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Resort Sponsored - 3 Night Daytona Beach Vacation Package
4 Days and 3 Nights in Daytona Beach
Retail Value: Up to $349.00 - Sale Price: $99.00 - Save Up to 70%!
Accommodations: Oceanside Inn, Holiday Inn Resort, Best Western Castillo Del Sol (based upon availability)
Accommodations Type: Standard room sleeps up to 4 people.
Black Out Dates: Not Available During Holidays Or Special Events. These dates may still be available for an additional fee, inquire with your reservation agent at the time of booking.
Area Attractions
With the ocean at your doorstep and with all the Orlando attractions within an hour's drive, you cannot go wrong with a great vacation in Daytona Beach. Do everything or do nothing at all. It's your vacation.
- Beaches
- Ponce Inlet Light House
- Daytona Lagoon Water Park
- Daytona International Speedway
- Daytona Beach Kennel Club and Poker Room
- Boating
- Fishing
- Orlando Theme Park's within an hour drive.
This discount vacation offer is sponsored by The Welcome Center of Daytona Beach, LLC. Hereinafter referred to as "Sponsor". The Welcome Center of Daytona Beach, LLC is registered, licensed and bonded with the State of Florida as a Seller of Travel, Registration No. ST37782
Details of Participation
This vacation offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion and is not valid for full-time students, group travel or persons attending a convention. A group is considered two or more families or associates traveling together or meeting at the same resort during the same travel period. This offer is transferable as long as the transferee meets all of the qualifications detailed below. This offer is valid for U.S. and Canadian residents only.
Reservations should be made Thirty (30) in advance of your intended arrival date. Due to normal reservation patterns, availability will be more limited on weekends, peak travel times and holiday periods. If you have made reservations and must reschedule for any reason, a $25 reschedule fee will apply. To reschedule your reservation, you must contact us as least fourteen (14) days prior to your scheduled arrival date. Participants with confirmed reservations who fail to check-in on their reservation date or fail to reschedule at least fourteen (14) days in advance of their arrival date shall forfeit their use of this certificate and be charged a one night "no show" fee. Clients arriving that do not meet the details of participation will be subject to a charge equal to all room nights and will not receive any special gifts associated with this offer.
No purchaser should rely on representations other than those included in these Details of Participation. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute promotional items of equal or greater value. Employees of Sponsor or their immediate family members and its affiliated companies and sponsor owners are not eligible for this offer. This promotion is void where prohibited by law where applicable licensing requirements have not been met, including the state of Florida.
a. Married or co-habitating couples both must be between the ages of 25 and 72 years of age and have an annual household income of at least $50,000 (US). If they are fully retired meaning both receive a pension then income can be $40,000 (US)
b. No Singles
c. Couples must tour with spouse/fiancé/life partner and must prove they live together with either matching address id, or checkbook, lease/mortgage statement with both names on the account to qualify. Newlyweds may use marriage certificate.
d. For identification purposes, each Qualified Tour must possess, and present at the Presentation, a valid driver's license and a valid major credit card. (no debit/check cards)
e. Guest cannot have toured in Daytona Beach, FL in the past 12 months.
f. Guest cannot be a travel agent, airline employee or current members of any travel or vacation club. Guest also cannot be going through bankruptcy proceedings of any kind and cannot be a resident of Volusia County.
g. Children ages 2 to 11 MUST stay in the supervised child care area during the presentation. Must be potty trained. They are not equipped to handle children under 2 or special needs children.
h. Must attend 90-minute presentation.
i. All guests must be US citizens or legal US residents with a green card and both people must speak and understand English.
j. Guest is responsible for resort fee and taxes.
- This package includes accommodations for up to four people.
- All transportation and incidentals are your responsibility. The package does not include any applicable taxes, hotel service fees or regulatory surcharges.
- Package is valid for one year from the date of purchase.


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IK Multimedia SampleTank 3 Instrument Collection - Alan Parsons Grand
- Write a Review
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Lowest Price
6-Month* financing available.
Add dramatic presence, expressive power and emotional depth to your music with one of the most prestigious concert grand pianos of all time recorded ...Click To Read More About This Product
After finalizing your order for this downloadable product you'll receive an activation key via email. This email will include a product link and directions for downloading.(Credit approval may take up to 24 hours.)
A prestigious concert grand piano recorded by a renowned engineer at a world-class studio.
Add dramatic presence, expressive power and emotional depth to your music with one of the most prestigious concert grand pianos of all time recorded by a legendary engineer at a world-class studio.
Alan Parsons Imperial Grand is a new SampleTank instrument that puts the authentic acoustic sound of a premier grand piano at your fingertips. It provides over a gigabyte of content with over 650 stereo samples covering 8 velocities per note.
The samples used for this instrument were recorded by legendary producer-engineer Alan Parsons, known for his timeless work with Pink Floyd, the Beatles and of course The Alan Parsons Project. IK US founder and executive producer, Dave Kerzner, teamed up with Alan to sample a spectacular B¶sendorfer Model 290 grand piano at Mark Knopfler's British Grove Studios in London.
To capture the essence of this dynamic instrument, Alan used AKG C12 and Neumann U67 valve microphones running through a classic EMI console that's similar to the one he used while working with The Beatles and Pink Floyd.
The specific piano and studio were chosen to provide a truly audiophile pairing of instrument and facility in order to create the finest virtual instrument possible, one that can traverse genres and sound amazing in any context.
The piano samples were then obsessively voiced specifically for SampleTank 3 by IK' international sound design team.
We slaved away to find the perfect velocity split positions combined with carefully dialing in the ideal velocity response from the SampleTank 3 engine. SampleTank 3's Acoustic Resonance convolution effect provides ultra-realistic soundboard resonance so that when you press the sustain pedal, the harp resonates the way it should giving you the real-life experience of playing an acoustic grand piano.
Each piano note has been meticulously sampled at 8 specific velocities to provide the most realistic playing experience possible. We've also omitted a few notes where necessary to ensure smooth key transitions and uniform tonality across the keyboard.
Now you too can apply the powerful sound of the Alan Parsons Imperial Grand to your own musical projects.
With the Alan Parsons Imperial Grand, you get a truly unique instrument with dramatic presence, unsurpassed power and real emotional depth.
It' perfect for pop, rock, classical, jazz and any style where you need a top-quality audiophile acoustic grand piano recorded by legendary engineer at a world-class studio.
Expand the content of your SampleTank library, order today!!

