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one. the buried giant, kazuo ishiguro. (knopf, 2015, forthcoming)
'it's simply this, princess. should querig really die and the mist begin to clear. should memories return, and among them of times i disappointed you. or yet of dark deeds i may once have done to make you look at me and see no longer the man you do now. promise me this at least. promise, princess, you'll not forget what you feel in your heart for me at this moment. for what's good a memory's returning from the mist if it's only to push away another? will you promise me, princess? promise to keep what you feel for me this moment always in your heart, no matter what you see once the mist's gone.' (axl, 258)
this feels a significant departure from ishiguro's previous work: axl and beatrice leave their home and village to travel to their son's village, except they don't remember where it is. they don't remember a lot, it turns out, not because they're old and senile but because there's a mist in the land that's been muddling everyone's memory. they travel across england anyway and come across several people along their journey, gradually uncovering different memories as they travel on.
the buried giant reads like a fable, and i must admit that that could be one reason i didn't quite warm to it as much as i would have wanted or anticipated, this being ishiguro's first novel in ten years and all. i'm personally not keen on arthurian legends, and there are strong elements of king arthur and his knights in here, which makes me wonder how someone who is familiar with arthurian legends and briton/saxon rivalry would read this — or if it would make any difference at all.
regardless, there isn't much of a conflict in the buried giant — or, more specifically, the conflict and action are rather external to axl and beatrice who simply move across the land. it's not like ishguro's ever really been a writer of vividly active conflict, but i think the quiet emotional and internal tension he does so well falls flat here because the buried giant is written mostly in the third person, which distances us from axl and beatrice and makes us mere observers of their journey instead of drawing us in and convincing us that the purpose of their journey and the people they encounter or the ways they're sidetracked are significant in a deep, meaningful way. in the end, i admit to feeling like i'd been held at arm's length and even to feeling regretful that this wasn't in the first person — ishiguro is such a master of the first person, and i can just imagine the depths he could have plumb had he simply used the first person, and admittedly that left me feeling a little hollow about the buried giant.
two. vivian apple at the end of the world, katie coyle. (houghton mifflin harcourt, 2015)
"oh, we're definitely doomed," harp says. "no doubt about that. whether it comes in three months or three hundred years, it's definitely coming."
"so what's the point?"
harp tugs on my arm so i'll look directly at her. she smiles patiently at me. "the point is that we're alive, vivian apple. and brave, and good. if we can make things the tiniest bit better, we should do it now, while we have the chance." (261)
a religious cult has america by the throat and predicts the end of the world, and the end of the world comes, and vivian apple's parents are among the raptured. wanting answers to a mysterious phone call, she sets off on a cross-country road trip with her best friend, harp, and new crush, peter, which does bring them answers, thought maybe not those they expected or imagined.
vivian apple was a fun, easy read, even though it was very predictable. vivian's first-person voice is fully engaging and smart and funny, and i absolutely loved her friendship with harp (and also just harp in general — i love how harp doesn't give a shit and doesn't scare or bullshit and genuinely cares for vivian) (as vivian cares for harp) — why is it so hard to find awesome kickass female friendships in books (and media), anyway? there wasn't much revelatory or new or, honestly, interesting about the religious commentary, though, and i don't necessarily mean that as a criticism, more along the lines of "it is what it is." i was fully invested in vivian and harp and their friendship, and the book did not disappoint there — it, in fact, exceeded my expectations and warmed my heart in all the right ways.
three. never let me go, kazuo ishiguro. (faber & faber, 2005)
those early months at the cottages had been a strange time in our friendship. we were quarreling over all kinds of little things, but at the same time we were confiding in each other more than ever. in particular, we used to have these talks, the two of us, usually up in my room at the top of the black barn just before going to bed. you could say they were a sort of hangover from those talks in our dorms after lights out. anyway, the thing was, however much we might have fallen out during the day, come bed-time, ruth and i would still find ourselves sitting side by side on my mattress, sipping our hot drinks, exchanging our deepest feelings about our new life like nothing had ever come between us. and what made these heart-to-hearts possible — you might even say what made the whole friendship possible during that time — was this understanding we had that anything we told each other during these moments would be treated with careful respect: that we'd honor confidences, and that no matter how much we rowed, we wouldn't use against each other anything we'd talked about during these sessions. (124)
i'm not going to try to summarize never let me go even if it is my favorite book and i read it at least twice a year. you'd think that would make it easier to condense it down into a pithy synopsis, but i've thought about this book so much that that's near impossible. it's a book about so many things — friendship, love, disappointment, resignation, human selfishness and cruelty and ego, hope, humanity, memory, what it is to live — and it's about three friends and the complicated nature of their relationships, made even more complicated against the backdrop of who they are and what they were created to be.
at the heart of it, never let me go, to me, is a story about friendship. there is a love story in there, yes, and i could see how other readers might read it as a love story, but, to me, ever since the first time i read it years ago, never let me go has been about friendship, whether between kathy and ruth or kathy and tommy, even if kathy and tommy do end up in love later. i particularly am drawn to the kathy/ruth friendship, though, and all the complexities it entails, that it's nuanced and unclear, sometimes, because there seems to be an antagonism between them — but i think, isn't that what friendship is? we all have ugly sides and good sides, contentious sides and generous sides, and friendship is a messy, complicated knot of a wonderful, emotional thing, and ishiguro captures it in such heart-crushing ways.
god, never let me go gets me every single time; it doesn't matter how many times i read it; it still breaks me every time.
four. the girl on the train, paula hawkins. (riverhead, 2015)
i have never understood how people can blithely disregard the damage they do by following their hearts. who was it said that following your heart is a good thing? it is pure egotism, a selfishness to conquer all. (rachel, 34)
rachel is a commuter who fixates on a couple she sees from the train, and, when the woman (megan) goes missing, she decides that she needs to help find her, never mind that rachel's own life is in shambles. we get the story from her perspective, megan's perspective, and rachel's ex-husband's current wife (anna)'s perspective, but i'd say that hawkins does the best job with rachel, pulling back the layers to reveal her unreliability and shitty rationalizing. to be honest, i spent most of the book just wanting rachel to get her shit together.
the girl on the train was a quick, engrossing read, but it was also kind of forgettable. i wasn't that surprised by the reveal at the end, and i wasn't that taken by the multiple voices because they weren't distinguishable enough. i was very impressed with how hawkins wrote alcoholism, though; she doesn't try to pull sympathy from us; and we get a raw portrait of how destructive and consuming it is.
i can't decide if i'd recommend this or not. i think i would if you're looking for something quick and absorbing to read, but i should also add that i'm glad i bought this off ibooks instead of buying the hardcover.


