August 5, 2009 - The Information Diet Challenge

I’m sorry Tim. Really I am.

I’ve broken the cardinal rule of cutting out the fat in my diet - and I don’t mean diet diet. (That’s another story that practically needs its own blog). I mean information diet.

Useless, time-wasting, net-surfing information like who-is-George-Clooney-going-out-with-now-and-why-can’t-it-be-me? kind of diet. I mean, stop-checking-your-email-fifty-times-a-day-to-avoid-writing diet. Let me just check it once more IN CASE I MISSED SOMETHING SO VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT READING IT WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON TENSION IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

Uploading another pic on Facebook are we? from that birthday party we attended last year? You know, just in case that photo is the one that makes everyone think I deserve to be on the cover of TIME magazine as the world’s most interesting person?

And how are we feeling today? Make sure you let everyone know so they can get updates in their feed. Nicole is watching tv. Nicole is reading her book and enjoying the rain. Nicole is having the best day EVER (insert Valleygirl accent).

Nicole is this, Nicole is that, Nicole is going to lose her frakkin’ mind and fail her Six Month Experiment if she doesn’t adhere to a strict information diet!

TV was never the problem.

Streamlining those things that are time-wasters to free up real time to do more important things is the first thing Timothy Ferris talks about in his book. And he’s right.

And if you’re reading this and laughing, (yeah I’m talkin’ to you, you know who you are), then you know exactly what I’m talking about and that makes you just as guilty as me.

Don’t believe me? You’re reading this blog this aren’t you? Busted.

So starting tomorrow, I will reduce my email activities to three times a day (for my main account) and once a day for the others. I know what you’re thinking and don’t be so judgmental. That’s still like cutting out a whole pack of cigarettes for a three a day smoker.

And I will COMPLETELY eliminate surfing the net except for information that’s vital to the book. That's gonna hurt.

And I will reduce my Facebook activity to responding to comments and queries only. I will NOT go on there of my own accord.

(sigh) Everybody’s gotta start somewhere.

Back to the book...
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August 4, 2009 - I really worked on chapter six

I didn’t do a whole lot today.

I didn’t go to the gym. I didn’t clean my place or do errands. I don’t think I even cooked. And I sure as hell didn’t work on my spirituality unless you call mumbling Please God end this misery or shoot me now whenever I had writer’s block a religious experience.

But I did work on chapter 6. And I mean I really worked on chapter 6. It was a bitch, but after ten hours, I was in the flow.

One of those two guys - either Tim or Jack or maybe both, (I dunno and I’m too tired to care) - said that if you knew that you were only going to accomplish that one thing today (whatever it was you were doing that was occupying all of your time), would you be satisfied?

If the answer is yes, then you’re good to go because it means you have your priorities straight.

Well, I’m satisfied.

There’s still lots to do... but by golly, I’m satisfied.