Graduation Message from Uncle Ted

ADVICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE



Gather round boys and girls and listen good?-real good. Pay attention. What I am about to tell you will help you immensely throughout the rest of your lives if you read, absorb and commit to practicing and living your Uncle Ted's proven modus operendi for quality of life. It is highly unlikely that you would get this ironclad and loving advice in any classroom or from a textbook anymore, and sadly, some of you will not have received this advice from even your parents. Uncle Ted to the rescue. I'm an extremist. I give a damn.

Nobody owes you a thing. Nothing. Zilch. Everything you will get out of life will only be based on what you put into it. Period. You will get no more than what you are willing to bust your ass and earn. As humorist Mark Twain said, "Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first." Get a job.

If you work hard, real hard, at your favorite craft, you will ultimately succeed. A work ethic is the path to success and a rewarding life. If you are lazy, you will not succeed. Expect to be fired over and over again and aimlessly drift from job to job. It does not matter how smart or gifted you are if you are lazy. You will not and cannot succeed without genuine heart and soul ass kicking effort. Right now is always the right time to be the best that you can be. There is a fire down below. Know it, love it, crave it, pour gas on it. It is there and it is wonderful when you chose to let it roar.

Find your passion in life, your calling, something you crave, that special thing that makes you giddy. Set a goal and never, ever quit. When you get close to the brass ring, move it further away from your grasp. Always push yourself harder. Get up an hour earlier and stay up an hour later working like a human possessed on attaining your goals. Walk through or over anyone who dares to tell you that you can not do something. Avoid negative people and slobbering hippies like the plague. They never accomplish anything. Surround yourself with positive people who are better than yourself and will mentor, help and guide you honestly.

The only free lunches are at the homeless shelter. If you want to dance, you have to pay the band. And you will get what you pay for.



Never miss an opportunity to say thank you to the men and women in our military and law enforcement. They are the defenders of freedom and are putting their lives on the line for you to reach your American Dream. Thank them whenever and wherever you see them. They are the best America has to offer. God bless them all.

Don't wait for someone to kick you in the ass to motivate you. The best person for that job is you. Do it often. I prefer daily. No one is more critical of me and more demanding of me, than me.

You will be tested constantly. Life is going to knock you down over and over again. The only person who is ever defeated is the person who gets floored with one of life's massive suckerpunches and does not get back up. Be tough and tenacious. It feels good. Sometimes you give the world the best we got, and you get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you got anyway.

Never do anything for money. Do what you do exceedingly well and thoroughly enjoy, and money will come looking for you.

If you want to know how others perceive you, look around at who you associate with.

In the end, all you have is your character and integrity. Do not ever compromise or sell them.

No one trusts a liar, most of all other liars.

Do not complain. Any spineless whiner can do that. Instead, look for solutions to tough problems. This will earn you respect from your boss and get you promoted. Never let anything beat you. Work at it until you wrestle the problem to the ground and strangle the life out of it. Then
move on to the next problem and strangle it too.

Do not be afraid to take chances and blaze new trails. You can not play the game of life by being content to sit on the bench. Get in the arena where the dust is swirling and blood, sweat and tears pour forth. That is where the action is. Do not miss out. There will be a guy in the middle of the
arena with the biggest smile and swinging the largest crowbar. Do not be intimidated. It is just me, and I welcome you.

Engage life with unbridled passion. Never be afraid to let yourself go and exhibit unbridled enthusiasm. Emotions need exercise. March to the beat of making your own loud and obnoxious guitar breeding noises no matter how many times they tell you to turn down and stop the feedback. Following trends and peer pressure is for mindless sheep that are never happy.

Be intelligently and effectively defiant. Defiance is a uniquely American characteristic that courses through our veins. Defiance is the very spirit that gave birth to this country when our forefathers, fought against overwhelming odds, signed the Declaration of Independence and fired the "shot heard round the world."



Remember Rosa Parks. Be prepared to defy stupidity wherever you find it. It is your duty and responsibility as an American to let your voice be heard. Stand up against idiotic, illogical laws and restrictions. Raise hell. Vote smart.

Famous philosopher and legendary San Francisco police detective, my hero Dirty Harry once said, "A man has got to know his limitations." That is good advice.


If you have not made a few well deserving idiots boil over in anger by the time you are 25, get busy! We live in a target rich environment of liberal denial. Drive idiots loony. It is much fun, quite easy and is still legal in all 50 states. Stand up for what you believe in. Remain polite and courteous, but never back down.

You have an obligation to leave America in better shape when you leave this country than when you arrived. Work to ensure that future generations of America have a better shot at the American Dream, more freedom, more liberty and more pursuits of happiness than what you did. That is the
ultimate American Dream. Waste not want not.

If you are paid a dollar, give you employer a $10 worth of effort in return. Doing so will ensure you will always be gainfully employed. Always give the world the best you have and you will be rewarded.

Take care of your precious, sacred temple. Eat smart and stay clean. Do not smoke, use drugs, eat or drink too much or chew on glass sandwiches. Partaking in these mindless misadventures will shorten your life. Do not go tap dancing in minefields. That is not a party.

Tough love is not the solution. Tougher love is. What America needs is tougher love. Coddling and excuse making is for the weak and timid. We need people who are confident, rugged individuals. Tougher love will accomplish this everytime.

Trust your gut feelings. They will not steer your wrong. Only trust people who have earned your trust. Trust but verify. Never trust the French.

Find a relaxing hobby to recharge your batteries that has nothing to do with your profession. I have found that peaceful time with family, friends, loved ones and my dogs, fishing, hunting, shooting, setting rocks on fire, giving birth to brass rainbows by shooting machine guns till barrels burn up, and killing sacred protein with sharp sticks recharges my batteries beyond redline.



Take the time each day to show love and affection for your family and loved ones. The smallest gesture goes straight to the heart. Put in the extra effort to relax and shoot the **** with your friends. A good life is maximized when shared with the ones you love, most dynamically around a fire.



Don't keep discomforting things and thoughts bunched up inside. When you question something, express yourself immediately. Face the beast and shine the light on cockroaches everytime. The only way to resolve conflicts is to tackle them right way without inhibitions. Don't worry about hurting feelings. Everyone benefits from open, honest discussions. There are no stupid questions.


Aim small, miss small.

Have fun. Life is not a dress rehearsal. Live smart, live good. Rock hard.