A dog's admiration

My latest article for The Sage News Network

Amazon Drones Get Public Makeover The Sage News - SNN
http://www.sagenews.ca/Article.asp?id=3359&title=Amazon-Drones-Get-Public-Makeover

Give a man a fish...

Self Service Police Program

Self-Service Police Program Unveiled at Conference

One of my first articles on The Sage News Network!

One Amazing Year. My latest workshop!

Really excited about this new workshop I've developed that I'll be teaching in Baton Rouge this month. This is the book that goes with the class. The workshop examines the skills that help us achieve professional and personal success. Then we work together to identify activities that will help us improve those skills. Going to be a fun day!

Freebie for writers: Time management tips

Here's a freebie for you writers. It's the fun handout I used at one of my recent writer workshops on time management for creative  types who are often distracted by was that the phone who is that person I needed to email where is that doggone file.

You get the idea, right?

Time Management Tips for Writers

Let's beat up Ben Franklin

"Doodley?" Google is just messing with me...

So if a holiday falls in a government shutdown, does it make a sound?

Wow! Tomorrow is Columbus Day. Does that mean the government is closed for the day or still just shutdown? Or does it just mean that federal employees and programs and the customers of those programs are still being cheated? Yeah, I'll go with door number three, Monty.

Meet my Dad who turns 100 on October 22nd!

If you haven't yet followed https://www.facebook.com/UncommonSense101 Please do it today so you'll get a daily dose of unCommonly Funny nonSense! Thanks!

If you haven't yet followed 

https://www.facebook.com/UncommonSense101

Please do it today so you'll get a daily dose of unCommonly Funny nonSense! Thanks!

Thank you, Congress and our delightful two-party system.

Thank you, Congress and our delightful two-party system. You refuse to play nice together and this is what happens. I went to get statistics today for an article I'm writing and this is what I saw.
 

I am personally ready to say that I don't think I should have to pay income tax if they can't even decide and tell me where the money is going. And I don't think Congress should be allowed to go home until they've finished their homework.
 
The incumbents who are not 'making nice' will get a "negative performance evaluation" from me the next time I walk into a voting booth.
 
Sorry. I'm not usually political, but I feel much better for having gotten this off my chest.

Fire instructions: 1. Leave building. 2. Tweet.

It's the thought that counts

And we wonder why we have problems with school testing systems?

I am not the mighty hunter I thought I was...

Dear Math!

I'm still trying to figure out how cats took over the internet. Wish I had their PR person...

I know the voices aren't real, but they have some great ideas

Can you spot the problem?

Definition of real listening is

Real listening vs. uh-huh listening

To err is human...

Realization for today

Autographs for your Kindle book

http://goo.gl/PXmu5

Special price on In Celebration of Elastic Waistbands. 2.99 for a great summer read or gift. Message me for kindlegraphs!

Did Churchill Get Full Fee?

Sometimes I think deep thoughts. And sometimes I just go wading.

New video for my humor book! And a new price!

The secret formula for writing a book

Okay, so here's the process to organize a book while using an A.D.D. mind. 

1. First, think of all the things you want to include. 
2. Put each concept on a separate ppt slide. 
3. Print out these slides - but do a bunch on a page to save trees.
4. Cut them apart. 
5. Group them over and over until you have them divided into sections or topics that work for you. 
6. Determine the name of the topics of each group of slides.
7. Turn each topic into a question. 
8. Write the answers. 
9. Now you have a book. 
10. Or you can throw the whole away as confetti. Either way it's a good time.

Thanks for the spotlight, Library Road Show!

Here's how I like to end my speeches...

A Mime is a Terrible Thing to Waste...

Just wanted to thank all the folks at the Louisiana State Library Administrative Librarian's Conference for a great time this week!

I conducted a session on needs assessments and focus groups and they were such great and creative participants.

Yes, we even heard wonderful ideas like an "Awfully Good Movie" class that shows why bad movies become classics, and a Mime Self-Defense Class, because "A Mime is a Terrible Thing to Waste."

Thanks for the fun!

It's all a matter of how you look at things...

Communication was better with tin cans...

Here's why you shouldn't treat customers like family!

The story of my life and books in 11 slides...

For your laughing and learning pleasure: 
Click on the link below:
The Story of Christee Gabour Atwood
 
This is a mini-version of my life and books without all the whining and excuses...
 
It's also an opening to help you if you are trying to get your first book out there.
 
If you have questions about independent publishing, ebook publishing, traditional publishing, or want to know how to look like you have a job by simply printing business cards, contact me and we can laugh at ourselves together!

Fads, Buzzwords, & Other Nonsense

What seems okay in one generation often plays out as not-such-a-good idea in later ones.