subset: commoncrawl


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San Angelo is a leader in education and preparing graduates for success. The city is home to a branch of Park University, a branch of Howard College, and Angelo State University, featured in the Princeton Reivew as one of the nation's finest regional universities.
The city of San Angelo invests in the culture of its community by hosting multiple downtown events and festivals including the Food and WIne Festival, Simply Texas Blues Festival, and the Old Town Festival, which takes place in November, and features over 50 vendors and an array of local artists and artisans.
San Angelo is home to over 30 parks spanning over 375 acres of lush green land. The most eye-catching are a group of parks that connect to form 10 miles of river frontage along the Concho River. The parks are known as the city's "crown jewels" and run through Downtown San Angelo.
Rooted in self expression and creativity, San Angelo's public and private art can be viewed all over the city. Must-sees include Paintbrush Alley, the city's "drive-through art gallery," the San Angelo Museum of Fine Art, which received the prestigious National Museum Service Award, and The Old Chicken Farm Art Center, a 3 acre artists' compound which hosts numerous events fit for the whole family. "If it's art you want, then art is what you get in San Angelo."
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San Angelo, TX
Spanning over 7,676 acres, the San Angelo State Park is a breathtaking collection of wildlife and Texas landscape. Located on the shores of the O.C. Fisher Reservoir, the state park is the perfect location for hiking, camping, picnicking, swimming, and kayaking.
Patients can expect quality care and great customer service at Kool Smiles. An amazing 97% of Kool Smiles patients say they'll refer their friends and family. Our dream is to create a world of happy, healthy smiles. We believe that every family in America deserves quality dental care. That's what drives us to open dental offices in underserved communities. And it's why we're selecting smart, talented people to join us.
We currently offer the following services:
Our treatment areas are designed to be kid-friendly, semi-private, and accessible to parents. Our doctors use basic behavioral guidance techniques such as "tell, show, do" to make dental treatment a pleasant experience for all.
Our team of specialists, general dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants work together efficiently to provide comprehensive dental services.
Kool Smiles offices have brightly colored, oversize waiting areas that include children's play areas, many of which have full playground sets where younger children can climb, slide, and explore.
"I think it's the thing that sets Kool Smiles apart: I don't know of a single clinic system in the country that has as sophisticated a quality assurance program."
Dr. Paul O. Walker, DDS
At the end of each day, everyone at Kool Smiles knows they've accomplished something that matters—something that makes a difference in the world—a positive change in the lives of children and their families.
Having the right dentist makes all the difference in the world. Our dentists share a common bond: they are passionate about providing quality dental care to families. All of our dentists go through Kool Smiles training upon hire and continue to receive company sponsored continuing education. Many of our dentists are active in both local, regional, or state dental associations, serve on Medicaid advisory boards, and participate in national associations such as American Dental Association and American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Kool Smiles is committed to expanding access to quality dentistry and oral healthcare services in underserved communities.
Lack of healthcare coverage, or being enrolled in the Medicaid program, should not undermine an individual's access to vital dental services.
80% of the nation's 179,000 practicing dentists refuse to provide care to Medicaid enrollees.
We've partnered extensively with local schools, daycares and community organizations to provide much-needed oral health screenings and supplies, free of charge. In 2012 alone, Kool Smiles provided over $18.5 million in dental services to children with no form of payment for those procedures, simply because it was in the best interest of the children and their health.
In addition to strong clinical oversight, Kool Smiles has implemented an advanced electronic health records (EHR) system that is used in every Kool Smiles office across the country to measure and report on clinical compliance. The system is closely monitored by our dental clinical leaders to assure all dentists are in compliance with professional standards as well as ADA and AAPD guidelines.
Shaheen has worked with Benevis for over 7 years. She loves building relationships with her candidates and seeing them grow with the company. Shaheen is a world traveler, having visited countries like Brazil, Thailand, and Costa Rica. She is a three-time Tough Mudder competitor and is an outdoors enthusiast. A dog lover at heart, she has a GoldenDoodle named Piper, and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Questions about Kool Smiles? Want to find out about the next Kool Smiles openings? Let us know more about you and how we can help.
Brandi joined Benevis as a Manager of Talent Acquisition in 2014. She supervises the recruitment of dental specialists in Indiana, Kentucky, Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and Virginia. Brandi has over a decade of experience in the healthcare field, and loves the value that Benevis places on its employees. Brandi is a graduate of the University of Georgia and is a big Bulldog fan! She enjoys yoga, traveling (especially if it involves a beach), and having fun with family and friends.
Questions about Kool Smiles? Want to find out about the next Kool Smiles openings? Let us know more about you and how we can help.
Paige joined Benevis in April of 2016 as a Manager of Talent Acquisition. Her main focus is recruiting leadership team members such as Office Managers for the Arizona, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Texas markets. She is also a resource in the hiring of clinical staff and Benevis employees. Prior to that, she worked in the staffing industry for over 16 years where she honed her recruiting skills and worked to resolved staffing challenges across multiple industries. She enjoys building relationships and accepts new challenges with a smile. In her spare time, you can find Paige spending time with family and friends and her two rescue dogs, Bailey and Jack. She also appreciates the outdoors, beach vacations, and trying new restaurants.
Questions about Kool Smiles? Want to find out about the next Kool Smiles openings? Let us know more about you and how we can help.
Alyssa joined Benevis as a Manager of Talent Acquisition in 2014. She currently recruits general dentists throughout Texas, Maryland, Indiana, and Washington D.C. Alyssa considers her job to be not only fun, but incredibly gratifying. She loves being able to build relationships with new doctors every day, and help them find work they are passionate about. Alyssa is originally from Wisconsin, and loves cheering on the green and yellow (Go Packers!). Her favorite pastimes are hiking with her dog and spending quality time with family and friends.
Questions about Kool Smiles? Want to find out about the next Kool Smiles openings? Let us know more about you and how we can help.
Rosa joined Benevis in 2010 as the Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition. She manages a team of four recruiters and conducts full-cycle recruitment of General Dentists. Rosa is responsible for identifying qualified dental practitioners for dental offices located in Virginia, Texas, Arkansas, Okalahoma and New Mexico. Rosa loves interacting with her candidates and helping them find positions where they will be happy doing what they love. She is a foodie who enjoys cooking and eating at new and delicious restaurants.
Questions about Kool Smiles? Want to find out about the next Kool Smiles openings? Let us know more about you and how we can help.
San Angelo, Texas


