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Book – Relational Presentation

I have been reading this book:  Relational Presentation by Robert A. Lane and Chantal Bosse

What a bad move that was!

Because this is a book to do, not a book to read.

If you want to move beyond bullet points, then this is where you can start.  This is the “how-to”.  The tone of the book is constantly  encouraging and it will give you the practical details at the level you need, whether you are a beginner, or already a user.  I enjoyed the detail on creating effects -  the information is there for you to use powerpoint to create stunning rich media effects.

Latest children’s books reviewed at the Pivotal Network

(click on the pictures to go to the reviews)

The 39 Clues: The Sword Thiefby Peter Lerangis 39 Clues. Book 1 - The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan Payback by Melody Carlson The Runaway Dolls by Ann M. Martin Remember as you pass me by by L. King Perez

Today’s Must-Read – Under a Blood Red Sky

blood_red Under a Blood Red Sky

by Kate Furnivall

Davinsky Labour Camp, Siberia, 1933: Sofia Morozova knows she has to escape. Only two things have sustained her through the bitter cold, aching hunger and hard labour: the prospect of one day walking free; and the stories told by her friend Anna, beguiling tales of a charmed upbringing in Petrograd ? and of Anna's fervent love for a passionate revolutionary, Vasily. So when Anna falls gravely ill, Sofia makes a promise to escape the camp and find Vasily: to chase the memory that has for so long spun hope in both their hearts. But Sofia knows that times have changed. Russia, gripped by the iron fist of Communism, is no longer the country of her friend's childhood. Her perilous search takes her from industrial factories to remote villages, where she discovers a web of secrecy and lies, but also bonds of courage and loyalty ? and an overwhelming love that threatens her promise to Anna

Please support the Pivotal network by using this link if you buy the book

2009 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize shortlist announced

The shortlist for the best fiction written by writers from the Commonwealth has been announced. South East Asia and the Pacific is the region that includes Australia and the shortlist is here:

http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/culturediversity/writersprize/cwp/2009%20prize/2009list/

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Stay hungry?

[ Editor's Note: Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

Got a question for you:

Should you "stay hungry"?

Let me explain what I mean.

Arnold Schwarzenegger made a movie a while time ago called "Stay Hungry." Only a handful of people saw it.

I was one of them.

I loved the idea of "staying hungry" -- of never sitting on your rear end too long... of never being totally comfortable... and of always progressing.

Think about it:

Most of your greatest progress comes at the expense of temporary comfort.

This does not mean you should torture yourself. But being 'too' comfortable? Well that's bad news when it comes to weightloss and success in general if you ask me.

Here's two examples:

First, it is now 1:02 AM Texas time. I am writing this letter to you despite being quite tired and ready to hit the sack.

Why?

Because when it comes to my job, I like to stay hungry.

I am not satisfied with a "do it tomorrow" attitude. I have something to say and I feel that I owe it to you to say it.

Plus I love my job. I know my information is more than just "books that sell well" -- I know it's information that changes peoples lives.

That makes me stay hungry.

And that's a good thing. My greatest successes have been when I've stayed hungry and lived at the edge of comfort.

But let me share my second example and see what you think.

This one deals with my upcoming book.

The book I'm talking about tonight is one that thousands have been waiting for... literally. I have a waiting list.

The title says it all:

The Radical Fatloss Blueprint: How You Can Safely Lose Up To 21 Pounds In 21 Days

Pretty bold statement, right? In fact... it's radical.

Hence the name. : )

And I have to warn you: You will stay a bit hungry. Literally.

Not 'starving'... but hungry. And that means you'll be burning a lot of bodyfat.

Now, before you think I've lost my marbles, let me explain:

This is NOT a "dietbook" -- this is a blueprint for 21 days ONLY.

It is the same exact system I personally have used for years (with the addition of one new supplement that I really like) to get into top shape.

I've used this System on quite a few eager people, and the average weightloss has been over 16 pounds. Some folks lost like 30 or more... others only 11.

Still... in 21 days, this is amazing.

Some of the weight is going to be junk out of your system that can cause illness. It can build up inside and this program helps you get rid of it painlessly.

Some of the weight is water.... but it's water that you do not need to be carrying around. Needless waterweight.

The rest is almost pure bodyfat... and that's RADICAL. To keep muscle and burn that much bodyfat is very hard to do.

Like I said... it's radical.

And it's only 21 days long.

Now, I will also tell you this -- you cannot buy this book.

Not yet.

The reason is simple: I've reserved the first few thousand copies for those of you who own by book "Every Other Day Diet."