Isn't this ad a good example?

That's why I try to avoid buzzwords and fads. Because fads are like leisure suits and buzzwords have the same life span as reality shows with chubby children named BooBoo. And also because I'm lazy and just can't keep up with all of them.

That's what the unCommon Sense movement is all about.

It's a chance to stop using all the buzzwords and trendy methods to work with other people and just get back to treating people decently.

A lot of people call this the Golden Rule: Treat people the way YOU'D like to be treated.

You know what might work even better? Treat people the way THEY'D like to be treated.

Yup. That means realizing we're different. (Notice I avoided the word Diversity? That's because it seems we're using that innocent little buzzword as a "challenge" these days, not as a way to connect.)

So, we could take the time to realize we're all different and that we don't all like to be treated in the same way. It has nothing to do with color, country, religion, or sex. It has to do with being individuals.
 
And the only way we can treat people as individuals is to get to know them.

• That's as simple as stopping to listen after we ask someone "How are you?" instead of being in the parking lot while they're still answering.
• It's as easy as actually paying attention to them when it looks like they're overwhelmed. 
• It's as simple as listening more than we talk.

We could replace buzzwords with just being helpful coworkers, kind neighbors, and good friends.

I know. That's just crazy talk. On the other hand, it could be fun to try this week.

Forgive the rant, but it just felt like the right message for a Sunday morning. Plus I think I'm running low on my medication... 

Let's summarize getting to know people with Mark Twain's wonderful quote on travel:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts."

Thanks for visiting! 

What difference can one person make?

Click here to watch on YouTube

The next time I say, "What difference can one person make?" I hope that I remember to look at this video of one fellow, a silly dance, and a world full of people who joined in because for one moment they felt connected to every other being on earth. Here's to more of those moments. 

Over 10 million views now, and yes, you can see me at 1:44 in New Orleans if you look on the right side for the chicken hat.

Fun Idea for the Day

Have you got a problem that could be solved with a sense of humor?

Here's a great example of an alternative to the standard
Private Parking: All unauthorized cars will be towed.

Imagine it. You could get people to do something correctly while making them laugh. Seems like a win-win to me...

Lessons of the Cat

The Zen of the Masters

Adam Scott had a great insight upon winning the Masters yesterday. He said that what helped him was being completely where he was on the course. Not thinking ahead. Not looking back.
  What a great reminder for a Monday. It's that Zen thing. If I can just be in the moment, then I'm right where I need to be.

I think of how many times I am thrilled to hear a favorite song on the radio, then get distracted and suddenly I realize I'm hearing the last notes.

Or I start rushing through a meal and forget to taste it so I get all the calories and none of the fun. Or how many times I forgot to listen to someone because I was thinking about what I was going to say next.

And I can't remember the last time I stopped to smell the roses, although my allergies and an overwhelming fear of wasps have a lot to do with that.

As it was put more succinctly on some sitcom that I can't remember, "If you ain't where you is, then you're nowhere."

I think I'll be here today.

Welcome

Have you noticed that the business world is a little confused these days? Common sense seems to have left the building with Elvis.

Not that I consider myself the bearer of a lot of common sense. I've often thought my dashboard lights were going out when, in fact, I had just forgotten to take off my sunglasses. I've found myself thinking I can't brush my teeth because the battery in my electric toothbrush is dead. I pretend I'm on the cell phone in my car when I realize people are watching me argue with myself.

But I do know a few things.

I know that common sense used to tell us that we should treat people decently. Now it seems that we have to create legislation to tell us to do that.

I know that common sense has been replaced by buzzwords. I've been 7 habit-ed, 6 sigma-ed, and TQM-ed over the years, and yet I didn't feel any smarter. They've managed me in one minute, hid my cheese, painted my parachute, and threw sharks in my swimming pool, and I just felt angry because I didn't have any cheese left for my "whine & cheese party". And through all of this, it just seemed that they were trying to lead me to visit the place with the 12 steps...

I remember how common sense used to say that working hard and improving ourselves would help us be better people, better employees, better citizens. Now we wait for a performance appraisal and somebody from the training department to tell us that.

And I recall how common sense and decency used to say that we should listen to our conscience in the things we did and said.

If that's not the case anymore, then I want to try some uncommon sense to try to bring those principles back.

And that's what unCommon Sense is all about.

• We'll share ideas to improve ourselves, whether we're trying to move up in our current profession or move out into something completely new. 
• We'll think of ways we can do things more effectively while still being true to the crazy people we are. 
• And most importantly, we'll laugh at all of this, because that old common sense saying of "Laughter is the best medicine" was right on the mark.

Join me, won't you?