for nearly two decades. Each person in the group took a turn to just sit there. Everyone else then gave them a compliment. After each one, all you had to do was say “thank you.” That’s it.

It’s harder than it sounds, and that’s why it was a full exercise. People need the practice.