text:
ACE Fitness FAQ
Listed below are some of the most often asked questions and their answers. Should you have a question not listed, please feel free to ask!
1) When are the classes?
Mondays & Wednesdays @ 9:00 AM, Friday & Saturdays @ 6:00 AM
2) How long are the classes?
Classes range in length from 40-50 minutes. This includes an extended cool-down and stretch (which happens to be some of the students favorite part, so be sure to stick around)
3) How much are the classes?
Class price will vary depending on how often you will attend. There are usually 13-16 classes/month, but I realize not everyone will be able to attend them all. We created the Pick-Your-Price Memberships for you to choose what will work best for you based on your availability and budget.
4) Is there childcare?
Childcare is only available Mondays and Wednesdays. Please refer to the Membership information on the ACE Fitness tab for cost. Feel free to send along a snack if you desire.
5) What type of workouts do you do?
Each class is a total body workout. We do upper body, lower body, and core exercises. The class begins with a 5 minute warm-up, moves into the conditioning phase, and finishes with an extended cool-down.
6) Who are your classes for?
ACE Fitness classes are open to all ages and fitness levels. Each move has modifications to scale back on or increase intensity. ACE Fitness is designed to be a place for you to be you. There may be days you walk in and nail every move. There also may be days you walk in and modify every move. Or perhaps, some days, you will find yourself somewhere in the middle. We were created as unique individuals, but also designed for community. At ACE Fitness, you will be encouraged to move together, but at your own pace and strength!
7) Do I need any equipment?
If you have dumbbells you are currently using, please feel free to bring them with you. You will only need one set. I do have extra of varying weights if you do not have any or forget yours. You will also need a mat or towel to lay on during cool-down. It is important to stay hydrated as we move our bodies, so a water bottle is also a good idea.
8) How do I sign-up?
You can signup for class on the ACE Fitness Tab. Class size is kept small (6-8) to ensure you get a more personalized experience and the freedom to move safely. Grab your spots early. If you need to change your signup, feel free to contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com
9) How will I know if the schedule changes?
Be sure to like and follow the Vibrant Fitness Facebook page to stay up to date with any schedule changes. Changes will also be posted on the website.
New & Exciting Things...
As some of you may know, God has moved on my heart to start teaching group fitness classes right here in our town of Ephrata, PA. What a journey the last year has been! God has moved quickly and Vibrant Fitness has been birthed. I was asked to share some of the story for a recent ladies retreat and decided to record it to share here. This is only a snippet of what transpired over the last year. If you want to ask more questions, lets get together over coffee and chat! You can also check out the Vibrant Fitness tab above to find out more information on these classes. We just finished up our first month of classes and are excited to move into a new month fully expectant to hear from the Lord and of course laugh our way through exercising!
Josh and I will also be leading and hosting a home group for the next 14 weeks. We are eager to see all that God will do in and through those who will be attending. I am most excited to watch my husband dig deeper into the Word as he spends time with the Lord to prepare to lead our group. There is something so attractive about a man seeking diligently after the Lord. :)
Our hearts have been moved in a mighty way over the last couple of years to see the church body walking in unity and true freedom with God and each other. We would covet your prayers as we take each step of obedience to walk out this call He has placed on our life. We will post more about this exciting adventure we are on over at our Team Shuman Facebook page. Thank you for all the encouragement from our dear friends and family!
Are you ready for Summer?!
School is coming to an end and Team Shuman is excited for summer break, which brings changes to our family's normal schedule. And of course, we are ready for cookouts, vacations, swimming and NO HOMEWORK! Normally, I (Alisha) have not had a summer schedule ready before school ended. We enjoyed sleeping in and slowly working towards a summer rhythm, but that also left me more frazzled than relaxed (and halfway through June without a plan). Summertime means fun, but it also means more mouths to feed during the day, more bodies to clean up after, and all my day to day things to get done.
My 16-year-old cousin (from Indiana) is living with us again this summer, my sister is getting married in just a few weeks, round 2 of Crockpot Community is starting June 19th and I am studying for my group fitness instructor exam (August 10th). Lots of fun and exciting events going on, but after listening to a she works His way class on preparing for summer productivity, I knew I needed to have a plan this year BEFORE school ended. This would give clear expectations as well as create a smooth transition into the summer months.
Here are some takeaways from the class that may help you be productive as well:
It is easy to "work" throughout the day from my phone and lose track of time. Before I know it, I have gotten distracted and moved onto something "non-work" (ahem...social media scrolling) or have worked beyond my scheduled office time. During the school year, I work in the afternoons. This is prime pool time over the summer months and we certainly can not miss that. My new plan is to rise and shine at 5:30 am to knock out some office work before the kiddos are even out of bed. This is to make sure I am more present with them without sacrificing productivity in my business.
We had a family meeting this past week to discuss how everyone could help with the household chores and even meal times. Three of my four kiddos can make one or several breakfast meals on their own. My husband and I made a list of all the chores they could choose from and which day of the week they could choose to help with breakfast. I also asked my cousin (16 years old) and oldest son (14 years old) to take charge of making supper 1x/week, which will help me out immensely! All mini chefs must give me their menu and list of ingredients two weeks in advance when I sit down to meal plan. This will ensure we have all the ingredients necessary.
After breakfast, morning routines (get dressed & brush teeth), chores will be completed before free play and pool time. Any office work I did not get done will be completed in the first hour of pool time (after having an open conversation with my kids if they would mind me working during this time) and the second hour is studying for my exam. After those first two hours, the phone and books go away and playtime for momma commences! If you are looking for a way to plan your day to day, check out the free printables from Day Designer! I printed the Ideal Week planning page and put it in a frame on my desk. It serves as a daily reminder to stay on schedule. Click here to see all the beautiful options!
Feel free to download our schedule and make it your own too! We have ours in a page protector on the refrigerator where it is in plain sight for all to see (right above our meal planner).
Be intentional to honor and serve.
May is known for spring flowers and showers. It signifies the end of the school year and the beginning of summer. May also includes one of the top 5 highest grossing holidays: Mother's Day. Over the years, this special day's meaning has evolved into different levels for me.
Up until the age of 17, this day consisted of me giving handmade and eventually bought cards and/or flowers to my mom. At the young age of 18, I became a part of the mom club myself. I continued giving cards to my mom, but now I was on the receiving end as well. Given the fact that "receiving gifts" is one of my top love languages (didn't know this at the time), I grew fond of this special day. After getting married, I gained another mom to celebrate.
Over the years, I started to have an expectation when May rolled around. You see, Mother's Day weekend is also my anniversary weekend. (Double whammy for Josh) How was I going to be made a big deal of? What was Josh going to do for me? I began to set myself up for disappointment and Josh up for failure.
I learned a difficult lesson a few years ago after Josh's mom had passed away. It was May. Mother's Day/our anniversary weekend was upon us yet again. And my expectations were not met. I was upset. Angry. Bitter. It was then, God spoke to me sternly. He said two things to me that wrecked my heart and forever changed my perspective.
1. Are you the only one who got married that day? Did you stand at the alter and marry yourself?
2. What about Josh? He doesn't even have a mom around to celebrate anymore? Have you ever thought about asking how he handles Mother's Day without his mom? Without having the ability to hug her?
Ouch! I know, right?! I was so consumed with selfishness, I ended up neglecting the needs and well-being of my spouse! I know I am not alone when I share that I was waiting for Josh to serve me. Put me first. Surprise me. Alone or not, my behavior was wrong.
Now, when May rolls around, I remember how special our wedding day was and how blessed I am to have Josh by my side. I am also reminded that his momma played a very important role in molding him to be the man he is today as well as the woman I am today.
We need to honor those God has placed in our lives, deserved or not. Husbands. Mothers. Fathers. Friends. All of them. Allowing selfishness in my life prohibited me to honor mine. Not anymore.
Humble yourself before God; let Him show you any hidden place that needs the Light. Allow the darkness to be overcome and shine bright with Light. Then be intentional to honor and serve.
It's Not All Unicorns and Rainbows
Our family traveled to Ocala, Florida over Easter break with some very special friends of ours. It was wonderful. Simply wonderful. I use that word simply because that was life for 5 days. Simple. There was chaos at times (given that there we 16-19 of us at any given time), but it was simple and easy chaos. Like who is getting in which car? Which beach do we go to first? How do we get 19 people showered? How many Easter Eggs do we need to fill? Should we really tell the older boys we licked their jelly beans and sprinkled Cayenne Pepper on them? Simple.
Somehow, after returning from vacation, that simplicity and ease left. Everything seemed so much harder. Keeping up with the dishes. Finding joy in the difficult situations. Getting OUT of bed on time. Going TO bed on time. Spending time with Jesus. Exercising. Working. Why had everything become so complicated?
For me? Two reasons:
1. Vacation-Lag.
Vacations are meant to be a time to get away and disconnect. A time to breathe, unplug, let go, and relax. We totally did that and it was amazing. But life doesn't run on vacation time. You have to start using your brain again. Transition back to your normal routines and habits.
2. I unplugged.
Let me share a cute story to help paint a picture for this point. My 8 year old's job is to vacuum the office, kitchen, and dining room. After he finished the first room, he unplugged the vacuum and left it sit in a corner. I reminded him of the other rooms he needed to finish. After a few minutes I heard his voice call out,
"Mom, the vacuum's not working again." (There is a broken latch and sometimes it will not start if it is not properly connected.) I went over to him and after some minor investigating, responded,
"Buddy, the vacuum only works if you plug it in."
Smiles and laughter broke out and then BOOM! God smacked me right in the forehead and said,
"Alisha, you only work when you are plugged in."
I had unplugged from my Power Source for too long and was unable to function in the most basic of things. I like to say, I was stress paralyzed. It is not a fun place to be. I was tired. Grouchy. And not very fun to be around. (Ask my hubby and kiddos)
You want to know what's worse than unplugging from Jesus? Knowing the solution is to plug back in and you don't make it a priority to do so. *Sigh* I decided enough was enough and this week was not going to be a repeat of last week. So, here I am. Sitting at my desk at 9pm on a Sunday night, making the choice to re-engage and get my power back on.
That's all it takes, folks. A simple choice followed by simple actions.
Choose Jesus.
Open His Word.
I anticipate a much better Mom/Wife/Life-tude when I wake up tomorrow morning. Life will NOT magically be all unicorns and rainbows, but it will mean the Joy of the Lord will be my strength to power me through whatever the day throws at me. New week, I welcome you.
The W's of Eating: Why
There many reasons to eat, but my top 3 are:
1. Nourishment: something (as food) that causes growth or health
2. Enjoyment: a feeling of pleasure caused by doing or experiencing something you like; the condition of having and using something that is good, pleasant, etc
3. Honor: to regard or treat (someone or in this case, something) with admiration and respect : to regard or treat with honor
We know that what we eat affects how we feel and how our bodies work: nourishment. We also know how to enjoy food. So let's talk about honor.
Imagine taking the time to make something so beautiful, so amazing, so complex and then gifting it to someone. How would you feel if they threw it to the ground and jumped and spit on it? Broke it? Abandoned it?
Friends, that is exactly what we are doing to God when we don't take care of ourselves. God created YOU. Remember our verse? We are masterpieces! What we think, say and do is to bring honor and glory back to our Creator. Have you ever thought about honoring God with the food you eat/don't eat? And even the attitude you take towards caring for your body? Some would say that is ridiculous. Or that it doesn't matter to God. But I beg to differ.
I believe that we as Christians are to surrender EVERY part of our lives to Jesus Christ. Yet, the enemy has deceived many of us at times (me included) that God is only interested in or needs to take care of/be a part of the big or spiritual stuff. Satan has convinced us that we can handle and control our daily "small" decisions and actions.
Look at the mess we make when we do. I know it may sound ridiculous, but God wants total surrender. He wants to be a part of every little detail of our lives; all the nooks and crannies (even what we eat). We need to be like Elsa and let it go. "It" being the need to "control" and surrender.
To honor means to treat something/someone with respect and admiration. Let's shift the mindset of eating and exercising to lose weight and inches towards honoring the gift of life God has given us. Let's choose to surrender WHOLLY to Him.
