You Matter to Me.

It’s the people, people. Really. Its the people that make all of this worth it. I say this a lot, in different ways, but I say it all the time: Be the person you want to meet. We’re all on a journey…we all merged onto this road at different places, but we’ll undoubtedly cross paths at some point. When we do, I look forward to it. Whatever you’re going through, be it happy or sad, I want to hear about it. If you’re crying, I’ll watch over you till you put it back together. If you’re happy, we’ll rejoice together. If you need anything, I am here. For all of you who’ve been there for me: thank you. It’s meant the world to me, you mean the world to me. You Matter.

I’ve been in a weird place lately. As a rule, when I’m in a weird place, I take those feelings, mull them over for a bit, then project that deficit outward in an effort to heal that deficit in someone else. I’ve felt a bit, like I don’t matter in the way I want to matter. I do a good bit of introspection and I feel like my assessment of myself at the end of the day is accurate. I’m aware of my shortcomings and work to correct them. I had an image of who I was and how I fit into my profession and lately…I felt people aren’t looking to listen to what I bring to the table. They simply think their way of doing it is the only way and they want to know if I can execute the task in that sole way. No thought towards a better way…just drudging through doing it the same old way. So with those feelings…You Matter and I want to hear about what you’re thinking about. I want to take the time to know what you know.

Thanks for reading. *fist bump*

Veterans Need Jobs Too…Tim Knows All About It.

I have a friend. His name is John.  He has a friend named, Tim. This is Tim’s list, from John. Give this a read and start jamming on your resume. I’ve helped a couple people with their resumes and this is wonderful advice. Feel free to contact me if you need resume help.

Tim’s Top Ten on Resumes for Veterans
1. It is ok to use a proper sentence. Stop writing your bullets to look like a fitness report. Bullets from your fitness report may contain some valuable information that you can use on your resume, but are not always structured properly. You do not need to speak in 3rd person.
2. Use a standard resume format. When I review resumes the first thing I do is read the opening paragraph. I don’t really see a need for the word “Objective” to be written in bold, to tell me that is what I am going to read. Just write a decent opening to introduce yourself. A wise man once said “He who reads company website… Borrows words for opening paragraph”
3. The next section I jump to is “Education” on the bottom. I am looking for clues that lead me to believe you are capable of learning the job that I am going to hire for. What are your certifications? Can you work with Microsoft Office? Don’t just tell me you went to college. Do you know how to use any of the systems that we use? Help me out.
4. Now I move to the meat and potatoes. “Experience”. I quickly scan where you worked. Then I dive into the bullets. This is where tip number one comes in handy. What did you do that was successful where you were working? What on earth does your billet mean? If you were a platoon sergeant I might have no clue what that means in civilian language. Were you responsible for managing entry level employees and lower level supervisors? Here is the rule I use:
E-1 – E3 Entry Level
E-4 Lower Level Management
E-5 – E-6 Mid-Level Management
E-7 – E-9 Upper Level Management
O-1 Lower Level Management
O-2 – O-3 Mid-Level Management
O-4 – O5 Upper Level Management
O-6 – O-10 Executive Level Management
5. Spell out all acronyms! What does SNCOIC mean? Now that you told me it means Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge I am still clueless. Translate to terms that I can understand. The rule above might help.
6. If you have been awarded any personal awards, put them at the end of your resume. Give me the basics. This way if I call you for an interview I can ask for details if I choose to. Here is an example
Awarded a Navy and Marine Corps Accommodation Medal for meritorious service while serving as Utilities Chief in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
7. Your resume is the first thing I see. Make a good impression. The very next thing that I do, is look for you on Linkedin. I may even look for you on Facebook. I am looking for reasons not to hire you.
8. Submit a PDF copy of your resume. The format on your computer may look completely different on my computer if it is a word doc. When you submit a PDF I see the exact same thing you see.
9. Show your resume to lots of smart people. Get their professional input. Make sure you bring more than one copy with you. You will want to make notes on one and leave that smart person with the other. You never know what they will do with it.
10. Do not be lazy. Get it done! No one cares about you more than you!

