Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Appreciate or Get Depreciated

Greetings Happy People,

For my next post, I have a story to share with you.

This story is about two gentleman. To protect their identity let's call them "Mark" and "Carl."

Carl works at an office as a supervisor. He is one of those people that talks loud, does little, and annoys the hell out of everyone. Mark works at the same place in a different office. He is a regular guy that doesn't mind helping out a person or two.

One day, Carl had a massive project assignment to complete. He had to send a year's worth of reports, facts, and figures up to their sister offices in Denver. He would have done it himself, but he spent too much time talking loud and doing nothing. Knowing that he could not do it by himself, he asked for help from different people in different offices. One of the people he asked was Mark.

With great teamwork, and tireless efforts, the team managed to get the yearly reports to Denver in a timely manner. With the exception of Mark and Carl, there were six other people on the team. Each person did their job responsibly and helped Carl out.

Mark felt proud of what he was able to do and how he helped Carl out. Until a couple weeks later, when Mark looked at his email message.

In his email message, he noticed that Carl wrote up a letter to the higher office recognizing the people that helped him out. To Mark's surprise, he looked at the email and realized that his name was not on the list - along with two other people.

This hurts Mark because he thought they worked on Carl's project as a team equally and believe that the people on the team should be recognized equally. He asked Carl what was going on and Carl gave an answer that could be seen as a lie from miles away.

In Mark's mind, he believed that Carl's actions were deliberate. Mark tried to talk to upper management, but they would not listen to him.

These actions put Mark's vision of Carl in a different light. He sees Carl as someone who is ungrateful and unappreciative. Anytime he sees Carl, Mark is reminded of that bad taste in his mouth. To this day, he refused to help Carl out and worked on any project associated with him. Instead, he would work on other projects and assignments for other people. A few weeks later, Mark left that workplace for a better job opportunity at a rival company.

Within months, Mark proved to be a valuable asset at this rival company as he worked hard and got promoted through different levels of his job. He felt a lot better than he did at the company he worked before. Meanwhile, Carl's company took a hit. He tried to ask for help with another massive project, but people remembered what happened last time and would not lend a hand to him. This caused a bad image on the company and Carl. After that fiasco, Carl was fired.

What messages can be taken from this story? No matter if you see things from Carl's or Mark's eyes, it is good to appreciate and be appreciated. People like a simple "thank you" or a nice recognition. It makes them feel good for doing a job that is well done!! However, if you are not appreciating, you are depreciating.

Depreciation creates ripples of mistrust, hurt feelings, and questions about different things. Not too many people enjoy feeling depreciated. Instead, they would rather go to a place where they are more appreciated. If they can't do that, then they would drown in their own self-worthlessness.

So if you are a Mark or a Carl in this story, always remember to appreciate and never depreciate. It can make a difference in more ways than one.

That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Made It to 200!!

Greetings Happy People,

I have reached another milestone!!

This is the 200th post on Mr. I-I-I's Blogsite!!

Within the past 2 years, I was able to share some personal words of wisdom for the Happy People!!

It amazes me that people from all over the world in 6 different continents are able to read the thoughts, feelings, and emotions from the eyes of Mr. I-I-I!! It would have been 7 if penguins know how to use computers in Antartica.

Thanks to creating this blog, I was able to write and publish my first book "Greetings Happy People - The Positive Words and Wisdom Through They Eyes of Mr. I-I-I."

Pardon the plug, but you can purchase my book on either Amazon.com (CLICK HERE) or Barnes and Noble.com (CLICK HERE). Take it from me, it is a great read!!

If I did not know any better, I could have enough material to write and publish a second book(heh heh heh).

It takes a lot to write this many posts in the past two years. A great deal of it came from personal experiences. Sometimes I have dry spells where I could not think of anything to write. Other times, my mind is bursting with things to say. Either way, it is a good release to say what is on my mind.

It is an awesome feeling to get this goal accomplished!! I am grateful for the people that take the time to read these posts on my blog. Without you, none of this would have happened!!

Now that I wrote this many posts on Mr. I-I-I's Blogsite, does this mark the end of the road? Far from it, Happy People!! I will continue to write whatever is on my mind and share it with all of you!! Who knows? We all can learn lessons from the experiences of Mr. I-I-I!!

That is all I have for now!! Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I

Saturday, May 28, 2011

The Five H's

Greetings Happy People,

To be the best at what you do, you got to have these things that I am going to mention.

To me, these things came from the idea of a World Champion of Public Speaking.