Dating Your Spouse 101
Josh and I believe in cultivating a strong marriage. This is not something that happens overnight or with little effort. Having this kind of relationship with anyone, including God, requires invested time and communication. As you unselfishly spend time seeking the heart of the Father, you soon experience the rewards of your efforts. So, it is with dating your spouse. When you make the decision to unselfishly sow into your spouse WITHOUT expectations, you WILL see the rewards of your efforts. They may not come as quickly as they do with the Lord, but in time, you will see them!
Galatians 6:9 "And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint."
Colossians 3:17, 23 "And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him. Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men,"
However, if choosing to be selfless or sowing without expectations is new in your marriage, there may be some hurts that need to be addressed, forgiven, and forgotten. (But that's another blog post!)
Setting up Date Night:
1. We chose Thursday night for several reasons:
a. There were no recurring events on Thursdays
b. We knew weekends tend to fill up with family or other social events.
2. NOTHING gets scheduled on this evening.
3. First & Third Thursdays of the month are at home or close to home (do not require a sitter). We explained to the kids that this night is for Mommy and Daddy to spend together and they can play on their own. (Family Nights are Wednesday nights, so we will have just spent an evening with them.) If you have little ones (under 5), date night in may have to happen after bedtime (and perhaps bedtime is a little earlier this night.)
4. Second & Fourth Thursdays of the month are out of the house (will require sitter if no kids are of age to babysit). This does not mean we spend money outside of a sitter.
5. Set a monthly date night budget and stick to it. This may start out very small in the beginning depending on your season of life and finances. Ask for gift cards for birthdays and Christmas. Sowing into your marriage is more important than the other "things" you may want.
6. Schedule your date night details and line up a sitter (when needed). Plan out at least a month in advance. (We do it quarterly.)
20 Date Night Ideas:
Think outside the box, have fun and go on an adventure with your spouse!
1. Window Shop at your favorite home improvement stores (dream about future home or projects).
2. Coffee Shop/Mall/Book Store: (make & take your own coffee if needed) Share vision for your future as individuals, as a couple, and as a family. Talk about what God has been teaching you. Plan future date nights/days.
3. Try a new place to eat! If it turns out to be a dud, do not look at it as a waste of time or money, but as an adventure you took and time well spent together! Then head home for some better grub!
4. Take a day trip! Do some research (google and/or friends).
5. Go yardsaling/antiquing (is that even a word?!)
6. Brunch. Breakfast is a cheap date and (in my opinion) able to be eaten at any time of day or night!
7. Walk/Run together.
8. Motorcycle/Bicycle Ride.
9. Hiking and a picnic.
10. Try/Attend a teambuilding activity.
11. Test Drive a New Car.
12. Target Shooting at a Gun Range.
13. Create a scavenger hunt for the other person!
14. Send the kids away for the evening. Plan, shop for, and make a meal together.
15. Karaoke.
16. Exchange massages.
17. Roller/Ice skating
18. See a local Play/Musical
19. Progressive Supper (Appetizers at 1 place, Soup & Salad at another, Entrees at another, dessert at another or home)
20. Wii Tournament
Who Do I See In The Mirror?
Recently, I got to share how God is transforming me from the inside out. (Notice the present tense?) I started a journey to (let's be honest) just lose weight almost 4 years ago. I did it. I lost the weight. Actually, I was the fittest I had ever been (on the outside.) I started the journey weighing 185 lbs and got as low as 128 lbs (a number I hadn't seen...well, since I was a teeny bopper).
But, want to hear more honesty? I was still concerned more about the outside than the inside. Consumed. Yes. That is a much better word. Everything I did...ate...didn't eat...consumed me. And the compliments I received from the physical transformation? They were probably genuine, but they were feeding the wrong part of me. They were feeding my flesh. My pride.
God decided enough was enough. He had work for me to do. If I was so wrapped up in myself, how was I going to fulfill His purpose? I wasn't. I couldn't. I needed a perspective shift. I needed to fix my eyes on Jesus.
He started orchestrating new people to enter my life and others to leave. The scales (no pun intended) started falling off my eyes and collecting dust in my bathroom. I experienced His passion for people in the depths of my spirit. My heart was breaking for what broke His....the lost (those who don't know Him or are living free in and through Him).
So, began my REAL transformation. I was now in a position to start really hearing from the Lord and moving forward in His calling for my life and that of my family. He filled me with fresh purpose and passion and showed me my next steps in the journey.
I am now in a place of true joy and contentment: body, spirit, mind. I love Jesus and can barely get through a day without being overwhelmed by His goodness and the opportunities of sharing that goodness with others. Each time lights a new fire within me to keep seeking, learning, growing, and sharing. I want EVERYONE I meet to find fulfillment and freedom like I have found.
It is possible. There is hope. And it starts with a man named Jesus.
Meal Planning Tips
Over the last several years, I have realized the importance of meal planning and the positive effects on my overall wellness. We have been able to save money while sticking to our budget, decrease stress and save this momma's sanity when asked, "What's for supper?" I have learned many useful tips would like to share a few of the basics with you. Meal planning is not meant to be torture (although, when you are first starting out, it may seem that way). I hope you will have a new found peace in this area after you have read through and implemented these tips.
Before you begin:
1. Grab your UPDATED calendar (yours, hubby's, and kiddos). This is important, so you know which nights need to be a crockpot/easy-throw-together meal with little to no prep or which nights you have more time to put into the meal.
2. Set and know your grocery budget. (God desires us to be good stewards of our resources and that includes honoring our finances.) There was a time that Team Shuman actually carried a calculator with us through the store and added up our groceries to stay within our budget. Seems silly, but was an instrumental move to get us out of debt!
3. Gather your favorite recipes that include ingredients and the amounts you will need.
4. Take inventory of your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. More often than not, you will come home from the grocery store with double or triple of something you already have because you did not check these places.
5. Have a visible meal planner!
6. Consider using a grocery list app. I am a pen and paper girl, but have on several occasions, forgotten the list at home or even left it in the van. I always have my phone and therefore will never be without my list again. Another perk to using an app is the ability for other people (your spouse) to add to the list as well via their phone. (Just remember to have auto-sync turned on.) You can check off each item as you buy them, but it saves your list for the next time!
Favorite Apps: Out of Milk (for Android), Any List (for iOS)
Get Started:
1. Meal plan based off the food you already have or meals that will require minimal items bought at the grocery store. This is a HUGE money saver!
2. We all have family favorites in our rotation, but sometimes they can get old. Instead of trying to make all new recipes, try starting with 1-2 new recipes per week. Ask friends or check Pinterest (Be sure to set a timer, so you stay focused and don't spend your entire evening "meal planning.").
3. Ask the family for suggestions. Any complaining at mealtime will be quieted with the fact that you gave them an option to have input for the meals! :)
3. As you choose meals and place them on your planner, be sure to place ALL needed ingredients and amounts of each onto your grocery list. When you are done meal planning, you will know exactly how many pounds of chicken you need or how many cans of beans you need, etc.
Understand and recognize your current season of life. Can you realistically plan for a whole month or do you need to start small and plan 3 days ahead? 1 week? 2 weeks? My husband gets paid bi-weekly and therefore I plan 2 weeks at a time.
I hope this was helpful for you and can relieve some stress and help save you tie and money!
Finding & Keeping Joy in Motherhood
Have you ever seen the movie Jersey Girl? It's about a guy who decides to move from New York City to New Jersey and into his father's house to raise his little girl. After a while, he becomes antsy, wanting his old life back. After several failed attempts, he finally lands an interview in the city giving him hope of returning. He is overjoyed, but his now 7-year-old daughter, who has fallen in love with their life in New Jersey, does not want to move back to the city. After fighting with her about it, he makes the decision to go anyway. While waiting to go into the interview, he has a conversation with a previous client. He comes to realize that the life he once had and longed for was just that…his. The life he leads now is not just about him anymore. There is a little girl...his little girl and her life to consider.
It made me realize how often we long for a life other than the one we are currently living. God has given each of us a calling while on this earth. We will have many seasons to walk in and out of within that calling. Or perhaps, He will assign us a new one after we complete the first. Some of us have been called to motherhood. But, we look at it as a lowly place to be, full of unfilled desires and disappointment. We feel like we are missing out. Guess what?! We ARE! We miss out on SO much that God has planned for us right in the middle of the season we are in. I am not saying we don't chase after those dreams and visions God put in our hearts. I am talking about placing higher priority on them while sacrificing your relationship with God, your spouse, and your kids.
If you are not walking in what God has for you…there will always be discontent. He has created us for purpose and to actually fulfill it! That discontent can often be misunderstood. We are unsettled or disgruntled because we are confusing His purpose and ours. We are, at times, unwilling to embrace where He wants us to be and try to do something He has not asked us to do. This causes us to lose our joy and miss out on amazing opportunities.
Being a mom can seem unsatisfying at times or like there is more we could/want to be doing. In those moments, let's pause and think about it from God's perspective. He has entrusted these kids to us. and has faith that we will raise them to love and serve Him and others. He has full confidence in the Holy Spirit to help us get the job done. That, my friends, is a hefty calling in and of itself and one we often take too lightly (I know I do!). We think our daily mom tasks are just mundane chores (and sometimes they are). I know you have probably heard this before, but it is TRUTH. Those moments of butt-wiping, nose-blowing, and boo-boo kissing? Those "to-do's" are serving and learning opportunities.
It's reflection time. Do you find yourself angry? Stressed? Discontent? Miserable? What is it that has you feeling this way? It is possible for that to change? Let's make a list of things you do in a week. Include everything! What is occupying your time?? Cooking, laundry, dishes, banking, grocery shopping, church, cleaning up toys, re-decorating, workout/gym, on the phone, social media, playdates, running errands, serving others, serving the church, quiet time, work, sports, etc.
I am not saying that these are bad things or even things you should cut out. First, pray and ask God to show you what to let go of and what to keep. Be READY and WILLING to hear Him say, "Let go" of things you may have been holding onto. It may be time to lay down things that have been stopping you from fulfilling your present calling. Ask yourself these questions:
1) Are you putting God first? Are you setting aside time for just you and Him? Letting Him fill your spirit?
2) Are you a wife? Are you dating your husband? Is he truly 2nd place in your life? Are you pursuing Him? Praying for Him? Respecting him?
3) Are you taking care of you? Do you have "mom" time or girlfriend time? Do you take care of yourself mentally and physically?
4) Are you a mom?? Are you spending time with your kids? Are you really getting to know who they are as people? People who will one day make a difference and have their own place in this world? Or do you see them as whiny, needy, discontent beings in your house? (Doesn't that last description sound familiar? Actually, maybe it sounds a lot like me some days. If I am behaving that way, aren't they just modeling my behavior? Hmmm. Something to really think about.)
I had a wise woman tell me, "Sometimes we are our own worst enemy on influencing our hubby and kids, but that also gives us the ability to change." Your children will have all kinds of outside influences, good and bad, that you can do nothing about. Right now, their biggest influences are mom and dad. How will you choose to handle that responsibility? It's your choice!
When you look at your life what do you see? Are you thriving in your role as Jesus girl, wife, and mom? Are there areas that need some extra attention? Please know, the enemy would love for you to think my goal is to make you feel guilty. That is the complete OPPOSITE of my heart. I am sharing this because God has been working overtime with me and I know there are so many other women who need to hear this too!
I love to give to others and do things for them that will make them happy. I love to make others laugh and be joyful. I love to encourage others to be all they were created to be. I love to ________ for OTHERS. Am I doing these things with and for God and my family? They are the "others" I need to focus on first. I was once told, "No matter your calling in life, if you cannot minister to the people in your home, your "out of the home" ministry/job will not reach it's full potential." (Luke 16:10) Our first and most important ministry is within our own four walls: our husband and our kids.
The best part about all of this is that we can be find and keep joy in every season.. We can be content in our current season of life. We can be successful. We can change our life NOW!! The question is...do we really want to? And are we willing to do what we need to do to get there? Joy and contentment are choices. Will you choose them?
February 2018


