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Wish everyone a Merry Christmas with this personalized to the max vintage Christmas truck 3/4 sleeve raglan!! Personalize it with family name and established date. This shirt would also make a great Christmas gift - especially for a school teacher or co-worker (so they would have it before Christmas!). It is available with several sleeve color options: Black, Forest Green, and Red. When you order this shirt, please send message with personalization information - family name and established year.
NOTE: If you wish to pick your shirt up at one of our locations (Waynesboro or Laurel, MS, store), please send me a message when you check out, and we will deliver your shirt to the specified location, let you know when we have it there by Etsy message, and refund your shipping cost when you pick up your shirt.
Chest measurements in inches. Please note - these shirts are UNISEX STYLE and NOT FITTED. Like most regular T shirts, they are cut straight. In other words, the chest measurement would be the same as the waist measurement.
Adult Extra Small - 30-32
Adult Small - 33-36
Adult Medium - 37-40
Adult Large - 41-43
Adult Extra Large - 44-46
*Please contact us for pricing for sizes 2X and up.*
Youth Extra Small (4) 25-26
Youth Small (6-8) 26-28
Youth Medium (10-12) 28-30
Youth Large (14-16) 30-32
Youth Extra Large (18-20) 32-35
We offer the Raglan Shirts in a WIDE variety of colors. Here is a link to view our Raglan shirt color options:
5.2-ounce, 100% ring spun combed cotton
Rib knit neck
3/4 raglan sleeves
Scalloped hem
Care Instructions: Turn item inside out. Machine wash cold, gentle cycle. Only non-chlorine bleach when needed. Tumble dry low.
We will ship your shirt via USPS within one week of receiving your order. If you need it sooner and we have your item in stock, we can get it out much quicker, however. Contact us if you need it shipped quicker. The shipping offered with the listing is USPS First Class Mail, with a quoted but not guaranteed delivery time of three days anywhere in the continental US.
Also, if you pay for your items with a check, we will hold the order until the check clears before shipping it (usually 5-7 business days).
We ship your items out as soon as possible - usually within two or three days of purchase but no more than one week after purchase. For small shirt orders, we use USPS First Class Mail with a 2-3 quoted delivery time in the continental states. For orders of three or more shirts, your order will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail with a quoted delivery time of 2 days in most states. Occasionally, we also utilize UPS shipping services.
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Since most of our items are custom items or "made to order" we do not accept any returns. Concerning sizing, the measurements of the shirts are listed on the item listing, so please make sure you are ordering the correct size. No returns or exchanges will be accepted if you order the wrong size.


text: As bathroom design specialists based in North Wales we will undertake everything for your bathroom from an initial discussion to complete installation. All you will need to do is walk into a completed finished bathroom. We will discuss your bathroom with you from the colour scheme to the position of your bath, shower and washbasin. Storage may be a concern for toiletries or towels, you may also need other aspects such as Jacuzzi or bidets. Whatever your requirements we can help. If you live in North Wales and are looking to change your bathroom then please view the rest of this site and contact us today.

subset: commoncrawl


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Style - Billfold
Details - Six card slots, large compartment for notes
Colour - Black
Material - 100% Leather
Style Code - ASXD/5024/W818
This Paul Smith casual wallet is expertly crafted from supple leather in Italy, designed to last for years to come. It features a subtle contrast lining creating a universal appeal. Equipped with six card slots and a compartment for notes making it perfect for everyday use.
Please contact us for our Delivery & Returns Policy


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Arts for the Community at Thomas University will present Trio 238 featuring violinist Minyoung Cho, cellist Boyan Bonev and pianist Eun Mi Lee on Friday, Sept. 19. This will be the first of the Friday at Noon season series in the chapel of the Thomasville First United Methodist Church, 425 N. Broad St., Thomasville.
Minyoung Cho earned her doctorate at Florida State University and performs in orchestras and with chamber ensembles throughout the region, including the Tallahassee, Valdosta, Albany and Mobile Symphony Orchestras. Boyan Bonev holds Doctor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Florida State University and is currently teaching cello, double bass and orchestra at the University of West Florida and Pensacola State College. Eun-Mi Lee, a native of South Korea, is currently a doctoral candidate at FSU and is in much demand as a collaborative artist.
"We are very fortunate to have this award-winning caliber of young professionals performing in our series, and these three are at the top of their field," stated series coordinator Karl Barton.
Friday's program will feature works by Piazzolla and Beethoven.
"These concerts are my very favorite because of the perspective you get in an intimate space like the chapel," Barton continued. "If you have time, I can't think of a better lunch break!"
The concert is free and open to the public. A complimentary luncheon provided by the church will follow the performance. For additional information visit thomasu.edu/actu or call (229) 227-6964.


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What's up with JazzWorks faculty
Here's a round-up of what some of the JazzWorks faculty are up to these days. I sent a note out recently asking them what they are up to and the responses have been coming in. One of the interesting things to me is how many JazzWorks people, both faculty and former participants are involved.
Nancy Walker finished off 2013 on a 10-day jazz cruise led by trumpeter Guido Basso, which she describes as "a cushy gig." She was in good company too, sailing to warm places in the company of Guido and her husband, Kieran Overs, along with Mike Murley, Barry Elmes and Heather Bambrick.
Nancy has just finished recording and mixing her new CD, 'Til Now Is Secret, which is coming out next month on Addo Records (www.addorecords.com). All of the material is original and the personnel includes Kieran Overs on bass, Shirantha Beddage on saxophones and bass clarinet, Ted Quinlan on guitar and Ethan Ardelli on drums. The CD is being released with a live performance at Gallery 345 in Toronto on Thursday Feb. 27th at 8 pm. http://www.gallery345.com/performances.php
Rémi Bolduc has a concert on March 21 at l'Astral, in Jazz en Rafale, Montreal. His quartet includes Parisian pianiste Baptiste Trotignon, New York drummer Ari Hoenig and Montreal bassist and former Ottawan Fraser Hollins. "Playfulness and complicity will be the guests of honor to this unique evening in which virtuosity serves music," Rémi writes.
Steve Boudreau has been active locally, both teaching and performing. He has been piano for a monthly open mic for jazz singers at Caffe La Grotta (262 Preston St.) that a few JazzWorks singers have been coming to. February was booked for Valentine's so March 14 is the next one, 8-10:30 P.M.
Also coming up is an IMOO concert of the Keys2Drums trio on March 2, featuring Steve and two drummers, Jeff Asselin and Michel Delage. They will play some Ornette Coleman tunes and some originals based on Indian ragas.
Steve also plays The Options Lounge at Brookstreet once or twice a month with Jazzworks alum Rebecca Noelle. The next one is February 8.
Steve adds, "I have been doing a weekly session where we sight-read tunes in the Real Book exactly as written and end with a transcription or obscure tune that I lift." This happens Saturdays at GigSpace from 2-3 p.m. It's called Reading Chops. The drop in rate is $10 or $15 for three.
Kevin Barrett is playing in (and is also musical director for) a project called Symphronica. It's the brainchild of pianist Ron Davis. Originally a recording with Ron's trio plus the Windsor Symphony, it has morphed into an ongoing series featuring a jazz quartet (piano/bass/drums/guitar) plus a string quartet. Upcoming Toronto gigs include: Feb. 8 at Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue, Feb. 19 and the third Wednesday of every month at Toronto's Lula Lounge (1585 Dundas St. W.).
In early March, Kevin travels to Russia to perform with Daniela Nardi's ESPRESSO MANIFESTO, a project featuring jazz re-interpretations of the music of Italian singer-songwriter Paolo Conte. Later in March, he does a teaching tour — leading music workshops in various locations around the Northwest Territories, with violinist Victoria Yeh and drummer Trevor Maybee. "Victoria and Trevor are former Jazzworks participants," Kevin points out. "They were in my combo for my first time on the Jazzworks Faculty, in 2002."
Jim Lewis has just released a CD with a trio including Andrew Downing on bass and David Occhipinti on guitar. The CD is called Bristles. The trio plays Saturday afternoon at Beaches United Church in Toronto, a jazz vespers at 4:30
Jim, who teaches in the Jazz Studies program at the University of Toronto plays Sunday with Andrew Downing, Christine Duncan and Evan Cartwright (whom jazz campers will remember from last summer) at the university's New Music Festival. Christine's Element Choir is also performing, as is another JazzWorks alum, trumpeter Emily Denison as part of a free jazz and improvised student music group.
Jim plays in Montreal March 15 as part of the FONT festival, featuring trumpet players all weekend then comes to Ottawa April 12 to play at the Fourth Stage with John Geggie, Christine Jensen, Joel Miller and Jim Doxas. That same group plays in Kingston the next day.
When more faculty members weigh in with news of their happenings, I'll do an update.
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About this blog
Tune Up won't be a calendar of events — Ottawa Jazz Happenings takes care of that. But it will discuss events and issues of interest to the JazzWorks community. Journalist, author, trumpet player and a jazz camper since 1999, Charley Gordon is a former vice-president of JazzWorks.
January 2016


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Next up in the Lucky Guide to Mastering any Style series: gamine. Although the word was originally used to describe mischievous street urchins, in the 1950's and 1960's gamine became synonomous with the style of Audrey Hepburn: simple, classic, chic, and a little bit boyish. The style can especially be seen in her movies Roman Holiday, Sabrina, and Funny Face (you've seen all of these, right? If not, you have homework).
To translate the style into your wardrobe, there are a few must have pieces: striped mariniere tops (originally worn by the French navy), boatneck tops, narrow cropped pants, and ballet flats. No overthinking required. Easy, right?
If I had to describe my style, especially my day-to-day style, it would be gamine. It's easy and comfortable and chic without trying too hard.
Here are the other posts in this series about The Lucky Guide -
have you defined your personal style yet?
Arty Slick, Posh Eclectic, American Classic, Bohemian, Mod, and the
Finding Your Personal Style intro post.
For more mindful closet, like the mindful closet Facebook page and follow me on twitter!