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These days, glass rules all in the smoking world. From the origins of using wood, clay, and metal pipes, glass came along and provided the user with a cleaner, more unique, and healthier option. Starting as basic "spoon" pipes (pipes that literally are in the shape of a spoon), glassblowers worldwide began experimenting with crazy new shapes and designs, and with the addition of "fuming" the world of color-changing glass was born.
Here at Bear Necessities we have the largest selection of glass hand pipes in Northern Colorado. Ranging from a cheap little "throw-away" travel pipe for $2.99 to extensive handblown artwork devices that can price as high as $1,000…we have you covered. For more info on our local exclusive glassblowers visit our Handblown Glass page.
Each of our three locations features a huge selection of glass pipes that are ALWAYS BOGO Half Off. While not locally blown, these are production pieces that are made with quality but at a price that any smoker can afford. Our BOGO cases range from $3.99 to $19.99, with some of the headier bubblers and pipes going for $24.99-$59.99. When you can get half off on a second piece, it only makes sense to take advantage of the deal and pick up a "back-up" pipe in case of catastrophe to the first, or be nice and give the second to a friend. Though these pipes are very reasonably priced, you will find a surprising amount of quality and individuality in the selection.
Chillems, or one-hitters, or bats, etc., are a simple and discreet way to smoke your herbs on the go. Basically just a straight tube with a bowl on the end, it doesn't get much simpler than this. Chillems are usually among the cheapest smoking pipes in the shop, however we have had glassblowers custom make chillems that have sold for well over $100. Perfect for camping or any time you just need a quick toke (like your lunch break…we won't tell your boss).
Spoon pipes are quite simply, shaped like a spoon. They come all different shapes and sizes, and vary greatly in quality and uniqueness as well. Probably the most common kind of hand pipe, we have a vast collection of spoons ranging from our $3.99 2.5″ pipes you will find in our BOGO cases, to elaborate handblown art pieces adorned with galaxy marbles and complex horn work. Come check out what interesting spoons we have in stock this week!
Sherlock pipes are curved neck hand pipes popularized by the old Sherlock Holmes wooden tobacco pipe he became known for. Of course, these days, the name merely implies the shape of the pipe, and you will find that the sherlock design lends itself to an array of fantastic innovative artwork.
Steamrollers are a very popular style of smoking pipe. Commonly made of glass, they are simply a tube with two open ends and a bowl generally indented into the top of the tube. Some steamrollers are more like spoon pipes with the carb on the end instead of the side, whereas others are 2-foot long 3″ tubes with massive bowls, giving the users an impressive (if not cough-inducing) puff. We have a variety of steamrollers in stock at all times, from smaller imported styles to the gargantuan Zong and locally handblown behemoths.
Sidecars are a hybrid between a sherlock and a steamroller. Immensely popular due to their "pistol" style grip (using your "trigger" finger to operate the carb), these pipes can be found in a wide variety of decorative styles. As the sidecar shape isn't a common style for import glass, most sidecars that you will find in our shops are handblown by local artists. If you haven't experienced the uniqueness of hitting a sidecar, then I think we know what your next piece will be.
Bubblers are the original "water pipe" at its most basic form. Most bubblers come in either the "sherlock" (or upright) style, or the "hammer" style, where the bubbler rests on the base and the mouthpiece. A small downstream is fused to the bottom of the bowl, which is long enough to inject the smoke below the surface of the water in the lower chamber, resulting in the bubbling action as you inhale that gives this device its name. Filtering your smoke through water draws some of the harmful (and harsh) carcinogens out of your puff, giving you a smoother hit. While the filtration on most bubblers is minimal compared to that of an actual bong, anything helps right? Bubblers come in basic import styles that start out at $9.99, all the way up to insane handblown works of art with horns and marbles and gemstones adorning them that can range up to $1,000.


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PrecisionHawk and Agri-Trend announced today that they will partner to offer PrecisionHawk's UAV data collection, sensing and analysis tools to farmers in the U.S. and Canada through Agri-Trend, a network of agricultural coaches. The partnership represents the first large-scale drone program for farming in the U.S.
This year, the partnership will offer UAV services throughout regions of Canada using trained individuals with the objective to roll out a full commercialization service model in 2016.
PrecisionHawk unmanned aerial systems will collect the data, and Agri-Trend will offer the data management side to help growers understand and apply the data to their decision making processes throughout the growing season.
"Scaling comes from things being seamless and simple. It is our belief that to reach true field level value, these products need to be captured and delivered cost effectively through automated processes, on-board UAV intelligence, and by many different individuals, including both Coaches and Farmers," said Rob Saik, Agri-Trend Founder and CEO, in a release.
The integration of PrecisionHawk's DataMapper cloud-based storage system into the Agri-Data Solution Platform will be optimized in the first phase. This DataMapper/Agri-Data integration will allow farmers to aggregate and analyze data coming from a multitude of sources in order to make better decisions more quickly and efficiently. The expectation is to provide growers with full integration of orders, delivery and processing from a range of UAV platforms in 2016.
"This relationship combines the best aerial and software data technology to provide Agri-Trend farmers with next-generation data products that extend far beyond a traditional NDVI," said Christopher Dean, PrecisionHawk CEO, in the release.
As part of the partnership, Agri-Trend will offer PrecisionHawk's UAV platform, suite of sensors and Data Software and Data Mapper, to its corporate partners, consultants and coaches.
Don't miss out on this additional coverage of the UAV industry:


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Down the Rabbit Hole, I speculated that normal parents whose children were estranged filtered away to groups that addressed the reason their children were estranged--parents of alcoholics went to groups about alcoholism, etc. But I never followed up on it.When I wrote the post that became
Recently I started reading the forums at Out of the Fog, a site for people dealing with personality-disordered relatives. It's been a revelation. There are plenty of parents of personality-disordered teens and young adults there, a demographic with significant representation in the estranged parents' groups. And yes, some of the parents do sound like they walked out of an estranged parents' group. But on average, the parents...
Recently I started reading the forums at Out of the Fog, a site for people dealing with personality-disordered relatives. It's been a revelation. There are plenty of parents of personality-disordered teens and young adults there, a demographic with significant representation in the estranged parents' groups. And yes, some of the parents do sound like they walked out of an estranged parents' group. But on average, the parents...
- Tend to have children with a long history of trouble: problems in school, hospitalizations, even convictions. No one says, "We were so close until her terrible boyfriend came between us." A sizable minority of members of estranged parents' forums have children whose troubles started early in life, but most members who claim their children are personality disordered didn't have trouble until the children were old enough to start claiming some independence.
- Tend to have younger children (preschool through very early 20's, with an uptick in the early teens), although a significant minority have children who are established adults.
- Tend to have problems with just one child. It's uncommon for all the children in the family to have issues. A sizable minority of members of estranged parents' forums have problems with just one child, but it's more common for them to have problems with all their children, or all but one.
- Are more likely to have an official diagnosis for their children.
- If they have no official diagnosis, they're more likely to have narrowed down the possibilities to a couple of similar diagnoses. Members of estranged parents' forums tend to hit on personality disorders as one of several possibilities, and are easily distracted by new explanations for their children's behavior.
- Are well educated in the traits of various disorders and the distinctions between disorders, or are working to become educated. Members of estranged parents' forums tend to rely on vague descriptions relayed by other members, make mistakes like confusing borderline personality disorder with bipolar, and do shallow, tentative research with haphazardly chosen resources.
- Describe their children's behavior clearly and concisely, with illustrative examples, good timelines, and precise details.
- Focus accounts of their children's behavior on what their children did, not on how it made the parents feel.
- Use current psychological vocabulary (i.e., emotionally abusive alcoholic vs. mean drunk).
- Tend not to take their children's behavior personally. They're less likely to feel judged as parents or invalidated as people because of their children's behavior, even though their children's behavior does hurt them and they sometimes struggle with guilt.
- Don't feel defined by their roles as parents.
- Don't resort to authoritarian standbys--"You must respect me because I'm the parent," etc. Don't frame encounters with their children as a struggle for control, assume that everything their children does is designed to hurt them, or express a desire to punish their children and make their children hurt as much as the parents are hurting. Don't use "respect" as an all-purpose goal or "disrespect" as an all-purpose label for their children's behavior.
- Are more likely to be the estranger than the estrangee. A significant proportion cut contact with their adult children for the parents' own health and safety.
- Parents talk about their feelings of guilt and struggle with their desire to contact their children.
- Many parents were married to abusive spouses, and they sometimes talk about a pervasive pattern of personality disorders in their ex-spouse's family. Some parents are married to spouses whose ex-spouse was personality disordered, and they're now dealing with personality disorders in their stepchildren. Abused people tend to be attracted to other abused people or abusers, so this is a red flag for abuse in the members' own families of origin.
- The children often accuse the parents of abuse. Members of Out of the Fog are moe likely to give detailed accounts of the children's accusations.
- Parents accuse their adult children of using the grandchildren as a weapon.
- Parents stay in touch with their adult children only for the grandchildren's sake.
Posts from This Journal by "estranged parents" Tag
An estranged parent's response to "Down the Rabbit Hole" [TRIGGER for animal abuse]
The estranged parents' forums finally found my site on estranged parents' forums, and the response has been... predictable? Depressing.…
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is...
. ..to have a thankless child. Estranged parents like this quote. I like it, too. Once upon a time it pissed me off, but then I looked it up to find…
Ginnie Post: Changing Perspectives on a Mother-Daughter Estrangement
The Mothers-in-Law Anonymous forum used to have a poster named Ginnie who was a hidden gem. She was a practicing psychologist in her 60's, and…