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I don't have a good enough memory to start where I left off back in December, so I'm just going to backtrack to January 12, when I officially started my training schedule for the Pittsburgh Marathon. I'm all set up with a 16 week training plan courtesy of the amazing NYRR Coach John.
This is my first time using the NYRR Virtual Training program, and it is way more awesome than I had even expected it to be. Each day, I'm given not only my mileage, but how it should be run. An easy day, marathon tempo pickups, intervals, hills? It's all spelled out for me, complete with pace ranges!
As convenient as it is – it's been hard for me to try not to get too wrapped up in all of the numbers. I successfully ran a marathon without worrying about the pace of each 1000 meters that I ran, and I can do it again. Having all this extra information and data is certainly helpful, and hopefully will help me improve as a runner, but it can also be overwhelming, especially when I'm injured. A lot of the suggested paces are what I was running before Wine Glass and now, with all the leg issues I've been having, they're just not possible for me. It's been discouraging, and I'm considering switching my program to the "conservative" track.
Pittsburgh was never a "need to run this fast and BQ" race for me- I want to be healthy enough to run another fall marathon and use that to crush it and Boston Qualify. And in order to make that happen, I need to not kill myself training for Pittsburgh. I'm trying to keep telling myself that- but I'm stubborn and when I see that's I'm scheduled to run 6 miles, I'm most likely going to run 6 miles whether it's smart or not. It sounds stupid, I know. And it is stupid.
But while the virtual training program may be a little overwhelming and discouraging for now – it DOES tell me all the right things, like, "Remember to not be too rigid with your training. If you're feeling fatigued or feel a pain, by all means cut the run short. Sometimes we get so caught up in hitting a mileage goal that we lose sight of what our body is telling us."
I just need to work on believing that even if I miss a bunch of training runs by taking some time off/taking it easy – I'm in shape, I'm a good runner, and I will probably be OK to run Pittsburgh.
Also adding to the overabundance of data is the fact that for Christmas, I got the Garmin 220! My first run with it was Christmas morning and I was totally surprised to see what my pace actually was - MapMyRun had me feelin' like Meb and Garmin brought me back down to earth reallllll fast. As much as it sucked seeing those numbers, I'm glad that I can feel confident in what my watch is telling me. So far, KNOCK ON WOOD, I have had zero issues with my watch connecting to satellites and I love it so far.
(What do you mean I'm not running 7:50 miles Garmin?!)
My training for Pittsburgh got off to a good start on January 12 – I was traveling for work, but I still managed to get my first 9 workouts in as planned, with additional strength training. I was ready to rock and roll.
(Training schedule- check! Amazing necklace engraved with "Wineglass Marathon" and my finish time from my parents- check! Wonderful reading courtesy of Peter- check! Garmin- check! Awesome training journal from Laura- check!)
(Makin' it happen on the road)
My first long run was scheduled as a 6 miler, but months ago I had signed up for the Bluepoint Brewery 10-Miler out on Long Island (full review to come). So instead of sticking to the plan and starting off with a nice, easy, 6 miles – I went out and raced 10 miles. Those 10 miles didn't feel good. At all. My calves were extremely tight and my shins were in a lot of pain. But I thought I was fine, because I finished.
(I also probably thought I was fine because I chugged two beers after crossing the finish line and was drunk at 10:30 a.m.)
The next day, I ran 2.7 miles to get to work at NY Running Co. Felt pretty OK. Monday, headed to Central Park for my scheduled 5 miles and as soon as I started, something in the arch of my right foot started hurting. It wasn't the usual tight/sore/achy hurt that I've just learned to accept in other part of my legs. This was pain. And that difference right there is why I should have stopped. But instead I finished my 5 miles. Walking around doing errands the rest of the day was seriously painful.
So painful, that I very uncharacteristically called and made an appointment with an orthopedist the following morning. I was convinced this wasn't something that would just go away and while I didn't want to get bad news, I also wanted to know what the hell was up- I've never had foot issues before. Every other part of my legs, yes. Foot? Usually fine.
I went to the doctor that a friend had recommended to me and she was really nice- totally understood my panic at being only 1 week into marathon training and having to come in to see her. After x-rays and some ultrasound, she told me it was either tendinitis (not the worst thing in the world) or a stress fracture (the worst thing in the world). So she put me in a walking boot and told me to get an MRI. Well, of course by the time I got the authorization for an MRI, I was leaving on a work trip the next day, so the MRI would have to wait and I would have to work for a week in a boot.
I stubbornly continued to get in any and all cardio that I could while in the boot.
On Wednesday of that week, I did 15 minutes on the elliptical IN A BOOT. 15 minutes of rowing IN A BOOT. And some ab and arm exercises. Rowing and using the elliptical with a boot was oddly not that difficult.
(Nothin' to see here...completely normal...)
Thursday I did 30 minutes rowing, 15 minutes stationary bike, a tricep circuit, and fire hydrants, donkey kicks, leg raises, glute bridges and clamshells.
Friday was 30 minutes on the elliptical without the boot to see how I felt and 15 minutes on the bike before a chest and abs circuit.
From using the boot, my foot was starting to feel better and I was contemplating whether I could run the 5K I was signed up for on Saturday. I spoke with John and with instructions to not wear racing flats and to take it easy, I decided I would run the 5K.
(My fave up and coming speedster who kicked butt at the 5K!)
It was quite impressive the number of people that came out for a 5K in January in Columbus, Ohio. It was a well-organized race with awesome swag- a long sleeved technical shirt, buff and medal with lots of yummy snacks and full sized Gatorades at the end.
(My co-workers are pretty awesome for waking up to run a 5K before a 13 hour+ work day!)
But, my body was screaming at me the entire time saying, "You're really stupid!" I was in a lot of pain. I almost stopped and walked but I couldn't walk across a finish line.
(LOL, rough.)
When I got back to the city on Monday (after an 11 hour bus ride since everyone's flights were cancelled), there was snow everywhere and I ditched the boot because navigating slush puddles in a walking boot is no bueno. That night, I went to the gym and did some rowing and elliptical along with some deadlifts, squats and lunges.
(Perfect weather for navigating a suitcase home with a walking boot!)
Tuesday I went out in the park for 5 easy miles (except they weren't easy because there was snow everywhere!) It was really pretty and my foot wasn't that bad until I got to cat hill…but that's pretty much the end of the run anyway.
(It felt like we were running in place at some parts, but the park was so pretty covered in snow!)
(A lovely gentleman was making perfectly shaped snowballs for people to throw!)
(Happy place!)
Wednesday I took a spin class and was relieved to find that it didn't bother my foot at all. That night I went in for my MRI.
Thursday I was an idiot and did a deck of cards workout that included speed skaters, box jumps, jumping jacks and squat thrusts. I was expecting all of the above to really bother my foot- but it didn't!
Friday I took the day off and Saturday I cautiously ran 4 miles on the treadmill. Not too much pain, but also not the 9 mile long run I was scheduled to run, which stressed me out.
Sunday was fun because I joined some people from November Project for a #TravelCheerStation for the 4 miler in Central Park. What is a Travel Cheer Station you ask? We ran the course in the opposite direction and cheered every time an NP comrade passed by. It was really fun and I got in 6.5 miles.
My paces continued to upset me- with 9:17 being Sunday's.
(Pace, schmace- I had a blast on Sunday travel-cheering with these ladies. Might be my new favorite activity. Why pay to run the race when you can just run it in the opposite direction and encourage people the whole way?!)
Monday I went back to the orthopedist for my MRI results and was told IT'S NOT A STRESS FRACTURE.
I'm free to run, since I can't really do any more damage to the tendon which is already inflamed. She gave me a prescription for an anti-inflammatory (which I STILL have not been able to get filled by a pharmacy) and fitted me for a brace that has done WONDERS. She also wants me to go to physical therapy – which I've been two twice now and will go to 3 times this week.
Once I found out Monday morning, I decided to cut the mileage a little bit for each day on my calendar, but to jump back in.
I was even able to do some speed work on Tuesday on the treadmill!
1 Mile Warm Up @ 8:34 Pace
400 meters @ 7:19
:45 rest
400 meters @ 7:14 Pace
:45 Rest
400 meters @7:09 Pace
:45 Rest
400 Meters @ 7:04 Pace
:45 Rest
400 Meters @ 6:59 Pace
:45 Rest
400 Meters @ 6:54 Pace
:45 Rest
400 Meters @ 6:49 Pace
:30 Rest
400 Meters @ 6:44 Pace
.5 Mile Cool Down @ 10:00 Pace
.25 Mile Cool Down @ 8:13 Pace
.25 Mile Cool Down @ 8:20 Pace
.25 Mile Cool Down @ 8:27 Pace
.25 Mile Cool Down @ 8:34 Pace
Oh AND I went to yoga. Yoga really frustrated me, as usual, because EVERYTHING HURTS when it's supposed to feel good! Child's pose was painful! Why is everything so tight?!
Anyway, my foot has been feeling a lot better with the brace, and last week I was able to run 23.5 miles. The only real pain was after my 9 mile long run on Saturday. As soon as I stopped and started walking, it killed.
(Saturday long run crew! Solid.)
This morning was the first running awhile where I was able to keep a pace that I was happy with- and although there was still some pain, it wasn't terrible and I felt good with how things went afterwards. 6 miles at an 8:25 pace. I can definitely live with that.
I have lots of plans for this week- intervals tomorrow, NP Wednesday and hills Thursday- but we'll see if that actually pans out.
I don't really know what this post accomplished besides re-hashing the last 2 weeks of training but, yup. There ya have it.
If you take anything away from this post it should be that you can use the elliptical, ERG and stationary bike with a walking boot on but you will get some weird looks.
Also, don't do what I do.

subset: commoncrawl


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the overpowered
pc gaming by pc gamers
MEMORIES OF MARS (MoM) is an early access action/survival game by Limbic Entertainment and 505 Games. MoM is a relatively new addition to the Steam Store and is currently receiving regular updates. As the name suggests, the title is set in outer space and has the player explore and colonize the Red Planet.
Technomancer is utterly fantastic, even if it does have a few minor kinks that need to be worked out. It's wicked fun with satisfying combat, and it offers a clever leveling build with full customization. With a decent story and a convincing landscape, what's more to enjoy than a post-apocalyptic world where options are plenty?
DOOM will have gamers on the edge of their seats, as they will want to close the gateway to Hell and save Earth. Load your guns, replenish your health, check your armor, and buckle up - you are about to enter an inferno that would make Dante shit his pants. Welcome back, time to take out the trash – this time by using a shotgun on Mars. Fight like Hell? Hell yes.


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Buy some swag. Fund a movement!
This is your real-deal chance to buy beautiful Native-designed and printed t-shirts, bumper stickers and buttons to support the ongoing activism and community organizing behind the Warrior Women Film Team. All profits raised by our sales will go to support the impact campaign behind the film.
Thanks for your support!


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In the first of a four part series we will explore what may be the biggest challenge that any organisation can experience when it comes to managing diversity in the workplace: creating a business case for diversity.
As a former auditor I had free access to the financial records of literally hundreds of organisations from small businesses to large conglomerates. One thing that was abundantly clear from that experience was that private sector organisations exist to make profits. It really didn't matter what they did on a day-to-day basis as long as they were profitable. Milton Friedman said that the purpose of an organisation is to maximise its returns to its shareholders. This means that every effort is made to keep profits as high as possible, any costs incurred in the business are for the pursuit of this goal. As an accountant, I can assure you that we proactively encouraged the elimination of anything that doesn't have an observable positive influence on the company profits.
With this in mind it's very clear to me that for most private sector organisations, one of the best ways to promote diversity is to have a robust business case. Therein lies the problem.
Business Case? What does that even mean?
It's difficult to know is meant by a business case. I think that a business case creates a well-researched argument about how a suggested proposal can add value to an organisation. With my accountant hat on, value normally means long-term profits but not everyone agrees. In the academic literature sometimes the business case means reputation, sometimes it means team output and sometimes it relates to financial results. In any case, I haven't found any studies that show that increased diversity consistently increases any of these things and I'm not alone. In 2013, the Government Equalities Office published a report that surveyed the academic literature in the UK and beyond in order to assess the current evidence for the business case for diversity and equality. The report found that firms have reaped business benefits from equality and diversity. However this was not all firms at all times. The authors also found conflicting evidence about the benefits of diversity and no single approach to solving the problem. To add to the confusion, the definition of diversity also varied: some studies discuss gender diversity at board level where others discuss diversity in teams. On this blog when I talk about diversity I generally mean ethnic diversity.
This doesn't mean there isn't a business case, it just means that a business case depends on particular circumstances and it may not apply to everyone. There is no single best way to address diversity in the workplace, each organisation has a responsibility to think about what it means to them and why. This means that organisations that are serious about this may need help to address the issues.
Diversity Consultants Need a Business Case
The lack of a business case can undermine the role of diversity consultants or at least the bad ones. Diversity consultants are interested in promoting diversity in the workplace because it's their job, so they need a business case of some kind. If not, how can they sell their services to a business that is judged on its financial performance? At the very least it limits the scope of the services that they can provide. In all the research and my experiences, the organisations that seem to be able to progress with effective diversity management are those that are committed to a moral case, or a social justice argument. For lasting change a more holistic approach is required that makes diversity, equality and inclusion strategic imperatives. The business case may not be enough but understanding the values of an organisation and how these values play out in the workplace is crucial.
There are a growing number of organisations who are starting to think this way and in this series we will review a number of alternative approaches to the business case for diversity and what this means for organisations.
Does your organisation have a business case for diversity? I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
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Image courtesy of Pong at / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


