Blog - Melva Gifford - Page 189Melva Gifford

Improving presentation skills:

Posted on October 20, 2015 by admin

I don’t recall if these notes is from one of the Life the Universe and Everything presentations/panels or something from the Timp Tellers organization. Either way, good info, I thought. In inaccuracies is the fault of the note taker.

New York Times crossword puzzles is a good way to learn vocabulary.
Anagram is where you can rearrange the letters of one word to make another.
You use levers to pull me in your audience to your presentation.
The success or failure of a speech/presentation is influenced on how you well you draw you audience in.
We need to determine in advance what you want to achieve in your presentation.
We need a mission plan.
You need to determine/define what an audience is expecting to learn when they attend your presentation.

I will get what you give.
Commitment: you want to initiate a commitment from you audience writing something down or do an activity, etc.
Your speech can be a social pivot.
You need to present authority. You can determine the importance of the meeting. If the present of the company is about me.

You always play better if you play with team members that are more talented.
*29 min need your objective/payload to be delivered. You do this by visually, orally.
Have your audience do something.
You have to be familiar with your audience even know how to influence them.
You need to build to adjust your presentation to match the energy level and knowledge level of the audience.
In your preparation have alternative modifications that can fit the needs of whatever audience encountering
*33 min if you put together a presentation by doing the PowerPoint topics first and then the speech you are providing a chance for killed by PowerPoint.
*35 min recommended book: the Macintosh way by Guy Kawasaki
recommended book: selling the dream
The energy of your presentation comes from your knowledge of the material
*44 minutes airslach.net
*54 min Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business by Ann Handley and C.C. Chapman
Recommended book: The Back of the Napkin (Expanded Edition): Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures by Dan Roam

Have something to add? Please do so in the comment section of this blog.

Posted in Rock Soup | Comments Off

Winterize your car:

Posted on October 19, 2015 by admin

Buy the right tires
Fix cracks as cold weather will make them worse
Check the working order of your lights
Learn how to handle a car in snow
Have emergency kit in your car, include a small shovel
Slow down and beware of black ice and other dangers

Sources: Christensen & Hymans handout

Posted in The Things I've Recently Learned | Comments Off

Recent intrusions on religious freedom:

Posted on October 18, 2015 by admin

A few months ago I attended a conference on religious liberty conference at UVU. Here are my notes from one of the presentations. Any inaccuracies are the fault of the note taker.

Government mandate. HHS affordable care act paper civilization. Administration committed a one-year delay and now is in action.
Religious autonomy: hosanna tabor, for 400 years schedule of appeals, role exempted certain religious organizations from a certain law. Such as hiring or firing ministers.
Student of religious rights. Faith-based student groups have to accept anyone as a member of a group or leader. The agreement, even if they are not of that group. Result of this is the striving religious organizations off-campus.
Religious land use. Want to use private property and public land for use in religious activities. Muslims land wanted to build a new mosque. They were denied because of public resistance. Judge voted against it.
Religious conscience right. Stock and dispense the night after drug to religious pharmacist resisted the dispense of this drug. They were taken to court, so the pharmacist did have a choice.
Redefinition of antidiscrimination laws. Faith-based adoption organizations are having to close because they did not want to permit the adoption of children to same-sex couples.
Religion in the public square. Law against prayer or removing religious symbols from public organizations and meanings. This right is currently upheld.
Blaine amendments: is rooted by Catholic schools want access public funds for their education. The Blaine act prevents use. So I can’t help disabled children attend a religious schools or prevents them to access scholarships.
Minorities rights. Pastor Sata eagle feathers. Fellow federal agent attended a Native American ceremony that involved eagle feathers and targeted the tribe for breaking the law.
Prisoners religious rights. Many prisoners are denied the opportunity to reform religious acts.

Nathan B Owen: why for-profit organizations should be treated as persons.
ACA/Obama care regulation includes occupation against religion. They present the argument that religion can only be done by people. That would imply that churches can’t exercise religion.
For-profit businesses are prevented from exercising religion. Corporations are set up as a limited liabilities, which means that owners can still keep their homes, even if it the company sued

Have something to add? Please do so in the comment section of this blog.

