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We are so excited to collaborate with Marissa from Design Love Co and be able to give you a first look for their 2016 Design Love Planner! We also have a series of planner posts featuring Design Love Planner for you in the upcoming weeks so make sure you stay tuned for that. Design Love Co is a lifestyle and stationery brand that focuses on sophisticated products for the modern women. Here are our first look photos on the 2016 Design Love Planner.
2016 Designer Love Planner is a 12-month planner which is perfect for those looking for a stylish planner to carry around. It has two covers, this one; Limited Edition Marble/Smokey Lavender and their original; Black and White Stripe. The planner features weekly spreads for all your special needs. It also has monthly removable quotes that you can hang on your wall for inspiration.
Monthly Tabs so you can find the month you are in.
Each month will have a spread where you can do monthly budgeting and expenses for those that love to organized and budget their earnings and savings.
What makes this planner different than others is that each week is divided into two sections; task based and time based. One spread will be a weekly to do list and next page spread will be a time based page.
Some new features that Design Love Co have added in their 2016 Design Love Planner includes theme to-do list like a packing list, recipe card, password log and even a blog planner.
Design Love Co also sells notepads, art prints and other stationery products. Make sure you check them out here.
The giveaway will run for a week and we will announce the winner on here so make sure you check back on December 9, 2015.
This is sponsored by Design Love Co. All opinions are our own. Happy Organizing!


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A port primer Ruby / Whether ruby, tawny or classic vintage, port is a sweet fortified wine with a history as rich as its many personalities
Port is one of the very few good things ever to come out of warfare.
The origins of the trade in this sweet fortified wine date back to the 17th century, when wars with France deprived the British and Dutch of French wines and they were forced to find a new supply. The Portuguese were more than willing to oblige.
The first recorded shipment of Vinho do Porto to England was in 1678, but it wasn't until the mid-18th century that experimentation with fortification began to stabilize the wines on their journey across the sea, and it was at this point that modern port began to take form.
Port is extremely versatile, some might say bewilderingly so. It is smooth and supple on the palate, a cornucopia of ripe fruit that's sometimes bold and powerful, sometimes supremely elegant and refined, sometimes a complex meld of the two. It's guiltless hedonism in a bottle.
According to Portugal's Port Wine Institute, Americans are sixth in worldwide consumption of all port, with 4.4 percent of the market and 402,000 cases a year. In first place -- ironically, given that they were indirectly responsible for the English infatuation with port -- are the French, with 33 percent of the market (just over 3 million cases, much of it consisting of white port and young tawnies, which the French regard as perfect aperitifs), almost three times as much as the British, followed by the Dutch at 20 percent and, in third place, the British with 12 percent. In the high-end, premium port market, ranging from reserve to vintage, Britain is the No. 1 importing nation with 27 percent of the world market (191,500 cases), followed by the United States with 18 percent (128,000 cases), Canada with 16 percent and France with 13 percent.
While many countries produce wine labeled as port, the genuine item comes from the Douro Valley, a remote, mountainous region of steep, hillside vineyards in northern Portugal east of Porto, the country's second-largest city, from which the wine derives its name.
True port is made from among a dozen of the more than 30 approved grape varieties grown within the official boundaries of the Douro and seldom found elsewhere.
The varieties include Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz (Spain's Tempranillo) and Tinto Cão.
The Douro became the world's first wine appellation when its boundaries, and strict regulations to ensure the authenticity of port, were officially set by the Portuguese in the mid-1700s.
Sometimes labeled porto, it is available as a vintage wine and as a multivintage blend, wood aged or bottle aged, or a combination of both.
It's always made from several grape varieties, sometimes from a single vineyard, sometimes from several vineyards. It comes in a vast array of styles
-- something for everyone and every budget.
There are ruby ports and tawny ports, tawnies with an indication of age, reserve ports, late-bottled vintage, single quinta vintage and colheita ports and even white port.
Port winemaking
Most harvesting in the 45,000 vineyards of the Douro is done by hand. From the vineyard, the grapes are taken to the winery for pressing. Traditionally, the fruit was crushed under the feet of workers, in a rectangular granite or cement trough called a lagar. Today, most of the crushing is done by robotic lagares equipped with rectangular-shaped, silicon feet, and high-tech, computerized stainless steel vats.
