Austin, Texas

<p>Hey friends! For the past 5 days I’ve been enjoying a conference for work in Austin, Texas. </p> <p align="center"><strong><em>We flew out early Saturday morning.</em></strong> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFSMiEA72GJBT4TW44KGfSdLO7SWKjUv48vl3k0HnQxbZEPsa4PoKw9qmqmHafurrTdFtC9lpikYFy8w8P3g19mWTAfcVXdQLhXd6ZaLbAfs1yK_ims1wqCFr-pl55Ej5wu5AGamYmH3j/s1600-h/DSC07415%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07415" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-t_LUebLx0mZbhqITP6kCUdX8NwaPTcf5jXvZSzdbnRCq7zshxi2GJZFEfOAMBSfb4CgbbR7Mwdzz1RluQ_gF-RqBZwJMtnRlc8FcSUbEC8OqmnOJPi5WTLt5DSYQNMy2Qm7X2oaI7Y5/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07415" width="404" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>We had a layover in Dallas and I took the opportunity to try some Red Mango fro yo!! Good stuff!!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkuiTSneY726RjrPNvhmqGkj3uedPHdfWdPkbBU9sxNFVKx-1YopCCLADBSRCPlbeOvOBMxIUdnVDpRlirwhk-lPI7AahzpphBx5v_p7Po_f4F__sp7jUOm79uI96To42jNY47GKpQmEGn/s1600-h/IMG00035-20100529-1540%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG00035-20100529-1540" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyaWrxqHWPYnPbQM-mEVYeYWDjXYn7YeJYKEQy_L2WCrmDP-lyqfa2N42FENUYSCSSxjodXxKELgDL1rEWIaYTHzoW0r1cvmBR-iH6HW82LJXMaRIJn_VuLnTdfCPmFuLLbEQv6tFCCmu/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="IMG00035-20100529-1540" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>When we got to Austin we had some AWESOME Mexican at Chuy’s!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirq96mdxkOseSIM2o9DKheuF5nDUxFW4y5r-V8GXhbGEyMTKTwmxyMrc9yp0YuiFE09pxcwQDx7SHM5eTysoGjUF3JFxdwFe6vMKtgf24rD_lN8z0QUcMEZGprTdpsbtlPVToeJGd3ej4F/s1600-h/DSC07416%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07416" border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimj0mXvmV2zCBUNT-TFzdYb9sbLm9mj5hqe0toP2vXfdDwIhOCWkAmPA8a-P0Z60WlYX-4j1ihJ4MldUfHracSiYhCrCRrXle8kdzlO3baCJ6L0g3ZSFSSJqfuI3eOduDf6LlgMrQPs4fS/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07416" width="329" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrg1RY03BCEP_7IVmj8v4Nhr6SSmSZflpeJbfotOSkTTFUIN6daJlAZjdik9mbs6Od0MZwVccLmN9XP49hsaYsr-Ivgq4bzB60FcM0xV0pZFORUTUI6N5lXgxuuJ_f6y6O637HjPh0FRYl/s1600-h/DSC07420%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07420" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkA0sResPR8CJQFAZ8ahMawFuCc_OVeykeJPCTAzMuVTz3th-f1WwyCfm8d_FMsqXyHAd6R4M90y3IWKtUjwH5QE8OYZgLuScASW5vS7seUHp4cv8Zebg_7rybhHzCiVun4-7XXrNC07Dx/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07420" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Mmmm…chimichanga!</em></strong> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgOt1lkLkA3ZP2WeptklA1BFBbAfylVPklMUtXC-UbB3MluOOtqqotDnqqoz0OKqOG7YPjECZZz-uRydwLMuJiytTRn-jILSy6qZ-kciXkBrNMkykf3PX1AW6Ec1E0nkqzO_WAOrO5Ef-/s1600-h/DSC07426%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07426" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjParRkcah2m-Y6C4_n-4iGDPMMNQa67zhU_wSlXXR5z9LdVKuiyNsbkBd3x0zTaQsn4C5j7V9zP5S9ILhnWzAvdl8YRL90L3a8vX5MuGhTTQPwyxMvHDzjrWjfdJFpAhGbcy3yajYBQFR2/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07426" width="404" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>The next morning I started out my day with a run around Lady Bird Lake!