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Here you will find some occasional notes from me about matters pertaining to this website, its development, personal observations and whatever springs to mind that I feel needs to be recorded.

The most recent posts are first. If you want to follow the thread it might be better to scan upwards from the bottom.

3 January 2006 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wow! 2006 already. Where did that last year go? Was it a good one for you? I hope so. But what about 2006? Have you made a decision that you are going to forge ahead this year? Or are you content just to plod along? Hmm.

Remember the book competition that I ran late last year? Remember how I revised the single book that I normally give away up to three books? Yep. I decided to give away THREE books instead of just one. Well, on Christmas Eve I was looking at all the entries that I received and I decided something...

... I decided that because it was Christmas I would give every person who entered the competition a FREE copy of my wealth book. So, if YOU entered then YOU win. How's that! I have a list of all the names and email addresses but... just to make sure that you are following this MONTHORAMA and because it is such a time-consuming task for me, there is one condition. You have to send me another email to claim it.

Just confirm your email address so that I know you are still there. Oh, and by the way, please... no hotmail addresses. If you use a hotmail address chances are that you will not receive the book. So many of them bounce and because of the time it takes me I cannot afford to send files to email addresses that simply waste my time and yours.

You want the FREE wealth book? - claim it! It's yours. But just remember - you had to enter to win. I won't be adding to this massive task by letting anybody who did not originally enter the competition to claim a book. Sorry. Enter next time. I'll do it again soon.

As I mentioned in the last entry of the December MONTHORAMA, I received a number of books for Christmas. One of them was a novel called "The Lincoln Lawyer" by Michael Connelly. What a great book. I read it in three days flat. I loved the story - a murder mystery with several twists - and I loved the writing style. I think I have found a new favorite author!

In fact, I rate Connelly right up there with some of my other favorites - Nelson deMille and Lee Child. The Lincoln Lawyer gets 8.5/10 from me. I liked Connelly so much that I went out and bought another of his novels called "The Closers." That was another great book. I rated it just behind the first one at 8/10.

Now, to something I find rather repugnant - just so that you don't think I view the entire world through rose-colored glasses. Far from it.

This next bit gets a big sigh before I even start...

Some boofheads on a Local Council on the east coast of Australia (Bondi Beach) have decided that they will not fly the Australian flag from their council building because it is "culturally insensitive" to people from other countries. How dopey is that?

This "political correctness" garbage has just gone way too far! We even had certain shopping centres toning down Christmas displays so it would not offend people of other religions. Duh! This is Australia. To the twits who made that decision - get a brain!

I have to get off that subject. It annoys me too much. So, I want to finish my first MONTHORAMA post for 2006 on a positive note. I want to talk about New Year Resolutions. Do you have one? Have you broken it already? Most people do. The key is to re-affirm it, whatever it may be, every day and the BEST way to do that, bar none, is to write something down EVERY day. Let me give you an example...

On the 31st of December 2002 I decided that I wanted to take my karate ability to a new level. I purchased a small exercise book and ruled it into columns. Each day I was to practice and record what I did. Let me say: writing it down made it REAL. Guess how many days I missed in the three years to 31 December 2005? NONE! And I have started 2006 the same way.

Whatever it is, whatever your goal - make a pact or promise to yourself and write it down. After that it is simple. You are not to go to bed until you have made an entry into your book. Yeah, it takes discipline but discipline can be learned. Writing your goal down then adding to it every day solidifies your committment.

OK. That's enough for now. Remember, if you were a competition entrant last month send me the email and you will get your wealth e-book. Talk to you later. Gary.

Gary Simpson is a 7th Dan karate master who teaches self defense, motivation, self help and wealth building to students around the world through home study courses. You may reprint this article as you include this author credit and an active link to his web site. Finance - Self Help - Motivation - Self Defense - Personal Growth MotivationSelfEsteem.com