CI 3

Current Influences, third edition!

What I'm reading/recently read....

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss. I think the guy is a little nuts, but obviously smart, and I like his style. The concept is to outsource and compress your work until your company (or the equivalent, if you're not the boss) virtually runs itself, and then you can use nearly all your time to pursue your dreams. It's a great idea, and it obviously works for some people, but I'd personally rather do work that I love than try to avoid working.

What I'm taking away from the book is the inspiration to pursue dreams; the exercises on how to be fearless in the workplace; and the tip about "batching" time-consuming tasks, like checking emails.

Create Your Writer Platform by Chuck Sambuchino. I haven't gotten very far in this book yet, but it's making me want to increase my blog traffic and Twitter followers. I am getting there, little by little, but I still have a long way to go before I'm playing with the big gals. I'm relieved to learn that while nonfiction authors are almost required to have a platform before being published, it's not a prerequisite for fiction authors, though it certainly helps.

The Pollyanna Plan by Talli Roland. I bought this for a light, cheerful read, and it delivered. It was also set in London, which I love. A quick, cute read, though not quite as optimistic as the title would lead you to believe.

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult. I haven't finished this yet, and don't know if I can. It has the classic Picoult trademarks of multiple perspectives and moral gray areas, but this time it's more historically based. One of the characters is a ninety-year-old former SS officer, and another is an Auschwitz survivor. Reading about the Holocaust causes me physical pain. (See former posts Sing You Home, my last Picoult read, and The Difficult Read, my last attempt at Holocaust literature.)

Bossypants by Tina Fey (re-read- it was actually my very first book review back in September 2011). It's been kind of a sad/tired week, and nothing beats it back better than some great comedy writing.

What I'm watching...

Freakonomics: The Movie. I LOVE Freakonomics, the book/website by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner: Freakonomics website. The movie is a very small taste of the book, but well done. There are segments on how to motivate kids to do better in school (it involves cash prizes and limo rides) and why/how Sumo wrestlers cheat.

Sesame Street (season 37). I'm just starting to introduce Edwin to Elmo, Cookie Monster and all the rest, so naturally I'm enjoying it more than he is. I love that even though the cast of characters and the social messages have changed quite a bit, it's still the same show, packed with learning and fun.

I Love Lucy. For the same reasons as Bossypants.


What I'm checking out online...

Pinterest, StumbleUpon, Chloe Travels (my sister-in-law's new food/travel blog)


Tomorrow I'll be finishing the third- and most altered- draft of my book. Time to call in the editors!