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Hey Soulshiners! Today I wanted to talk about a humbling experience I had that taught me an important life lesson. There are 3 things I have always been good at: singing, swimming & being an intuitive. However, there are of course things I am not the best at & it has taken me a long time to realize that is ok.
As a teenager I did competitive swimming. One day I was swimming in the ocean & I got caught in a rip current. I started swimming my hardest, doing everything I knew you were supposed to do & no matter how hard I tried…the rip current had control over my swimming.
It ended up thrashing me against the jetty & I had to be saved by a lifeguard. As someone who lived for swimming at the time, it was humiliating! I was all scraped up & had to be pulled out of the ocean by a lifeguard. However, it was a very humbling experience.
What did this teach me?
If you believe that being the best means doing it all, perfectly, all the time then you will end up being caught in a rip current. Just because you are amazing at creating the art you love doesn't mean you have to be the best at selling, blogging, finances, singing, swimming or anything else!
When you are doing what you are good at, the universe will provide. That's why it is incredibly important to realize what you are good at & what you need a team for!
We all need a team, a tribe or a family. Whatever you want to call it, having people around you to support you & help you is incredibly important. This might be the family you were given at birth, but it could also be a family or tribe you build throughout your journey!
No matter what your skills are & what your non-skills are…it's ok!
Use your skills to your advantage & use your non-skills to grow a team of supporters that can lift you up & help you succeed!
If this message vibes well with you and you want to become a fellow Soulshiner, sign up HERE to stay in touch. Much love!


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ERIC GARCIA is an internationally bestselling novelist and screenwriter, behind such books and films as the Ridley Scott-directed MATCHSTICK MEN and THE REPOSSESSION MAMBO, which was made into the film REPO MEN, starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker. His comedy noir ANONYMOUS REX series (Anonymous Rex, Casual Rex, Hot and Sweaty Rex) was made into a TV movie, and his novel CASSANDRA FRENCH'S FINISHING SCHOOL FOR BOYS is in development as a TV series, which he is writing and executive producing. He is presently at work on his next novel. As a screenwriter and producer, he is currently in post-production on the Brian Cox-starring psychological thriller THE AUTOPSY OF JANE DOE, and in preproduction on his adaptation of John Searles' STRANGE BUT TRUE. He lives in Southern California with his wife, 2 daughters, and more pets than are probably necessary.
Name: Eric Garcia
Age: 43
College & Majors/Minors: Went to Cornell as an English major, transferred junior year to University of Southern California as a Film major, then switched back to the English Major. Ended with a major in English and a concentration in Creative Writing (sorry you asked?)
Current Location: Outside Los Angeles
Current Form of Employment: Novelist/Screenwriter
Where do you work and what is your current position?
I've been very fortunate to have a career as a working writer, which is good because I don't have any particular skills that lend themselves to anything else. I guess I cook relatively well, but if you threw me onto a line in a professional kitchen I'd be bleeding and scalded within minutes. I used to be a fairly proficient guitar player but nobody wants me in a studio. Oh, I'm crackerjack at hunting down random things on the internet. Does that count? Does that pay?
These days, I work primarily in film and television as a writer and producer, though I began as a novelist and continue to work in that world, as well. My actual projects depend on the day, factored in order by what's most pressing, what's most interesting, and what randomly seems like it might be fun to try out.
Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).
Well, my first job ever wasn't writing-related at all—it was teaching test prep for Kaplan. This was right after college, and I needed a gig while I worked on my first novel. Fortunately, my wife graduated from college a year after me and went into teaching, which, along with parental assistance, helped pay the bills.
My first writing-related gig came when I sold my first book, Anonymous Rex, a few years after I graduated. I'd been working on it for a year or so, showing it to a few friends here and there, getting notes, rewriting, making tweaks, and then left it in a drawer for a couple years. Finally, on advice from a friend (the classic "it's not doing anybody any good sitting in a drawer") I decided to find an agent. Since the book was… odd… I figured I'd have my best shot at finding someone who also repped other odd bits of fiction, so I went through my bookshelf and picked out the books I thought fit my style the best. I then called the publisher of each and finagled my way into finding out who the agents were (sometimes I'd ask for the spoken word rights, which are usually reserved by the author). Got a list of five different agents who repped the various books, sent out some queries with a sample chapter… and waited.
Three of them I never heard back from (I'm still waiting! It's only been 18 years!), one of them sent a polite no thanks, but one wrote back to say she loved the chapter and was eager to read more. I printed out the rest and shipped it off and two weeks later got a phone call from the woman who would become my first agent. Barbara gave me some (excellent) notes on the book, and while I implemented those, she began talking to editors and, long story (not so) short, a few weeks later she'd sold it to Random House. Aside from Barbara's excellent salesmanship, so much of it was an amazing mix of luck and timing and specific needs, and I'll always be grateful that it all happened as quickly as it did. I was 25, and just assumed at the time that everything would always be so easy. Ah, the folly of youth…
From there, I continued writing novels while slowly getting into screenwriting, starting with the script for the Anonymous Rex TV pilot (which eventually got shot a few years later as a 2-hour backdoor pilot for SyFy, rewritten by a different guy), and then slowly transitioning into a half-and-half career as the screenwriting started to take up more of my time.
What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?
So I accidentally lied on that last question—my first paying job was not teaching test prep. I had two paying gigs when I was a kid that were both tangentially writing-related. First, in sixth grade, my friend Josh and I would dress up as Alvin and Theodore Chipmunk (Simon was "sick at home") and do rockin' birthday party entertaining for younger kids. We wrote the scripts ourselves, workshopped them as we got feedback, and made some cash while having a great time. I still do an excellent chipmunk impression, by the by; ask me about it if you meet me. Or maybe I'll Vine it one of these days.
My second job, also writing-related, came about summer of my junior year of high school, when my friend Mark and I created a business called Up A Creek. Keep in mind, this was Miami in the late 80s, so there were old people and VCRs in abundance (and cocaine, too, I guess, but that's not germane to this story), which meant that there were a lot of elderly folks who had no idea how to set up and program their equipment. We'd put out flyers, they'd call us, and we'd go to their homes, set up their devices with big bright stickers we'd place over the various buttons, and I'd write each one a customized manual on how to do whatever it is they wanted done—record their favorite soap opera, set a weekly reminder, etc. It was technical writing of a very simple sort, but more than anything else it helped teach me the need to be clear, specific, and concise (and, fine, I clearly haven't learned the 'concise' part well, but cut me some slack here).
What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?
I'd always planned on being an English major, and that was my intent when I went to Cornell. The English degree there had a lot of interesting core classes with some fascinating higher-level writing courses and workshops as well—but I ended up leaving Cornell during the winter of my junior year to transfer to USC. This was partially to join the USC Film program, as I'd decided that I wanted to get an education in screenwriting as well, but also because I simply couldn't take the oppressive winters at Cornell any more. I was born in the tropics, I live in the desert. I need my sun. So at USC I was a Film major for a bit—before pivoting back to English, partially because I decided that I wasn't all that interested in the technical aspects of filmmaking, and partially because T.C. Boyle was teaching the upper-level workshops for English/Creative Writing majors. I'd always been a huge fan of his work and was excited to have him as a mentor. His advice and guidance led me back to prose, and without a doubt set me back on a path to writing novels.
My freshman year at Cornell, I'd been in an improv group called the Whistling Shrimp, but soon felt the call toward what I really loved, which was sketch comedy. Having been a huge Python/Second City/SNL fan for many years, I was missing the snap of a perfectly planned and executed scene. So I formed Cornell's first sketch comedy group, called—probably unfortunately —the Skits-O-Phrenics. Yes, I'm aware the name is insensitive at best. Yes, as a student I was adamant that we not change it. Yes, I look back on it now with an eye-roll. But: we were all responsible for writing our own sketches, then bringing them in where we'd talk them out, refine them as a group. Sometimes they'd go up, sometimes they'd get trashed, sometimes they'd be reworked into something completely different. But we made sure they worked before we put them up on stage. If the experience did nothing else, it taught me the benefits of collaboration—especially when you don't always agree with everyone else in the group. How to navigate those waters, how to take conflict and make it benefit of the work. That's something I do every single day in the film/tv world (and to some degree as a novelist, though that really is a much more solitary profession until the editors get involved).
Also, while I was at USC, I interned at production company called The Ruddy Morgan Organization, headed by Godfather producer Al Ruddy and his producing partner Andre Morgan. I started by answering phones and making coffee (which I only did twice because I was terrible at it, and they preferred another intern take over), and moved up to reading scripts, writing coverage, and doing whatever else they thought I might be good at. During the years that I worked at RMO (a summer and a year as an intern, then a year as a part-time paid hire), they produced a number of features, and it was fascinating to watch the process from beginning to end. The failures were probably even more instructive than the successes—how does something go from a fantastic 120 pages of paper to turn out… as something less? And this, meanwhile, under the guidance of a fantastic producer like Al. Some of it was in the writing, no doubt; some of it was in the filmmaking. Some was just the process itself.
Finally, I also took the time I had during college and just wrote. Mainly short stories, a few scripts, but the point was that I felt like I had time to just write and not worry about the rest of it. I always felt older than I was, was always worried that time was passing me by—that's my own personal anxiety folder—but I knew that college was a time when I could find my voice and get down on paper (mid-90s—we still printed things out) whatever I wanted to without fear of judgment or loss.
What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?
Write, write, write. Don't stop writing. I know, everyone says it, but that's because it's true. Whoever you are, whatever your age and station, find time to write about whatever interests you. DON'T WORRY ABOUT SELLING IT. That will come. If I worried about selling my work when I started, I would have ground down all the weird, oddly-shaped edges—and I believe it's the weird, oddly-shaped edges that sold it in the first place. The projects that have done the best for me have been those that I've created as a labor of love; the commerce came afterward.
Immerse yourself in a bunch of different worlds, by the way. As a typical English/Theatre geek I took a lot of literature and drama courses, and assumed I wasn't all that interested in science—but when I had to take a science course to satisfy some core requirements at USC I was fascinated and have now become quite the lay-science nerd—my feeds and flipboard are filled with subs and follows of all sorts of science-related matters—and I incorporate ideas I find in those subjects into so many of my projects.
Obviously, I've been fortunate enough to use my English major as a foundation for what is clearly a writing-heavy career—but I really can't stress enough how important I feel an English degree is to nearly any career that's not specifically technical or engineering-realted. Proper communication is key in every aspect of every job out there—and in this day and age, written communication is more important than ever.
Plus it's fun. Did I mention that it's fun?