Posted in The Things I've Recently Learned | Comments Off

Steps to stop UTA project to increase Orem city taxes:

Posted on October 15, 2015 by admin

This week I got this email. I support it.

We the People VS Those who will Profit from Prop 1 (UTA and their Lobbyists who are spending more that $425K -follow the money)

YOU are the solution. Here is the plan. Do what you can!

Greetings to all who oppose BRT

Commissioner Bill Lee and Utah County taxpayers need our help, so you are needed once again!

Here’s the problem: The UTA and their Lobbyists are spending over $425,000 to get voters convinced to vote for the 4^th Quarter Sales tax (“Proposition 1”) …and if that tax passes on November 3^rd the UTA will get another $7 million from Utah County residents to waste.

Note: Over half of that $425,000 was put up by the companies that will profit from the new tax by selling Buses and other business services to the UTA. It’s outrageous.

Meanwhile, other than presentations explaining why this tax should be opposed that Commissioner Bill Lee and Casey Voeks have been giving to handfuls of voters; there has been no organized opposition to Proposition 1. (We have to fix that)
—————————————————————————————————

Here’s the solution: You are the solution. After talking about what needs to be done with Commissioner Lee and others we have registered a domain for a website (AgainstProp1.org), gotten pricing for yard signs and door flyer, tasked designers to create the materials we need, and now we just need some dedicated “doers” like yourself to make a difference.

Bottom Line: If you’re getting this email it’s because you were instrumental in gathering BRT signatures and that means you pulled off a near miracle with very little time – surely we can do it again now.

————————————————————————————————–

Here’s the plan: Below are several projects we either need to pay for or put some time into…We have 2 projects to raise funds for and 5 projects that require some time. Please see what you can do to help and let’s do this. It’s time to stop UTA’s access to wasting our money.

#####################################################################

1^st thing: We need to get some Yard and street signs ordered right away, i.e. no later than Monday the 19th – that’s 4 days from now.

We know we can get lawn signs with metal stakes for about $10 each at low quantities, and if we can buy enough the price can eventually drop to around $5 each, and have them printed and ready to distribute on Monday the 26^th.

So Funds PROJECT 1 call to action is: Let’s buy those signs! Below is a paypal button for any or all of us to buy at least one sign for $10 each to put up in key places around the county. (Please buy as many as you can. If we get enough to get quantity price breaks the cost per sign will go down!)

“Against Prop 1” yard signs:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=LET2Y4ZQSDLKE

Bottom Line: If all of us on our BRT petition supporters list buy an average of 1 sign we’ll have more than 1,000 signs out on the streets the week before the election, at a cost that won’t break the bank.

Note: If you buy 1 sign, we’ll deliver it to you and ask you to put it in your yard OR to find a key spot in your city. However, if you are able to help buy more than 1 sign, we’ll have a crew put up the extra signs throughout the county for you.

######################################################################

Funds PROJECT 2 call to action: Next, we need to print flyers for door to door distribution, which we can get done on good heavy stock for about $0.15 cents. So below is a paypal link to buy 50 flyers for $7.50

“Against Prop 1” Flyers:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8EU7YXLBBGAJC

Note: If you buy 50 flyers, we’ll deliver them to you and ask you to deliver them around your neighborhood. However, if you are able to help buy more than 50 flyers or can’t do the delivery yourself, we’ll have crews to deliver the flyers throughout the county for you.

##################################################################

Time Projects 3 to 10: Call to Action
———————————————–

NOTE: Please reply to this email if you can help with any of these projects and let us know what projects (by number) you can help with:

Project 3 (Time sensitive) Municipal Candidate Calling: We need to identify any and all City Council candidates and Mayoral candidates who are running for election and get them on record as to whether they support or oppose the 4^th Quarter Sales tax (Prop 1)

Project 4 (Time sensitive) State Reps & Senators Calling: We need to identify any and all Utah County state Senators and Reps and get them on record as to whether they support or oppose the 4^th Quarter Sales tax (Prop 1)

Project 5: (week of 10/19): “Let UTA take us for a Ride”: This one should be fun! We need a lot of Volunteers to ride UTA Bus routes and do our own count of actual boarding’s and ridership. This will be a PR event/project to shed light on how few people ride UTA in the county. This can be done morning, mid-day, or evening so we should be able to fit this around people’s schedules.