No More Teasers…Hello.

Relationships.

We all have them. We cherish some of them, we avoid others. We seek them, we seek to end them.

I’ve been thinking, especially upon my return from Afghanistan about relationships. Here’s where I’m at.

We are inherently consumers. We are wired to survive, we are wired to ensure we have what we need: emotionally, spiritually, physically, intellectually and we work hard to keep those at acceptable levels for our personalities, where we are in our lives and countless other factors.

What is the protocol when relationships shift from high priority to a lesser priority? Still a priority, but less of one. What happens when you date someone, you make plans, you talk about everything and cocooned in your love pod; everything is perfect. Then reality happens. Reality has a way of being that shovel to the face or falling down some stairs you didn’t see. If you are in a relationship and reality hits; it takes a very astute partner to realize reality is lurking at the bottom of those stairs or winding that shovel up to clock you in the face. Their reflexes could be the difference between them having to get smelling salts to wake you up after you get thwacked or catching the shovel or pushing you out of the way so you don’t get hit.  It’s a survival game.

I’ve said it here before and have engaged in discussions about relationships at various stages with tons of people. I see relationships as a way to have companionship and have two people reacting and experiencing life together. Building love, growing together and truly becoming ‘one’. (In the Biblical sense.)

Because I’ve already covered this in subsequent posts, I won’t dwell on it.

Instead, what happens to two people when one couldn’t prevent the other from getting smacked with the reality shovel? They part ways and their friendship is broken. The amount of care hasn’t changed. All of the initial reasons for a strong friendship are still present and some might argue due to the time spent cultivating the friendship, it’s ceased from being raw ore or a collection of similar elements and is now an alloy. I light, agile, strong compound able to withstand some pretty acute forces of reality. But, due to disagreements on how to temper the alloys; it’s been left in the vice. Files and tongs hang smartly on their hooks; no move to hone this alloy or shape it into anything more than it is. It’s a mass. A conglomeration of experiences, conversations, dreams and aspirations.

When friendships dissolve they don’t really go anywhere, depending on the strength of the relationship. Ignoring the friendship doesn’t destroy the experiences. It doesn’t put the tears, long since wiped away, back on a streaked face. It doesn’t punch the teeth out of smiles, created through shared experiences. It doesn’t go back in time and erase shared glances, handshakes, hugs or kisses. It doesn’t somehow misplace the elation that comes from reunions after long periods of absence. It doesn’t make the warmest hugs, given in comfort, cold. All of those things happened. It will affect trust and I understand that. I’m not talking about infidelity in a relationship. I’m talking about someone who feels abandoned, who feels like they don’t have access to that person anymore. Trust is fixable if the life shared was truly shared.

I would offer, casting aside an insurmountable investment into a friendship/relationship is waste. Reality has a harshness that changes things. A harshness that puts an edge on things.  Based on reality people, places, things shift in their priority. Somethings will be the most important things in the universe…then reality happens, jobs happen, moves happen and the shift happens and reality hits you with a shovel.

It doesn’t mean you aren’t important. It doesn’t mean there is any regret. It means; life.

There are many ways to respond to this: Work harder! You’re always saying discipline is the answer to everything. Just work it out.

True. Discipline is paramount to success in everything. In this case…both parties would need to be disciplined. To offer solutions. Actual solutions, instead of dropping an armful of maps onto the drafting table and walking out; ‘You’ll figure it out! I believe in you!’

Nope. Not the answer.

This will likely be a series as I navigate through thoughts.

COLORS – We see them and involuntarily ascribe feelings and value to them.

Just this morning, I was talking to a fellow public relations professional about web layout and design. There is a kitschy movement as of late, to embrace the white space and use a more minimalist design scheme for business websites.

