Before You Jump in the Free Agent Pool!

Before you Jump Into the Free Agent Pool!
by Linda Blew Carlson

A free agent used to be a sports figure, or entertainer whose contract had run out and was looking for a new one. But with the change in our economy and the survival mode that companies have switched to, a vast number of people have entered the arena of free agents. Recent books and articles claim we are becoming a Free Agent Nation, within a Free Agent Economy.

Are you ready to join the millions who have chosen to become free agents? If you have or are planning to change your work life and want more choice in what you do and how you do it, you need to consider two things. How good are you at working with others? Do you know what you naturally do best?

If you can answer these two questions quickly, think about whether these are skills you have learned or whether they come naturally. Many people think that being trained to do something well is good enough; others will buy this knowledge or skill from them. That may be true or it may be short lived. There isn't much today that you can learn that will not become obsolete about the time you learn it. People aren't very flexible when they learn a skill. They learn how to do it best and lack the flexibility to adapt when the skill is no longer required. How do you stay flexible? Identify what you were born to do and you easily adapt to changes!

Being a successful free agent depends heavily on people skills. The Income part depends on your being able to cut directly through the defenses of people who are inundated with info the minute they get out of bed in the morning. It is pretty unrealistic to think you will get enough work to support yourself by relying on others to tell someone else how good you are. So brushing up on your people skills is essential.

There are some great resources for you, the prospective free agent. For instance Dan Pink in his new book defines what you are feeling right now. He says that people by the thousands each day are fleeing the organization to become free agents. He says; This person is the independent worker who operates on his or her terms, untethered to a large organization, serving multiple clients and customers instead of a single boss. This is good information. You need to know where you fit in the scheme of things.

Toni Lonier wants to give free agents the tools they will need to succeed. Barbara Reinhold recognizes the personal fears and gives advice and resources to deal with them. Sara Horowitz has developed a place where free agents can get similar and sometimes better benefits than organizations offer. This takes care of the basics. But no one has asked or answered the really important questions yet. How good are you at working with others, really? Do you know what you naturally do best? (This is usually very different from what you have been trained to do.)

Many free agents recognize that going it alone does not mean being alone. A recent issue of INC. has its cover page devoted to an example of going solo and teaming. Newer web sites do recognize the need for building teams that share projects and personal support. These sites talk about the need to get along well with others, and how to make significant contributions to the team. But just getting along with others doesn't mean you know how to get the best performance from them, or yourself for that matter.

So, what we have going today, is a growing understanding of the role of the free agent. We also have an expanding amount of information generated by people who are free agents themselves to help us. We have existing groups and new ones forming that will share and support us. What is missing?

Recent ground breaking research, provides answers for the two questions you must face, before you really stand a strong chance of making it as a free agent. It explains how to get others to give willing cooperation consistently. It explains what you have as in-born skills, that not only showcase your learned skills, but also come to your rescue when you need help.

It is important that you create and environment for yourself that removes the uncomfortable stress you have felt in organizations, and provides the greatest opportunity for your success, while being yourself. That means you need to maximize your strengths and minimize your liabilities. It also means that you can capitalize on your natural skills and be able to help others do the same. This new research gives you the ability to do all of this, along with the insight into how to form powerful teams, that quickly gain recognition for outstanding performance.

There are two simple steps to take before becoming a free agent. First, I suggest you go to the web site at http://www.styleworks4u.com and get information that will make establishing your free agent status faster and easier. It will give you an opportunity to take some free assessments that will identify what you are naturally good at. This is the starting point.

The authors books mentioned above, and many others, can be secured at any major library, or from most of the major Internet book sellers. Also a couple of key sites to get information on free agents and business are: www.fastcompany.com and www.business2.com. As you surf the search engines and directories, you will find many excellent sites and web pages. When you make the jump into the free agent pool - give yourself the very real chance for success!