text:
Jabra & Craig "Crowie" Alexander Form Partnership
If you've read my past blog posts on Jabra products you know I'm a fan of the brand. Their products work well in the real world. So I wasn't surprised to learn that Jabra formed a partnership with five-time Ironman World Champion, Craig "Crowie" Alexander, the biggest name in the multi-sport competition world.
Jabra has teamed up with the world champion triathlete for a two-year agreement to support and serve as spokesperson for the Company's recently launched sports product line. Under the new partnership, Alexander will also serve as a consultant for future product development.
Jabra's sports category is led by Jabra SPORT, a tough wireless Bluetooth stereo headset that streams music and phone calls. The perfect device for delivering great music for workouts or any other recreation and outdoor activity, the Jabra SPORT features a category-first built-in FM radio, a wind-shielded microphone and US Military Standard Rain, Dust and Shock Resistant certification, so exercisers don't need to hold back during workouts. For exercisers who are accustomed to working out with traditional corded headphones, the Jabra SPORT-Corded offers the same features as the Bluetooth version.
In addition to the new Jabra SPORT products, the Jabra portfolio includes the Jabra CLIPPER stereo headset which provides users with wireless stereo music and calls all with one cool little Bluetooth clip for simple wearing during workouts, and the Jabra ACTIVE which allows exercisers to listen to music and train hard without ever having to adjust their ear buds.
Jabra products are light, comfortable and have a secure fit to get you through any challenge, hassle-free. Crisp and clear sound will further ensure you stay focused and motivated until you cross the finish line.
The Jabra SPORT is currently available at Amazon.com, Sprint, T-Mobile and at www.BuyJabra.com
Like this article? Subscribe to the RSS feed or for email updates!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Available Formats
eBook ePubWhat's this?
Read the ePub on your Sony Reader, Nook, Kobo, iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad (through the free Bluefire Reader app); or Computer.
Adobe Digital Editions is required for downloading and viewing the eBook.
For more information see our articles on: Supported eBook Formats and How to Download an eBook.
eBook PDFWhat's this?
Read the PDF on your Sony Reader, Nook, Kobo, iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad (through the free Bluefire Reader app); or Computer.
Adobe Digital Editions is required for downloading and viewing the eBook.
For more information see our articles on: Supported eBook Formats and How to Download an eBook.
"An illuminating insight...fascinating."—Amanda Grange, bestselling author of Mr. Darcy's Diary
"A journey through both a physical landscape and the geography o...
"An illuminating insight...fascinating."—Amanda Grange, bestselling author of Mr. Darcy's Diary
"A journey through both a physical landscape and the geography of the human heart and mind...delightfully entertaining and often deeply moving, this book reminds us that Austen's world—and her characters—are very much alive."—Michael Thomas Ford, author of Jane Bites Back
With a suitcase full of Jane Austen novels en español, Amy Elizabeth Smith set off on a yearlong Latin American adventure: a traveling book club with Jane. In six unique, unforgettable countries, she gathered book-loving new friends— taxi drivers and teachers, poets and politicians— to read Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice.
Whether sharing rooster beer with Guatemalans, joining the crowd at a Mexican boxing match, feeding a horde of tame iguanas with Ecuadorean children, or tangling with argumentative booksellers in Argentina, Amy came to learn what Austen knew all along: that we're not always speaking the same language— even when we're speaking the same language.
But with true Austen instinct, she could recognize when, unexpectedly, she'd found her own Señor Darcy.
All Roads Lead to Austen celebrates the best of what we love about books and revels in the pleasure of sharing a good book— with good friends.
About the Author
Amy SmithAmy Elizabeth Smith has an undergraduate degree in music and a masters and PhD in English. She teaches writing and literature (including a course on Jane Austen) at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. She loves traveling, dancing, classic cinema, and watching squirrel videos on YouTube.
Table of Contents
Author's Note
Getting Started
GUATEMALA: Girls' Night Out
MEXICO: Sense in the Land of Sensibility
ECUADOR: Pride, Prejudice, and Tame Iguanas
CHILE: Austen in the Andes
PARAGUAY: Assumptions and Asunción
ARGENTINA: Last Tango in Highbury
The End and the Beginning
Reading Group Guide
About the Author
Getting Started
Jane Austen just won't stay on the page.
I enjoy everything I teach at a small university in California, but I especially love my Jane Austen course. The...
Getting Started
Jane Austen just won't stay on the page.
I enjoy everything I teach at a small university in California, but I especially love my Jane Austen course. The students and I read her novels together, discuss Austen's historical context, and explore the amazing ways Austen keeps coming to life through sequels, updates, and spin-offs—Bridget Jones, Bollywood, zombies, and all. Instead of writing final papers, students do Austen projects that we showcase in December at a public Jane Austen Night bash. We've had Northanger Abbey in rhymed heroic couplets, a short play with the Dashwood sisters transformed into gay brothers, a sign language lesson using Austen plots, and my favorite, a marriage of Kafka and Austen: Emmamorphasis, wherein Emma wakes up one fine day as a giant cockroach (just imagine what her exoskeleton does to her best muslins!).
Austen moves her readers. Semester after semester, when my students talk about Austen's novels, they transition seamlessly between their own lives and Austen's fictional world. "My sister is such an uptight Elinor, she makes me crazy!" somebody will always say after we start Sense and Sensibility. Or, "Yeah, I've met a Willoughby or two." Or with endless variations, "Marianne needs a serious dope slap." By the end of each semester I can compile a list of the most smackable characters from student feedback: topping the charts are always Marianne, both Eltons from Emma, John Thorpe from Northanger Abbey, and of course, Mrs. Bennet.
Students just don't react this way to novels I teach in other classes, such as Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre. Austen's postmortem rivals wrote great novels, but not a single student has read Emily or Charlotte Brontë and reported back to the class, "That Heathcliff is just like my ex-boyfriend," or "Rochester's wife reminds me of my aunt," or "Somebody ought to pop Jane Eyre a good one!" Not once. Brontë World is to be viewed and enjoyed at a distance, but Austenland is a place where people feel inclined to get cozy with the locals, even give a few verbal wedgies. Or a dope slap.
It's not only my students who react this way to Austen. After a rough divorce, my friend Larry, a fellow native Pennsylvanian, went into an emotional tailspin. He ditched his job and, out of the blue, retrained as a railroad engineer. This led to long hours in hotel rooms between runs, either brooding alone or phoning me for where-did-it-go-wrong debriefs.
"You're an English teacher—what should I read?" he asked one evening, realizing we needed something to talk about other than his still-broken heart. "Would I like Jane Austen?"
Pride and Prejudice, her best-paced work, seemed a good recommendation for a man spending too much time staring out of train windows wondering how his marriage had gone off the rails. After a longer than usual silence, I got his first post-Austen call. "I liked it. Took a little getting used to the style, though," he said in his endearing Pittsburgh twang, à la "let's go daahntaahn 'n watch a Stillers game."
"You know," he went on, "I thought I married a Lizzy Bennet, but maybe I really picked a Lydia?" Well, so much for diverting him from divorce talk. As Larry made his way through all of Austen's novels—even Mansfield Park, whose heroine he dubbed the most "smackable" of all—our long conversations became populated by Emma, Captain Wentworth, Fanny Price, and others.
What is it about Jane Austen that makes us talk about the characters as if they're real people? People we recognize in our own lives, two centuries after Austen created them? When my first development leave from the university rolled around, I decided it was time for me to try my own Austen project, just like my students do. Something creative, something fun. So I got to wondering: the special connection that people feel with Austen's world, this Austen magic—would it happen with people in another country, reading Austen in translation?
Azar Nafisi's Reading Lolita in Tehran is one of the most moving books I've ever read on how literature matters in people's lives. She covered six different authors with the same group of students in post-revolution Iran. Inspired, I decided to try a new twist. Why not read the same author but shift through six different countries, instead? Jane Austen reading groups, on the road.
Growing up, I envied Nancy Drew's jet-setting ways, which set me on a course to travel at every opportunity as an adult. I spent a year in Prague in the early 1990s, and since my brother Shawn has an even worse travel bug than my own, I've tagged along like a good little sister to visit him when he lived in Italy, then South Africa, then Egypt. With that year's leave from the university ahead of me, I wanted to explore new territory: Central and South America.
In Clueless, the nineties update of Austen's Emma, the heroine Cher offends her family's Salvadoran maid by assuming that anybody who speaks "Mexican" must be a Mexican. But Cher's no worse than the average clueless North American. Central and South Americans are our neighbors, but all too many of us can't tell one country from another south of the border. At work I'd met latinos and latinas from a host of countries I couldn't locate without studying a map.
So, on the road I could pick up some firsthand knowledge while seeing what Latin Americans would make of Jane Austen. Would they identify with her characters? Or maybe want to smack a few? Plus, I could find out who their Jane Austens were—which authors are beloved in Central and South America, which novels come to life off the pages. It would be a whole new world of books (and bookstores!).
Unfortunately, the only lesson I remembered from high school Spanish was that pero means "but" and perro, "dog." Thanks to my university's ties with a language school in the city of Antigua, I settled on Guatemala for both a warm-up and a starting point. The plan was to take five weeks of Spanish lessons during my winter break, then return in July to begin my "year with Jane" in earnest; I'd do my first reading group there.
The second country would let me mix business with pleasure. I'd made two short trips to Puerto Vallarta prior to cooking up my Austen project. In fact, maybe that influenced my planning—because in Mexico I'd met Diego, a cheerful, handsome taxi driver who also happened to be a booklover. We were both eager for a much longer visit. I wasn't a fan of long-distance relationships, but there was something special about Diego. I was willing to jump in and see how things might turn out.
For country number three, I decided on Ecuador, where I could visit a friend-of-a-friend in Guayaquil. The next and longest stop would be Chile. I signed on to teach with a study abroad program for a semester in Santiago, where I was sure I could find some interested Austen readers. After that I'd head for Paraguay to stay with another friend-of-a-friend. Even without a connection, who could resist a mysterious, allegedly dangerous place almost nobody can find on a map? For the big finale, I'd spend a month in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I didn't know a soul there, but it seemed fitting that Jane Austen should wrap up her Latin American tour in the city many consider the literary capital of South America.
With five weeks in Antigua under my belt (and plenty of practice), I had a foundation for speaking Spanish. As I read and planned, I could see that each country would be unique, but the five-week language trip offered me a taste of what to expect. I walked the cobbled streets of a colonial Spanish city; I saw looming, active volcanoes; I heard marimba music at midnight; I learned to make my way through Conan the Barbarian stories in Spanish.
Come that May, there wasn't a student on campus more eager than I was to bolt. Was I nervous about spending a year away from family and friends, trying to function in a foreign language I had a tenuous grip on while convincing several dozen people in six different countries to join me for book groups? You bet. Was I excited about the trip anyway? You bet! When classes were done, I packed up my worldly goods and found new homes for my chickens—three Cochins, a white Silkie hen, and Nikolaus-Nikolaus, a strutting Frizzle rooster named after a stern German ancestor. Stopping through in Pennsylvania, I bought my mom a computer so we could use email along with phone calls; she's a worrier. And I visited my father's grave.
One evening a few years back, he'd set down the book he'd been reading and a heart attack took him fast, right there at home with the woman he'd loved for fifty years. The book was a novelization of Casablanca, a film he'd seen repeatedly, so as my dad slipped away, he wasn't even troubled with any nagging questions about how it would all turn out. To me, that's kind of a big deal. Unless I go in my sleep, I fully expect to be dragged off to eternity with at least three half-read books around somewhere, wryly wondering the genre-appropriate version of "Damnation, whodunit?!"
Raised by booklovers, I'll be a booklover 'til the end. In fact, now that I'm back from Latin America, I regret only one thing connected with my year's travels—that my father, the man who built me my first bookshelves, won't get to meet the devoted reader I'm about to marry, someone who played a role in my Austen adventure. Diego from Mexico? Maybe. Maybe not. But I will say this: as Austen fans know, when Austen's in the picture, somebody's going to end up hitched.
My dad would have loved my fiancé's sense of humor and his insight. After I'd returned to the States and was talking to some people about the book groups I'd done, one of them frowned and said, "That was superimposing European literature on those people, you know." The man didn't outright call me a Yankee Imperialist Pig-dog, but that seemed to be the subtext. When I passed this comment on to my fiancé, he was both annoyed and amused.
"Sounds like he's confusing you with the CIA in the 1970s," he said. "So latina cultures are so feeble that we can't enjoy a Jane Austen novel without our literary world collapsing? Somebody needs to learn a bit about Latin America."
Austen was a fan of not making assumptions—of avoiding prejudices—of making sure you're reading a situation (or a person or a place) very carefully. She never set foot outside of England, but what she has to teach about astute reading applies across time, across borders, and even, as I came to learn, across languages.
I wish I could say that I never made any gaffes of my own while traveling, that I never brought too much old baggage to new places or into relationships with people I met. But thanks to bad judgment (and at times, bad Spanish), I wound up in quite a few bonehead situations. Like fleeing from a ghost in a Mexican bookshop—putting a scare, myself, into some unfortunate Ecuadorians in a grocery store—fending off an amorous senior citizen in a Chilean laundry room—and on one stellar occasion, barely escaping a good hard soaking from a police water cannon.
Fate stepped in at times too, independent of my own blunders, to deal some painful surprises. I struggled for months with the most serious illness of my life, much to my poor mother's distress. I made it through—but not all of the smart, warm, incredible new friends I met along the road were still around by the time I reached the end of it.
Yet, as Austen well knew, life's challenges and sorrows help us appreciate what goes right. No amount of stumbling on my part could spoil the pleasures of drinking rooster beer in Guatemala; of floating in the gentle sea at Puerto Vallarta; of feeding a hoard of tame iguanas in an Ecuadorian park; of seeing the snowcapped Andes in Chile; of riding a rocking horse in a Paraguayan nightclub; of watching seductive Argentineans tango on a narrow street in Buenos Aires on a chilly afternoon.
In every country I visited, I had the pleasure of not just learning but living a new language, along with the nerdy fun of browsing bookstore after Spanish-language bookstore. And the Austen reading groups—each so different from the others, each letting me see Austen in surprising, enlightening, amazing new ways. On top of it all, I wound up with a nice old-fashioned happy ending, one that still leaves me and my fiancé marveling at our own dumb luck for having crossed paths in the first place.
It was a wonderful year, mistakes and all. The funny thing is, I made my very biggest mistake before I even hit the road: I set off on my travels thinking of myself as a teacher, just because that's how I earn a living.
So clueless. What a lot I had to learn.
"All this talk of literature brought out so many universal concepts to think about while contrasting cultural perspectives add educational interest. Mix that with the humor, the wonderfu...
"All this talk of literature brought out so many universal concepts to think about while contrasting cultural perspectives add educational interest. Mix that with the humor, the wonderful descriptions, engaging real-life characters, the mysterious disease, the romance and more, and this book makes for an excellent travel adventure." - Long and Short Reviews
"All Roads Lead to Austen provides the reader with clear, colourful and an insightful perspective of life, love, friendship and self discovery, enabled through the love of travel and reading. " - StillReading
" I am starting my summer travels, so a book about extensive traveling also was super-appealing. Luckily, Ms. Smith totally came through." - Caroline Bookbinder
"All Roads Lead to Austen is a wonderful, light, read.
" - A Crowded Bookshelf
"All Roads Lead to Austen has encouraged me to not only get around to reading those last two Austen novels but to also check out more travel literature. This is an interesting read for any Austen or travel fan!
" - Novel Escapes
"As it's always interesting to hear other persons' thoughts and reactions to books that you know and love, it was certainly a treat to read about so many thoughts and insights all at one point in time. I'm now craving a revisit of all of Austen's books." - Once Upon a Bookshelf
"More than a discussion of Jane Austen and her books, All Roads Lead to Austen by Amy Elizabeth Smith is an examination of one woman's journey through other worlds and learning how to go with the flow and find her own happiness in a world that moves blindingly.
" - Savvy Verse & Wit
"Filled with vibrant locations and colorful characters, All Roads Lead to Austen brings Latin America to life with astonishing intensity." - Weatherford Fiction Examiner
"Smith's narrative voice is so personable that it's almost like traveling with a friend (who isn't afraid to fess up to having a bad attitude at times or making snap judgments of people despite what she's learned from Austen's novels). " - Diary of an Eccentric
"If by some chance, you missed your opportunity to study abroad, or have a case of wanderlust – All Roads Lead to Austen is the book for you this summer! Between discussing Jane Austen, exploring new countries, experiencing adventures and mishaps, and finding her own Mr. Darcy – Amy Elizabeth Smith delivers a deeply gratify study that illustrates the universal timelessness and limitless reach of Jane Austen! " - Austenesque Reviews
"Her tale is so fascinating, thought-provoking, and real, I felt as if I were there with her, every step of the way. I cheered at the ending, and so will you.
4.5 out of 5 Regency Stars" - Austenprose
"As a huge Jane Austen fan, I was curious too to hear how readers in other cultures would respond to her works. I found their responses interesting to read." - Palmer's Picks for Reading
"A delightful romp that should appeal to those who appreciate the savvier realms of chick lit." - Kirkus
"An illuminating insight into other cultures and a testament to Jane Austen's relevance in the modern world. Fascinating." - Amanda Grange, bestselling author of Mr Darcy's Diary.
"A journey through both a physical landscape and the geography of the human heart and mind, All Roads Lead to Austen deftly explores the universal themes of Austen's work while telling the story of Smith's own search for understanding, friendship, and, yes, love. Delightfully entertaining and often deeply moving, this book reminds us that Austen's world--and her characters--are very much alive." - Michael Thomas Ford, author of Jane Bites Back
"An Austen-esque journey of a lifetime! The power of Jane Austen recounted through humor, poignancy, adventure, and, naturally, romance. You won't put it down, trust me!" - Sharon Lathan, bestselling author of Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy and other Darcy Saga sequels to Pride and Prejudice
" All Roads Lead to Austen, like the best of Austen's works, features a narrative as thoroughly enjoyable as the lively conversations it contains. The story of her travels - delivered with humor, poignancy, and insight - could stand on its own as an impressive travelogue. But as an Austen lover, I was thrilled to see conversations I've had time and again with fellow fans echoed by people whose lives and cultures are so different from my own. I truly loved this book!" - Amy Patterson, Jane Austen Books, Novelty, OH
"I loved this book! It's Eat, Pray, Love meets The Jane Austen Book Club—an unforgettable journey of the mind and heart. Amy Elizabeth Smith proves that Austen does indeed transcend time, place, and language, and we all have something to learn from her, if we will only listen. Amy's tale is so fascinating, thought-provoking, and real, I felt as if I were there with her, every step of the way. I cheered at the ending, and so will you." - Syrie James, bestselling author of The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen
Length: 8 in
Width: 5.25 in
Weight: 0.00 oz
Page Count: 384 pages
My Account
1935 Brookdale Road | Suite 139
Sign Up for Our Newsletter
Subscribers receive exclusive deals and content every month!
About Sourcebooks
For Readers