Colleagues of mine will attest that I will be the first to start shredding things from a product in an attempt to remove clutter and give the eye a more comfortable, less strenuous adventure.

To further perpetuate this quest for a minimalist product, stripped of extraneous cues, businesses are gravitating towards using subdued hues coupled with white, when they aren’t using a straight black and white motif.

Before I get into the meat of this post and my views on design and layout, I will mention, this trend of minimalism, with its wide-spread influence, is beginning to be latched onto by the more unskilled as a way to get info out there without doing too much work.

“It’s not lazy! It’s minimalist!”

There is a vast difference between a minimalist design and unskilled, laziness.

Color is so important. I remember reading this when it first hit the web back in April and am excited to share it with you.

Design should reflect what your company does. Rockstar energy drinks employ bold, loud color schemes with tons of flash and zing! The want to convey performance, speed, enhanced skills. If the went black and white to sell their products  they wouldn’t be able to instantly affect emotions the way their current loud and fast colors schemes do.

Studies have shown that color:

• Increases brand recognition by up to 80%
• Improves readership as much as 40%
• Increases comprehension by 73%
• Can be up to 85% of the reason people decide to buy

Some brands become so closely associated with their color schemes that we recognize them even when their company names aren’t visible. Use the two infographics below as guides to creating your online identity.

Please click on the BIG infographic to read the entire article. It will open in another window. Thanks for reading and good luck with all of your marketing and branding!

WP

17 Ways to Jump-Start a New Year/New You Gym Adventure –

by Laura Schwecherl

We Can Work It Out — Your Action Plan

1. Dodge distractions. Smart phones can be a big time suck. Avoid texts, calls, and Twitter updates by putting your phone on airplane mode. (I’m doing a pushup. … Can I call you back?)

2. Avoid rush hour. Try going to the gym during off-peak hours to steer clear of crowds and avoid waiting for equipment. Extra points for going midday to stay productive all day long!

3. Know where to go. If you’re unfamiliar with the gym, scope out the scene before the workout. Figure out where all the equipment is so you’re not running in circles looking for the kettlebells.

4. Download an app. Not sure exactly what to do at the gym? Don’t waste time wondering and use a fitness app to have a plan in your palm! Try a strength training or running app to get started.

5. Turn on the tunes. Studies show listening to music while working out can help people workout harder, better, faster, and stronger^[1][2][3].

6. Set a goal. Figure out what you want to do at the gym before arriving. (Arms? Abs? Cardio?) Write down the number of sets or even a specific workout to avoid cutting corners.

7. Stay hydrated. Water doesn’t only hydrate — it can fight fatigue, too^[4]. Fill up the water bottle or frequent the fountains to stay energized all workout long.

8. Fuel up. Make sure you’re not running on empty on the gym room floor. Try a pre-workout snack like an apple and peanut butter or a protein smoothie to have enough fuel for a killer workout.

9. Time your rest. Stay aware of the clock ticking between intervals or sets. That one-minute “rest” could turn into three or four minutes if you’re not conscious of how much time is slipping away.

10. Do supersets. Want to really save time and challenge the body? Do two exercises in a row that focus on the same muscle group (read: superset). Decreasing rest will engage muscles and burn more calories.

11. Up the resistance. To avoid the weight room plateau, begin to increase your weight safely. Upping intensity will help build muscle so we can start getting stronger in no time^[5].

12. Take a class. Sign up for a yoga, spinning, or Japanese samurai sword fighting class. That way there’s a definite start and end time, help from an instructor, and accountability. (Thanks, classmates!) There’s no way not to slack off.

13. Tabata. Short on time? High intensity interval training like Tabata can burn fat in no time. (Well, four minutes…)

14. Choose compound lifts. Kill multiple birds with one stone and work the full body all at once. Compound lifts like deadlifts and squats will give muscles way more bang for their buck.

