Learning in Economic Quicksand

SPEECHTALK

Sample words that we sometimes mispronounce. Capital letters show syllable that creates the contrast. Words in the left hand column are proper spellings and pronunciations of each word. Underlined words are those that are spelled correctly in either column, yet are often misused.

Someone you know needs to know this for interview purposes, networking or on-the-job interaction, and everyday communication. Help someone know that they may be working on a “SPecific” challenge, rather than a “Pacific” one (we’re ‘Learning’, not ‘swimming’ in quicksand). ;-)


conVERSE.......................... CONversate

SPecific.............................. Pacific

wiTH.................................. wiF, wiT

SHrimp.............................. sKrimp

I’m a giant, not a shrimp. So I’m not going to wait 6 more weeks to begin using specific words to my best advantage. Statistics show that when we can converse with all kinds of people, we move to a higher level.

Whatever you do, remember that words are powerful…
and consonants make our words.
Use yours properly and help someone S.H.I.N.E.

Be careful of how you say what you say
And may your consonants be your confidence.

© R. King and Associates 2002

Learning in Economic Quicksand

One thing people should be concentrating on right now is their vocabulary: teach one another that when we need to know something we “aSk” rather than “aX” questions. For, misuse of your vocabulary will certainly cut you out….

Someone you know needs to know this for interview purposes, networking or on-the-job interaction, and everyday communication. Help someone know that they may be “eSpecially” fond of working in a team environment, rather than “eXpecially” (would that mean they used to be?).

Over the next couple of Blogs I’ll pinpoint some of these words which I call “SpeechTalk,” because they are words that we sometimes mispronounce or misuse in everyday conversation.

SPEECHTALK

Sample words that we sometimes mispronounce. Capital letters show syllable that creates the contrast. Words in the left hand column are proper spellings and pronunciations of each word.

ESpecially ......................... eXpecially

Essential ............................ Assential

COGnizant ......................... cogniSENT

IMpact ............................... INpact

STAtistic ............................ SAtistic

(getting ready to) .............. finna
(going to)

I’m especially excited about how my life decision will impact the people around me. It is essential that I stay cognizant of the fact that I am so career oriented that I’m a giant, not a shrimp. I’m glad I didn’t wait 7 weeks to participate in using specific words to my best advantage. Statistics show that when we can converse with all kinds of people, we move to a higher level. I’m going to make that move.

Be careful of how you say what you say
And may your consonants be your confidence

© R. King and Associates 2002

Whatever you do, remember that words are powerful…

and consonants make our words. Use yours properly and help someone SHINE.

Learning in Economic Quicksand

As we go to work on maintaining a positive vocabulary, consider that the opposite of ‘Right’ is not ‘Wrong,’ but LEFT (Lets Encourage Free Thinking). You don't have a right and a wrong side.

Giving only the choice of Right or Wrong sometimes pushes children away and causes insecurity and pressure… because they’re so scared of messing up… because they keep hearing about what “these kids of today” don’t know and can’t do.

I define ‘Wrong’ as somebody else’s opinion of something you did that didn’t benefit them. Everything you’ve done so far has been right, because it was right for you based on the information you had, to make the choice. As you learn better, you do better. Thus… and acronym we're familiar with - LIFE (Lessons Intended For Everyone) – never stop learning.

One thing people should be concentrating on right now is their vocabulary: teach one another to know that when we talk to someone we converse. There’s no such word as “conversate.” And use specific examples, not “pacific” ones. For, misuse of your vocabulary will certainly drown you….

Someone you know needs to know this for interview purposes, networking or on-the-job interaction, and everyday communication. Help someone know that one of their traits is that they are people or business “orienTED” … not “orienTAted!”

Over the next couple of Blogs I’ll pinpoint some of these words which I call “SpeechTalk,” because they are words that we sometimes mispronounce or misuse in everyday conversation. Maybe I should make a button that says, “Correct somebody’s vocabulary today!” hahahahaha

Whatever you do, remember that words are powerful… and consonants make our words. Use yours properly and help someone SHINE.

Learning in Economic Quicksand

THY WILL BE DONE

Say that with me… [Thy Will Be Done]
That’s wasn’t too hard, was it?
Now try believing it.

I remember being down on my knees muttering those four words
And thinking that after the Kingdom arrived
All God’s plans would be fulfilled
(I remember thinking that)
Now I know it!

And what I know is that the Kingdom has arrived.
And the mysterious ways many have considered a part of God’s handiwork
are nothing more than the countless blessings in his crystal clear plans
that we are just not aware of.

So this new road we take to healing begins
With our latest testimony of appreciation for life.
A testimony that will last at least until we get out this door
and back to cursing drivers who cut us off…
Rolling our eyes at a teenage outfit… or blaming a small tree for a forest fire.
A testimony borne from tragedy that questions “Thy’s” W.I.L.L.
(What Is the Lord’s Lesson?)
How will I get through this one?
When will you lift this burden?
Where will I go from here?
Why me???

