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Christmas at the Cabin
A Quaker-style cottage in the Pocono Mountains makes an ideal second home, especially at the holidays.
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As soon as school is dismissed for the holidays, Brandon Winfrey and Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey pack their car, corral the kids and the family dog, and head north from their Washington, D.C., home to the peaceful Pocono Mountains. The SUV's festive cargo—wrapped packages, bags of groceries (most likely some gourmet cheeses and a prime rib), and treats like Grandma Cissy's toffee—is bound for a weeklong celebration at the family's century-old home in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Brandon and Shazalynn were visiting friends a few years ago in Buck Hill Falls when they spotted an abandoned house with shingle siding and a crow's-nest attic. The 1905 house was one of many solid and simple cottages built by Philadelphia Quakers at the turn of the 20th century as part of a summer community.
"It had been uninhabited for 10 years, so it was completely falling apart," Shazalynn says. "Carpenter ants had destroyed the lower level; they were eating the house from the bottom up." But she and Brandon were charmed nonetheless.
They aren't Quakers, but they could certainly relate to the original owner's need for a quiet retreat. "We were so enchanted by the feeling here. Life is so relaxed and simple and so different from life in D.C., which is a real pressure cooker," says Shazalynn, an interior designer and mother of Grace, 12, and Cavin Reed, 10.
Despite its condition, the house was loaded with charm—original heart-pine walls, floors and ceilings, stone fireplaces, wooden doorknobs, claw-foot tubs, and corner sinks in the bedrooms. "That's why we fell in love with it," Shazalynn says. "Especially Brandon. He really loved it." Retaining those old-fashioned elements and cabin-like feel was the primary goal of the couple as they worked with a contractor long-distance over a period of 18 months.
The house is particularly well suited to cozy Christmas celebrations centered on family and food. "I love to cook and spend a lot of time in that kitchen," says Shazalynn, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. The aromas of beef tenderloin and Yorkshire pudding mix with the fragrance of a freshly cut blue spruce Christmas tree. Mugs of hot chocolate and mulled cider (with a shot of rum for the adults) are sipped in front of the living room's massive stone fireplace, decked with greens, poinsettias, and paperwhites.
"It was important to us and to the family we bought the house from that we didn't 'demoralize'—for lack of a better word—the structure," Shazalynn says. "Too often, people go into an old house and put in marble countertops or something. This house was built in 1905, and this is what it wanted to be—simple and honest."
The cedar shakes, many of which had to be replaced, were stained a lichen green in keeping with the wooded setting. Original rustic beamed-and-coffered ceilings were left exposed and unpainted.
In the new kitchen, buffalo-check curtains in chocolate and cream serve as "doors" for lower cabinets, and silver birch logs support shelves above the butcherblock countertops.
While Brandon and Shazalynn agreed on retaining the house's rugged charms, they parted ways on how true to the original they had to be. "My husband is a purist. If he had his way, we would have kept all the wood walls dark," Shazalynn says. "But the ceilings were already stained wood, and I needed more light. An entirely brown house is not exactly exciting." They compromised, painting the beadboard walls in the dining room and kitchen and leaving the wood walls natural in the living room and some bedrooms. Kitchen and dining room ceilings were enclosed and painted as well, so ceiling light fixtures and fans could be installed.
With the house containing about 5,000 square feet, there was no need for an addition, but rooms were reconfigured. The lower-level kitchen and dining area (down to a dirt floor, thanks to the carpenter ants) was converted into a light-filled and comfortable family room with a new slate floor. The house is built into a slope, and the lower level has large windows (all new but designed to look original) that connect it to the outdoors.
The kitchen and dining room were moved to the main level in a space that had been two bedrooms linked by a closet. Upstairs, two more bedrooms were combined to create a master suite with a sleeping area and an adjoining sitting room with a fireplace.
Shazalynn furnished the home with antiques and straightforward upholstered pieces in neutral hues drawn from the environment. "This project was really driven by the clarity of the original structure," Shazalynn says. "It was a conscious decision to make sure everything in the house was very crisp and clean-lined. Oversized slipcovered sofas, for example, would have diminished the architecture of the house."
In the living room, a pair of buff-colored sofas face a square coffee table made of reclaimed wood, a favorite place for the family board games. A woods-inspired palette of lichen green, bark, and ivory tones runs throughout the house, with hints of blue in the bedrooms. "I really tried to integrate the outside into the interiors. As you get to the upper levels, there is more pale blue, the color of the sky, and the family room on the lower level has more greens, like the plantings outside," Shazalynn explains.
Pillows and accessories, such as Shazalynn's collections—old needlepoint samplers, quilts, Majolica, and Delft plates—add carefully measured color accents. "My husband didn't want too much color in the house, " Shazalynn says. "So instead I have pattern."
Red makes an appearance during the holidays when Shazalynn replaces neutral lampshades with rosy-colored ones, and red patterned pillows add doses of Christmas cheer.
In the dining room, under a twig "branchelier" adorned with shimmering snowflakes, holiday dinners are both casual and festive. White birch-log side chairs with leather seats and host chairs covered in a fabric patterned with a woodland motif add to the room's rustic feel.
The Winfreys often invite their Buck Hill Falls neighbors to help celebrate Christmas Eve. After dinner, each person fills out a card describing something they are grateful for. The cards are placed in a bowl, and the fun commences as the cards are drawn and everyone tries to match people with their notes of gratitude.
The original Quaker builders would most likely be grateful that such a joyful exercise occurs under their humble roof.
Interior designer: Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey, SCW Interiors, 228 S. Washington St., Suite B20, Alexandria, VA 22314; 703/549-2449, scwinteriors.com.
Photography: John Bessler
Produced by Eileen A. Deymier
Round table by window: Crate & Barrel, 800/996-9960, crateandbarrel.com.