Once it gets to the fermentation stage, port goes through a process that distinguishes it from table wine. All ports -- no matter the style that eventually emerges in the bottle -- are fortified with the addition of aguardente, a natural, distilled grape spirit with an alcoholic strength of 77 percent. It's added before the wine has fully fermented and normally when only half the natural grape sugars have been converted into alcohol. This stops the fermentation, preserving the wine's natural sugars and sweetness, but also increases port's alcohol to almost double that of table wine -- between 19 and 22 percent.
Over the winter, young port is stored at the production site in large casks made of oak or mahogany and is allowed to settle. The wines are tasted out of cask to determine how they will be blended. Those destined for aged tawnies are put into 145-gallon casks called pipes, which allow the wines to mature to their characteristic orange-brown (tawny) color.
In the spring following harvest, most of the port is transported to the shippers' maturing warehouses in Vila Nova de Gaia, the center of the port trade just across the mouth of the Douro River from Porto on the Atlantic Coast.
Wine not shipped downriver is aged and bottled by some of the 28,000 independent growers for their own estate-bottled "Quinta Portos," a relatively recent development in Portugal.
Famous port houses
Over the years, there has been considerable consolidation among the companies constituting the port trade, most of which bear British names because English families established the trade. The first company was Warre, founded in Porto in 1670 and almost certainly the oldest British firm outside the British Isles that is still trading today, followed by Croft in 1678. Another venerable and greatly respected house is George Sandeman, founded in 1790, followed by W. & J. Graham in 1814 and Cockburn's in 1815.
Today, the Symington Family Port Companies are responsible for more than 25 percent of the worldwide premium port trade, selling Warre's, W. & J. Graham's, Dow's, Smith Woodhouse, Gould Campbell, Quarles Harris, Quinta do Vesuvio or Quinta de Roriz, each with its own house style.
The family firm of Taylor Fladgate includes in its portfolio not only the well-known Taylor brand but also the famous Fonseca brand as well as Croft and Delaforce. Sogrape, owned by the Portuguese Guedes family, controls Ferreira and Offley, the No. 1 and No. 2 brands in Portugal, and recently purchased the Sandeman brand from Seagram. Cockburn's is now part of the Allied Domecq portfolio of wines.
Types and styles
of port
There are two main types of port: bottle-aged ports, which are blended and require several years of cellaring, and wood-aged ports, which are ready to drink on release. There are different styles available within each type.
Classic vintage port is at the top of the bottle-aged category, ranking among the greatest wines produced anywhere in the world. Accounting for less than 2 percent of all port shipments, it is made only in years when the harvest is truly exceptional, which in the Douro occurs on average three years in 10. Producers are always meticulous about declaring a vintage, which requires the approval of the Instituto do Vinho do Porto (IVP, or Port Wine Institute) in Porto. Less than 10 percent of the total production from a declared year will actually be bottled as vintage port.
The most recent declared port vintages are 1994 (the best of the century, say many critics), 1995, 1997 and 2000. None of these vintages is anywhere near ready to drink today, and will stay put for 20 to 25 years.
Vintage port is made from an extremely rigorous selection of the best lots of wine from all the vineyards to which the producer has access. It is bottled only two years after fermentation, and once bottled, the aging process slows almost to a standstill, giving the young wine time to develop into a mature vintage port, distinguished by exquisite structure and balance, memorable richness and concentration of flavor (luscious blackberry and black currant fruit, violets, chocolate, walnuts and roasted coffee bean) and a distinctive house style that the producer seeks to replicate in such wines.
Classic vintage port is the ultimate collector's wine because it's rare to begin with, requires careful storage for many years and not only gets better after all that patient waiting, but also more valuable.
A single quinta vintage port is the product of a single year and the grapes of a single vineyard or estate (quinta), such as Quinta do Noval. These ports are declared only in very good years (those falling just short of the rigorous standards demanded of the classic vintage), and normally mature more quickly than the multisource vintage ports, usually displaying a strong, powerful style after 10 years in the cellar.
All vintage ports will throw a heavy deposit of natural sediments after years of cellaring and should be decanted ahead of service.
Wood-aged ports
Wood-aged ports are blended wines that are aged in wooden casks for their entire maturation period before being bottled. These ports can be enjoyed the day they're brought home with no decanting. And while most of them will stay sound in a properly stored, unopened bottle for several years, they won't improve with cellaring. After opening they have a "shelf life" of about a month under the stopper cork, longer if gassed or vacuum pumped. In contrast, bottle-aged vintage ports have a shelf life of only a week when recorked, after which they become stale.