Linda Carlson is President of Focus I. Inc. and has been a free agent all her life. She is dedicated to helping others work freely and powerfully. Her bio and story can be found at; http://www.styleworks4u.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi/about/index.html

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The Abt Audi R8 Dream Sports Car

What separates cars from dream cars? The former basically includes cars that may be considered as necessity; you know ordinary transport that takes you from point A to point B and then back again. Dream cars however, are another story since they include the array of supercars that makes your heart flutter and transforms the road into a stage for you to show off.

The Abt Sportsline?s R8 is another addition to the selection of dream cars and is preparing to get ready to overtake the other sportscar in the battle for prestige. The design studies conducted by Abt for the Audi R8 has lead to the creation of one of the sportiest sports car that Audi?luxury unit of Volkswagen and recipient of quality VW vent visors-- has ever had?the Abt Audi R8.

Abt a Kempten-based tuner has been able to perfect an excellent serial model like the R8 down to its littlest details and at the same time be able to accentuate the R8? s racing genes. The front of the Bavarian R8 displays the signature Abt face.

The front of the Abt R8 is basically a part of an overall concept that brings about phenomenal roadholding. Its unique and beautiful rear with its four inclined arranged exhaust end pipes, together with the rear diffuser and extravagant rear wing gives the front of the Abt R8 with a look that is both classy and compelling.

The add-on parts equipped on the super sports car from Allgau-region enhance downforce and create a perfect balance of the front and rear axis. Such add-ons are especially reserved for only a few cars. The sideblades and the side skirts were especially created for the Abt R8 to enhance its aerodynamics.

The aerodynamically efficient Abt body kit also includes carbon-fiber parts that has not only enhance the looks of the Abt R8 but also display the state-of-the-art Bavarian precision work. The R8 will also sport a carbon-fiber bonnet that does not only reduce weight but also optimized weight distribution of the Abt R8.

Design and technology innovations do not only come from Maranello or Sant? Agata Bolognese but also from Kempten. The Abt R8 is going to be one striking dream car with genes derived from a top-class race car. This car is expected to challenge the likes of Lamborghinis and Porsches. And with regards to the anticipated performance data the Bavarians are traditionally discreet. But these initial data already amazes sports car fans and makes them want to drive Bavarian horses.

The Abt Audi R8 revs up 530 hp (390 kW) drawn from the 4.2 liter V8 Abt supercharger engine and comparing it with the serial model which already shows impressive performance data it means that the Abt R8 has a significant power increase of 110 hp or 81 kW. The brand new Abt R8 20-inch BR wheels are stylish and complement the R8 on the road.

The all-wheel-drive dream car sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in a matter of 3.9 seconds and reaches top speed of 317 km/h. Such values reflect an extraordinary super sports car that is waiting to be driven. The Abt suspension equipped on the Abt Audi R8 is adjustable in height, pressure and rebound. This suspension increases the performance and driving comfort of the super sports car and can be adapted to the requirements of its driver. The Abt Audi R8 dream car is turning into reality this coming autumn.

For more about your VW vent visors needs like , visit your trusted online source.

Benjamin Hudson works as a supervisor at one of the top engineering firms in the business district of Louisiana. He is also a freelance journalist and has passion for anything automotive.

Audi R8 Warm Up TV Commercial

Audi R8 ?Warm up? with new sport car?s TV commercial. The new Audi commercial will showcase the 70 years of the company in the field of motor racing. The title of the commercial is ?Warm Up? which will be premiered in Germany on April 6 together with the blockbuster movie ?I, Robot? starring Will Smith and the Audi RSQ on the RTL channel.

The commercial was taken in Mexico and took six days to shoot. The tagline for the said commercial was: ?The Audi R8?Born of powerful ideas.? The production was spearheaded by Hamburg agency kempertrautmann.