They get it first... and since you will need a few supplements to make the plan work (I provide wholesale pricing for those as I do not make supplements) you can see why it's important to get in line if you want this book.

I'm only ordering a limited supply of the supplements that go along with the book.

And I'm just passing the savings on... I do not want to get into the "wholesale" business, but I also knew I could save you folks over 100 bucks if I did it this way.

So... here's the deal:

1. Pick up a copy of "Every Other Day Diet" now unless you already have it.

2. On or before March 15th you will receive a letter from me letting you know where to get your freee copy of "Radical Fatloss Blueprint".

3. You will also receive a link to order the supplements needed (only 21 days worth... no "reorders" needed) at wholesale price. You can have them shipped right to your door just about anywhere in the world.

No stimulants are used. Nothing dangerous. Just smart supplementation to help the body hold on to muscle, stimulate natural fat-burning hormones, and help you stay healthy and strong.

Again, this is the system I use to get in top shape.

So, step one: Get "The Every Other Day Diet" today...

Get that here:

http://www.everyotherdaydiet.com/aff/bronwynr <--- get this, get Radical Fatloss freee March 15 After that, read the book. Be sure you have it down because you will NEED this book to follow right after Radical Fatloss is over. The worst thing you can do is try a radical dietplan without having a SANE dietplan to fall back to. That's what Every Other Day Diet is: A sane, real-world, eat-like-this-forever dietplan that works. The Radical Fatloss Blueprint just kicks everything into high gear for 21 days. So, get Every Other Day Diet here: http://www.everyotherdaydiet.com/aff/bronwynr <--- get this, get Radical Fatloss freee March 15 THEN go to this page and let me know what you think about the new cover for Radical Fatloss Blueprint... and the supplements I have in store for you -- http://www.7minutemuscle.com/aff/bronwynr/radicalfatloss <--- more about Radical Fatloss Blueprint Finally, get ready to stay hungry: And by that I mean to push yourself a bit more in order to become a whole lot leaner.

Today’s Must-Read – The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville

lieutenantThe Lieutenant

by Kate Grenville

As a boy, Daniel Rooke was always an outsider. At school, he learned to hide his clever thoughts from his cruel peers; at home, his parents were bemused by their bookish son. Daniel could only hope - against all the evidence - that he would one day find his place in life. By 1788, Daniel has become Lieutenant Rooke, astronomer with the First Fleet as it lands on the unknown shores of New South Wales. As the newcomers struggle to establish a settlement for themselves and their cargo of convicts, and attempts are made to communicate with those who already inhabit this land, Rooke sets up his observatory to chart the stars. But the place where they have landed will prove far more revelatory than the night sky. Out on his isolated point, Rooke comes to know the local Aboriginal people, and forges a remarkable connection with one child, which will change his life in ways he never imagined.

Please support the Pivotal Network by using this link  if you buy the book from Amazon

Today’s Must-Read – The Reinvention of Ivy Brown

 reinvention1The Reinvention of Ivy Brown: A Novel

by Roberta Taylor

"'Her affectionate memoir, suffused with forgiveness for the worst of her relatives' foibles and admiration for their gritty determination to survive, presents true lives and situations which are every bit as dramatic as any television soap.' Val Hennessy, Daily Mail

'As mordantly funny as it is affecting.' Paul Bailey Independent"

Quite simply, Atlantic's biggest book of the year: Roberta Taylor's gripping first novel is a tale of love and betrayal in the freezing winter of London in 1963.It is the 15th of February 1963, and Ivy Brown, typist at the Wiseman Pulverising Factory, is about to turn thirty. As Ivy sits, staring at the back of the typist in front of her, she tries desperately to avoid thinking about her impending birthday, her freckled hands and her diminishing horizons. Two things lift Ivy Brown from her gloom: her brand new Beaver Lamb coat and the thought of Arthur.Arthur is the man on whom Ivy has pinned all her hopes. 'We are our own secret' Arthur says, and Ivy loves to repeat it, even as she recollects the parts of her life she has kept from him. But when Ivy spots Arthur at the bus stop, his arm around a young girl, she realises that she is not the only person keeping secrets. Her determination to uncover the truth spells disaster for all those in her way.  The reinvention of Ivy Brown comes at a heavy price.

Buy from Amazon

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Is your Genius at work?

