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Friday Musings

jrichardbyrditunes

Just downloaded the MAC App store onto my desktop. WOW - this thing is the real deal. I downloaded the iMovie 11 for 14.99. A saving of about 40 dollars. I am now testing out the MarsEdit Blogging app. Let me know how it goes.

I am so excited to be planting this new church - everyday it gets better and better. It is really starting to gel what God wants to see happen. I am meeting new people everyday. And more importantly learning to be more transparent and bolder. Bold not in a confrontational way - but bold to say- I am (with God's Help) planting a church and I would like to introduce you to my Jesus.

Most people wouldn't even believe I am an introvert. Yes the outgoing boisterous person that many believe me to be. I am at heart an introverted person. But I am learning. What are you learning to do differently to be successful.

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Reconsider the Death Penalty

First let me first premise this post by saying this, I do not know whether Troy Davis is innocent or guilty. I will say however that there has been more than enough evidence presented to cast doubt on the conviction. So if nothing more I please with you to at least get involved to 1. get closure for the family of the officer killed. 2. make sure that the person we as a society are killing is the right person. Please an excerpt from GroundUp.

Another Way to Help Troy Davis | Updated Sat. Sept. 17, 2011 8:45 am from my friends atColorOfChange.

There could be one more avenue to help save Troy Davis from execution on Wednesday September 21 — but to take advantage of it, we need you to speak out now, and ask your friends and family to take action as well.

We’ve learned that Chatham County District Attorney Larry Chisolm, who asked a judge to issue Troy’s death warrant, can also ask the judge to take it back. This move would be a game-changer — but it’ll only happen if he feels more pressure from us to do the right thing than he feels from all those in Savannah calling for Troy’s death.

Click the link below to automatically sign the petition to District Attorney Larry Chisolm, which reads:

“Based on the major, persistent doubts about his guilt, I call on you to seek a withdrawal of the death warrant against Troy Davis and to support clemency in his case.”

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/chisolm

There is no gift, no phenomena in the universe more complex and yet more perfect than that of human life. Unfortunately, our ability to be just and fair to one another, despite a legal system that is considered to be one of the best globally, is clouded with untold delusions. One such delusion is the death penalty, which, like slavery, will undoubtedly be an unforgettable stain on America’s history in coming ages.

Read More 

Final Thoughts there is TOO MUCH DOUBT 

 

 

 

 

 

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Time to Step Up! Part 2

As I sat with my son's guidance counselor and teachers - I kept hearing the same thing over and over - He is a smart kid - but he is not working up to his potential. He is not getting bad grades but he is not getting great grades, which to me is bad grades. I sat there fuming, thinking of all kinds of nefarious punishments that would ensue when he got home. I mean how could he not perform at peak levels. He has all of the tools needed to excel. The latest technology, great support, and natural intelligence. What could be the problem, why is my son not working up to his potential. Why is he doing just enough to get by, when he has all of this talent and resources.

[callout]Then I realized -- I don't work up to my potential -[/callout]

I stay busy being busy - but not always productive. I am surrounded by the latest technology - but have yet to produce a 1/4 of what I have the capability to produce. I only make 1/4 of what I can make financially. I am only delivering on 1/4 of what I have to deliver. I have technology, an incredible support staff, and unbelievable natural talents, but only live up to 50% of my potential. I had no room to berate what he learned watching me.

Somewhere along the line - I was told I was different - Somewhere I was taught that just getting by was ok. Somewhere along the line I gave up. I decided to be a number 2- when i had the capacity to be number 1.

Does this sound like you? Are You operating at a standard that is lower than your expectation?

HELP!!!!
In order to combat this here are 5 principles that I believe will help turn this situation around.

  1. Acknowledge.
    You first have to acknowledge that you have been coasting along - I know you work from sun up to sun down. but if you are like me - you are great at looking busy for the sake of looking busy -- if the truth be known. You could have finished that project in 30 minutes, not 30 days. That leads me to number 2.
  2. Cut out the BS.
    BS is anything that hindering you from operating at peak levels. Is it your health - is it your time management - Is it your love of learning - Is it your ADD - Perhaps it is your fear of success. whatever it is grab a scalpel and CUT IT OUT>>> -- this is going to be hard - because it means facing up to a lot of things. I almost erased this whole section because it was pulling the covers off of me.
  3. Be Responsible.
    With greatness comes great responsibility-- My booking manager said this to me the other day -- "It is not fair for you to have all of this ability and you keep it to yourself." What this means is - if you have the information, knowledge and/or talent - you are required to share it. It is your responsibility to make sure others can get where you are.
  4. STOP! Stop second guessing yourself - stop procrastinating - stop perfecting - stop over-analyzing - stop playing around - stop justifying - stop being distracted - stop multi-tasking - stop beating yourself up - whatever it is just STOP STOP STOP - then see number 2.
  5. WEP This is a 3 point process -- write the plan - execute quickly - perfect later --

Going forward - I pledge to do better - for me not only is my career at stake - but as you can see the career of my kids and their generation is at stake - All because I Won't Step Up! -- I think it is time - what about you?

[reminder]

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ByrdOlogy Book Club

One of the things I decided to do this year was make sure I was feeding the brain. I mean I exercise my body.  I go to church to exercise my spirit. Why not make sure I am exercising my brain.  I decided that the way I was going to do this was to read more books this year.

I know who has time. Well with ebooks, audio books, and the like. How could I not read this year.  If you are like me, you probably need an accountability buddy to hold you accountable. Well introducing the ByrdOlogy Book Club. I have picked 12 books, I think can change your business, personal life, and ministry.