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How are they to work for? Platform? Pay?? THANKS!!!!
Does anyone have any information about this company? I already did the archive search and found very, very little. (So, please don't tell me to do that ;) )
Thanks in advance for any information!
Run away from J. at MedTrans of America. She will not pay you. I am going to the Labor Board. She has only voice mail and now does not answer my e-mails. She says she does not pay for spaces. Thank the Lord I only worked for her briefly. Keep away.
******* DISCLAIMER ***************** Postings of this nature are the poster's personal opinion should not be considered as substantiated by MTStars. Under no circumstances will MTStars be liable for any loss or damage caused by a user�s reliance on information obtained from this message. MTStars.com cannot effectively monitor validity of material/information posted on its Message Boards and, therefore, makes no representation and warranty with respect thereto. Any discussions regarding this situation should be handled via email. Contact/Reply OP (original poster) using the "Reply by Email" link below".
MTStars Team
disorganized company, just my opinion
Can anyone tell me of any experience they have had with this co?? Thx
Can anyone tell me anything about Med Trans of America? Have they always had payroll problems?
I am going to be starting with them today and I was just wondering what anyone can tell me about their experiences with LMT TRANS? I had to leave my other company because started sending work overseas and left me with next to nothing to type or QA. I am hoping that this company can keep me busy.
I need to make a decision between these two companies today. Does anyone here have any experience with either of these companies and, if so, pros and cons? Are the platforms used easy to work with? I am currently using Meditech and probably anything would be an improvement on that!
This would be a part-time position, either week nights and/or weekends.
IC or employee status? Benefits? Pay? ESLs? Just the normal stuff. :)


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Aloha. I'm using the 64-bit version of openSUSE 12.2. My problem is that I am repeatedly getting lockups at completely random intervals. The computer becomes unresponsive to all forms of input, to the point where it must be cold-rebooted by holding down the power button. Additionally, my hardware is a "mobile" core-i7, inside an asus laptop.
I have also checked /var/log/ warn and messages, and there is no error that happens near to the freeze (bluetooth and "failed to stat gvfs" messages occur 15-20 minutes beforehand, however). In addition, I have fsck'd my home and root partitions from the install dvd, to no avail.
I also tried leaving the computer idle overnight. It works fine when I wake up, so either it's locked up during my sleep and become responsive again, or the issue only occurs during usage.
This issue also only began occurring a few days ago, possibly after an update. My recollection is poor, but if there are update logs I'm happy to go sleuthing through them.
I have also yet to attempt reinstalling openSUSE, or monitoring system resources for any patterns prior to the lockups. I have, however attempted "unconditional update" of various packages I suspect are offending, namely all KDE packages, my nVidia drivers (which report they are not installed when I attempt to run nvidia-settings), all X packages, java, flash, firefox, and a fresh install of chromium (the freezing occurs across Konq, chromium, and firefox).
I'm happy to answer any further questions if I've neglected any relevant information.
Many thanks for any help.


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You may have heard recently that hitting the caps lock key during the XCOM 2 post-mission screens can cause the game to load much more quickly than it normally does. And it's true! I can't confirm this personally because I don't have XCOM 2, but developer Firaxis recently told Eurogamer that it is in fact a real thing: Hitting caps lock at the proper time will cause the game to advance almost immediately. But every yin has a yang, as they say, and in this case those dramatically improved loading times could lead to crashes.
"Hitting the key, through a rube-goldberg-esque series of events, forces all outstanding load requests to be filled immediately in a single frame. This causes a massive hitch, and potentially could crash the game," the studio explained. "If you don't care about those adverse effects the synchronous load is faster."
It's a risk that some players are willing to take, because despite the fact that XCOM 2 is an extremely good game, it does suffer from a number of rather significant technical and performance issues. Publisher 2K told us last week that it is "looking into" the complaints, and committed (albeit with no specifics) to improving the game in future patches. For now, you have the option to roll the dice if you just can't stand all the waiting, and you may want to give the "Stop Wasting My Time" mod a look as well. It speeds up the in-game action by removing most of the brief-but-cumulatively-annoying pauses that occur after firing weapons, killing enemies, or going into cover.


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Alan Jones, Founding Principal
As the founding principal of Jones Architecture, Alan leads the creative design process and collaborates closely with clients, staff, consultants and contractors. His work reflects his finely developed design sensibilities, high level of technical skill, and breadth of construction experience. Alan recognizes that a project's success is determined by the strength of the fundamental idea behind it, the quality of the team's rapport, and a mutually understood and shared goal.
Alan has been practicing architecture for nearly two decades. He is a native of Ann Arbor, MI where he grew up working in his family's fine cabinetry business. This early exposure to the craft of building and design inspired his pursuit of an architecture degree at the University of Michigan. He started practicing in Ann Arbor, then moved to Seattle, where he worked with Jeffrey Taylor Architects on complex residential projects throughout the Pacific Northwest.
He moved to Portland to join Holst Architecture in 2001. There, he practiced for over thirteen years, honing his skills and refining his approach to the architectural and construction process. He worked on a diverse range of project types including fine single-family homes, multi-family housing, urban mixed-use in-fill development, student housing, offices, banks, and corporate headquarters.
Now a permanent resident of the Pacific Northwest, Alan understands and appreciates the geographic and climatic forces that shape the region and the people who define its unique character. These elements continue to inspire his work at Jones Architecture.


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photos from my phone 020
18 Sep
18 Sep
Journaling, Reviews, Readathons
Navigating with Chronic Illness in a Self Absorbed World
I will walk with you. Will you walk with me?
I AM therefore I Write. Official site of Marie A Bailey, writer, knitter, and stray cat magnet.
a journey within a state of grace


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The 4M Fund settled its most recent term series investment pools on Sept. 27—watch for new term series offerings coming soon! _______________________________________________________________________________________
The League's 4M Fund (Minnesota Municipal Money Market Fund) is now offering term series investment pools—they're a great short-term investment option that seeks higher yields. You can lock into a fixed rate and a specific date to meet your investment needs.
New pools with varying rates and maturity dates will be offered on a regular basis, with a limited time frame of about 2-4 days to buy in to new series.
These term series investment pools are only open to participants in the 4M Fund; for more information on the 4M Fund and to open an account, visit www.4mfund.com.
The term series investment pools were developed through the League's partnership with PMA Financial Network, Inc. (administrator for the 4M Fund) in an effort to provide increased yield and value as cities continue to respond to ongoing financial challenges.
For more information on the terms series investment pools, including the most current interest rates, contact Kent Johnson, PMA, at (866) 922-2849 or email@example.com.


