My Morning Routine: Cinnamon in the Coffee, Dogs in the Yard, and Reading the Bible

I have a routine every morning that serves me well, and I thought I would share it with you, Dear Reader. At this point, it's automatic and I think it helps me to have happy, productive days.  Really! 
.

The alarm goes off. 

I get up and get dressed and let the dogs out into the back yard so they can investigate what monsters may have invaded their territory during the night.  (Currently, there has been a possum roaming around the alley and hanging out in the trees.)

I make fresh coffee in a percolator. 

I use the same mug each morning.  It's huge and has the cartoon image of Wonder Woman on the side.  It was a gift.  I like it because it can hold a lot of coffee and the coffee will stay hot in it.  Plus, truth be told, it's nice that someone thought a Wonder Woman mug suited me somehow.  Makes me laugh.

Anywho, back to the coffee routine.  I toss in a smidgen of Mexican Cinnamon (not all cinnamon is the same, FYI) and some stevia with my Half-n-Half.  A bit of butter (yes; Kerrygold).  I down a tablespoon of Coconut Oil at that juncture (I can't go full bulletproof coffee because I hate that coconut taste in my coffee).
.

I have a reading spot.

Then, depending upon the weather, I sit outside on the covered patio or inside at the dining room table, and I read a chapter in Proverbs.  I have a little study journal to makes notes in if something comes to mind.  I also read a bit from the Old Testament and some from the New Testament.

I don't follow those Read-the-Bible-in-So-Many-Days schedules.  I always read one chapter in Proverbs, the one that corresponds to the day's date.  Sometimes I read more in the Old Testament books and sometimes less.  It's usually about the same for the New Testament.

I read from the Bible.  Sometimes, I take notes.  

Today, for example, I'm in Amos and I read a chapter before I stopped.  I read a chapter and a half in Mark, ending with Jesus and the kids surrounding him.  It's a nice image to start the day -- Jesus had to be laughing and smiling and playing around with those little children, they were all clamoring to be around him. We don't see enough images of this guy, IMHO: the guy who played with kids, who children liked and thought was fun.

This morning, though, the notes I took were from Proverbs 19 -- about it being smart to have "a wise heart and a clear head."
.

My Morning Routine Helps Me All Day Long. 

Reading the Bible every morning helps me.  Really and truly, Dear Reader.  Often, something pops up from that Proverbs chapter during the day that is so on point to what's happening.  It's eerie.  It's cool.

Plus, having a morning routine that is automatic habit at this point is a good thing, too.  Before I know it, I'm well into my work day and it's in large part because when that alarm hits I don't lay there and think about what I'm going to do that day - with fear and dread or with excitement and anticipation.  I jump up and get going.

Habits, routines?  They are good things for me in my life.  Reading the Bible every morning?  It's a major help for me every single day.  Just thought I'd share, in case it might help you too.

More on Sitting All Day Being Harmful for Your Health

Just read a great article with lots of information on research done regarding the dangers of sitting all day rather than standing or moving.  Written by Dr. James A. Levine of the Mayo Clinic, the article is entitled, "The Extreme Dangers of Sitting," and it's worth the read.

One big thing that stuck with me:  you will spend THREE times the energy standing instead of sitting.  So, using that standing desk without anything more means you're tripling your energy output.

So, even if you're not into a standing desk because it's fun or it's cool (remember, Ernest Hemingway wrote from a standing desk), think about this:  you might just lose some lbs and never have to go to the gym, never have to break a sweat.

Now, that's a scoop, right?

Oh, and one other thing from this study that stuck with me:  a nice evening constitutional for an hour, where you walk to enjoy the scenery and let the dog sniff the tree trunks, will expend the same amount of calories as if you were to take a ramped-up 30 minute power walk. Sweet. 

I'm off to walk the dog!

Clear Wireless 4G Internet Service - Is It Any Good? Here's What I Found Out

A new internet service provider is making quite a splash here in San Antonio.  Its green and white signs are everywhere -- they even have green and whtie "Clear" flags attached to cars driving around town. 

