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Archive for the ‘Asides’ Category

Progress Slash Status Update

Posted in Asides, tagged , on December 24, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Dear Reader,

I just wanted to update you on what I’ve been up to these last 3 months.  A couple of days ago, I finished the much requested “Ocean Girl” chapter.  It was by far the hardest chapter for me to write and I’m happy/relieved to have finally completed it.  That leaves 2 chapters left for the 1st draft of my book.

Stephen King is very big on the notion that good writers must be good readers.  So in that vein, I’d like to share my thoughts on a few books I recently read.

The Dip by Seth Godin – I can’t say it’s a bad book, but I think this might be something you want to check out at the library rather than purchasing.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – I don’t normally like to read fantasy novels, but WOW, am I glad to have taken a chance with this one!  The Harry Potter series would easily make my top 5 for best fiction I have ever read (especially Book 7).  Ironically, it makes me think of Atlus Shrugged by Ayn Rand simply because they are the exact opposite of each other.  One is all story, the other all style.  I would recommend both.

Fountainhead by Ayn Rand – I’m halfway through this, but I just can’t find the motivation to continue.

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – I just finished the first of its 5 book “trilogy.”  It’s fun.  And weird.  I like it so far.  I’ll update my opinion once I’m finished.

That’s all for now,

Love

A. T. Bui

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Random Tip That Could Change Your Life, #7

Posted in Asides, tagged , on April 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Can you stand another optometry reference?

Get your eyes checked.  There’s a reason your glasses or contact lens prescription expires after a year.  Even if there is no change to your vision, you still need to visit your eye doctor every year to check on the health of your eyes.  And it’s not just things like glaucoma or retinal tears; your optometrist may also catch the occasional tumor or hypertensive crisis if signs are present in the eyes.

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Random Tip That Could Change Your Life, #6

Posted in Asides, tagged , , on April 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Keep 2 To-Do lists.  One is for tasks you need to do today, the other for ongoing or less urgent tasks.  On your Today list, try to cap it at 3 items or less, marking one as the most important that must be completed today.  If you have trouble deciding which task is most important, let me tell you from personal experience: it’s the one you want to do the least.  Everything else goes on your Ongoing to-do list.

The reason for 2 lists is to reduce the stress and turbidity associated with having to look through a 30-item monstrosity whenever you want to check what you have to do.  Three is a more manageable number, and once these are crossed off, you can always do something else from your Ongoing list or just wait until tomorrow to add 3 more to the queue.

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Random Tip That Could Change Your Life, #5

Posted in Asides, tagged , , , on April 16, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Socialize, exercise, and meditate to clear the day’s stress instead of what most people do–binge, booze, and bitch.  Exercise and meditation is for the body and mind; socializing is for the spirit.  A decaying spirit can wreak devastation on the body and mind while a vibrant one has the power to heal and invigorate.  Don’t underestimate the importance of friends and family.

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Random Tip That Could Change Your Life, #4

Posted in Asides, tagged , on April 12, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Don’t always be hard on yourself.  It takes time to break in a new habit, like a well-fitting pair of jeans.  It took me 6 months to start waking up each day at the same time and another 2 months to reduce my “snoozes” from 2 to 1.  In 2 more months, I hope to excise “snooze” from my life altogether.  Ostensibly, that may seem like a pitiful achievement, but remember that even small course corrections can mean the difference between a successful voyage and ineluctable shipwreck.  Your destination, good or bad, is rarely the result of a single decision, but rather the final sum of all the little decisions you make each and every day, including this one–today.

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