Chairs at table (custom): SCW Interiors, 703/549-2449, scwinteriors.com.
Chair fabric ("Astrid"/Raison #9654B-S0822): Stroheim, 800/763-0524, stroheim.com.
Roman shades ("Lore"): Robert Allen, 800/333-3777, robertallendesign.com.
Fan: Hunter, 888/830-136, hunterfan.com.
Sofas (custom): SCW Interiors, 703/549-2449, scwinteriors.com.
Sofa fabric (discontinued): Robert Allen, 800/333-3777, robertallendesign.com.
Drapery ("Contessa"/Multi Turquoise, Orange, Olive #HC1270T-01, by Home Couture): Quadrille, 212/753-2995, quadrillefabrics.com.
Area rug ("Sun Sisal"/Sunlight): Sisal Rugs Direct, 888/613-1335, sisalrugs.com.
Paint ("Navajo White" #OC-95): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Living Room Details
Candy canes hung in tin cones lend a nostalgic holiday touch to the Christmas tree.
Living Room
The mantel of the original stone fireplace is decorated with greens, Christmas flowers, and a mirror framed with pinecones. Heart-pined beamed ceilings lend textural interest while adding height to the space.
Coffee table: Sundance Catalog, 800/422-2770, sundancecatalog.com.
Amaryllis throw pillow; bird throw pillow: Pottery Barn, 800/922-5507, potterybarn.com.
Striped pillow: John Robshaw Textiles, 212/594-6006, johnrobshaw.com.
Red-and-white quilted pillow in corner: antique.
Floor lamp and shade ("Bryant" #TOB1002, by Thomas O'Brien): Circa Lighting, 877/762-2323, circalighting.com.
Lampshade trim ("Cabana Ribbed Border"/Cardinal): Samuel & Sons, 212/704-8000, samuelandsons.com.
Side table: antique.
Pinecone mirror over mantel (custom): SCW Interiors, 703/549-2449, scwinteriors.com.
Large urn with poinsettias by mantel: Wisteria, 800/767-5490, wisteria.com.
Decor is simple and much of it handmade, such as felt angels and snowflakes on an evergreen wreath.
Stone Post
The front of the house is landscaped with stacked-stone walls and a pair of tall address posts flanking the driveway.
The 1905 structure was refurbished with new windows and stained cedar-shingle siding. While the stone walls needed to be rebuilt, the stone chimneys were in good condition.
Paint: custom stain.
Trim paint ("Navajo White" #OC-95): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Winter Décor Details
Festive deer decorations roam on the front porch.
Family Portrait
Interior designer Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey, her husband Brandon Winfrey, and children Cavin Reed and Grace, with Skylar, their standard poodle, celebrate Christmas at the family's renovated home in Buck Hill Falls, Pennsylvania.
Light Fixture
A rustic lantern with seeded glass provides a warm glow by the front door.
Lantern (by Smith & Hawken): discontinued.
Dining Room
Candelabra lights glow through branches of a twig chandelier from Deanna Wish Designs. To brighten the room, formerly dark-stained paneling was painted a soft cream. Lee Jofa "Deer" fabric was used for draperies and the host chairs.
Table (antique): Banana Tree, 571/212-0065, bananatreeimports.com.
Host chairs (custom); chair-seat fabric (SCW Private Label leather); birch log side chairs (custom); side-chair seat fabric (La Lune leather): SCW Interiors, 703/549-2449, scwinteriors.com.
Drapery, host-chair fabric, sides and back ("Deer"/Seafoam, discontinued): Lee Jofa, 800/453-3563, leejofa.com.
Chandelier ("Manchester Twig Chandelier"): Deanna Wish Designs, 724/598-7793, deannawish.com.
Wall paint ("Navajo White" #OC-95): ceiling and trim paint ("Atrium White"): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Floor (natural heart of pine): original to house.
China cabinet (Rosewood): vintage.
Green leaf dishes in cabinet: Bordallo Pinherio.
Remaining accessories in cabinet: Halls, 888/425-5722, halls.com.
Dining Room Details
Shazalynn displays colorful Majolica dishes in a glass-front cabinet. "Most of the dishes are reproduction, but they're still fun to use."
For the holidays, Shazalynn sets a festive table with Christmas dishes and ornaments in complementary cool blues.
Bear centerpiece: owner's collection.
Dining Room Details
Glittery glass pinecones hang on the backs of the dining room's birch-log side chairs.
Beadboard walls and buffalo-check curtains on lower cabinets give the room a vintage feel.
Cabinets (custom): Bramley's Custom Cabinets, 570/629-0565.
Cabinet finish ("Navajo White" #OC-95); wall paint, bottom ("Navajo White" #OC-95); wall paint, top, ceiling and trim paint ("Atrium White"): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Countertops (Butcher Block): Bramley's Custom Cabinets, 570/629-0565.
Open shelves: custom with birch limbs as support.
Sink ("Hawthorne Apron-Front Sink" #K-6534-4U): Kohler, 800/456-4537, kohler.com.
Faucet ("High Swivel Kitchen Faucet" #70023044, discontinued): Van Dyke's Restorers, 800/558-1234, vandykes.com.
Gingham skirt on cabinets ("Montauk Check" #3352021, color discontinued): Schumacher, 800/523-1200, fschumacher.com.
Range (Pro Series, Elite); range hood (Pro Series Elite): Kenmore, kenmore.com.
Red pot: Le Creuset, lecreuset.com.
Green pots and accessories (Martha Stewart Collection): Macy's, macys.com.
Green accessories: owner's collection.
Red-and-white teapot: Williams-Sonoma, 800/541-2233, williams-sonoma.com.
Dishwasher: KitchenAid, 800/422-1230, kitchenaid.com.