According to Jagoda Becic, Head of Advertising at Audi AG?luxury unit of Volkswagen and recipient of quality VW spoilers, Time and time again during recent decades, Audi has led the way forward with its innovative technologies: the mid-mounted engine, aluminum lightweight construction, Quattro drive and our FSI petrol direct injection technology. We?re bringing all this together in the new Audi R8, and our journey through time creates a link from our new sports car to the core values of our brand.

The commercial was filmed in Mexico last December and Gerhard Kiefer, responsible for the production of commercials at Audi, explained that, We chose Mexico as the location for several reasons, the most important being that we had access to two racetracks at the same time for the filming work and that this location enabled us to obtain top-class technical equipment and props from nearby Hollywood.

Not less than three Lorries were taken to load the clothing, wigs, false moustaches and accessories from different eras plus kilos of make-ups to make sure that the five actors and 1,050 extras were authentically attired.

It was vital to the film that the wardrobes used were in line with the different eras. Also to provide that historical feel, backdrops were made plus there are also a range of vintage cars used comprising of five original vehicles from the 1920s and 1930s, six original 1950s vehicles and the replica of an Auto Union Type C racing car dating back to 1937---all of which were transported to the location.

The filming took six days at two different locations in Mexico wherein three days of which were spent by the team shooting at Mexico City?s Autodrome track situated at an altitude of 2,300 meters. From Autodrome the team head to a private racetrack where they filmed for the next three days. The said private racetrack is located at the vicinity of Tulancingo. Cameraman Ian Foster, who worked on productions such as James Bond movie ?Tomorrow Never Dies? and ?Alexander? directed by Oliver Stone, shot no less than ten kilometers of film.

The post-production phase of the commercial was done in London where it was edited in HD quality--- a process that took one and half month to finish.

The TV commercial starts by displaying a racetrack dating back to the 1930s. And away from the track, you can see racing cars being prepared for the big event. There were photographers and reporters flocking around the crowd of excited spectators when suddenly the Audi R8 drives through the scene.

For the succeeding years portrayed in the commercial?50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, the new Audi R8 will do the same entrance as it did in the 1930s part of the commercial. And leading up the whole moment when the R8 finally takes up a pole position on the grid at an ultra-modern circuit crowded with onlookers. There will also be a commentator that would be listing Audi?s engineering achievements down the years.

Afterwards the starting lights at the racetrack would fade and then the commentator would say 70 years of preparation ? for this start. The lights flick off and the R8 powers away and then enter the tagline The Audi R8 ? Born of powerful ideas.

For more about your Volkswagen parts needs like VW spoilers, visit your trusted online source.

Benjamin Hudson works as a supervisor at one of the top engineering firms in the business district of Louisiana. He is also a freelance journalist and has passion for anything automotive.

Basketball and Jesus

Our church has an organized basketball program managed and coached by Doug White (not to be confused by our pastor who also has the same name). Recently, I asked Doug why he was so passionate about the sport of basketball, and what does basketball have to do with Christianity. I thought his philosophy may be helpful to others who desire to build a church sports program. He expounded that organized basketball can be a great Christian training ground. Doug believed it starts with the right goal in mind: building up believers for their Christian walk. Coach White adheres to the following eight principles:

1. The program leader and coaches must remember the program goal in every activity they undertake. The core to a successful basketball program is conditioning and fundamentals. Those are two things most kids will like the least because they're infected by television sports; where the focus is on the individual player to look as good as possible. By focusing on conditioning and fundamentals, coaches can begin to wean their kids off of the glory-seeking mentality inherent in today's professional sports and develop a TEAM.

2. Every practice must begin and end with a prayer and those prayers should be led by players as soon as possible. The last 15 minutes of every practice should be a Bible study lesson where the players MUST bring a lesson or verse and be prepared to give its meaning and an application to basketball or their daily lives. Every player is required to have their Bible in hand and a lesson written down inside.

