Against the Grain: A Coach's Wisdom on Character, Faith, Family and Love

 Against the Grain: A Coach's Wisdom on Character, Faith, Family and Love, Bill Courtney, 2012

This book is different than the, seemingly, million inspirational/self-help books that are available. It's a lot better, too. The author started, and runs, a successful lumber yard. He was also a volunteer football coach at a minority high school, both in Memphis, Tennessee.

 

The author looks at concepts of character, like service, leadership and commitment. He uses examples from his own life, and those of his players. These anecdotes show how to use these concepts in daily life. He doesn't forget about winning football games. Many of these young men may be lacking a mentor, or father figure, so he also attempts to prepare them for life after football. The author, and his team, are also subjects of an Oscar-winning documentary called "Undefeated."

 

This book is very easy to read, and understand. It doesn't quote academics around the world, or provide Rules to Follow. It is one person's look at success, teamwork and discipline. It is very much worth reading, for everyone.

Barefoot in the Forest of You

 Barefoot In the Forest of You, Nic Obi, 2022

 

When you were a child, life was all about fun and play (and exploring). Where did that joy go? What happened? Adulthood happened. Life happened. This book presents some ways to recapture that child's joy as an adult.

 

Imagine all negativity leaving your body, while you are sitting on the toilet. To combat procrastination, imagine that an invisible film crew is with you all the time, turning your life into a movie. Perhaps it is a romantic comedy, or an action film. The human body consists of trillions of micro-organisms; billions are born and die every day. Imagine that those "new" micro-organisms are smiley-face emojis, filled with joy at getting the chance to serve you. Maybe, one day, all that joy will pour out of you, like an aura, and you will spread it to others. You are looking at yourself in a mirror, and a 90-year-old you looks back at you. Future You regrets that they never did "it," whatever it is. Snapping back to the present, you suddenly have the chance to change the future, and remove that bit of regret from Future You.

 

This is a very eye-opening book. Some of the suggestions may seem a little weird, but give them a chance. They may be just what you need. More than one reading might be necessary to "get" this book, but it is time very well spent.

The Ultimate Worry-Free Pregnancy Guide for Dads

 The Ultimate Worry-Free Pregnancy Guide for Dads: 9 Simple Steps to Crack the Dad Code, Curtis Hoyles

Your wife, or partner, has just handed you a Father’s Day card (and it is not close to Father’s Day). You are about to become a father. What do you do now?

 

The best thing that you can do is to support her as much as you can. Take over some of the daily chores. Learn how to cook, and not grill outside. Get ready for her mood swings, and strange food cravings. Stay up, and watch TV, with her when she starts throwing up at 2AM. Go with her for her periodic check-ups. Attend childbirth classes with her. If fatherhood classes are available, go.

 

If she is a smoker, or likes wine with dinner, that needs to stop while she is pregnant. A good way to support her is to do it with her. Eating healthy, or healthier, is a very good idea for both of you. Exercise, or some sort of physical activity, is another very good idea for both of you. It can be as simple as an after-dinner walk around the block.

 

As her due date approaches, ask her who, and what, she wants in the delivery room. If the in-laws “expect” to be spectators when she gives birth, and she says No, you tell them No. After you are home from the hospital, you screen phone calls and visitors until she is ready.

 

This is an excellent book for fathers-to-be. It is very clear and easy to understand. For any guy who is panicking about becoming a father, take a couple of deep breaths, and read this book. It will help a lot.

 

Click and Grow Rich

 Click and Grow Rich: Escape the Rat Race, Work Online and Live Anywhere, Paul Browning, 2022

 

Several questions must be answered before joining the ranks of those who make huge amounts of money online.

 

Who is your target audience? Don't say "everybody." What is your category? For instance, "Beauty and Makeup" is much too broad. You need to find a niche, or a sub-niche, within "Beauty and Makeup." Many people go online to ask "How do I. . . ?" How are you going to answer that question? Will your answer be in the form of a tangible product, an email newsletter, a video training course? How will you make people aware of this information, through a website, a blog, YouTube videos?

