Creating a New Habit

They say it takes 21 days to create a habit. Only 21 days to change a life pattern. That doesn't seem like much time, but it does take concentrated effort initially. I would like to create patterns in my life which build the life I want to live -- a life full of energy and enthusisam, a life surrounded with good friends and family, a life doing what I love to do. What patterns would support that life? Probably not my current pattern of working until 4 or 5 a.m., getting up whenever I wake up and working again. That pattern keeps me busy but doesn't allow me time for other things. So, starting today, I'm creating a new pattern -- just focused on quitting work at a decent hour and getting into a regular habit for sleeping. Just making that one change could make a huge difference. This is an experiment, only an experiment... feel free to try this at home.

Time Management Site

I have now launched my time management site -- at least an initial version which will be enhanced greatly as I have time. :-)

Check it out at Time Management

Launched Initial Version of Tablet PC News

Check out my new site for Tablet PC News. It's just a rough draft initial version, but at least it's up.

Uplifting Entertainment - Utah Festival Opera and Shakespearean Festival

For those of you in Utah, or who love the arts -- the Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City and the Utah Festival Opera company in Logan provide "MUST SEE" seasons of Shakespearean theater, musical theater and opera. Two of the best venues and always excellent productions.

The Shakespearean Festival season's summer shows (2005) include: Doctor Faustus, Love's Labour's Lost, Romeo and Juliet, Camelot, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Stones in His Pockets. September through October will show: All's Well that Ends Well, The Foreigner, and Pippin.

For more information -- Shakespearean Festival

The Utah Festival Opera Company is nestled in the northern Utah mountains in Cache Valley -- Logan, Utah -- and housed in the grand Ellen Eccles Theatre built in 1923. It has been beautifully restored and is one of the West's grand theatres. If you're looking for uplifting entertainment, you can't miss out of the excellence of the UFOC.

Shows include: Turandot by Puccini, Kismet by Robert Wright and George Forrest, The Crucible by Robert Ward, and Annie Get Your Gun by Irving Berlin. I attend every season and am never disappointed. The Utah Festival Opera Company provides glorious music, full orchestration, incredible costuming, and marvelous talent from across the country.

For more information -- Utah Festival Opera Company

UVSC Entrepreneur Camp for High School Students

My brother Paul Allen is always involved in new things -- teaching others how to build successful businesses, mentoring up-and-coming entrepreneurs, giving advice to business owners, as well as running several of his own companies and constantly coming up with new business ideas. I learn about him through my Google news feeds. So when he is in the news, I get notified. It's a great service, and helps me to keep up on some of the things my genius brothers are doing.

I just learned that this past week Paul was helping high school students in their quest to become entrepreneurs. Very cool.

Paul Allen Mentoring Entrepreneurs

Google to Compete with PayPal

Google has announced that it will be releasing a new online payment resource which will compete with PayPal. I think it's great that there will be some competition out there to keep PayPal improving. I'm an avid PayPal user -- it's convenient, fast, and I feel it's a pretty secure way of doing business online. However, there are some drawbacks. PayPal could improve and hopefully the Google online payment plan will either be better than PayPal or force PayPal to upgrade even more. I'm excited to see what comes of this announcment.

Importance of Backing Up Data

If any of you have ever lost vital data from computer glitches, you already know the importance of having backups. Well, I made the mistake of adding an external hard drive to my iMac. The problem was that I put all of my data onto the drive, then deleted it from my hard drive, because I was running out of space. However, now I have purchased an even larger external drive (250 gig), and I've got to get the data off the older drive, and onto the new one. Well, the old drive is labeled as unreadable. I have tried for the past 2 days to access the drive to no avail. It seems as though the last 6 months of design work is gone. I'm sick about it. I only have a week left to return the non-working drive, but I don't want to return before getting the data off of it. Does anyone have any suggestions?

The Power of Music

Studies have shown that music can affect and actually alter brain chemistry - it can be used to help heal, or can influence people to act out violently. Take a look at what you listen to when you are angry -- chances are you seek out music which feeds that anger. In a spa environment you will never find hard rock music because it generates feelings which are not peaceful. I once had a great music teacher who was a world famous Opera singer. He recommended creating a "musical first-aid kit". He said, make tapes or CDs of various types of music. First make a CD of your favorite songs that when you listen to them, it's impossible to be depressed. Then if you feel depression coming on -- put in the tape and it will help you change your mood. You can do this for other things such as - motivating music (when you need to clean the house), or workout music (to get you off the couch), or relaxing music to help you wind down and get rid of stress. It's true that music can affect our moods. A great book about this is entitled "The Mozart Effect" by Don Campbell. There are also created scientifically selected music CD's designed to Strengthen the Mind, Heal the Body, Unlock the Creative Spirit, Focus and Clarity, Relax and Unwind, and Music for Yoga. As we strive for greater abilities, more balance, and more success in life, it's important to recognize those things which bring us closer to our goals. If you're working with music in the background, make sure it's music which will generate what you need at the time.

Internet Marketing Seminar

Yesterday I was able to attend a seminar on internet marketing given by Paul Allen (who happens to be my brother.) He is truly a genius, and although I had seen his presentation before, I always learn new things. If you have a chance to get to one of his seminars, you should do it! It could change your life and the way you do business. Check out his blog -- Paul Allen, Internet Entrepreneur.

Apologies for Lack of Blogging

Hi all,

My apologies for not blogging during the past few weeks. I've injured my back and have limited my activities while I'm trying to recouperate. I hope to be back writing soon. Thanks for your patience.