And it sounds so great.  You're free to connect to the internet all over the place, you're not tied down to any one spot.  Plus, it's cheaper than your current ISP.  Wow.  And, wait!  There's more! It's faster than your usual WiFi.   It's 4G, in some places, it's 6G.  Broadband speeds, anywhere and everywhere.  Always available, faster, and cheaper. 

That sure sounds good.  Except I can't find anyone here in town who's actually USING this service, even if little Clear stores are opening up on every corner.  So, I went surfing around on the web to get the scoop.

First, I learned that it's a big deal.  This company has plans to cover the country with its little stores, and San Antonio is far from the first city to get inundated with these green and white signs and stores.  In Texas, it's already in Abilene, Amarillo, Corpus Christi, Killeen/Temple, Lubbock, Waco, and other places. 

Here are some of the review that I found, from various parts of the country where Clear 4g Wimax has been in business longer than here in the Alamo City:

1.  Sarah Savage at Associated Content wrote in August 2009 that it was great for being able to pull out a netbook and write anywhere you wanted but there were drawbacks -- and recommended that if you're using the web mostly at home, it's not worth the purchase.  Also, some drop-off issues if the computer was idle for a couple of hours (no problem just signing in, again, tho).  Not sure what city we're talking about here, either.

2.  Yelp.com has 16 reviews for Clear WiMax Internet coming from Atlanta users.  Together, they're giving the service 3.5 stars out of 5.  Some comments include (1) lots of folk experience outages (2) and slow, slow service - not nearly the swift service that is touted by Clear.  There are some here that love this service, and some here that absolutely hate it. 

3.  Yelp.com has 30+ reviews for Portland's Clear WiMax Internet.  Yelp looks to have closed this forum sometime last year, but there's still lots of info here to consider.  And, there are lots of opinions here.  Again, some love and some hate.  Outages and slow speeds are discussed quite a bit.  Those trying to download big documents or watch videos seem to be very dissatistfied with the service.

4. Nick Mokey at DigitalTrends.com took Clear for a spin in Portland one day last July and bottom line, he liked it.  It wasn't perfect, but for some, Mr. Mokey opined that Clear would be just fine.

5. Nathan Roach in San Antonio gives it a thumbs up. I know Nathan Roach, and respect his opinion on all things Techno, so imagine my surprise when my surfing stumbled upon a review he'd written about trying out Clear -- here in my own hometown.  Perfect.  And, what does Nathan say?  His opinion is the same as Nick Mokey (see above, I'd just read Mokey's review when I found Nathan's so this was real deja vu)  -- and he gives lots of legal advice regarding the contracts and the service that's provided.  The reps lied to Nathan, I don't like that -- and there's a 2 year contract involved. 

What am I going to do?  I think I'll wait on Clear.  When I take my netbook to the B&N or local Starbucks, I'm happy enough -- and Clear's sounding too problematic to me. 

Naps. Take One. Naps are Good 4 U

Outside of the United States, a break in the afternoon is no big deal.  Siestas are an accepted part of the schedule in countries as varied as Spain, the Philippines, China, Greece, India, and Italy.  Maybe they've got the right idea.

Naps Aren't Just for Sunday Afternoons Anymore

Naps are good for you.  Taking a short rest in the afternoon -- 30, 45 mins -- helps you physically and mentally.  Research studies have shown that a little snooze, or siesta, in the workday can help your heart.  Even a 15 minute nap can help fight against strokes, and of course, stress.  And they get the job done: British researchers have compared the nap with the alternative coffee/caffeine break in the afternoon, and the nap was more efficient in getting you back in the saddle. 

When Should You Take Your Cat Nap?

Some suggest the optimal time for your little nap is 12 hours after you awake.  Others suggest that you take the "power nap" when you start to feel it's the right time -- usually between 2 and 4 in the afternoon, when your body temperature drops and your metabolism lags. 

Where Should You Nap?

Harvard Medical School is recommending a 30 minute nap in a cool, quiet, dark place.  Harvard also recognizes how some innovative employers acknowledge the importance of a siesta these days:  Google has "nap pods" for its employees.  (I think I might feel a bit claustraphobic in these Google nap pods, but they're such a cool idea.)