 

If you are planning a website, hire a freelancer from Upwork or Fiverr (with graphic design experience) to create it for you. Do not let it look like it was thrown together in ten minutes. Make it as easy as possible for a customer to get from your main page to your purchase page. Make the purchasing process as easy as possible. When buying a website name, try for something easy to remember. Be sure that you understand the terms and conditions of your web hosting company.

 

If your blog says that you will post, for instance, every Monday and Thursday, make sure that you do it. Be consistent. The content has to be something that potential customers will want to read; it should have something to do with your category. Among other subjects, this book also explores customer service, taking payments and SEO.

 

This book is excellent and full of information; don't be put off by the length. Many books give an introduction to, or the basics of, internet marketing. Here is the book to read for anyone who is ready to dive into the details.

Money: 5 Things You Should Avoid

 Money: 5 Things You Should Avoid, Liz Fe Lifestyle, 2021

 

By itself, money is not the problem. It's just an inanimate piece of paper or hunk of metal. People's mindset toward money, giving it all sorts of power over their lives, is the problem. It has been going on throughout human history.

"He who has the gold makes the rules." "The love of money is the root of all evil." Does spending money, regardless of what you are buying, make you feel better? Are you a believer in "retail therapy?" How long does that shot of dopamine last? How do you feel later? How much money do you spend each week, at the casino, or on lottery scratch tickets? If you do come into a lot of money, will you spend it as fast as possible on shopping sprees, or will you, figuratively, stick it under your mattress? It can be very hard to change your mindset from anxiety and pessimism to hope and optimism.

Cutting your expenses does not mean living like a hermit. Do you really need all those subscriptions that show up on your credit card? Get in the habit of putting some money, even just a few dollars a week, into a savings account, and leaving it there. You never know when a sudden medical or car repair bill will drop on top of you. Start thinking about investing in the stock market.

This is an easy-to-read book about mindsets toward money. It is very much worth reading for everyone.

How I Naturally Increased My Testosterone With 7 Simple and Powerful Methods

 How I Naturally Increased My Testosterone With 7 Simple & Powerful Methods, Christopher Terzakos, 2023

 

The author is your average person over 60 years old, who is passionate about fitness. He is in the gym nearly every day. Over the past few years, he noticed that was getting more moody and irritable, and had trouble sleeping. The amount of weight he had been able to bench press was dropping. A blood test said that he had low testosterone. The number was not a  little low, but very low.

 

Some of the effects of low testosterone include heart disease, reduction in bone strength, anxiety, memory loss and lack of self-confidence. There is a treatment available, called Testosterone Replacement Therapy. It is for the rest of your life, and has some side effects of its own. Included are an increased likelihood of a fatal heart attack, bone fractures (from osteoporosis), and enlarged prostate and a required blood transfusion every 3 months because your blood is thickening. The author looked for a natural way to fix his problem.

 

Among his discoveries were to get a good night's sleep, get 15-20 minutes of sunlight daily, eat healthy (or, at least, eat healthier), reduce or eliminate your consumption of alcohol and exercise. The author also started taking daily supplements. A trip to your doctor is a good idea before taking any supplements. The other discoveries are things that everyone should be doing, regardless of their health level.

 

It is possible to reverse medical conditions without resorting to drugs. This book is short, full of information and recommended for any male sufferer of Low-T.

The Youth Climate Change Movement

 The Youth Climate Change Movement, Liz Fe Lifestyle, 2021

 

Greta Thunberg is the most well-known climate change activist, but she is hardly the only one. This book introduces the reader to several other activists working to improve conditions in their communities.

Write to your elected representatives, in your state capital or in Washington, demanding that they act on climate change. Climate change education needs to start - today. It should not be taught just in college, or just in high school, but an age-appropriate climate change curriculum should also be taught in elementary school. More young people will get involved in battling climate change if they learn about it in school.

Recycling and using public transportation are not nothing, but much more effort needs to be aimed at the corporations that do most of the polluting. For instance, if an oil company touts their environmental record, write to them, on paper, and demand specifics. Paper is much harder to "lose" than an e-mail. Don't be afraid to write to them several times, becoming a pain in the rear end.

For any young person who needs inspiration to get involved in climate activism, reading this book is a very good idea. It is short, and very easy to understand.