Refrigerator: Kenmore, 888/536-6673, kenmore.com.
Rug ("Sun Sisal"/Sunlight): Sisal Rugs Direct, 888/613-1335, sisalrugs.com.
Candy Tray
Bowls of candies are set out for Cavin Reed and Grace to create holiday gingerbread houses.
Kitchen Details
Birch-log supports on the kitchen's custom shelves lend rustic charm and brings a dose of the wilderness indoors.
"I love the kitchen," says homeowner and designer Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey. "The look fits the old cottage and the setting. It isn't big, but there's room for a lot of people and plenty of cooking and baking."
Grace, 12, and Cavin Reed, 10, concentrate on their gingerbread creations.
Breakfast Nook
A curved-back settee paired with an antique table creates a cozy place in the kitchen for morning coffee or holiday treats. Floral window shades from Clarence House match the brown gingham of the sophisticated settee.
Table: antique.
Settee (custom): SCW Interiors, 703/549-2449, scwinteriors.com.
Settee fabric ("Montauk Check" #3352021, colorway discontinued): Schumacher, 800/523-1200, fschumacher.com.
Window shades ("La Flora Danica"/Brown. discontinued): Clarence House, 800/221-4704, clarencehouse.com.
Trim ("Montauk Check" #3352021, colorway discontinued): Schumacher, 800/523-1200, fschumacher.com.
Floor lamps and shades: Target, target.com.
Lampshade trim ("Cabana Ribbed Border"/Cardinal): Samuel & Sons, 212/704-8000, samuelandsons.com.
Wall paint ("Navajo White" #OC-95); ceiling and trim paint ("Atrium White"): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Throw pillows on settee: Crate & Barrel, 800/996-9960, crateandbarrel.com.
Red-and-white holiday mugs and dishes (Martha Stewart Collection): Macy's, macys.com.
Breakfast Nook Details
Favorite holiday treats are presented in candy-red and white tableware from the Martha Stewart Collection.
Family Room
The family room takes a new twist on classic Christmas colors. "Dill Pickle" paint from Benjamin Moore wraps the room in a quiet green, while vibrant reds pick up the tempo in the throw pillows and lampshades from Pottery Barn. A neutral sisal rug and sofa remain understated.
Wall paint ("Dill Pickle" #2147-40); ceiling paint ("Atrium White"): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Sofa (custom): SCW Interiors, 703/549-2449, scwinteriors.com.
Sofa fabric ("Breaker"/Mustard #DL1007-15): Delany & Long, 203/532-0010, delanyandlong.com.
Pillow on sofa, left ("Elsa"/Red); pillow on sofa, right ("Big Cata"/Red): Roberta Roller Rabbit Collection, 877/695-7655, robertafreymann.com.
Coffee table ("Rolling Display Table"/Large #F126): Roost, 415/339-9500, roostco.com.
Chairs (custom): SCW Interiors, 703/549-2449, scwinteriors.com.
Chair fabric, Roman shade and throw-pillow fabric ("Adeliza"/Celadon #GWF-2591.23, Thomas O'Brien Collection by Groundworks): Lee Jofa, 800/453-3563, leejofa.com.
Roman shade trim ("Aaron Molded Fringe"/Natural #MF4006-1): Schumacher, 800/523-1200, fschumacher.com.
Table lamps: Target, target.com.
Lampshades: Pottery Barn, 800/922-5507, potterybarn.com.
Area rug ("Sun Sisal"/Sunlight): Sisal Rugs Direct, 888/613-1335, sisalrugs.com.
Flooring (bluestone): Lowes, lowes.com.
Family Room Corner
Across the room, a cozy corner boasts more holiday cheer. Red felt birds dip and dive around a miniature tree; below sits an antique wicker trunk, which lends charm and texture to the scene.
Wicker trunk (antique): Great Stuff by Paul, 301/631-5340, greatstuffbypaul.com.
Skylar, the family's standard poodle, celebrates with romps on the property.
Master Bedroom
A duvet cover from Pine Cone Hill in hues of blue and cinnamon warms the Ethan Allen bed. Roman shades and the bench top were fashioned using a Lee Jofa woodland-patterned fabric.
Bed ("Barrett Bed"): Ethan Allen, 888/324-3571, ethanallen.com.
Duvet and bolster-pillow fabric (Dobry Collection): Pine Cone Hill, 877/586-4771, pineconehill.com.
Pillow shams, front: owner's collection.
Pillow shams, middle (Italian bedding, red thread ecru sheeting): Restoration Hardware, 800/910-9836, restorationhardware.com.
Pillow shams, rear ("Uma Resist Cinnabar Quilted Sham"): Pine Cone Hill, 877/586-4771, pineconehill.com.
Bench: antique.
Bench and windowshade fabric ("Mille Fleur"/Sable #970089.613, by Eric Cohler): Lee Jofa, 800/453-3563, leejofa.com.
Twig sconce ("Fox Chase Hickory Twig Sconce"): Deanna Wish Designs, 724/598-7793, deannawish.com.
Desk: antique.
Desk chair: Century Furniture, 800/852-5552, centuryfurniture.com.
Side table to right of bed: discontinued.
Table lamps (converted vases): owner's collection.
Area rug ("Seagrass"/Seahore): Sisal Rugs Direct, 888/613-1335, sisalrugs.com.
Wall paint ("Manchester Tan" #HC-81): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Ceiling and trim paint: existing.
Board Games
Scrabble is a favorite winter pastime.
Master Sitting Room
The bed looks to an original stone fireplace.
Lounge chair and ottoman (custom): SCW Interiors, 703/549-2449, scwinteriors.com.
Fabric (discontinued): Stroheim, 800/763-0524, stroheim.com.
Side table: antique.