Rubies and tawnies
A tawny port is a fortified wine that has been aged in wood long enough to lose some of its ruby color, hence the name tawny, which is close to mahogany. Ruby ports are a blend of youthful wines selected for their concentration and richness, whose basic characteristics haven't been altered by long exposure to air through the wood of oak aging casks, and which have retained their primary flavors and intense fruit aromas. Both rubies and tawnies benefit from being chilled when served.
Youth is the essence of a good ruby port. These young wines mature in neutral oak or stainless steel from two to three years, giving them the chance to assimilate the jolt of grape spirit added during fermentation, but not to cast off their striking ruby-red color and intense, red-fruit aromas of plums, strawberries and red apples. The average among these wines are bolstered by blending with some older wines, aging the blend a little longer and then bottled simply as ruby port. Slightly higher in quality and price (still under $15) are wines that are blended from finer lots and often labeled with proprietary names, such as "Founders Reserve" from the house of Sandeman, and Warre's "Warrior" ruby port.
Tawnies offer real value for the wine lover who craves richness and depth of flavor at a reasonable price. At the basic level are wines labeled simply as tawny port, which are aged not much longer than ruby port and derive their lightness and elegance from having less color extraction because of shorter skin-to-juice contact at the time of fermentation, or by blending with white port.
Aged tawnies
Tawnies with an indication of age are prized by port lovers and by the port shippers themselves. The age on the label -- 10, 20, 30 or 40 years --
is an average of the numerous lots of varying age that make up the blend. Younger wines contribute vigor and freshness, while older wines add complexity and breed. The aroma and flavor characteristics are in the hands of a master blender who strives to create a wine with a unique personality that is maintained year after year.
The front label must state the average age of the wine and indicate that it was aged in cask. The year of bottling must be stated on either the front or back label.
Aged tawnies range in price from around $25 for a 10-year-old to about $150 for a 40-year-old from houses like W. & J. Graham, Taylor and Sandeman, whose 40-year-old ($140) is an intense, rich, deeply flavored wine with a bouquet suggesting vanilla, toasty oak and honey, and complex flavors of dried fruits, spices and nutmeat. A dated tawny of a single vintage -- called a colheita (Portuguese for vintage, pronounced cole-YATE-ah) -- is by law at least 7 years old at release, and the label must state both vintage and year of bottling. Colheitas are the rarest of all ports, with production amounting to less than 1 percent of all port made. They range widely in price depending on the quality of the vintage. One example is the 1976 colheita from Smith Woodhouse, currently available in shops for about $42.
Vintage character, or reserve
Wedged in between the tawny and ruby categories are the so-called vintage- character ports. These wines, like tawnies, are blends of several vintages, but the emphasis is on fruit and richness rather than lightness and delicacy. They might be better characterized as super or premium rubies. As of last year, new Porto regulations require shippers to refrain from using the term vintage character for this style of port, and to use instead the term reserve.
The grapes for vintage-character or reserve ports come from the best properties in the Douro Valley. The top-ranked properties account for about 18 percent of port production. Vintage port, late-bottled vintage port, colheita and age-indicated tawnies absorb only about 6 percent of this. Most of the remaining 12 percent is used for vintage-character or reserve port, making it the largest of the elite categories. Most are priced under $20.
Some of the best examples have not used the now-scrapped term vintage character on the label, including Fonseca Bin 27, W. & J. Graham's Six Grapes, Cockburn's Special Reserve and Ramos-Pinto's Quinta da Urtiga. Among those that have used the term are Calem's Vintage Character, Churchill's Finest Vintage Character and Niepoort's Vintage Character. These ports will have new labels in due course reflecting the changeover to the "reserve" terminology.
Late-bottled vintage
Unlike vintage-character ports, which are not the product of a single year or vintage, a late-bottled vintage port is a wine from a single year's harvest from better vineyards, aged in cask for four to six years and, for the most part, ready to drink on release. The label must indicate both the year of harvest and the year the wine was bottled, a consumer-friendly approach. These ports generally retail in the $15 to $25 range.
Late-bottled vintage ports are made not every year, but more frequently than declared-vintage ports and only from a single harvest of good quality, as determined by the Port Wine Institute.