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When I first met Salima from Desert Vintage I was enamored, stylistically speaking. She was the most well put together, effortlessly stylish woman I had ever met that was from my generation. Most women I had seen that had the ease and grace that Salima possessed were from a bygone era. But here was this very cool woman, my peer, and she had the magnetism of Lee Miller. It makes sense that Salima, one half of the profoundly curated Desert Vintage works in vintage clothing!
Our most favorite dress we designed was inspired by and named after Salima and we love seeing her wear all the different lengths this piece is offered in. Her partner Roberto Cowan shot these images of her in their home and shop. Enjoy xx
Do you have any daily rituals?
Liter of water and green juice first thing in the morning, I try to move my body in some way — whether it be a 10 minute morning stretch or a more intense exercise class, and a meditation. This routine has helped me set a positive and productive tone to my work days
Describe the road that led you to the work you do now.
I had an interest in and began shopping vintage at a young age....I also began doing costumes for the plays in high school. I became very familiar with 'period' pieces - costuming taught me a lot! When I graduated high school I went to college abroad in France and interned at a small vintage and antique shop in Paris. That internship cemented my love for antiques and rarities and led me to the path I am now on.
Do you have any mentors or important creative influences?
I have many! I am lucky enough to belong to a community that is chalk full of creative and inspiring people. Joey Grana of Scout comes to mind, he is a master at bringing together pieces that are beautiful and unique - his mix genius. Emily Bode of BODE, she is creating innovative and thought provoking pieces in the world of menswear. My friend Scott Pask who creates the most transportive theatre sets and environments. His dedication to his craft and general work ethic are a huge inspiration to me. Casey Smith who is a pure dreamer with his interiors; he helped us design our store and taught me how to dream with spaces. Lane Harlan who is an inspiring, creative entrepreneur; I would like to time travel with her. My mom, who is a wonderful painter.
You call Tucson home, in what ways do you feel the city has lent itself to you in terms of inspiration for Desert Vintage, buying and just being? And how important is it as muse?
My aesthetic has grown from a connection and sense of place: the unique and contrasting elements of the desert inspire our styling and palette, and a timeless sensibility that brings together different elements into unity, just as the desert does. It also helps me stay grounded, as I have such an appreciation for the vast stillness of the desert landscape.
How would you describe your and Ro's buying process for DV? Does the individual garment need to stand on its own, or do you look at how things work together, sort of like a composition of clothing?
I think that both play a role in our buying process. The items that we select speak to the both of us on some level. We buy in the hopes of creating cohesive, dynamic, and beautiful collections of clothing.
What is the most fulfilling part of your work?
Being able to find and select beautiful pieces of clothing and then contextually build a story around them. Also knowing that we are participating in a sustainable and ethical business practice with a very small carbon footprint.
When choosing clothing to wear, what is most important to you?
Proportion and comfort! I am known to love an exaggerated silhouette. I prefer natural fibers that feel good on the skin and hang well.
Sustainability and ethical consumption are important guiding principles for us. How do you interpret and/or practice these principles?
I am fortunate enough to essentially be in the business of recycling! Being able to buy and sell clothing from era's past is a sustainable business model that helps reduce our carbon footprints. I am so grateful that my line of work is conducive to these principles.
Photographs courtesy of Salima Boufelfel and Roberto Cowan.
Shot on location in Tucson, AZ.


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This product is only available to Club Grunt Style Members!
There is no guarantee all sizes are in stock on this product. Although it may say 'Gone for Good' we may or may not re-release these products for pre-order in the future.
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2017 April Club - Lest We Forget
Lest We Forget for those brave who gave their lives so we could live ours. We must never forget they gave so we may live. Let not their death be in vain.


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David Coghlan, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Business and Administrative Studies
Trinity College Dublin
TCD Faculty Profile
Key Areas: organization development, action research, action learning
David Coghlan is an expert in organization development through action research. This approach to changing organizations centers on members working together to identify what needs changing, and then designing and implementing those changes in a collaborative manner. The method enhances learning and contributes to a broader realm of knowledge within the organization.
Coghlan helps GBHI and its partner organizations partake in action research and action learning so that they can engage in processes of organizational learning and change. His work on insider action research and building inter-organizational learning networks is of particular relevance to GBHI.
Bio: David Coghlan is a professor emeritus and fellow emeritus at the Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin. He specializes in organization development and action research and is active in both communities internationally. He has published over 150 articles and book chapters. Recent books include: Inside Organizations (Sage, 2016), Organizational Change and Strategy (Routledge, 2016), Doing Action Research in Your Own Organization (4th ed. Sage, 2014), and Collaborative Strategic Improvement through Network Action Learning (Edward Elgar, 2011). He is co-editor of the The Sage Encyclopedia of Action Research (2014) and of the 4 volume sets Fundamentals of Organization Development (Sage, 2010) and Action Research in Business & Management (Sage, 2016). He serves on the editorial advisory boards of: Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Action Research, Action Learning: Research and Practice, Systemic Practice and Action Research, and The OD Practitioner, among others.


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The First net zero agrihood in the U.S.
Nestled in the pastoral foothills of North Carolina will be a new kind of neighborhood. It's called Wetrock Farm, and this 230-acre community will be the first solar-powered agrihood in the U.S.
What is an agrihood? A neighborhood that supports and revolves around a thriving farm. It's a community where your local farmer lives a few doors down and neighbors look out for one another.
At Wetrock Farm, we grow our farmland and community together.
Sustainable and Healthy Living
With the Farmstead at the head of the community, residents can watch their food grow, while the Farmstead's weekly Community Supported Agriculture Share (CSA) ensures that residents see it delivered to their table. At Wetrock Farm, sustainability is a priority, and organic food is farm to doorstep.
Rural Beauty + Urban Access
Situated just 15 minutes north of Durham's downtown center, Wetrock Farm will be the first agrihood community in the vibrant Triangle area. As a resident, that means 100+ acres of walking trails and natural open spaces greet you at your doorstep, while the expectations of urban amenities are close at hand.
Homes built beyond energy efficient
Homes at Wetrock Farm are built by the energy efficiency standards of tomorrow. All of our 141 homes will be LEED-certified and built with solar panels to offset each home's energy usage. Wetrock Farm offers residents net-zero homes to minimize their carbon footprint and energy costs for a healthier and more conscientious way of life.


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What I'm Wearin'……Aztec
Sometimes I just like to have fun with my camera…
Neon Green Giraffe Print Tank from Lane Bryant for $6.99 / Aztec Necklace from Rue 21 for $4.99
I felt just like an Aztec Princess in this necklace. lol…*shrugs*
Until next time…
Many smoochie boochies to you all and I love you guys! Don't forget to "like" me on Facebook, catch me on Twitter, on Instagram and in your inbox!


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Today's Scripture: And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: Mark 3:17
Jesus had two disciples named James; James the son of Zebedee and James the son of Alphaeus. We know more about the son of Zebedee, so he is often referred to as James the Greater.
James was the brother of John. He and John became disciples as they were mending their nets. When Jesus told them to follow Him, they obeyed. (Mark 1:19) James was one of the three disciples that went with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. When Christ was going to raise the young damsel from the dead, He would only allow Peter, James, and John with him.
Obviously, James was a key part of Christ's ministry and a very important leader in the early church. James was the first apostle to be martyred and the only apostle whose martyrdom was recorded in the Bible. (Acts 12:2)
God's will is not always the way we wish it to be, but it is always the best. We know that God could've freed James from Herod since God freed Peter from Herod later in the same chapter. However, God had a reason to allow James to be martyred so soon.
Many people came to trust Christ thanks to the testimony of James. His martyrdom proved that the disciples were not making up the story of the Resurrection. If they were lying, James would not have died for a lie.
Sometimes God allows "bad" things in your life so you can be a great testimony to those around you. If you are serving God with all your heart when things get tough, people will notice that you confidently believe the Gospel is true. That will open many doors for the Gospel. Don't question God when you are in a trial; keep serving God, and look for opportunities that will come from it.
Devotional by Jim Scudder Jr.