Lamp ("Adjustable Floor Lamp"): BoBo Intriguing Objects, 404/355-2309, bobointriguingobjects.com.
Chest of drawers: antique.
Window shade ("Mille Fleur"/Sable #970089.613, by Eric Cohler): Lee Jofa, 800/453-3563, leejofa.com.
Art behind chair: owner's collection.
Grace's Bedroom
A family heirloom bed with its crocheted canopy originally belonged to Shazalynn's mother. At the foot of the bed stands a secretary, a Mother's Day gift to Shazalynn after Grace was born. In it are Madame Alexander dolls from Shazalynn's childhood.
Bed (family heirloom): vintage.
Toile shades and bed skirt ("Four Seasons" by Pierre Deux): discontinued.
Lace bed canopy: vintage.
Bed cover and duvet fabric: Jane Wilner Designs, 703/998-2551, janewilnerdesigns.net.
Chair and ottoman ("Carlin"): Century Furniture, 800/852-5552, centuryfurniture.com.
Chair and ottoman fabric ("Brindille"/Blue by Pierre Deux): discontinued.
Chair and ottoman trim ("1.5-inch Sabine Border"/Ivory #977-56041-13): Samuel & Sons, 212/704-8000, samuelandsons.com.
Needlepoint pillow on chair; small chest at window; secretary: owner's collection.
Area rug: Stark Carpet, 212/752-9000, starkcarpet.com.
Paint ("Navajo White" #OC-95): Benjamin Moore & Co., 888/236-6667, benjaminmoore.com.
Bedside table: antique.
Fan: Hunter, 888/831-1326, hunterfan.com.


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Press Releases
Carl's Jr. and Hardee's Make Further Break From Fast-Food Brethren With New Look
Jun 12, 2006
New Logos Designed to Move Chains Even Closer to Image of Sit-Down Restaurants
CARPINTERIA, Calif. – June 12, 2006 – Premium-quality food helped put CKE Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: CKR) sister chains Hardee's® and Carl's Jr.® on the map, and also helped the company's stock climb the charts. So today, the company announced the rollout of new, updated logos, designed to better reflect the quality of its menu items by giving the chains the look and feel of more upscale sit-down restaurants.
"Over the past several years, we have committed ourselves to making Carl's Jr. and Hardee's the ultimate destinations for premium quality, sit-down restaurant style hamburgers in a fast-food venue. With our 100 percent Angus beef line of Six Dollar Burgers and Thickburgers -- as well as our more recent addition of Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Shakes and Malts -- we believe we have achieved this goal," said Andy Puzder, president and CEO of CKE Restaurants, Inc. "But it's not just our food that's a cut above typical fast-food fare," Puzder added. "Carl's Jr. pioneered limited table service in the QSR industry many years ago, and Hardee's has since adopted this same approach to service, so even the way we serve our food is more like what you would find in sit-down restaurants. As a result, it truly was time to make our logos better reflect what these brands are all about today."
The new logos, considered the next generation identities for both Hardee's and Carl's Jr., feature a script type designed to give the brand names more of a personal feel, like a signature. The brands' "Happy Star" icon -- recognizable from the earliest days of the Carl's Jr. brand and later added at Hardee's as well -- was made to look more three-dimensional and gold in color, transforming it from a cartoon character for children to a symbol of quality, literally like a gold star. This chic, retro-yet-modern look was found to communicate to customers that Carl's Jr. and Hardee's are the ultimate places to go for a quality dining experience -- at a fast-food price.
"Consumer research confirmed that the new logos were very well received among our base of young, hungry guys," said Brad Haley, executive vice president of marketing for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's. "We found that fast-food customers, as well as our brand loyalists, not only really liked the new look, but they also thought it better represented the quality of our menu offerings and that it gave the impression that the overall dining experience would be better. We were pleasantly surprised that the new logos moved the brands ahead as far as they did in our guests' minds."
In fact, research showed that the new logos were seen as classier, more unique, more appealing and more attractive overall. Consumers noted the distinctive look made the brands more interesting, and better distinguished the chains from their competitors. The new logos, however, are just one of the steps both Carl's Jr. and Hardee's are taking as both brands update their look to match the quality of food and service found in the restaurants. Jewel tones will replace the primary colors often associated with fast-food in packaging, employee uniforms are being updated for a hipper, yet integrated, look and existing restaurant signage will undergo the logo makeover over time. New restaurant designs and remodel plans will also reflect the new look. Implementation of all new branding elements for both chains is currently underway.
Fourth period and first quarter same-store sales, released May 31, indicate that Carl's Jr. and Hardee's customers are supportive of the chains' focus on a quality dining experience. Increasing 6.8 and 7.9 percent during period four at Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, respectively, same-store sales have continued to rise and are positive 5.6 percent at both brands on the year.
As of the fiscal year ended Jan. 30, 2006, CKE Restaurants, Inc., through its subsidiaries, had a total of 3,160 franchised or company-owned restaurants in 43 states and in 13 countries, including 1,049 Carl's Jr. restaurants, 1,993 Hardee's restaurants and 102 La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill® restaurants. For more information or to visit a restaurant near you, go to www.ckr.com, www.carlsjr.com or www.hardees.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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text:
Monday, November 9, 2009
That's it? That's your theory?
Actually, that's not really a plan. It's more of a regurgitation of a primer. (Someone was boning up the night before his exam...er, presser.)
And it stands in stark opposition to the previous regime, who, if they didn't acquire players in one of the ways listed above, must have just waited for players to fall from the sky through the roof of the Dome.
Whatever they think that they're doing, one thing seemed pretty clear from all of this jibber-jabber: There's no great sack of money that will be thrown at the team this year to address any of the problems or gaps that they have, and there won't be any additional money available to paper over the mistake that is Vernon Wells' contract. What we, as Jays fans, are being told is to be patient and that someday, someway, maybe there will be a competitive team in town.
