This is one of those mornings. While waiting for my coffee, I just now, 20 minutes in, realized that the pot wasn’t plugged in. Happens about once a month or so, and it’s always annoying. So as I settle in, I’ll write about a few blogs I’ve found that you should be reading.

Music criticism is frequent. It’s easy to take potshots at idiots. But, by the same token, music enthusiasm is rare. Taking potshots at the next Elvis Costello album will be easy. Chances are, it won’t cover as much new ground as ‘my aim is true.’ But, it will probably be–in its own way–cool. Paul McCartney is still getting after it after all of these years. He is unlikely to equal Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts. But do we stop folks from trying? Heck no.

So with that said, I give you teenage kicks. Fantastic blog. Keep it coming, because I discovered the pure joy of the ‘1978 intro to Prove it All Night.’ Was fun, was fun. Worth the reader add.

Then there is Razing The Bar. Andy Whitman (where I found Teenage Kicks) writes about God and Music and Politics with equal enthusiasm and skill. I liked his review of the Hold Steady’s stay positive. That album wasn’t my ‘favorite,’ at first, mostly because Finn’s vocals became more precise and less real.

I’ll give you also: Chief Home Officer.Com that blog is equal parts productivity, business philosophy and ‘how tos.’ See the home office space design kit.

I also love (because Skellie was gracious enough to refer me to Jon who let me guest post a coupla weeks ago) Freelance Folder today’s post is kickass–find joy in your work.

Finally, Josh Whitford’s unconventional Marketing Blog has been a source of pretty decent ideas. I know not how I found it, but I’m glad I did. I would say that Josh is trying to take a title shot soon, and I hope that he does. I’m trying for a title shot once the campaign is over.

As for the campaign? I’ve heard the phrase ‘money doesn’t lead, it follows,’ a lot over the last few years. I like the phrase. And I’ve really learned how true it is. We were trying to raise money to find our voice. No. Screw that. Money follows. We have to be deeply passionate about what we believe in first, last, foremost. We can’t worry if we’re popular (macrowise) we must tell the truth with style and passion.

Since money doesn’t lead, since money follows, let’s consider that that that means in all that we do.

I just thought of a novel use of ‘Twitter Tools,’ the nearly ubiquitous plugin for WordPress. That is: setting up a blog network. What one would do is to install the plugin in a seperate directory. Then, the settings would be made such that each posts puts a post on Twitter. The ‘blog network’ would be in the sidebar, and it’s an easy to set up way for like minds to share traffic, cross promote and have fun.

The steps:

1.) Create new Twitter Account (example: GenuineBlogNetwork).
2.) Get some trustworthy people with decent blogs.
3.) Install twitter tools on their blogs.
4.) Throw your favorite Twitter-Tools, make an image.
5.) Have a blog network that is small and controlled.

This is super simple, so if anyone that reads wants me to do this, I’m all about sharing.

The layout of this blog will be done over the weekend. I got tasked with a ton of small projects that are all coming to a close.

Also: I know that it’s a dissapointment that Big Z had tendonitis. But to shoot him? I mean, it’s not like he pulled a Bartman.

This is a test to see how we do with this posting thing. My son Jack. At Easton Town Center, in CMH. Does this do as Livewriter does, or does it do something else?

OK, so it’s not perfect.  Not as good as LiveWriter.

I have an increasing amount of things to do. Right now, I’m starting a boutique for small projects, running LOST, running a campaign, and still messing a little bit with loans at FOHF. I need to streamline my commitments and prioritize them. And, it starts with tracking tasks.

GTD is one of my–if not my–favorite business/personal development books. The real strength is focus on tactics. The reason I write or want to write in the morning is to get some control of your day. Right now I have too many things hanging over my head, and the reason that they are hanging is because I don’t currently have a quick action plan to bang ‘em out. I fell off the wagon and stopped carrying my moleskine around a lot. This was when I got my blackberry, and I think that they are related. I need to stop checking email because it creates the illusion of production when in reality it adds a layer of stress. It’s nice to have, but it’s created for my pleasure, not I for it.

In addition to starting with blogging, it’s important to be able to review some lists and figure out what 2-4 things you’re going to accomplish. And it is important to be hyperspecific. I need to say, in leu of ‘finish website’:

• Make header.
• make footer
• get opt in box working.

I’m not doing the ‘task break down,’ so I can’t exactly see what the ‘next actions’ are. And that creates paralysis, and guilt and all the shit that goes along with procrastination. Luckily, it’s a reasonably easy fix, and I can add task management to my morning routine.

My thinking of a morning routine is this:

• Wake up ~5:30-6am
• Morning pages/blogging/gratitude stuff.
• Pick up/clean up.
• Get to the gym.
• Come back, review lists and tasks, and centralize lists.
• Decide what I’m doing that day, or finishing. Go from there.

I’ve created massively complicated things that put into fine detail what I’m supposed to be doing and precisely when. I rebel naturally against that sorta GTD system, because I hate being told what to do (even if it’s by me).

Time to grind out some websites.