text:
Human Resources, Executive Search
About Us
Navigos Group
Navigos Group is a company dedicated to helping people and companies achieve their dreams through our professional recruiting services. Our main portfolio of companies are the leading players in the recruitment industry in Vietnam. The group is comprised of www.VietnamWorks.com, an online recruitment portal and Navigos Search, an executive search firm. Now on our 15th year operating in Vietnam, Navigos Group's greatest asset is the largest and most comprehensive database of Vietnamese professionals. Known for our strong service culture and people-centric management, we have maintained our status as the leading recruiting service in Vietnam since our foundation in 2002. The consistent growth of our company – then a local Vietnamese company, accelerated in 2013 when Navigos Group was acquired by en-Japan, one of the leading recruitment firms in the region.
With over 6 million monthly visits, VietnamWorks is the leading and longest-running job website in Vietnam. We bring fresh jobs every day to 3.5 million registered professionals and provide recruitment solutions to more than 13,000 companies. Our large database of experienced jobseekers and reliable employers is an invaluable asset in Vietnam's competitive recruitment market.
Navigos Search
Navigos Search is the leading provider of executive search services in Vietnam. Our biggest strengths are our experienced and qualified consultants and our comprehensive database. With cutting edge systems and processes shared by En world, we moved up to a new position of strength.


