We were returning last night from another soul-sucking visit with the in-laws, when we passed the Frankin Covey office on the highway. For those that aren't familiar with them, they create a line of organizational planners for business people.

Back when I was corporate drone, I was sent on these full-day seminars that teach you how to use their product effectively. It always seemed pointless - if it's that fucking complicated that you need a full day of training on how to use what is basically a jumped up calendar, then just how effective can it be?!?

But I digress.

The Covey in Franklin Covey is the guy who wrote the "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People". God I hated that book when it came out. The seven habits seemed so self evident, and yet I couldn't seem to get my act together enough to live them so that I too could be effective.

The seven habits are

1. Be Proactive.
2. Begin with the End in Mind.
3. Put First Things First.
4. Think Win/Win
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood.
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the saw

I'd like to add an eighth one; It's Not Me, It's You - The Annoyance Quotient. This is the factor by which those who effectively employ the Seven Habits can effectively annoy the crap out of the rest of the world who don't measure success and effectiveness by a monetary bottom line.

Which brings to my work, which begins anew tomorrow. I'm still not effective or even remotely successful by the measures that I used to employ. I make half what I could if I went back to being a corporate drone - likely less than half. I still can't plan my way out of a wet paper bag. And I often forget appointments and neglect to follow up on things. But I'm very successful and effective by the yardsticks I use now: desire, job satisfaction, authority, direction, personal growth, relationships. I'm happy in what I do. And it feels very good to be able to say that.

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On a poker front, I'm slogging along. I still feel very out of the loop since my vacation, but things are improving. I played a 20+2 mtt last night with Sox, Gracie and Carmen, where I bubbled (grrrr). It felt a bit odd and disjointed, but that could have been the alcohol.

But today was good, placed ITM in 2 of 3 SnG's this morning while juggling laundry and cleaning, then had a great afternoon playing with Matt in a SnG and then sweating him in a Sunday Millions satellite - way to go Matt!!

However I totally blew chunks in the MATH - god you'd think I was new, the cards I was playing. Ah well. Tomorrow is another day.

Today I observed something interesting - there seems to be some sort of a correlation between how well I play and how many bloggers I know that are playing with me. More on that later as I gather more data.