This clearly isn't the mythical J.P. Five Year Plan. It's the newfangled Alex Ant indefinite plan, The Eternal Building Process in which the team will continue to set aside a serious run at the Wild Card or (god forbid) the AL East crown until such a time as they feel comfortable making a run. Because they wouldn't want to embarrass themselves, would they?
We used to pity Pirates fans, because it seemed like keeping the faith with the Bucs was a Sisyphean chore. It kinda feels like they might be pitying us by the end of this.
Picking through the entrails to find little shards of happiness
Look, don't get us wrong. It's not that we're rooting for Alex the Ant to fail. And it's not that we're totally pessimistic. After all, it sounds as though the team is in the midst of looking for a replacement for Cito Gaston, which should be Job #1 if they ever want to be anything in this league.
And to be honest, we can actually understand if the organization didn't necessarily want to can Cito after the player revolt, if only to head off an ongoing series of such clubhouse calamities every time the active roster members had their feelings hurt or their needs not appropriately attended to.
We're holding in our mind's eye a vision, and that vision is of the day in the early season this year where Cito steps aside and pulls the ripcord on his golden parachute. Maybe even before the season starts.
What a pleasant thought.
Talking 'bout rumours
It was weird that within 24 hours of our floating Chris Snyder's name out there as a possible target, there were rumours that he would be coming to Toronto, followed by assurances that he and his gimpy back were not to be exchanged for Lyle Overbay.
We're not sure if we have any powers to make these things happen...but if we do, here goes: We think the Jays should make a run at Lance Berkman, David Wright and Felix Hernandez. Please please pretty please.
24 comments:
- The Ack said...
The 5 stages of grief are:
(1) Denial
(2) Anger
(3) Bargaining
(4) Depression
(5) Acceptance
I know this because google tells me it is so.
Anywho, I think I've moved past Denial (hey, maybe Doc will re-up...), got past my Anger (Cito! Fuck all this shit!...), and am firmly entrenched in stage 3 - Bargaining.
Maybe the young kids will surprise! We'll grow with them! It might be fun!
This will last until roughly 30 games in, when the mistakes and losses pile up (Depression), and run through season's end to Acceptance (this might take a while...).
What the fuck else can we do?
(side note - I will revert back to Depression, likely for an extended period, when The Transaction That Shall Not Be Discussed happens)
- November 9, 2009 at 10:30 AM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
I move back to bargaining every off-season. It's a vicious cycle, being a fan of this team.
"The Eternal Building Process" - that's a good one. And a very depressing one.
As much as I wish Cito would pull the chute, I'm resigned to the fact that we're going to have to put up with him for one more season. One last annoying hurrah. Poor Jeremy Accardo.
- November 9, 2009 at 10:38 AM
"Sisyphus is a jays fan" is maybe the best tag ever. Ever.
- November 9, 2009 at 10:44 AM
- Tao of Stieb said...
I think I've got a foot on either side of bargaining and depression.
I don't know...I thought I'd be a lot happier by now.
- November 9, 2009 at 11:08 AM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
I blame Cito. And the terrorists. Cito is kind of a managerial terrorist. In his wake, he leaves destruction.
- November 9, 2009 at 11:11 AM
- Ice Cream Jonsey said...
The part that gets me is that a crappy Jays team is somehow bearable with Halladay taking the mound every five days. The announcement from AA pretty much guarantees that they have to trade him for a windfall, and that's what has really depressed me.
- November 9, 2009 at 11:34 AM
Actually, I think Sisyphus is a Cubs fan. Harry Caray was perhaps the best embodiment of this - sauced by the time the seventh inning rolled around and any sense of optimism was sustained by being pickled in a boozy elixir that numbed the reality of the Cubs's thirst for falling short.
Maybe if Flashback Fridays persist to a point where they become completely meaningless, around the time they honour Sil Campusano, perhaps the Jays will be the most Sisyphus-esque of baseball teams. Until then, it's the Cubs.
- November 9, 2009 at 11:40 AM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Ahh...you'll be surprised. I got over losing Jimmy Key and Dave Stieb.
We're just going to have to use that extra reserve of affection towards Shaun Marcum. By the end of the year, we'll be totally transfixed by his ongoing facial hair choices.
- November 9, 2009 at 12:08 PM
- Darren Priest said...
At least if Doc goes to a contender it makes the choice of which playoff team to root for obvious. Unless it's the Red Sox or Yanks.
I'm starting to feel like one of Job's comforters here.
- November 9, 2009 at 1:04 PM
- Mylegacy said...
The Jays will spend WHEN/IF they are close...however they will not spend to get close. Catch 22.
SO - if we draft like the second coming and sign every great Latin talent for the next five years we might get close enough to spend.
IF that works then the only way to STAY COMPETITIVE is to KEEP SPENDING bucks - like Boston and the Spankies do. Will that long term commitment to money be there? SURE - provided we fans show up in our 4 + millions at the gate and buy 10$ Montreal Smoked Meat sandwiches while guzzling $7 beer by the case - well - at least the beer part has some attraction - too bad they don't have single malt scotch - at $7 a bottle.
- November 9, 2009 at 1:18 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
I know I keep saying this, but...
I don't think that you have the luxury of a slow, deliberate build in Toronto. If the Yanks and/or the Red Sox have a down year next year, and you're looking to win 88 games in 2012, you're gonna miss that window.
And it ain't coming back any time soon.
- November 9, 2009 at 2:07 PM
- Peter DeMarco said...
Ask the Maple Leafs how trying to compete every year rather than rebuild has worked out for them.
