At work we have something called the "free table" where anything that comes in over the transom goes that's up for grabs. Today, I found a copy of the just-published "Rules of Thumb: A Life Manual."

Author Tom Parker's tome is about the size of one of the Big Little Books and is just the right dimensions to cram into a day pack or purse.

The book is described by Workman Publishing as "a mix of folk wisdom, common sense, shared experience, the advice of experts, and the kind of group think that's made websites like Wikipedia so vital. 'Rules of Thumb' is the impulsive compendium of 1,000 general principles that apply to every facet of life. Collected by Tom Parker for over 25 years, these are rules that are practical, quirky, and as entertaining to read as they are relevant to the reader."

The book is a fun read, whether on your commute or on your commode. My favorite rule of thumb is this one:

Two out of every three magazines tossed along the roadside will be pornographic.

That's absolutely true. Back when I was in junior high, I was walking my grandmother back from the Miller's supermarket at JCRS shopping center along Pierce Street in Lakewood, Colorado, when she noticed a magazine at the curb and picked it up. We stood there speechless for an embarrassingly long moment as we each read this gay publication's title to ourselves: He's Hard, I'm Lucky. (Although on second thought, it might have been Him Hard, Me Lucky.)

Grandma held the magazine carefully between her thumb and forefinger until we reached a dumpster at the next alley.

Be sure to have a look at the "Rules of Thumb" website, and contribute some of your own rules. And for more information on the FourTrack application I used to record this podcast on my iPhone, visit Sonoma Wire Works or check out this MarketWatch story.

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