15. Run intervals. Instead of spending an hour on the treadmill, try running intervals instead. Short bursts of intense running boosts metabolism, builds lean muscle, and burns more fat in less time^[6][7].

16. Pick a partner. BYOF to the gym. Having a friend with you may increase accountability. (Don’t skip that last set of pushups!) Try these exercises and work out side by side.

17. Try a personal trainer. To prevent any sort of slacking (we’ve all been there) sign up for a session with a trainer. Science suggests  a personal trainer can motivate people to up the intensity at the gym.

Have a go-to move for getting the most of your workout? Share in the comments below or tweet the author @lschwech.

This post was presented by Warrior Dash, the World’s Largest Running Series, a 5k obstacle course race held on the world’s toughest terrain. Train, run, climb, crawl and celebrate with free beer and live music and entertainment! Sign up for a Warrior Dash near you today.

Works Cited

1. Effects of music during exercise in different training status. Baldari, C., Macone, D., Bonavolonta, V., et al. Department of Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 2010 Sep;50(3):281-7. [↩]
2. Music and light during indoor cycling. Shaulov, N., Lufi, D. Department of Behavioral Sciences, Emek Yezreel College. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 2009 Apr;108(2):597-607. [↩]
3. The characteristics and effects of motivational music in exercise settings: the possible influence of gender, age, frequency of attendance, and time of attendance. Priest, D.L., Karageorghis, Cl., Sharp, N.C. Department of Sport Sciences, Brunel University, West London, UK. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 2004 Mar;44(1):77-86. [↩]
4. Fluids and hydration in prolonged endurance performance. Von Duvillard, S.P., Braun, W.A., Markofski, M., et al. Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Health, Kinesiology and Sports Studies, Texas A and M University–Commerce, Commerce, Texas. Nutrition, 2004 Jul-Aug;20(7-8):651-6 [↩]
5. Exercise intensity matters for both young and old muscles. Moore, D.R., Burd, N.A. Exercise Metabolism Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. Journal of Physiology, 2009 February 1; 587(Pt 3): 511–512. [↩]
6. Muscle metabolism and performance improvement after two training programmes of sprint running differing in rest interval duration. Saraslanidis, P., Petridou, A., Bogdanis, G.C., et al. Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2011 Aug;29(11):1167-74. [↩]
7. Two weeks of high-intensity aerobic interval training increases the capacity for fat oxidation during exercise in women. Talanian, J.L., Galloway, S.D., Heigenhauser, G.J., et al. Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Journal of Applied Physiology, 2007 Apr;102(4):1439-47. Epub 2006 Dec 14. [↩]

Life in Germany … With the Right Resources … Is Awesome. (Buzz Off Base))

I have two friends, a power couple – constantly pushing their online presence to fulfill needs in their community.

Brennon and Ashley Smith are a husband and wife super team who, since coming to Germany in 2010, have traversed quite a bit of Europe, always looking for new destinations, to meet new people, eat and drink delicious things and then write or photograph them.

A photo of the intrepid adventurers

Buzz Off Base is a website that needed some help, needed some fresh and new ideas and who better to provide them than Brennon and Ashley. Essentially it’s a travel site that has successfully combined a travel blog with Groupon, Yelp, and TravelAdvisor. If you live in Germany and are up for a little travel this is a one-stop-shop for the best deals to get the most for your money, when the best times are to go certain places, listings of cultural locations and events, how to get to them, why you should check them out and sometimes a little bit of history to prepare you for the experience. 

To get the best most up-to-date information, I would recommend following the link above to the

website and sign-up for the member’s only travel deals and information. They are always hunting down savings and information to help get you around Germany and the rest of Europe for as much fun and as little money as possible. They also have a Facebook page if you click on the picture below.

Do yourself a favor and pop over to the Buzz Off Base website and Facebook to learn and explore Germany and Europe.

Right now the hot ticket is Christmasmarkts! Don’t know what that is? Go to Buzz off Base and find out!