The concept is real simple.  CLICK HERE to sign up and every month I am going to send you a link to a new book I am reading. We will have a small group where we can discuss the books and the take-homes from the book. I know real easy. So if you are dedicated to moving your career, life, or ministry ahead, Then I will see you on the other side of this link.

ByrdOlogy Book Club. 

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Text-to- speech

Read to Me: Text-to-Speech Lets You Read on the Go

Busy, busy, busy. If that's your middle name, you're certainly always looking for ways to complete tasks faster, quicker, and better. But what if you don't have time to sit and read all those documents stacked up in your computer or virtual inbox? That's where text-to-speech apps are your answer.

What is text-to-speech? Often confused with speech-to-text (you speak and the text is generated), the text-to-speech turns printed material into spoken words. It lets you hear versus read information. What makes a good text-to-speech app? The quality of the reading voice, the accuracy of what it reads, and the speed at which it reads.

Write & Say

This free app is like having a virtual assistant who reads to you as you multi-task. The commands for tasks such as changing the pitch of the voice and the reading speed are easy to use, plus it comes in a variety of languages and includes a translation function.

iSpeech

If you make lots of notes but that you don't have time to review them, iSpeech may be the app for you. It quickly converts text information into speech, and is touted as having one of the best playback voices out in the market.

Speech Magnet

Have something in your clipboard? Simply launch Speech Magnet and that clipboard information is spoken and automatically saved. In fact, that text can be organized for easier reference later. Choose the voice speed and pitch and even change to another voice as your text is read.

Read to Me

SMS text messages, emails, PDF files or web pages are right at your fingertips (“ear tips”?) with Read to Me. This is a great app to use while being stuck in traffic or dashing about doing errands. It's biggest plus is the smoothness at which it reads large documents.

Voice Brief

Consider this your app to the world – a world that you create. Want to hear the weather? No problem. Have a bunch of RSS feeds you monitor? This is also not a problem. You pick what you want to hear, and Voice Brief brings the information to you.

Voice Reader

If you need to read both text and PDF files, Voice Reader provides this capability. With 21 languages and 32 voices, no documents “ especially PDFs" are off limit.

SpeakText

Let your fingers do the walking and SpeechText do the talking. With a touch you can select a wide range of content from a single sentence to an entire page. It also provides the option to translate what you've selected.

Speak it!

Grab (or in this case, copy) the text you want to hear from web pages, PDF files, emails, or documents, then paste it into Speak it! and give it a listen. If you want to share what you've heard, Speak it! offers the option to create an audio file that you forward off via email.

Web Reader HD

When you have to venture away from your PC and you have so much reading to catch up on, Web Reader is your helper. It reads complete web pages, portions of pages, or small selected sections of text.

If you're not sure if a text-to-speech app is right for you, keep track of your daily tasks and see how much time you actually spend reading emails, web pages, eBooks, etc. That's when you'll see the real benefits of a text-to-speech iPhone app.www.readspeaker.com/voice-demo/">

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It’s All In the Suit (Guest Post)

[guestpost]Guest Post – Lloyd Sutton –  @thedreamlws [/guestpost]

Young men try putting on a suit today! A suit just changes the way a man talks & walks. Nothing is wrong with a nice pair of J’s but try going in Brook Brothers today instead of Foot Locker! And take these LWS tips on choosing the right suit with you when you go in there…if you want a million bucks, start looking like a million bucks & even if you don’t have a million bucks, you’ll at least feel like a million bucks! icon smile It is all in the Suit (Guest Post)Tips are below. > RUN WITH IT.

1. Make sure it fits properly in the shoulders when you try it on. If it doesn’t, the suit will never fit well — despite what the salesman tells you.

2. It pays to have your suit altered by a good tailor. After all, you’re not a fitting mannequin — your suit needs to be tailored to your body.

3. At the least, have the sleeves shortened. They should end at the hinge of your wrist so a sliver of dress-shirt cuff peaks out.

4. Have the length of the pants altered. Most guys walk around with their pants too baggy, or as they say in the tailoring biz, with too much “break.”

5. If you’re a slimmer guy, have the sides of the jacket taken in a bit, so the suit contours to your torso.

6. Know what to wear with your suit. Unless you’re a stylish confident dude, keep it simple: light colored shirt, dark tie. It worked for Cary Grant and Clooney, it’ll work for you.

7. And you can never go wrong, with a crisp white dress shirt. Just ask Barack Obama.

8. Spring will be here before you know, go buy yourself a cotton suit. They’re indispensable in the hot-weather months, & now more than ever, they’re available in a variety of styles, from classic khaki to pinstripe business.

9. How do you care for your suit? Dry clean it as infrequently as possible, in order to preserve the integrity of the fabric. If need be, have it professionally steam pressed to remove wrinkles. (Or, do what a lot of guys do, & hang it in the shower with the door closed.) > RUN WITH IT.

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Rip Up the Carpet

Over the past few weeks I had become despondent over the condition of the carpet in my home. If you know me well, then you know I can get almost OCD when something starts bothering me.

It was affecting my sleep - Affecting how I felt about even coming home. I had to get it fixed before it destroyed my sanity. I went to the carpet store priced out new carpet. I even rented a steam cleaner. Bought all kinds of cleaners, etc. But something told me to rip up a corner of the carpet. I did that to find gorgeous old hardwood floors.

Who would cover up these floors? Well maybe at the time they needed to be protected. Maybe at the time the occupants needed the warmth. Maybe there was a blemish that someone needed to cover up.

----The moral of the story---

Over the years in your life, you have had to cover up a blemish, or protect yourself, or create warmth with a carpet.

But I am writing to you to say -- It might be time to rip up the carpet and see the beauty that lies beneath. What you are covering is better than was is covering. As for me: Today I am spending my day ripping up carpet.‪#‎ByrdOlogy‬