Somehow, I find them to transcend beyond the realm of public speaking. Mastering these things can also make you a success at your job, your hobbies, or anything else you do.

What are "these things?"

They are The Five H's - Head, Heart, Humor, Heavy-Hitting, and Hero

Believe it or not, these five h's are key in whatever you want to do. While one of these components is great, having all five of them can make one unstoppable!!

To understand what I am talking about, I will break down these individual H's into it's brief explanations:

FIRST H - HEAD

The first H, has to do with the head. The head is responsible for thinking. Many great things are created through one's mind. If you were to look around you at anything in your community, you can see these creations. No matter how big or small it is, many of them were created from someone's mind. One way or another, they have an impact in how we live our lives.

SECOND H - HEART

The second H has to deal with the heart. While the head is good for thinking various ideas, the heart is key in making them real. If one does not have the heart, how can things get done? The heart is the spark plug that keeps the engine going. It also creates the drive, passion, and unbinding spirit that helps one succeed. If you have the heart, you have the power to do anything you want to.

THIRD H - HUMOR

The third H lies in the ability to have a sense of humor. There is no rule that says "in order to be a success, you have to be serious all the time." A little humor goes a long way. It lightens the mood and creates a postive energy that is less dense and less tense. I love having a little humor on the side because it makes me feel happy. I don't know about all of you readers, but a world without humor is a world I don't want to live in.

FOURTH H - HEAVY HITTING

The fourth H in this success map is heavy hitting. What in the world does that mean? In my opinion, it means that whatever one does in life has to create an impact for another. This can be similar to paying it forward. Whether it is one person, or a thousand people, your words, thoughts, and actions have to make a difference. Inspiration is a powerful thing and many people can be inspired through the actions of one.

FIFTH H - HERO

The fifth and final H involves being a hero. After making an impact in one's life, you can allow them to take steps in becoming a hero in their own right. Again, this is where inspiration is key. In certain ways, this can be seen as a "call to action" for anyone to follow. When we have heroes in our world, we have inspired and empowered people that are willing and ready to make a difference. It can be a beautiful thing Happy People!!

There you have it!! The Five H's - Head, Heart, Humor, Heavy-Hitting, and Hero. Each one of these components are great. But if you have all five of them, you will have one powerful force in your hands. It doesn't matter what you do in life, one can benefit and go far by having these five H's in their lives.

When done correctly, one can also create a sixth H in this equation. And that is "HOO-HOO-HOOOOOOO!!" The sound people will make when you have displayed the power of the Five H's!!

That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention!!

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

You Know You're an Old School Las Vegan if......

Greetings Happy People,

For my next post, I would like to share with you some memories and nostalgia about the city I live in - Las Vegas, Nevada. I have been here since the 80's and can tell you about the amazing growth that happened throughout the years.

If you are a friend of mine on Facebook, you have heard of some of these before. However, it is good to look at these things and say "WOW!! This city has grown big time!!"

I have twenty things that will have you know that you are an old school Las Vegan. There maybe more, but these are the ones that stand out in my mind.

Ready?? Here we go!!

YOU KNOW YOU ARE AN OLD SCHOOL LAS VEGAN IF.....

1. You remember when Rainbow Blvd was the westernmost street in the city.

2. You remember driving on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas

3. You remember casinoes like the Marina, Showboat, Hacienda, Sands, Dunes, Desert Inn, Vegas World, MGM (now Bally's), El Rancho, Sundance, Golden Goose, and the Glitter Gulch

4. You attended and graduated from the following original 10 high schools: Basic, Bishop Gorman, Bonanza, Chapparal, Clark, Eldorado, Las Vegas, Rancho, Valley, and Western.

5. You remembered the last time the city celebrated a sports championship - 1990 UNLV Rebels Men's Basketball team

6. You still wince and shutter when someone talks about Duke beating UNLV in the 1991 Final Four.

7. You drove on Craig Road when nothing was there.

8. You remember when the communities of Summerlin, Green Valley, Anthem, Centennial Hills, and Seven Hills did not exist

9. You remember railroad tracks being on the major streets just east of I-15.

10. You remember when North Las Vegas was "Northtown."

11. You remember when Martin Luther King Blvd was Highland Drive

12. You played at a huge park where the Grant Sawyer State Building is currently located (across the street from Cashman field).

