Good things to read.

Connect the Dots by Rashmi Bansal. Connect the Dots is the story of 20 enterprising individuals without an MBA, who started their own ventures. They were driven by the desire to prove themselves. To lead interesting, passionate, meaningful lives. Their stories say one thing loud and clear : you don’t need a fancy degree or a rich daddy to dream big and make it happen – it’s all in your head, your heart, your hands.

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho.  Eleven Minutes is the story of Maria, a young girl from a Brazilian village, whose first innocent brushes with love leave her heartbroken. At a tender age, she becomes convinced that she will never find true love, instead believing that “love is a terrible thing that will make you suffer. . . .” A chance meeting in Rio takes her to Geneva, where she dreams of finding fame and fortune. Maria’s despairing view of love is put to the test when she meets a handsome young painter. In this odyssey of self-discovery, Maria has to choose between pursuing a path of darkness or risking everything to find her own “inner light”.

Man, Woman and Child by Eric Segal. An unforgettable story of love, the drama of a father and the son he never knew, and a marriage that must stand the greatest test of all. Bob and Sheila Beckwith had everything: rewarding careers, two wonderful daughters, and a perfect marriage… almost perfect. For what Sheila didn’t know was that Bob has once been unfaithful-only once, ten years ago during a business trip to France.  This story covers every possible emotion and relationship of a family!

Good things to watch.

Blood Diamond. Enthralling story, captivating screenplay and a must watch for an insight into the lives of people in Africa, especially the areas where diamonds are in abundance.

The King’s Speech.  The king becomes a symbol of perseverance and resilience. A story of friendship, a story of love – another must watch!

Friends. 6 imperfect people with their imperfect live – and what they, finally, make out of it.

Good things to use.

Canon camera IXUS 105. Simple usage and marvellous results. Affordable, handy, compact in size, easy to carry even in jeans pocket, sleek models, option of different body colors. For technicalities and the review.  The ELPH line in the United States and Canada.

Parker pens. Sexy body, stylish look and smooth in writing! It can give you an intellect business-minded posh look.

Ebay Auctions. Sometimes the stuff one can get off this site is amazing! I have a fetish for stamp and currency collection and this site brightens my day more often than I expect!

Good things to read.

Lifehacker. (Shameless plug!) Even if I didn’t work here, I’d still read it every day. It’s impossible to read and not come away knowing something (something useful - important distinction) that you didn’t know before visiting.

LadyBits. It’s a tech/science/culture collection for savvy women (and the guys who know and love them). My dear friend Arikia just launched it via Medium, and though there isn’t much content there yet, I promise you it’s one to watch.

The Norton Shakespeare. I dug it up a couple of weeks ago in a moment of college nostalgia. I’ve only read a handful of Shakespeare’s plays (and only the biggies), so I’m trying to make my way through some of the lesser known ones. Bonus: if you want to mess with people/look like an insufferable snob, read it on the train (it’s 3,000 plus pages and weighs about 5 lbs).

Good things to watch.

Game of Thrones. I’m sure I’m the millionth person to list this, but for good reason. Dragons! Sex! Accents! Magic! Mystery! Dinklage! What’s not to like?

The West Wing. I started watching it after a heated discussion in our Lifehacker chatroom about Aaron Sorkin and The Newsroom (which I’ve watched but will spare you my thoughts on). I was in grade school when the West Wing first aired, so I overlooked it or just thought it was for old people, which… I guess I am one now. I’m only halfway through the first season, but it’s so well done. Allison Janney can do no wrong.

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. It’s a cute little web series that Jerry Seinfeld did, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: Seinfeld picks up other comedians (Larry David, Alec Baldwin, Ricky Gervais, etc.) in gorgeous old cars, and they go get coffee. It’s charming and hilarious. Needs more women though.

Good things to use.

Your brain, always.

A well-made (or shitty, whatever) notebook. What matters is that you enjoy writing in it. It’s good to get away from the keyboard every once in awhile.