</em></strong> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrE57VvWcg92J7906A3xflN1Vkg0eMytoT4TRx7igaio6rVvMh6DrXsYOiYHNVNNdrFBs-iUnagUfEOLfQbUdtEpxcf3cbU0b1BzvDv7l9iyH0zATz9HrnsciYKbj_rkXXKvy3IpLYUgDq/s1600-h/IMG00037-20100530-0722%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG00037-20100530-0722" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AjHhmgbv0mBDU6o2VeINbpsxAuamw5gVxIZVc2OWGv6xCFNHdPZ7yddq9H6GZNy07YnIDQ-vQdTg1RasFZ0cfnh7v00nAJ1OeWbmDr4J_5WFJq8U7bNLy4e_bQ_DWIYFeZ1nsM73YHhx/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="IMG00037-20100530-0722" width="404" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>After my morning run I met up with a few co-workers for a wonderful brunch buffet, including made to order omelets!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbcRmvdW6E7WyJtyUhVer1P3ILisxQt77CR1kR9_PBjb4nzXdItzG1xdsyRnrSZVy9jDxnp_PD0N6OGSwubswVVwKJpvA9yvvimH4Ts3XSgiIoZpYIHH8QyFA-P_Wx-OmAG_EM1fiF_nf/s1600-h/IMG00038-20100530-0823%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG00038-20100530-0823" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBCoWx360H1F259CO7ONXq13gZY-9dLvaWGgfmFCMG66tQ8uuAZ7_vUiTb3SOilo9mXRsNdEDODHS3U5AqgLUrjh-io4_4M0Xvr5r3THjXce0xFppsv93uCYsl7a8wmrfUwRGfl26GHN_4/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="IMG00038-20100530-0823" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>We had a day filled with meetings & sessions. In between though I sat out on the balcony and enjoyed the warm TX weather.</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23RWUvKh-qeN8OKA2ya0G9XgEXH5vbc07-OXTJb-SbUZyeD-prJLR4F9XcJY7YpWYCCjWwQGQvys7ho93I6S8PFehEa7Yc8A6yIrmGRuehzWZrgY1bkJL7TyRwvBCYBk18-KKl8qebcnP/s1600-h/DSC07429%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07429" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtxJg0mDVcnp4Lf2w27Ag3WpvviJrhlUr4DjBhXUHrIY-dQvBua5o7xJY30858_mweS0DvFzJC5H4TCILgh6RX8EKyCOdadruw2IRMoWs_a4aFTKR8BiPSAxxDjbD7637ftA_bhDAe4d7/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07429" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Downtown Austin is pretty cool!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS64jjaDYdgLTnNEbpg5X2Upwo41a9ErMzShZlJa3Yu5yQ5toPDQLN8U5HHCewiAs0HM1bRWRJCdeyYNuXOti1EdeAWmOa4RYogKckNUPWr5iu-Vml88A7aru71HphHhyphenhyphenmZoeAAAkW9qR_/s1600-h/DSC07434%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07434" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkx-x-_mXJBV2ugPci12SMuSZ6DOiiV16Za2Ihi49zrEWkars5jKw91UFwRTXokoFygQv84-5iqzHm15uI7VIOetA7JJQvgEjgAAqU0-BJlX2bCEu81LBbG_MFrTdKC7oXN2WRTpaHb94/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07434" width="404" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>In between sessions we tested out Blue Bell Ice Cream, something we don’t have in Iowa!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RfXQyeVdRcdxTo5JOlNZ028bN54q7sU-ZWdZgBjb7IiwPCuvoZcu_3znXxxnTDEfXFGy4SpzmezHsq7YVq34KhokPyoEb0OlB-OANhZVflWhH6LfE1LMVwEplnG-b5ZeHrz8Kvb5qhrL/s1600-h/DSC07436%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07436" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLMCfRhyMAfu2trtvfHxOBeCP0ufoj-ZTcoC0FUJDHDuBMm2Q3r58u8hiU-czfyZcQDfBBjwdVzA1PAWBRdgO6QfuC3qVCCKcO-yCEOoBxh0Q0m5hUBH3CzpqbB2FHkw7jNDIwzIjTxBi/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07436" width="404" /></a></em></strong></p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"><tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><img alt="DSC07435" border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepVzH5uvr1HhZliKc4tdIo17kHsckt0EVBkpZE_xTjOT9tH7et46TdVI8n6bDKvMJ270zxuT0Yu-jSLSWfZtTfFn-I69HYy3j1fo1WLlTzpO7waBIKstQGtvfq6iouDa89fw6IOwp5SsW/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07435" width="204" /></td> <td valign="top" width="200"><img alt="DSC07437" border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJDkd7eKWa_KR-4rXo6ejhgDb8U-65oG_BuxbUPW7iaHScnq4CxB20S7dcEoFbKo-TgM-LXZv7nWqLOE8gxdFPv4hH1UxPX05gwLqEQ_8hWy729_doknTSmmihdeQ6KTwrioevzHFYd0O/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07437" width="204" /></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p