3. The Bible study lesson will be one of the most emotionally challenging tasks the players will face. Not only do they have to read and understand, but they also have to speak in front of their peers. To demonstrate how simple the task really is, Coach White will lead the first 2 or 3 by turning to a chapter in Proverbs. Proverbs is an easy book to use because it's built around life lessons. The challenges faced on the court boil down to challenges in life: anger management, cooperation, physical effort, pain, disappointment, and joy. The requirement to have a lesson on a piece of paper can be answered simply by writing a Proverb on a piece of paper with the point the player is trying to make. Those without a Bible or lesson earn a martyr (what the secular world calls a suicide) for each infraction. The penalized player will run while we prepare the lesson.

4. Coaches need to remind their players that all the heavy conditioning will be lifelong examples the players can use when basketball becomes just a fond memory. Working hard and hammering their bodies into fit vessels will make their brains more alert and able to accomplish seemingly impossible physical tasks for years into the future. And if some of the players actually choose to become missionaries, their physical training will form a great basis to endure the hardships in third world countries.

5. To successfully reach the primary goal of improving our Christian walk, basketball games become framed in the context of physical contests and opportunities to demonstrate a Christ-like attitude. Christian players do NOT challenge or complain about a referee's call. The Christian player appreciates the referee's difficult position of managing chaos and understands the thankless job they've undertaken. Complaining about a call, rolling their eyes, or hot-dogging earns them an immediate spot on the bench where they can see the cost to their teammates of their absence.

6. The other team is not he enemy but are brothers that challenge us. If the other team is secular, then we become a team of witnesses of how Jesus would behave and how He makes us different. The goal as a Christian team is put out an effort level Jesus would be pleased with, and an attitude that makes fans and players both wonder how it can be in today's world. As Christians playing basketball, we should be victorious whether we're winning or losing the game.

7. When the game is over, win or lose, the players must understand that God is in control. God is a details kind of guy who has numbered the cattle on a thousand hills, so he knows exactly what went on during the game. And He watches what happens AFTER the game. Win or lose, the Christian team is the envy of every fan and every coach because of how they behave AND how they play. As the coach for a Christian team, you model that same attitude. No team is ever lown out by your team, no matter how poor their skills. Every team gets the same level of respect you want for your team -- even if that means you put a lid on your best players, denying them the opportunity to score at will. We still play hard and give our best effort, but we can always stop short of running up the score.

8. The real measure of success for the coach isn't the won-loss record, but the activities his players become involved in once basketball is over. A successful coach will have successful PEOPLE graduating from his program, and they, in turn, can positively affect the people they come in contact with as they go through life.

Coach White's basketball link can be found at www.ebiblechurch.net.

About the Author

Johnny Kicklilghter is a member of Edgemont Bible Church located in Fairview Hts, Illinois.

Double Your New Fundraiser Using 4 Basic Fundraising Fundamentals

Fundraising has been going on for many years and will continue as a way for youth sports leagues, schools, churches, cheerleaders and many other groups to generate funds for numerous causes. When trying to organize a successful new fundraiser you should have a few keys things in mind.

Copyright (c) 2008 AIM Fundraising

For many years fundraising has been one important way for youth sports leagues, cheerleaders, school fundraisers and other not for profit groups to fund their programs. This will continue to be the case. When planning your new fundraiser there are some basic considerations that must be be taken into account to ensure that it is profitable.

Event

Choose a type of event that coincides with your type of group and your fundraising goals. If your youth soccer team needs new nets for the field, then the cost involved should be relatively small. In this case a car wash, a soccer-thon, or other simple fundraising event will do. If on the other hand you need to raise thousands of dollars for a senior trip you might need to consider fundraisers such as teddy bear fundraisers, cookie dough fundraisers, or any number of other unique fundraising ideas. When the needs are larger, it may be time to consider raising money over a few different programs and times of the year. Your specific needs will dictate the type of new fundraiser idea you should be considering.