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Thursday, August 27, 2009
Happily created by Unknown at 3:59 PM 7 comments Links to this post
Labels: Family
Monday, August 24, 2009
African Safari Birthday Party
Happily created by Unknown at 8:39 AM 5 comments Links to this post
Labels: Birthday Party, Eli pics
Sunday, August 23, 2009
This Is What 4 Looks Like...
Happily created by Unknown at 5:41 PM 7 comments Links to this post
Labels: Eli pics
Monday, August 17, 2009
Family - Flesh and Fur!
Happily created by Unknown at 5:42 PM 4 comments Links to this post
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Miss Me? I'm Back!
Happily created by Unknown at 1:00 PM 7 comments Links to this post
Labels: Eli pics, Nature Photos
Saturday, August 8, 2009
And The Winner Is.....
Thank you to everyone who entered my give-away!
The winner of the set of 8 notecards is: Candace over at Living with Faith! Congratulations!
I'm over in the Seattle area this weekend visiting my Aunt and cousins. It's our first trip out of town, (for fun) in over a year! It's so nice to have mini-vacation. We are hoping next year to be able to take Eli to the beach....but for now my 2 1/2 hr drive to my Aunt's is just what I needed. Time with family. Good food.
Games with my crazy uncle and cousins! :) Ever played Buzzword? These people know how to play games! Hoping to play Balderdash tonight! It's one of my faves!
Today's big adventure will be heading to Trader Joe's - I keep hearing how great it is and I want to check it out. I can't imagine it being better than Metropolitan Market, though. That place rocks! I'll let you know...
Eli did AWESOME on the drive yesterday. We stopped at the North Bend outlet mall and got Eli some Fall and Winter pajamas....and some new pants and size 4T onesies!!!! Yahoo! I love Carter's and The Children's Place! It was naptime, and when my boy is tired...it's time to sleep. NOW.
So, I held him in my lap on a bench outside of the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and he took his nap. This was a most unfortunate event!
For me.
First, I kept watching everyone come out of there with delicious treats! Caramel Apples! Yummy!
Second, my back decided to have a spasm.....I was dying! When my right arm started shaking...I had to wake him up! He got a 35 min nap. Better than nothing, and pretty good for a road trip!
We hit the road again...and finally made it to Auntie's house! I love it here!
Happily created by Unknown at 10:24 AM 5 comments Links to this post
Labels: Give-Aways
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Front Porch Chatter - 10 Things About Me
One of the blogs I read is
Today she is hosting a "front porch chat" asking her readers to tell 10 things about themselves on their own blog, and then leave a link on her blog...so her readers can all get to know each other.
So, here goes my list:
1) I am the youngest of 5 children. My mom had her 4th child at age 21. (Yeah, she was crazy! God rest her soul!) She found herself pregnant again at age 28 and thought, "no, way I can't do this." But, she did, and I changed her life. It was a tough childhood, but I was blessed in many ways. I had 3 older sisters and one older brother. They are 8 - 12 years older. I became an Aunt when I was 9, and Great-Aunt when I was almost 27, and now at age 37 I have FOUR GREAT nephews! :)
2) I love to craft! Scrapbooking, making cards, photography, playing in PhotoShop, designing blogs, party planning, decorating, cooking and baking are my favorite things. I've only met one craft I didn't like. Beading. Too tedious for me. I like quicker results and bigger pieces. I love to play with paper. So, I just get my earrings from my sister Shiela who loves to play with beads (and sells her wares)....and I made a scrapbook for her! My sister Ricky quilts, my sister Gina paints, and my brother....um....I don't think he crafts! LOL.
3) I can't remember NOT knowing about Jesus. I was always involved in Sunday school, church plays, church retreats, youth group, etc. I took a 10 year break from my walk (ages 16 - 26) and it's one of my biggest regrets. I didn't stop believing, I just stopped trying to live to please Jesus. I lived for me. It ended it lots of heartaches! I'm so thankful to have a Saviour who always welcomes me back, and for a wonderful church family. I'm proud to be a christian.
4) All I ever wanted to be was a wife and mother. My life has taken some interesting turns, and I finally got to become a Mom at age 33. Due to a traumatic birth my son's life was altered forever. Four years later, I've accepted most of it, but there will always be a piece of me that remains sad that it had to happen to my baby. Eli is so precious. I love him so much. I can't imagine my life without him. But, I don't get to know what's inside him. I want to know what his sense of humor would be like. More than anything I want to hear his voice. I want to know what he would be interested in. (bugs? boats? planes? sharks? dinosaurs? sports?) I want to hear him tell me what he thinks of things. I want to know if he'd sneak into bed with us at night. I want to know what potty training would be like. I want to know what handprints on my coffee table look like.........
5) I love our home! We moved last summer and I feel so blessed. We live on 2 1/2 acres, have 2 dogs, and 12 cats. Tons of trees and it's wonderful.
6) I could live on cereal. Seriously.
7) I went to Disney World, by myself, in 2003. I went to Orlando for a conference through my job, and I stayed an extra 2 days and went to Universal Studios and Magic Kingdom. It was AWESOME.
8) We collect Giraffes for Eli. His dayroom is decorated in a giraffe motif. It's fabulous! So is the story as to how God is at work in our lives....through giraffes! Click HERE.
9) Secret Dream: I would love to be the voice for a cartoon character!
10) If I had one wish: I'd wish my son could talk.
How about you? Let's find out 10 things about you! Leave them in a comment, or tell me to check out one of your posts!
Happily created by Unknown at 11:36 AM 9 comments Links to this post
Labels: Random Ramblings.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Backgrounds and such...
Dear Bloggy Friends -
I'm not used to having so many people commenting on my blog. I knew there were a lot of lurkers out there....and I'm SO GLAD my meager little give away is drawing people in - or out - however I should say it??! LOL.
Just wanted to clarify......as I am used to my family and friends being some of the only commenters....I was referring to them when I said "not one person commented on my background".
I do not expect my newcomers, or general readers to feed my ego! haha
Thanks for commenting everyone. This is fun! Guess I'll have to start doing more give aways!!!
GIVE AWAY POST IS BELOW...LEAVE A COMMENT ON IT TO ENTER... :) Thanks!
Happily created by Unknown at 9:36 PM 4 comments Links to this post
Labels: Give-Aways
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Forgive Me! - UPDATED - Give Away Info
I put the pond play background back on. I missed it....and I can't decide on my next design - so it will have to do until then! You still have a couple of days to enter my Give Away!!! Leave a comment! :)
So far so good....several of you have commented already. Let's have the rest of you "lurkers" come out of the woodwork and leave a comment and enter my give away! Here is a picture of the set of 8 notecards you can win, just by leaving a comment on this post! (includes envelopes, you choose which monogram letter).
As much as I loved my Pond Play blog design (all the frogs and turtles at the pond in the background) - I was getting tired of it. AND not one person commented on it being cute. Kinda hurt my feelers. :) It was busy - I know - and some people don't like busy. I thrive on it!
All the A/C we've been having to use with our heat wave we're having is giving me a killer headache tonight.
I'm tired.
Eli's had a couple rought nights, which means I do, too. We went to the Doctor today and he thinks he has an viral upper respiratory infection. No meds at this time...hoping to take care of it with humidifiers and saline and suctioning.
I'll re-design it when I'm feeling more inspired. Thanks for stopping by - and reading this most boring post ever! :) I'll make it up to you by having a GIVE AWAY!!!
I'm going to bed now....G'night!
Happily created by Unknown at 12:40 PM 15 comments Links to this post
Labels: Crafts, Give-Aways
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Who Spilled The Beans?
Happily created by Unknown at 7:26 AM 9 comments Links to this post
Labels: Eli pics


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Window- Daily Prompt
Norman Rockwell- Tom Sawyer, Sneaking Out
Daily Prompt Window
My mom always had this platitude growing up- When God closes a door, he always opens a window.
As a kid I can remember thinking God was always sneaking around climbing in windows instead of using the door. Isn't it funny how you can remember your child logic at times so crystal clear? The concept of God is so hard to grasp even for some adults, but as a child you just accept it and adapt to it, with what you are familiar with. I guess I was doing a lot of sneaking around myself those days, climbing in windows and such?
I do remember I was always looking at windows to make sure they were locked/unlocked to be sure He could get in if He needed to. Or I had been 'bad' I was making sure they were locked to keep God out. I really wasn't grasping onto the whole omnipotent part of God at that age. =) I still thought I could control His comings and goings and His knowing with a simple lock.
Of course now as I am older, I understand better what my mom was trying to say. She was saying not to give up. She was saying that there will always be another way provided, if the one direction I am trying to go in is shut. All one needs to do, is have faith. Just believe, and it will be so. Just have faith. As a child I made that about actual windows and doors. Even if I had to climb out the idiom of the window or lock it, it was still a working option. It WAS that simple to believe.
But I'm finding it's not that simple to do as an adult.
My paradox is this:
As a child I made it about actual doors and windows, and believed.
As an adult I understand it's a figure of speech, but I have a hard time seeing the concept that helps me have faith.
How can one have faith just on faith alone? Shouldn't there be works to prove my faith? In anything? Not just my spirituality or religiously speaking, but in having faith in anything? Like, in ourselves and faith in others? Just because I say I believe it to be so, does that really make it so?
It was easy enough for me to believe as a child, so where do we lose that ability to 'simply' believe as adults?
Why do we need more to believe as adults? Is it because we've been lied to one too many times through our lives? Is it that we just gain knowledge of remorse and regret, and that refuses to let us believe in hope?
I want to learn how to go back to believing just because I believe.
Not to be delusional and not to be stupid on things, but I want to go back and believe in myself again. I want to believe like I did as a child- simplistically and affirmatively.


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We carry an extensive range of big brand name, mid-range and budget tyres and offer a wide range of garage services including MOT Tests, tyres, car servicing, exhausts, brakes, batteries, shock absorbers, clutches, mechanical repairs and diagnostics. Stowupland Fast Fit is dedicated to servicing and supporting both privately owned vehicles and commercial fleets.
Needham Diss brakes shock absorbers clutches diagnostics Car Repairs Batteries Stowmarket Suffolk Tyres Stowmarket MOTs Suffolk Exhausts Car Exhausts Tyres Stowmarket Suffolk Ipswich Bury st edmunds batteries
We have a wide range of batteries available that we supply and fit.
Ask one of the team for advice as to which type would best suit your needs 01449-770888