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NEW YORK — Despite everything, the stock market is back at a record high.
The Dow Jones industrial average, which measures the performance of 30 blue-chip companies, closed with a gain of more than 125 points Tuesday, surpassing its previous record close of 14,164.53, which it achieved nearly 5 ½ years ago, as well as its record intraday high, set around the same time, of 14,198.1.
Of course, a few things have happened since October 2007: The housing market collapsed, the financial system went into meltdown, the European Union started to fray and politicians dragged the United States through an on-off-on-again fiscal imbroglio.
But stocks managed to move beyond all that.
Since a low point in March 2009, the Dow Jones index has more than doubled, stunning even the most seasoned stock market watchers. It closed at 14,253.77 on Tuesday.
"What's amazing about this bull market is that people still don't think it's real," said Richard Bernstein, chief executive of Richard Bernstein Advisors, a money management firm. "We think this could be the biggest bull market of our careers."
There are some important caveats to the record, however. The Dow is a rather narrow measure of the stock market, so it can provide a somewhat distorted picture of the market's performance.
At its Tuesday close of 1,539.79 points, the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index was still off its nominal high of 1,565.15, also set in October 2007. After taking inflation into account, both indexes are down from their earlier highs in 2000.
Adjusted for inflation, the Dow would have to reach 15,502 to match its old record, according to JPMorgan Chase.
Still, U.S. stocks are far ahead of their foreign counterparts. The Euro Stoxx 50, a barometer of eurozone blue chips, ended Tuesday at 2,683.02 points, off its record high of 5,464.43 reached in March 2000, while the FTSE 100 in London was at 6,431.95, compared to a record of 6,930.20 in December 1999.
Despite its flaws, the Dow Jones average is the recognizable face of the stock market to many Americans. It contains some of the best-known U.S. corporations, like Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, General Electric and IBM.
The stock prices of some of the companies in the index have more than doubled since that low point in 2009. For instance, American Express is up more than 400 percent. After the crash of 1929, it took 25 years for the Dow to get back to the nominal level it plunged from.
But one essential government institution did things differently after the 2009 low point, and that has bolstered the stock market. The Federal Reserve has added more than $3 trillion of monetary stimulus to the economy and more than $1 trillion of bailout loans to financial firms since the 2008 financial crisis. This was done to prevent a widespread banking crash and help the wider economy.
Company profits, which theoretically provide the basis for investing in stocks, have also surged.
"Corporate earnings have been doing very nicely, thank you," said Alan S. Blinder, professor of economics and public affairs at Princeton University.
The focus on profits explains why the stock market can be doing well while most people are not experiencing a resurgent economy.
A bet on an index like the Dow is effectively a narrow wager on the profits of 30 companies, not necessarily the economic health of average Americans, Blinder said.
"Corporate profits have done better than median wages," he said.
The big question is whether the stock market can keep going up from here.
One determinant is whether stocks are seen by traders as relatively expensive, and therefore vulnerable to a sell-off. Robert J. Shiller, a professor of economics at Yale University, has built a model for gauging whether stocks are cheap or pricey. Right now, stock valuations are above historical averages but well below the stratospheric highs they've reached in bubbles, he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dow milestones
May 26, 1896: Dow Jones industrial average debuts with 12 companies, closing at 40.94
Oct. 28, 1929: Dow loses nearly 13 percent on Black Tuesday, the start of the Great Depression, to 260.64
Nov. 14, 1972: First close above 1,000, at 1,003.16
Oct. 19, 1987: A nearly 23 percent plunge is the Dow's biggest in a panic that comes to be known as Black Monday; close: 1,738.74
March 29, 1999: First close above 10,000, at 10,006.78
Sept. 17, 2001: Trading resumes after being closed four days after the 9/11 attacks, with the Dow falling more than 7 percent to 8,920.70
Oct. 9, 2007: Record high that stands until Tuesday, 14,164.53
March 9, 2009: Dow's lowest point of the Great Recession, 6,547.05
May 6, 2010: A "flash crash" technical glitch sends the Dow falling nearly 1,000 points in minutes and closes 347.80 points lower; close: 10,520.32
Tuesday: Dow closes at its highest level: 14,253.77
The Associated Press


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Denison Ridge has just passed the eight-year mark and we are going strong. We have been able to put money down on our principle house payment and can see light at the end of our long tunnel. That was our goal when we started the wedding venue, pay off the house, and we are! Working from home has also provided a great environment for our children to learn work ethics, have family time and make income.
It wasn't long after we started the venue that I realized there are many people out there just like Les and I, looking for a way to help ends meet. Extra income comes in handy for children's education, braces, vacations, paying off car and school loans, paying the mortgage and the list goes on.


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Annual DHASNY student dues are $5.00 with information packets sent to each school in the fall and dues collected by the school.
DHASNY student members have the opportunity to participate in the Empire Conference table clinics, President's awards programs and other student initiatives, receive special student rates to attend the Empire Conference and other DHASNY activities, serve on special task forces on substantive and practice issues, and network with practicing dental hygiene professionals and other students throughout the state.Components also offer activities and services for students. Read more about DHASNY student member benefits.
ADHA Student Membership:
For information on student membershipin the ADHA and related resources, click here - http://www.adha.org/students/index.html
Transitioning Membership After Graduation
Here's an FAQ on transitioning from student membership after graduation.


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Health & Medicine
We support health-related investments with insight from our Health Care Advisors.
The RMSFF has a history of making major investments in projects with the potential to reduce human suffering through advances to medical science. At one time those investments were disease specific (Cancer and Type 1 Diabetes) and ranged from basic scientific research to capital investments in facilities dedicated to the treatment of critically ill patients and care for their families. In the current phase of the Foundation's life, the family and the Foundation board have become interested in the great potential demonstrated by regenerative medicine and stem cell research. The Foundation, however, is not open to biomedical research LOIs or proposals through its website and we would never fund research that used fetal stem cells. Research proposals are considered by invitation only and are referred to the Foundation's board of Health Care Advisors for evaluation and recommendations to the board of trustees.
The family and board are focused on clinical ideas or observations that have the potential for significant impact in the improvement of treatment protocols within a three to five year time frame.
Awards approved at the spring 2018 board of trustees meeting included grants totaling $700,000 in the Health & Medicine focus area. These grants will be paid in 2018 and succeeding years.
Click here for a list of some spring 2018 board-approved health and medicine grants …
Dick Schulze
Health & Medicine Directions
Personally impacted by cancer and Type 1 diabetes, the Schulze family understands the challenges that families endure while battling a life-limiting disease. Our founder knows the unthinkable can happen and cause hindering family crises on paths to successful futures.
We provide continued & selective support of
- Health-related support efforts that work to alleviate human suffering and improve lives;
- Stem cell research; and
- Medical research proposals by invitation only.


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Katy > Civic Sedan > Touring
2019 Honda Civic Sedan
Base MSRP: $37,230.00
MPG City
MPG Highway
Based on 2017 and 2018 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, battery-pack age/condition, and other factors.
Honda Civic Sedan Styles available in Katy, TX:
Select a different Model:
The Civic has topped the 'best compact car' lists for decades. With its consistent balance of quality, performance and practicality, that should come as no surprise. The 2016 model-year redesign made big improvements with extensive standard equipment, a high-quality stylish interior and a new powertrain lineup that comes at a range of price points intended to have something for everyone.
Atomic Blue
Available Colors
Request Information
Do you like what you see? Contact the Internet Department at Honda Cars of Katy using the form below and lock in the absolute lowest price possible.
Highlights | News | Pros
The current generation Honda Civic was offered initially only in sedan form, but a coupe version appeared later in the model year, and now finally a hatchback version has appeared. With plenty of trim levels and a variety of body styles, there's a Civic for nearly every need.The base LX comes well equipped leaving almost nothing out, it includes anti-lock brakes, power-adjustable mirrors, 4-speaker 160-watt CD/MP3 stereo with Bluetooth, power windows and locks and remote keyless entry. EX models add 17-inch alloy wheels, an automatic transmission, remote start, an upgraded 8-speaker stereo as well as LaneWatch blind spot monitoring as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. Leather seats, steering wheel and shift-knob are optional as are an 8-way power-adjustable driver seat.The Touring Civic has 18-inch machined alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, a 450-watt audio system that also includes a 7-inch touchscreen that also includes all of the modern smartphone connectivity. Leather seats are standard on the Touring and they are heated and power-adjustable. Dynamic cruise control, LED headlights and dual-zone climate control are also included.LX, Sport Sedan, and Sport Coupes receive a 158-horsepower, 2.0L i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine. The LX hatchback, EX, EX-L and Touring models are equipped with a 1.5L turbo i-VTEC engine that produces 174 horsepower and 162 pound feet of torque, while the Sport and Sport Touring Hatchback produce 180 horsepower and 177 pound feet of torque. Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) equipped vehicles extend gas mileage up to 42 mpg when paired with the 1.5L turbocharged engine. Civic Hatchbacks are also available in the Sport Touring and SI trim. Sport Touring adds automatic LED headlights, heated rear outboard seats, navigation, an aero kit and sport pedals.Si equipped vehicles get a power bump from the 1.5L turbo engine to 205 horsepower and 192 foot pounds of torque. Safety takes a strong presence in the new Civic. Of course it includes front and side airbags, but low tire pressure warning, backup camera and stability control are also standard on every Civic. Honda Sensing system, is also standard for all but the high-performance trims. It's a suite of safety features that includes Lane Keep Assist, which will monitor and can even nudge the vehicle back into its lane, Blind Spot sensors and Collision Mitigation that will detect an impending accident and can even apply the brakes if needed.
The 2019 Honda Civic is refreshed for the new year adding a new Sport trim for Sedan and Coupe models. Both feature a refreshed front fascia, an updated HondaLink infotainment system with easier to use controls and is offered in either the 2.0L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder or 1.5L turbo 4-cylinder engine. The 1.5L engine is no longer available with a 6-speed manual transmission. Honda Sensing is now standard across the entire lineup.
Interior Exterior Safety
Overall Rating: Not Rated
Overall Frontal Barrier Crash Rating: Not Rated
Overall Side Crash Rating:
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  Dynamic Test Result: No Tip
  Risk of Rollover: 9.50
Note Regarding Driver Rating:
Male: Average sized adult male dummy in 35-MPH crash into fixed barrier. Rating is evaluation of injury to head, neck, chest, legs. Female: Small-sized adult female dummy in 35-mph crash into fixed barrier. Rating is evaluation of injury to head, neck, chest, legs.
Rollover Note: Dynamic (moving) test results (Tip or No Tip) and measured rollover-related properties determine vehicle's risk of rollover in single vehicle crash and its rollover rating. The Rollover Resistance Rating utilizes a "fishhook" maneuver which is a series of abrupt turns at varying speeds to see how "top-heavy" a vehicle is.
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text:
Hello, some improvments for my game have been in the works. I now have switchable weapons. Cool explosion effects have also been added! Also a platform engine within the game. The platforms that are in the game currently, are just test platforms that show the layout for the first stage. The modeler is going to remake the platforms in 3d. The first stage is pretty smooth, because it's just the first stage. Heres a test:
All the pickups currently look the same, but they are all different kinds of weapons. The game is still in early stages, but I would just like to show you all, some progress on my project. This version is to show some of the new stuff, it's not really completely playable. You guys can also look at the classic release, http://www.northernmost.org/cosmos and some other neat future concepts. I will also, later show you guys some neat cool stuff in future posts, so feel free to critique our efforts. More sound effects will be added in this game, as well. The game still needs to have alot of work done to it, but progressivley this game will get better and better! Thanks for the support.
PS: Ivan should be credited for programming, Flashsaga for particle effects, and myself and Morgan Lear for 3d backgrounds.


