Category: Uncategorized

Before It Is Too Late

Today we continue a useful discussion that we started yesterday on ways to curb violence in America, and hopefully many other places as well. This is no easy task. And it’s not for the faint of heart. The one thing that you did not and will not hear from these writings would be that it is impossible. Nothing is impossible if we really want to do it.

We have a few mountains we have to take down. Mountains that were never intended to be there and yet were built over time. There is an old musical that tried to bring light to the divisions between different peoples. This was done in the hope of having everyone realize the errors of the divisions and attempt to reverse them. The song talked about having to learn before it’s too late. It went on to talk about hating all the people your relatives hate. I believe this was a tongue-in-cheek song meant to show the audience how wrong hate is.

We have to learn before it’s too late. We have to learn that everybody is the same. We are all people built out of Stardust. With various colored hair and eyes, and different skin and languages. And, within each of us, we are all the same. I do not tell you this because it sounds good. I say this because it’s the truth. Until we see each other as the same as we view ourselves, we go nowhere. Until we fix the way we look at each other, fear, loathing, and hatred will continue. And these are three of the pedestals that violence sits on. Remove those three foundations, and violence fails.

Often you hear the argument that we fight for God. We need to remember that there is a difference between God and religion. I say this not to cause ire within many people. I say this because if you look at the major religions in the world, the God of all our fathers is actually the same God.

Languages may be different, yet the feelings and emotions are the same, as are the thought patterns. We may celebrate different holidays based on our culture, but we all celebrate holidays. Everyone loves a party.

I think it’s time for me to tie the first part of this together. If you can remove fear, loathing, and hatred, violence doesn’t stand a chance. If you can help everyone see each other as equals with similar goals and aspirations, fear goes away, and peace can gain a foothold.

So, our question for tomorrow becomes how. We’ve already discussed the ‘what’ shootings. The ‘who,’ people who fear and therefore hate. The ‘how’ is going to be the most essential piece. How do we get people to set aside some fears and hatreds that may go back thousands of years? How do we help everybody to see a better way? How do we even get this noticed and brought to the forefront? This is a question that may end up taking more than one blog to examine an answer. Yet until we have the ‘how’ figured out, it will be hard to know where and when.

I want to help everyone understand that we need to replace hate and violence with caring and togetherness. Violence only leads to more violence. Hatred, fear, and loathing only produce more of the same, and you end up with more violence. It would be great to give everybody in the world a timeout, just to think of this for a few minutes, I am just not sure how to do that, yet. If you have a good idea as to ‘how,’ please let me know in the comments section.

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

It Is Time to Talk

 

Everyone likes to talk. Not necessarily just gossip. There are debates on many issues. I don’t think that there is a debate more important than stopping the violence in America’s cities and protecting our children in school. This week, with your permission, I would like to explore the topic of shootings.

There are many thoughts and ideas on shootings in America. We do tend to leave the world in this type of violence. Before everybody gets defensive, I would like to suggest that we keep this an open and honest debate that we can all participate in equally.

According to Pew Research, Homicide by firearm is actually down about half of what it was in the 1990s. And, suicide by gun is double that of homicide. Homicide by firearm is between 11,000 and 12,000 annually.¹ When I first heard this, I thought it was a low number. Yet, I believe it’s probably somewhere between 11,000 and 12,000 too many.

Taking guns away is a non-starter. Too many people use guns as tools. People in the Southwest that must protect themselves from rattlesnakes, people the southeast must work in or around swamps, and cowboys who work in Montana and the Dakotas need protection. In many other places, a firearm is a legitimate tool. Having said this if you need a semi-automatic hunting rifle with a 33-bullet clip to put food on the table, you probably need to take more lessons at the local shooting range.

I also have to tell you that guns don’t jump up one day and say let’s go shoot somebody. Quite often what causes the trigger to be pulled is someone with low self-esteem which has been bullied and harassed, or believes they have been, and are looking for revenge. And, I think this is the target that we need to fix.

This will not be easy, for it’s been going on for far too long. How long? I believe that the first family on earth had a problem with someone feeling bullied or harassed, or let his ego get away from him. Because of this, I believe that the first family on earth lost a son.

I believe that lowering our homicide rate, especially in mass shootings, will not be a one-step fix, and it will not be easy. Yet I have faith, because we are the people who put a man on the moon, and we are the people who are looking to go to Mars. I do not believe that ‘easy’ is a qualifier for us to do anything that we want to happen.

The mean old Master Sergeant is on board with me in this endeavor. He’s going to initiate, starting next month, the Mean Old Master Sergeant’s No Bullying Books.

