Never Cease To Learn

While straightening up my desk I found a piece of notebook paper with notes taken by me.  When? Why? Where? I have no idea.

At the top, like a title, are the words "Never Cease To Learn".  That's kind of my mantra right now. I'm taking an on-line class through my church called "Connectional Living; Connectional Giving". I am brushing up on my German using the library's foreign language data base.

So I read the notes.  It's mostly good information that I want to keep but I need a piece of notebook paper hanging around like I need, well, like I need something that I totally don't need. I know, I'll blog it.

And here are my notes about learning:

Always be on the lookout for new ideas.

Research, go to meetings, workshops,

Think, Dream, Plan.

Continually improve and learn.

Good habits are the key to success.

We are what we repeatedly do - Aristotle

You can choose your habits.

Determine your own life and your own habits. Don't let others do it for you.

Play the music that is within you.

Aha! Know how to ask the right questions.

Learn to listen.

Jerome Bruner - The process of education

Avoid negative influences.

You shape your future or your future will shape you.

Don't just survive and exist; take risks and grow.

Make it a habit to go to one conference a year.  Visit venders, meet other professionals, network and share, attend multiple sessions, parties and receptions.

Integrity

100 million children around the world do not go to school.

Everyone deserves to be respected, indispensable and loved.

Am I Reading Too Much?

A more accurate title might be "Am I Reading Too Many?"

My hope is that reading multiple books at the same time will ward off dementia.

Currently I am reading:

• Still Foolin'  'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys?, an autobiography by Billy Chrystal, is my current bathtub book. 
• Burn by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge is part of my morning laying-in-bed-before-I-get-up ritual.  I listen to it on my Kindle
• The Legacy Journal: A Radical View of Biblical Wealth and Generosity by Dave Ramsey is part of the same morning ritual. I read it on my Kindle (e-book). 
•  Bombshell by Catherine Coulter is entertaining me currently whenever I get into my car. I like to say I read in my car.  I always have a book on CD in the CD player. 
• Honeymoon by James Patterson and Howard Roughan just became available.  I had it on hold in Overdrive (library e-books) and I only have two weeks to read it before someone else  gets a turn. I read Second Honeymoon first (and loved it), not realizing it was a series. I put this book on my iphone and will read it at the gym and on break at work.
• The Bible. I'm always reading the Bible.  It's my before-I-go-to-sleep reading material.  I'm about to finish the CEB translation of the New Testament.

What I should be reading:

• My Advent books
• Books I planned to read before Christmas: Merry Christmas Alex Cross by James Petterson and The 12 Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen. I traditionally like to read Skipping Christmas by John Grisham but I'm not sure I can fit it in this year.
• Relentless is the December book for my Dean Koontz GoodReads book Group.

So what are you reading?

This is How I Decorate

Giving Tuesday

We've had one day to give thanks, two days to get good deals, and one day to be generous.  Today is Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday isn't new, but it isn't really old either. It began in 2012 but I didn't hear about it until this year. If you google "Giving Tuesday" you'll find more information than you have time to read.

I saw that UNICEF promises 90% of your donation will go to the children.  That's a high percentage, but I'm donating through my church where 100% of my donation goes directly to the cause I choose.

I'm making my donation to ICT4D (Information & Communications Technology for Developing Countries). I love technology and when I read about the lives that can be saved and improved by simply having cell phones in remote areas, I was in.

• Pastors and missionaries can stay connected with the outside world.
• People can get information about floods, disease outbreaks, war and other emergencies in time to prepare for them.
• In some places, cell phones are used to pay teachers which reduces money lost to graft.
• Farmers and business owners can get the latest information pertinent to their ventures.

Think of all the ways you use cell phones and other technology and imagine what they can do in the hands of people in less prosperous parts of the world.

If you are interested in learning more or donating to ICT4D, here's the LINK.

Go now, be generous today and give to a cause that captures your passion.

Cyber Monday

I did some shopping, spent some money and I don't even feel guilty.

I bought two courses from the Learning Company/the Great Courses, one about linguistics and the other about public speaking.  All courses are 75% off today and I got my two courses for $19.95 each plus free shipping.

Description of the linguistic course:

With more than 6,000 languages spoken around the world, it’s no wonder that linguistics, the study of language, has a reputation for being complex and inaccessible. But here’s a secret: There’s a lot that’s quirky and intriguing about how human language works—and much of it is downright fun to learn about.

Every day, linguists ponder and try to solve some of the most intriguing scientific, historical, and sociological puzzles behind the inner workings of language—how it emerged, how it evolved, how it’s used, and where it’s going in the future.

I couldn't resist it.

I don't really plan on becoming a public speaker but learning about it should be helpful at church and maybe at the library too.

I bought the CDs but can also listen to the courses on line anytime.

I love to learn and I feel like this was $40.00 well spent.