13. You remember when US-95 north of Rainbow was just a four lane highway with nothing around it.

14. You remember what the city looked like BEFORE the mega-resorts were built

15. You remember the following LV Sports teams: Posse, SilverStreaks, Stars, Quicksilver, Thunder, Sting, and Cowboys

16. You remember who was the mayor of Las Vegas before Oscar Goodman (Jan Jones).

17. You remember when Richard Bryan was Nevada Governor, Bob Miller was Lt. Governor, and Harry Reid was not a Senator yet.

18. You remember when Bob Stupak ran for mayor.

19. You remember when Hoover Dam was overflowing

20. You remember when the Charleston Blvd underpass would flood when a huge rainstorm hit Vegas.

Did I bring back some memories for you? I hope so. I could go on about more memories. Heck!! You may have more memories that you would like to share about being an old school Las Vegan!!

It just goes to show you that no matter how fast and big this city grew, there are still those things that we can still remember. It is simply amazing!!

That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I

Rewarding Incompetency

Greetings Happy People,

One way or another, we see this happen in our lives.

We look at one person and wonder, "How the heck did they get this job?"

Was it by relative, default, or through some "good ole' boy" system? One could only imagine.

No matter how they got this job, chances are that they show their experience by their own incompetency. The mind-blowing part is that the majority of these people that hire them fail to see this!! Instead, they choose to select them due to some irrelevant connection.

No matter what the mindset is, hiring people through this process can be dangerous to a company, a society, and a government!!

No one can win on either side if they choose to pick someone this way.

It can also look bad for the people that use this process to hire someone. Sooner or later, people will ask the following question:

"Is there someone that is better for this job?"

"Is that the best they can do?"

"Who's butt did he have to kiss to get this role?"

"Really?"

It is a shame that this still happens in today's society. Little do they know, the people that hire, choose, or vote these people into a position, will pay for it in the long run. When it comes to select a person for a particular role, it would be wise to look at one's credibility and experience. Anything less may be a bargain, but are folks willing to pay for it?

On all levels I see this happen. Is it right? Nope. Could things be handled better? Maybe. For all I know is that the people that choose to reward incompetency are hurting themselves in more ways than one.

Instead, reward people for doing a good job. Praise people by promoting them for their hard work. It is these people that should earn the kudos for the right things they have done. Whether it be big or small, they deserve it for the right reasons.

If only the rest of the world can do this, can you imagine the heartaches that would be saved?

That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I

Saturday, May 21, 2011

5 Years

Greetings Happy People,

Five years ago today, I was living in my parents' house. Back then, I wanted to move out on my own to "see what it's like."

Then the day came - June 8, 2006. I moved out of home and into my first apartment. When I walked into the place, I looked around and felt a sense of independence. Along with that came some responsibility. I paid a few bills, stood on my own feet, and made decisions on where to go. Little did I know, more walls were going to break in my life.

Two years later, more good things arrived. I stepped up to a major leadership role in Toastmasters (Division Governor), went to a seminar where my walls broke, reunited with a few high school friends, and asked a lovely lady out (after being dateless for a few years). Gee, I wondered how those things turned out (heh heh heh).

As time passed, I attended another personal development seminar, watched an interesting DVD that was a real "secret," and started reading more motivational books. Ironically, many of these books I read were written by people who came a long way from their own lives. Some of them had more challenging obstacles to go through, but the underlying stories give the same message - you can be whatever you want to be if you put your mind to it.

In no time, the books I read inspired me to write a blog. The same one you are reading!! Additionally, it also inspired me to write and publish my first book. Gee, I wonder what is the name of that book. I think it has something to do with Happy People (heh heh heh).

And now, I am typing this post to you in my very first home!! Wow!!

As I look back at things, I can say that I came a long way. What will happen in the next 5 years? I have no solid answer. However, if things play out the way they do, I will still be growing through different opportunities, challenges, and whatever life throws at me.

A lot can happen in 5 years Happy People. If you start from where you are right now and make the efforts to grow personally, you will be amazed with where you are and what you are doing. Who knows? Somebody might read the story you have to share. They might want to "see what it's like" for themselves.

That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I

Sunday, May 15, 2011

It's My Sandwich!!

Greetings Happy People,

Today, I made one of my best sandwiches.

For a full and effective description,I would like for you to close your eyes and picture this masterpiece.

Between two slices of toasted sourdough bread are slices of ripe tomatoes, leafy green lettuce, slices of succulent prime rib meat covered with swiss cheese, red onions, Miracle Whip, and a hit of spicy mustard.

Doesn't that sound delicious? Okay, you can open your eyes now.

