6+ Favorite Books on Personal Productivity and Focus (So Far!)
A Roundup of My Favorite Books on Personal Productivity and Focus…so far.
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Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is an underrated collection of eleven short stories, published in 1893.
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Writing Is Clarified Thinking
I always thought writing fast meant typing fast, but it’s more about clarifying thinking.
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Short Videos as Digital Folklore by Andrey Mir
Very provocative idea -> Short Videos as Digital Folklore by Andrey Mir and I think it’s right on. I also love the medieval carnival analogy.
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Extra Tall Pine and Fir Trees in Mount Rainier National Park
One aspect about Mount Rainier National Park that I think gets taken for granted is that, because it is in such a remote, rugged area that the natural resources did not really get exploited by European settlers before it was named a national park.
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The Netherlands’ Symmetry
I had to fly through Amsterdam Schaipole Airport on my way to India. and on approach you can clearly see how symmetrically the Dutch have divided up their country.
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The Nisqually River Valley of Mount Rainier National Park
This photo is from June, and it’s amazing to me that there is still snow on mountains in Washington and around Mount Rainier at that time of year. The landscape is just the perfect stereotype of mountains, sky, trees. It’s all so epic with big sky and big views.
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Kubota Park in Seattle, Washington
Kurobata Park is a public city park in the southeastern side of the city of Seattle. It absolutely blew me away with how well curated and maintained it was, in addition to its sheer size.
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A Classic Childhood Pastime (aka Biking in the Neighborhood) Is Fading
Kids biking might be fading, but can absolutely make a comeback -> A Classic Childhood Pastime Is Fading
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10 Steps in the Empire Flippers Sales Process Explained
I’ve sold a bunch of websites over the past decade, with several different website brokers (mostly on the smaller end) and decided to document what I wish I’d known before getting into all this.
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6 Ways Empire Flippers Beats Other Content Site Brokers
I’ve been buying, building, and selling digital properties for over a decade, and I’ve worked with numerous brokers throughout. Here is what I like specifically about Empire Flippers.
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8 Red Flags to Watch for When Choosing a Website Broker
Discover 8 critical warning signs to avoid when hiring a website broker. After a decade of buying and selling digital properties, I’ve seen how the wrong broker can cost you thousands. Protect your investment with these essential red flags.
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Walking on the Longmire Trail in Mount Rainier National Park
The Longmire Trail is a very family-friendly beautiful trail that winds around the Longmire Farm area. It goes past old cabins, wetlands, hot springs and has incredible views of both the Ramparts and Mount Rainier itself.
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Summer Flowers in Seattle’s Kubota Park
These flowers looked like some sort of azalea that surprised me when we got to visit Seattle. These were throughout the Japanese gardens at Kubota Park.
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Ruby Beach at Olympic National Park
Ruby Beach is an absolute gem (pun!) in Olympic National Park. It is a beach for sure, but it’s also a beach that does not want humans around. It is incredibly rugged, blustery, and powerful. There’s no swimming, but just being on the beach around the massive beach logs, rocky outcrops, and sea spray is invigorating.
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Atlanta from Stone Mountain
I love this view – even though it’s hard to truly capture without a lens on a proper camera.
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View Westward from Mt Rainier
The views coming off Mount Rainier in Mount Rainier National Park are almost absurd because they are so beautiful. It almost looks like a painting but it’s all real life.
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Dispatch from Disneyland – Cal Newport
Very interesting post – Dispatch from Disneyland – Cal Newport
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TIL about Gell-Mann amnesia
Gell-Mann amnesia is where we recognize that the media reports inaccurately on topics we know well, yet trust their expertise…
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Watson Mill State Park
Watson Mill State Park is a small but lovely and underrated Georgia State Park in northeast Georgia. The river feeds into the Broad River system, and the shoals always make for a great place for kids to explore and have fun.
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Longmire Meadows in Mount Rainier National Park.
Longmire Meadows is a very scenic, low elevation area in Mount Rainier National Park.