align="left">Here’s a story for you guys! For the past week before my trip (just for fun) I started doing some research on the next vehicle I want. <strong><u>Nissan Armada</u></strong> was on the top of my list. When we picked up our rental vehicle I got our scheduled car switched to an Armada. I got a 5 day test drive and <strong><em>LOVE</em></strong> it!! Hopefully it will be joining the Bangert family soon! ;)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVflKBHidL017CIMlHph1lf4JDfb4w9jVUC6Ex9iOqrNpIi8kQXML9SoL93S3MzplxKwdhFhxXEdej1ySynwazrWJnY6BZSX8f6K3aYniKXiMfMEkk5Zfn2_bn4FPteUxQLUICd4MiC1LI/s1600-h/DSC07444%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07444" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotMWHofR-06-CfZnlxKeXgpxJ9_Cp29nMq6uNY8xl0-GcKQ_0AgVY-hdCxHF3qhHInY718QfnYl0doD1WJ5n7fwdgDOhb3evjHDaRRa2na6UhvYjEw07RCu6v-ptEcZHG-cLpFzbFzkqa/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07444" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Dinner the next night was another Austin favorite, The County Line!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiKZR2tM2PR5IQMJtum66oOtWgNC9b8boWwqv2iF9CPKsD36G6paI7hmRhDaGJWYd7IlnlF6Cq1-iB0JyKtTdVkr1AlkWfjphLJQwHlo2NhrsbIzBCRyu2Wavg7cZHIyNiIx_K35uIUKb/s1600-h/DSC07445%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07445" border="0" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRmzItWa094uV1HgZhxtWGWRakPOj0Eb62Nf_uyv0c6D6Cjen1Uci6hhM-wbHvBzO4RXFl-86eTc8WAEL7WuTm5XUKulG1cp_aRbyZzUuAtBnLdVzjvI-he9GoBtqimW-I37gJYZPC8sO/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07445" width="329" /></a>   <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMpyvkH42oMXXgi7vlfS46X-m1YCWUrOpKKwqMa2yO-NaSq6yuZ7XV30PDdWTr_vfrM1thedmxmHBBusGTnazjcwigkuWPuQWqx34kVPGOoOas6hjCgiNTSxKQYj4SrkVqBQeZ6N9zzeV/s1600-h/DSC07448%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07448" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7E_hSq665sQddDwC831jxClwZBVIP02hHgyPDRdpG2xOTnJ_IQDMcqYgna81N2Oi88Bcy_Mkx33ds-JsfiuPKLYQnwFpomAt89R-Pm_c_e4j-K_lsNoN3jOWhR6hhRoP2C176C7PtyazG/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07448" width="404" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>We sat out on the back patio enjoying the warm TX evening!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSc3Yl1uiTusdA_f3xSiMTshD3iMn0Jy21MRLEhP_u6fRDkL9lfQM4zIwGq8wlBW7r-tyNFMhMH_xv4dsSiOX4PvOQdqalJtTda8IqYRQPesOC4mwqN4gpbsvpxa2SKiHbz71ZdrU_NuHG/s1600-h/DSC07455%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07455" border="0" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5YXsSCnZJf5IMm74ih9dDMJWwg71w2-J4i5QsbHPAOSnC2qChTEgXASOb_mtyzGjFlU21CyVCvMEQy66Q6SJqBguSbq6INIbgjX6IwiglTwLGE2WfUJ0y5zgLjwW9oTMZhaHR30K-_T4/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07455" width="329" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>We were entertained by the turtles in the river!</em></strong></p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"><tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><img alt="DSC07451" border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1awG_lI_HsagjGwOvzROkxdWlrytycyLk76t8lVyMOQBbiz-1V8WI285HPVP7E2NxzfuG-_8zCU6SMbMxc4VrkQ8MKZq2zmV8c6irVo1A6hy3weGw15GYOfWOdTUdA3Q-Rg2BTH4YrqX/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07451" width="204" /></td> <td valign="top" width="200"><img