I don’t mean to be writing you an encyclopedia about this. Yet, with your permission, I would like to use this week to discuss the problem and some actual ideas of what may work. Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

[1] Krogstad, j.m., Oct. 21, 2015, pewresearch.org, Gun Homicide steady after decline in ‘90s; suicide rate edges up,

MOMNBB
© MOMNBB

 

What Are You Doing for Blue 4 Today?

I used to work at a headquarters during my last tour in the Air Force. I worked with an engineering unit that sat across a common area from an operations unit. The operations unit was made up of pilots and flight officers. And they had a huge sign that could be read from almost anywhere on the first floor of the building which said, “What are you doing for blue 4 today?”

Coming from air weather service and communications I wasn’t really sure what the sign was saying. I interfaced with a lot of the people in the operations unit, and one day I just had to ask the question, what did the sign mean?

The person I asked, used to fly a jet. He explained to me that blue 4 is the last jet in the flight formation. The sign also had another connotation about being sure that we were doing everything we could for everyone involved right down to the last man.

I had always thought it was important to do my best for everyone. Now that I understood what the saying on the sign meant, I adopted it as my mantra. I don’t fly except commercially, yet I always think of this sign and its meaning.

Whenever I work on anything, I try to look at how the work will be received, and will it be understood. Will what I build or do work down to the very last person involved?

Next time you take a moment and are wondering what you’re doing and how it’s being received, or how your work affects others, you can always ask yourself, “What have I done for blue 4 lately?” If you have the opportunity, you can go out and talk to somebody on the shop floor or someone in the field.

Sometimes you’ll be surprised about what gets through and how it’s perceived. Sometimes it will surprise you in a good way, and sometimes the surprise will make you want to dig in and work harder for everyone, even the last person in line.

Thanks for being with me today. I hope to be with you again soon.

Four Types of Learners

The majority of anything is showing up. And we’re not just talking about being there physically. If you want to make being somewhere to learn count, it’s even more essential that you are present mentally.

I look at four main ways that people show up, especially to take a class and learn. The four thought patterns are:

  1. I’m here, but I can’t do it, so I’m just going to end up failing.
  2. I’m here, and I’ll play along, but things are rigged so I can’t pass and will have to retake the class.
  3. I’m here, and I may not get everything, but I’m going to pay attention and do my best.
  4. Lead, follow or move over because I know everything and am only here to check a box.

In case number one, the person is there physically, yet they’re not going to try anything, and have already made up their mind that they are unable to learn. In this case, these people are writing their own destiny. And their writing does not bode well for them or anyone who needs to count on them.

In case number two, the person will try to learn and will give a halfhearted attempt, but other thoughts are on their mind. Their mind is awash with many ideas, and they are not concentrating. The fact is they may try, but real learning is not in there for them today.

Number three is concentrating. Will work hard. Will not take losing personally. And will strive to learn. This person has a much better chance of learning than the first two students. With everything being equal number three is a good student and will have a good shot at learning the information.

Everyone has an ego of one kind or another.  Number four has a huge ego. And unfortunately, the overconfidence of number four will cause a great block to actually learning something new.  We used to call this the John Wayne effect. This type of person actually believes that he or she knows it all, and cannot fail, and anybody who’s not getting behind him or her is lost anyway. It will typically take a significant failure for this person to see the errors of their ways and make a change.

I can say this based on observations of the last 40 years in training, studying behavioral psychology and motivational techniques, and much scrutiny.  I do not encourage you to take my word for this.  I suggest you sit back and observe for yourself, and see if this idea on learners seems to hold truths or not.

These are just the observations of an old Master Sargent who knows that he does not know it all.

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Take Charge

Taking charge of your life is essential. The fact is if you don’t take charge of your life many others will try to co-opt you for their purposes. And they will use almost anything to do this.

The question used to be ‘do you work to live, or do you live to work?’ I would like to rephrase the thought just a little bit. Are we working to fulfill our dreams, or someone else’s?

We all need to live. And to exist in our economy, we must work. Even those with money must work not to lose it. And although we would all like to work for ourselves, it is not always realistic or feasible. Remember, no one comes up with an idea and automatically starts at the top of the heap. A great friend reminded me yesterday that the only people who start at the top are ditch diggers.

The best of ideas still requires support and funding. Many of the Impressionist painters whose works are worth tens of millions of dollars each today, had to have paying jobs working elsewhere so that they could live while they were painting them. Van Gogh whose works sell for hundreds of millions today, only sold one painting while he was alive for I believe about 150 francs.

