Barbara Bush commencement speech to Wellesleys Class of 90

Barbara Bush commencement speech to Wellesleys Class of 90Barbara Bush commencement speech to Wellesleys Class of 90Its graduation season, and we here at Ladders have decided to take a look back and showcase some past commencement addresses that stand the test of time. Below is the full transcript of Barbara Bushs commencement address to Wellesley Colleges Class of1990Thank you President Keohane, Mrs. Gorbachev, Trustees, Faculty, Parents, Julia Porter, and certainly my new best friend, Christine Bicknell, and, of curse, the Class of 1990. I am really thrilled to be here today, and very excited, as I know you all must be, that Mrs. Gorbachev could join us.These are exciting times. They are exciting in Washington, and I have really looked forward to coming to Wellesley. I thought it was going to be fun - I never dreamed it would be this much fun.More than ten years ago when I was invited here to talk about our experiences in the Peoples Republic of China, I was struck by both the nat ural beauty of your universittsgelnde and the spirit of this place.Wellesley, you see, is leid just a place but an idea an experiment in excellence in which diversity is notlage just tolerated, but is embraced.The essence of this spirit was captured in a moving speech about tolerance given last year by a student body president of one of your sister colleges. She related the story by Robert Fulghum about a young pastor, finding himself in charge of some very energetic children, hits upon a game called Giants, Wizards, and Dwarfs. You have to decide now, the pastor instructed the children, which you are a giant, a wizard or a dwarf? At that, a small girl tugging at his pants leg, asked, But where do the mermaids stand?The pastor tells her there are no mermaids. Oh yes there are, she said. I am a mermaid.Now this little girl knew what she was and she was not about to give up on either her identity or the game. She intended to take her place wherever mermaids fit into the scheme of things. Where do mermaids fit into the scheme of things. Where do mermaids stand all of those who are different, those who do not fit the boxes and the pigeonholes? Answer that question, wrote Fulghum, and you can build a school, a nation, or a whole world.As that very wise young woman said. Diversity like anything worth having requires effort. Effort to learn about and respect difference, to be compassionate with one another, to cherish our own identity and to accept unconditionally the same in others.You should all be very proud that this is the Wellesley spirit. Now I know your first choice for today was Alice Walker (guess how I know), known for The Color Purple. Instead you got me - known for the color of my hair Alice Walkers book has a special resonance here. At Wellesley, each class is known by a special color and for four years the Class of 1990 has worn the color purple. Today you meet on Severance Green to say goodbye to all of that to begin a new and very personal journey a search for your own true colors.In the world that awaits you beyond the shores of Lake Waban, no one can say what your true colors will be. But this I do know You have a first-class education from a first-class school. And so you need not, probably cannot, live a paint-by-numbers life. Decisions are not irrevocable. Choices do come back. And as you set off from Wellesley, I hope that many of you will consider making three very special choices.The first is to believe in something larger than yourself to get involved in some of the big ideas of our time. I chose literacy because I honestly believe that if mora people could read, write and comprehend, we would be that much closer to solving so many of the problems that plague our nation and our society.Early on I made another choice which I hope you will make as well. Whether you are talking about education, career or service, you are talking about life and life really must have joy. Its supposed to be funOne of the reaso ns I made the most important decision of my life to marry George Bush is because he made me laugh. Its true, sometimes weve laughed through our tears but that shared laughter has been one of our strongest bonds. Find the joy in life, because as Ferris Bueller said on his day off Life moves pretty fast. Ya dont stop and look around once in a while, ya gonna miss it (I am not going to tell George you clapped more for Ferris than you did for George.)The third choice that must not be missed is to cherish your human connections your relationships with family and friends. For several years, youve had impressed upon you the importance to your career of dedication and hard work, and, of course, thats true. But as important as your obligations as a doctor, lawyer or business leader will be, you are a human being first and those human connections - with spouses, with children, with friends - are the most important investments you will ever make.At the end of your life, you will never re gret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a child, a friend or a parent.We are in a transitional period right now fascinating and exhilarating times learning to adjust to the changes and the choices we men and women are facing. As an example, I remember what a friend said, on hearing her husband complain to his buddies that he had to babysit. Quickly setting him straight, my friend told her husband that when its your own kids, its not called babysittingMaybe we should adjust faster, maybe we should adjust slower. But whatever the era, whatever the times, one thing will never change Fathers and mothers, if you have children - they must come first.You must read to your children, hug your children, and you must love your children. Your success as a family our success as a society depends not on what happens in the White House, but on what happens inside your house.For over 50 yea rs, it was said that the winner of Wellesleys annual hoop race would be the first to get married. Now they say the winner will be the first to become a C.E.O. Both of those stereotypes show too little tolerance for those who want to know where the mermaids stand. So I want to offer you today a new legend The winner of the hoop race will be the first to realize her dream not societys dreams her own personal dream. And who knows? Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow in my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the Presidents spouse.I wish him wellWell, the controversy ends here. But our conversation is only beginning. And a worthwhile conversation it has been. So as you leave Wellesley today, take with you deep thanks for the courtesy and the honor you have shared with Mrs. Gorbachev and with me. Thank you. God bless you. And may your future be worthy of your dreams.