- November 9, 2009 at 2:22 PM
You can't predict the down years for the Yanks and Sox. With a geriatric offense and disappointing youth (Hughes, Joba, Melky, Cano) and reliance upon an oft injured arm, I would've thought the Yankees were ripe for another letdown this past year.
- November 9, 2009 at 2:23 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Hockey and baseball are two different sports. You build your teams differently.
Plus, the Leafs have been rebuilding for five years.
- November 9, 2009 at 3:06 PM
- Peter DeMarco said...
I believe it is always better to try and build the best team you can, rather than sustained mediocrity in hopes of an off season from the teams above you.
As for the Leafs, I don't consider adding guys like Blake, Kessel, Lindros, Allison, O'Neill, Bataglia, Peca, Kubina, Toskala, etc. rebuilding. That is playing for the now, and poorly.
Jays need to load up on as much young talent as possible, go out and get as many guys like Matt Gamel, Brandon Wood, one of the Rockies OF's, Justin Smoak, Bumgarner, etc. These are the types of guys that will break out at the same time as Snider, Rzepczynski, Cecil, Purcey, etc. Now you are talking a core to build around.
- November 9, 2009 at 4:32 PM
I guess you have never been to a game. We charge $9.50 for a pint.
- November 9, 2009 at 6:56 PM
It'll be $20 next year.
- November 9, 2009 at 8:45 PM
Milton Bradley to the Jays? Really? Check out the analysis at http://jaysbalk.wordpress.com
- November 10, 2009 at 2:01 AM
Not entirely sure what exactly everyone was hoping AA to say? Did you expect him to come out, snap his fingers and transform this team into a perrennial conteder?
Not too sure why everyone is so closed minded and cynical of a guy who hasn't even had the chance to do anything of consequence yet.
- November 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM
- Gil Fisher said...
I agree with Anon 10:00. Tao, snap out of this funk. It's baseball for Christs sake. It's a beautiful game. Fuck winning every year. Fuck winning more than once every thirty years. Just give me a competitive team and a gleam of hope and lets get ready for pitchers and catchers in February.
I never figured you for the instant gratification type, so give yer head a shake and get on with some decent rosterbation and a cigarette.
- November 10, 2009 at 10:43 AM
- Tao of Stieb said...
@Anon 10:00
The decision to go forward with Cito is a kick in the nuts. I don't like it, and it makes the team seem as though they are going to be deliberate in the development of this team.
That said, I was (and still am) pretty happy with the idea that AA and Tony LaCava were getting the reins to direct this team. I just want them to have something to work with.
- November 10, 2009 at 12:16 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
@ Gil Fisher
I quit smoking this week. Don't remind me.
- November 10, 2009 at 12:16 PM
- Darren Priest said...
How you gonna write if you ain't smokin?
- November 10, 2009 at 12:34 PM
- Tao of Stieb said...
I have an ether rag.
- November 10, 2009 at 12:53 PM


text:
Hi S4 Leaguers!
We're finally bringing back the weekly challenges! Here is how it works: [Guide] Weekly Challenges!
Amateur tier: Score 2 touchdowns in one match
Semi-Pro tier: Score 3 touchdowns in one match
S4 tier: Score 6 touchdowns in one match
Mode: TouchDown
Map: any map
Amount of players: 4 vs 4 minimum
This screenshot would qualify me for the Amateur tier.
Submit your screenshot in this form:
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This week's capsule will be the G's Cogwheel Assault Rifle Capsule!
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- You will need to submit a screenshot of the challenge criteria being reached.
- If there is more than one screenshot required, you MUST upload all the screenshots to a linkable album to submit with your contest entry (e.g. onto http://imgur.com or http://imgbb.com)
- You are not allowed to edit your screenshot.
- You can submit more than one entry but only the highest tier will be rewarded.
- If there are room requirements you have to follow them.
- Rewards will be send after the event is finished.
- No cheating or hacking allowed.
- No farming allowed.


text:
Miles Bletchley was a wizard who attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the early 1990s. He was a member of the Slytherin Quidditch team, serving as their Keeper.
1991–1992 school year
Bletchley played in Slytherin's match against Gryffindor this year. He was unable to block Gryffindor's only goal attempt during that match, from Angelina Johnson.[1]
1992-1993 school year
Bletchley, along with the rest of the team, received a new Nimbus 2001 this year from Lucius Malfoy as an incentive to allow his son Draco onto the team as Seeker. He and the rest of the team flaunted these new broomsticks to the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He laughed along with the other members of the team at Ronald Weasley when his broken wand redirected an attempted Slug-Vomiting Charm back at him.[2]
1995–1996 school year
During this year, Bletchley took part in a small plot by the Slytherin Quidditch team to jinx various members of the Gryffindor team prior to their first match. He hit Alicia Spinnet with a jinx that made her eyebrows grow excessively large. Despite doing this in front of fourteen witnesses, Severus Snape, who seemed to support this action, merely chose to assume she had used a poorly applied Hair-Thickening Charm on herself, and Bletchley was not punished.[3]
Later, during the match itself, Bletchley managed to save at least one attempted goal by Angelina Johnson. He, along with the rest of his team and the Slytherin supporters, sang "Weasley is Our King" throughout the match in a successful attempt to unnerve Ron Weasley, Gryffindor's new Keeper.[3]
Behind the scenes
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the Slytherin Keeper was played by Amy Puglia, despite there never having been any girls on the Slytherin squad in the books. In Chamber of Secrets, he instead was depicted as a redhead and was played by David Churchyard.
- In the video game Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup, the Slytherin Keeper is named "Kevin Bletchley". It is possible this was intended to be Miles.
"Miles" is from the Germanic name Milo, introduced by the Normans to England in the form Miles. The meaning is not known for certain. It is possibly connected to the Slavic name element mil meaning "gracious". From an early date it was associated with Latin miles "soldier".