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Cup of Gold by John Steinbeck
Welsh farm boy Henry Morgan becomes notorious Caribbean pirate, only to find achieving his wildest dreams brings cruel disappointment. Excellent novel!
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Pine Flatwoods at the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve
Florida’s Pine Flatwoods are a beautiful and serene landscape…but an absolute pain to hike in. They are definitely not welcoming to humans. But – when you have a nice boardwalk, they are a joy to walk through and observe.
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Champion Eastern Redcedar
On my trip to General Coffee State Park in south Georgia, I got to visit the largest Eastern Redcedar in the United States. It’s in an isolated church graveyard…and is quite a big guy. The tree has witnessed a lot of history since 1802.
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Mossy Creek on the Kalaloch Trail in Olympic National Park
Some parts of Olympic National Park look like they are straight out of a Disney movie set. I love all the mosses.
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Cottonwood Patch Campground
Cottonwood Patch Campground is a Forest Service Campground in far north Georgia in the Chattahoochee National Forest.
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The Toronto Suburb Where the Humble Bus Is King
As a former bus driver, I love this -> The Toronto Suburb Where the Humble Bus Is King. It’s cheap, it’s effective, and it works.
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The Darkening Age by Catherine Nixey
Nixey’s “The Darkening Age” reveals how Christian zealots systematically destroyed classical civilization after gaining power – an excellent, well-researched read.
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Small Creek in Southern Appalachians
Sometimes hiking in the southern Appalachians can get brambly and overgrown, but I love spots where several forest communities are living close together. At this spot, there is dry, upland pine in the background and shaded, wet fernbank in the foreground.
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What The ‘Lentil King of Saskatchewan’ Knows About World Trade
A nice reminder of why trade can be a win-win-win and is so essential to the world we live in.
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India’s Collapsing Poverty Rate
Over the past decade, India has significantly reduced poverty. Extreme poverty (living on less than $2.15 per day) fell from…
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Chattahoochee River near the Headwaters
The Chattahoochee River is one of the (if not *the*) most important river in Georgia. It starts far up in the Chattahoochee National Forest in the southern Appalachians. This photo is a few miles south of its source where it’s gathering the flow of Henson Creek.
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Murray’s Lake in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
Murray’s Lake is a small recreational lake in the Chattahoochee National Forest near the Conasauga River and near the Lake Conasauga Campground.
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GardenHood in Grant Park, Atlanta
There aren’t that many independent garden shops around. But GardenHood is one that is a hidden gem on the east side of Atlanta. For such a small space, they have a great selection of plants, trees, and shrubs. Their space is always fun to meander through, even you have no plans to purchase that day.
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Gwinnett Stripers at Coolray Field
There’s nothing like Minor League Baseball.
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Beach at Cumberland Island National Seashore
Cumberland Island is one of Georgia’s natural treasures. Most of the Georgia coast is protected, but Cumberland Island is not only *completely* protected, it’s also huge and intact.
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Forest Road in the Oconee National Forest
The Oconee National Forest does not have the mountains of the Chattahoochee National Forest, its northern partner, but it does have plenty of scenery and diverse flora & fauna.
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Old Beaver Lodge
Around Murray’s Lake in the Chattahoochee National Forest, the beavers have completely taken over. The wetlands upstream from the (man-made) lake have a series of dams with old lodges and lots of fallen trees. It’s so cool to see in person.
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Georgia House of Representative’s Minority Leader Tanya Miller’s Closing Speech
Tanya Miller is my Representative in the State of Georgia House of Representatives. She is one of those rare individual politicians that I actively vote for (rather than ticking a box for an abstract person / party).
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Night Baseball Game At Truist Park
Baseball is so much anytime, but is especially fun at night.
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Constitution Springs in Grant Park
Atlanta is, curiously, the headwaters of two major river systems (Flint & Ocmulgee). The Flint starts underneath the airport runways. This spot is one source of Intrenchment Creek, which flows to the South River, to the Ocmulgee, to the Altamaha, to the Atlantic. It’s also a lovely spot to enjoy historic landscape architecture.