Volunteers

Never over look the hidden talents or things that might be of interest to your group. For instance, you would not want to ask the football players to do a teddy bear fundraiser. While that might be a unique fundraiser, you probably will not have a huge sale simply because those boys are not going to be that enthused about them. Now, if what you are planning is a cheerleader fundraiser, or a new fundraiser for little kids or an all girl group, then a teddy bear fundraiser should work just fine.

Choosing The Right Fundraising Product

After first taking into consideration the interest of your volunteer force, you will also want to consider the attractiveness of your fundraising product itself. Right now, in America, the number one product in fundraising is frozen food, specifically frozen cookie dough. There are many varieties of frozen cookie dough available, but hands down the top two are the Otis Spunkmeyer brand and Chippery cookie dough.

Once a frozen product has been sold in your neighborhood however, you are forced to find a new fundraiser that will be he next best thing.This is where it gets sort of interesting. I could fill a couple of hundred pages on this subject alone. There are so many things that must be considered when trying to come up with this ew fundraiser. Things like the type of group you have, the age range of your group, the time of year. The list could go on. There are products however that have stood the test of time and consistently make groups the money they need. There are in fact some new fundraiser products that I can see will be giving frozen products a push off of the mountain top.

Some of the old standards like Christmas wrap, candles and various gift items have truly stood the test of time. There are some new fundraisers like teddy bear fundraisers and Interstate Batteries that are making a showing now to displace the old tried and true fundraisers.

Given that the scope of this article does not include how to properly choose that new fundraiser, I would simply say at this point that it would be wise to consult a professional fundraising company for that advice.

Don't Let Your Ego Get In The Way

In the quest for new fundraiser ideas, it is important to keep in mind that there are some things that you may initially think will or will not work. Many times we are inclined to pick our new fundraisers based on our own personal likes and dislikes. The thought process goes, I would not buy that product line so it must be a loser of a fundraiser. If this were the only thing to consider about what works in the marketplace, the would be no Starbucks or Seatle's Best Coffee. I hate coffee! There would also be a Sears on every corner and whoever thought that putting a retractable wheel in the bottom of a shoe would be a big deal?

When planning for any new fundraiser it is important to consider some basic options to help you decide which fundraising product is the right one for your group. The best way to proceed is really to get out of the way and go with what works.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


You don't have to re-invent the wheel when choosing the right product for your new fundraiser. There are lots of products that will work for your group. You will find some unique fundraiser ideas that work at AIM Fundraising.

Creating an Environment For a Horror Story

A well-written short story or book will transport the reader into another world. As he reads it he becomes part of the story. Although he's not one of the characters, the very act of reading it makes him an observer. He's there as the tale unfolds and lives through the events and the action and survives to see the outcome - something that perhaps not all characters manage to do! The experience can be compared to dreaming; while we sleep we experience the dream running though our imagination. So it stands to reason that reading a good horror story transports us into the world of the Waking Nightmare.

The best horror writers give their readers a scare; perhaps make them shiver with fear or squirm at vivid descriptions of a terrifying scene or a frightening character. A good horror story will make its readers feel uncomfortable, afraid to turn the page to read what happens next. This article will discuss setting the scene that a good horror story will be happy to call home.

Ask someone to choose a setting for a horror story and the response will probably be: Use your imagination. But that's not strictly the right approach. It's all very well to let your mind conjure up images of chainsaw-wielding zombies roaming the highway in search of fresh blood to appease the zombie king who lives on a haunted island in the middle of a lake... but how do you make the story believable? Your imagination may give you a great idea for a horror story, but that's just the first step towards creating something to capture your readers' attention.