So, take a nap today.  Siestas are smart!

Image:  The Sweet Siesta of a Summer's Day, by John William Godward, public domain (Wikimedia Commons). 

5 Tips for Getting Work Done at Starbucks

There was a time when I didn't really share with folk that I can be found working away some afternoons during the week at one of the local Starbuck's coffee shops.  People with jobs in designated locations (read that "offices") didn't take this seriously, it seemed to me.  So I did it.  But I kept quiet about it.

Then I read about George Stephanopoulos writing speeches for Bill Clinton at the Starbucks down the street from his office and I was freed from this Coffee Shop Shame.  (Even now, Stephanopoulos continues his freeing of the masses, by posting on his Facebook page about preparing questions for his TV interviews, yes, at Starbucks.)

Here are 5 things that I've found help in getting things accomplished when you're working at the coffee house:

1.  Get yourself a Netbook with a decent battery life and stop fighting for plugs.  My Eee last 8 hours on a charge, and has a decent keyboard.  My old laptop wouldn't last 2 hours without me finding an electrical outlet somewhere.  And lots of places don't want you to power up, forcing you to pack up and leave, usually right after you really got started.

2.  Get yourself a Starbucks card for your coffee.   Keep it with your computer.  This keeps you in check, coffee money-wise.  It's easier to order that Venti Caramel Mach, and heck why NOT a brownie, when you use your cash or your bank card.  Having a coffee budget tied to its own card keeps you happy with your Grande Coffee of the Day.  Really.

3.  Choose your spot carefully.  You're in a public place, a venue that welcomes chatter.  The moms with the kiddos there for storytime, the college kids studying together -- they may not talk loudly, but their conversation can be distracting if you are right next to them.  Choose a wall.  One of those remote, leave me alone, Greta Garbo tables.  You're WORKING.

4.  Have an agenda.  Before you enter the building, know exactly what you are going to be doing during your time there, and don't make this unreasonably short.  Or long.  You will not edit the Great American Novel in its entirety while at the coffee shop.  You might edit a couple of articles. 

5.  If you're at a Starbuck's that is either within a book store or next door to one, then you're in a tricky spot.  There are great tables within the book store that are fabulous for getting stuff done.  Cozy little corners, surrounded by books.  But don't let yourself get distracted by those books -- you're not there to shop, unless it's a treat after you've met your goal.  And, don't allow yourself to start staring at the spines on those shelves, pondering Great Thoughts, and then fall into the temptation to pick up a tome or two, just to thumb through it.  Before you know it, an hour has passed and you haven't done anything on your work - but you now know so very much about 17th Century furnishings .....

MagicJack - Best Review I've Found and It's Definitely Buyer Beware

Just read a great review over at The Coffee Desk of the VoIP option that is selling like hotcakes: the MagicJack. Written by a networking pro, this review goes into all the pros and cons including some serious privacy issues.

The Coffee Desk review scared me back off the MagicJack with its discussion of the contractual agreement that they can monitor all your phone activity and that there's ever increasing risk of viruses and hackers using MagicJack to do the same thing. Too Big Brother-y for me.

Back in August 2008, I investigated the MagicJack and shared with you, Dear Reader, what all I found. Since then, the MagicJack -- with its ever so tempting price point -- has just skyrocketed in sales. I'm thinking it's the combination of being so cheap (less than $2 a month for phone service) and so many folk having cell phones that landlines are being reevaluated as unnecessary at their standard price point.

That low cost made me go back and re-think the MagicJack. Once again, the answer for me is no sale.

Time Management Tip: Returning Calls, Emails, and Text Messages on Your Schedule, Not Theirs

I'm offering up one of my greatest time savers here, today, just for you, Dear Reader.  I only return messages left for me at 10 am, 2pm, and 4 pm.  My phone's ringer is turned off, and my cell phone sits in my purse.  I call it my "Dr Pepper Rule," because of the old 10-2-4 logo on the Dr. Pepper bottles.  Remember those?  (I still love me a Dr. Pepper, real not diet.  Yum.)