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Appalachian Trail, Southbound at Hogpen Gap, Georgia
The Appalachian Trail is such an incredible achievement in construction, planning, coordination, and *maintenance* – props to the many volunteers and Forest Service land managers who keep this trail wide open and wonderful.
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Redbud Budding Out
I never notice Redbuds until the Spring, when they really show out.
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Hickory Ridge Trail in the Cohutta Wilderness
The Hickory Ridge Trail in the Cohutta Wilderness in the Chattahoochee National Forest is a favorite interior trail of mine.
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Adair Park, Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is a city full of hidden gems. And one of the best hidden gems is in the neighborhood of…
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Why School Vouchers Are Awful
There is a lot that’s wrong with education in the United States. And there are a lot of potential solutions…
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The Technium: 50 Years of Travel Tips
This is a legit list -> 50 Years of Travel Tips
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Cash Flow Businesses vs Cash Suck Businesses
I’ve read a lot of business books and talked to business-owners, but I wish I had just seen this illustration years ago. Very smart, worth a thousand words…or thousands of dollars.
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Wikenigma – A Website of Unknowns
Ohhh…I love this -> Wikenigma – A Website of Unknowns
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How To Use Claude / ChatGPT To Improve Budgeting & Spending
Like eating better, reducing spending is both extremely difficult…and not difficult at all. There are a million reasons why humans…
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Vanguard Explains Cryptocurrency in a Portfolio
So concise & succinct -> Vanguard Explains Cryptocurrency in a Portfolio
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How To Evaluate Professional Opportunities
Love this flow chart.
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18 Life-Learnings from 18 Years of The Marginalian
I love these kinds of lists, especially from people living a non-traditional life -> 18 Life-Learnings from 18 Years of The Marginalian
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How To Use ChatGPT To Find The Perfect Next Book Read in 4 Steps
So far, the generative AI tools have been amazing at recommending new books and authors. They take the old trick…
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A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers by Henry David Thoreau
In 1849, Henry David Thoreau published a book about a boat trip he took with his brother.
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50 things I know by Sasha Chapin
Long, but funny and useful -> 50 things I know by Sasha Chapin
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I Ditched the Algorithm for RSS—and You Should Too
Brilliant, brilliant post -> I Ditched the Algorithm for RSS—and You Should Too
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Everyone’s a sellout now
Wow, this article resonates -> Everyone’s a sellout now
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Cows Chillin’ in the Snow
My cows have grown a nice coat for winter.
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Heretic by Catherine Nixey
Heretic by Catherine Nixey is about the hundreds, if not thousands, of versions of Christianity that flourished in the hundreds…
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52 Things I learned in 2024
This guy finds the best stuff, every year -> 52 Things I learned in 2024
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Things to argue about over the holidays instead of politics
All of these lists are hilarious, useful & awesome -> Things to argue about over the holidays instead of politics
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I Have a Few Questions
Very thought-provoking -> I have a few questions by Morgan Housel
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4 reasons Why Georgia Cracked Down on Wildlife & Animal Practices Circa 2014
The 2014 National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking didn’t sit on a shelf – it led to real, tangible change.
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I Went from Reading 40 Books a Year to Reading 0
Very interesting post -> I Went from Reading 40 Books a Year to Reading 0
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Books Read In 2024
This year was a pretty random year with what I read. It was purely driven by interests at the moment rather than any plan or queue.
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How To Compose a Successful Critical Commentary
If you disagree w/ someone and want them to actually listen – express their position better than they can; list any points that you agree with; say what you’ve learned from the position; only then can you express disagreement.
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Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park
Ruby Beach is beautiful, rugged, and powerful.
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Why Movies Are Played Rather Than Watched Now
Casual Viewing: Why Netflix looks like that is a absolutely brilliant, deep-dive into how business model incentives drove every cycle of media into…not what we all wanted.
