<p><a href="http://crushitbook.com/" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3123" title="book-header2-trans" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/book-header2-trans-227x300.png" alt="" width="227" height="300" /></a>I'm a book junkie.  It all started in my childhood.  When I was 3, I didn't take a stuffed animal or doll to bed.  I snuggled up with the book <em>The Three Little Kittens</em>.</p>

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<p>I still take a novel to bed each night, but rest it on the nightstand when it's time to turn off the lights.  :-)</p>

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<p>Each Christmas, a few books top my Christmas list.  This year, I asked for two books that kept surfacing in conversations with various peeps.  The only specific peep that I can recall at this time is <a href="http://peterpaluska.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Peter Paluska</strong>.</a>  (Thanks, Peter!).  Hell if I can remember the others.  Luckily, I picked up a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Your-Brain-Alive-Exercises/dp/0761110526" target="_blank"><strong>Keep Your Brain Alive:  83 Neurobic Exercises to help prevent memory loss and and increase mental fitness </strong></a>when I was shopping for family Christmas presents in Houston.  Hopefully, I will remember and acknowledge the rest of you soon. </p>

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<p>Anywho, this year's Christmas List Books were <em><strong><a href="http://crushitbook.com/" target="_blank">Crush It!</a></strong></em> and <em><strong><a href="http://37signals.com/rework/" target="_blank">Rework</a></strong></em>.  At one point, when Mom begged me to compile The Christmas List for the umpteenth time, these books and an <strong><a href="http://www.annetaintor.com/" target="_blank">Anne Taintor</a></strong> calendar were the only things that I could think of.  Mom was frustrated, but she got over it.  She should be happy that her daughter asks for books instead of expensive jewelry or electronics.  </p>

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<p><strong><span style="color: #800080;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Surprise!  Santa brought me both books!  I guess I was more nice than naughty this year.  Darn. </span></span></strong></p>

<p><br class="spacer_" />Houston, we kinda sorta had a problem though. </p>

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<p>What could possibly be the problem, you ask? </p>

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<p>I get jazzed by non-fiction. </p>

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<p><span style="color: #800080;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>In fact, I get <em>so</em> jazzed that if I read it during my regular reading hours of right-before-bedtime, I can't sleep.</strong></span></span>  I have enough issues with my brain refusing to cooperate and turn off at night.  Throw innovative ideas into the mix, and I'm a full-fledged insomniac.  I am limited to my bedtime story (you might refer to this as a "novel") before bed or I am toast the next day. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" />Which means that I need to read non-fiction outside of my regular reading hours.  And my <strong><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/365-or-bust/" target="_blank">Crazy 365 Day Project Blog</a></strong> + New Puppy + Working-for-the-Man Life doesn't have room for reading outside of my regular reading hours right now.  Unless...</p>

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<p>I creatively morph it into one of my 365 days! </p>

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<p>Which is exactly what I did on Day 99. </p>

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<p>(If the <em><strong><a href="http://crushitbook.com/" target="_blank">Crush It!</a></strong></em> or <em><a href="http://37signals.com/rework/" target="_blank"><strong>Rework</strong></a></em> guys happen to stumble upon this blog, they're probably as frustrated as my mother right now.  Sorry, guys, but this is a chick blog.  Brevity is not in our vocabulary.  What did you expect?)</p>

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<p><span style="color: #800080;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Here's another source of jazziness for me:  airplanes.  Something about airplanes makes me downright heady and inspired</strong></span></span>. </p>

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<p>My airplane giddiness is not induced by the compressed air or the in-flight cocktails.  Nope.  It's brought on by non-fiction reading binges. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" />When do I ever get uninterrupted time to read non-fiction?  Never!  But on planes!  On planes, my attention is captured for hours on end!</p>

<p><br class="spacer_" />On Day 99, my reading binge plan included both of my Christmas gift books.  Flying from Houston to Phoenix with a layover in Austin would give me ample time to work my plan.  <em><a href="http://crushitbook.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Crush It!</strong></a></em> is short, and <em><a href="http://37signals.com/rework/" target="_blank"><strong>Rework</strong></a> </em>has lots of drawings.  Manageable binge reading sans indigestion!  Hurrah! </p>