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The Rocky Mountains, which stretch from Alaska, down through Canada and into northern New Mexico, are truly one of the most beautiful wonders of the natural world. The entire mountain range covers over 3,000 miles total.
This majestic range was formed within the time period between 80 and 55 million years ago. This time period is known as the laramide orogency. This term describes the forces and accompanied changes that occurred to the area of the Rockies as the earth's crust shifted from moving, tectonic plates. Continue reading "The Great Rockies: A Historic Tour" »


text: The Inn at New Hyde Park was the glorious setting for the reception of Samantha and Joseph's wedding on August 7, 2015. The stunning couple shared their vows in their church before greeting family and friends for a night of celebration and dancing. We love this sneak peek from Silverfox Photography mainly because of how much fun the night looked, but also because they got some GREAT shots of Steven the MC! We're especially big fans of the group shot at the end :) Hope you enjoy, too!


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Happy Friday ya'll!. I'm spending this weekend getting ready for a much-needed vacation and enjoying some of this fall-feeling weather. It's bittersweet, though. Summer is coming to an end and you can feel it in the chillier mornings and evenings, as well as the angle of the sun. Things have a much more golden cast than in midsummer when colors pop with clarity. I am looking forward to sweaters and boots, sipping chai lattes, apple picking and the abundance of saturated gem tones, but that also means winter is on it's way and I really would rather skip that season in Chicago. Alas, the world keeps turning and seasons come and go. Best to enjoy each moment as it happens and savor life's details. :)
I found this great little article on Lover.ly and wanted to share it with you guys. Hop on over to read 10 tips from a 1913 marriage manual that are still relevant today. Gotta love old-timey advice you can still put to good use!
Enjoy the weekend, loves! See you next week!


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Edward Snowden broke the law: Opposing view
Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning have a lot in common.
Each one signed oaths of confidentiality and agreements to serve. Each received some of the highest security clearances the nation can give for the handling of secrets that aid in securing the American people from those who would harm them. And each decided he is the ultimate arbiter of what is right and wrong with America's policies.
OUR VIEW:Whistle-blower hero or villain?
Neither man had been asked to shed his blood (Manning was safe in a secured headquarters facility; Snowden was in Hawaii), but they apparently felt they had a mission that would allow them to enjoy the status of martyrs.
Some have said that because Snowden was a contractor, he shouldn't have had access to such confidential information. But the obligation for contract employees to deal properly with classified material is the same as for government employees.
Individuals don't get to decide for themselves what should be classified. If an individual knowingly has given classified material to unauthorized person, it's a grave breach of trust and law.
The U.S. system regularly shares classified information with contract employees. Failures like this are a rare occurrence. Contractors, when used prudently with appropriate oversight, are an invaluable part of our military and security capability. Efficiently tapping the private sector for national security can be an enormous competitive advantage for the U.S.
We have to separate the leak, which is simply wrong, from concerns over the program itself. Surveillance for threats can be done legally. The conflating of multiple programs and the inaccurate description of some of these programs makes it is impossible to tell from news reports and government talking points alone if the program was administered properly. That process will now begin.
That said, individuals who suspect wrongdoing in government have legitimate options to bring this to the attention of responsible individuals in government and Congress without breaking the law.
Mr. Snowden decided it was fine to break the law, and he should be called to account for it. These leaks never occur without repercussions. One hopes that any damage to the nation's security does not cause loss of life. Some Americans may lionize Snowden, but there are terrorists who surely do.
Steven Bucci, a deputy assistant secretary of defense during the George W. Bush administration, is director of the Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation.