Is your Genius at Work? 4 Key Questions to Ask Before Your Next Career Move
by Dick Richards

From the reviews

You have some special capacity to make a positive impact on the world in your own unique way. You may have an inkling of that. Or no clue at all.
No matter. Either way, this refreshingly different book from Dick Richards will help you put your finger on your special “energy” and help you direct it in meaningful ways.
Dick Richards (part shaman, part businessman) presents engaging ideas and well-defined processes for identifying your unique personal gift, which he calls your Genius. He also presents helpful ideas and processes for discovering your personal Purpose (your life’s mission) so that you can point the energy of your Genius toward fulfilling your Purpose.
If you like, you read about the connections between many time-honored and far-flung spiritual and philosophical traditions underlying these ideas (across the globe and through millennia). Richards has woven a nice tapestry of these disparate threads.
Seriously, you can ignore all the stuff about spiritual and philosophic traditions, and just work your way through the practical processes. Either way, you’re going to arrive at a deeper understanding of yourself and a clearer vision of your individual potential within the world.
The book pushes us to think outside the box when looking for our core genius.

The content is fantastic. The writing style is approachable and includes stories I can relate to and that illustrate the points very well. The layout if the book is outstanding - there are helpful illustrations and plenty of room for notes - an important consideration for a book like this. Above these tangible dimensions, the feeling I get when reading is book is positive. The author cares about his readers and it shows in every part of this book.
Many personal development books contain miserably pointless exercises, but this book is the exception to the rule. Its exercises are intelligent, well-designed, and insightful. There are no pointless quizzes that force you to rate yourself on some arbitrary scale. I also liked that all the exercises are put into a separate section of the book, so first you can read through all the content, and then you can work through the exercises.

Also noteworthy, Richards generously includes resources to assist other coaches and consultants to teach his methods. And he provides help for groups of people who want to collectively support each other as they make their way thru this highly personal work.

Today’s Must-read – The Six Sacred Stones

six_sacredThe Six Sacred Stones: a novel

By Matthew Reilly

The wildly imaginative Reilly has taken inspiration from comics, video games, movies, thrillers and Code-style puzzle novels to create this rocket-fuelled sequel to his 7 Deadly Wonders. After completing a 10-year mission to acquire the Golden Capstone of the Great Pyramid from what's left of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Jack West Jr. has retired to the Australian outback to raise his adopted daughter, Lily. Jack's pal, Professor Max T. Epper, known as Wizard, has discovered that the Dark Sun, a mysterious heavenly body, is due to emerge in nine days, triggering the Apocalypse. Ultimate disaster can only be averted if someone can locate the six legendary Pillars, cleanse them with the Philosopher's Stone and insert them in the 6 Vertices, thereby causing the Great Machine to power on and negate the fatal blast from the Dark Sun. If anyone can perform these Herculean labors, it's Reilly's resourceful hero. A pervasive tongue-in-cheek quality (one that extends to the low tech–looking maps and illustrations) will help readers find this outlandish adventure thrilling.

If you buy this from Amazon, please support the Pivotal Network by using this link.

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Today’s Must-Read – Obenewtyn by Isobelle Carmody

obernewtynObernewtyn (Obernewtyn Chronicles)

by Isobelle Carmody

Award-winning Australian author Isobelle Carmody's, Obernewtyn (Book One of the Obernewtyn Chronicles) is finally available in the U.S. Appropriate for adult and young-adult readers, Obernewtyn is a fine post-apocalyptic novel in the tradition of Andre Norton, Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series, Leigh Brackett's classic The Long Tomorrow, and the post-disaster novels of John Wyndham (especially Re-Birth) and John Christopher. On an Earth nearly wiped out by radiation and chemicals that have whitened the sky and poisoned the land, surviving humans have built a semi-agrarian culture. Though their own religious leaders, the Herders, have paranormal powers, they persecute the mutated Misfits, whose psychic abilities they view as a form of subversion. Thus, Elspeth Gordie, an orphan, conceals her exceptional abilities (prophetic visions, the ability to communicate with animals) from the other workers around her. Nonetheless, she is discovered and taken to the legendary Obernewtyn, an isolated town reputedly full of horrors. But instead of the tortures she expects, Elspeth finds friends and learns of the harmful experiments performed elsewhere upon talented Misfits and of the destructive powers that may have survived the Age of Chaos that ruined Earth. Though most of Carmody's characters are clearly bad or good, she avoids blatant stereotyping by imbuing many with conflicting interests. She also presents the Herders' primitive culture in considerable and vivid detail, from Elspeth's arduous ride through the Western Mountains to a farmer's daily life of toil and gossip. Despite their abilities, the Misfits are at the mercy of their superstitious culture and those who run Obernewtyn - a plight that generates convincing plot turns. This is the first novel by Carmody, an Australian children's writer, to appear in the States. Readers will look forward to more.

If you want to buy this book from Amazon, please support my Pivotal Network by using this link ...