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I am currently experimenting with a publication format offered by the beta version of GoogleDocs.

I have written a beginners outline over-viewing the process of writing and publishing a simple EBook.

I would appreciate any feed back readers would like to give.

You may view, copy, save, change and distribute the material free of charge.

How to Write and Publish Your Own EBook.

When you follow the link it is not necessary to sign up for a gmail account. Simply click the link that says “View published presentation in a new window.”

1. Men want sex.

Most people respond to this statement with a rolling of the eyes or a shaking of the head to indicate waning patience.  But, it is truly a misunderstood reality. Most think it is a self indulging base need on the part of the man. It goes deeper than that.

Men want to be desired by their wives. It is an integral part of a man’s self image that he needs to be physically wanted. Regular, mutually fulfilling sex is paramount to a mans sense of self and security.

For further details see Washington State University, Dr. R.F. Talflinger, on sex and self esteem, May 1996.

2. Men do not infer.

The critical thinking ability required to make inferences is a skill women assume men have. However, in An Examination of the Relationship between Critical Thinking and Academic Success on a University Campus, researches Steward and Al-Abdula quantified the actual differences between males and females in this area. Male subjects demonstrated an significantly high need to be able to infer to perform at the same academic level as females.

In addition men do not pick up on nonverbal cues as well as women. If a man does something that a woman does not like she should tell him what it is that she does not like. Dropping hints and making disapproving looks will not communicate the message (WNBC, December 2006 “Why Men Never Remember”).

3. Men feel a duty to provide.

Men are hard wired to feel the onus to provide for their family. It does not matter that in society today the woman may very well be a bigger wage earner than the man.

Although, a woman can not change this mentality they can relieve it by offering appreciation and encouragement for the contribution the man makes (The Fragile Male Ego, September 2006).

The picture is actually my log book.

You may consider this update as “Captains’ Log Squared”, in that it exponentially increases the value of your log.

In order to make the most effective use of my log, I follow some guidelines and organizational/reference strategies.

From cover to cover.

1. Inside the front cover

I jot down telephone numbers, email addresses and web sites that come up during the day. I do not have an exact system for recording this information but, I try to put references that would be at the beginning of the alphabet on the top left inside corner of the front cover and those that would occur at the end of the alphabet on the bottom right corner.

It is also a convenient place to jot down passwords and system access procedures.

Since the log book has a fixed binding it provides an excellent foil for recording items chronologically. Consider it a running narrative of the events of the day. Fill each page before starting the next, regardless of where your date change occurs.

Remember to keep the first three pages front and back as a table of contents. Dates, then topics, then page numbers.

When you have completely filled the log, pop it onto a secure bookshelf and start a new log. I like to use a Dymo Pocket labeler to indicate the time span the log covers. I attach it to the spine of the log for easy reference from the shelf. I strongly suggest you do this, as well.

Compiling such a large volume of information can be overwhelming. So, I developed a system to help me more efficiently categorize my data and improve it as a reference resource.

2. I use a four color Bic pen. Each color has a different significance.

a) every day items are recorded in black.

b) follow up notes are recorded in blue.

c) crisis data are entered in red.

d) personal stuff is entered in green.

3. Highlighters add another dimension. They provide and additional lay of organization and strategy easily tracked by the eye.

a) Blue highlighter is for dates.

b) Yellow highlighter is for client contact data.

c) Green highlighter is a staff specific entry.

4. Post-it-Notes can add yet another dimension to the log. Jot items down when you don’t have your log available and insert them when you get back to your book.

Pros

This is a highly portable system.

It is not power dependent.

There is a high degree of flexibility

The expense is nominal.

Cons

If this artifact falls into the wrong hands you could be in deep trouble.

Vulnerable to over the shoulder snoops.

Employment conditions may make the log the property of your employer.

At last a Frenchman I can admire.

Rather than taking part in the display of extreme bad manners that is the trademark of CBS news, French President Nicolas Sarkozy took the high road and left an interview when CBS reporter Leslie Stahl demonstrated her lack of tact during an interview in which she asked inappropriate questions about Sarkozys personal life.