text: In the fall of 2015, Ittaq launched a cyberatlas project to make knowledge about Clyde River's environment accessible and useable to a diverse audience. Beginning with a focus on the marine environment, over the next few years, we will be assembling existing knowledge and adding new content from a wide range of sources. We will be prioritizing Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and plan to make the most of the creative, multimedia, and visual capabilities of cyberatlas technology. We will showcase the knowledge of our Elders and harvesters by collaborating with our local talented photographers and videographers, documenting knowledge of our ocean, ice, and land. We will also be working with local experts to map key areas, document stories of placenames, create educational resources about our wildlife, and more. Stay tuned to our website to learn more about this exciting new project as it develops.


text:
Authors ought to support one another, and when that author happens to be my friend, I feel it that much more. My friend, Eric Arvin (author of Woke Up in a Strange Place, Galley Proof, Simple Men et al) wants to "start a travel company
Anything and everything related to writing: thoughts from mythic fantasy author David Berger
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
GOODREADS Giveaway! 10 Books!
Ten copies of TASK FORCE: GAEA—FINDING BALANCE will be offered up starting September 1, 2012 through October 1, 2012 through Goodreads.
If you go to this link, you can enter. Goodreads selects the winners from those who enter.
All I ask in return, should you be one of the TEN recipients of a copy, is that you please post reviews at Goodreads and Amazon, if you can.
Thanks! And enjoy the book. :)
- David Berger
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Thursday, August 23, 2012
And it's back to Process Blogging...
So, here I am, a week into a new school year, and I'm already agonizing over when I'm going to find time to write more for Memory's Curse (henceforth, MC). I set myself a deadline for the end of December 2012 (129 days from today, by the way). Realistic? Possibly, since I'm not working at the university or teaching the online Latin course right now. I do have a job writing curriculum for a course I will teach in the spring, but it's Creative Writing, so that should actually prod me into more writing one can hope. Right?
I'm sure anyone who reads this and also writes will find some common ground, especially when we finish our first novel and want to follow through with a sequel. It's not something I would have ever expected to be doing last summer, but now I am working through ideas, researching, writing, editing a little (I know, I know... edit later!), and getting ideas from EVERYWHERE. This time around it'll have a Lovecraftian vibe, sort of Cthulhu meets Olympos. I want dark. Horror. A changed world...
I already have some basic background information planned out for the characters (things will have changed for the main characters since the last novel)—I just have sit my ass down, turn off everything except the computer, and write. I do remember how it's done. My pitfall in the earlier stages of Finding Balance was my penchant for editing-on-the-go. BAD IDEA.
Really bad idea.
Once I got into my groove (which felt more like deep trench), I pushed forward, deciding on an ending, and finishing the novel. I need to find a new groove now, one that will guide me toward completion of MC without the same issues as last time. Possible? Hell yes. Likely? Talk to the Fates; I have no earthly idea.
Now it's back to this being a Process Blog, a place where I get to vent about my frustrations being an author, hoping for some sanity to come from it. I just ask for a little.
I'll post some new stuff that I can share, and when I speak with Mike Hamlett again about the cover, maybe I'll have some sneak peeks to publish here, too. Just stay tuned.
I know the sequel, like Finding Balance, will be worth the wait.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
One with the Stars
Made of Earthsteel, adorned with gemstones that channel power from each of the Zodiac signs, the Eye of Ouranos contains great mystical energies. Created in the First Fires, this amulet allows its bearer to manifest physical traits originating from the stars.
Each constellation was put into the heavens by the gods, and they actually live—each collection of stars is sentient. Gemini IS the combined form of Castor and Polydeuces, the twin sons of Zeus; Sagittarius IS the centaur, Chiron. Leo IS the Nemean lion. They exist. It's the only way that Brandon can draw upon that power.
In addition to that, Ouranos, the son and husband of Gaea, gave one of his eyes to create this amulet, to allow the bearer to—
...well, that will be revealed in the sequel to Task Force: Gaea. The power of a Protogenos, a primordial being, cannot be measured, cannot be understood, except by other primordials. Being the cosmic zookeeper is just one of Brandon's abilities.
More will come, when readers see the story of Memory's Curse unfold.
Friday, August 17, 2012
It can be a curse.
Think about it.
Dwell on it.
Let your heart swell with emotion—
Pain. Anger. Resentment.
Find a time when this was true for you.
Think about it.
Dwell on it.
Let your heart swell with emotion—
Pain. Anger. Resentment.
Find a time when this was true for you.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Redefining Horror—Can You Face It?
How do you define horror? The dictionary defines it as
An intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust OR A thing causing such a feeling.
In truth, is that all? Can you look at movies of demonic possession or nights of the living dead and call that horror? What about Friday the 13th movies or I am Legend? Of course. But, there's much more to it, I believe.
I've never been a fan of the horror genre—it scares the hell out of me. But, what I've seen or read has more to do with what we see: demons, monsters, vampires, etc. Those things do frighten, but mostly because they're aberrations to our eyes and our imagination. But, horror goes deeper than the things that go "bump in the night." This fear we feel is more than just a reaction to what our eyes and ears tell us: it has to do with what our mind perceives.
Imagine looking in a mirror and seeing your face, but you have no idea who it is. It doesn't even look remotely familiar to you. No matter what reflective surface you use, you can't escape this person—ever. If you were never able to see your own reflection, never able to know how others truly see you, that would bring shock, I'd think. Paranoia, too. Levels of anxiety that would be almost impossible to measure. Madness. Violence.
Close your eyes and think about darkness. What if that very darkness, the absence of light, was itself an entity, one that could surround you, suffocate you, without ever truly touching you? Instead of the darkness simply being a condition, it was a creature beyond shape, beyond true comprehension. Where does it end? You walk outside surrounded by it, embraced by it, yet it never seems to touch you. It does, however, play tricks on you because your imagination is being fed by your paranoia, your prior history with the darkness, and even your most irrational fears.
We create our own horror, too. Our assumptions can come to life, especially when we're vulnerable, and we let our mind and thoughts give way to our unthinkable ideas. If we just think it, it's not true, right? If we don't voice the idea, it can't hurt us, right?
Perhaps this: you encounter an evil so incomprehensible that, when it approaches you, you offer yourself up as a sacrifice willingly. It's not that you become its servant or host, you become its sustenance. Imagine wanting to give up your life to something so, so malevolent. You let it disembowel you, or slit your throat, or eat your head. What would drive a person to be so self-sacrificing in a way that simply yields to a greater power?
Creatures emerge from the underworld, or the sea, or the sky, and—with supernatural ease—prey on you, devour you, drain your life's essence, all while you're conscious. Perhaps this entity is so vile, so beyond your brain's capacity to understand, that you rip out your own eyes at the sight of it.
We always assume darkness is evil because it obscures things, hides the hideous from us, until it's upon us and we can do nothing. But, what if the light was what we had to fear? What if the cover of darkness was our solace, and the sunrise made us shriek in fits or made our heart race because we knew we had nowhere to hide, nowhere to avoid that which comes for you?
Horror goes beyond the visual and auditory; it's more about perception and deep-rooted anxieties of ancient cultures that we carry with us throughout our life. Millennia of stories have taught us to fear that which we do not understand, but perhaps that which we do understand could bring more destruction to us.
Be ready for what comes, because you just might not expect it when it does.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Famous authors failed, too. Don't lose hope!
Giving up when you're not doing well may be the worst thing you could do. Take a lesson from these famous writers. Complete list (50 Famously Successful People Who Failed At First) available here.
Stephen King: The first book by this author, the iconic thriller Carrie, received 30 rejections, finally causing King to give up and throw it in the trash. His wife fished it out and encouraged him to resubmit it, and the rest is history, with King now having hundreds of books published the distinction of being one of the best-selling authors of all time.
Emily Dickinson: Recluse and poet Emily Dickinson is a commonly read and loved writer. Yet in her lifetime she was all but ignored, having fewer than a dozen poems published out of her almost 1,800 completed works.
Theodor Seuss Giesel: Today nearly every child has read The Cat in the Hat or Green Eggs and Ham, yet 27 different publishers rejected Dr. Seuss's first book To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.
Zane Grey: Incredibly popular in the early 20th century, this adventure book writer began his career as a dentist, something he quickly began to hate. So, he began to write, only to see rejection after rejection for his works, being told eventually that he had no business being a writer and should given up. It took him years, but at 40, Zane finally got his first work published, leaving him with almost 90 books to his name and selling over 50 million copies worldwide.
J. K. Rowling: Rowling may be rolling in a lot of Harry Potter dough today, but before she published the series of novels she was nearly penniless, severely depressed, divorced, trying to raise a child on her own while attending school and writing a novel. Rowling went from depending on welfare to survive to being one of the richest women in the world in a span of only five years through her hard work and determination.
Jack London: This well-known American author wasn't always such a success. While he would go on to publish popular novels like White Fang and The Call of the Wild, his first story received six hundred rejection slips before finally being accepted.
Louisa May Alcott: Most people are familiar with Alcott's most famous work, Little Women. Yet Alcott faced a bit of a battle to get her work out there and was was encouraged to find work as a servant by her family to make ends meet. It was her letters back home during her experience as a nurse in the Civil War that gave her the first big break she needed.
Keep doing what you're doing. Success may not come as quickly as you would like, but — if you're persistent — Fate may smile upon you.
Pictures are linked to their original source.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Sometimes you have to say goodbye...
to something you're writing. Tell me if this sounds familiar:
You've had ideas floating around your mind for days—you set up the place you're going to work in, grab a cup of coffee, turn off your cell phone, and begin writing, pouring out all of the images, words, catchy phrases, and greatness you're thinking you've just given birth to. You spend hours, maybe even days, on this treasure you've brought to the surface, only to find out (when you go back to edit) that it's crap.
Drek. Merde. Garbage. Fecal matter.
It's not that the ideas themselves may be entirely rotten to the core, but the execution was. Maybe it's both. What you thought was divinely inspired was just purple prose. You try to convince yourself that there's something salvageable about it, but the more you read it, the more your heart hurts. It happens. So, you do the thing that makes you ready to cry: you open the document, highlight the text, and... hit Delete. Painful, isn't it.
The other scenario is no less frustrating: you offer your story up to someone for feedback, and he says,
"This chapter wasn't for me, the reader. This was for you. You needed to work out the kinks of the character (scene, plot, tension, conflict, etc.). So, now that you know this, you should just cut this."
That means the pages or chapters that you thought were the most inspired words only served to be literary calisthenics, prep work for the real deal later on. Again, you delete the text, demoralized and ready to grab a shot of whiskey.
A dear friend of mine, who read my novel before it was published, told me that chapters of my novel were unnecessary for the reader. So, I did what any good writer should do: I sat in a dark room for a while, wallowing in my self-pity for — oh — about an hour, and then I took a deep, cleansing breath before re-reading those chapters, seeing if it was even remotely possible that my friend was correct.
And he was.
I rewrote sections of my novel, excising parts (saving them in another file!) that I had truly loved but realized were not going to advance the plot. But, I found that by doing that, I actually freed up soooooooo much space to develop the ideas that really mattered. The pain diminished, the despair went away, and I felt much more pride in my work.
Saying goodbye to part of your own soul is hard, but when you know you can replace with it with an even better part, the farewell isn't quite that bad after all.
Until the next time it happens...
Posted by David Berger at 1:58 PM No comments:
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Ten Commandments for a Happy Writing Life
So, I'm reading The Pocket Muse by Monica Wood as (you guessed it) inspiration for a writing course I am developing. As a writer myself, I found this list interesting, but rather than just post it, I wanted to add my 2 cents, just because. I hope you find both the list and my comments useful!
2. Take time off.
3. Read voraciously.
5. Claim a space.
6. Claim some time.
7. Accept rejection.
8. Expect success.
9. Live fully.
Thanks, Monica! Rules to write by!
1. Don't wait for inspiration; establish a writing habit.
Man, do I know that. Sometimes, inspiration hits you when you're in the shower, in the middle of a meeting, when you're on the phone, or even in the bathroom. Tough, isn't it? It just never seems to come when you're ready to write. But, I've found that if you want to write, you can't just do it when inspiration strikes, because the Muses are fickle and sometimes cruel. You have to set up a routine: one hour a day, 30 minutes a day, three days a week—some kind of pattern that means you have devoted yourself to writing. Face it, not all your writing will be good, but it will be ideas that you might be able to use. Or not. Basically, download whatever is in your head onto paper (or computer screen). Even if you're sitting in the chair for that hour with nothing to say, write THAT. Sometimes writing is like unclogging a drain. You just have to keep plugging away at it until the real stuff gets through. And, even then, it won't always be good, but it's a place to start.
2. Take time off.
I take this a few ways. (A) I know that after I've been sitting in my routine for a while, and I feel pretty good about it, it becomes just that—routine, and I feel like I'm scraping the bottom of a greasy barrel for ideas. And no one can make sludge look anything better than sludge. I find it best to turn off the computer. Step away. Do anything but write. You keep an engine revving too long, it becomes overtaxed. (B) Sometimes, you do actually have to take time off from work to do the creative stuff. Even if you love your job (and mine is my passion in life), you still need to put the brakes on, take a day or two off, and just make yourself write (see #1).
3. Read voraciously.
I write fantasy fiction, based in Greek mythology. Maybe I should say, I absorb Greek mythology, ever since I was 8 years old. I wouldn't say I'm a renowned expert, but I know enough. And, I know where to find the information I need. My experience with Robert Graves, Edith Hamilton, Bulfinch, etc. has given me a wealth of knowledge. It's another passion. My fantasy experience includes Piers Anthony, Terry Goodkind, Ursula K. LeGuin, J. R. R. Tolkien, Orson Scott Card, Mercedes Lackey, Marion Zimmer Bradley, David Eddings, and many others. I've done my share of reading the genre. As if that weren't enough to draw from, I've been a comic book reader since I was about 10. So, yeah, read everything you can, in your genre and anything else. You just never know when inspiration will come. Experienced readers become excellent writers. I'm still reading and writing, so I'll let you know when I feel I've hit that benchmark. :)
4. Shut out the inner critic.
I started writing this story ("The Olympus Corps.") in my senior year of high school (circa 1985), but I didn't really get heavily into the novel work until about 1992. There's a reason why it took me about ten years to finish and publish my novel (2012). I edited my work with every sentence or paragraph. I'd write and write and write, and then I'd edit and edit and edit. Lather, rinse, repeat. I had to stop doing that or I would still be writing the novel. You are definitely your own worst critic. Don't judge your work. Just write. Get the ideas out there. Once you have the raw material (and it will be raw), then you can mold and shape it later. It'll happen.
Mine is the café at Barnes & Noble. Whether I'm writing blog posts or my novel work, I find one place that's mine to write in. For some reason, the background noise works for me. Sitting at home with the television and a couch as a distraction, it's so much better for me to write somewhere where I can take a break, walk around BOOKS, and drink as much coffee as I want. The nice part is that I have an unending supply of resource material at my disposal (yes, I do actually buy most of them).
