Friday 56 & #BookBeginnings: Use All the Crayons!

 For Book Beginnings:
Charcoal and lampblack: those were the only two colors the company that would grow to be Crayola Crayons produced when it was founded in 1864. And it took good lighting and a discerning eye to differentiate between the two.

- p. xii, Introduction

For Friday 56:
I put a moratorium on boring dinner deaths the other night after yet another old neighbor lady passed away in her sleep. It's not that I'm opposed to morbid death talk at dinner. On the contrary, I've always considered myself a death connoisseur. I enjoy lively talks about death and dying.
- p. 56

About Use All the Crayons by Chris Rodell: Chris Rodell likes to consult with a five-year-old anytime he needs a reminder as to what is important in life. In his uplifting, humorous, and spiritual guidebook Use All the Crayons!, Rodell encourages others to become universally happy by becoming more colorful, interesting, and, most importantly, fun!

Rodell insists that colorful people are invited to the coolest parties; with that goal in mind, he presents over five hundred tips and entertaining, Dale Carnegie–like anecdotes that provide a glimpse into how he has successfully transformed his life into one not focused on money or fame, but instead on inspirational experiences, laughter, and fulfillment. Accompanied by personal diary entries, Rodell shares simple ideas for living a more colorful life, including adding the title “Rev.” to all subscriptions and charitable donations, keeping handfuls of confetti ready for impromptu celebrations, and understanding the advantages of getting a $75 wrist tattoo of an $18,000 Rolex instead of the real thing.

Like a box of crayons, we are all born with an astounding range of color options. This effervescent guidebook combines populist common sense with a healthy dose of optimism in the hopes of teaching others how to make every day as vivacious as the brightest crayon in the box.