alt="DSC07453" border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ww2uwMHK4J-yfE849_VcKfoV7gjR9kbh3L4nkmg8EALQ8CtZp26qx_PIJ_AXZ6fa0YpcjAVZDqcp20_RO7d11IT6yALa1qjrPMSwNpf9te-RDPLsY0dGhkYyqRh3gDKXyfPGvs8H6SaL/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07453" width="204" /></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshLOWFwzdsDgzfqH5M4UVgGLsI_tKiXHvWlLQmgliFwZnsQg-SRV5H3k_k5Gzd0hMYfpaArJ9koscUspq-V4Ah_WNEExEvR3jNEn5u_DmjghSMAAOVV8exw3Pp2H2x2EJzitKsLtD-xDQ/s1600-h/DSC07457%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07457" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qfrTVtRlyDl8p-XaX5RF1k4OEbc4El519jQlD8Ri1LarZweThptZhlHFpwhaDU7RUVP58idIyQg5x8GMTa2Ty0DcEJObQT4GsOOT8NcXhXMjWhGTJ9FE_CIkDoMYKOGv9D9c017BWsio/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07457" width="404" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjyOesT5y8nqZeNTY6Fjc-2CeqMFWgaNkcrJsj-VQBt7j5yljL31WNyfk1PepZzZ1xZpi7kxvnKd1YWC3OSBP1omtQjw9e0SzBwhhPidxej8rBZimdDyh7IHB5F0dihsXV3BJkXwxqT3b/s1600-h/DSC07459%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07459" border="0" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUP8QWbmRXv0dTuKSQyIBOGtsjkdJjUrpfGxNtQDxUcRJpvRtDjanFi4-g18xr-c4cXI6brpaMudqt4QigYWlUoHOEKUkOAqzxyW2LoNi5aIhY9PA1F9IKO_KsvYmVkaQba2v3W02udSH/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07459" width="329" /></a>   <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXms05wfcRnbL_NPGz3DgCWjIh4Q1IY5UdWkOirnLUfeLFPrryrcqZMd-aCtu8mZPRmvhNlJBr1c0CB3_HprBaF0wRhAsoCHfP9txFaHfqJfQZXW73UdBZLSUdO3g6x1xBX9M47IvPuaRh/s1600-h/DSC07469%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07469" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKDhhP07JJYYKapjw1m1KWbAywEu73Q6wsgoCFJci1v4wwXb4LCe3HoKZKjiIzuSJIs0X_T_x47zGS2VrcnLocEmPsOdyKRbX6UkQ61FRvCASdmVjCM_478NY01BDWp6DFX8X0RpYhCwi/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07469" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>It was family style and oh so good!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFDQ8CRi0Xd7r9AYHSrP6f02jaP9QOSzLCJ2K22Hg_RwtNw_ZBl9J4c5FhOvi17XY6CmdQkJ8T4BdR55mnU1RUNvF5A2d-FQKfcb-lv8GNP4VzOoxknCMRW_lXv55jtrBgvsHAoHKmrsr4/s1600-h/DSC07473%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07473" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZoT7VhUzKa6Ld1LaLS6cNOWzzfbZOWj0h5k2NqVgt0_al8Mq1NNqVar67Dtv4fjmtV0r7YCmruj79gpkxWa_qEGZbDQdvWLrdtJvfvcSux1NVHxDjDk0HsXder_q4UWNd38MYuTTdMWYQ/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07473" width="404" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6BsWfUJZPx0tyjfO7Jrb6ZZZV99PWgkLdeaC_aMoJRXyyFmQxTWI1lNc6EeMiv0j33tNTogPsycOEy7RISzp5da-AeylSd-fBLhWq5-Bxyxznjp_Jxd9rQHo2eSD8vFIhigcrrUYdHk8/s1600-h/DSC07474%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07474" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiergjYXUltxK6XGPyoGAv8I5iX5AeoXOYzCeLe9A_NLjqo5831Yfm4RT0ZyJo6LslnJZpwgo8LgcZlJOt8E6WjKjBW9kcZdhyphenhyphenjC4Q0-7fRGaqFabo8Jq01A75IYJWfFc86m0_MsGxnjNVc/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07474" width="404" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipq7LR3HeS6d7rdIf5tpJpslaJAAGZIu1AXeYOjgzsZI8zewqGFcrMNaOdLHdbWOsvuAu8PAF-XDziVoWhyphenhyphenENAcvB76HIcwhTjbThuHUsTtMwU_YbWN9gjAWrCtvXdc7_nDEH3J1bAyohA/s1600-h/DSC07475%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07475" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRleRicsf_uKfpLE2KMJ3fwAYtnFyN__xU9I9-aqhNh4aEYkXHXuYSWf7rJvJNDUVz7dvOE2WbaE7OtSiRBMhzHPaVbCvqkIiiwaOWF8waksCPiEwDimiw3m-VtImW_4E3PyYhAHHN4JC/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07475" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>I definitely enjoyed some BBQ!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQXXPbYPCEXfN3Ijfp8WHFRppMWshRPZQqvhUsPMdANGXFr06AYHKSUCPbfsh4KXVtm0QplW9j-8J-DP5_uGYOirxfi1Mnp23lc-sRS_I9HdINIEwZ8u1wSiUgAyRv37m2II5gK1Z5WoD/s1600-h/DSC07477%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07477" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkzqW2uIM9ITBq1nL3EoYonBEmVUNfC7tVajOiFoI68rk4m_iVoKXhpjIGXr-4oAEUy__y1FA8ZjFQCa522xArPoB_alDXuCQlatztCKuibhn-Xlol7B6FUS81oNjwSi2b5xtX1JTR-aP/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07477" width="404" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>The next day was filled with sessions and spent the afternoon at the roof top pool!