It is a strange world indeed when the French have just cause to be offended by the rude behavior of another nationality but it seems American journalist have made such a reality.

Is it any wonder that everyday more and more people turn to blog authors and independent sources for their information?

Liberte, egalite, fraternite; Vive Sarkozy!

Over the past two decades of working in education and training I have found some wonderful techniques for bringing the free and appropriate public education model to its knees. I wish I could take credit for these phenomenally dastardly plans but alas I only report such as I have already found in place and implemented.

Strategy 1: Do not allow student to read.

A new principal eliminated the program known as “Sustained Silent Reading” from his school. He felt the school day would be more productively used with intensive direct instruction rather than just having the kids “sit around reading” (Ivey, 2005).

Over the next two years standardized test scores at that school plummeted. An not just in the reading test area but in social studies, history and science as well.

Strategy 2: Force students to read difficult books.

Many school districts have implemented requirements that students read only material on their assigned grade level. If we want students to understand what they are reading, we must begin with material that makes sense to them and build from that foundation. I know of no student who got better at reading by reading only material that was too difficult for him.

Strategy 3: Buy a computer program and rely on it for all the instruction.

Computers and websites may support  and reinforce skill but they can provide the individualized instruction that many students need. Any intervention program that decreases the amount of student teacher interaction is doomed to fail. Further, any intervention program whether computer or teacher driven must be assessment driven and research based, rather than isolated skill based, to be effective.

Strategy 4: Interrogate students about what they read.

There is no evidence to support the belief that intensive questioning of literal concepts creates better readers. There is much to indicate it creates an intense dislike of reading in those being interrogated.

Strategy 5: Force students to read material that is divorced from their interests and life experiences.

When their is no background knowledge or embers of interest students loath-fully read each (some children do actually read it) the assigned materials. They mechanically complete the assigned questions. They grudgingly fulfill the comprehension activity requirements.

However, when asked what was the story about, the most frequent response is “it was about 20 pages that bored me to tears.”

If this post has struck a harmonizing tone with you please send it along to the teachers, administrators and parents with whom you have contact.

This post was inspired by the article “Learning From What Doesn’t Work” by Gay Ivey and Douglas Fisher in the October 2005 edition of “Reading Comprehension.”

What is the one key elemental truth that keeps people/clients/customers coming back?

Credibility.

Many providers of services and products spend a tremendous amount of time an money building just the right look, designing the optimum advertising plan. Selecting only the most timely topics.

But, what it all comes down to is find the most forthright way to credibly present your product. Regardless of the curb appeal your product may have, it must maintain credibility and authenticity in its presentation.

The internet is rife with posers and pretenders. For me their is nothing more striking and attractive than authentic content and a firmly embraced position. This is even true if I do not happen to agree with that position. I respect the genuine and avoid the fashionable.

My work may never reach the popularity of Seth Godin, Steve Pavlina, Leon Ho, Engadget, Gizmodo, or BoingBoing but it doesn’t need to. And if I may be so bold, neither does yours.

Instead, I measure my success ratio by being aware that I am doing my best to provide the best quality I can. And I strive to earn the respect of quality providers such as Phil Gerbyshak, Rosa Say and Ted Demopoulas. As a side effect, although I don’t believe it is a true measure of intrinsic value, my subscribers should continue to increase and my work should continue to grow in the revenue it brings in.

As always, if you find value here I ask you to add Elemental Truths to your bloglines reader, share content with your friends and add a comment to share your thoughts.

Several years ago I read a book by Deepak Chopra. The title of the book is Ageless Body Timeless Mind.

I remember being very resistant to any concepts that were outside my belief structure. I read the book with a sneering, I dare you, attitude.

What startled me was the realization that I was already doing what Chopra defined as meditation. In fact, anyone who takes the time to employ meta-cognition and reflection in their lives is conducting a meditative exercise.

I was also stunned to learn the things that meditation was not.