Probiotics. I’m sort of fascinated with bacteria and gut health and the insanely sophisticated system of flora the body maintains. I know from experience that when the balance of this is thrown out of whack, the consequences can be devastating. So even though it makes me sound like a granola-loving hippie, I recommend probiotics to all of my friends and family whether they have serious digestive problems or not.

Find more things she likes on Twitter, @TessaJeanMiller.

Good things to read.

The $100 Startup by Chris Guillibeau. I’ve read a lot of business books, but this one had an incredible impact on me. Chris is an amazing writer, and his story and the stories of the business owners in the book are incredibly inspiring. It was this book actually that was the catalyst to me starting 12 Minute Athlete—I read it in one day, then the next day had the idea, bought the URL, and got started on my business. I’d highly recommend it to any wannabe entrepreneur or solopreneur!

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon: This book made me smile and want to create really awesome things all the time. It’s a quick read, and I reread it every once in a while to get a boost of inspiration.

The 4-Hour Body: This book is a goldmine of crazy experiments, recipes, and exercises to help you do whatever you’re looking to do with your body, whether it’s to lose weight fast, reduce body fat percentage, or work out as efficiently as possible for the least amount of time you can. I originally bought the Kindle version of this book, but went ahead and got the hardcover after I’d read it because I loved it so much.

Good things to watch.

Gary Vaynerchuck’s Ted Talk. “Hustle is the most important word ever.” In this Ted Talk, which is probably one of my favorites of all time, Gary will motivate you like only he can to get off your butt and go hustle. The first time I saw it, I watched it twice in a row, it was that good. Now I try and watch it at least once a month to remind myself to hustle.

Mobility WOD: Anyone who works out a lot knows it can take a toll on your body. Mobility WOD is packed with short, informative videos on how to prevent injuries, resolve aches and pains, and optimize athletic performance. It’s awesome. Watch it.

Dead Poet’s Society: This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I saw it for the first time in my eighth grade English class and have watched it at least once a year since. I even got a tattoo inspired by the movie’s theme: Carpe Diem (seize the day).

Good things to use.

Nike Fuel band. I wear my Nike Fuel band pretty much every minute of the day that I’m not sleeping. It’s an awesome tool to let you know how active you’ve been for the day. Also, I’m pretty proud that my fuel score is on average over twice the normal Nike Fuel user!

Gymboss timer. Since I pretty much only do HIIT (high intensity interval training), I need some sort of interval timer to keep time during my workouts. Although there are plenty of free interval timer websites and apps you can use, I like the Gymboss timer because it’s durable (I’ve dropped it on concrete countless times and it’s still in tact). Plus it has a clip so you can jump rope or sprint to your heart’s content and it’ll stay put.

Jump rope: I bring a jump rope pretty much everywhere with me. It’s the absolute easiest way to get in an awesome HIIT workout no matter how little space you have, if it’s raining outside, if you don’t have a gym to go to, etc. Plus it’s way more fun to use than running on a treadmill for hours.

Connect with Krista on Twitter, @12minuteathlete.

Good things to read.

The Unconsoled, by Kazuo Ishiguro. This is a unique novel, nominally about a pianist who arrives in a European city to perform a concert, which plays with the reader’s expectations as to narrative cohesion. It’s a book written in the manner of a dream, with all of the corresponding spatial, temporal and narrative malleability, and is well worth at least attempting to read.

Universal Principles of Design, by Lidwell et al. This is an accessible (and beautifully produced and printed) book covering many facets of design: visual, behavioural, cognitive and emotional. It’s easy to dip into, and its many very brief chapters are both concise and informative. It’s one of my favourite books on design.

Design Patterns, by Gamma et al. This books talks about design in the software architecture sense, presenting classic patterns for control flow, abstraction, delegation and more. Some of the names may be different from those you’re used to from your own development platform, but any programmer will gain a great deal of insight from this clear, rational treatment.

Good things to watch.

The Good Wife. My own wife introduced me to this show. It’s a legal/political drama, with a strong and nuanced female lead character and an impressive ensemble cast. Julianna Margulies manages to portray both capability and vulnerability without sacrificing either, and the storylines are extremely contemporary – often touching on the travails of large tech companies and the legal issues surrounding information ubiquity and privacy.

Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace. This is a magnificent British dark comedy series, which presents itself as if it’s a rediscovered lost classic from the 1980s. The titular character is a self-possessed, arrogant, insecure and casually sexist pulp horror fiction author, and Darkplace was supposedly the low-budget TV adaption of some of his work, also starring himself and his friends. There are only 6 episodes, but the attention to detail and satire-upon-pastiche nature of the show make it instantly comfortable.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. A timely choice, given this year’s release of the second reimagined Star Trek movies. Khan is not only easily in the top two Trek movies (and indeed I’d put it in the top spot, above First Contact), but it’s also perhaps the pinnacle of the tight, tense and claustrophobic sub-genre of space battles. It manages to deal with ageing, family, love, friendship, death and vengeance, with a truly epic Horner score and one of the most satisfying cat-and-mouse space battles I’ve ever seen. The crew are extremely comfortable in their roles without the premise feeling fatigued, and there are moments of surprising emotion. Khan remains one of my favourite movies of all time, sci-fi or otherwise.

Good things to use.

xScope, by The Iconfactory. xScope is a fantastic tool for designers, whether your work is destined for the web, apps, or something else. It incorporates several very clever tools, including on-screen frames for various devices and screen-sizes, automatic edge-finding measurement tools, colour pickers with colour-blindness simulation, global guides, and the ability to mirror your designs on iOS devices. It should be part of any designer’s or developer’s toolkit.

Staedtler Pigment Liner Fineliner pens. These are my favourite pens (often for use in my beloved Moleskine squared-paper large softcover notebooks). I use then for writing notes and for UI sketches, and I like to keep a range of nib sizes: 0.5mm down to 0.05mm. The ink flows smoothly and is pleasantly dark without requiring pressure, and there’s no scratchiness. You can also get them in a range of colours if you wish, but I find that the plain black pigment liners suit me perfectly.

Mu folding UK plug. In the UK, we have large three-pronged moulded power plugs which, whilst very safe, are bulky to transport (commonly creating a bump in your messenger bag, or even gradually fraying the fabric from inside). The Mu plug fixes that by offering a UK plug (mains to USB) that folds flat for transport. When folded out for use, it’s very robust and can be readily inserted into and removed from even the stiffest power socket, and it folds flat again in seconds. It’s not cheap, but it’s well worth buying for either British people travelling, or those visiting the UK.

Good things to read.

Children’s books. It’s funny how a children’s story book can cram a life lessons in fifteen pages and adult books drone on and on and on…

Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. Everyone writes: Letters, emails, blogs, books and those god-forsaken status updates. This handy book is my go-to resource every day. Yes. Every. Single. Day.

Joshua Becker’s Simple Living eBooks. I owe my current lifestyle to Josh. His thought-provoking, non-judgmental approach to minimalism is something anyone can incorporate if they desire a simpler life. My favorite is Inside-Out Simplicity: Life Changing Keys to Your Most Important Relationships.

Good things to watch.

Live music. My friend, Robin, hosts house concerts each month and I am so inspired by the local songwriters and singers who come to share their talent with us. I’m married to a musician and have to say there isn’t any kind of ‘bad’ mood that a good, thoughtfully written song can’t soothe.

Children playing. I became a mom last year at the age of 41. I thought I had reached a point in my life where nothing could amaze me anymore. But, when I watch my son reach for a wooden block, or see him laughing at the cat walk by, I realize the simple things in life are truly amazing. And it puts life in perspective for me.

I’m Fine Thanks. This film gives wonderful examples of everyday people giving up THE American Dream in order to live THEIR American Dream. It brought me to tears many times.

Good things to use.

Nap time. Last weekend the house was messy, I needed to go to the grocery store, and laundry piled up around me. And when my son went down for his afternoon nap, I joined him. Those three hours gave me strength to get through the rest of the day. Anyone who passes up a chance to nap is crazy!

The public library. Free classes, children’s story hour, book sales, workshops and um…books – all at your disposal and all free. My son and I go to the library at least once a week.