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Boom Air Hockey on the App Store
Read more...
Boom Air Hockey
Today i released my first game - Boom Air Hockey. It is a mini game where you play air hockey with a ticking time bomb, you can choose to play vs your fried or the computer.
You can find it on the App Store!


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The bookstore has moved several times in the past few years, the last time only next door. I hadn't realized the name change because the signs say only "Books." There are still phone listings under the old name.
So, there may not be a problem since the new store is next to the old one, and has no name. The "Books" sign is huge. Maybe somebody will find it, I did.
The owner has made large posters announcing my appearance for which I am very grateful. Thanks also to the local newspapers for printing announcements and my press release.
Now to make the cookies and punch. And hopefully remember my own name.


text: Share: Comments Print February 20, 2013 at 6:30 AM How not to leave your dollars in San Francisco Posted by Kristin Jackson A fisherman and a seagull stand near San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) In a city where you can leave your heart – and lots of cash – a springtime San Francisco hotel deal can help you save. The city's tourist office, in cooperation with some hotels, has created "49 hours in San Francisco" with sightseeing itineraries and a discount of 25 percent on hotel bills for a three-night (or more) stay. The deal is good through April 30 for hotels booked through the 49 Hours website (or call 800-655-6751). Twenty-one hotels are part of the "49 hours" discount deal. They aren't among San Francisco's tip-top hotels, but some are well-located and very comfortable. They include the Hotel Union Square in the heart of the city (although not right on the square ), with rooms from $161 a night. Or check out the Nob Hill Motor Inn, a budget hotel with rooms from $99 (and take off 25 percent if you book through the "49 hours" deal). It's walking distance to Fisherman's Wharf. For more savings, some of the hotels also throw in free breakfast or free Wi-Fi. (Really, in this day and age shouldn't all U.S. hotels have free Wi-Fi? It's becoming an amenity like electricity to many travelers.) If you're going to San Francisco, you could drive but hotel parking fees will hurt, sometimes costing $40 a night. You could fly. Or consider taking Amtrak's Coast Starlight train one way between Seattle and San Francisco (actually, to the train station in Oakland and then head across the bay to S.F.) and then fly the other way. It's a 22-hour ride on Amtrak (well, that's if the Coast Starlight is on time, which is rare. But the scenery is gorgeous and, if you can afford a sleeping compartment, it's a fun way to go, especially for couples or families with young kids who are train fans. Meals are served in a comfortable dining car. Getting into the spirit of San Francisco's "49 hours" program, Amtrak has decorated one of its Coast Starlight train cars with scenes from San Francisco, including Golden Gate Bridge and people on a cable car. Once in San Francisco, art fans should make a beeline for the de Young Museum which opened a six-month exhibit last month of Dutch paintings, including Vermeer's iconic "Girl with a Pearl Earring" painting. Comments | Topics: Amtrak, hotel discounts, San Francisco


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Early autumn is my absolute favourite time of the year; there is still a promise of the odd good day but it's the calm before the storm of Christmas preparations. It's also the time of year when a simple walk is transformed – by conkers.
Even now at some 30 something years old I have to pick up a conker if I see one. Earlier in the week I went for a walk once the children were in bed and stumbled across a conker goldmine. There were lots, and even more excitingly there were many still in their cases. Is there anything more satisfying then popping open the conker case to reveal the shiny new conker inside? Both Mr D and Miss E love this time of year and we are fortunate enough to have streets that are lined with Horse Chestnut Trees.
There has been the odd conker falling down to the ground, but the branches are still heavily laden with their fruit, and so after a windy day I found a good number whilst walking. I gathered some to add to the small collection we already had from the weekend and yesterday whilst Mr H napped, the older children and I made some Conker Caterpillars.
To make out conker caterpillars we used pipe cleaners, a Phillips screwdriver, lots of conkers, goggly eyes and glitter glue.
Using the screwdriver I put holes into the centre of each conker. It's easier to hold the conker against a sponge or similar when doing this. I then gave them to the children and they threaded them onto pipe cleaners (fold the end over to stop the conkers sliding off). Once the pipe cleaner is full fold the end over and you have the body of your caterpillar.
We then added goggly eyes and decorated with glitter glue – a current favourite craft item of both the children.
The finished conker caterpillars look pretty good and the children have asked me if we can go to collect more conkers to make some more caterpillars.
Suggestions to extend this activity.
- Ask the children to thread biggest to smallest or vice versa
- Number the conkers and ask the children to thread in number order
- Add the letters of the children's name to the conkers and ask them to thread to spell out their name


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Vienna, being the capital of the once-grand Hapsburg empire for 640 years and the cradle of classical music, makes it a place hard to pass up. We mashed this visit with another trip to the Alps, which are a short few hours drive from this gorgeous city. We flew in late, found our hotel and walked straight to the Stephensplatz, the main city square, to find a quick dinner. Obviously, we had to try their sausages (aka hot dogs) that were everywhere. We sat on the edge of the fountain and ate, while watching the sun go down and the city lights get brighter. It was unusually hot and humid during our time, so we were often looking for water to drink too. ;) Vienna is brimming with gorgeous buildings, although they are so well taken care of that none of them look too old (though they are!). We stayed about a 3 minute walk from stunning St. Stephen's Cathedral- it was so nice to be in the center of it all!
Our first day started with a run through the city for Brian and I- just wanted to make sure we see all of this place before we have to leave- and running really is the best way to check stuff off. We then went to Schonbrunn Palace, where we would spend the rest of the day. A former Hapsburg residence boasting almost 1500 rooms, some of which are adorned with hand-painted walls- this place, as they say, rivals only Versailles. The pictures below were from the interior of , which had the most ornate and stunning rooms I have ever seen! Brian snuck a bunch of pics in with his phone (See below)
I'm not going to lie- this day was pretty hot and sweaty, so we spent as much time as we could in the shade of the gardens. :)
Schonbrunn had a fantastic playground for families too- the girls loved running through both of their mazes and spent close to 3 hours playing on the equipment while Brian and I sat in the shade and relaxed.
St. Stephen's Cathedral (above)...that tile roof is something else!
After going to church on Sunday- one of our favorite things (even though it was all in German!), we took ourselves back to the city center. We couldn't see an opera while we were there, so we opted for a tour of their famous State Opera House instead! It was so interesting to learn about this place, stand on the stage, and get a peak into such a huge pastime.
This is one of several intermission rooms (above)- each were decorated so differently, but who wouldn't want to grab a mid-opera snack in here?? :)
These two...always holding hands and giggling about something. Its so much fun to watch them be each other's best friend.
The word "elaborate" sums the opera house up quite nicely. Coffered ceilings, ornate reception rooms, and lots and lots of gold trim. Its definitely a fancy night out if you get to see an opera here.
Gustav Mahler, a German-speaking Jew of humble circumstances, became one of the leading conductors of his generation. He served as the director of the Opera House from 1897-1907, and had to convert to Catholicism in order to secure this post.
These carriages are really popular in Vienna. The horses, and their owners, hung out by the St. Stephen's Cathedral until they were hired each day. You could definitely smell the horses as you approached, but the locals take such good care of this city and were constantly washing the waste off of the sidewalks. Either way, we steered clear of any puddles when we walked by , but I give this city a ton of credit- for being a big city and a huge tourist destination, its one of the cleanest places we've been.
These gorgeous buildings are ALL over Vienna- I wish we could've gone in every single one. We managed some self-guided walking tours all over the main parts of the city, making sure we got our bearings, as well as seeing as many of the sights as we could. We also spent lots of hours walking through the gardens and letting the kids play at any playground we came across. What a fantastic city!


