Home of the Brave

Is America still the home of the brave?

Yes, Yes it is.

I will admit that she lacks the luster and shine of years past. America also lacks the brave hero's that walked her streets in the recent past. Not the sensational hero's that are portrayed in TV or the movies but the everyday hero's that make up the heart and soul of America.

Are you the pillar of the community? Are you the person people come to in times of trouble? When someone is in need, do they seek you out? I hope so.

Being brave does not mean invincible or unerring or even perfect. It just means that you are willing to fight for the right things. It means that you are willing to stand up and be counted when things get tough. You will not shrink into the background when the situation becomes uncomfortable.

Being brave also means that you have integrity and character. That you can be trusted, with a little or a lot. That you are a man of your word.

My father is that kind of man. He is willing to listen, then say no. He has had to make many difficult decisions in the past. Some he would like to forget and some great decisions. He is a brave man because when he faced a difficult decision he did not back away from it. He took it head on and made the best of what ever happened. He never gave up. He always did the right thing.

There are other men like this in America, lots of them. Probably you are one of them.

I'm asking you to show it, by taking your family to do something, instead of watching TV. Run around the block and lose that extra 40 lbs. Eat a salad once in a while, instead of the manly burger. Cut back on beer and excesses. Get back into your fighting shape. At work, do the 10% more. Be 5 minutes early. Smile and get to work.

The land of the brave is made up of you and me. Lets be the examples for the kids of this generation. Always think that someone is watching and be a manly man of discipline and honor.

Maybe then... We (men) will not be characterized by the insane world of TV where every man is an idiot, drunk, womanizer or cheat. And, everyone else will see us in the same light that we see ourselves in the Land of the Brave.

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

Land of the Free

Land of the Free.

Are we? Yes we are.

Where else in the world can you stand on the street corner and complain about the government or the president? Where you can be a Red Sox fan and live in New York? Where you can be a Raider hater? Where you can refuse to eat your vegetables? Where you can replace the entire government in a non-confrontational, non-violent way?

If you lose your job, you can start a new company. If you do not like your boss you can quit. If you disagree with the lawmakers, you can protest or vote them out. Arranged marriages are not the custom in America. Most Americans do not like being told what to do. They want the freedom to make their own horrible mistakes, whether that is in business, education or love.

However, Freedom costs. It costs a price in blood and in action. Thousands young men and women sacrificed their lives for our freedom in the last few hundred years. It costs, in the risk associated with starting a new business or an investment. Freedom give you the ability to choose what to watch on TV or at the movies. Freedom even allows me to dislike a sports team.

I have lived in countries where the citizens are not free to speak as we can. They may use the words of liberty and freedom, but they are hollow in their mouths. Their freedom is counterfeit. It is a false representation of true freedom. They cannot know true freedom because they are being fed lies and are not allowed to disagree. If you cannot disagree with authority, eventually you will believe everything that the government says. For example, is there really a huge threat to China from Mongolia and the Dali-Lama? Is everything that Kim Jong-il says, true? Is Fidel Castro finally backing off communism? I do not know but if the citizens of those countries are not allowed to disagree and check it out for themselves they are not free.

True freedom comes at a price few are willing to pay, individually. Collectively they may be willing but reluctant. No one wants to die for no good reason.

I may not agree with the current American administration, but I will be the first in line to support them as they choose a path they think is right for this country. I voice my opinion with a vote. If they win again, I will support them as I have done these last two years. This is freedom and it is my duty to support freedom in every form.

We are free. Freedom is worth it. Never let the flame of freedom go out.

mage by ritab38315

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

Success Tweet 114: Write in the Active, Not Passive, Voice | Bud Bilanich

Use the active voice in your writing.  Say “I suggest we do this,” rather than “It is suggested that…”

When you use the active voice your writing and you come across as strong, forceful and self confident.  If you need a grammar refresher, in the active voice the subject of the sentence does something.  Go back to the tweet.  In the first example, “I” is the subject of sentence.  To continue with the example, I does something, he or she suggests doing this…

via budbilanich.com

The 4 Rules to Being a Great Communicator

image via johnmcnab

Have you ever met someone who could say one thing and mean something else? On the surface that seems to be a really valuable skill but in the long run it will backfire on you every time.

Here is an example of changing the meaning of a sentence. Speak the sentence out loud emphasizing a different word each time.

"I did not say she did it."

Emphasizing each word changes the meaning of the sentence. In order to be a great communicator

Say what you mean.

When you say something, choose your words carefully and measure the response of your audience. It is the speakers responsibility to transfer the message to the audience, whether that is an audience of one or a few. You as the speaker are responsible for your words and their impact. It is irresponsible to talk about thing you know nothing about. 

Shut up, if you don't have anything to say.

It is better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Great communicators are most often great listeners. They will listen to the others in the conversation (like a date) and then ask follow up questions about the topic. It is the high calling of a gentleman to know when to keep his thoughts to himself.

Be interested in the other person(s).

When speaking to a large audience, more than 3, remember that you are speaking to each one individually. You are having a personal conversation with each person in the audience. Look into their eyes and see if they are hearing what you want them to hear. If they are confused simplify the statement. If they are bored, liven it up. If they are not interested, stop and ask them what they want.

Tell the Truth, gently

No one trusts a BS artist. You may think that you've got it over on us, but you are wrong. Tell the truth even when it may not be the most palatable thing to say. You will build integrity and character that will out last anything else. Telling the truth is hard and very few do it. If you must point out something wrong that will upset your listener, do it gently. There is no reason to be a harsh jerk when pointing out others faults. Try to remember a time when someone pointed out one of your flaws and use that same demeanor to help your listeners.

Being a lying two faced jerk serves no one. Being an honest, trustworthy listener will gain you more value than gold.

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

How to Answer: 'What Have You Been Doing Since You Were Laid Off?' - Careers Articles

When you first lost your job, you spent your time wallowing in your sorrows -- eating ice cream in your pajamas and watching 'Judge Judy' all afternoon. Then your determination kicked in, and you decided to find a new job. You perused job boards, polished up your résumé, searched for old co-workers on LinkedIn -- and occasionally watched 'Judge Judy' all afternoon.

via jobs.aol.com

3 Tools to Keep In Touch With Your Network | Brand-Yourself.com Blog

Maintaining and growing your network takes time and effort.  Having a tool to help you do this seems like the natural solution.  You know you should be keeping in touch with your network, however, you find the thought of it overwhelming.  How in the world will I have the time?  But perhaps the truer question is, how can you make it easier?

With more of us using social networks and email, it seems even more difficult to manage it all. There are some super tools available to help simplify the process.  Tools however, are only the mechanism.  Your message still needs to be authentic and genuine.

via blog.brand-yourself.com

5 Funny Job Search Strategies - Career blog - Position Ignition - the next step in your career

If you're looking for creative ideas to boost your job search, here are a few wacky strategies-all of which have actually been tried in real life!

1. Name Change-A fan of the radio station talkSPORT wanted a job with the company so badly that he recently changed his name to 'The Late Show on talkSPORT'.

via positionignition.com