WHEN I write my first book – something that meshes/dissects the cross-hair of personal branding and individual style? – I will have my table of contents mirror Seth Godin’s in Linchpin.
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I’m in love with the website (although I don’t like the Twitter thingy) of The Typographic Desk Reference. Looking like I need to buy the book as well.

I referenced a photo story on the Gentlemen of Bakongo before. Well, now there’s a book.

Let’s add these shelves to the list of things I want to make. The idea of reusing/repurposing/recycling goods really ties into my CurrentBlend Space plans.

I read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Meh. Not a whole lot fascinating about it. A few points I thought worth writing down.

• “In transplanting the paesani culture of southern Italy to the hills of eastern Pennsylvania, the Rosetans had created a powerful, protective social structure capable of insulating them from the pressures of the modern world.” [currentblend co-op]
• “practical intelligence” – knowing what to say to whom, knowing when to say it, and knowing how to say it for maximum effect.
• autonomy, complexity, and a connection between effort and reward…the three qualities that work has to have to be satisfying.

My favorite food blog, Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, just got a book deal. I’ll buy that.

I’ve had Radical Honesty on my bookshelf for a couple years now and will periodically pick it up to read different portions of it (I’ve tried to read it straight through, but just can’t for some reason). Anyway, here’s a great article from Esquire on the author and the writer who tries to put it into practice. My two cents on this: I think this is great and try practice it with some regularity. Makes life easier, but you need to have some tact in your presentation.

Here’s a cool concept and site that just launched today from a former boss of mine, Authors Prompt. Perfect for those who are aspiring writers, here’s the gist.

www.AuthorsPrompt.com seeks to inspire children’s (and adult’s) natural creativity by providing an easy, inexpensive way to write and print their first book.

How does AuthorsPrompt do this? We start with a brief phone consultation to find out what the aspiring author is interested in and what he/she wants to get out of the project.

Based on the initial phone conversation, www.AuthorsPrompt.com, provides, via email, several options for a topic sentence/initial paragraph and tips on how to proceed. The aspiring author then composes the next several hundred words and submits (via email) to the site. AuthorsPrompt reviews the submission, provides suggested edits, ideas on how to proceed, and just as important, encouragement.

Based on 3-4 interactive sessions, the story is completed. AuthorsPrompt then prints one or more copies of the story/book and mails to the author.

“Slowly dies, he who does not travel, he who does not read” – P. Neruda