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<p><span style="color: #800080;"><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">What I failed to account for in my plan is my uncanny knack for befriending strangers on planes.  It happens nearly every time. </span></strong></span></p>

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<p>In the summer, on the way home from Boston, I met an 80 year-old Dutch-American woman with one of the most fascinating life stories I've ever heard.  In the fall, on the way to my grandfather's funeral, I met a married couple who turned out to have everything in the world in common with me. </p>

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<p>One Christmas travel season, I even met a soon-t0-be boyfriend on a layover.  <span style="color: #800080;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>By the end of the flight, Mr. Tall Drink of Water and I were kissing in baggage claim.</strong></span></span>  It was all very romantic.</p>

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<p>This time, one of my seatmates was hoping to kiss me in baggage claim, but there was absolutely no chemistry on my part, my friends.  Awfully nice guy though.  He chewed my ear off for awhile before passing his phone number to me.  Now I feel like a shallow wench for not calling him.  Argh. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" />And then there was the sweet young mother next to me whose 1 year-old I entertained for half the flight.  Bloody hell!  I stopped teaching 2.5 years ago!  Why couldn't I just read my book in peace? <span style="color: #800080;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong> </strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="color: #800080;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong> </strong></span></span> </p>

<p><span style="color: #800080;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>And why did I pay $150 for my perfect pooch to stow under the seat without a sound while your kid is flying free on your lap whilst trying to grab my dinner and screaming when he doesn't get it???  </strong></span></span>Humbug. </p>

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<p>SOMEHOW I managed to tune everyone out and at least read <em><strong><a href="http://crushitbook.com/" target="_blank">Crush It!</a> </strong></em>in its entirety.  Of course, I read it so quickly and distractedly that I can hardly remember it. </p>

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<p>Just kidding. </p>

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<p><span style="color: #800080;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>You can't help but get really excited over Gary's message:</strong></span></span></p>

<p><a href="http://37signals.com/rework/" target="_blank"></a> </p>

<ul>
	<li><span style="color: #800080;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Love your family.</strong></span></span></li>
	<li><span style="color: #800080;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Work superhard.</strong></span></span></li>
	<li><span style="color: #800080;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Live your passion. </strong></span></span></li>
</ul>

<p><a href="http://37signals.com/rework/" target="_blank"></a> His philosophies are nothing new.  His delivery is a hoot and a half. </p>

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<p>Here's the reason why I wanted to read his book:  Gary catapulted his business into the stratosphere when he entered the world of social media. </p>

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<p><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #800080;">I, being a recent social media virgin, needed help.  Badly. </span></span></strong></p>

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<p>In <em><strong><a href="http://crushitbook.com/" target="_blank">Crush It!,</a> </strong></em>Gary shares his social media roadmap.  I was shocked to see that I'm farther along in social mediaville than I thought, and that I'm actually doing a few things right.  Who knew? </p>

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<p>I also learned what's next on my journey.  Thanks for showing me the way, Gary!  Let's hope that I find myself thoroughly Twitterpated sooner rather than later. </p>

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<p><span style="color: #888888;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong><span style="color: #800080;">Interestingly, Gary plasters his personal email address throughout his book.</span></strong></span></span>  Now, the book is a 2009 copyright (I'm always behind the 8 ball, dammit!), but I'm going to e-mail him for shits and giggles and see if he responds.  I have 266  days left in <strong><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/365-or-bust/" target="_blank">my 365 day project</a></strong> (holy crap!), and hearing back from a famous author would definitely qualify as a day in this year of curious living. </p>

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<p>As for the <em><strong><a href="http://37signals.com/rework/" target="_blank">Rework</a></strong> </em>guys' book, hell's bells!  I don't know what to do now.  Currently, I'm not scheduled to be on a plane until June.  And I've already been there/done that anyhow. </p>

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<p>Which means I'll need to disguise Rework into another blog day. </p>

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<p><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #800080;">I have an idea, but I would rather hear your ideas.  Please share in the comments section below. </span></span></strong></p>

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<p><a href="http://37signals.com/rework/" target="_blank"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3124" title="front-cover" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/front-cover-186x300.png" alt="" width="186" height="300" /></a></p>