This past year I have been fortunate enough to write for several publications including Farmers’ Almanac online. My work there led to an invite to write for the 2011 print edition; American and Canadian editions. And now, as of Monday, my article will be on newsstands everywhere.

The article, 5 Gardening Trends for 2011 and Beyond, is three pages of advice, trends, and tips for the upcoming year in the garden. I can hardly remember what I wrote, to be honest, but I am sure that one day soon I’ll make myself sit down to reread my thoughts.

Published every year since 1818, the Farmers’ Almanac is the go-to source for inspirational and useful tips. Time tested and generation approved, each edition of the Farmers’ Almanac is a compendium of knowledge on weather, gardening, cooking, remedies, managing your household, preserving the earth and more.

And to celebrate the publishing I am going to be giving away a copy of the American edition. To be eligible you need only:

• Comment on this blog post
• Post about my entry on your own blog (and provide me a link)
• Promote this contest on Twitter (and hashtag it with #farmersalmanac
• Post a status update on Facebook (and tag me)
• Send me a personal email including your social security number, bank account number, and PIN

I would like to write a book entitled, “The Day Tuna Fish Ruined My Salad”.

It would be a short book, yes, but it would be from the heart and would serve as a warning to others.

This morning I made my bed. Exciting, huh? I also straightened the drawer that holds my boxers. Weird, huh? Oh, and I made sure that I had all of ID’s in my wallet and a biz card in my pants pocket. I guess to some people that isn’t odd. What is odd though is that I do these things everyday.

I hadn’t really thought about it until I read by Ms. Serendipity. Then I started working through my daily schedule and habits.

I do these things in case I die during the day. My mother would be proud of a freshly made bed. Shows my cleanliness and attention to detail. My hospital could be paid for with my Blue Cross Blue Shield card and VISA (found in my wallet). My wife could be notified of my passing by the contact details readily available on my biz card. How morbid, huh?

You mean  you don’t have any daily habits that have become so do to some deep-seeded morbidity? Come on…’fess up!

Yesterday I drove to Griffin, Georgia to take the substitute teacher training course. It was only about five hours long and I figured it to be a rather painless exercise in discipline and keeping my extremities awake even under duress and fatigue. The instructor was mildly entertaining and the class was filled with the typical lineup of teacher hopefuls, ex-teacher know-it-alls, jaded older people, the unemployed, and the “I’m just here to get a paycheck” people. We covered a variety of tips including classroom management, SPONGE exercises, learning styles, and disciplinary actions. However, it was the following message we were encouraged to take away and remember as we were guaranteed it would become our mantra.

“Survive The Day”

Isn’t that comforting? Of all the things they wanted us to remember and apply as substitute teachers survival was the most emphasized.

It has been nearly nine months since I first became aware of an opportunity to co-author (collaborative authoring, I call it) a book now titled Age of Conversation 2. After reading the ideas behind the book I immediately knew what I wanted to write about. So, with a little research and some well invested time at a little cafe in Paris and then an abandoned farmhouse in Mississippi I decided on a chapter about the fall of the proper business plan and its brick-and-mortar counterpart and the subsequent rise of the virtual marketplace.

I was joined in this huge endeavor by Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler , Bill Gammell, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Chris Brown, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Schawbel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Dave Davison, David Armano, David Berkowitz, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson , Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne & Todd Cabral, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi , John Herrington, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, href="http://writenowisgood.typepad.com/">Kristin Gorski, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw , Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones , Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood, Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tim Brunelle, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman, Uwe Hook, Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau, Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff, and Yves Van Landeghem.

Age of Conversation 2 is now available for purchase at lulu.com/ageofconversation in downloadable format ($9.99), Hardback ($29.99), and Softback ($16.95). Keep in mind our goal is to not just write a book but to raise over $15k for Variety.

You can also learn more about the project and the authors at the AOC2 blog.

I just want to thank all of you, (my two or three blog readers) for supporting me in my writing goals and in this endeavor. If you purchase a copy, please let me know so I can publicly thank you (or have you photocopy my chapter for me. hahahaha).

I am not unmindful that some of you have come to this blog having gone through great trials and tribulations yesterday. Some of you have come fresh from narrow minds about the state of economics in America. And some of you have come from areas where your quest — quest for financial freedom left you battered by the storms of inflation and staggered by the winds of fluctuating percentage rates. You have been the veterans of creative banking. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the pits of Lehman, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the Bank of America dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident’” that Lehman and Merrill-Lynch do not see all men are created equal.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood and know they can pay the bill and even leave a tip.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of financial freedom and corporate justice.

I have a dream that my neighbors’ four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the debt they owe but what they have managed to do with the money lent them. 

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, d own on Wall Street, with its vicious foreclosures, with its CEOs and Financial Secretary’s having their lips dripping with the words of “interposition” and “nullification” — one day right there on Wall Street little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the simplicity of the dollar shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I stay in New York with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be fiscally free one day.

And this will be the day – this will be the day when all of Bank of America will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

The final list of authors for the book Art of Conversation is now published (see below) and we are set to reach print within the next two months. I encourage you to check out some of my fellow authors and order your copy of the book today!

Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Chris Brown, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Schawbel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Dave Davison, David Armano, David Berkowitz, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne & Todd Cabral, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, John Herrington, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kristin Gorski, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, ="http://www.melodiesinmarketing.com">Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood, Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tim Brunelle, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman, Uwe Hook, Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau, Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff, Yves Van Landeghem

You may remember me mentioning a month or two ago that I was selected along with a handful of other writers to co-write a new book entitled The Art of Conversation. A title looking at the marketplace and business structure of the 21st century, I finally finished my chapter last night. This morning I am going to edit and hopefully turn it in by “the bell” today. I am rather pleased with what I came up with choosing to talk about the business model and tracing its history from the days of “brick and mortar” business structure to the current “Web 2.0 / Silicon Valley” model.

You can prepurchase the book by clicking on the image to the left or you can wait to pick it up at all major bookstores in August. All proceeds go to Variety, the children’s charity