We have just completed our first Beta session of “AMP>D! Gaining Momentum in Life” with a great group of men at The Summit Church.  AMP>D! is a unique process which provides a practical framework for gaining postive traction in areas of your life where you feel defeated, ineffective or just plain stuck.  Through a series of highly interactive group sessions, mini-challenges and real-life applications we give participants the tools and insight to become more effective and purposeful in their daily lives.  If you are interested in learning more about our AMP>D! seminar or small group material please contact me at khollaway@39principle.com.

Hey - I don’t which category to put this in the 3:9 Galaxy, but hey - grilling is like a universal language, right?!?

I love me a good Rib Eye or NY Strip - but the price usually keeps me from buying.

I found this article on the Washington Post today that points out 9 overlooked and affordable cuts of beef suitable for grilling.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/ … eaks/?sid=ST2009051902591

Here they are:
-Hangar
-Flat Iron
-Flank
-Flap Meat
-Tri Tip
-Skirt
*Chuck-Eye
*Chuck-Shoulder
*Top Sirloin

The last three are particularly great choices to look out for! Enjoy!

Happy Memorial Day! Pray for our Troops.

Dan

You’ve heard Dave Ramsey talk about “snowballing” debt. Well, what if there isn’t enough snow to make a snowball?!?

Try snowflaking!

From the author - I’ve Paid for This Twice Already

I have a set amount I pay to debt without fail every month that is above my minimum payment due (about $800). On top of that, I also try to collect up little bits of money wherever I can and I apply those as well to my top priority debt as immediately as possible. I take surveys online, I sell possessions on craigslist and ebay, I have yard sales, and any money I get from these endeavors goes directly to my debt. I also keep a very strict accounting of all the money that comes in every month and what I spend and everything left over at the end of the month not earmarked for future expenses also goes directly to debt. These are my snowflakes. I have averaged over $200 extra going to pay down my credit card debt every month due to these snowflaking efforts.

http://www.paidtwice.com/2007/10/12/snowflaking-a-primer/

Dan

I have to admit that I am something of a technophile (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technophilia) in that I love to read and study about the future applications of technology in everyday life.  I think that is what appeals to me about SciFi as well…the convergence of reality with possibility.  I read a great article today that talked about the potential for the recently enacted Stimulas Bill to advance the influence of technology in our aging infrastructure.  It was truly facinating.  Here is the link to the article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12344 … 31779255.html?mod=djemTMB

It is amazing to consider at the unique applications of our modern technology.  As instruments get smaller and smaller (even to the point of nano-sized components) and wireless connectivity gets more pervasive it seems that there are limitless ways to implement technology.  Certainly one of the drawbacks to such pervasive use of sensors and communication devices is the sheer volume of information.  I recently read somewhere that there is more “new” data/information generated in the past year than in all of human history before that…wow - that is exponential growth for sure.  The biggest challenge is how to make use of the data.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the convergence of traditional mediums/industries with modern day technologies…

It may be only February, but it’s never too early (or too late) to create a little momentum in your life by removing the clutter.

As a confession, I’m a packrat - but slowly, ever so slowly - I’m simplifying. I spent last year removing a ton of junk, but from the looks of it - it has multiplied a little…go figure. I’m beginning to think “stuff” just spontaneously duplicates - like in Star Trek “Trouble with Tribbles.”

My real problems are with guitars, books, and because I work out of my house…paper. I’ve recommended David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” (GTD) as a way to be organized in the real world - and it has done wonders for my productivity. Sometimes, when you’ve got a big mess, brute force is the answer.

Here’s an article on how to declutter a room in one go. Basically…quarantine two areas and start sorting….

http://zenhabits.net/2009/02/how-to-d … an-entire-room-in-one-go/

Dan

I have had this book for some time (several months) - but despite the title, never got around to reading it until this last plane flight on Monday.  A case of “I’ve got too much to do to get organized”!  

One of the reasons I even picked up the book was because it was recommended in a flight magazine and was developing a bit of a cult following among business executives and other really busy people…like mothers (I’m not being sarcastic.  I may complain, but my wife Misty is way busier than I’ll ever be!)  So I figured that it was something more than just some “tips and tricks” and more like a lifestyle change.

Well after reading this book - I can really see that that is the truth.  One of the observations David makes, is that most organization methods fail - to-do lists, project maps, etc. - is because they don’t focus on the next action.  Another premise, is that whatever system you use has to necessitate getting things out of your head and into the system so you can free your mind to “not think about all the things that I have to do today, tomorrow, and by five years and that is not counting all the things I’m really forgetting, dangit I forgot to pick up milk”.   The analogy is that you only have so much RAM - and can only focus on 1-3 things at a time with any degree of efficiency.

I consider myself to be a very productive person all-in-all - but I am NOT in any sense of the word particularly organized.  My thoughts are organized, my strategies are organized, my project outputs are organized - but I personally am not.  I have asked my wife to give it a read and help me adopt some of these ideas.  I’ll keep you posted.

Otherwise, if you are anything like me, I thought the book may be of interest!  Here’s a link to check it out:

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things- … roductivity/dp/0142000280