If you have a good idea and are building a business, figure you’re income chart is going to be flying near the surface for 2 to 3 years and then you’ll see that curves start to accelerate up. And to make that climb happen there many parts of the business you will be feverishly working for those years until the success starts to pour in.

Remember it’s your business, and I am willing to bet you love the idea, or else you would not be working at selling your goods. Remember though, there is no vacation, no time off, no sick days and if any of these occur, the business work does not get accomplished. Because when you start, you are usually a one-person shop, mainly because you haven’t earned enough money yet to hire help. I am not telling you this to cause you apprehension, just to prepare you.

If you don’t give up and don’t give out, and if you have an idea that resonates with the public and can get the people to come and look at your venture, in time you just might make it. You need to keep your faith in yourself and your product and work harder than you’ve worked for anyone else. And there’s one more ingredient. Luck plays a part in all of this. I call it serendipity.

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

 

 

Better For All

Before today’s blog, I would like to say that our hearts go out to those people in Alabama who were hit by such a devastating tornado last night. The devastation was truly heart-wrenching, and our thoughts and prayers are with you today.

When you live in a society, you agree to some common rules and certain amenities which makes life easier for everyone. These rules are important, not because they’re meant to keep everyone in line, instead because they allow for a safer, more friendly, and more enjoyable home setting.

Most of these rules are not written down and have little means of enforcement. Yet, they fall under the heading of doing the right thing. Think of it is do for your neighbor the way you would want them to do for you.

What are some of these rules? Well, it depends and changes a little from area to area. Small things, like if you going to walk around the house naked and people can see in, draw the curtains. If you’re going to throw a beer bash and leave cans all over the yard, at least let the neighborhood kids come in to pick up the empty cans and reclaim them for a little cash. Okay, so I’m a little facetious here.

If you keep your trash cans off the street when it’s not trash day, the neighborhood looks a little bit better. If you mow your lawn once in a while, the front yard looks a little bit better. Throw little water on, and it is better yet. A few flowers always make the place look better, and there’s nothing that tastes better than fruits or vegetables that you grew yourself.

Whether I really know them or not, I always wave and say hi to a neighbor when we happen to be outside together either getting into or out of our cars. Or if we are both out working on the lawn. It is more than being over friendly or annoying, it is forming a bond in which we start to know and watch out for each other. I look at it as being human.

In these days of driving everywhere, an overabundance of electronic devices, and little human interaction, it is vital to stay connected with others. Part of that is saying hello to other humans you meet on the street. I even say hello to puppy dogs and kitty cats. Showing a friendly side just leads to many positive things. You are seen as somebody who can be kind. Someone who cares. And you do a needed service to all those out there who may have only had one positive interaction all day. That was when you smiled and nodded at them or said hello.

Am I just talking about this or do I put actions where the heart is? After a day of snow yesterday, I was up at 6 o’clock this morning to go out and shovel the walk. Not so that I could talk about it here, instead because if the school a block down the street was open this morning, I did not want to have children or parents having to hike through the snow on my sidewalks. This is just one of those ‘right things’ to do.

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

You Are A Good Person

Before we go off for the weekend, the mean old Master Sergeant only has one question for you, “Are you a good person?” And of course, when a mean old Master Sergeant looks you in the eye and asks that question, there is only one answer that is acceptable. “Yes Sergeant.”

It is the only acceptable answer because it’s the only correct answer. How do I know? I spent years teaching people and helping people with resumes. When I first started, I had people who were feeling dejected and not worthy of a new job. They felt sad and beat up. I even thought I heard a snore or two from the back of the room. There is only one way to pull someone back from that state. You have to remind them of what their fundamental being is.  And, all things being equal, people are good.

How do I do that? This is how. If you doubt your answer, the correct one is, “Yes Sergeant.”

  • Sergeant: Are you a good person?
  • Answer: “Yes Sergeant.”
  • Sergeant: I cannot hear you are you good people?
  • Answer: “Yes Sergeant. (Louder)”

Now I hope you see how this goes.  I will put in the Master Sergeant part, and you know how to answer.

  • If they give you a job will you work hard at it?
  • Will you give them your best?
  • You are good people, aren’t you?
  • OK tell employers on your resume?

If you ever start to doubt yourself, stand in front of the mirror and ask and answer these questions.  If you have something to add, do so, and keep the question and answer positive to you.  If you share added questions with us in the comments, then others can benefit from your additions.  Then, you are even a better person.

Thank you for being with me today, I hope to be with you again soon.