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This post was written in response to reading the following article by Fr. Lucie-Smith for the Catholic Herald: http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2011/11/30/why-do-catholics-become-anglicans/. It deals with the subject of why Catholics become Anglicans. After reading this article, I feel that Mr. Lucie-Smith has presented a realistic picture of why many Roman Catholics choose to become Anglicans. The problem with these reasons is that they are poor reasons for choosing any religion, not just Anglicanism, and show the complete lack of knowledge of our rich theological and liturgical heritage as contained in the Articles of Religion and the Book of Common Prayer.
In this post, I will comment briefly on Mr. Lucie-Smith's observations and offer what I think are better reasons that Roman Catholics should join the Anglican Churches.
Firstly, Mr. Lucie-Smith presents his first observation:
"Firstly, marriage, and in recent times, civil partnerships: Because the Anglican church will often bless unions the Catholic Church does not recognise, some people have gone to the vicar for weddings or services of blessing and then stayed with the vicar's community."
The laxity of discipline in Anglican churches is well-known in the Christian world and many people like to take advantage of it. Historically, the Church of England held very strict standards in marital discipline. Divorce was not allowed in most cases. The only case in which divorce was tolerated in Protestant orthodoxy is in cases of adultery (based off the passage in Matthew's Gospel). Over time, many churches have adopted the "no-fault" divorce policy of American culture, lamentably, the Episcopal Church has done just that, even though the Canons direct that remarriage should not occur unless the previous marriage has been annulled.
His second observation is that,
"Secondly, aesthetic reasons: I know of some who have decided that their pretty village church with its warm-hearted community is the place where they want to be. Many of these people, in my experience, have not been particularly religious. While they may consider themselves parishioners, they would but infrequently go to the Anglican Church."
Even though he intends this as an insult to Anglicans and, while it should not be the only reason for joining the Anglican church, there is a nugget of truth in this statement. The Church of England is the catholic Church of the English people, just as the Protestant Episcopal Church is the national, catholic Church in the United States. It is decent and right and proper that all citizens should be part of their national, Catholic Church and not one that is foreign and centered in Rome. However, one should not be a part of a Church to which they do not adhere creedally. Anglican churches are reformed catholic Churches which teach the Protestant and catholic faith of the early Church.
His third reason is,
"Thirdly, church politics: usually when people have a blazing row with the parish priest over the positioning of the hymn board or some other cutting edge matter, they vamoose to another parish. Sometimes, though I have heard of only one case, they storm off "to join the other lot", as they put it."
I hardly think that church politics is unique to Anglican-Roman conversions. Practically speaking, this is probably the most common reason given for changing denominations.
And lastly,
"Fourthly, female ordination: some Catholic women have left the Church to join the Anglicans so that they can be ordained. Some lay people may have joined the Anglicans because they support female ordination."
Regrettably, the Anglican Communion has opened the can of worms known as women's ordination. Although we are technically still in "dialogue" about this issue, it seems that the Church at large is going to normalize the ordination of women in the Anglican Communion. While many Romans might be supportive of the ordination of women, they should know that the issue is still not normalized in all of the Churches of the Anglican Communion. For instance, the Church of England still does not ordain women to the episcopate. Some African Churches do not ordain women at all. The Province of the Southern Cone ordains women only to the diaconate. The Protestant Episcopal Church ordains women to all three orders of ministry, unfortunately.
He admits that these are small and insignificant in comparison to the greatest reason of them all,
"The above would all be significant but relatively small groups of people. The single largest phalanx of ex-Catholics, as far as I can gather, as those lukewarm Catholics who have been evangelised by Anglicans and have joined a thriving and lively evangelical congregation. My evidence for this is anecdotal, but my guess is that a place like Holy Trinity Brompton contains a significant number of people who were baptised Catholics, but who have now come to Jesus through the Alpha course."
This seems to be the most emotionally-charged of his claims. He seems to be implying that evangelical Anglicans are "preying" on ignorant Catholics to fill their pews.
Under what circumstances should a Roman Catholic join the Anglican Church?
As we see from the comments made by this gentleman, the Anglican Church has lost credibility among the other denominations, especially Rome. This is entirely our own fault, for we have not upheld our own standards, either of doctrine or of worship. If we were true to our own standards, we would have Morning and Evening Prayer every day, Holy Communion on every Sunday and Holy Day, we would have a rigorous fasting regimen, and a robust reformed catholicism backed by Scripture and the early Church Fathers. Instead, due to generations of theological liberalism and Romanzing tendencies among Anglo-Catholics, we are known for moral and liturgical laxity, doctrinal confusion and even the lack of doctrine entirely, and generally, a mock of Christian denominations. The reasons for this complex but I think, principally, it is the loss of confidence in our own formularies as standard-bearers of catholicity. In order to regain our sense as a tradition, we have to recover our confidence in the catholicity of our formularies.
Regaining this confidence in our own standards logically reveals the only circumstances in which Roman Catholics should be admitted as communicants in our parishes.
First, have they been convinced that, "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation" (Article VI)? If not, send them to the library and give them a list of patristic fathers to read in conjunction with the Sacred Writ and the writings of the Reformers. If they are so persuaded after reading the evidence, then they should be admitted to our Church, if not, humbly explain to them that this is the doctrine of our Church.
Second, have they been convinced by the Spirit that "We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works or deservings" (Article XI)? If not, again, provide them with an explanation of the teaching of our Church and if they cannot accept it, humbly admit that they are not ready for communion with our Church.
Third, have they been convinced that, "the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies, but also in matters of Faith" (Article XIX)? If not, explain to them the errors of the Roman Church and if they cannot yet accept the common errors of the Church of Rome, humbly admit that they should consider this decision in constant prayer and come back after consulting the Sacred Scriptures.
Fourth, have they been convinced that, "The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration, as well of Images as of Relics, and also Invocation of Saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God" (Article XXII)? If not, explain to them the error of these superstitions to the corporate body of Christ and to their own soul. If they are still yet unconvinced, commit them to prayer and dedicate your time to explaining the gravity of these errors.
Fifth, have they been convinced that there are two Sacraments of the Gospel and that, "Those five commonly called Sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel" (Article XXV)? If not, explain to them the nature of the Christian Sacraments and where the Church of Rome "hath erred" in this matter.
Sixth, have they been convinced that, "Transubstantiation (or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine) in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ; but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament, and hath given occasion to many superstitions," and that "The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshipped" (Article XXVIII)?
Seventh, most importantly, have they been convinced that, "The Offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction, for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone. Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses, in the which it was commonly said, that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, were blasphemous fables, and dangerous deceits" (Article XXXI)? If they are not yet convinced of this truth of the Gospel, remind them of Christ's, "full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world," which cannot be repeated or added to by human priests. Exhort them to trust in Christ alone for salvation but if they cannot accept this truth of the Gospel, they are not yet ready for communion with our Church.
Eighth, are they convinced that all the clergy may marry freely according to the Articles? Will they cease in using superstitious forms of prayer in public and private?
Only if they can submit to these teachings, should Roman Catholics be admitted to communion with our Church. To admit someone to our Church who, either knowingly or unknowingly, disregards our doctrine, does help either them or the whole body of Christ. If they are admitted to our Church without properly being instructed in our doctrine, what is to stop them from spreading false rumours about our Church? The fault is not theirs but ours, for we cannot blame the ignorant. The Gospel is not served by lowering our expectations to fill the pews.