<img alt="IMG00052-20100601-1518" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RvNKj11urcdwpeODkFHylw945yZJMLhyphenhyphen1IsYM8s8Qn77N9gMaMcEH_EMPzTG5Xc6_Wn7k1x_ClzEQO0ygWZzqhFjo9uL_YiiRtctTX4Q_C9wCZ_MV-s-G-lItvbJBUJn10JbHN13fKjS/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="IMG00052-20100601-1518" width="404" /></em></strong><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>I forgot to pack my swimsuit so it was a great excuse to get a new one!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhj7c-KgFY2IoL1SXtYsXi597MOalgZydS9A5tZOntqtsg2UIzUdyEJ2-2_RsYwD6tumGfVckwEX6rVfEtJvYTsV9oskNNMy1e0TwhKVV0eYAFHojqPN_RFYzN1IfSkb0zp2osqZ1uIpy/s1600-h/IMG00051-20100601-1453%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG00051-20100601-1453" border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxBGK43wEiPAyREiEuHt1NNA_U9KMOtIwGhgyFtyDX89l3_CeDOqn6gyB0ri9EhpN7pUWfvG5qdUK6a5ZyvUhDyMcSv1ILutrHsxSmPe3D5d-OzBdhaYrsegBaq0ujZ5tZiZMAIUtipWz/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="IMG00051-20100601-1453" width="329" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>That evening we went to Pappadeux for some seafood!</em></strong> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhrTp8p9DItoIL0vtWQNbM4-djCpyrISyKr2ZpS2ctCAceyocl7Nt6t-t3Lpf0ws5e8dqATgXv6VeFHJdanZMnbocx1CL_BocBmXMgxCkYvifa2GVMyAuJ7LEZieoINUvJqpMQB9zraMB/s1600-h/DSC07493%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07493" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24m6bnWlJSUy0kZIYVv0eLX35stWCXSrpGdmJE6sGdLFAPT9_aaicbMTWmA2xBpTVt0c5PKHBoTPB9Kr8_YtiyHbjsqEZvnAcRGwSTmu5U77odaY79K50CzlyDDvDPmlLpxVjcNGm3wr-/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07493" width="404" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>I tried all kinds of new things, including alligator and calamari! Both were great!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGgKoEdrlzdAiT94sqhWM4IIpAiioPTSJsytj70m7ejtn6xyIadEQJw_jQmBFF-PzBOlnbEP4Veq0E2Zm9zCx5Z6IjdEWSlqMmr-f7eKaMWoXaaYPismWRjNbcgNiQYm4imxdL9obLGIr/s1600-h/DSC07481%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07481" border="0" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYLMm7v5NUE5r8iKOpRThPuj8lKkpcE_PaFEsGf9aF85jh4tBBBMD0HREYT7ZOOnu42v8tDjt6g-AE1nbXPkwjrqTgQ31vx8zUKMTWg6pU0KbMgfrGOhVUDW-3di4kXIuhc7vLEse6pzS/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07481" width="329" /></a>  <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRTjzufFs1B9KIV3XsonmL-nt0ugtKn0pyOq8C3U9NhGxZ5Tpp_dnCIR-LnRtti1-QECN0WfZCOU_ETm72qPECg1JnLgYcyfbdGn-zqcrZP283-xI_w2CNPPNf39Zne5YT6V8zuK6Bs8d/s1600-h/DSC07482%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07482" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VDcjOjmDzLOvgmW31MpIqS7k1L_tKoc0LV3v2m4o_AjtoetD-DKGhM5mITPoPpvR3RImTbdVNyog-iqkP-gmeMnuw2YUgT-QDFPu7BT3E1GfZJWQ7A2hzMfWbEzzsU9cEwMDNzuI8N99/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07482" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>I loved the style of the restaurant, especially the GIANT crown molding!