text:
What's love got to do with it? For these 10 couples, everything. Most of them say they knew right away that they'd found "the one," but it's what comes after—the day to day experience of being with someone who bites his nails, leaves dirty clothes outside the hamper, and never turns off any lights in the house—that makes up a true love story. Love, after all, is the reason those things seem pretty insignificant in the big picture. So, yeah, no one has it all figured out, but these sweethearts have come pretty close.
Together three and a half years
Having each been married once before, Aly and Zach say theirs is a love story borne of experience. "We let go of the romanticized notion that 'feelings' are what let you know if someone is the one for you," Aly said. "Of course we feel love for each other, but for us, it was more about recognizing each other's gifts of personality, common desires, values, goals, interests, and attraction that led us to the decision to share our lives together."
Ages: 35
Occupations: Aly is the owner and manager of Aly B. Painting LLC; Zach is the owner and partner of Alloy Workshop.
Do you have kids? An 8-month-old daughter, Morgan Fern.
Married: February 12, 2011 at The Paramount Theater
How did you meet? Through work in 2001.
What's your song? "If I Needed You" by Townes Van Zandt
What's something you like to do together? Cook and eat.
What's been your biggest relationship challenge? Finding time for our own independent interests, within our relationship, while owning businesses and having a young child.
What's your morning routine? Zach takes a morning run, makes coffee, gets Morgan up and brings her and a cup of coffee to Aly. Then he eats breakfast and goes to work. Aly nurses Morgan, checks in with the paint crew, customers, and materials, drinks coffee from Zach, puts Morgan down for her morning nap, has breakfast, and starts the work day.
Who does the cooking? The cleaning? We share both tasks, with Zach more interested in cooking and Aly more interested in cleaning and desserts.
What's the strangest thing you have in common? Neither one of us like artificial fragrances, like dryer sheets or perfume.
What was your first date? We went to Live Arts to see Eurydice, and ran into our fellow band mate from Straight Punch to the Crotch and his wife, and he said we were going to ruin the band by dating each other. Then we went to Kiki for margaritas and ended up talking until closing. It was very low key, uncomplicated, and nice.
What's your best memory together? The moment Morgan was born.
Most embarrassing relationship moment? Zach says, "We had a date planned and I had to call Aly from the ER to postpone because I split my chin open while skateboarding." Aly says, "I unknowingly had too many gin and tonics and puked in my bathroom sink, and Zach dutifully cleaned it up. I had honestly, never in my life, ever drunk so much that I got sick. And at 33 years old, that happened for the first time and I was horrified and Zach was wonderful about it."
What's something you like to do, but your partner doesn't? Zach: Skateboard and camp out in cold weather; Aly: Pedicures.
Together two and a half years
"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love," wrote Robert Fulghum in his book of stories, True Love. For Laura and Andy, no statement could be more true. For instance, the couple says that, when they're not making up tunes for their cats, their current "song" is the theme from "Sealab 2021." Sounds silly, but it works. In fact, getting silly is what Laura says is their favorite thing to do together. "It inevitably happens no matter what we're doing."
Ages: Laura is 34; Andy is 37
Occupations: Laura works for Landers Underwriting and Lynne Goldman Elements; Andy is a GIS Specialist II for Albemarle County
How they met: At work. Laura used to work in Human Resources for Albemarle County Schools, and they had many co-worker friends in common.
What's been your biggest relationship challenge so far? Moving our two households into one, which we're in the middle of now. Luckily, our three cats (Andy's two and Laura's one—all boys) get along.
What's your morning routine? The cats get antsy wanting to be fed and take turns talking at us and jumping on and off the bed. The alarm goes off. Andy opens his eyes and is immediately awake and ready to have a conversation and/or do a song-and-dance routine. Laura abuses the snooze button while wondering how someone can be so flippin' hyper so early and mumbles encouragement at Andy to go feed the cats. Andy returns to awaken Laura by behaving cat-like and leaping onto the bed on all fours. (If Laura is still somehow only half-awake after this, he'll also turn himself into a lamb in the shower, shampooing his hair into lamby ears and lathering up his beard. Seriously.) Laura laughs herself awake because it's impossible not to.
Who does the cooking? The cleaning? We both do some of each. Laura loves to cook and bake and is the more seasoned chef. Andy is more experimental and will come up with some tasty results, often spotlighting the versatility of Old Bay and cumin. The cleaning plan is still being worked out since Laura is in the process of moving in, but we have the litter box schedule down to a science.
What was your first date? Andy's friends in the band Gunchux were opening for J. Roddy Walston and the Business at the Southern on July 28, 2010. Andy asked Laura if she'd like to join him to check out the show and maybe get dinner beforehand, and Laura said she would. We met at Mono Loco for dinner after walking from the Albemarle County Office Building and sat outside on the patio, each ordering a beer and deciding to get an appetizer of the amazing yucca fries and a burrito to split. We sat, sipping beer, talking, and waiting for the appetizer when Laura asked, "So… is this a date? This seems like a date." Andy replied in the affirmative and we clinked beer cans in a toast. Hooray! After dinner, we went along to the show and Andy introduced Laura to his friends; Laura bought a J. Roddy Walston and the Business CD (which we still enjoy) and we walked back to the County Office Building holding hands.
What's something you like to do, but your partner doesn't? Laura: I enjoy having a good cup of joe, but Andy totally abhors coffee (which is actually a blessing, since he already operates on a billion cylinders as soon as he opens his eyes in the morning); Andy: I like to watch superhero cartoons, but Laura isn't as into it as I am, so she goes to make coffee instead.
When did you get the "this is the one" feeling? Laura: Before we decided our first date was a date. Maybe I have the shine, or maybe he just radiates awesome. Either way, I knew; Andy: Any time that we have an open and honest discussion.
What's a habit of your partner's you could do without? Laura: I could do without his immediate energy burst in the morning before my eyes are even open, but it sure beats a leaf blower in the face to get me up and going; Andy: When she kicks me in her sleep.