I have this wonderful knack of making great sandwiches. Most of them don't involve prime rib, but do involves various cuts of meats. Ham, turkey, chicken, beef, sausage, and basic lunch meat are some of the selections I choose. As soon as the end process is finished, I feel satisfied and grateful for having this masterpiece with my two hands.

As good as my sandwich making skills are, there are folks that can get pretty envious. They would try, and try, and try to take my sandwich from my hands. Whether it is behind my back, or in front of my face, these people want to take my sandwich.

I don't know why they do it. Are they not happy with the sandwiches they have in their hands? Do they want to sample as many sandwiches as they can? Or do they want to just take it for the sake of it. I have no answer for these sandwich rustlers.

Even if they were to take my sandwich from my hands, what have they accomplished? They may have the sandwich, but it is not theirs. They may try it and find out that it does not taste as good as they imagined. Heck, they might find another sandwich that looks better if not just as good. No matter how you slice it, these folks are not grateful for what they have.

When I create a sandwich, it is my creation and I am proud of it. I can look at other sandwiches and give credit to the creators. But I choose to be proud of my own masterpiece. No matter what ingredients I use, creating sandwiches is an amazing thing. For the people that are envious of my sandwiches, remember that you can make and take pride of your own sandwich. All you have to do is start with any two pieces of bread and create what you can. Who knows? You might have a masterpiece of your own!!

That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Stop and Smell the Rosemaries

Greetings Happy People,

Have you ever smelled the leaves of a rosemary plant?

If you haven't, then you are missing one of the most beautiful scents in the world.

Many people know that rosemary is a spice that is used to cook different types of food. It can also be used for medicinal purposes too. No matter what it is used for, the smell of a rosemary leaf is beautiful.

How did I come to this revelation? It all happened yesterday as I spent my day with an International Director from Toastmasters. To simplify things, let's name him Kevin.

During one visit to a local business, thoughts were racing through my head. I was wondering if the places we visted would be interested in starting up new clubs. At times, I wondered if this District was going to become Distinguished. There was only seven weeks left in the year and time was getting shorter.

In the midst of my thoughts, Kevin pointed out some plants to me. He told me that they were rosemary plants. He also mentioned that it had a sweet smell and is useful for many things. I looked at the plant and had my doubts. As I walked into the front doors of this company, Kevin picked the leaves from the rosemary plant and put them under my nose.

I took a whiff and for a moment, it felt like my thoughts have eased. Who knew that the plant I see in different parts of the Las Vegas valley, can give such a beautiful, powerful aroma? In the midst of confusion, complications, and concern, there are still things that are sweet and beautiful. Sometimes we need to take the time out and remind ourselves that beautiful things still exist in an ugly world.

The smell from a rosemary plant is one example where we can still find things that are beautiful. Not too many of us can take the time to enjoy the finer things in life. They make us feel good. When we allow the stressful things to conquer our lives, we hide ourselves from the things that are awesome. And that, my friends, is a real shame.

The next time you feel stressed, concerned or confused, please remember to take time out to appreciate the things that are simply beautiful. It does not matter if you smell leaves from a rosemary plant or simply look in front of a mirror, be sure to appreciate any aspect of beauty. It comes in more handy that one can imagine.

That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Rumors Sink Ships

Greetings Happy People,

Have you ever been on the wrong end of a rumor?

I have on a few occassions.

The most recent one happened last Friday.

I was at the Tuscany Hotel and Casino, having a good time at a Toastmasters District Conference with some Happy People. As the night was dying down, someone came up to me and told me a rumor about yours truly.

When I heard this rumor, the first thing I thought of was "WHAT?!!"

At first, I did not believe it. But after hearing it from one more person, and another person, and another person, I started to feel a little uncomfortable. Why someone would create this rumor is beyond my understanding. What the heck could I have done for any rumor to get started? It was perplexing and took me by surprise.

Driving from the Tuscany, I discussed this rumor to my beloved. She told me that it was only a rumor, it may not even be real, and that I really shouldn't worry about it.

As encouraging as those words were, it took me a while to let any anxiety I have go away. To take my mind off of it, I went to the house I purchased earlier today (my first one). Why did I go there? I wanted to have something positive to drive away any negative thoughts that brewed in my head from this rumor. One positive thought can take away a thousand negative thoughts very easily.

Once I left my new house, I felt a lot better.

The following day, there were people still talking about the rumor to me. This time, it did not affect me as much. As the day passed, I chose to have a good day and enjoy the people I am with. From morning to night, I had a great time at this conference. It seems that the more fun I had, the less I thought about that rumor.