I suppose this goes back to #1, but you actually have to claim the time you want. It's all well and good to say, "Oh, I'll write this week." No, it doesn't usually work that way. Actually write that into your schedule. Don't change your mind when your friends call and want to hang out at Applebee's. Stand strong when someone offers you tickets to go see that movie you've wanted to see. And, perhaps the hardest of all, tell your significant other you already had plans when he or she wants to go out to dinner. You have to make time for you. No one else will. It's not easy to do, I know. As a teacher, I have all summer to do whatever I want, and I set aside time every other day to do something. And that sometimes means I fidget and squirm in my chair. Tough. If I made a date with myself to write, then—everything be damned—that's what I'm going to do. Books don't write themselves. Setting the goal and keeping it means you're more likely to keep doing that.
7. Accept rejection.
I have a really hard time with rejection. Many people do. I think I jumped into being an "indie" author (through an on demand publisher like CreateSpace) because I didn't want to query traditional agents and publishers. I finished my book when I was 40, and I honestly didn't want to start the process, knowing I'd get my share of rejections. But, my experience with rejection has come from a few readers of Task Force: Gaea. For the most part, I've seen some good reviews of the novel, but I also know that people who know me are more inclined to lean more positively than not. A few 3 star reviews were, obviously, tepid, even though they did point out a few positives. One rejection came from someone I knew on Twitter. He had been following me, reposting and "favoriting" tweets of mine for months. When he said he would offer a review of the novel, I sent him a copy. Well, I woke up one morning to a tweet (not even an email) saying that he couldn't get past page 60, so he had to stop reading. Yeah, that hurt. But, I have come to realize that just because I like what I've written, or other people have, not everyone will. Some of the other rejections I've received were a few 1 star reviews (without comments). Something that still bothers me is that, while many people have bought copies of the novel, only a handful have posted any reviews, so it leads me to think that they just didn't like it, but were afraid of posting a negative review, so they posted nothing. I could be wrong, and maybe they haven't started or finished it yet because of time commitments. When you put yourself out there, you risk rejection. It's part of the process, and it helps you grow as a writer (or in anything).
8. Expect success.
I'm a "glass half full" person for the most part. I've had my share of dreams that my novel will be an award winner or that it will become a television series or even a movie, but I think expecting success is more realistic when I just think that people will like and read my book. I do expect that I will be taken seriously as a writer, and I don't think most people care whether or not I've published through an on demand company or not. The paperback or Kindle or Nook is just as viable as any other text. I do expect myself to be successful, so I strive to be the best I can be. I plan book events, interviews, and conversations so I can showcase my talent. I don't claim to be the best writer ever, nor do I claim to rival any of the great fantasy writers of all time, but I do think I have a strong voice and clear grasp of what story I am trying to tell. And, you know what? I do write with a vocabulary that may be slightly more elevated than the average reader, but I make no apologies for that. If someone has to use a dictionary or Google, I don't feel that's such a terrible thing. I'm a teacher as well as a writer, and I do believe everyone should expect success.
9. Live fully.
Writing will certainly be a big part of your life. It has to be if you want to be a published author. But, it can't be the only thing you do. I'm a high school English teacher, my primary passion in life. I give myself 100% to my students and my career because I know I can make a difference. When opportunities arise, I take them. I can't simply sequester myself in one place and devote my soul to writing. I travel when I can. I challenge myself. A full life becomes the best inspiration. Take from real life and make it surreal.
10. Wish others well.
Build connections with others, including other writers. I say "including" because you should try to bond with readers as well. Being a successful writer isn't just about promoting your own work, it's showing people what you do. Potential readers (who could help you promote your work) want to see what you do and what you think. Talk about what you love outside of literature: food, pets, colors, whatever. Compliment others when they achieve success, even if you've not reached that success. What goes around, comes around. It really does. Sometimes, you have to swallow your pride to be supportive of someone.
Thanks, Monica! Rules to write by!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Today's the Day...
No more fooling around.
Set an egg timer for forty-five minutes, and don't get out of the chair until the timer dings. Even if you sit staring at the page the entire time, you're ingraining a habit.
Chickens and fraidy-cats may begin with five-minute segments.
The Pocket Muse, Monica Wood
A Poem—Two Ancient Lands Meet: Eire and Hellas
|David Berger © 2005
I visited the Aran Islands in 2005 and found myself at a place beyond my imagination. Housed on the edge of a cliff (hundreds of feet above the ocean) on the island of Inishmore was a stone fort aging back to the Iron Age—Dún Dúchathair (The Black Fort). The stones of these forts have no mortar; they're just standing on their own without any ropes or fences.
When I visited this fort, early one morning, a dog was roaming around, sniffing the rocks, and when I ventured a little closer to the edge of the cliff than he liked, he made his way in front of me. A misty morning, looking out over the sea, I couldn't help but think he wanted to make sure I was safe. He even remained with me until I was safely away from the edge. My own guardian dog.
This poem tells the story of how a druid, while conjuring up spirits from ages past, opens a door that allows not only ancient Celtic warriors—Cuchulainn and Aoife—but also Greek ones—Achilles and Penthesilea. Their meeting proves to be one untold by ancient sages. The poem mentions Celtic warriors, like Scáthach (scou'-ha, or skah'-thakh), who trained Cuchulainn (koo-hoo'lin), as well as weapons, like Gae Bulga, Cuchulainn's spear, and Cruaiden Cadatchenn, his sword. Additionally, the Sidhe (fairy folk) make an appearance.
Battle of Dún Dúchathair
A time-worn cashel—grey stones lay
As a testament to a war torn past
And an Iron Age;
Rising cliffs ravaged by tempestuous seas,
Provide apotheosis for rough walls,
Embraced by whirling zephyrs,
The only playthings of the Sidhe.
Rocks, unaided by mortar, hold fast
Over time-wrought years,
Ever-vigilant, protecting an age forlorn.
A druid in white, mystical attendant of
A lost faith, makes a ring of weathered rock,
To begin the Samhain fires;
Upon the lowering of Scáthach's shield,
Death knows life, the veil is down.
A cairn beside the burgeoning flames,
For a spirit of yore to embody,
A warrior called from Tech Duinn,
The land of the dead.
Breath of the Sidhe teases the flame,
Coaxing it into madness,
Until the moment arrives—
Order sees chaos,
Chaos sees order,
Waking spirits walk.
In an ancient tongue,
Within a trance,
A druid's summons:
Cuchulainn, Ulster's hound,
Come forth, Gae Bulga and
Cruaiden Cadatchenn in hand!
Cuchulainn, Ulster's hound,
Come forth, Gae Bulga and
Cruaiden Cadatchenn in hand!
Through portal of fire
Coalesces warrior soul with cairn of stone,
Iron fists gripping notched spear and blade.
Spirit touches ground;
Air becomes flesh;
A Celtic hero breathes again.
Before druidic charms can halt
The ebb and flow of sprightly soul,
Three more ghostly clouds
Pass from the coil of death, through fire,
Into nature's sovereignty,
And no Cerberus to thwart passage.
Beyond Dúchathair's walls,
Apparitions of antiquity
Seek stone for flesh.
Cuchulainn grips tighter his faithful sword
As gravel crunches beneath sandals,
Closer and closer
And nearer still,
Until dancing fire illuminates
Kindred face and armor forged
By Hephestæan fire.
Pelean sword in lethal hand,
The slayer of Hector
Confronts his reflection in Fate's mirror.
Stalwart soldiers share a gaze,
Weighing threat against power—
Swords lowered, yet eyes remain.
Feminine swagger approaches;
Leather-bound, eyes darting to and fro,
Armed with passion of heart and blade,
Scáthach's apprentice stands ready—
Aoife, Celtic Amazon, surveys the milieu,
Muscles tighten as her eyes land on one
Who bested her in battle.
Amid the displaced shadows, Penthesilea,
Crescent shield in hand, encounters
Three scions of War.
Scythian queen, of Amazon blood, sizes up
Both the smithy's hound and
Her Styx-dipped nemesis and lover.
Tribal deference,
A gentle nod of the head
From sister to sister.
Weapons aloft, tempered by blood,
Reflect holy fire and moonlight;
Majesty of cultures, mirrored through souls
Dance the steps of hunter and prey
While druidic eyes wonder.
Steel against steel—
Ringing into the night, echoing
Among Dúchathair's bones;
Achilles and Penthesilea,
Whose blades sing a duet,
Harmony against cacophony—
Thunder of metal clashing—
The din of War;
Mathematical maneuvers fused with
Crafted instinct.
Aoife, echoing the dance,
Engages Cuchulainn—single combat
Of heart, mind, and soul,
Cruiaden Cadatchenn and Amazon broadsword.
Desire equates to victory, desire to regain
What once was hers—Gae Bulga!
Moon and sun, sun and moon,
Cloud-enshrouded constellations
Observing the melee,
A captured audience, but mute.
Orchestral chords emanate from battle,
Entertaining Ursa Major and Orion.
Hand to hand, core to core,
Celtic queen smells the deadlock approach;
With hawk-like elegance, Achilles becomes
Her prey, shifting the scales and
Playing with Fate.
Thirsting for the dance, fervor overwhelming,
Penthesilea courts Cuchulainn —
Ulster's mongrel snarls his approval
As wind-blown spirits, zephyr and sidhe,
Incite the dancers to fury.
Whirling frenzy rises, like a slow tide,
Ease of combat with unfettered hearts;
Chimes in a gale, cast steel echoes,
Samhain fires yearn to echo motion,
Twisting, spinning, turning, leaping —
Sudden spark! Each sees in the other,
Mind and spirit, potential for an ancient,
Ephemeral love, adoration remembered.
A shard of familiarity awakens them from
Drunken reverie, the intoxication
Of Ares and the Morrigan;
To fight the unknown
Would seem to fuel the dance,
But, unfamiliar body yields to familiar soul
Through War's choreography,
Dousing the blaze,
Stopping the mocking wind.
Stalwart warriors stand at ease,
Unable to battle.
A truce drawn, the flames beckon,
Until shades of antiquity
Reach futility and surrender,
Each tossing arms to the ground.
A reckoning is at hand—
Each cannot fight the other:
They are one and the same.
No shame nor pride, but realization:
Threads spun from Fate's loom, once dyed with
The blood of battle, can no longer entwine into
War's tapestry.
Spirits seeking return, from flesh to cairn,
Monuments to a legacy long past and
The druid left to wonder.
A time-worn cashel—grey stones lay
As a testament to a war torn past
And an Iron Age;
Rising cliffs ravaged by tempestuous seas,
Provide apotheosis for rough walls,
Embraced by whirling zephyrs,
The only playthings of the Sidhe.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
What I Believe, Pt. 1
I believe in...
—respect, even when it's hard to give.
—being the better person when confronted with an adversary.
—being honest, tempered with understanding.
—reading comic books.
—eliminating animal cruelty and teaching kindness.
—eating sushi.
—voicing my opinion, my informed opinion.
—equal rights for all people. Period.
—telling people that you care about them. Often.
—speaking out against bigotry, hypocrisy, and hatred, fueled by ignorance.
—free will.
—heroes—men, women, and children.
—appreciating the natural world.
—people to do the right thing.
—my friends.
—things happening for a purpose.
—what goes around truly does come around—good or bad.
—fairy tales.
—reading... EVERYTHING.
—writing it all down and making sense of it later.
—singing in the shower or in the car.
—wearing costumes in the classroom.
—cooking food just because it tastes good.
—helping those in need.
—empowering others to teach.
—love and compassion defeating war.
—doing things to make myself happy.
—being myself.
—shaking up gender roles.
—men crying.
More to come...
—respect, even when it's hard to give.
—being the better person when confronted with an adversary.
—being honest, tempered with understanding.
—reading comic books.
—eliminating animal cruelty and teaching kindness.
—eating sushi.
—voicing my opinion, my informed opinion.
—equal rights for all people. Period.
—telling people that you care about them. Often.
—speaking out against bigotry, hypocrisy, and hatred, fueled by ignorance.
—free will.
—heroes—men, women, and children.
—appreciating the natural world.
—people to do the right thing.
—my friends.
—things happening for a purpose.
—what goes around truly does come around—good or bad.
—fairy tales.
—reading... EVERYTHING.
—writing it all down and making sense of it later.
—singing in the shower or in the car.
—wearing costumes in the classroom.
—cooking food just because it tastes good.
—helping those in need.
—empowering others to teach.
—love and compassion defeating war.
—doing things to make myself happy.
—being myself.
—shaking up gender roles.
—men crying.
More to come...
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You may have heard of the Model-View-Controller paradigm from previous programming experience in other languages.
It's a way to organize and think about your programs that is designed to make programs easier to develop and maintain over time, especially as application complexity grows.
The MVC model is an example of what computer scientists and developers call a design pattern. It's not a concept specific to Angular, but rather an approach to program architecture which has been implemented successfully across a variety of programming languages and environments, and which has been found to yield some good practical efficiencies as a time-tested design.
The team that created Angular has baked this concept into Angular's in many ways and therefore – it makes a lot of sense to go with the rather sensible flow. Let's take a look at this awesome pic which lays it all out:
This diagram represents the way most event-driven programming is modeled these days. It represents how modern web applications are architected, as well as how typical iOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android applications are built, and how many desktop applications are built as well. As far as web development goes, it represents a break from the jQuery-style of development which intimately ties business logic into the view (typically by tying it into the browser's Document Object Model).
In MVC, the controller is the chunk of code the coordinates between the model and the various views. The model is the combination of core business logic code and persistent data (data stored in a database, or through some other kind of persistence mechanism for long-term data storage) that make up the "things" represented in the system. The model would thus contain users, user data, and active media assets such as editable files or information — for most web sites, this boils down to the long term data associated with a user account.
The model is responsible for maintaining the integrity of its own data. On a smaller web site, it could consist of tables in a single database. On a larger site, it could consist of many databases, a full API (application programming interface) and a bunch of back-end code written by some Java gurus behind the scenes.
Switching to the other extreme, the view is the part of the application which the user sees and interfaces with. It's temporary, it's a facade and while it gives the user a way to interact with the interesting data in the model, it's really just the superficial, friendly front end to that hard information. Most modern internet applications actually consist of a number of views — these could consist of big web interfaces for desktops, smaller web interfaces for mobile devices, or even dedicated mobile apps. All of these views need to communicate with the back end model.
The controller is the code that mediates between the various views and the model. The controller will be a piece of code that typically runs on the end device itself, although it is also possible for it to be a piece of middleware code sitting on a front end web server (this was generally the case with traditional web applications written in languages like PHP). Nowadays, due to speed considerations and the increasing power of Javascript frameworks like AngularJS and Backbone, the controller code is much more likely to reside on the end device, servicing the view just behind the scenes, and sending messages back and forth to the model.
Splitting up applications cleanly into Model-View-Controller architecture allows developers to enjoy what is called the "separation of concerns" — that is, 1) splitting the device-specific visuals and user interactions into various views (so the CSS and light display-oriented Javascript goes here), 2) splitting the user-interface logic and model-communication logic into various controllers (for web apps, this is heavier Javascript that handles basic data integrity and manages more complex aspects of the view's current state) and 3) splitting the heavy-duty business logic and hard data into the model. This separation of concerns lets big teams focus on specific aspects of appliation development, and makes it easier to create scalable web apps where different parts of the system can be handled by specialists.
Next post I'll cover the basics of how AngularJS lets us do MVC. We'll start with some simple applications where the entire MVC architecture resides inside the app itself. In more advanced lessons, we'll start to look at how to break out the model into external systems (such as through a REST api) so that we can develop full professional-grade systems.