A healthy dose of reality is what turns an idea and plotline into a horror story. The good horror writer will use plenty of reality to bring his story to life, creating a world that will - ultimately - terrify his readers. Inspiration is everywhere, and when creating the setting for your story you probably don't have to look very far. The trick is to use your words to paint a typical scene - one with which most people are familiar - perhaps a place where they feel safe. Then add a couple of sentences to imply that perhaps all is not as it seems and there's something not quite right with this picture. The paragraph below is from William Peter Blatty's terrifying book The Exorcist. I've boldened the few words he's used to add a chilling element to the basic description of an average house. Note how he's used a couple of sentences to enhance the ormality of the scene:

The house was a rental. Brooding. Tight. A brick colonial ripped by ivy in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C. Across the street, was a fringe of campus belonging to Georgetown University; to the rear, a sheer embankment plummeting steep to busy M Street and, beyond, the muddy Potomac. Early on the morning of April 1, the house was quiet... At approximately 12:25 A.M., Chris glanced from her script with a frown of puzzlement. She heard rapping sounds. They were odd. Muffled. Profound. Rhythmically clustered. Alien code tapped out by a dead man.

Although reality-based settings may appear to be mundane and commonplace that's not strictly true. The very ordinariness of this kind of setting can work in two ways. First, readers are familiar with ordinary because that's their world. It's where they live, work and play. The fact that we can all relate to ordinary means the relationship between writer and reader is already going in the right direction. This helps readers believe the story's setting is credible, a vital ingredient to the success of a horror story.

Secondly, you could introduce an ominous, thickly atmospheric setting - the misty-fog-shrouded swamp, the torture chamber in the dungeons of a crumbling castle, the burial ground of a Satanic church, the empty street at midnight lit by one flickering streetlamp... all these situations warn the reader that something nasty is going to happen. These settings are celebrated by the horror genre, because they prepare the reader for the rest of the story.

Finally, you know your story has worked when readers think: This could probably happen under the right circumstances. Readers are already meeting you more than halfway - by choosing to read your story they're making an oath of sorts: they agree to be scared and terrified by reading your words.

In the next article I will discuss character development. I close with a paragraph from a book that contains no supernatural being - the object of terror shares our planet with us. I remember being absolutely terrified by the first chapter of Peter Benchley's Jaws when I first read it at around the age of fifteen. With just a few words he paints a silent, unknown and alien world that you just know is about to explode into terror.

The great fish moved silently through the night water, propelled by short sweeps of its crescent tail. The mouth was open just enough to permit a rush of water over the gills. There was little other motion: an occasional correction of the apparently aimless course by the slight raising or lowering of a pectoral fin - as a bird changes direction by dipping one wing and lifting the other. The eyes were sightless in the black, and the other senses transmitted nothing extraordinary to the small, primitive brain.

That book still frightens me...

About the Author

The writer was born in Africa, and lived there for the first 38 years of her life. She worked in the world of public relations for over five years, running her own PR company and dealing extensively with the world of journalism and the print media. She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/, a site for <ahref=http://www.Writing.Com/>Writers. Her blog can be visited at: http://www.writing.com/authors/zwisis/blog

Ebay and Auctions Getting Started With Ebay

One of the myths with online businesses is that you can start them without any investment. That is simply not true because every business requires some investment to start properly. The good thing about the internet is that you can start with a very low investment but do not expect this to be zero.

The first place is your own home. Go through the garage, basement, closet and other locations looking for what you do not need. If something qualifies as junk then rethink it, maybe it is not junk to someone else. If something is worthless in your opinion you might still get a reasonably good price for it on eBay. This is perhaps the easiest way to make money using eBay. Always take a good picture of the item before listing it because listings with pictures get better bids. Then you must write a good description for the listing and set a low opening bid. You could be making hundreds of dollars like this and there is hardly any work involved.

Selling eBooks is another great way to making money through eBay. These books sell quickly. You simply need to find a topic you are good at and write a book. Even if it is something as simple as fixing a computer, changing hard drive partitions, or tinkering with household items or cars, fishing, sports, literally anything that you are good at can be presented and sold in the form of an eBook.

Another thing is to become an auction manager. Some people have great stuff but shy away from auctions. If you can do the job for them then you can earn a good commission per sale.

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Raymond Nesa is an experienced web marketer specializing in article marketing, traffic generation, and list building.