 

Care For One Another

There is a time we come to realize that we are human. And as such, we need to take care of ourselves. As we grow in life our bodies age and with this aging comes the need to take better care of both ourselves and those around us.

We find the time comes when we cannot do strictly for ourselves. And we have to count on a partner (wife, spouse, significant other, or friend) to do things with us and eventually, for us. It is the dedication of two people to each other and/or extended family which helps each of us to go further and accomplish more.

We need to be kind and caring to others. Because as we age, our marriage, friendship, partnerships, all serve to help us in our later years. Just we as we are part of the team to help others in their later years.

You can see that I have not called these times the golden years. If they are much like my years lately, rust would be a better descriptor. Yet, please remember even Rust doesn’t mean you’re down and out. Rust just says you have a little extra work to do to keep the chassis running.

I know that my alter ego is the mean old Master Sergeant. Please remember the job of a mean old master sergeant is genuinely to be of service to others and to help those others grow and do better. It is not something ordered by rules and regulations. The tasking of service to others actually stems from the heart.

Take care of your family, your friends, all those you care about and even more for those who care about you. You may find your work coming back to you filled to the brim, shaken down, and overflowing.

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

 

 

 

Your Turn

Go forth and do. It is a statement that is echoed time and again throughout the centuries. It means don’t just talk about it, make it happen. These statements remind us that talk is often an endless loop. We are also reminded that actions are much rarer and harder to accomplish.

Win, lose or draw, those who have set out in action to accomplish something are people of the same mettle. That is because these are the people who have moved from talk to action. Also, these are the people who work to move us forward as a people.

It is not the easy-going person that accepts life as it is who positively changes the world. It is the person who sets out to do something, and when everyone is asking why, he or she is asking why not. And his or her question will stay that way until the problem is solved or the person cannot find the answer and yields to fate.

Does this mean you should wake up one morning, decide that the sky should be green rather than blue, and immediately go tilting at windmills? No. Every journey starts with the first step. I believe that each step should be researched.

I belong to the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. We believe through knowledge you can find power.  Researching gives you the knowledge to go forth and change things for the better.  This not only helps you, but it also helps all those who will use and benefit from your innovations.

If you feel you need information, get your information from credible sources. If you aren’t sure what constitutes credible sources, look at the research. The first thing you want to see in the study is who paid for it. Was the analysis performed in the intent of pure research? Or, was research on the consumption of a product paid by those who make or own the product? Research is a great tool. Just don’t accept analysis developed for or by the person who’s trying to sell you the product.

Remember to talk a lot with the customers of whatever you are making or changing.  If it is needed and wanted, you might do well.  If you cannot find customers and clients interested in whatever you want to build, you may want to consider if it is the best use of your time.  You are going to need customers for sure and most probably backers.

You can do whatever you are willing to put enough time and work into.  If it is something that people want, you may go far.  I have to tell you though, no matter what anyone says, there are no guarantees in life.  Work-wise.

Thank you for being with me today.  I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Better Understanding Yourself

They say that you should not invest in a piece of art unless you just cannot see yourself living without it.  I imagine that is true. It turns out in our world today that most things are purchased not because they are the best, or they are the cheapest, or the most expensive, or in high supply, or very rare. They are purchased because we have an emotional attachment to them.

What is your favorite candy bar? Which coffee shop is your favorite? Have you purchased a particular brand of car more than once? If you own a house why did you buy it? Why are you in the job that you are in? These are all excellent questions. If you start to look at them and answer honestly, you start to discover patterns within your self. Patterns that give insight into your likes and dislikes, and even deeper into your emotions.

Please do not worry about this. We all have things we like and others that we do not like. And, we have emotions usually based on things that have happened earlier in our lives. If we take a look at why we like something or dislike something else, we might be able to follow the trail back to an origin. And that might give us a new insight or perspective on ourselves.

The insight could be as simple as I ate one of these candy bars every day after school, and it made me feel better. It could be that this brand of car was my first car and was my first taste of freedom. It could be as emotional as I was struck by a drunk coming home from the prom and this brand of car kept my passengers and me safe. Yes, sometimes our purchases are quite emotional.

If we can dig deep and find out why we feel what we feel, we have a much better chance of understanding ourselves, what we do and why we do it. If we know ourselves, we might have a better chance of doing better and making more inroads to get to where we really want to be.

You never know what you may find, and this type of journey is not for the faint of heart. Yet, you may find it interesting, and even a road to improvement within yourself. You do not have to take this trip alone. There are great life coaches who can help you navigate these discoveries and help you put meaning to them.

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.