Right off the bat, if you choose to do this, too, get ready for some backlash.  There are those who will be annoyed, perhaps even offended, that you aren't picking up your phone every time it rings, or jumping right on their text message or e-mail in reply.  That's okay, because this isn't about them.  It's about you, and your schedule.

I do try and let everyone know that I do this.  New clients are informed in a standardized email that I send out as part of my introduction.  Loved ones grin and bear it, too - some still grumble, but they love me anyway. 

How does this help?  Why follow the Dr. Pepper 10-2-4 Rule?

It keeps you on schedule with what you've set out to do for that day.  As a writer, I've got to have blocks of time to focus on my work.  Writing is tricky, you want to be in this zone where things are flowing out of your mind so fast that the words aren't popping up fast enough on the screen -- and that zone if fragile.  It takes awhile to get there (a pal said I should research the "alpha state" of the brain, it's involved here, somehow), yet you can lose it in a second.  So, I need the lack of interruption to get my stuff done, to make a living.

However, the rule isn't just for writers.  It's for anyone who values their time.  When they created answering machines, they were intended to be time-savers.  Messages are meant to be left, and returned later. 

One of the most important things in leading a simple life, is keeping things simple.  Constantly reacting to your phone - voicemail, text, email - can have you bouncing through a day like the small white ball in a pinball machine.  That's not a joyful, peaceful, productive way to live. 

At the end of the day, ask yourself:  what have you accomplished that YOU set out to do?  How did you spend your currency of time?  Follow the 10-2-4 Rule, and you'll be pleased with your answers.

Today is Last Day 4 Great Deal on Dictation Software - Dragon Naturally Speaking for $30

The ability to speak aloud and have the words you say appear on your computer screen, ready for editing into a final product, isn't new.  Having it happen with 99% accuracy - that's a more recent development.  And Nuance is the company that has accomplished this and made its speech-to-text software available at a reasonable price point for most consumers. 

In fact, Nuance has produced a voice recognition software for several years now -- Dragon Naturally Speaking.  I've used this over the years after learning about it from Paperback Writer (who recommends this software periodically over at her blog).  Dragon Naturally Speaking consistently gets great reviews; in fact, the only real complaint of which I'm aware is that there is not a Mac version of the product. 

PCWorld gave DNS 10 a rating of 4/5 with one of its two "cons" being that the software was "pricey."  That's a complaint that has gone out the window. 

It's true that usually this software costs over $100.00.  However, Circuit City has a special deal that ends today.  Today, you can order the speech-to-text software for $30.00.  This is quite the bargain.  And if you miss today's great deal, there's still a chance that you can scarf up a bargain using an online coupon. 

Why would you use this?  Who would use speech-to-text software?

Maybe you have carpal tunnel syndrome and a keyboard is painful. 
Maybe you can't type fast. 
Maybe you like to dictate. 

Me?  I like to dictate notes to myself from various research sources as I surf the web, saving here and there to One Note as I go.  Saves me lots of time, really helps with organizing things.  I'll also use speech to text on some projects, clean things up with the keyboard later.

These are uses that I have for an older version of Dragon.  The latest version (DNS 10) also allows the user to dictate directly into Excel as well as Word, along with dictating emails directly in Outlook, updating the calendar, and searching in Google (and other sites like Wikipedia).  It will also let the user -- using voice commands alone, no mouse and no keyboard -- to flip between applications (for example, check email in the midst of writing). 

It's my understanding that there were some problems with installation on Windows Vista but Nuance helps you with good tech support (for free during installation) that helps overcome that hurdle and the latest version (the one on sale) supports Vista SP1 and SP2, 32-bit and 64-bit. 

I'm gonna get it. 

Free Iced Mochas at McDonalds; Starbucks and the Home Office

I'm a bit late to the game on this one, but McDonald's will give you a free 8 ounce Iced Mocha (or a 7 oz hot one, if you want) both this Monday and the next, from 7 am to 7 pm. The promo ends August 3rd.

I suppose this may apply only to participating restaurants, so check for the free promo posters at your local McD's, or look online at McDonald's McCafe site.

Have I tried 'em? Yep. Pretty darn tasty.