"Frame-It Friday"

My handsome hubby in action at a video shoot today:

Thanks to @LightandStory for the photo!

Good Thing, Bad Time

Man, I missed something really special today. I intentionally set aside the morning to go out with my little girl so we could spend quality time with each other. She and I haven't been getting along too well lately. Mommy and Daddy have been working really hard, trying to begin a new business from the ground up.  Even though she can't put her feelings into words, we can see her frustration.  The weather has consistently been too cold to burn much energy off outdoors.  The gloom of winter has taken a toll on the four of us, especially on her.  

So, the two of us headed out for breakfast and shopping early this morning.  As we pulled out of our driveway, I did something that has become second nature for me.  I grabbed my BlackBerry and made a call.  Now, that in itself isn't a terrible thing.  But before I realized it, our trip was over and I had missed it.  The two of us were together, yes.  But mentally and emotionally I was completely absent.  

That first call led to another phone call, to reading and returning several emails, to a few more calls, to following friends on Twitter and Facebook, etc.  You get the picture.  A good and useful tool has invaded my life in a negative way....

My mother/daughter date turned out to be a huge wake up call for me.  And I answered.

For my fellow readers...

One of my favorite things to do is read.  Considering I have two munchkins running around the house these days, it's really hard to find quality (if any) time to read.  As crazy as it sounds, I absolutely love reading non-fiction books.  Once in a while I'll stray from my norm and blaze through a popular Nicholas Sparks work, or something similar.  But my literary desires are most satisfied when my nose is buried in a bestseller that's going to offer me new advice that I've never considered.

Since we started BluEyEdea Media recently, I've been racking up on books about business, money, self-employment and the like.  Often I find myself frustrated because there are more titles on my reading list than my free time allows.  When I do have a brief moment to read a few pages, I feel unfocused and rushed.  I've been thinking that I need to develop a new system, not of what I read, but of the WAY I read. 

Earlier this evening, I was glancing through all the new posts in my Google Reader and stumbled upon this blog post by Michael Hyatt- How to Read a Non-Fiction Book.  These pointers gave me a new reading plan with fresh focus and direction.

I hope many of you find Mr. Hyatt's ten reading practices helpful, as well.  I would love to hear your feedback once you try them.