1. Meditation is not about forcing our minds to be quiet, it is about finding the quiet that is already there.
2. Meditation is not about forcing our will on some external power grid and manipulating it to our purpose, it is about becoming comfortable with the untapped power source that God has built within each of us.
3. Meditation is not about uttering some magical chant that changes our reality, it is about listening to that quiet progress that is made between the exertion of each oar stroke of our thoughts.
4. Meditation is not instantaneous. It may require several attempts to achieve the desired result.

Meditation can help you become more comfortable in your own skin and if done prayerfully can help you start paying the rent on that body God lent you.

Beginning

1. Begin with a quiet place.
2. Begin when you are not tired.
3. Begin in a straight backed seated position, use a cushion if you like. Be neither sloucho groucho nor straighto greato.
4. Begin with loose comfortable clothing.
5. Begin at a time of day that you will be able to return to on a regular basis.

Body

1. Begin an active mental excercise in which you individually contract and relax each individual muscle of your body.
2. Begin with your toes and work sequentially to the crown of your head.
3. Don’t be surprised if you fall asleep. Most people are unused to such a relaxed state when they are awake.
4. Begin with three deep breaths that completely fill and expel all the air from your lungs to a slow mental count of 15.

Mind

1. Begin by thinking of a great calm blue sea. Allow yourself to experience the natural rise and fall of the waves and tides. or
2. Begin with a great grass plane. Smell the air as it comes the tall grass of the plane.
3. Begin to allow your mind to process emotion and thought that channel through.

Awake

1. Begin by allowing yourself to become gradually aware.
2. Begin to feel the change in disposition and energy level.

Record

1. Begin a meditation and prayer log. Enter into it not only times and dates but how you feel and relate to things when you take the time for prayerful mediation.

I hope you find this post useful and will return to Elemental Truths often.

Please consider adding us to your bloglines reader.

Yes you really can lose 20 pounds in 30 days. You simply have to use the “slow carb” sytem employeed by many professional athletes.

Here it comes in 200 words or less.

White Flight - Avoid any carbohydrate that is, or can be, white. Examples are bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and fried foods with breading. The exception being the 90 minute window after you finish a strength training work out.

Stick With What You Know - Select a few foods that meet the nutrition criteria and repeat their inclusion into your meal plan on a frequent basis.

 Chose from these groups:

Group 1

• eggs
• chicken
• beef
• pork

Group 2

• lentils
• black beans
• pinto beans

Group 3

• spinach
• asparagus
• peas
• mixed vegetables

Drink lots of water. Avoid milk and sugar containing beverages. Include a glass of wine in the evening, “for your stomachs sake.”

Diet Holiday. Pick one day a week to break training and not pay so much attention to your diet plan. Just relax your guard and eat what you want. In fact an occasional spike in calorie intake may increase weight loss.

Want more details? Read The Glucose Revolution or Protein Power. They are both available from Amazon.

Typically, pieces on “body language” are focused on how to get a date or climb up the corporate ladder. I have found it useful in some outside the box ways as well.

I have spent most of my career in one form of negotiation or another. Whether it has been providing a crisis intervention with an irrational individual or negotiating contracts that legally bind the state to a particular level of service. Or negotiating with colleagues about the best course of action. The most useful tools I have had in these interactions have been two-fold. The first is the solid understanding of underlying individual temperament. The second is ability to read and interpret non-verbal communication, or body-language.

Although, some of my work in this field has been of an academic nature, the largest portion has been in “field-work” testing and refining techniques. Much of which I learned at the feet of a United States Army, Master sergeant who was extremely adept at interactions spanning enemy engagement to interacting with the political elite.

You may map out your field of action but the value of your map will be diminished if you do not do everything you can to know those with whom you are working and against whom you are competing.

Here are ten tips I’ve found extremely useful. Poker players would call them “tells,” psychologists would term them manifestations of our subconscious minds trying to communicate what we believe to be the truth. Behaviorists would say they are learned actions which have given us desired results in the past. The truth is probably a Venn diagram blending the three.

1. Body movements indicating interest.

The listener leans toward the speaker.

The listeners head slightly tilted to the right.

The listener attempts to secure and maintain eye contact.

2. Body movements indicating that a person is more open to agree with you.

The listener nods his head.