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)[4]
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Notes and references
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 11 (Quidditch)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 7 (Mudbloods And Murmurs)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 19 (The Lion and the Serpent)
- ↑ Although Miles is never identified, the complete Slytherin Quidditch team appeared in the video game adaptation.


text:
Natural Help for Autism?
"On the spectrum"
About 1% of children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, which affect about four times as many boys as girls. The causes of these disorders are largely unknown, but genetics and environmental factors both seem to play a role.
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders seems to have risen sharply since the 1990s. Some of this jump may be due to increased reporting, as awareness of the disorders has risen and children are diagnosed at younger ages.
Autism spectrum disorders are characterized by deficits in communication skills, social abilities, and imagination. Children with autism spectrum disorder usually have some form of sensory dysfunction (for example, they may become easily overwhelmed in loud rooms), and they frequently engage in repetitive behaviors like hand flapping, rocking, spinning, or head banging, collectively referred to as "stimming."
While is no cure for autism spectrum disorders, treatments include therapies aimed at improving social and communicative skills. Some parents claim that following a gluten-free diet may help, while others have found that avoiding salicylates found in certain foods improves their children's symptoms.
Help on the cellular level
A carnitine deficiency may be linked to some of the symptoms of autism spectrum disorders as some children with these disorders have low blood levels of carnitine. This amino acid, found in high concentrations in meat and dairy, is used in cellular energy production.
In the new study, 30 children between three and ten years old with an autism spectrum disorder were assigned to take 50 mg of L-carnitine per kg of body weight per day or placebo for three months. The children were assessed by medical professionals and their parents before and after treatment.
Compared with placebo, children taking L-carnitine had significant improvements in symptoms as rated by both parents and medical professionals, including speech, sociability, cognition, and behavior. As blood levels of carnitine went up, hand muscle strength, cognitive scores, and Childhood Autism Rating Scale scores also improved. L-carnitine was generally well tolerated with side effects similar to placebo.
"Future studies (should) further identify the potential optimal dosing level, elucidate the biological basis for L-carnitine's mode of action, and identify biomarkers for those with ASD [autism spectrum disorders] that would most benefit from L-carnitine therapy," commented lead study author, David Geier, of the Institute of Chronic Illnesses in Silver Spring, MD.
Concerned about autism?
Many symptoms of autism spectrum disorders may be picked up by the parents as being "not quite normal" long before they're noticed by others.
Contact your pediatrician if your child is not:
- Smiling by six months.
- Babbling and using gestures by 12 months.
- Using one-word phrases by 16 months.
- Using meaningful, non-imitated two-word phrases by 24 months.
Any regression or loss of social or language skills should also be reported to your child's pediatrician.
(Med Sci Monit 2011;17:15–23)
Kimberly Beauchamp, ND, received her doctoral degree from Bastyr University, the nation's premier academic institution for science-based natural medicine. She co-founded South County Naturopaths in Wakefield, RI, where she practiced whole family care with an emphasis on nutritional counseling, herbal medicine, detoxification, and food allergy identification and treatment. Her blog, Eat Happy, helps take the drama out of healthy eating with real food recipes and nutrition news that you can use. Dr. Beauchamp is a regular contributor to Healthnotes Newswire.
Copyright © 2011 Aisle7. All rights reserved. www.Aisle7.net


text:
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Sakura Tie Back Swimsuit£46.00
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For a defined waistline, a Zoggs swimsuit with asymmetric sweeping panels that narrows in at the waist, will complement your curves.
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text:
ogblay needed a new print or packaging design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 4 designs submitted by 2 freelance designers.
I have designed the format of the postcard using powerpoint and have saved it as a png file. I need help re-illustrating the format at 300 dpi
Accepted File Formats:
Vector Formats (.eps, .pdf or .ai)
I have the fiels, i do not know how to attach it to the posting, but will be glad to submit to whoever ask for it.
I have sent the file list to all of you. Please re-illustrate the attached map (map reillustrated.png) and use that instead of the google map in slide2.png.
The destination address is
6400 chillum pl NW
Washington DC 20012


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text:
5 Possible Picks for Permanent VA Chief
Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki is the first member of President Barack Obama's cabinet to resign amid scandal — and without a permanent replacement at hand.
Another high-profile cabinet change came after the heat of scandal died down – Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius stayed on board throughout the HealthCare.Gov debacle only to leave months later after the Obamacare enrollment period ended.
Mr. Obama on Friday named Mr. Shinseki's deputy, Sloan Gibson, as acting secretary but didn't say whether he will be nominated as a permanent replacement, which would require Senate confirmation.


text:
"The Healing Power of Nature"
Dr. Frank Ervolino graduated from the prestigious Bastyr University in 1995 with a degree in Naturopathic medicine. During this time he not only studied Western herbal medicine, but studied the supplement industry formulation and manufacturing from Dr. Buck Levin, Ph. D. and the traditional use of herbs by the native tribes of the Pacific Northwest. Read More


text:
Hyundai Motor will spend 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) for the plant, likely to be built in Ostrava, near the border with Poland, South Korea's largest automaker said in a statement.
"We hope the Czech government will provide close support for us to decide on the plant site and establish infrastructure, and offer some investment incentives," said Chung Mong-koo, chairman of Hyundai Motor, in his meeting with Czech's Prime Minister, Jiri Paroubek, earlier Friday, according to the statement.
The automaker plans to begin construction of the plant next year and start mass production in 2008.
Hyundai Motor, which recently established its first U.S. plant in Alabama, expects the new plants will help improve its competitiveness by easing foreign-exchange risks and reducing costs.


text:
It's been more than seven centuries since 1294 got this much attention.