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It's important to us that you enjoy your stay at our B&B, so please read this before confirming your booking – we are asked lots of questions about facilities at Ben Tianavaig - here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Is Ben Tianavaig a Bed & Breakfast (B&B) or a hotel?
Although certain travel sites will describe a B&B as a hotel, B&Bs in the UK are quite different. The key difference is that you are staying in our home and the experience is more informal and sociable than staying in a larger guesthouse or a hotel. This is what attracts many people to come and stay in a B&B – you stay with local people who know the area and can help you make the most of your visit. Our home is not a modern, purpose-built B&B and so has quirks and idiosyncrasies that we think gives it character.
We run our B&B, do most of the work ourselves and live in our home.
We don't wear outdoors shoes in our home and ask you to respect this during your stay. If you're more comfortable wearing shoes in the house then our B&B will not offer you the comfort you want.
What are your check in and out times?
Our check-in is between 16.00 and 18.00 GMT (unless by prior arrangement). We are unlikely to offer late check-in after 19.30 unless you are travelling by public tranport or have an emergency en-route. Please be aware of this when you book the Mallaig ferry, the latest ferry to get you here within check-in is the 16.00 sailing.
We sometimes have evening commitments which may mean we can't offer late check-in.
Check-out is by 10.00 a.m on the day of departure.
Have you private car parking at Ben Tianavaig?
We have private off-road parking opposite the house for up to 3 cars – we do need to help you park when you're checking in to ensure your car is safely parked.
We can fit 3 normal '4x4' size vehicles on the parking area.There is on-street parking nearby and a number of car parks a few minutes' walk away.
Parking is at your own risk and we can accept no liability for damage to cars using our parking.
What are your dining arrangements?
Our B&B has 6 guests staying at any one time in the house. We have a large table for 6 people and a smaller table for 2. We introduce you and we encourage people to talk to one another - most guests value this as part of the experience of staying with us, friendships have been forged during breakfast that continue long after guests have gone home.
If you prefer privacy and quiet time at breakfast then somewhere that offers you a wider range of dining facilities will better meet your needs.
How often do you change linen & towels?
We don't automatically change linen and towels on a 3-night stay. Whilst this is a benefit to us in cutting down laundry, it is not the primary reason we ask you to re-use the same linen and towels. We are concerned about our environment and want to do our bit, we hope you do too. For longer stays over 3 nights we will check your requirements.
Do you have laundry facilities?
There is a laundrette at the Portree Independent Hostel, a few minutes walk from us. We don't offer laundry facilities at our B&B.
Do you have Wi-Fi?
Yes, we have Wi-Fi and it's free. However, our Highlands and Islands region has the slowest broadband in the UK and occasionally there are problems with the local telephone exchange that affects broadband speed and availability. This is part of island life. If you have a mobile package that includes 4G you will get reasonable Wi-Fi coverage on the island.
Do you have a guest lounge/access to cooking facilities?
We don't have a guest lounge - all bedrooms have TV/DVD players, coffee making facilities and chairs. There is no guest access to kitchen/cooking facilities.
Do you have a family room?
No,all our rooms are doubles with king-size beds (UK size) for a maximum of 2 people – Staffin, our largest room, can be set up as a twin room with a king-size bed and a comfortable double sofa bed, again for 2 people. There is a £10 supplement per booking for twin set-up.
The maximum capacity in the house is 6 people.
Do you have any pets/have dogs to stay?
We have a friendly spaniel, Dolly, her living space includes the dining room during the day. She is not allowed in the dining room at breakfast time as we know that sometimes guests have allergies and not everyone likes dogs.
If this is the case for you, let us know (we will check with you when you stay) and we will make sure she is kept out of the way during your visit. Although she has never been in a guest bedroom, if you have severe allergies to dogs then you will probably be better staying somewhere that is pet-free.
Sorry, we no longer have other dogs to stay.
Do you accept online bookings?
We don't offer online booking - we may be a bit old-fashioned in this respect but we actually like to have contact with our guests, it makes for a more personal experience.
What's your deposit policy?
A deposit of one night's tariff per room booked is required to confirm all bookings. Deposits are payable within 7 days of reserving a room - if a deposit is not received to confirm the booking, the room is made available again for other bookings. We're sorry we can't hold rooms open indefinitely.
Do you accept credit/debit cards?
No, we don't have credit/debit card facilities. We use Paypal to collect deposits from our overseas guests and we can also accept IBAN transfers (please check with your bank as IBAN fees can be higher than using PayPal), Xoom or Transferwise for deposit (and balance) payments from overseas guests – there are fees attached to some of these forms of payment that are payable in addition to the deposit or balance.
We accept payment by cheque or online bank transfer from our UK guests.
Normally your remaining balance is paid by cash when you stay.
What's your cancellation policy?
Please inform us in writing as soon as you know you need to cancel your booking so we can try to re-sell the room(s).
Deposits are non-refundable if we fail to re-sell the room – we do everything we can to fill cancellations, and between mid-April to mid-October we rarely have problems selling rooms. We do recommend that you have travel insurance in the event of cancellation at short notice. Please note, if we are unable to re-sell rooms cancelled at short notice (14 days or less) we will charge for the cost of your stay.
If we resell the room, we will refund your deposit minus any fees we are charged.
We operate a "minimum stay of 2+ nights" policy - we do not offer one night stays. If you confirm a booking for 2 nights and ask to reduce this to a 1 night stay we will charge you the full price of the 2 night stay. If you prefer not to pay for 2 nights, you are welcome to cancel your booking as per our cancellation policy above.
If you book for 3 nights, we will do our best to re-sell the booking for the 3 nights. If we are unable to secure a booking for all 3 nights 5 days prior to the booking we will make every effort to re-sell it as a 2 night stay to fill the dates - as per our cancellation policy above the 1 night room deposit is non-refundable.


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uMeet™ for Leadership Retreats
High-energy, low-cheesy, and totally relevant ice breakers.
Planning a retreat with student leaders from various clubs and orgs? Need to break the ice and develop bonds to encourage collaboration? Looking for an easy way to break barriers to communication and teamwork? Well, we've got just the thing for you!!
Finally, a high-energy, low-cheesy approach to ice breakers! uMeet is a thrilling experience that engages student leaders in relevant energizers and community builders that begin with simple get-to-know-you conversations and build to outrageous, energy-driven exercises that help students become more comfortable with their peers and stretch beyond their comfort zones.
uMeet is not some ice breaker; it's a real conversation. Rather than meeting everyone for just a few seconds, students will engage each other through one-to-one conversations. Students will leave forming real relationships that go beyond simply knowing someone's name and major. Think engagement, retention, school spirit, multicultural awareness, and fun…all rolled up into one awesome event! It's an experience for any student audience, any size audience, at any time of year. uMeet is the best way to introduce everyone to everyone else!
uMeet is a great kickoff for leadership conferences and retreats, followed up by any number of our leadership or organizational development seminars!
Participants will...
Connect with each other on a deeper-than-usual level.
Understand the culture and background of the peers.
Learn some eye-opening principles to inspire communication and teamwork.
AUDIENCE: Current Student Leaders; Staff; Clubs & Organizations
DATES: Beginning of an on-campus or off-site retreat or conference any time during the year
DURATION: 45-minutes to two hours
VENUES: Multi-purpose Room or Indoor/Outdoor Field. The best setup is a multi-purpose room with seats in the front half of the room near the stage and open space in the back half of the room for uMeet activities.


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"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Matthew 6:6
When I woke up this morning the words "hot spot" came to mind. My thoughts went toward a wireless internet connection. There are certain places that if you have a computer or portable electronic device you can go to get a wifi connection so you can use it to connect to the Internet.
If you are trying to use a portable electronic devise you have to find a "hot spot"- a place where you can go and get a connection. Then there are other places you can try to get a connection but can't. When I go to my parent's house, I can't get a connection. If I go to the library I can. At my parent's home there is no "hot spot"- no wifi signal. At the library there is. I can pick up an intent signal there. Am I making sense?
There are "hot spots" spiritually speaking where we can "get a signal" and "connection" to the Lord. The primary "hot spot" is the place of prayer. So many think that they can go through life communicating on the go, talking to God while they are busy doing other things, and they will have a good connection and clear reception. While we can "pray without ceasing"- meaning no matter where we are and what we are doing- there have to be times where we stop, get alone and be quiet in the presence of God. We have to "sit down" and "be still" and "connect".
Where can you find the "hot spot" where you can connect to Him? You will find it in that "sweet hour of prayer". You will find it in the "closet"- in the quiet, undistracted place that shuts out everything else. You will find it in the place of "fasting". You will find it in "seeking Him with all your heart".
If you want to have a good strong wifi connection you have to move close to the source of the signal. If you want to have a good strong signal and relationship with the Lord you have to move close to the "signal"- His Presence. "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." (James 4:8)
Have a great day. If you want to want to hear clearly and have good communication with the Lord, you are going to have to find a "hot spot"- a place of prayer where His Presence draws near.
For further reading:
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Mark 14:37; 9:29
Jeremiah 29:13
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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
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You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.


text: RUMSON PERSONAL FITNESS specializes in one on one, personal training, as well as group fitness and Gravity System classes with certified trainers. Our commitment is to help individuals improve their health and well-being by developing and administering effective, customized workout programs. Our custom fitness programs are designed for individuals, partners and small groups and conducted in a safe, immaculate environment. We have a fitness program for everyone, because they are designed in respect to your needs, goals and abilities. RUMSON PERSONAL FITNESS provides the ultimate gym alternative. You will train in a comfortable, exclusive facility without the disturbance or frustration of overcrowding and waiting for machines. We utilize state-of-the-art equipment and incorporate cutting edge fitness training techniques. There's no other facility in the area that compares to the level of quality we offer in both training and atmosphere. When you join our studio you will see how focused we are on giving you the best personal training experience possible. We have a lot of fun because we love what we do, but are extremely serious about helping you reach your fitness goals! Once you've experienced training at RPF, you'll see why we're in a class of our own.


