Publishing Facts

• I started writing the book in January of 2018 and finished in October of 2018. That said, so much of the content was repurposed and seeded from the blog, so, in many ways, I've been writing it for 12 years.
• I wrote a majority of this book on an Alpha Neo (a portable word processing keyboard) in a coffee shop. I really tried to write on my laptop and desktop, but there were just too many distractions and the Neo helped me stay in flow.
• I consider this book our book rather than my book, meaning that this book would not have happened if it weren't for the amazing connections I've made with the Productive Flourishing community over the last 12 years.
• It is not your standard paperback - it's 7.5×9 with flaps
• Two-color printing - bright green headings throughout the book with orange accents

Serious Charlie Facts

• Before I got into writing, thinking, coaching, and teaching about meaningful action back in 2007, I was teaching philosophy at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, while I was completing my Ph.D. (in Philosophy) while simultaneously managing a career as a logistics officer in the Army National Guard.
• Some people have a hard time understanding who I am because I seem to be a mixture of contradictory traits. I'm philosophical yet pragmatic; compassionate yet disciplined; creative yet analytical; driven yet laid back; happy but calm.
• My philosophical specialties are ethics and social/political philosophy. I've also done a lot of reading in American pragmatism, process thought, existentialism, classical philosophy, and Taoist philosophy.
• I was a joint force logistics coordinator in the Army National Guard and exited as a Captain. As my career progressed, I spent more time making sure the Air Force and Army were on the same sheet of operational music. But, of course, that's like conducting two symphonies at once. Ah, the good ole days.
• I deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in '04-'05. I was a transportation platoon leader for part of the tour and a plans officer for the other part. It was one of the best and worst times of my life.

Fun Charlie Facts

• I grew up in Fort Smith, Arkansas (in case you've ever wondered about the accent that pops up sometimes).
• I love tabletop and role-playing games. On the nerds-vs.-normal spectrum, I pass as a normal unless other game nerds are around, in which case I start failing my charisma checks.
• I'm a self-taught singer-songwriter who plays acoustic guitar. My style is like a combination of Jack Johnson, Amos Lee, David Gray, Mat Kearney, Michael Franti, and Jason Mraz - with some Lupe Fiasco, Smashing Pumpkins, and Radiohead thrown in.
• I was a cheerleader in high school. Were it not for pictures on Facebook, I might not have told you.
• I like to think I'm in charge, but the truth is that I am ruled over by a 21-year-old cat, Petie, who has very clear directions for me about how I spend my time outside of work. Wake up. Give me your lap, human. No, I really mean treats. Why aren't you giving me your lap? And, treats. Come to bed now.
• Strengths from Strengths Finder: Strategic, Relator, Connectedness, Individualization, and Learner. Enneagram 9w8. ENTP, but pretty mid-line on all of them.