text:
Identiti2 2 Door Quad
for more information please call us on 0333 772 2055
If ordered by 4pm this product will usually be available for delivery in the UK using a tracked delivery service as above
Identiti2 2 Door Quad Features:
Height: 1900mm
6mm Toughened Glass
Concealed Fittings
High Quality Chrome Designer Handles
Power Shower Suitable
Quick release doors
Magnetic closing
Lifetime Guarantee
With 6mm glass, this shower door is made to last. At Designer Bathroom Concepts, we pride ourselves on supplying you with only the best products possible, and one of the criteria is durability.
If you are refurbishing your bathroom, please feel free to contact our expert team. We offer everything from quotes to 3D drawings. We dedicate ourselves to providing an outstanding service to please every customer. You can rest assured that you are trusting in highly experienced hands.
Be the first to ask a question about this product.
Please complete the below form and a member of our expert team will respond to your enquiry as quickly as possible. Thank you.
Enter your name and address below to receive our exclusive Designer Bathroom Concepts brochure in the post.
* Not valid in conjunction with any other offer
Other brands eligible for additional discounts include:


text:
Bikini Corner
Home | Surf Breaks | Surf Report | Before you Go
Advertise On Bikini Corner
Bikini Corner is a weekly update of hot sexy women showing off there stuff in the lastest swimwear. Bikini Corner was created by girls sending us photos of them in bikinis. Everyday hundreds of surfers view Bikini Corner in fact Bikini Corner is the second most visited page on Bajasurfbreaks, after the homepage of course.
If you are looking to promote your business there is no better page to advertise on then Bikin Corner. For information on sponsering this page or to promote your business here contact us >>
Baja Surfing - Mexico Surfing - Mexican Insurance - Baja Directory - Surf Report - Surf Forecast - Bikini Photos - Surf Directory - Bikinis
Mexico Insurance - Mexican
Auto Insurance - Mexico Auto Insurance - Driving
In Mexico - Mexico Travel Insurance
- Terms - Advertising
- Customer Care - Directory
- Sitemap
© COPYRIGHT 2005 BAJASURFBREAKS.COM / All Rights Reserverd


text:
Phone service is vital to your business. When your telephone service fails, your business shuts down. That's why you can't trust your business communications to the aging infrastructure of landline telephone networks.
Network Computing Group offers a more reliable and economical way to communicate.
We'll show you how to cut your dependence on old telephone lines and use the high-speed dependability of an internet connection. Among dozens of other serious business-boost advantages, Hosted VoIP & Hosted PBX systems save you money on long-distance calls. Want more benefits? What about pro features like…
Wouldn't you like to be able to work from your cell phone – without long distance cell phone charges – from anywhere in the world?
Your monthly rate stays the same regardless of how many calls you make, or where you're calling to or from (even internationally). You could work from the beach house, and your customers would have that professional office extension experience when they call.
Isn't that slick?
Still want a standard desk phone?
No problem! Our standard desk phones are anything but standard! Look at all these features!
Think about what VoIP phones could mean for your traveling or work-from-home employees…
Why pay for telephone equipment that will soon be obsolete? We will deploy virtual phones so that you can use any internet-capable device as a phone!
Planning on hiring and growing the company? No problem!
Our service is scalable! – Expand or reduce your service with a few clicks as your needs change.
Our service requires no commitment! – Pay on a monthly basis with no long-term contracts to tie you down.
Leverage the benefits of Internet-based telephony and say goodbye to outdated phone system hassles.
Call (540) 400-7358 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com to get a VoIP system from NCG IT Solutions!


text:
Find Pre-Owned Cars in Calgary
Quality Pre-Owned
Brasso's inventory is full of vehicles of the highest quality, reconditioned by our team of Certified Service Technicians to ensure each and every vehicle meets or exceeds manufacturer standards. And many of these vehicles come with CarProof Vehicle History Reports detailing the vehicles' previous ownership experiences, so you'll be able to rest assured that your new vehicle has always been in good hands. We consistently update our pre-owned inventory with models for sale, like pre-owned Nissan Rogues, Muranos, Pathfinders, Titans, and Frontiers.
Let's get to it! Start browsing Brasso Nissan's massive Pre-Owned Vehicles Inventory of pre-owned vehicles in Calgary. And if you'd like to visit us in-person, click here to get our location or contact us!


text:
Regular price $115.00
- Earrings are 4.75 inches long.
- Materials: Bronze, ear wires, black leather and bronze ink.
Edgy yet playful, these sleek dangle earrings are so fun to wear. The short rectangle frame is handcrafted with Yellow Bronze and finished with soft black leather fringe accented with bronze ink splatters for a touch of shimmer.