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Every year in line with the reflecting time of advent, at eGym we also want to give something back to people in need. Therefore we organize a Christmas charity action where all eGymees take part. Read More
…keep it green!
Environmental awareness is a key part in eGym's company culture. The "Green Team" was founded upon eGymees' initiative in 2015 with the mission to make eGym greener and more sustainable. Read More
…learn from each other!
At eGym we have created a very special way of sharing knowledge within the company: our so-called eGym Gurus!
Every employee that has expert knowledge in a specific area can volunteer to become an eGym Guru. Suggestions come from the Gurus themselves, but also from their colleagues who have solved problems thanks to a Guru's expertise. Read More
…exceed our limits!
USA – the country, where the business idea of our eGym founders Philipp and Florian was originally born. We are an ambitious and young company continuously striving for more and always exceeding limits. One of our recent challenges was to conquer the US Market with our eGym machines. Read More
…think outside of the box!
Over the last year 2016 our team worked hard on developing the eGym Fitness App as a product and improving it with the help of continuous feedback from our customers. Together with a complete redesign of the app, we felt that these big changes should also be visible in the app icon that users see on their phones. Therefore, a visually pleasing and aesthetic app icon is vital and a challenging task at the same time. As this is a team effort, our product manager Lisa organized a design thinking workshop during the developers' Innovation Week in the new DATA SPACE by SAP. Read More
…enjoy our time together!
In June 2016, eGymees from all our locations gathered for our summer company event. Our entire team with members from the UK, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Austria and Germany spent two very fun and exciting days together at an activity park just east of Munich to get to know each other better and enjoy the sunny weather. Read More