The listener mirrors the speakers body movements.

The listeners’ lips are closed, but without tension.

3. How to know if a person is thinking.

The listener places an index finger alongside their nose.

The listener cups their chin in their hand.

The listener strokes their chin or beard.

4. Body movements indicating frustration or dismay.

Widening of the listeners eyes.

Raising of the listeners eyebrow.

Slackening in the listeners jaw.

5. How action-oriented people act or move. These may be the easiest type to misinterpret.

Kinesthetic people will display a lot of movement, such as pen clicking.

They will constantly move or adjust items about their person, such as a tie or collar.

They will often sit very far forward on their seat.

6. How to know if a person is keeping a secret.

Awkward uses of humor, in an attempt to distract.

Unwillingness to make eye contact.

Frequent changing of the subject.

7. Body movements indicating boredom

Resting of the chin on the fist.

Deep sighs.

Massaging of the forehead.

8. Signals conveying excitement.

Increased rate of breathing.

Frequent trips to the restroom.

Frequent drinking.

9. How confident people act or move.

They make and hold eye contact.

They hold their gaze in the invisible triangle made from eye to eye and down between the nose and chin (especially in social situations).

The head will be held up and erect.

10. Signals exhibiting authority or power

The shoulders will be back.

The chest will be out.

All movement will be open and decisive.

It is extremely important to understand that the majority of this information is based on the interactions with the western culture. My travel in Japan and Mexico, demonstrate many modifications and variations of these observations. Furthermore, these are gender specific to males. Female subjects display many parallel techniques for communicating similar messages.

Much is on-line about growing an ebook. Where to seek inspiration, what to share about and how to sell it are the most common topics. Less plentiful are the step by step mechanics of creating and hosting an e-book. You are welcome to use my experiences to jump ahead with the process.

By the Numbers

1. Write the content (this is the easy part).
Take what you trust and build upon it. Seek the input of others.

The great ones share. You will know who to ask. They will say, “Yes! , Here!; Take what you need!; There is plenty for all; Let me help you.” And, as long as you also share, the stream will continue to replenish itself.

2. Choose pictures to illustrate your book.
A wealth of shared images can be found on Flickr. But, make sure you use creative commons or get permission and credit the artist. Most give freely without requiring a credit but it is just good karma to build another when you can. If are uncomfortable using the image created by another, you can simply look to them for inspiration and then build with your own with your digital camera.

Consider a contest. If you offer took take submissions to the public, many will send you submissions to be included in your book. Be sure to fully credit their work and include them in your acknowledgments section.

3. Convert your document to pdf format.

Your operating system will be a determining factor. If you have a PC system, add a PDF converter. Adobe Acrobat is good. Primopdf converter is also good and it is free. I use both. The differences are negligible and I like free. After you make the addition, you may select converter from your printer selector file. This will create your pdf in your chosen destination.

Most Mac operating systems come pre-bundled converter in the printer choice menu.

4. Distributing your ebook.

What won’t work: Google Docs doesn’t support pdf. Yahoo Briefcase won’t allow you to share without an upgrade. One option is offer a free site subscription RSS feeder. You then email the document to anyone who subscribes. Another option is to email it as an attachment to any who request it.

Finally, there are hosts like Quicksharing.com They don’t require registration. They will carry your ebook for free. You go to their site. Then follow their easy to use menu to browse out your file and upload it. Quicksharing will display the address. Then you can share it with anyone who would like to download your ebook.

There are a couple of things that I don’t love about it. One, because it is monetized by advertisement, you occasionally find promotional links for things you wouldn’t choose to promote, at you download site. Two, if your ebook isn’t downloaded for a month or so, the Quikshare automated system will delete it.

I have converted this document to a PDF and hosted it on Quicksharing so that you may download it (free of course) and get a feel for the process. Unfortunately, it was deleted.

Currently I am building an expanded version of this publication that should be available to purchase from Lulu.com in a short time.

I am building another ebook about giving great feedback in difficult situations that will also soon be available for free download. If I can help, in any way, please contact me. I hope this work has added value to your day.