The first route we will ride and report on is the BRT route…Our favorite!….and then if we have enough volunteers we’ll keep adding routes to ride.

Project 6 (week of 10/26): Sign Distribution Volunteers: To help distribute and/or install signs

Project 7 (week of 10/26): Door to Door Flyer delivery: To help deliver flyers door-to-door

Thanks!
Frank
(385-204-1796)

Copyright © 2015 BRT – Let the People Decide, All rights reserved.
BRT – Let the people decide!Our mailing address is:BRT – Let the People Decide

793 Orchard Dr

Pleasant Grove, Ut 84062
Add us to your address book

Posted in The Things I've Recently Learned | Comments Off

Spelling Constituent:

Posted on October 14, 2015 by admin

Good: constituent

Bad: constinguient

I have two problems with this word. I want to put sting (ouch) which might betray my attitude toward many politicians. But here is a way that may help. The United States CONSTITUtion defined the roles of our major politicians and how they should represent their CONSTITUents. You should keep the I out because you should not represent your preferences (thus cut the I) but the will of the people. We’ll see it that helps us remember the word better.

Have a better idea? Please share it in the comment section of this blog.

Posted in The Things I've Recently Learned | Comments Off

Creating a good beginning, when telling a story:

Posted on October 13, 2015 by admin

Stephanie Raff, one of our professional story tellers who is a member of timp tellers storytelling group did a great presentation on how you can do good beginnings for stories. She says that she studied different patterns of different stories, and has come up with some ideas what makes good stories.

You need to capture your audience in the first 40 seconds. The advantages of having different types of beginnings is that you might be able to cater one beginning to one audience the beginning to the depending upon the circumstances.
A good beginning is one that can take the audience someplace. When you arrive at that place you want to use all the sensory details to make Place to the listener can envision themselves from this.
Another type is to start somewhere in time. For example, Stephanie has a beginning that says: there was a time before blue jeans where fairytales were happening and not being told.
Introduce me, makes a great beginning. This is where you introduce the character. Here’s an example. There was once a mischievous girl who liked playing jokes on other people.
Try beginning with, “what are you talking about?” This is where you start a story with dialogue. A wonderful example might be. Don’t eat the bubblegum. Another way to approach this is you might ask the audience a question. Have you ever blah blah blah.
You might begin a story by singing a song or have a song in the story. You might have your audience sing a song along with you in the story. Alternatives to this is to make a sound that may surprise your audience. One storyteller started their story with the barking of a dog.
Start a story with a general statement that you direct that statement to your personal experience. For example, most people dream of being president me, I dreamed of being on a school football team. Another way to implement this might be “everyone has heard about the big bad Wolf. This story is about the big bad monkey. “
Surprise us by a sound or word that captures the listener, such as”all nuts.” You might use a story to define a word. My personal example. This is my short story of fiddlesticks serenade.
Try framing your story. A story might be within another story. You might tell a story about how you came up with the story. You might tell why you tell the story because of a personal experience. You might tell the story behind the story.
You can also start a story by tradition beginnings, such as once upon a time. I just of a story called déjà vu with things keep happening more than once. Await alter this is about beginning, it was a normal day, but and then have the story. Take a twist
Stephanie had some good suggestions. If you have some ideas on how to start a good audio story or written, please feel free to share it in the comment section this blog.

Have something to add? Please do so in the comment section of this blog.

Posted in Rock Soup | Comments Off

How to handle addiction:

Posted on October 12, 2015 by admin

These are notes from a presentation that took place at the book of Mormon conference. Any misinformation or confusing statements below is the fault of the note taker.