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5 Initial Lessons from Buying a Cow & Calf
I now own three cows. I’ve quickly learned that cows have a lot of variables…and they are the odd asset with living personalities.
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7 Notes On Visiting Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is small & compact, but very underrated. It’s a very special Park.
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Calm Gulf of Mexico on St George Island
The Gulf of Mexico is often calmer than many lakes.
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7 Notes on Visiting Olympic National Park
Olympic is one of the most underrated National Parks.
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8 Pros + Cons of the Banjo Brothers Bike Panniers
The Banjo Brothers bike panniers offer great design, durability, and storage but can be uncomfortable to carry and require careful loading.
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5 Reasons Why Wool Is Underrated
If wool wasn’t already invented by sheep, it would be a magic material.
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Canyon Floor at Providence Canyon State Park
The erosion that formed Providence Canyon just keeps on going.
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3 Notes on Attending an Atlanta Falcons Game
I got to go to an Atlanta Falcons game. I grew up going to Atlanta sports as well as college…
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4 Reasons To Try Bicycle Tours of Atlanta
Bicycle Tours of Atlanta is the perfect way for anyone visiting, moving, or living in Atlanta to get to know the city.
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Michelle Obama Trail Through Kudzu Along The South River
Kudzu is the iconic invasive plant of the American South.
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7 Notes on Visiting Seattle
Seattle is a city in an incredibly beautiful setting that is surprising in several ways.
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7 Pros + Cons of the MeowApps AI Engine WordPress Plugin
The MeowApps AI Engine plugin for WordPress offers cost-effective, flexible AI integration but requires experimentation and AI knowledge for best results.
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10 Pros & Cons of MailPoet Email Marketing for WordPress
MailPoet is a user-friendly email marketing tool for WordPress, offering seamless integration, a free plan, and RSS features, but lacks advanced options.
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7 Pros + Cons of MailerLite Email Marketing
MailerLite offers affordable pricing, high deliverability, and useful automation tools, but lacks advanced features on its free plan.
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7 Pros + Cons of LowFruits SEO Software
LowFruits SEO software is affordable and simplifies keyword research, but it lags behind bigger tools like Ahrefs in data freshness.
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7 Pros + 4 Cons of the LinkWhisper WordPress Plugin
LinkWhisper is a WordPress plugin that simplifies internal linking, saving time and offering customization, but requires SEO knowledge and careful setup.
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8 Pros + Cons of the Lasso Affiliate WordPress Plugin
Lasso is a WordPress plugin that simplifies affiliate link management with a user-friendly dashboard, but its high cost and aggressive upgrade ads can be frustrating.
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10 Pros + Cons of InMotion Hosting
InMotion Hosting offers reliable business-focused web hosting with solid performance and customer support, but lacks top-tier features and scalability.
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7 Pros + Cons of Flippa for Buying & Selling Websites
Flippa is a popular marketplace for buying and selling websites, offering diverse options but has issues with low-quality listings and trust.
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7 Pros + Cons of BrightLocal SEO Software
BrightLocal is a specialized local SEO tool with an intuitive interface, reliable data, and affordable pricing, but lacks broader SEO features.
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7 Pros + Cons of Blinkist for Book Summaries
Blinkist offers quick summaries of nonfiction books, saving time while providing essential insights, but its focus on social features and AI-generated content can detract from quality.
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8 Pros + Cons of the WP All Import & Export WordPress Plugin
WP All Import & Export is a powerful WordPress plugin for bulk data management, offering reliable imports, scheduling, and extensive compatibility, but it has a steep learning curve and high upfront cost.
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8 Pros + Cons of Rocket.net Hosting
Rocket.net offers fast, user-friendly WordPress hosting with great support, but is costly for small sites and limited to WordPress only.
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8 Pros + Cons of the RankMath SEO WordPress Plugin
RankMath is a stable, feature-rich SEO plugin for WordPress, but it has a pricey Pro version and some modules may underperform.