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India needs to develop a humane, affordable, scientific and equitable health care network. Important preconditions include a freedom to choose and optimal client say. Content of care is as important as access. The health sector agenda will include pooling of resources, primary care, promoting economy hospitals in public and PPP sectors, health information sources, health laws and regulation, promoting AYUSH, control of important diseases, Health Human Resources (HHR), rational use of drugs and technology, healthy demographic change and a better role for states and local governments.
As a national framework, Social Health Insurance (SHI) is preferable to both statist or market driven models. The critical issues are health finance and Human Resources (HHR). The Srinath Reddy committee recommended 2.5% of GDP (about 1.2% till last FY) for providing a free Universal Health Care (UHC) package supported through tax source.
However this ambitious plan requires above 5% of GDP. This is achievable only through pooling of private and public health-spending.
Good SHI systems are functioning in Germany, South Korea and China etc. SHI can negotiate our diversity and provide some space for control/ participation by users including middle classes. The current private spending (about 2500/ Rs PCPI) needs to be harnessed as pre-payment for SHI.
The SHI requires small co- payments at the point of service. BPL families can get free UHC from Govt support. The SHI model is way different from the miserable US care based on private insurance, not to mention its high costs (at 16% of US GDP).
HHR is another complex front. About 60% of basic specialist positions in rural hospitals are vacant, negating the quality concerns in referral care. We failed to get enough doctors even in urban public hospitals that are already scant. This is due to gaps in training infrastructure, poor working conditions and employment terms. It is time to end the chronic neglect of AYUSH and paramedic HHR. About 7 lakh ASHAs get below Rs 1000 a month. No UHC is possible without good HHR management.
Here are some easier things. The first is taking primary care deeper in rural and urban units. Trained paramedics can handle some 50 common health problems. Through this we can upgrade SHAs, informal providers and create a million jobs. The ambulance network is a good development, and we need paramedics here too. AYUSH doctors can manage the existing subcenters. The rural doctor course (BRMS) is a lesser alternative. Handing over the nearly one lakh subcenters to panchayats will also open a new front for local action in primary care.
A wide primary care network will ensure preventive programs and reduce hospital-workloads and hence total costs. No UHC is possible unless we have this gate-keeper system. The small family and spacing of births should again be an important primary care concern. It is both a cause and effect of underdevelopment, among other factors. But let us do it without coercion or bribes. Also, primary care calls for a national open source on health in all languages.
On the disease control and prevention front


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First, a friendly reminder that I'll be at ForXcon tomorrow (Saturday, April 23) in Grand Forks, North Dakota! Come out and play! :)
Last month I once again had the pleasure/honor of being hired as a photographer for Fanboy Expo, this time in sunny Lakeland, Florida. Of course, I also had my own table pimpin' my comic book art side as well, but when hired for photos, I tend to put that as my priority.
Amongst the celebs I had to work with were Dawn Wells, Barbara Eden, Ed Asner (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Up), Lori Petty (A League of Their Own, Tank Girl), Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), and Verne Troyer (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me), and the Dukes of Hazzard Cast: John Schneider, Catherine Bach, and Tom Wopat.
Usually at these shows I am only assigned to do photo ops with paying customers who want their pictures with the celebrities. This job is intense and fast, with fairly strict time slots and long lines. So I have to fire shots BOOM, next! BOOM, next! etc. etc... and then I have to immediately prepare for the next celeb/time slot, conserving any downtime for mishaps for technical difficulties (i.e., printer issues, although it behaved rather perfectly this time around).
I brought my typical travel photography kit: 4 mini lightstands, a softbox (main light), shoot through umbrella (fill), 4 speedlights (all Yongnuo YN560III), one transmitter (+ backup), 2 Westcott stripboxes (rim), and my cameras/lenses. Of course I have a main body and a backup just in case--this is of course a must for any pro. But I think I overdid it in that I brought my Sony A7Rii, my still-fairly-new Panasonic G7, an Olympus EM5, a Panasonic LX100, and Olympus EPL5. I also brought a sack of lenses. Overkill? Yes, but I didn't know if I wanted to play around with any given camera at any particular time (keep in mind, I also like to sight-see when I'm out of town).
What did I end up using for the photo ops? Basically I fell back on the good and trusty Olympus EM5 + 45mm/1.8 lens. Why? 2 reasons: (1) I've used it so many times before on these assignments that I know how to work them for instant adjustments, and (2) I trusted its straight-out-of-camera jpegs for their amazing contrast and color with no additional adjustments. Just shoot, put the card in the laptop, and print. Simple as that.
On rare occasions I'll have an opportunity to take a quick portrait or test shot of the celebrity. On an even rarer occasion, they'll ask me to take a few photos just for their use. Of course I obliged. In addition to Dawn/Barbara at the top photo here are some:
Unfortunately I wasn't able to get portraits of any of the other celebrities. Still, it was a crazy busy gig--by far the busiest one yet. Thanks to Dave Heynen for the opportunity once again!
PS: Check out weekly updates on The Switch graphic novel by Keith Champagne and me!