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtRriG0f-XyyTZeylcBszuKcY85-Hbl-gP25JGwjxW71pQMTxEsyXQ-JUDWasbxoqQjWK5Pzl3vzLDSDyIQJukmPd_m84mzu7glR1v8ng1fxCPFPROaKmIL8mBiVvWxD1dcKjpHRYLqmg/s1600-h/DSC07485%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07485" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNU716i_Rg8wods5m2DjcZgsyzxE2EqDvmLQi_yph8Sa76o7YjX-C8tYOV4WVVEPuzUwSnJEbHgRSgSwsgpAeJ6T4YVWjs-PmZ13O_gGoV8LKEXpmCMg9aXFULHVKzKgq0wGN_33T8kIuD/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07485" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Here I am to prove I ate alligator! Not to sure at first…</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKVqKmAO6HNDYGVmSZKbtcBQYZgX_tr7LoLxgMKjZt68XJP-MOP9GkP-jT0wto0iWdpLUmIFY5_fd0_8bi3z53tyo2yV-yd5ct2K1lnGFRYBFyk1Aj7kVfr33LFDPeUjv7qQxfdVDl4Kn/s1600-h/DSC07486%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07486" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwqwJM9B5Lg6WTx4ghpwXwjVQx-EZpEBFxx4vjtxmStSg7TLgyTFLViMkSalsPqIk1Uy8jt44NRQsn4F4uxdb27GeRemcNyvmyhXljAGyL9_VxWotiVxYoq-PvPtavF1sTgy0LYzN_NK8O/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07486" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Going in! </em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKrUYdit4pyDpU1fIx_qUY5XU6KQB8lrT6QzXDp7UfRSTr5iHaUmvacOY8B_q9a2qZpDmy7_BUzrojAfZL5H0Ho3-qdyeUNEx0e04rA4X6ZwsH8AIIn0oyN9H0ywBSW8ebdmE_LAFFVjh/s1600-h/DSC07487%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07487" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJn7N4r7Lc6H5xm_RTcY_eItwICrfayLBGYo6ZAfmBrFfbC4m4YSNOcnqsmHR_ZKPqai6DJWugpwJXX_p3PcSKPuI4U64PMdFxlbb4bK56C5G-teKcGBtLSjSPU9t5Qw4Dqd6yL6FhSUb/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07487" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>It was good!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHtDLpEP748nzT1BnbZrO1MrPdFj_2q_wiB9ViVQGtlAGfzVoVGEPi7wccDJXiqBfIlqDKzd8MHlC4gz2DacQZQLdkb_ABZFIxeEUaPl0l8ILi97tuDrs7vHj8xoLO8397EwoYhDRt5oT/s1600-h/DSC07488%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07488" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcgSVbnF7APBvXhYeP3mkgtmWTHhBykyFcYEpiu1VrBpFlOG8Y2am1_c2lF-UoXSu9bu6cwg1uqW4ZkSp4JJmBHKbsKH41CCmZjN6XgNEdy7-FOj8JMuqR6xSM08vcOX7IwArO7nVZHaf/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07488" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>We also had some funny 2 tailed shrimp!</em></strong> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1DhBSFumRVJ48Vvp_yVTEQdEvRaF_UBGnjWDNXCp2k7-ey1TCUmhNfzhja8D2Vnrh7X8ukk3rFgthttsIQ4PRjpR-tDolGJgGf927LHmMN-AerMAnn-3LPfS50bkMf9s7eazX6h13RKk/s1600-h/DSC07492%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07492" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fF6faQkFjdiRFptVOzIoNf7YyZjZs71ZbSITgfnChVWiGtmIqL-T99kFeCD0Imcq1tq9Kjld4acsvhkdqx4Gj3iDO2GGyJpmxSTGHVLd0qW1fP0z12o7X2M_DzQFQrQCm374OCiYzF2V/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC07492" width="404" /></a><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>That night we went down to 6th street and enjoyed music at the dueling piano bar! It was TOO fun!!</em></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxfsogs0iylZ_8U1juxStDzjODdFiZOPhGFxjQQAFT00xRoGVt3OMIYptie5wwENaWhjSffoeEvW5Pz14NibmNfZODvYY_kYWxTUNHagryjwpcK7kbuvCOGbCky6AnCIiTEZSVnXpI12Q/s1600-h/IMG00057-20100601-2147%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG00057-20100601-2147" border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAbw7DBVgYWy-iHihqz3wrhKBEsNHpyiIx3d94_IQMTuZSqc3ESU85dPNLt0XaBDvfv0dfWxAd47ehLVXyXKR-3MtwezzMZFE6pc8kBitIFNyHY2RvsQ1MAJbJdwuD0oLwHXkjY3VxXla/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="IMG00057-20100601-2147" width="404" /></a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Wednesday was mainly a travel day. We didn’t get home to till 3am…on Thursday! It was an overall great time, but it is always SO good to come home!</p> <p>Kyle and I have a race this weekend, so I don’t think things will be slowing down anytime soon!</p>

Austin, Texas

Hey friends! For the past 5 days I’ve been enjoying a conference for work in Austin, Texas. We flew out early Saturday morning. We had ...