How to manage up when you have a bad boss

How to manage up when you have a schwimmbad bossHow to manage up when you have a bad bossOne of the tests of being a leader is knowing how to navigate a boss who doesnt score highly as a leader him/herself.1. Whats the driver?All bad behavior is the result of an intrinsic motivator. If you were to strip away the outside faades of bullying, apathy, criticalness, sweety nice, indecision, micromanaging, etc. what is left? Put yourself in their shoes? What is he afraid of? What keeps her up at night? What does he really care about? What would she love more of? Less of? How does he measure success?Listen to cues that demonstrate what he doesnt want. How do you position your work and interactions to accommodate what she cares about? Preface strained interactions with a genuine, Because I know that we want the team to _____ statements that underscore his priorities.2. Have their backTrust is crucial especially for an insecure leader. Once they know your only motive is to help position their success, they will expect only good things from you and listen and react better.3. Manage yourselfIf you feed into the anger, insecurity or lack of skill of an underdeveloped leader you could allow your weaknesses to show instead of your strengths to shine. Who are you when under fire? How do you demonstrate grace and grit? If your work life were a movie who would play you and what would they do?When in doubt as to what to do, pause first. The sacred pause allows you to squeeze in between the moment you feel an emotion (frustration, anger, overwhelmed) and react to it (say something youll regret, get emotional, withdraw in defeat).

These are the Top 5 European cities for beer lovers

These are the Top 5 European cities for beer loversThese are the Top 5 European cities for beer loversLike wine in Italy, tequila in Mxico, and vodka in Russia, beer is an integral part of the culture and heritage in many European cities. Behind every amazing stout, pilsner, doppelbock, lager, and pale ale, youll find historically rich undertones of flavorful ingredients, brewing processes, and traditions.So, saddle up to the bar Here are a few of the best European beer cities to get your hops onMunich, GermanyOne couldnt begin to talk about great European beer cities without starting with Munich, home of the original and now world-famous Oktoberfest. With over three dozen beer gardens, rest assured youll find plenty of outstanding brews to suit your fancy, like Spatenbru, Paulaner, Lwenbru, Franziskaner, and Andechser- just to name a few. Some of the most popular places in the city to savor these traditional Bavarian varieties include Hofbruhaus, Hirschgarten, Augustiner Keller, Hac ker Pschorr, and CREW Republic Brewery.Discover MunichCity of MunichPrague, CzechoslovakiaWith a beer brewing tradition dating back to the early Middle Ages, Prague offers some of the most spectacular beer varieties in the world. Today, perhaps its most revered brewery isStaropramen, founded in 1869. Famous for its unique and authenticSaaz hops, Staropramens popularity lead it to become the largest brewery in Czechoslovakia by 1933. The excellent PilsnerUrquell, Budweiser(no relation to the U.S. version, and sometimes called Budvar),Gambrinus, andKozelare among those that have attracted many devoted Czech beer fans.Prague City TourismCzech TourismLeuven, BelgiumLocated 16 miles (25km) from Brussels,is nicknamed The Beer Capital of the World. InBev, one of the worlds biggest breweries, is here too. Its the producer of brands such as Fosters, Corona, Becks, Modelo Especial,Brahma, and (American) Budweiser.Distinctive beer experiences characterize brewery tours atBrewery Stella Artois, Domus Brauhaus, and Brewery Hof Ten Dormaal(as well asbrewery bike trips and guided pub tasting tours). To pair your favorite beer with outstanding eats, visit Oude Markt (Old Market), which is home to most of Leuvens pubs and cafes.Visit LeuvenDiscover LeuvenZagreb, CroatiaIf Zagreb didnt come to mind as a noteworthy European beer city, think again. Croatias capital offers a treasure trove of fantastic breweries, including the citys namesake and the largest brewery in the nation, Zagreb Brewery- producer of the traditional Tomislav as well as Oujsko. Pivnica Medvedgrad offers unfiltered and unpasteurized beers like Gricka vjetica (Grich Witch), Crna kraljica (Black Queen), and Zlatni medvjed (Golden Bear), while Zmajska pivovara (Dragon Brewery) pours their own Zmajska pivovara Pale Ale.Zagreb Tourist BoardVisit Croatia Guide to ZagrebDublin,IrelandDark, toasty, smooth and dreamy describes Dublins celebrated Guinness Stout, the shining star at every one of the estimated 800 pubs d otted all over the city. Locals and tourists alike flock to historic joints like ODonoghues, also Dublins best known traditional Irish music pubMulligans, known as The Home of the pinteThe Brazen Head, dating back to 1198 and officiallynamed Irelands oldest pub and St. Jamess Gate Brewery, featuring close to 60 taste bud tantalizing pale ales, stouts, IPAs, pilsners, porters, and more.Visit DublinTourist Office DublinThe above destinations notwithstanding, be sure to keep these other noteworthy European beer capitals in mindKrakw, PolandAmsterdam, The NetherlandsVienna, AustriaEdinburgh, ScotlandBruges, BelgiumCopenhagen, DenmarkThis article was originally published on Travel Squire.