text:
How much sugar is in breakfast cereal?
The majority (68%) of breakfast cereals contain 8 grams or less of total sugars per 40g serve.1 Of those, 17 per cent, or 77 breakfast cereals, are low in sugar containing 2g or less of total sugars per 40g serve. 1
It's important to remember, half of all breakfast cereals (55%) and most (83%) of mueslis contain fruit, which is a significant contributor to their total sugars content. 1
What is the Glycemic Index?
Glycemic Index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrate in foods based on the rate it breaks down in the intestine, is absorbed into the bloodstream and metabolised inside our bodies. It is not necessary to eat only low GI foods. Aim to eat at least one low GI carbohydrate containing food at each meal and base snacks on low GI foods.
For breakfast you can:
- choose low GI breakfast cereals.
- choose breakfast cereals based on traditional oats, psyllium or bran.
- eat breakfast cereals along with low GI foods like milk, yoghurt, and fruit to help lower the overall GI of your breakfast meal.
Contact the manufacturer to check the GI of your favourite breakfast cereals.
How much salt is in breakfast cereal?
Breakfast cereals contribute only a minor amount of the salt we eat. In fact recent data2,36,27 shows breakfast cereals contribute at most, about 2% of Australians total sodium intake.
Salt (sodium chloride) is sometimes added to breakfast cereals to enhance the flavour and texture. Australian manufacturers have been gradually reducing the salt content of breakfast cereals for more than two decades4 A recent independent audit of the breakfast cereal category found of the 468 breakfast cereals on supermarket shelves, the majority (65%) are low in sodium containing 120mg of sodium per 100g or less and almost all products (96%) contain 400mg of sodium or less per 100g. 1
If you have a medically prescribed low sodium diet, we recommend seeking specialist advice on low sodium breakfast cereals from an Accredited Practising Dietitian.
How important is fibre and wholegrain breakfast cereal?
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend adults aged 19-70 eat at least 4-6 serves of grain or cereal foods every day. Aim to make at least half of your grain foods wholegrain or higher fibre choices (i.e. 2-3 serves per day). Choose wholegrain or high fibre breakfast cereals and breakfast cereals with oats, barley or bran.
You also have room for some of refined grain foods each day – choose nutrient dense options – breakfast cereals are a great example.
How do I know which breakfast cereal right for me?
If you are sensitive to particular grain foods, it's important to get professional advice on which grains foods are best for you.
It is important to keep eating grain foods because they:
- are nutrient dense, and provide important dietary fibre
- help protect your health, and
- may also assist with satiety and weight management.
For information about breakfast cereal and allergies, gluten-free foods, food intolerances or irritable bowel syndrome, we recommend seeking the advice of an Accredited Practising Dietitian.
Is breakfast cereal good for weight loss?
Breakfast cereal is a great way to start the day if you are keeping an eye on your weight. People who eat breakfast cereal are more likely to be slimmer and have a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) than breakfast skippers or people who eat other breakfast foods.5,7,8
When you are trying to lose weight and eating fewer kilojoules, it's also important to make every mouthful count by choosing nutrient dense foods like breakfast cereal that provide plenty of vitamins, minerals and fibre in a small number of kilojoules. 1, 8-12
Eating breakfast cereal as a meal or snack replacement has also been shown to assist with weight loss. 5
Is breakfast cereal high in fat?
Breakfast cereals are typically low in fat.1,6,9,10 Ingredients in breakfast cereals that can contribute to the fat content include wholegrains, nuts, seeds, and occasionally added fat.
How do I avoid artificial colours and flavours in my breakfast cereal?
You can select Australian-made breakfast cereals without artificial colours and flavours or with only natural colours and flavours. Contact the manufacturer to check the colours and flavours in your favourite breakfast cereals.
However, if you have a medically prescribed diet that requires avoiding specific food colours or flavours (either natural or artificial) we recommend you seek expert advice from an Accredited Practising Dietitian on which breakfast cereals that are best for you.
Does breakfast cereal include GMO ingredients?
Most manufacturers aim to use non-GMO ingredients wherever possible. Contact the manufacturer to check your favourite brand of breakfast cereal if you have any questions about GMOs.


text:
- This event has passed.
Magnolia Art Studio Classes
October 30 @ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 10:30 am on Wednesday, repeating until December 18, 2019
The Drop in and Paint Group meets on Thursdays from 10.30 until noon. Cost: $10 includes materials.
Don't forget that if you and your friends and family would like to participate in a "Cork and Chroma" event (eg Paint night) I can conduct these here at the studio or bring it to you.
Good news!
Anyone who takes classes with me is entitled to a 10% discount at Island Blue Art Store in Sidney. MORE INFORMATION


text:
Tina – Hair Stylist and Manager
Hi my name is Tina, I run Diamond Cut and i've been a Qualified Hair Stylist for over 10 years now. I am Toni and Guy Trained and have gained the Tigi Advanced Cutting Certificate. I am also Qualified in Bridal Hair, Hairaisers, and Great Lengths Hair Extensions.
If you would like any advice and a free consultation please get in touch to book an appointment
Clair– Advanced Color Technician/Senior Stylist
My name is Clair, I have recently started working Part-time with Diamond Cut, I qualified with Toni & Guy as an Advanced Color Technician,
I also love cutting and bridal hair. My passion is creating the perfect hairstyle for you so you won't be disappointed.
Please get in touch if you wish to book an appointment with me.


text:
Country: Turkey
City: Beysehir/Konya
Address: Haci Armagan Mah Mezarustu Sk No 13 Beysehir-Konya/Turkey
Phone: +905323947776
Percentage of exports : 80%
Website: www.hayexguns.com
|Catagory:Security Sub-categories: Light Arms
|We can verify that Hayexguns has been registered with ExportBureau
from 10/04/2007 to today 06/12/2019 for a period of 12 years and 242 days.
|Report this company
Thank you ! We have sent your message.
The mid-market rates shown here are neither "buy" rates nor "sell" rates. Mid-market rates are derived from mid-point between the buy and sell rates of large-value transactions in the global currency markets. Actual ExportBureau member rates are often better.
|This report should be used only as a guide to build a more informed opinion on potential international trading partners.
click here to update this company information


text:
Compromise of 1850
Divisions over slavery in territory gained in the Mexican-American (1846-48). War were resolved in the Compromise of 1850. It consisted of laws admitting California as a free state, creating Utah and New Mexico territories with the question of slavery in each to be determined by popular sovereignty, settling a Texas-New Mexico boundary dispute in the former's favor, ending the slave trade in Washington, D.C., and making it easier for southerners to recover fugitive slaves.
The compromise was the last major involvement in national affairs of Senators Henry Clay of Kentucky, Daniel Webster of Massachusetts, and John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, all of whom had had exceptional careers in the Senate. Calhoun died the same year, and Clay and Webster two years later.
At first, Clay introduced an omnibus bill covering these measures. Calhoun attacked the plan and demanded that the North cease its attempts to limit slavery. By backing Clay in a speech delivered on March 7, Webster antagonized his onetime abolitionist supporters. Senator William H. Seward of New York opposed compromise and earned an undeserved reputation for radicalism by claiming that a "higher law" than the Constitution required the checking of slavery. President Zachary Taylor opposed the compromise, but his death on July 9 made procompromise vice president Millard Fillmore of New York president. Nevertheless, the Senate defeated the omnibus bill.
Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois then split the omnibus proposal into individual bills so that congressmen could abstain or vote on each, depending on their interests. They all passed, and Fillmore signed them. The compromise enabled Congress to avoid sectional and slavery issues for several years.
The Reader's Companion to American History. Eric Foner and John A. Garraty, Editors. Copyright © 1991 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
The groundbreaking series reimagined. ROOTS premieres Memorial Day at 9/8c on HISTORY.


text:
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Cutting Down the Forest To Chase Away the Hookers
The Italian town of Abruzzo has a problem with sex for sale. As far as I can tell from this story, hookers hang out in the woods in Abruzzo and "sell their wares". The regional government of Abruzzo came up with a brilliant solution to this age old problem - cut down the forest! Abso-damn-lutely brilliant! Brilliant for a bunch of dumbasses. Let's apply this story to the US. What will happen to the unlicensed hookers in Nevada? Will the Nevada state government grow trees in the desert to rid it of prostitutes? Or will they take the hookers to the woods in Nevada then cut sown the forest to rid it of prostitutes? Or maybe the city of Las Vegas will choose to implode all the hotels in the city, then haul the hookers out to the woods, then cut down the forest to rid it of whores! How could anybody argue with such logic? Another question pops up here. Will the hookers get unemployment insurance? And will the whores in the Obama administration count these as jobs saved or created? Or will the whores in Nevada get jobs in the White House? The possibilities are endless.
At least the hookers in Italy and Vegas screw only one guy at a time, while Obama and his cadre of dumbasses screw the whole damn country.
Written by Unknown at 3:29:00 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Hiatal Hernia
What is a hiatal hernia?
A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of the stomach pushes through an opening in the diaphragm and into the chest cavity. The diaphragm is the thin muscle wall that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen. The opening in the diaphragm is where the esophagus and stomach join.
Who is at risk for developing a hiatal hernia?
A hiatal hernia can develop in people of all ages and both sexes, although it frequently occurs in people age 50 and older. Hiatal hernia occurs more often in overweight people and smokers.
What causes a hiatal hernia?
The most common cause of a hiatal hernia is an increase in pressure in the abdominal cavity. (The abdomen consists of the lower part of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, and bladder.) Pressure can come from coughing, vomiting, straining during a bowel movement, heavy lifting, or physical strain. Pregnancy, obesity, or extra fluid in the abdomen can also lead to a hiatal hernia.
Increased pressure in the abdomen (arrows) causes part of the stomach to push through the diaphragm and into the chest cavity.
What are the symptoms of hiatal hernia?
Many people with a hiatal hernia never have symptoms. Some people with hiatal hernia have some of the same symptoms as gastroesophageal reflex disease (GERD). GERD occurs when digestive juices move from the stomach back into the esophagus. Symptoms of GERD include:
- Heartburn
- Bitter or sour taste in the back of the throat
- Bloating and belching
- Discomfort or pain in the stomach or esophagus
Although there appears to be a link between hiatal hernia and GERD, one condition does not seem to cause the other. Many people have a hiatal hernia without having GERD, and others have GERD without having a hiatal hernia.
Another symptom of a hiatal hernia is chest pain. Since chest pain can also be a symptom of a heart attack, it's important to contact your doctor or go to the emergency room if you experience any chest pain.


text:
By PEGGY AULISIO
By PEGGY AULISIO
FAIRHAVEN — The town's Department of Public Works received an innovation award Jan. 22 for its new digester wastewater treatment facility, which is under construction on Arsene Street. The award was presented at a meeting of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
The award is called the Kenneth E. Pickard Memorial Innovation Award in honor of Mr. Pickard, who was the executive secretary of the Massachusetts League of Cities and Towns from 1969 to 1973.
It is given to municipalities "for formulating new approaches to solving problems and delivering services."
The new digester is being built with $7.9 million in federal stimulus money. It converts sewer sludge to biogas that can be used to generate heat and electricity.
The grant money also covers the cost of three solar-power installations at DPW buildings and upgrades to increase energy efficiency at the town's pump station.
The wastewater treatment plant in Fairhaven accounts for about one third of the town's energy budget. The new digester is expected to reduce those costs by generating heat and electricity for the wastewater plant. It also reduces the amount of sludge that has to be shipped to Rhode Island for disposal.
Once it is completed, the town anticipates that it will save $300,000 annually while offsetting 200 tons of carbon dioxide.