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The Formula for Selling Anybody, Anything, Any Time

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/qh/ar5l2k56g3nkpr14fvqh.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/qh/ar5l2k56g3nkpr14fvqh.gif" /></a></div>Here's the thing: Sometimes we're selling our ideas, sometimes we're selling our products and, these days, many of us are selling ourselves as the best candidate for the job. With this in mind, here's the proven formula for selling your best self to anybody, anywhere, any time.<br /><br />First: Yale University did a study of the 12 most persuasive words in the English language. They discovered that the most persuasive word in the English language is "you." Consequently, I recommend throwing it around a lot: "As I'm sure you know," "As I'm sure you've heard," "I wanted to talk to you today," etc.<br /><br />Second: California-based social psychologist Ellen Langer says one word in the English language increases the possibility of cooperation from 60 to 94 percent. No, that is not a typo. I will repeat: 60 to 94 percent. This word is "because." <br /><br />Lastly: The Duncan Hines Cake Mix Marketing Theory. When Duncan Hines began making cake mix, the decision to have cooks at home add the egg was made in the marketing department. Why is this effective? Because they realized that when we add the egg, we feel proud because we contributed; we can say, "I baked!" <br /><br />Following, then, are three ways you can apply this formula for success:<br /><br />A job interview scenario<br />When you are talking to a company about coming to work for them, you need to articulate the contribution unique to them that they can they make to your success, so it becomes your shared success. <br /><br />Too often, however, we spend our interviewing time talking about why we are right for the job. What we need to be talking about is why the job is right for us. <br /><br />What might this sound like? <br /><br />"I wanted to talk to you today because your job description/your company's mission statement/your bestselling product is X, and my skill set/my personal passion/my sales experience is in Y. Applying the full force of my expertise to this job will enable us both to reach our goals." <br /><br />Talking to your boss about a brewing situation<br />The use of the word "situation" here is deliberate. The White House doesn't have a Crisis Room, it has a Situation Room. Likewise, you don't have a crisis -- you have a situation that needs to be resolved.<br /><br />So, what would the formula for success sound like here?<br /><br />"I wanted to bring a potential situation to your attention immediately because it requires expert attention. X has occurred and I have come up with the following two possible solutions. Is there one that you prefer?"<br /><br />In this instance, the egg is not as much the mention of the expert attention but the opportunity you are giving your boss to apply that expertise to two possible strategies. Having him choose which he prefers (and tell you why it's far better) not only allows him to add an egg, but to choose the temperature at which the solution is "baked."<br /><br />Talking to a potential target at a networking event<br />Too many networking events are about what others can do for us, rather than what we can do for others. In my experience, however, the most successful networkers aren't asking, "What can you do for me?" but "What can I do for you?" In this scenario, the formula would likely sound like this:<br /><br />"Hello, I'm X. I wanted to introduce myself because I know you are the visionary behind X idea/product/company, and I wanted to introduce you to Y/write about you in my newsletter/ask if I could help you organize your next charity event." (If your target is standing with another person or in a group, introduce yourself to everyone present.)<br /><br />As you can see, the offer doesn't need to be –huge; the fact that you made it at all is what helps you stand out. Leaving room for another person to add the egg of her choice is what will ensure your successful connection. <br /><br />By Frances Cole Jones, author of "The Wow Factor: The 33 Things You Must (and Must Not) Do to Guarantee Your Edge in Today's Business World." Her company, Cole Media Management, works with clients to enhance their professional and personal presentation skills. She lives in New York City.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

The Formula for Selling Anybody, Anything, Any Time

Here's the thing: Sometimes we're selling our ideas, sometimes we're selling our products and, these days, many of us are sellin...

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Available Jobs, Not Enough Skilled Workers

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/87/ar5l6qn6r744vgvxls87.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/87/ar5l6qn6r744vgvxls87.gif" /></a></div>Two years after the start of the recession, the unemployment rate is still near double digits, which translates to millions of Americans looking for work. For every open job, employers have dozens or even hundreds of applicants eager to get hired. Yet many employers insist that finding qualified candidates is difficult, even in this economy. How can that be?<br /><br />These employers don't have a shortage of applicants -- they have a shortage of qualified applicants. For most positions, the necessary skills, experience and education requirements are firm and can't be loosened because of a lack of suitable candidates. Bad economy or not, employers need to know their workers are the best possible people for the job.<br /><br />A good worker is hard to find<br />"These jobs were difficult to fill prior to the economic downturn," says Julian L. Alssid, executive director of the Workforce Strategy Center in New York. "Hopefully, they will be less difficult to fill as we move more toward a more demand-driven work-force development system in the U.S. This means local employers working directly with community colleges, trade schools and other post-secondary institutions that help people gain skills that are in demand by employers."<br /><br />Education is an invaluable asset for any applicant, but as many job seekers can attest, it isn't the only prerequisite for employment. When employers are choosing the right candidate for their organizations, they want to see years of experience and an education that isn't outdated. As you can imagine, any worker who falls at extreme ends of the spectrum -- such as a new graduate or an industry veteran -- can be at a disadvantage. New graduates know the latest research and technology, but they don't have the years of firsthand experience that employers value.<br /><br />"We do hear employers complain that younger workers fresh out of school often lack a practical understanding of how to apply what they have learned in their classrooms to the workplace," Alssid says. "That said, we have heard from several experienced workers that they feel they are losing out on jobs to younger -- less costly -- candidates."<br /><br />Education matters<br />Don't mistake a need for experience as a reason to dismiss education. The problem is that job seekers have to take responsibility for their education because many employers no longer have the time and budget to groom new hires.<br /><br />"Employers seem to be less willing to invest in training in this economy. Again, it is the combination of the right credential and practical experience they look for," Alssid says.<br /><br />Take the initiative to improve your credentials so employers see a candidate they're ready to hire now.<br /><br />"Many job seekers can make themselves more competitive by getting industry-recognized credentials that are valued in today's workplace," Alssid says. "In many cases, that might mean a short-term certificate, not another college or graduate degree."<br /><br />But many employers are ready to hire.<br />"We hear about the skills shortage from industries including health care, advanced manufacturing, IT and energy," Alssid says. Although no specific job title is in constant need, any positions relying on math and technical expertise are consistently difficult to fill. "I have heard from several advanced manufacturers that they would hire engineers and engineering technicians in a heartbeat."<br /><br />Supporting his assessment is the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which expects biomedical engineers and network systems and data communications analysts to be the fastest-growing occupations between 2008 and 2018. As a result, job seekers who are applying to these fields and who have the qualifications need to put their experience and skills front and center. In the cover letter, résumé and interview, don't let hiring managers forget that you already have the skills they need. After all, you are just one job seeker in a competitive market; show employers that you're different from the rest.<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama, writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Available Jobs, Not Enough Skilled Workers

Two years after the start of the recession, the unemployment rate is still near double digits, which translates to millions of Americans loo...