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Some want the government to take care of their feelings, retirement, even income.
Here in Missouri we have a State Rep by name of Jim Neely (R-Cameron). He wants to block porn from everyone's computers and internet connected devices. For the children of course. It's always "For the children". http://www.kmov.com/story/37719188/missouri-lawmakers-look-to-block-access-to-online-porn-statewide
"The bill says a distributor who makes or sells a product that is accessible to the internet, like a phone or a computer would be required to install a blocking software that would prevent the device from accessing obscene material.
Neely says it would apply to all porn. A person could have the blocking software removed if they prove they are more 18-years-old and pays a $20 deactivation fee. The money would go into a fund called the "Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Fund."
I don't care what your personal views on pornography are, this is preposterous that he would even feel comfort with offering something like this. Yet people are jumping on board. Saying "YES DO IT!" While completely ignoring that fact that they are leaving the choice of what they read, watch and listen to online. They are willing to hand over the decision of what to watch to the government. They are willing to let someone else determine what is and what is not pornographic. They may even hand over they decision as to what is or is not appropriate literature. How long will it be before the groups that are offended by what is in their lack of opinion diversity, trigger words, the presence of firearms, history or works of art?
We already see this on college campuses. People wanting to dictate what can and can not be said, places that certain races are allowed and others are not allowed.
Imagine this in your home, on you phone or tablet.
Who are you comfortable with deciding what you can or can not view? The Pope? A self professed Black Lives Matter leader? The lawmaker's Baptist Minister? Donald Trump? Chuck Shumer? Eric Grietens? A lobbyist from Focus on the Family or a lobbyist from the porn industry?
Now he proposes that for $20 you can have the software disabled. Once you prove you are of age. So we get a porn tax. Call it what you want, it's a porn tax. You want to look at porn? You want to disable the software just because you don't like Big Brother looking over your shoulder? Pay the tax.
Are you a computer tech? Are you proficient to know if the software is gone? Are you able to tell if the software is sending information to the company the state decided to hire to keep you from websites they don't like? Data mining is big business. It is not out of the realm of possibility that this software could scrape your hard drive data or report your cell phone location.
It was not that long ago here in Missouri that we found out that the Highway Patrol gave lists CCW permit holders to the federal government. http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/missouri-highway-patrol-gave-federal-government-list-of-ccw-permit/article_ac670792-d777-5354-9d73-6c87144d526e.html . This caused a backlash that moved the administration of conceal carry permits to the local level. Why? Because privacy, that is why. It also shows a precedent of what the state is willing to do without oversight.
Of course this only effects people who are willing to follow the law should it pass. Porn blockers have proven to stop kids from seeing porn about as well as a coffee filter works as a condom. Kids are smart, some kids are scary computer smart. They will crack it, the will disable it. They will figure out how to use VPNs to get around it. They already do. Sometimes for porn, sometimes for pirated movies and music. Once one kid finds a work around, social media, 4chan, and hack sites will have it posted for all to see.
Apple routinely offers updates to disable jailbreaking on their phones, there is usually a work around posted in days if not hours after they release it. If one of the richest companies in the world can not stop work around how is NEVERHEARDOFTHECOMPANYBEFORE.com going to do better with .01 percent of the funds available to Apple? And Apple has a financial reason to stop jailbreaking! They want you to get software from their store. Software that is vetted and a vast a majority of the time virus free.
The article mentions distributors will be responsible for this or face civil action. How many distributors will fall in line? How many will choose not to sell to Missourians? or Alabama and Rhode Island where similar legislation has been introduced? What are they going to do about people who build their own systems? My 14 year old son (now 15) built his own computer. Are they going to try to enforce it with people like him? Like I mentioned before, one encrypted vpn connection and they will never know.
If you are worried about your kids and porn. Setup your own security, its out there. Have your kids only use the their PCs, tablets and phones where you can see them. Talk with them about what is and is not appropriate. Do what you feel you need to do, but take the time to parent your own kids. Don't leave it to the government. Once you hand a job over to the government they rarely if ever give it back, and most times it grows. What is a PC, phone or tablet porn blocker today could be the government ran content tv filter of tomorrow. This is not beyond possibility. Many tv's and dvd/blu-ray players are already set up to be "smart" with apps and updates. This makes them internet connected devices, and part of the equipment requiring a porn filter.
Imagine setting down to watch the new Game of Thrones and BLOCKED comes up in its place. Their is nudity, sex, violence and bad words. To some that equates porn.
So take care of your own or loose the ability to do so. For me, I choose to parent my kids myself. No thanks on the nanny state.
I leave you with the words of Justice Thurgood Marshall who wrote for the majority in STANLEY v. GEORGIA:"These are the rights that appellant is asserting in the case before us. He is asserting the right to read or observe what he pleases -- the right to satisfy his intellectual and emotional needs in the privacy of his own home. He is asserting the right to be free from state inquiry into the contents of his library. Georgia contends that appellant does not have these rights, that there are certain types of materials that the individual may not read or even possess. Georgia justifies this assertion by arguing that the films in the present case are obscene.
But we think that mere categorization of these films as "obscene" is insufficient justification for such a drastic invasion of personal liberties guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth Amendments. Whatever may be the justifications for other statutes regulating obscenity, we do not think they reach into the privacy of one's own home. If the First Amendment means anything, it means that a State has no business telling a man, sitting alone in his own house, what books he may read or what films he may watch. Our whole constitutional heritage rebels at the thought of giving government the power to control men's minds." STANLEY v. GEORGIA
Argued: Jan. 14 and 15, 1969. --- Decided: April 7, 1969


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When two people read the same book, although the story is the same, the way they picture the characters and the events in their minds are different, which makes reading a book a unique experience to everyone. When I watch a film based on a book I think of it as another person's experience of the book. Although it's the same story. the characters might look different and the events might not play as I pictured them to, and I find that interesting. Here is a list of books that I think should be made into films.Continue reading "Books That Should Be Made Into Movies"
Author: Shonly
5 Myths About Introverts
There are a lot of myths about introverts that people believe to be true. Being an introvert myself, I've had people assume things about me and a lot of people have even told me they were put off talking to me for a while because they didn't understand. I understand that a lot of this is just a lack of understanding so I thought I'd share some of the most common assumptions I've noticed and clear things up!Continue reading "5 Myths About Introverts"
3 Books You Should Read
George R.R. Martin said "a reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one" and that is exactly how I view reading. It's a great escape from reality and a good way to deal with stress because I can just go live someone else's life for a bit and forget about everything. I have a book buying addiction, though, so I always end up buying books faster than I can go through and read them all. I managed to knock three books off that pile last month since I was working less, travelling more and was left with some spare time to read. Here's what I thought of them…Continue reading "3 Books You Should Read"
How I Overcome Writer's Block
"How do I overcome writer's block?" is not an easy question to answer because each experience is different and a solution that works one time may not work the next. Knowing different solutions that work for you is important in overcoming it, but it's equally as important to know how NOT to overcome it. It took me a good few years to realise that I had been trying to get over writer's block completely wrong. Although it makes sense at the time to procrastinate and wait until the inspiration to write comes to you, it's not effective and there are much better ways to overcome it.Continue reading "How I Overcome Writer's Block"
10 Songs That Make Me Happy
Nobody's happy all the time. Although I try to be cheerful most of the time, sometimes things happen that makes it difficult, or other times nothing's happened and I'm just feeling down. When this happens, here are some songs that cheer me up.Continue reading "10 Songs That Make Me Happy"
How I Deal With Procrastination
Procrastinating is something I'm sure we all deal with at one point or another. Although I still struggle with it every now and again, I've learned some techniques that have helped me deal with and avoid procrastinating.Continue reading "How I Deal With Procrastination"
Plan With Me: March 2019 Bullet Journal Setup
I was a bit late to the party when it came to buying and starting a bullet journal, but it's helped me become a lot more organised (plus it's so much fun to design)! I'm not particularly artsy, apart from when it comes to pixel art, so the titles and layouts have never been anything special because I just can't get anything to look good. I get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest and Instagram, and I've recently started to make my pages look a tiny bit more exciting.Continue reading "Plan With Me: March 2019 Bullet Journal Setup"
4 Children's Books You Should Read
As a child who loved to read, I could probably name hundreds of children's books that I enjoyed. Not all of those are equally as enjoyable as an adult, however. Here is a list of some of the books I read that you should definitely read if you haven't already…Continue reading "4 Children's Books You Should Read"


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As Christmas is really a busy season for everybody concerned, it might be prudent to select a person's caterer far ahead of time. There are numerous individuals who throw Christmas parties and catering for one of these could end up being a cake walk if situations are planned and arranged well. By getting a caterer you'll be saving yourself lots of trouble, as you'll be able to flow among your visitors and you'll not need to slog getting food ready. However make certain that you simply discuss everything using the caterer well ahead of time for you may produce other jobs to deal with like decorating you home and setting up the Christmas tree, shopping etc.
To be able to choose the best menu, you have to possess a good concept of your budget and the amount of guests in the party. After you have selected the venue it's best to tell the catering service so that you can have the ability to choose which kind of service ought to be made, if you prefer a barbecue, a specific theme, etc. you need to discuss the facts using the caterer way in advance and never bring them unexpectedly.
The catering service can assist you to hire such things as seating, camping tents, restrooms, lights, etc if you want them. Make certain that you will get an estimate in the caterer and get should they have the needed liquor license.
Usually caterers remove insurance and employer's insurance that covers their catering staff, by doing this individuals hiring options are not liable. Caterers are wanting to please and walk out their method of doing things for his or her customers so that you should you can discuss and plan things by helping cover their them.
Although caters possess the needed expertise and may render plan to perfection, you might not possess the way to hire them, within this situation you might take around the catering yourself and make certain things are planned way in advance.
Catering for a person's own Christmas party isn't as frightening because it appears for there are a variety of people preferring the private touch if this arrived at eating home-made food. If you're serving buffet style you can prepare the meals in advance as well as heat up right before serving. By doing this you can prepare the meals each day ahead of time and won't be difficult tight on time. It might be also a good idea to enlist the aid of other family people and assign each one of these an activity by doing this you're going to get a lot off shoulders.
When the Christmas catering services are made available online you should least bother how many guests are coming home on that day. All that you should do is to order a little more of the party trays to serve the unexpected guests.


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East Brunswick, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/09/2013 -- Garden, lawn or commercial landscape requires a good lawn irrigation system in Monroe or in any other place so that it stays green and clean. It is also important to use water conservatively and efficiently. NJ Custom irrigation makes sure that every inch for the land gets the amount of water required. The specific requirements for farm or agricultural lands can also be met with good lawn irrigation systems in East Brunswick.
At present, using water efficiently is the main criterion for designing lawn irrigation systems in Old Bridge. Rainfall, dew and weather conditions are taken into account so that lawn irrigation installation in Monroe can compensate for all these factors and ensure adequate water. The latest technology allows for different pressure settings and also for dispensing different amounts of water. One can define the timing as per the water requirement and can also integrate such systems easily with other systems for the same purpose.
Apart from irrigation system repair and lawn irrigation installation in south river, one must also look for a service provider who can provide complete lawn maintenance. This may include different services from assessing the health of the lawn to identifying the health of the greenery and taking appropriate measures. Sprinkler and irrigation drip systems in South River are one of the most effective ways of having lawn properly watered. Many home owners and businesses opt for a sprinkler system that they can set and relax. As with any sprinkler or sprinkler system, there are times when one will have to get these systems checked and if needed, have some sprinkler repair done.
NJ Custom Irrigation can help clients with all the irrigation repairs and new Lawn irrigation installation in East Brunswick. Whether one have a commercial or residential repair requirement, just give them a call. They can also help anybody when it comes to water conservation and water management. Landscaping requires proper watering, without any leaks at ideal times of the day. Their equipment is among the best in the industry and continues to take pride in their work. Their professional staff possesses the industry knowledge and skill set to get the job done efficiently and effectively while keeping their customers happy. With NJ Custom Irrigation, clients always have the security of knowing that their lawns are in safer hands.
About NJ Custom Irrigation
NJ Custom Irrigation is the sister company of custom landscaping and lawn care who has been providing custom landscaping & lawn care services to their clients for over twenty years. They have been serving customers in New Jersey and the surrounding metropolitan areas with superior quality, professionalism, and excellent customer service in all aspects from landscape design to irrigation services. For further information, visit http://njcustomirrigation.com