Parent’s Day Out. In my community, several local churches host these events and times vary. Here in my town, most PDO’s are daytime (and yes, I ship my son out two days a week for four hours), but one local church has a monthly Parent’s Night Out and that’s a great, affordable way to get babysitting so you can enjoy a date night with your partner.

Good things to read.

 Poetry. Any kind will do. Poems are really music without sound. Whether you like the bold crassness of Charles Bukowski, the exquisite darkness of Mark Strand, or the brilliant pondering of Adrienne Rich, reading a poem is like getting a concentrated dose of inspiration. Ironically, though, while poems are usually short enough to read at any moment, you can only read so many without getting too intoxicated and overwhelmed. (Is it a copout to choose a whole genre? Very well then, see the complete poems of E. E. Cummings, where you’ll find the most beautiful love poems. Really.)

Smart bloggers. We’re lucky to have so many good writers putting up/sharing free content all the time. Off the top of my head, I think you should check out the insanely honest and funny James Altucher, enlightening Derek Sivers, and flat-out productive person Jeff Atwood (who wrote one of the best posts about parenthood ever). Master curators Maria Popova on Brain Pickings, Jason Kottke on Kottke.org, and Dave Pell on Next Draft should also be in your feeds.

And, to be practical: Real Simple, the magazine and website, which covers everything from home organization to wardrobe shortcuts to unusual uses for old things. Like Lifehacker, it’s all about making life simpler and easier (although Real Simple has less of a tech bent). 

Good things to watch.

America’s Test Kitchen. On YouTube and PBS. It’s the science of good cooking: tested recipes, equipment, and techniques. Because, really, we all should be making and eating great food.

Mythbusters. They put all the most interesting myths to the test. The latest episode: MacGyver Myths. Could he really have flown a plane made of bamboo? Created a hole in a wall with pure sodium? Epic.

Game of Thrones. I have no productivity-related reason to recommend this, other than it just rocks. It’s reason enough to subscribe to HBO. One word of advice, though: Don’t read the books before the related season. You’ll be in purgatory waiting for the show to catch up and wondering why the characters on screen are still alive. (It’s pure torture.) 

Good things to use.

Automation tools. Automate as much as you can. App-connecting service IFTTT is truly awesome: You can send starred Gmail messages to Evernote, automatically download Facebook photos to Dropbox, get text message notifications of important news items, and so much more. Similarly, save time and hassle by using Amazon Subscribe & Save for your regular bulk items, an online grocery to get your food delivered with a weekly list, and maybe even a complete meal delivery service like Blue Apron. Cut out all the little things that consume so much time (like weekly meal planning and shopping) and you have time for the more important ones.

A good pair of sneakers. I try to walk as much as I can. Part of this is just for exercise. Part of it is to support my local businesses when I go shopping. And the other part is to get some much needed sunlight as often as I can. It makes for better sleep, better moods, and better ideas.

Your relationships. Not that you should “use” them, of course, but time and again studies have shown that happiness is most closely tied to the quality of your relationships (the latest study was a 75-year-old one on Harvard students). I’m an introvert. I don’t care to be around too many people too often. But I know people matter the most, and those extra steps showing gratitude, being helpful, and otherwise participating in our loved ones’ lives is the reason why we’re all here anyway.

Connect with Melanie on Twitter @melaniepinola

Good things to read.

Overdressed is the story of why most of America’s clothing is so cheap and the effects it is having on everything from our wallets, our manufacturing industry, and our over-stuffed closets. After reading this book, I understood why I have a terrible time finding anything in the stores that I want to buy. Maybe I’ll take up sewing.

Grace for the Good Girl – Letting Go of the Try-Hard Life was another impulse read for me. I apparently have been living under a virtual rock, only recently having discovered Emily’s blog, Chatting at the Sky. But after reading a couple blog posts, I was hooked on her honest, straightforward style. I feel like Emily could be my neighbor across the street. Emily encourages her readers to accept the grace that God has offered us, not just work so hard to be “good” when we can never really be good enough. Thank goodness we don’t have to be.