YouTube Sponsors: How they Work and What to Expect

 YouTube Sponsors: How They Work and What to Expect, Liz Fe Lifestyle, 2021

 

Everyone wants to be an online influencer, but what are the actual steps involved?

 

First of all, you need to already have some videos online, and some followers. The minimum number of followers needed is 1000. There are ways to analyze who watches your videos. Do they watch the entire video? Which video has the most views? Do your videos get lots of comments?

 

There are sites where brands and influencers can get together, and maybe strike a deal. You can also write to your favorite brand, and ask. The worst they will say is "No," or "Try again when you reach X thousand followers." If you do strike a deal with a brand, be absolutely certain that you understand what they want. Will you be talking about their product for 3 minutes, in the middle of your video, or is "This video is sponsored by . . ." good enough? Try to find a brand whose products are close to the subject of your videos. Interrupting a beauty and makeup video to talk about a financial services firm is not good. At minimum, you need to say "This video is sponsored by . . ." in your video (don't just put it in the description). The viewer needs to know if you are praising a product because you legitimately like it, or simply because you are getting paid for it.

 

This is when you start getting checks from YouTube with lots of zeros in them, right? Wrong. Getting such checks is certainly possible, but it is much more likely to make hundreds, not thousands, of dollars per month.

 

Here is an excellent introduction to the world of being an online influencer. It is very much worth reading for everyone.

Fierce Family

 Fierce Family, Bart R. Leib (ed.), Crossed Genres Publications, 2014

Families can come in many different shapes and sizes, and levels of dysfunction. That's what these speculative fiction stories are all about.

A same-sex couple learns that an interdimensional adoption, of a newborn baby with horns, involves more than just filling out some forms and hosting a home visit from a social worker. A struggling single mother takes her young daughter to a local carnival. There she finds a vendor whose ice cream has a very unique side effect. 

A family-run interstellar freighter/salvage ship is attacked by space pirates. There is a story or two set on worlds with human colonies. A young man in the hospital after a major auto accident is visited by the spirit of a dead uncle.

Individually, these stories are really good. They do a very good job at showing the many definitions of the word "family." Put together, this collection is very much recommended.

Notary Journal for Women

 Notary Journal for Women, Maky Publishing, 2023

For any woman who is a Notary Public, it is a very good idea to keep a permanent and official record of all the documents, and people, with which you have been involved. That's what this book is for.

For each separate document (there are 400 such spaces in this book), there is space for the mane and address of the signer and witness (along with their signatures). There is space for the service provided, the official ID that was used, the document type and date, who issued the document and its ID number. There is also a space for a thumbprint. 

This book is very much recommended for anyone who is a notary public (male or female). It keeps all the required information in one place.

The 2 Keys to Permanent Weight Loss

 The 2 Keys to Permanent Weight Loss, Ken Flett, 2021

This book presents 2 things that will greatly increase your chances of permanent weight loss.

The first thing that needs to change is your mind (read the book to learn the other one). For instance, if you are in the habit of gorging on junk food while watching TV, dieting will not help. Your first step is to change that mindset of TV = Junk Food to TV = Nuts (or fresh fruit). Your second step is to greatly reduce, or eliminate, your TV time and start exercising (even if you only go for an after-dinner walk around the block). Be aware, that junk-food-loving part of your brain will not give up easily. 

If there is such a thing as The Cause of Obesity, it is probably the large amounts of sugar consumed on a daily basis. Sugar in desserts, like soda and cookies, is normal. What is not normal is the perception of added sugar in nearly everything else in the supermarket. If the label on an item says "Low Sugar" or "No Added Sugar," it probably has extra chemicals to make up for that lack of sugar. 

Have you heard of intermittent fasting? The easiest way to do it is to eat only during an 8-hour period each day (you get to pick the period). You don't eat anything, and drink only water or tea or black coffee (or something else with zero calories) the rest of the day. This does not give you permission to overdo the junk food during your eating period. You are still expected to eat healthy, maybe by following one of the popular diets. If you are elderly or pregnant, do not try intermittent fasting (your unborn baby will not appreciate any reduction in nutrition).

Perhaps you can be one of the few people in the world who lose weight, and actually keep it off. This book is very much worth reading, and worth trying (after a trip to your doctor to make sure it is a good idea for you).