Along the Bumpy Road of Life... 

The tough road ahead...

Welcome to the School of Hard Knocks...where nothing comes easy for YOU or for ME either!  All of us are enrolled in the School of Hard Knocks...and what with...all the worry of today's uncertain times; jobs; family, health;and financial issues; the future...whew!

STOP! 
In today's fast-paced society, there doesn't seem to be enough time for anything anymore!  If there were 48 hours in the day...there would still not be enough time to get everything done in a typical day, etc.  But, the fact is...you MUST make the time...you MUST find the time...because it's getting more and more competitive out there in the world, etc.  And you MUST come up with innovative, fresh, new, and usable ideas to help get you through the good...the bad...and the ugliest of times!  Stop and smell the roses! 

LOOK! 
On the bumpy road of life...if you find yourself going the wrong way...on a one-way street...welcome to the club!  You were probably going so fast, that you  were not paying attention!
Quiz: 
Q: Are comedians different from other ordinary people?
A: Yes!  They know that humor gets old, tired and stale very quickly, so they are always on the look-out for new and fresh material for their act, etc.  And, that's what ordinary people should do...slow down a bit...and always look for new and fresh ideas to help you through the good, the bad and the ugliest of times, etc. 

LISTEN! 
Nobody knows why Bill Gates of Microsoft, is so successful, except Bill Gates himself...so I can only guess.  He has always said, that he likes to surround himself with bright and creative people.  My guess, is that he has set ego aside...and is a very good listener!  He has listened to...and gone with the ideas of all those smart and creative people...and the rest is history!  Bill Gates and Paul Allen, could not have put the Microsoft monster together all by themselves (at such a young age), without the help of others!  And, since ideas cannot be copyrighted... all that help came in the form of great ideas for all those smart and creative people! 

So, maybe...just maybe...if you stop talking about yourself so much...and listen for a change...maybe you'll come up with some great ideas, too!  

Therefore, the book is about ideas; inspiration; motivation; actual personal experiences and numerous miss-adventures in my lifetime; problem-solving; health issues, etc., and how I've managed to get through it all...

Get inspired; got motivated...get going! 

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What's in a name? 

I thought getting a title for my book would be a
snap, but it didn't turn out to be that way.  In 2005, I've gone through about a half a dozen names that I have not been pleased with.  And, FINALLY...I think I've got a name for my book that I can live with, etc.  This little process has taken me months in my search for book titles, and I'll share with the reader some of those titles.  So, if you're having trouble finding a name for your book...don't feel like the Lone Ranger! 

* Not Tonight...I Have a Headache!  I've suffered from headaches for most of my life, and from the devistating migraine headaches for over 20 years!  But, after I wrote about 125 pages, I ran out of things to say...and it all gave me a headache!  So, I have had to try another approach, etc.

* No Matter What or to What Degree...Pain is Pain:  This change would get me my best-seller...or so I thought!  Everyone suffers from pain of one type or another...physical or mental.  That's probably true , but I didn't want people saying, "That's the most depressing book I've ever read!"  I had to try something else!

* Sorry...but There's NO Free Lunch!  This would be the inspiring title for my book, I've been looking for.  But, it seemed to paint myself into a corner, and I was always looking for time and money to do things, etc.  A few weeks went by, and I decided to scrap it. 

* Simply to Inspire:  One day, I was in the dairy section of the grocery store, and I noticed an orange drink by the name of, "Simply Orange."  Next to it, was another drink with the name, "Simply Grapefruit."  So, I bought both of them and didn't think anything about it. 

A couple of weeks later, I was in the pharmacy of the grocery store, and I noticed and bought some sleeping pills with a name, "Simply Sleep."  It wasn't until a couple of weeks later, that I was in a daze and staring no place on the shelf in front of me, and I noticed the box of sleeping pills and the name, "Simply Sleep."  I wondered if I could do anything with the name...maybe for my book, etc.  "Simply Inspire,"  or "Simply Inspiration."  "That's it"...I thought to myself!  Simply to Inspire! 

The name is short...and it's upbeat...and I can cover a lot of ground...and I won't paint myself into a corner, etc.  I was excited because maybe...just maybe...I had found a title for my book after such a long time in searching!  But, there are trillions of book out there (maybe more) on inspiration and motivation!  That's okay...I always enjoy a little competition!    

I thought this would be the end of it, but it wasn't.  The title was changed one more time...to it's current title...Stop; Look and Listen!  You know the old saying...if at first you don't succeed...

But, simply put...nobody in the world can have the same experiences that I have, etc.  And, simply put...there is nobody that can tell a story like I can, and that's because everybody is different!  We all have our own fingerprints, etc.

On my website, there are about 12 colorful pages devoted to my book, and the reader can follow this link if interested:

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FREE STUFF...COME SEE!  (10 links)
Articles; humor; fillers; quotes; ideas; captions;
Great for websites; newsletters; ezines, etc.
http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewnews.asp?id=29439