kids, for helping to support that effort because it is not easy. oure's a young person in office who is an albion grad. jeff could not make it today but i can go to my son who graduated two years ago and say i'm trying to catch up with you. with respect to the commencement address part, it is interesting when you hear about commencement addresses. they tend to fall a speaker gets up and tell the what the world is going to be or what you should do in the world. i will not do either one of those. we need to be more innovative in michigan. that is part of our reinvention. i want to give you a framework for success and one piece of advice. i have some qualms about the spring market will share with you. there are six questions, but it

is sort of a test. i'm scared to bring an idea of a test to people who are just through with school. this is a test by call the common-sense test for better living. it is three pairs of questions, 6 overall. i think the perfect time to do this is new year's day because a lot of us do new year's resolutions. before you do that, i would ask you to think about these six questions. i bet if you went through this list that you would change your resolution. the first pair, i called a normal pear because we think about these quite often. are you enjoying or satisfied with your work? what they that were to be at home, a for-profit company, not-for profit, or public service.

we do not think about the important. do you enjoy what you're doing for a living? why do we think that is so important? if you enjoy what you're doing, you're going to be much better at it in you will make a better difference. do you have a strong network of family and friends stocks that is a question we need to answer -- family and friends? that was a challenge in my career. you need to spend more time with your family and friends. what had turned out is that i

became better at work because i had a better perspective in life. i managed stress at work and having children helped. the interesting part of that is when i would go home from work, i could have the best or worst day, but when you walk in that door, just did not care. that's ally important. think about that. questions. the second is what i call the basic care. we tend to overlook these. at the basic level, are you well? are you taking care of your own well being and your health? most of us do not. i'm trying to get my act

together. i have to lose 10 pounds and i'm still working on it. i suggest a simple 4 by 4 method -- diet, exercising, annual physical, do not smoke. the other four -- what is your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol? the second basic question of looking at what is going ahead in the future is, are you preparing for the future? to often we do not think about our future needs and that is typically applied to our young people. seldom do we think years out. we should have fun. start digging about those questions about when you want to buy that first house.

-- start thinking about those questions. the world is changing. we need to prepare for retirement better than we have. we will find far too many people unprepared. that is something we should think about and prepare for even when we are young. the last group is the higher level two questions. are you exploring opportunities? it is great but it does to your life. too often, we tend to get in a rush end to the same things over and over again. it is not a value judgment to say that is bad, but we may be missing opportunities in our life. one thing i wish every person here could do to give you a different perspective on what we need to do is that every person could spend one day abroad. think about how it could change your life to spend one day in

china, one day in the middle east to see how those cultures operate and give us a better outlook. you can have upon in terms of travel. i am born and bred in michigan. but until i ran for governor, i have never really truly eggs florida michigan. now why can tell you where the biggest ice-cream cone in the north is. i can tell you where to get a gourmet hot dog on the shoreline. i that many of you have not been there. there's a good reason people live in every place in our state, but seldom do we see that. we only travel through them. the other thing is to find fun activities even as you get older. i took up scuba diving because i wanted to try something new. it is scary when you first start doing it. you find yourself under 60 feet of one -- water wondering, why

did i want to be here? i had seen a whole new world that i have only seen on television. the only way you really enjoys scuba diving is if you relax. even though you may be scared, the best way to do it is to totally relax and just float along. it's the best experience. the final question is one that we often do ask but i want to emphasize it. do you feel you were making a positive influence in a mother's life? -- in another's life? that covers some of territory. here's an opportunity to make a difference in 10 million people live. the quantity is not what matters. it is asking the question if you

are making a difference in someone's life. usually we are, family and friends, but are also doing that volunteer effort to spend one hour per week reading the kids in school are going to help people in terms of social services, just a way to reach out and touch people in a positive way. those are the six questions. the first two are the normal ones, the next two our basic ones, the last two higher level. if you go through that just once per year, i think you will find you will be changing your new year's resolution to be on a much more happier past, a simple guide for life. one piece of advice i do want to share with you, and i have competing interests here. [train horn] i just learned this of the last few years -- we will give him a

few more yards. this happens to a lot of my speeches in some actions. no signs damages noises. one piece of advice, this is what i did not put into words until the last few years but i found i have been living, i did not learn this until i was about 50. they gave me the black balloons and the works. this was a phrase president randall used. the piece of advice is to do this with relentless positive action. what is relentless positive

action? an attitude that says if you go through life, do not blame anyone for anything. i have never seen the problem solved by blaming anyone. the second piece is not to worry about taking credit as a part of a program or project you are involved in. something gets done that makes a difference in someone's life. good things will happen if you just do the right thing. the third element is to go solve problems. solve them in a way where it is not about fighting with anyone. find common ground. find a solution to make a difference and bring people together. try to be as inclusive as possible to bring people together to solve a problem. then it be relentless in applying that solution to take on the next problem. it is by having that attitude,

that fire, that passion that you can change the world. i encourage you to take that initiative. i know you have that spirit. i have heard it already when i listen to the things you have already achieved. as you go forward, i hope these are some value. today is a special day. there are many more special days to come. never diminish the importance of today. this is a day you will never forget. when people ask me what my most special day is? i say it is still to come. enjoy today. look forward to the next day. the special day i look forward to more than the? graduated was the pride i had two years ago right here on this campus when my son, our oldest child, graduated from albion. that ii'm still alive

will see his grandchildren, from him more one of the other kids graduate from here. there are more special days to come. what comes out of today, on celebrate longer than this two times more dog years. have fun today, but when you are done celebrating, i'm excited about your graduation. what i am looking forward to saying is that you were joining the team. you have the skills, the background, the experience to join the team, to reinvent the world come and reinvent michigan. thank you so much. >> senator richard blumenthal

told that the university of hartford commencement. he talked about giving back to the community in leading the nation to a better future. this is about 15 minutes. [applause] >> i cannot imagine a day that has meant more to me and i know that is true of many of you. after that wonderful introduction and a summary of some of my accomplishments, among 100 united states senators in seniority, i am #97. i am glad you're laughing. any data get a chance to speak is a good day for me. -- any day i get a chance to

speak, it is a good day. for those of you who think it is messy in washington, i'm always happy to be out of washington, always happy to be in the hartford come always happy to be in the university of hartford, one of the greatest learning institutions in the united states of america. you should be proud, every one of you. [applause] i am especially proud to accept this honor. degree from my good friend, curtis robinson, who has given relentlessly and tirelessly to the university of hartford and all of connecticut with his efforts on behalf of public health, education, and also to receive this degree from walter harrison, a leader in american education, unmatched in his education, unmatched in his