The Bible. I use the Bible daily to commune with God, to get advice, encouragement, and entertainment. Did you know there are a lot of great stories in there?

Good things to watch.

Good Eats. Now in syndication, I love Alton Brown’s witty scientific approach to cooking. There’s always a Good Eats episode waiting on our DVR.

19 Kids and Counting. This show is such a refreshing look at a real family. The Duggars are so likeable, real and encouraging to moms like me who are working hard to raise our children the best way we know how. Plus, they have the best adventures. Can you imagine taking that many kids all the way to China and Japan? It makes this mom of 4 shudder to think of the logistics that their trip required.

House Hunters. I guess I’m an HGTV junkie. This show really brings home how one’s expectations of a house are all relative. People in California will be thrilled to pay $1 million for a little bungalow that “needs work” while another couple in Mississippi gets a mansion for one quarter that price.

Good things to use.

Essential Oils. My collection of essential oils is used daily. I have found lavender to be a very effective remedy for seasonal allergies – better even than conventional allergy medicine. Peppermint applied to the temples stops most of my migraines in their tracks. Eucalyptus helps with congestion. I diffuse orange and lemon oils for a pick-me-up in the afternoon. Mountain Rose Herbs and Plant Therapy are two of my favorite places for essential oils.

Cast iron cookware. Cast iron is so useful in the kitchen. Clean up is fast – most of the time I can wipe my pans out with a paper towel or a little water and a washcloth. Due to the even distribution of heat, pancakes come out much better in cast iron than in a stainless steel pan.

Mason jars. I have several sizes of mason jars from 1 cup all the way up to a half gallon. They are in use all over my kitchen. I use jars to store iced tea, nuts, uncooked rice and popcorn, homemade yogurt, chicken stock, and leftovers. Since they are virtually indestructible, my kids use them as drinking glasses. You can bake in them, too! If you’re looking for quick decorating ideas, Pinterest has you covered as well.

You can also find Sarah on Twitter – @theEarlyBirdMom.

Good things to read.

The Cheese Monkeys by graphic designer Chip Kidd: A hilarious autobiographical, coming-of-age novel about art school and graphic design classes. I loved this book since I studied art in college and could totally relate. It had me laughing out loud.

Amanda Genther’s Blog: Amanda is a young entrepreneur who I look up to as a small business owner myself. She shares amazing insight on personal branding and resources to help grow your business.

Me Talk Pretty One Day or any book by David Sedaris, he is hilarious.

Good things to watch.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower: Another awesome coming-of-age comedy-drama, I guess I like this genre. After I watched it I was thinking about it for days. I still need to read the book.

Lynda videos – I am always looking to learn new things and Lynda.com has educational tutorials on just about everything including accounting, photography, note taking and typography.

TED talks: Inspirational no matter what the topic, watch as many as you can.

Good things to use.

Wunderlist: This is my favorite digital to do list. It’s simple, well designed and has desktop and iPhone versions.

Panasonic Lumix: I love my camera! It’s pretty small so it’s not a hassle to bring it everywhere and the lenses are interchangeable so it has a lot of variety.

Washi Tape: colorful tape makes everything pretty.

See more of Ciera on Twitter at @CieraHolzenthal.

Good things to read.

The Last Fine Time. It’s some of the finest non-fiction prose I’ve ever read, and it happens to be about a unique moment in my town’s history: the Polish-centered East side of post-war Buffalo. It’s one of those stories that tells a much larger story, which sounds cliché, but only because it’s true: the story of this tavern is the story of Buffalo.

Reverse Design: Chrono Trigger.  I rented Chrono Trigger at least a half-dozen times in high school, generally beating it every time, over a weekend. The Game Design Forum does some eye-opening work in explaining what makes certain games just so darned compelling.

Lifted.  Evan Ratliff launched his Atavist app/publishing-house with this piece, and it sells the idea quite well: stories that aren’t book-length, a bit longer than magazine, and perfect for certain types of readers. Also: bank heists. Bank heist stories are the best.

Good things to watch.