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Hathaway Dresser - Black
Hathaway Dresser - Black
This twelve-drawer dresser is made from blackened, North American walnut. Originally designed for a front hall, it stands on tall, tapered, beveled legs and the drawers slide on wooden runners. It is also suited to be used as a side board.
The interior webbing is dovetailed into the cabinet so that the piece will last though generations. We have made this dresser in both a clear and black finish. It can also be made in quartersawn white oak. The black version that is for sale here is an exhibition piece and so discounted. White oak or clear walnut versions can be made to order for $12,500 with a 12-14 week lead time.
Shipping is not included.
Pieces can also be viewed at our Toronto studio by appointment (225 Sterling Rd, Unit 200B). Please email to arrange a time. We deliver within the Greater Toronto Area for $120. Please be in touch if you require delivery or shipping to other locations.


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Cupcakes are the cutest of desserts: a mini cake that you don't have to share. Because when it comes to dessert, sharing isn't fun, it's stealing. One thing I love seeing lately are cake toppers. They are such a cute way to add a little extra something special to a cake. A cherry on top, if you will.
However, I haven't really been seeing anything that goes on top of cupcakes. I mean there are those cheap plastic rings that grocery stores put on top of their cupcakes, but those don't really count. So I thought to myself, "wouldn't it be fun to make a little something for the top of cupcakes." And because this thought seemed rather rational compared to my other ones (ie "is a banana still edible if you spray paint the outer peel and then eat the inside?" or "if the sun was black would the sky be black or just a darker blue?") I decided that I should make a few cupcake toppers!
The star is a classic shape, & when you make the star gold you can channel your inner Rachel Berry, from Glee, because she puts a gold star on everything she likes. Plus, I'm assuming she likes cupcakes, so we're actually just helping the Rachel Berry cause. I also thought we could get more intricate and make a trendy leaf heart shape.
And aren't these cupcakes just absolutely gorgeous? We partnered on this post with our fab friend Hunter, of Vivian & Me, who writes a blog about allergy-friendly food recipes. I can not wait to try out these insanely gorgeous basil infused pink grapefruit cupcakes that have a vegan buttercream frosting and candied grapefruit on top! So be sure to stop by her blog for the cupcake recipe & more amazing, mouthwatering, insanely yummy recipes (buffalo chicken dip, anyone?). And tell her we said "hi!"
Directions for toppers:
With the brand new, awesome Cricut Explore (it's on sale right now!): 1. Insert a picture of a star to your Cricut Design Space (we drew our own in Photoshop so it would look kind of rustic and imperfect). If you would like to create our heart & leaf shape, we've attached the file below so that you can upload it to your Design Space 2. Print it out on your paper of choice - of course we chose glittery gold! 3. Hot glue the shape to a toothpick 4. Let it dry 5. Then decorate your cupcake until it looks like a masterpiece - maybe Hunter at Vivian & Me has some tips on piping icing that we'll share soon ;)
xo ~chloe


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GMR offers the following services:
Comprehensive Environmental Site Management: GMR's comprehensive environmental site management services include a wide spectrum of services. The primary goal of these services is to reduce environmental liabilities, risk exposure, and costs to clients. Our assistance includes: Evaluating properties for environmental liabilities prior to real estate purchases. To date, we have provided assistance for over 1000 properties. Liabilities are often associated with current and historical uses of the property and/or from adjacent properties. Performing subsurface evaluations and determining the extent of contamination on property. This is done by collecting and testing soil and/or groundwater samples. Our staff have performed over 300 Phase II ESA's in the past five (5) years. Determining clean-up (remediation) methods. State-of-the-art techniques are evaluated for cost-effectiveness, reliability and speed of remediation. Various techniques are used, depending on site-specific conditions. Providing overall environmental management services. Complete environmental guidance and assistance are provided for major projects or facilities. As an example, GMR is providing overall coordination for all environmental matters related to the MAPS Program for rebuilding a major portion of downtown Oklahoma City. These services have also been provided for several major retail clients nation-wide. Management services also include assisting clients with their decision-making regarding environmental issues. Providing environmental and health and safety audits, to identify potential environmental and OSHA problems before they become enforcement actions. GMR works with clients who have compliance issues with strict confidentiality. Return to the list of our services
Indoor Air Quality and Asbestos Surveys: Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health but many do not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant health effects. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 2 to 5 times and occasionally more than 100 times higher than outdoor levels. These levels of indoor air pollutants may be of particular concern because most people spend about 90% of their time indoors. Indoor air quality (IAQ) problems are not limited to homes. In fact, many office buildings have significant air pollution sources. Some of these buildings may be inadequately ventilated. For example mechanical ventilation systems may not be designed or operated to provide adequate amounts of outdoor air. Finally, people generally have less control over the indoor environment in their offices than they do in their homes. As a result, there has been an increasing incidence of reported health problems. Return to the list of our services
Remediation Services: GMR's remediation services include design, construction and operation of soil/groundwater remediation systems. Services range from management of the remediation process through full "turn-key" services. A unique service which can be provided is "Performance Based Corrective Action" whereby the clean-up is performed for a "lump-sum" price with payments based on the amount of clean-up that has been achieved. GMR is currently working on approximately 15 contaminated sites. Many of these are gasoline service stations with contamination originating from leading underground storage tanks (UST's). Most states have in place "clean-up funds" which have been established to assist owner/operator clean-up costs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has estimated 30-35% of underground tanks have leaks. Many states now prioritize clean-ups according to the risks involved to people. Return to the list of our services
Design of Environmental Control Systems: Increasingly stringent environmental regulations require industries and municipalities to install and upgrade their environmental control systems. Systems are needed to treat wastewater, groundwater, and stormwater, reduce air emissions, or reduce other pollutant streams. Design, implementation and operations of these types of systems is another of GMR's specialties. Clients include a variety of industrial sectors including mining, specialty chemical manufacturers, aviation related industries, including airports, bearings and other metal products manufacturers, forest products-related industries, food processing, petroleum related facilities and miscellaneous other types of facilities. These types of services are also provided to municipalities and state agencies. Return to the list of our services
Design and Operation of Impoundment Sludge Land Farm: GMR provided environmental management and engineering assistance for a client that manufactured asphalt roofing shingles and rolled roofing materials. During the period 1970 to 1981, process water generated during manufacturing of these materials was filtered and discharged into three (3) surface impoundments at the facility. A previous consultant initiated permanent closure of the impoundments in 1993, and a Work Plan was prepared for the Oklahoma Department of Health, which included a schedule and activities for the closure. These activities included removal of liquids from Impoundments Nos. 2 and 3 and subsequent discharge to the City sanitary sewer system, sampling of the sludge in Impoundments Nos. 2 and 3, and bioremediation of the sludge to the approved Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) cleanup level, 50 mg/kg. In early 2001, GMR initiated Site investigation activities for our client, which included the installation of groundwater monitoring wells and sampling and analysis of soil and groundwater at the facility. In March 2004, GMR prepared an Impoundment Closure Plan for the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality(DEQ). The Plan established soil cleanup levels for chemicals of concern (COCs) in sludges in the impoundments. The COCs included TPH, RCRA and non-RCRA metals, semi-volatile compounds, and PCBs. Tilling, irrigation, bioremediation (nutrient application), and storm water management are elements of the Work Plan. The project is on-going and includes quarterly sludge sampling and groundwater monitoring activities. Return to the list of our services
Air Quality: The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments created stringent air quality requirements for industry. Air permits are required by state and local agencies, and a large demand for preparing permit applications has occurred. Each state requires a construction permit before equipment installation, followed by obtaining an operating permit after construction. GMR can assist your organization with the first step of Clean Air Act compliance, and applicability determination to find if an air permit is required. Return to the list of our services
Title V Permits: Major air pollutant sources are required to obtain a permit under Title V of the Clean Air Act, also known as a Part 70 permit. The EPA has standardized the requirements for Title V permits, but numerous additional state and local requirements apply, especially in metropolitan areas with poor air quality. Return to the list of our services
Minor Source Permits: Most facilities that emit air pollutants are below Title V levels. Each state has its own unique minor source permit program, and requirements vary widely from state to state. Additional requirements often exist for metropolitan areas. Return to the list of our services
Other Air Services: Air permits require submittal of annual emissions inventory questionnaires (EIQs) and/or compliance certifications. Most permits require monitoring and record-keeping that include Method 9 visible emissions observations, stack testing and continuous emissions monitoring (CEM). GMR can assist you with the on-going task of complying with your permit. Return to the list of our services
Stormwater Permitting: The stormwater permit program is divided into two types of permits: Construction permits for facilities engaged in construction, soil remediation and other land-disturbing activities; and industrial permits for manufacturing, transportation and storage facilities. Some facilities can qualify for a no-exposure exemption from permit coverage. GMR can help you obtain a permit, prepare a stormwater pollution prevention plan, assist with monitoring or obtain an exemption. Return to the list of our services
Wastewater Discharge Permitting: GMR assists industrial clients with obtaining industrial waste discharge permits required by local public works authorities or publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). Return to the list of our services
Superfund: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, or "Superfund" requires facilities that store or release hazardous substances to file Community Right-to-Know reports, known as Tier II and Form R reporting. GMR can assist you with this often confusing requirement. Return to the list of our services
Wetlands: GMR assists clients with wetlands determinations and wetland (404) permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Do you have 'jurisdictional' wetlands? Return to the list of our services
Hazardous Waste: GMR assists many clients who generate hazardous wastes with waste characterization, handling, training, record-keeping and permitting. The first step is to determine if your wastes are hazardous or develop a strategy to make your wastes non-hazardous. We can help. Return to the list of our services
Mining & Quarrying: GMR has assisted clients to obtain permits to mine industrial minerals, limestone, sand and gravel, and to develop site reclamation plans required by state and local agencies. Return to the list of our services


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Sold out
Octopus Jar
As soon as I started carving my own stamps for printing, I wanted to make an octopus - and given their epic skills, it seemed fitting that my one wouldn't want to stay in his jar!
Hand printed work using a combination of original laser cut and hand carved stamps, using natural oil based black and blue pigment inks and extra details added in blue ink. Every print will be different due to the techniques used.
Printed on 150g oatmeal 100% recycled thin card (with natural flecks).
Paper size: A3 (297 x 420 mm or 11.7 x 16.5 inches).
Signed and dated in pencil and stamped with 'nakamura' characters [中村] in blue ink. Open edition.