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text: Share: Comments Print November 1, 2013 at 12:55 PM Sounders FC vs. Portland, injury report Posted by Joshua Mayers SOUNDERS FC — OUT: GK Josh Ford (R patella fracture); M Steve Zakuani (adductor). QUESTIONABLE: M Shalrie Joseph (R knee sprain); F Obafemi Martins (groin). PORTLAND TIMBERS — OUT: D David Horst (L knee sprain); D Ryan Miller (L tibia stress fracture); F Brent Richards (ACL surgery); D Mikael Silvestre (ACL surgery); D Dylan Tucker-Gangnes (concussion). QUESTIONABLE: F Maximiliano Urruti (L hamstring strain), M Diego Valeri (adductor strain). * * * Not sure Seattle's report was updated as the status of defender DeAndre Yedlin is definitely in question as he recovers from a sprained right ankle suffered in Wednesday's knockout round. Coach Sigi Schmid said Friday the rookie right-back is "doing all right. He trained, did all the early parts of training with us. Then when we did the other stuff, the shaping, we had him work a little extra. Now we'll decide tomorrow whether he'll go or not." Also uncertain is the status of DP Obafemi Martins, who has missed the last four games. The forward was able to practice earlier this week, but he tightened up and hasn't been able to do much since. That doesn't mean he's entirely ruled out, though. "We've got to play guys who are healthy to play," Schmid said. "If he's healthy to go tomorrow, whether it's off the bench or in the lineup, he's a guy we have to consider. It's all hands on deck. If you're healthy to play, you're going to get out there." That obvious note, of course, is Martins hasn't appeared healthy for a while. The ones to watch for Portland are Diego Valeri, who was able to play in the season finale, so he looks to be OK, and Maximiliano Urruti, who hasn't played since suffering the injury in the last game against the Sounders three weeks ago. Elsewhere on the Timbers' report you have a couple Washington natives and University of Washington products in Brent Richards and Dylan Tucker-Gangnes (plus a guy who spent time with the Sounders in preseason before his rights were traded to Portland, Mikael Silvestre). Comments | More in Injury reports


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RP Picks - 3/6/17-3/11/17
Each week we'll compile a list of awesome skill-learning events in NYC for you to enhance your abilities! Please reach out to us if you wish to add something to the list!
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Dr. Ascher and fellow addiction specialist, Dr. Arnold Washton, discuss mindful, moderate drinking in The Huffington Post.
While it might be a little jarring to hear this coming from two addiction specialists on the front lines of clinical practice, alcohol can be a positive force in many people's lives…
…we cannot and should not overlook the fact that drinking alcohol for its mood-altering effects is a normative behavior that has been a part of the human experience for literally thousands of years. When used appropriately, alcohol can enhance landmark experiences, facilitate connection between strangers, help people relax and enjoy the moment, and create an atmosphere where new ideas and new connections spontaneously occur.
To the read the entire article, "Mindful Moderate Drinking – How to Drink Less, Enjoy it More and Reduce The Risks," click here
Learn more abut moderate drinking and treatment options for alcohol problems.Please share this post!


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LINCOLN — Kansas coach Brandon Schneider paraphrased a famous quote from former NFL coach Dennis Green and dressed it up more nicely when discussing the Nebraska women's basketball team.
The Huskers, he said, were what he thought they would be.
Never mind the 2-5 record they took into Wednesday night's game with the Jayhawks, who entered 6-0 and receiving votes in both major polls.
"They're going to have the same type of season, I think, that they had a year ago," Schneider said. "They can have an NCAA-type season. They've just got to get their mojo."
The Huskers, playing at home for the first time in 24 days, beat the Jayhawks 58-52 before 3,688 at Pinnacle Bank Arena, using scrappy defense and rebounding to overcome 22 turnovers and 33 percent shooting from the floor.
Veterans Taylor Kissinger and Hannah Whitish paced the Huskers with 11 points apiece, and Kissinger added 11 rebounds.
But the game's momentum changed when kids were on the floor. Freshman Ashtyn Veerbeek, a 6-foot-2 forward from Sioux Center, Iowa, also grabbed 11 rebounds to go with seven points and three blocked shots. Fellow freshman post Kayla Mershon added seven rebounds, helping the Huskers finish with a 64-43 advantage on the boards.
And freshman guard Sam Haiby contributed eight points, five rebounds and three assists.
The freshmen helped key a 17-2 run that turned a 19-11 deficit into a 28-21 halftime lead. The numbers that best illustrate their impact: In Veerbeek's 18 minutes, the Huskers outscored the Jayhawks by nine. In Mershon's 20 minutes, they were plus-15.
Both players hustled to grab rebounds outside their usual defensive areas, NU coach Amy Williams said. They helped the Huskers achieve their No. 1 goal entering the game: Be the harder working team.
Haiby, meanwhile, helped awaken an NU offense that had 11 points through 15 minutes and finished the first half with 15 turnovers.
"Sammy, she's kind of strange. She'll lull you to sleep," Williams said. "You think she's really not going to do anything. She's kind of looking stuck in the mud. And boom! She just explodes to the basket. She's by you before you know what's happened."
Both Haiby and Veerbeek impressed KU's Schneider.
"Their entire freshman class I really like," he said. "But I thought those two kids, they have a bright, bright future."
Williams said all of her post players, including sophomore starter Kate Cain (six rebounds, three blocks), helped close driving lanes and limit the Jayhawks to 25 percent shooting (19 of 75).
Schneider said his team took a lot of bad shots. But he acknowledged that the Huskers' length bothered his players.
Williams said her Huskers have plenty of work to do to duplicate last season's NCAA tournament run.
"It's certainly not characteristic of an NCAA tournament team to have 22 turnovers in a game," she said.
But she was smiling as she spoke. It's been a rough start to the season for the third-year coach, whose team has lost three times to ranked teams and had dropped four of five, all on the road, entering Wednesday's game.
So she'll take a victory, even with all the turnovers and missed shots.
"We like to find ways to win," she said. "And even if it's win ugly, we'll take it."