Sometimes a parent may resist asking for help because they don’t want to be seen as a bad parent.
The 12 step program gave an opportunity of unlimited world, freedom and support.
Received hope from others who are now on the path of sobriety.
Love how the members of the group share love and acceptance.
Check out the website, family addiction.com and may have additional hints of resources for those facing addiction challenges.
When others open up about their challenges, so do the new members feel more comfortable doing so.
Addiction can be fatal.
When it comes to addiction, think of a two-sided coin one side is the person that has addiction and the other is the family members of that person. Both sides of the coin are needed for success against addiction.
When asked which is worst codependency or addiction. One advisor says its codependency. Because codependency can be hit for addiction is more of an outside.
When addicts were asked what contributed to this excess toward sobriety 9out of 10 said it was their involvement in the 12 step program.
Alcohol contains chemicals that create a reaction in mind makes that they don’t have their drink. They may actually die.
Besides, detox, you need family, the 12 step program, and a strong aftercare program (which maintains the path of sobriety, so they continue learning and growing.
The family needs help, not just the addict
Renaissance ranch provides outpatient programs for women and not just in-house programs.
Many times and dates will not acknowledge they have a problem. But when they attend a 12 step program and the others make their admissions is easier for them to open up.
People commit the change when the pain of addiction hurts more than the pain of sobriety.
Addicts must face overcoming emotional shame associated that addiction.
Many people try to advise that going to church, senior prayers and repentance can take care of addiction. Usually more is required.

Have something to add to the list? Please do so in the comment section of this blog.

Posted in The Things I've Recently Learned | Comments Off

Positive attributes of Reagan and Obama:

Posted on October 11, 2015 by admin

A few months ago I attended a conference on religious liberty conference at UVU. Here are my notes from one of the presentations. Any inaccuracies is the fault of the note taker.

Ambassador Connect served under Reagan and Obama.
The ambassador discussed the positive attributes of both presidents
Reagan’s father was a drunk and Reagan learned about God from his mother. In a speech in 1980. There were five words that make an impression on the ambassador, the amazing interest in working for Reagan family were neighborhood on some things, such as abortion, but maybe he can act could work on the circumstances that might drive someone to abortion, such as poverty freedom.
Interview with Frank Graham about was asked why the man. Obama answered. I believe Jesus Christ is my way.
Wolcott discussing the budget. James Madison showed up with the Bill of Rights and wanted to interrupt their work to push the Bill of Rights for. The third entry judges of that conscience was not to be hostile to religion. It concentrated on freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.
He became discouraged with working with Republicans when they showed such disrespect to Romney’s religion. He told Republicans. Stop associated with them, and they didn’t stop ridiculing Mormonism when they didn’t he left his association with them.
In a speech to the sojourners organization Connect became a fan of Obama. Obama recognized that he and connect did not agree on abortion, but maybe connect to help with the administration on fixing the conditions that contribute to some want to abortion, such as poverty of women. Why does Pres. Obama want the assigned ambassador connect to the ambassador to a small country. One can have asked what he could do with a small country of about 400 churches and Obama suggested he does the churches. This became useful later when the ambassador was able to bring the needs of the small country. When the ambassador went to church while working for the Obama administration, the priest denied him communion. When the matter was presented to higher authorities. The priest was told to write a letter of apology to connect.
NASA said. “My intent is to prevent a national church.” (maybe not nasa but I can’t find my original notes to make a correction on this reference.)
One) Tocqueville visited America and wrote the book democracy in America. He said that faith was a significant influence of the success of America. Connect encourages us not to align themselves. The most popular person of the day.

Have something to add? Please do so in the comment section of this blog.

Posted in The Things I've Recently Learned | Comments Off

Book of Mormon and Preparedness conference:

Posted on October 8, 2015 by admin

Blog:

Fri: Book of Mormon and Preparedness conference: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ebfj4qin76c4700f&llr=z7h5t5cab

Posted in The Things I've Recently Learned | Tagged Book of Mormon and Preparedness conference | Comments Off

Spelling Squatted:

Posted on October 7, 2015 by admin

Good: squatted

Bad: sqwatted

I keep putting in the w. Just remember that squat requires physical energy and does not electricity. So avoid the watts. Have an alternative suggestion. Please share in in the comment section of this blog.

Posted in The Things I've Recently Learned | Comments Off