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Benjamin Alijagić
Designer in Rijeka, Croatia
Passionate about building and simplifying products.
Involved into design since he was fourteen. Helped and advised a number of startups and worked with design agencies for leading worldwide brands.
Organized a series of online conferences about startups - PlusConf. Attracted more than 10,000 people who spent more than 7000 hours watching it live.
Previously: Farmeron, Hyperactive, Bellabeat


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On this Fun Friday I'm going to re-purpose a tiny fragrance jar to use for the myriad of tiny blooms Halle brings me. Sometimes it's a tiny flower, a tiny weed, a tiny clover or it could be a full size bloom that she's picked with a really short stem. Regardless of exactly what it is though, it will rarely fit into a normal bud vase.
I can't do the whole, "Thanks, Halle, I love it" and then toss it in the trash- she knows and will ask about it and it hurts her feelings. In fact, I have an autumn leaf getting crushed in my purse right now that I'd forgotten about. I love that about her.
I usually buy different fragrance oils to burn for each season and I've just recently used up most of my summer ones. Normally I throw the jars away but I've always hated to because they're cute. Recently though I wondered if I could use them for a tiny little vase.
It was easy as pie to pop the stopper out, then I washed it and had my very own bud vase.
I thought about removing the label but decided I liked it better this way.
So, how about you? Do you have a favorite unconventional vase? A friend of mine put a bunch of summer blooms into a glass Orange Crush bottle and I loved that.
Have a Great Weekend!


text:
I didn't see it coming but when it hit me, I realised that I absolutely love the new redesign of Namcheap.com. In fact, the redesign is quite long overdue….they should have done this way earlier.
Here is the web design of Namecheap, prior to 2011.
This is the new redesign, conforming with current web design standards and Web 2.0 trends.
Despite the release of fresh air, I don't understand why some people are complaining about it. Its quite beyond my ken to understand why anyone would dislike the new redesign and prefer the old, drab look.


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Wow! I will be running my first 5k in two weeks! I can't believe how swiftly time has passed me by. Week five of training and I feel AMAZING and my body is really starting to appreciate the work I've been putting in. I must admit, the biggest transformation has taken place in my mind. Those who have read You Belong Part 1 will be glad to know that my declaration of being a runner is truly a reality now.
Week one of training was solely about me breaking down mental barriers (Start Quick), learning to finish strong, and embracing my identity as a runner (You Belong). I had no idea that by week five I would be training others to do the same. A process that once began with joining a friend in a 5k and improving my self-image has become more about others than it is about me. I've left the training grounds and began doing the work for others. Although I still have challenges in regards to not wanting to run every day, I find that it is much easier to push beyond myself because my focus is now on the people who look to me for motivation. What's funny about it all is that I'm finding motivation through my dedication to others.
So my question to you is, what are you waiting on? What is it that you would like to do but can't find the courage to do the work? What's on the bucket list in your mind that you are too afraid to write down? What is holding you back from being as awesome as God has created you to be? Is it fear? Doubt? Confusion?
Whatever it is, I want to challenge you to think beyond yourself. There are groups of hundreds, millions, or maybe even billions of people waiting for you to do the work.
I can't promise you that the process will be easy or quick, but what I can promise is if you do it God's way, you will win. You will enter a peace that passes all understanding and the joy of the Lord will began to spring up like rivers of living water in your life.
Father I thank you that you are so faithful and true. I thank you for equipping me all the tools I need to do and be all you have called me to be and do. I take not for granted the people that will cross my path and I am committed to given my supply to those who are in need of it. In Jesus name, Amen!
God's daughter. His wife. Their mother. Your friend.


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|Task changelog (history of changes to a task)
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In 1954 Ray Kroc, a salesman of Multi mixer milkshake machines, learned that brothers Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald were using eight of his high-tech Multi mixers in their San Bernardino, California, restaurant. He was curious so he went to San Bernardino to take a look at the McDonalds restaurant.
McDonalds® reputation for Quality is internationally known. It is especially unique because of our highest quality standards.
We use the finest available products and carefully developed formulae.


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Q: If you were to give a consultant one piece of advice on becoming a better leader, what would it be?
A: It's really two words: deliberate practice. The whole notion of talent has been highly overrated and will only get you so far. The rest is about hard work and deliberate practice.
Carve out at least two hours every day to use as a learning experience of deliberate practice. That means developing a plan for improvement. Set a goal and engage in designed learning activities to help you achieve that goal. Make sure you pay as much attention to technique as outcome. Get some feedback on how well you're doing and then, based on that, reset your goals.
Adapted from a more extensive interview with Jim Kouzes, featured at Management Consulting News.
Jim Kouzes is the Dean's Executive Fellow of Leadership, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University (SCU). Barry Posner is the Accolti Professor of Leadership at SCU's Leavey School of Business, where he served as Dean for 12 years. Together they are authors of The Leadership Challenge and over a thirty other books and workbooks on leadership and leadership development, including Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It, which was just released this month.


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New Products
Kawsaski Mule 4010 Trans 4 seater IOWAS LARGEST MULE DEALER
New 2016 Kawasaki Mule 4010 Trans .
Kawasaki Mule 610SX 2018 decked out
We are Iowa's largest Mule dealer!! Stop in to see the 610/4010 and new MULE PRO!! New Mule PRO runs 45MPH.
2017 Mule Kawasaski 4010 4X4
WE are Iowa's Largest Kawasaki MULE dealer!! Come and see them in stock NOW!!
2018 Mule 610XC SX Kawasaki
This is a new 2018 Mule 610XC from Kawasaki. Special Edition.
New 2016 CF Moto Z Force 800 UTV
This is a new 2016 CF Moto Z Force 800EX. This is designed for play some "work"! It has a speed of about 45 to 50 MPH. 3000lb winch on the front and fuel injected. Also HI/LO range. Stop in and see it.
New for Kawasaki. This is the 45MPH 820 Mule with ultra suspension. This is not your grandpa's mule!!
New 2017 Kawasaki Mule PRO 820cc 45MPH
Kodiak 2016 700 Yamaha
New Yamaha 2016 700 Kodiak
2017 Kawasaki Mule PRO Rancher
2017 Kawasaki Mule PRO Rancher! Not the Mule of the past. 45MPH!!
2018 New Pro Mule Kawasaki
New Kawasaki Mule 820cc Pro. 45MPH! Come and test ride. Smoothest ride on the market. We have almost every color in stock.
2017 New CF Moto 400 ATV 4×4
Very nice 400 4x4 ATV. This has fuel injection. Very smooth ride! Stop in and see.
New redesigned Kawasaki 610 Mule 2018
New for 2017 is the 610 SX! We have most colors in stock.
2018 Yamaha Grizzly 700
2018 Grizzly 700 with power steering and fuel injection and HI/LO range. Stop in to see.
2018 Yamaha Kodiak 450 ATV
This new 2018 unit has power steering and fuel injection.
New 2018 Kawasaki Mule 610SX
New 2018 Mule 610SX from Kawasaki
New Kawasaki Mule 610SX 2018
New Kawasaki Mule 610SX for 2018
New Kawasaki Mule 610SX XC 4×4 with diff lock 2018
New 2018 Kawasaki Mule 610SX XC


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A Technical Report from The Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories 181
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is a magnificent slow to moderate growing, large size evergreen tree. It is well suited for use as a specimen tree or as part of a group planting screen. Its large glossy green leaves and showy white summer flowers make it a popular ornamental in warm climates.


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Angela Hartley is executive vice president and chief program officer at National Industries for the Blind (NIB), where she leads a team of professionals devoted to creating opportunities for people who are blind through world-class workforce training and development. Since joining NIB in 2002, Ms. Hartley has led diverse initiatives and assumed new challenges throughout the organization in the areas of government relations, corporate communications, strategic planning and direction, human resources, marketing, compliance and regulatory affairs, fundraising and program development.
After serving NIB initially as director, external affairs, Ms. Hartley was promoted to vice president, communications and public affairs, and later to vice president, external affairs and public policy. Ms. Hartley was named executive vice president before assuming her current position. Her accomplishments at NIB include consolidating public relations and marketing functions to drive consistent messaging; expanding the organization's involvement and reach in government affairs; strengthening NIB's network of contacts, coalitions and partnerships; and developing an award winning management training program for high-potential professionals. She works closely with NIB's Board of Directors on strategic and business planning, as well as ethics and governance matters.
Prior to joining NIB, Ms. Hartley served as director of external affairs and general counsel for Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, an NIB associated nonprofit agency. Earlier in her career, Ms. Hartley participated in several entrepreneurial and small business ventures.
A Certified Association Executive (CAE), Ms. Hartley received a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from the Georgetown University Center for Public & Nonprofit Leadership. She holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law, a Master of Business Administration from Salisbury University's Perdue School of Business and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas, El Paso.
Ms. Hartley is a member of the Maryland State Bar, American Bar Association, Public Relations Society of America, American Society of Association Executives, Women in Government Relations and Leadership Greater Washington. She is a member of the World Blind Union's Employment Working Group, which launched Project Aspiro, a career planning and employment website for people who are blind or partially sighted, service providers, friends, family and employers. Ms. Hartley also serves on the board of directors of the Alexandria, Virginia, Chamber of Commerce.