Freaks & Geeks.  I’m just about the last self-styled culture nerd to finish watching this series, but I have this to say: every praise and recommendation you heard about this amazing series is true. It’s unnervingly good at evoking a very particular time in our lives.

Archer.  Sex, booze, secret agents. It’s a guilty pleasure, but it does make me think about what makes for really, really great voice acting. H. Jon Benjamin is probably the best voice actor alive.

“The Baby Bullet” – It’s an infomercial, with voices dropped to roughly half speed, and creepy music thrown in. Enjoy.

Good things to use.

Forecast.io – The makers of the popular and scarily accurate Dark Sky weather app kept getting requests to flesh out their will-it-rain-in-the-next-hour app to a full-fledged weather service. So they did that—in a single, responsive, remarkably well-made webapp. Load it in a browser, a tablet, or a phone. Play with the smoothed-out radar maps. So slick, so data nerdy, so good.

Griffin USB Mini-Cable Kit.  I don’t know why it took so long for me and Lifehacker and my coworking space to realize that short cables can be so much better than long cables, but, here they are. Three cables that cover most Androids, non-brand-new Apple devices, and every other USB-charged gadget, fit nicely into pockets and bags, and bend without fraying.

Pebble watch. I have an odd message about this smartphone-linked, notification-receiving watch. I don’t exactly recommend it, at least in this early stage without all its promised apps built, and not all its kinks worked out. But I find it really helpful to have a watch that shows me just the crucial things happening: text messages, emails from certain Gmail labels, rain alerts. Everything else on my phone, and in my inbox, can be more calmly ignored until I get to them. It feels like a small part of the future.

If you’d like to read more about Kevin visit thepurdman.com or find him on Twitter, @KevinPurdy.

Good things to read.

The Vein of Gold by Julia Cameron. This book is an extension of the Artist’s Way both by Julia Cameron. Julia leads you through a series of exercises that help you understand who you really are, what really matters, and how you became that individual. I wish the audio version was available digitally because I have worn out the cassette version.

Making a Living without a Job – Barbara Winters. Barbara has been inspiring folks to do the work they were meant to do since the 80′s. I met this inspiring lady at a lecture here in Orlando, FL. The idea of working for yourself was in its infancy back then. As someone with diverse interests and talents, I love her chapter on multiple profit centers.

Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit, A Son Remembers by Sean Hepburn Ferrer. Sean writes lovingly about his mother Audrey Hepburn in this touching tribute. We tend to forget that this brilliant actress and Ambassador for Unicef was also a loving mother. My own mother gave me this book which adds to the meaning.

Good things to watch.

We Bought a Zoo. I watched this movie with my kids and my son, Alex gave me a copy for Christmas. This movie is inspiring because it is based on a true story and the struggles of doing the work you are passionate about doing. My favorite line is when the father (Matt Damon) says to his son (Colin Ford), “Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage, and I promise you something great will come of it.”

Fixing the Future – PBS. This documentary showed how cities all around the USA are coping with the “New Economy” and coming up with creative ways to not just survive but thrive.

Under the Tuscan Sun. I love this story about turning strangers into family, loving yourself, & loving your life. The gorgeous Italian scenery is perfect for whenever I need a mental vacation.

Good things to use.

Nike + with my Nike walking shoes. This ingenious product coupled with my comfy Nike’s makes my walks more fun. It tracks how much I walk and I love the positive feedback from sport’s stars.

Starbucks Via’s. These are great to throw in your suitcase and keep in your desk drawer. All I need is some hot water to enjoy my favorite coffee addiction.

iPad with Brookstone Projector. The iPad is truly an amazing creation. I am a book nut with shelves in every room that are overflowing. I love having my favorite books with me, being able to surf the net, watch a movie, and listen to pod casts anywhere. My father gave me the Brookstone Projector which is great for presentations & speaking engagements without having to lug around a big projector and a computer. Recently, I have been giving presentations on Encore Entrepreneurs, Niching Your Business for Greater Reach & Designing Your Home for Accessibility.

Kimberly is on Twitter, @KimberlyLoveWeb