And his answer will be, “Are you done yet…”
(You see D.O.N.E. is Delivering my Omnipotent News Everyday)
“... or do you profess faith only in convenient retrospect?
I scheduled this day for you because JOB is no longer available.
I scheduled this day because I love you
And this new level is not made to have you question me…
But to help you understand me
Understand that what I want is for you to love me and live by me everyday.
How? Anger is controllable,
and will only blind you from the blessing I woke you up with today.
When? This pain is temporary,
yet temporary can last a long time.
Where? Loss is necessary and always precedes growth.
Why? Understand that even if you don’t, I’ll always love you.
I’m DONE.”

© 2005 Sporty King

Learning in Economic Quicksand

F.E.A.R.
Faith Eventually Attracts Resources
When you step out on faith… people will doubt you based on their insecurity (“You left your job to do what???”). Few will support YOUR vision that THEY just cannot see, until THEY see YOU hang in there. Don’t be mad at them. Ultimately some will want to get on board so they can seem like the ‘reason’ for your success. Don’t worry about their reason. When you believe in yourself you invite others to believe in you… and they will!

B.E.S.T.
Better, Easier, Smarter, Tougher
We set ourselves up for failure with the cliché, “Practice makes perfect,” because we can never attain perfection. And when we fall short, we beat ourselves into submission (“Stupid me. I did all that practicing and I didn’t make the team, get the promotion, or win the contest…”), and eventually we may even give up or surrender (“… I won’t waste my time going through all of that again.”). Always do your best. Practice doesn’t make perfect. It prepares you to succeed.

However, just like no gain without pain… we’ve got to understand our T.E.S.T.: Trials, Experiences & Stress are Temporary. Thus, what we should concentrate on is Time, Expectation, Spirituality and Triumphs. We’ve all been through something. Why would you think you won’t make it through something else? Patiently measure your steps, trust in your faith and get your testimony.

Stay brave and do what you believe will help you overcome the next hurdle, so that you will continue to learn to S.H.I.N.E.

Fathers' Moments

Ricardo "Rick" King March 31, 1931-October 27, 2002

There are two sets of children in my family. The oldest 3, of which I am one, experienced my father, Ricardo King, leaving when we were 3, 2 and 1 year old. However he can never be called a dead-beat dad.

He and my mother were “2 Chiefs… no Indians” and agreed to live their lives apart. It was not a case of his having any kind of free reign to come and go, with my mother being one of his women. They separated… no divorce.

I can’t remember the stretch of time not hearing from him, though I remember my mother once telling a story of how many years we hadn’t. I do remember how frequently I heard from him, and how his not being there seemed entirely natural. His calls were to express his love by checking to see if we needed to be disciplined. He called it a “Home Sweep.”

A Home Sweep was where each of us got a whipping, when all of us deserved one. For example, if I messed up in school in January… I had to wait for my brother and sister to go against my mother’s rules or mess up as well, before he would come over and share his belt. Thus, it could be 2-3 months before all 3 of us deserved a whipping.

We’d congregate in the same room and watch one another get their turn, as he ‘preached’ with each swing about how he couldn’t understand our not valuing an education and having a good mother to take care of us. I can’t count the number of times I heard about how he would’ve become President of the United States if he were allowed to go beyond his 6th grade education… if he had had a decent mother…. The Home Sweeps were always about those 2 topics.

My mother would calmly come to the door and signal him when she felt it was time to stop. Of course he’d get in another minute or two before she’d come back and really tell him to stop. He would either leave, or sit and talk with her for a while. No matter what their differences, they respected one another. And I learned to respect them both.

Living with my mother, I could see some of my father’s short comings. However, there were some that I learned were his standing tall as a man. I chose to adopt some while rejecting others. I chose him as my role model of what it takes to focus on being the man of the person I am today. Besides my now understanding the Home Sweep as one of his ways to stay in my life, and guide me to appreciate what he could only dream of, here are some of the values he instilled toward my development.

* Treat women good, so that your sister won’t be mistreated
* Never wear another man’s name on your back (sports jerseys)… it means they own you
* Work with people… at a company… for yourself
* Be on time
* You lie to those you fear… and you should fear no man

He never once said he loved me. I never once doubted that he did.

Learning in Economic Quicksand

H.O.P.E.
Having Over-Powered Evil
My expectation of God is what he gives me in the end... not how he treats me getting there.
© 2009

I posted the above on my weekly inspirational message, “Passing Thoughts,” and received the following addition, which I thought would be a nice share.

"My thought on this: if I (or we) continue to move in the light of understanding that all we have to do is just keep moving forward with Love… the path always keeps opening to new opportunity for me to express my divine wisdom. It’s an inside job. If you think you can, then you can. IT's ALL GOD."
- Anthony Jackson