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Fastest Growing Jobs in Health Care

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/k7/ar5f36g6rhc5rc8tybk7.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/k7/ar5f36g6rhc5rc8tybk7.gif" /></a></div>In the two years since the economy began its downward slide, health care has been one of the few industries that continued to rise. Because we're living longer than ever and the baby boomers are aging, demand for health care is growing.<br /><br />Understandably, many people think of health care as all about doctors and nurses. After all, when you go to the hospital or have your annual check-up, your interaction is usually with a nurse and then a doctor. All the lab tests and other work are done behind the scenes, so these positions get overlooked. The health care industry will continue to grow in the coming decade and the jobs won't just be in the operating room, though many will.<br /><br />According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these 11 jobs in health care will see growth in the coming years. Here are the jobs, their expected growth in the next decade, education requirements and annual mean salary*:<br /><br />1. Physician assistants perform many of the same tasks of a physician -- such as treating injuries and supervising medical assistants -- but are under a physician's supervision at all times.<br />2008-2018 increase: 41.3 percent<br />Education: College degree and relevant experience<br />Salary: $81,610<br /><br />2. Medical secretaries perform administrative duties in health-care facilities and rely on their knowledge of medical terminology and procedures.<br />2008-2018 increase: 27 percent<br />Education: Varies, but college degrees are increasingly common requirements<br />Salary: $30,800<br /><br />3. Physicians and surgeons treat patients for existing medical conditions and also advise them on preventative care. Surgeons concentrate on operations rather than the non-surgical approaches of physicians.<br />2008-2018 increase: 26 percent<br />Education: Medical degrees, residencies and licenses<br />Salary: Surgeons - $206,770, general internists - $176,740<br /><br />4. Registered nurses address some health problems of patients as well as collect and maintain their medical records.<br />2008-2018 increase: 23.4 percent<br />Education: Varies between college degrees requirements and certification, depending on state and employer<br />Salary: $65,130<br /><br />5. Counselors work in various health-care facilities to help clients overcome physical or mental health obstacles they are encountering. <br />2008-2018 increase: 22.6 percent<br />Education: Varies by state and facility, but college degree and certification are typical<br />Salary: Mental health - $40,270, rehabilitation - $34,600, substance abuse and behavioral disorder - $39,670<br /><br />6. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses provide care for injured or ill patients in health-care facilities and private homes.<br />2008-2018 increase: 21.9 percent<br />Education: Nursing license from an accredited school or institution, other requirements vary by state<br />Salary: $40,110<br /><br />7. Billing and posting clerks and machine operators assess the cost of a patient's health care, draw up the bill and send it to them. <br />2008-2018 increase: 19.7 percent<br />Education: Varies by institution, but a high school diploma and basic computer skills are common<br />Salary: $32,120<br /><br />8. Social workers provide emotional and mental support to patients who have substance abuse problems or suffer from medical ailments.<br />2008-2018 increase: 19.5 percent<br />Education: Bachelor's degrees and often advanced degrees are required, in addition to state-mandated licenses and certifications<br />Salary: Medical and public health - $47,560, mental health and substance abuse - $39,630<br /><br />9. Receptionists and information clerks work in health-care facilities and address customer or patient questions or concerns and direct them to the appropriate department or personnel.<br />2008-2018 increase: 16.1 percent<br />Education: Minimum requirement of high school diploma, although some employers require more education or relevant experience<br />Salary: $25,400<br /><br />10. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians work in medical laboratories to perform tests that help diagnose, treat or prevent illnesses.<br />2008-2018 increase: 14 percent<br />Education: Technologists need a bachelor's degree in a related subject and technicians need an associate degree<br />Salary: Technologists - $54,050, technicians - $44,310<br /><br />11. Pharmacists dispense medicine to patients based on the diagnoses and prescriptions of physicians and other medical professionals.<br />2008-2018 increase: 14 percent<br />Education: A Doctor of Pharmacy degree and license<br />Salary: $104,260<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder.com writer <br /><br />*All information based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.<br />Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Fastest Growing Jobs in Health Care

In the two years since the economy began its downward slide, health care has been one of the few industries that continued to rise. Because ...

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