When crunch time actually came, the rumor was only that - a rumor. Nothing really happened at all. After all the times I worried about it Friday night, I really had nothing to worry about!! WOW!! My fiancee was right after all!! I should listen to her more often :o)

It doesn't matter if one is the giver or receiver, rumors sink ships. The people that starts the rumor can damage their own credibility and integrity. The person receiving the rumor can take it the wrong way and hurt themselves with useless worrying. Either way, rumors destroy.

If you ever get caught in a rumor, make sure that you know it is true before you do something about it. Never get caught in whirlwind of worries caused by a rumor. Instead, live life the best way you know how. It will make you feel better as you set sail on smoother waters.

That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I

Thursday, May 5, 2011

What is YOUR Self-Worth Value?

Greetings Happy People,

How valuable is your self-worth?

Is it more valuable than silver, gold, or platinum? Does it live up to your own face value?

It is sad for me to say that there are people that live below their own self-worth. We have people that hold themselves to the point where they believe that they can’t make a difference in the world. Every day, I see people let themselves go, not caring how they live. They let the depths of their self-esteem get lower than what they could imagine. I don’t know about you, but this can be very heart-wrenching.

What causes them to feel this low? Is it their environment? Is it their employment (or lack thereof)? Is it another person? Or is it themselves?

On any given day, I find myself in this predicament. I deal with people on a daily basis that think I am nothing more than irrelevant. They constantly interrupt what I am going to say. They rarely appreciate or recognize what I do. They put me in corners as they find ways to chip into my own self-worth.

Does it get annoying? Yes. Is it disappointing? You better believe it!! Do I believe them? Not by a long shot!! No matter what people do to dismantle, demean, and deflate, I choose to believe that my own self-worth is greater than what they think. When I realize that, not too many people can stop me from what I choose to feel, believe, and do.

Thanks to believing in the value of my self-worth, I am able to do things I never thought I could do. I am able to go places where I thought I’d never go. I am able to be that person I never thought I could be. The only person that can determine the value of my self-worth is me (or I-I-I).

As I write to you today, I have a question to ask you. What is the value of your own self-worth?

Is it more valuable than the most precious metal on Earth? Is it more valuable than anything you could imagine? Or do you take it for granted and let it depreciate?

No matter who you are, we hold the value of self-worth in our hands. No person, place or thing can take it away from us. All we have to do is remember that we can empower our worthiness to limitless boundaries for what we have inside is more valuable than we imagine.

That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

2AM, Seriously??

Greetings Happy People,

It's 2 o'clock in the morning, and you are in your bed enjoying a nice, deep, sleep.

Suddenly, the phone rings.

You stumble towards the phone as you answer it.

On the other line, is a salesman trying to sell you the latest product or "next big thing."

As this person offer his sales pitch, you ask yourself "Why is this fool calling me at 2AM?"

You tell the person to get lost (or some other language that's unsuitable for children) and hang up the phone. Feeling upset about this person's audacity to call you at this time of night, you wonder how this fool sleeps at night.

If the call was an emergency or from a relative from halfway around the world, it would be understandable, but a salesperson?? Really??

Just when you think it is bad when these people call you during dinner, it is a whole lot worse when they call you in the middle of your sleep.

What do you do when this happens?

Well, there are many things that could be done. First thing is to hang up on the person. The second thing is to curse the person out, THEN hang up on them. Another option is to trace the call and call this person at 2 o'clock in the morning to see how they like being called in the middle of the night. If it is from a legitimate company, you may want to call the company (on the next business day) and report the ambitious salesperson. The best they could do is warn the person or have one of those "heart to heart" talks that leads to either a reprimand or termination.

Another sensible option is to just not answer it at all. If it is from the person you know, just hang up on them.

If you have ever had this happen to you, chances are that you know what it is like to get one of these non-life threatening calls. Man it's annoying!!

Now if you are the person making these calls, please consider your audience before your make your calls at a certain time. You would not like it if someone calls you at the middle of the night wanting to sell you something. Why do it to someone else? Is it really worth the commission to do this at all?

There are people that live in different time zones. There are people that have to go to work in the morning. There are people that live different lives. If it is necessary for you to call someone at 2AM over a sales pitch, in the name of strawberries please do some research before you use the phone!! It might save you a few choice swear words!!

As I try to get whatever rest I can get for the rest of the night, I hope that no one goes through this "misfortune" that happened to me. If so, you have a right to tell the person off and hang up on them. Some people.......

That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Jesse I-I-I

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