WOW: A Handbook for Living by Zen Ohashi and Zono Kurazono

Stars: ***1/2

One Peace Books (2010)
Nonfiction
157 pages

Summary: [...] In this volume [the author] has created a method for living. A way you too can be successful and powerful in your everyday life. Thirty-one phrases are coupled with simple methods and short explanations designed to implement empowerment and change in lives of readers. Designed to be carried with you and pulled out when you need it, WOW is the ultimate handbook for life. - from Amazon.com

This book is definitely different than any other books I've ever seen. The text is not line after line, from left to right, page after page. The book is full of photography, spaces to write things, and different fonts and text sizes. This may seem to be a bad thing but it's not. It makes for great reading while on a bus or somewhere busy where it's hard to concentrate.There is one page with 7 words and one with 288.

The book is full of exercises to do to help you change your life. Some require a few minutes to think or write something down and others are just ideas for life:

"Whenever you express your opinion try to start with the words, "I assert..." or "My opinion is..." Whenever you're listening to someone else's opinion, add the words, "As for your opinion..." silently to yourself." - pg 72

I think this is a great idea. we often get ourselves all riled up because of something someone said but guess what? That's just their opinion.

So as the summary said, the book covers 31 different phrases such as: Say it with how, Everyone has a voice, I can't help being judgmental, questions conquer problems and It's okay to be selfish.

I think this book would be good for those who like self-help books, but don't have a lot of time for long books. For those who usually frown upon exercises in books, you must realize these aren't time consuming sit down and work on it exercises. Most required just thinking a certain way. This is a great book to read again and again until the concepts truly sink in.

Links of Interest: NONE

Other Reviews: Reminder List, The Fickle Fan,

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* I received a copy of this book for review. All reviews are honest and are not affected by how I acquired the book.

Dump 'Em: How to Break Up with ANYONE from your BEST FRIEND to Your HAIRDRESSER by Jodyne L. Speyer

Stars: *****

Summary: I think the subtitle says it all. This book is NOT about breaking up with a spouse/partner but about breaking up with everyone else.

Here is a complete list of who's covered: Hairdresser, manicurist/waxer, trainer, therapist, neighbour, house guest, kid's friend's parents, landlord, friend, assistant, co-worker, boss, carpooler, family, nanny/babysitter, housekeeper, roommate, contractor, accountant, lawyer, doctor and mechanic. We can't forget the appendix which is Dumping Your Author. (very funny!)

This books is both helpful AND hilarious.

For each "person" on the dump list, the book follows a set layout. I've give examples from the Hairdresser one. (pages pg 3-15) The layout is as follows:

1. A funny cartoon picture with some "Signs It's Time to Dump Your _____" - such as: "Your smock is covered in dandruff... and it's not yours."

2. The author's experiences with the type of person

3. What she's learned from those experiences

4. "Laying the Groundwork" is some basic ideas to consider first - such as: "Make sure you have realistic expectations of what you hair can and cannot do. If you don't know, ask your hairdresser."

5. "How to Dump 'Em" are a few different ideas - such as Talk to the Hair(stylist), Musical Salon Chairs and 1-800-flowers.com. The main one includes steps to take - such as: "2. Acknowledge your discomfort: This is an awkward conversation to have."

6. "In a Pinch" will give you some more ideas if the first few didn't work - such as "Locks of Love"

7. A short interview with someone at least somewhat related to the chapter - such as Paul-Jean Jouve (Owner and Celebrity Hair Designer of Paul-Jean Salon in Beverly Hills) The answers again are both helpful and silly, depending on the interviewee.

8. "Dumpipedia" which has interesting tidbits of information - such as "The average life span of a strand of hair is between four and seven years."

This is the layout the book follows for each "person" to dump. I like when books keep a certain format, especially nonfiction books. It's because of that and the fact that the book is so helpful and yet so funny at the SAME time that I've given it five stars.

Thanks to HarperCollins for the opportunity to review Dump 'Em!

10-10-10: 10 Minutes, 10 Months, 10 Years: A Life Transforming Idea by Suzy Welch

Stars: *****

Summary: As a transformative new approach to decision-making, 10-10-10 is a tool for reclaiming your life. The process is clear, straightforward, and transparent. All it takes to begin are three simple questions: When faced with a complex dilemma, stop and ask, "What will the consequences of my options be in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years?" Yet the outcomes are illuminating, and seldom predictable. Read More

I was lucky enough to be able to read this book thanks to MotherTalk.

I was interested in this book because I have such a hard time making decisions which is what this book is all about. Suzy stumbled onto a great way to help you make your decisions and weigh carefully what the best route is. She explains that 10-10-10 doesn't necessarily always refer to 10 minutes, 10 months or 10 years.

"The first 10 basically stands for "right now" - as in, one minute, one hour, or one week. The second 10 represents that point in the foreseeable future when the initial reaction to your decision has passed but its consequences continue to play out in ways you can reasonably predict. And the third 10 stands for a time in a future that is so far off that its particulars are entirely vague. So, really, 10-10-10 could just as well be referring to 9 days, fifteen months and twenty years or two hours, six months and eight years." - pg 11

The basic idea is to think about what would happen in those time periods if you went with option A or B. This will help you see that although your daughter might me really mad initially because you missed her piano recital to go on a work conference, in the long run, that conference will almost completely ensure a promotion which will in turn be better for the family. Also that she will have forgotten that you missed on piano recital 10 years down the road. (This is just an example I made up, but there are many examples like this in the book.)

It seems like such a simple idea, at first I wasn't sure why a whole book was needed to explain it. But as I read example after example of REAL people using the system, I began to see that it indeed works for ANY decision that needs to be made, with the exception of simple ones like; Should I have peanut butter or jam on my toast?

A lot of self-help books, I read and it all sounds good and I do what it says for a few weeks or even a few months and then stop. This one I truly believe I will use and continue to use. Only time will tell of course but it's not a procedure that requires lots of time and I don't need to set up any special props to use.

Your gut ISN'T always right - but use 10-10-10 and your decision will be the right ones.