text:
We like to say that we create our offspring, but do we really? Dont we just supply the material; and the conditions need to be right in order for creation to occur, we dont really create them, do we?
If a tree bears fruit and a piece of fruit falls to the ground and is subsequently eaten by an animal, and this animal eventually defecates and the seeds survive, the chances of a new tree springing to life is high. What created the fruit tree? Was it created based on the conditions or does it owe it's existence to the animal?
From within the universe we can observe new stars forming all the time, and we dont yet understand the mechanisms that are involved when a new star forms, but we do know that there needs to be a certain amount of gas and material present in order for star formation to occur, there doesnt appear to be a creator involved. Is a creator necessary?
Creationist like to point to the idea that the universe was designed with the intent for life to occur, but yet, when we look out into the universe there doesnt appear to be a lot of prospects for planets that are habitable to life. To me this would support the idea that the universe wasnt designed with the intent of life to exist, but that our planet is a result of randomness and conditions that were right for life to occur.
Time is a measuring tool; we will never be able to say what was in the extremely distant past, no more so than we can say what we were before we existed.
We are asked to have faith that what religions profess is true. Often believers ignore details that they wouldnt ignore otherwise, why is this? I contend that believers are conditioned to believe by others, influenced by those that they trust the most and are afraid to disappoint, to the point that they will supplant logic with faith.
Every religion has had its time for people to accept and worship it. We are now in a time of enlightenment and information; why have faith, when we can use logic? Has the time finally arrived when religions of old will give way to a new way of thinking and understanding? What consequences would we encounter if we allowed old beliefs to drift away with the passage of time? Just like everything else, religions and faith have a beginning and an end.


text:
Friday Recap: From Penguin 4.0 to Facebook at Work to Snap without the Chat
Facebook at Work, Snapchat without the the Chat, Google Penguin 4.0 goes mainstream, LinkedIn rolls out Lydia.com partnership and Instagram...Continue Reading
Facebook at Work, Snapchat without the the Chat, Google Penguin 4.0 goes mainstream, LinkedIn rolls out Lydia.com partnership and Instagram...Continue Reading
The second installment to Google's Mobile Friendly update has been rolled out. Will it be Mobilegeddon 2?...Continue Reading
Google is so dominant in our search market that content marketers need to keep a close eye on any algorithm...Continue Reading
Aussie and Kiwi sites brace themselves for Google's mobile-friendly update with up to 40 per cent of sites facing a...Continue Reading
Google's planned algorithm update to favour mobile-friendly sites in searches on mobile devices will be bigger than Panda and Penguin,...Continue Reading
As the steady global rollout of Penguin 3.0 continues, search and content strategist Trent Paul provides the lowdown on what...Continue Reading
How to use high value content Click for free downloadAt the beginning of this month, Google's Webmaster Trends Analyst Gary Illyes...Continue Reading
"Delight" - not a word that springs to mind when you think of a new algorithm update, but that's what...Continue Reading
Google's recent focus on improving local search has not only given consumers more relevant results, it has also given small...Continue Reading
Online marketing has transformed significantly over the past few years. Brands now have to prove their legitimacy and value to...Continue Reading


text:
- Font:
- +
- -
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Even some rugged tunnel smugglers who profit from Gaza's blockaded borders say they'd rather import legally through open crossings than risk Israeli bombing raids and shaft collapses.
As the world's top diplomats gathered in neighboring Egypt on Monday and pledged more than $4.4 billion for war-ravaged Gaza, ordinary people here — from the smugglers to housewives and shopkeepers — clamored for open borders, not handouts.
"I want a cease-fire and open borders. Crossings are better than tunnels," said 22-year-old Abu Mahmoud, leaning over a tunnel shaft as workers below tried to clear a 100-meter stretch that had collapsed under a recent Israeli air strike.
Opportunity to review Gaza policy
The donors' conference in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik also offered a rare opportunity for the international community to review its Gaza policy. The closure of Gaza, imposed by Israel and Egypt after the violent Hamas takeover of the territory in June 2007, failed to topple the Islamic militants. Instead, it deepened poverty and fostered militancy.
During it's three-week military offensive in Gaza, Israel stopped short of trying to bring down Hamas. With the militants still in power, but Israel leaving considerable destruction in its wake, donor countries now have to find a way to rebuild Gaza.
International aid officials have said reconstruction is only possible with open borders.
However, Israel and Egypt have set conditions, including a complicated prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas, and reconciliation between Hamas and its moderate West Bank rivals, led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
At the upscale Delice Cafe in Gaza City, speeches from the conference were broadcast live on a TV in the corner Monday, but patrons didn't pay much attention.
"I don't think we can derive hope from such a meeting," said civil engineering student Wassim Jaradat, 24, sitting at a table with two friends and sipping cappuccino. "I don't think any immediate results will be seen on the ground."
Thousands of homes destroyed, damaged
The Israeli offensive destroyed or damaged some 15,000 homes, according to Palestinian estimates. At the conference, Abbas was seeking at least $2.8 billion in new aid, asking that most of it be funneled through his government. Nearly doubled that amount was pledged, and Palestinian Planning Minister Samir Abdullah deemed the conference a success.
In Gaza City, car parts dealer Nayef Masharawi, 60, said he was encouraged by the fact that top officials were meeting at all to talk about Gaza's future. He said the blockade has been bad for business, noting that a gallon of Egyptian motor oil bought from tunnel smugglers costs nearly twice as much as the superior product he used to import from Israel. His last shipment from Israel arrived in May 2007, a month before the Hamas takeover.
The elderly shopkeeper said he had fond memories of the 1970s when he would drive from Gaza City to his Mercedes supplier in the Israeli port city of Haifa, without borders or checkpoints.
Housewife Sulafa Ayyad said she followed the donors' conference on TV, hoping for new leads on claiming compensation for damage to her two-story home in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood.
The house, built with savings from her husband Ibrahim's years as a laborer in Israel, had been hit by bullets and shrapnel during the Israeli offensive.
Ayyad, 33, said that so far, the family had received only $200 from a neighborhood welfare committee. She said there was some confusion over whether the family should get emergency aid from the Hamas government or a U.N. aid agency for refugees.
"I am so glad that the world supports us, but I voice my hope that all the promises and pledges will reach the people who were affected by the war," she said. "I am one of them, but until this minute, they fed us only words, not deeds."
Reporting to work in the tunnels
Gaza's desperation is perhaps most keenly felt in the border town of Rafah, near Egypt, where hundreds of young men report to work every day in smuggling tunnels.
Since the Dec. 27 start of the Israeli offensive, going underground has turned into a suicide mission. Israeli warplanes keep bombing tunnels, even after the Jan. 18 cease-fire, because smugglers bring in not only consumer goods, but also weapons and cash for Hamas. On Sunday, five tunnel workers died when a tunnel collapsed from heavy rains.
Yet, there are few jobs to be had in a bleak economy.
A 25-year-old tunnel digger, who would only give his name as Abu Bashar, said he goes to work even if there've been air strikes that day. He is drawn by danger pay of $300, compared to the normal salary of $100 for a quiet day.
He proudly pulled his four-day pay of $1,000 — a wad of hundred-dollar bills — from his pants pocket. He shrugged off the dangers, saying he is newly married and has to pay off a $7,000 loan for his home.
One of the tunnel diggers was Ahmed Abu Samhadaneh, 20, a second-year university student. He had supported his parents and seven siblings with tunnel work for the past year, as the only breadwinner. Abu Samhadaneh was killed in Sunday's tunnel collapse.
His shaken father Issam, standing next to Ahmed's freshly dug grave Sunday, blamed the greed of his son's employer and the blockade. "If the border was open, my son would still be alive today, and he wouldn't have to go work in the tunnels," he said.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Planning on replacing your floor? Great.
There are many flooring options that you can choose from but if you want the best flooring for your home, choose timber flooring. There are many reasons why timber flooring is a wise choice. This includes:
- Unmatched beauty
- Stylish
- Elegance ensured
- Healthy – great for allergy suffers
The best thing about timber flooring, is it never goes out of style. Its timeless charm can make your home a beauty to behold!
Warmth and style with timber flooring
Isn't it nice living in a home with a stylish flooring? Your friends will envy you and most of all, your home will look beautiful. Timber floors can transform any room into something elegant and stylish. Timber flooring provides warmth and a sense of style – something that no other flooring option is able to give.
Why is this? Timber flooring is great because each piece is unique in terms of its texture and grain, making a truly unique product. The wide range of options for timber flooring also means that there are different colours to choose from, a feature that can be further enhanced by stains and finishes.
If you have decided that timber is the right flooring option for your home, here are some things that you need to consider when it comes to choosing the perfect timber for your home:
- Colour
- Grade
- Hardness
- Board width
Why choose timber flooring?
Why choose timber flooring because it is perfect for your home. Transform your home into something beautiful, stylish and with a touch of class, choose timber flooring now.
For your timber flooring needs, contact West Coast Timbers. We have a wide range of different timbers for you to choose from and will even cut it for you! You can choose the exact logs that your new floor will be cut from. Ring us now on 08 9720 2561 and let's discuss your flooring needs.