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SANFORD - Ms. Sylvia Jeane Brown, 53, of Sanford, died Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014.
Services: Graveside, 2 p.m. Saturday in Broadway Town Cemetery. Visitation, 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in Smith Funeral Home in Broadway.
Survived by: Parents, James and Madge McBryde; brothers, Guy McBryde and Joseph; sister, Samantha McBryde; and stepgrandmother, Marjorie Bridges.


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Would you be willing to give up everything you've ever known for someone that doesn't even speak your language? Lupe Abuchaibe, our very first unknown guest, reveals her love story and trust us, it's made for a movie!
We first met Lupe's Son, John, randomly at a coffee shop, where he mentioned that his mom had an incredible Love Story. Naturally, we had to have her on the show.


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9:30 Club presents at U Street Music Hall:
POWERS & James Hersey
Nick Leng
Sat, March 25
6:30 pmU Street Music Hall
This event is all ages
Bridgit Mender will no longer be performing. Refunds available at place of purchase until 3/24/17https://www.930.com/event/1399432/
POWERS - (Set time: 9:00 PM)
Here's a partial list of things that have inspired L.A.-based pop duo POWERS in recent months: found recordings of ancient Peruvian tribal music, a centuries-old Swedish hymn, a PBS retrospective on the making of Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and a 1993 Baywatch episode titled "Island of Romance." "Songs can spark from anything," says Crista Ru, who co-founded POWERS with co-vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Mike Del Rio in 2014. "It's just like love — it hits you out of nowhere, you can't ever predict it. But when you feel it, you need to do whatever you can to hold onto that feeling and follow through and bring something good to life."
For POWERS, bringing songs to life means tapping into their own eclectic backgrounds — which span from playing in punk bands in New York City to co-writing for the likes of Kylie Minogue and Icona Pop — and taking a collage-like approach to constructing crystalline pop. Citing the cut-and-paste art of Robert Rauschenberg and Terry Gilliam among their longtime influences, POWERS piece together chopped-up live instrumentation, synths, samples, and beats into a sound that's intricately composed but graced with timeless pop simplicity. And on their debut EP Legendary (praised by Nylon as "rich with disco-funk pop that revels in its own genre-bending light"), the duo deepen that sound by infusing each track with potent feeling, from effervescent self-assurance on "Hot" to epic lovesickness on "Loved By You."
Now at work on their full-length debut, Del Rio and Ru first crossed paths in the New York music scene in the mid-'00s after devoting much of their lives to exploring and creating music. Both POWERS members also have dance music in their DNA: Del Rio's parents made the scene at Studio 54 in the '70s and raised their son on Bee Gees records, while Ru's uncle introduced her to the music of outré-leaning artists like Grace Jones when she was still in elementary school. "My uncle was always throwing crazy parties, with all these drag queens and musicians from the '80s club scene in New York, which was a huge inspiration for me from a very young age," she says.
At first, Del Rio and Ru had no clear goal for their collaboration. "We were mostly just making music together because it felt good," Ru says. Then, in 2011, Del Rio moved to L.A. after teaming up with British producer Alex da Kid (Nicki Minaj, Dr. Dre, Imagine Dragons) and inking a production deal with his record label KIDinaKORNER. A year later, Ru followed, and the two began penning songs for pop artists. After building up their songwriting resumé — which included landing the track "Birthday" on Selena Gomez's 2013 album Stars Dance — the duo decided to refocus on their own music and began creating under the name POWERS.
In 2014, POWERS had their breakthrough with "Classic" (a collaboration with New York City-based electronic duo The Knocks), which drew major attention from record labels. But instead of signing a deal right away, the duo stepped back and retreated to a middle-of-the-woods cabin hours outside L.A. to clear their heads and reset their intentions. "We went back into the hole and were really honest with ourselves about what kind of music we wanted to make," Del Rio says. During their weeklong retreat, that meant channeling their fascination with what Del Rio calls "these pockets of strangeness that exist everywhere" into an endlessly shapeshifting, pastiche-like take on pop. Also making use of the songcraft they'd sharpened through their work as pop songwriters, POWERS ended up with a new batch of songs that included the tracks featured on the Legendary EP (their debut release for Republic Records). Among those tracks: "Beat of My Drum," which topped Hype Machine and Spotify's Viral Chart, in addition to earning more than 20 million plays on Spotify.
In creating songs for their forthcoming album, POWERS continue to embrace their oddball inclinations and exercise their pop instincts while shaping a more lavishly arranged sound. Along with working from a musical palette now filled with world-music-inspired rhythms and tones and textures, the duo have achieved that bigger sound in part by building off their recent experiences touring with bands like DNCE and X Ambassadors. From the brilliantly warped vocals and gospel-like harmonies of "Sunshine" to the soulful grooves and spacey psychedelia of "Man on the Moon" to the life-affirming and anthemic feel of "Real" (featuring X Ambassadors), the new songs match POWERS' natural magnetism with an arena-ready grandeur. "Whenever we have an idea, we always ask ourselves, 'How would this feel for a live audience?'" Ru says. "If something feels really good to us and we're excited and it's all flowing, it usually translates that way to people's ears and turns out to be something special."
Trusting intuition also goes a long way in POWERS transforming their kaleidoscopic sensibility into purely melodic pop songs. "We have so much fun creating together, and that's really the core of everything," Del Rio says. "That feeling of being a kid and playing with blocks or painting a picture for the first time — that's what the two of us are constantly trying to give back to each other with this project." The fun is palpable, but the music serves an even deeper purpose, with POWERS radiating an unabashed, infectious joy that makes even the sad songs feel celebratory. "For us making music is about being open to letting yourself feel everything, and trying to make stories about these little moments in time," Del Rio says. "We want to feel all the feelings, good and bad, then capture that magic and build our own world for it to live in."
James Hersey - (Set time: 8:00 PM)
Multi-talented singer, musician, songwriter and producer James Hersey hails from Vienna, Austria. Borrowing freely from all genres, Hersey's sound is tied together by an innate talent for catchy melodies, straightforward lyrics, and an unforgettable voice.
Now based in Berlin and signed to Glassnote Records, Hersey's debut EP Pages, co-produced by James alongside Ed Sheeran collaborator Will Hicks, is set to drop this May. Leading with his first single 'Miss You' -currently being played on HITS 1 / Sirius XM - he's amassed over 70million streams alone, and debuted on the Spotify Global Charts in 10 countries. Needless to say, Hersey is off to an extremely strong start.
Despite 'Miss You' forming Hersey's debut single, his voice and lyrics are one many listeners may already be familiar with from 'Coming Over'. This was an originally penned track Hersey wrote in 2014 as an ode to delayed desires. It caught the attention of the dance arena when it was remixed by Filous, and later reworked by Kygo & Dillon Francis, ultimately catapulting it to over 125 million streams combined.
Now with over 275 million collective streams to date, Hersey is set to support Francis and the Lights in the UK and will head straight to Austin for his debut at SXSW where he'll be playing coveted slots with YouTube, Bud Light, Universal, Neon Gold and more.
Nick Leng - (Set time: 7:15 PM)
2017 will see Nick releasing more solo material that builds on the success of his most recent EP, Drivers, which was released through B3Sci Records. He also looks to maintain his unique position as an artist that straddles both the indie and electronic worlds with features that are similar to his latest collaboration with dance recording artist, StéLouse on the single, "Been So Long".
Venue Information:
U Street Music Hall
1115 U Street NW
Washington, DC, 20009
U Street Music Hall
1115 U Street NW
Washington, DC, 20009


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Back when video games first came out, there was Atari, and it featured games like Pac Man, Galaga, Millipede, and more. These games weren't extremely costly, and many homes, regardless of their earnings, bought them for their kids.
Nowadays, there are various kinds of video games for several video game systems. These modern-day video game systems are a lot more costly, making it challenging for every household to buy them for their kids. There is even a video game system, the Nintendo Wii, that makes playing games feel like you're actually on screen playing. If you are playing a bowling game on the new Nintendo Wii, you really roll a real bowling ball, and at the very same time, you see yourself on the screen, in fact playing. It's a genuine technological advance! And it's extremely enjoyable and exciting for kids as well as grownups.
There are many different video games for these numerous game consoles, such as football, basketball, baseball, and a real preferred for many individuals, Nascar. In the Nascar video game, you can setup your own car, by picking different tracks, similar to you're really on a real race track. You can change the track bar on the vehicle and modification tires, and after that it's like you're in fact racing for the Nextel Cup, in real life. The graphics on these games are unbelievable, and it's similar to enjoying a game or TV. You pick the group that you desire, and play someone else. Also, you can tailor your game, and that is fun, too, specifically when you're beating your opponent.
There are also tournaments on these video games, particularly the football and basketball ones. They will have up to a hundred individuals or more involved in these competitions, and whoever wins first, 2nd and 3rd location wins cash prize. There is likewise a program on ESPN that has actual competitions, with the very first reward being $100, 000. That certainly is a lot of cash just to play a video game on tv. But there are many individuals who practice often, simply to be able to be part of such a competition. They need to find out different defenses for their gamers, and the same for the offense. So, as you can state, video game playing is a billion dollar market. And it's obvious that they're not just for kids, due to the fact that what kid is going to be on ESPN? Not many, because a lot of moms and dads wouldn't enable it.