That's the year a hermit named Peter of Morrone became Pope Celestine V, served for a few months, and quit of his own accord. If you don't count the year 1415, when the leadership of the Catholic church went absolutely haywire, not a single pontiff followed his example until this week, when Pope Benedict XVI announced he will resign.
Celestine V didn't go gently into the history books. While he would become a saint, he has a reputation as being a failure. And legend says the author Dante put him in hell because his resignation paved the way for a pope that Dante couldn't stand.
How come popes almost never quit? Can they be fired? And why does the current pope seem to have an emotional connection with the last pontiff who resigned?
For answers, I turned to Jon M. Sweeney, a historian and publisher of Christian books. He tells Celestine V's story in his 2012 book, "The Pope Who Quit: A True Medieval Tale of Mystery, Death, and Salvation."
Q: So last year you wrote a book about the only pope to voluntarily resign. Now your book is getting tons of attention because a pope is quitting. Wow and double wow. What sort of dirt do you have on Pope Benedict to make him quit just so you could reap the reward of publicity?
A: I'm sure he read my book and got the idea to resign!
Q: I'll bet. Seriously, you write that Benedict seems to have a deep personal connection to his predecessor who declared, in effect, I'm-outta-here. How do we know that?
A: In April 2009, there was one of those earthquakes that happens all the time in central Italy. It happened to be centered in Aquila, home to the basilica that holds the remains of Celestine V.
Pope Benedict made a pastoral visit to the people of the province and visited the basilica. When he was there, he took the pallium, the scarf-type vestment that represents his episcopal authority, off his shoulders. He laid it on the tomb, left it there and didn't explain what the gesture meant.
It was strange. I write about that in the book: Isn't it interesting that the current pope feels an affinity toward Celestine V?
Q: When he became pope, Benedict said this: "Pray for me that I may not flee for fear of the wolves." You write that it's impossible to think of those words without recalling Celestine, who made a similar reference. What binds the two of them?
A: For Celestine, it's a reference to all the nonsense you have to deal with as a pope – the papal curiae and the bureaucratic mess. Somebody who probably didn't want the job in the first place, like Benedict, would have said, "Pray for me as I go in among the wolves."
Q: What sets these two popes apart from each other?
A: There are a lot of differences between the two. Celestine's papacy was a disaster, and he was completely unsuited for the life and the role of the pope. He was just a hermit who wanted to pray in the mountains.
By contrast, Benedict was an insider. Those are big differences.
Yet there are similarities, too. Neither man seemed to be very interested in the administrative aspects of the job. Being a pope is like being a huge bureaucratic manager. Celestine was inept by most accounts, and Benedict certainly showed a lack of interest in that aspect.
And both men resigned with a very simple notice that was read aloud to a group of cardinals, priests and officials who were told not to ask questions. Benedict simply announced it and just walked away. That's what Celestine did, too.
Q: We know that popes die in office or, in centuries past, were killed. Can they be fired?
A: No. Whom does the Pope report to? There's no one.
There were many times in history where groups of cardinals got together and made arguments for firing a pope, but the conclusion was that it's impossible. Even if they were awful or evil, the office is higher than the man. There is no one who has authority on earth to fire him.
Q: But that didn't stop officials from ridding themselves of troublesome popes, correct?
A: It used to be in the Middle Ages that when they wanted to fire a pope, they killed him in a Corleone kind of way. There have been 20 popes in history who were likely murdered, and they were probably all cases where they wanted the guy to resign.
Q: Why haven't more popes resigned?
A: The idea is that it's a job for life. When you become pope, one of the first things you do is you walk into the Room of Tears in the Vatican. You're crying with poignancy about how your life is dead now, it's over. You are now a pope until you die.
It's fascinating that it's now changing, and almost in a businesslike way. It's like Benedict gave two weeks' notice. Maybe we will see popes most routinely resign the office.
Q: According to some accounts, the last papal resignation was in 1415, not 1294. What's the truth?
A: That was the Great Schism [also known as the Western Schism], and there were three popes. There was something like a negotiated truce: Two of them resigned. A third disagreed, and they excommunicated him and had him resign against his will.
That's a different kind of animal. It's not someone resigning for personal reasons.
Q: Going back to Celestine: You wrote an entire book about a man who spent just a few months as pope. What makes him fascinating?
A: He was a monk, a very independent-minded monk who never could quite fit into a religious order and created his own. The real fascinating thing is about how he became pope, what happened while he was pope, and afterwards.
Q: Initially, he was upset that the church was taking its sweet time choosing a pope, right?
A: He was an 84-year-old man living as a hermit and wrote an incendiary letter to one of the cardinals saying, in essence, "God will smite us all if you don't act right now, and I can't believe you're dragging your feet like you are."
Then the cardinal announced he wanted him to be the next pope, and in the next 24 hours he was.
Q: So he was really an accidental pope?
A: Absolutely. He actually fled when they told him. They almost grabbed him by the arm and led him down the mountain.
He never went to Rome and was under the thumb of the king of Naples. It was a disaster. He ended up quitting, and the guy who replaced him helped craft his letter of resignation and then had him hunted down and imprisoned because he was a threat.
The idea was you can't have another pope running around. What happens if everybody listens to him?
Q: Is there any chance that Benedict will be a holy pain in the papal regalia for his successor?
A: I would imagine that Benedict has given his last rally, given his last sermon, and that he will lead a quiet life, and we'll never see him again. There might be a book or two published, but only after his death.
That's certainly what he ought to do, and I can't imagine it would be otherwise. But we'll see.
Want to read more Monitor Q&As with authors of recent books about Christianity? Check my chats with religious scholars Elaine Pagels ("Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation"), Bart Ehrman ("Did Jesus Exist?: The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth"), and Adam C. English ("The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus: The True Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra").
Randy Dotinga is a Monitor contributor.