Less rich and concentrated than vintage port, they come from wine lots that don't make the grade for vintage port, but still possess character and flavor sufficient to work within the producer's house style, offering fine aroma and vigorous flavor.
A late-bottled vintage port bottled with a regular cork may have some sediment and should be decanted; if it's bottled with a stopper cork that can be extracted by hand, it will be sediment free.
Getting started with port
Look no further than the local supermarket or bottle shop to find a wide selection at reasonable prices - most are under $20.
Start with a ruby or tawny to sip lightly chilled as an aperitif. A reserve port, such as Graham's Six Grapes, can be enjoyed with hearty dishes such as grilled peppered steak, and can complete the meal served with a chocolate- based dessert or with blue cheese.
A late-bottled vintage port from Dow, Graham, Noval or Osborne, among others, is equally serviceable.
Aged tawnies are quintessential sipping wines, available wherever fine wines are sold. The same holds for vintage port and single-quinta vintage port.

subset: commoncrawl


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Running a shop is an inexact science and loath as I am to admit it, sometimes I balls up.
Some drinks don't find the audience they deserve, others catch us by surprise and sell out before we can secure the stock.
You would think that a range of top shelf, highly regarded, experimental Brewdog beers would fall firmly into the latter camp: but sadly (with the odd exception) the Abstrakt range has stubbornly failed to set the world alight. Yet, like some gullible mark, I have been buying into it, only to have them sit and gather dust over the years.
So Miles and myself have decided it's time for a clear out. For a limited time the entire Abstrakt range will be reduced to well below cost price. Originally priced at 12-13 quid a bottle, until Monday 13th June we will be selling them for a fiver each.
Maybe you've tried some of these before and want to revisit them, maybe you've always shied away from high wattage beer, or maybe twelve quid seemed like a lot of money to shell out on something that might be bogging. If that is the case here is a great opportunity to try some of the most interesting beer that Scotland has produced.
I would be the first to confess that many of these have seen better days. At their best they are tasting a bit long in the tooth, at their worst they are well and truly over the hill. We did have a wee session on some of the older editions and found none of them totally undrinkable * But we are still selling these with a great big Caveat Empor.
Currently Available (I'll try to keep updating this)
06: Triple Hopped Imperial BIPA 11.2% abv 07: Whisky Cask Imperial Scotch Ale 12.5% abv
08: Blonde Imperial Stout 11.8% abv
10: Malaga Cask Brown Ale 11.5% abv 11: Black Barley Wine With Chipotle, Raspberries & Ginger 12.8% abv
12: Barrel Aged Belgian BIPA With Berries 11.2% abv
13: Sherry Cask Imperial Cherry Stout 11.3% abv 14: Oak Aged Weizenbock 10.2% abv
16: Coffee Infused Belgian Quad 10.6% abv
17: Three Coffee Rye Imperial Porter 10.9% abv
(No 04 or 09 I'm afraid:-had absolutely no trouble shifting those)
You have three weeks to fill your boots, then the remaining stock will go back up in price.
I'm not ruling out getting in future editions, but I won't try to pre-empt demands and I'll certainly be a bit more conservative in my ordering.
James Out
*Except maybe 08-but that was always divisive and might actually have improved over the years-still not pleasant.


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Some time ago this paper surveyed the approach of a "perfect storm" of economic assaults on the U.S. private pension system. Not entirely unmindful of the weather, the U.S. Republican-controlled Congress, under the leadership of Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and new House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), constructed companion bills promising to restore the U.S. pension system to stability.
Levees breached
The result of their efforts resembles FEMA's preparations for Katrina. The pathetic legislation now being completed in a House-Senate conference committee, rather than strengthening the pension system, would actually weaken it, according to a little-noticed analysis by the government's pension agency. After numerous changes, exceptions and blandishments pressed by airline, manufacturers and other lobbyists, the agency's report projects that the House and Senate bills would lower corporate contributions to the already under-financed pension system by $140 billion to $160 billion in the next three years.
As the legislative response to this storm awaits a final vote, assets in American private defined-benefit pension plans took a step backward in 2005, dropping 2 percent to $1.769 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Board's flow of funds data. The levees, so to speak, are already breached.
That shortfall raises the certainty of more pension plans failing. These liabilities will, of course, fall on working-class taxpayers. (The same legislators want to make the mammoth Bush corporate tax cuts permanent.)
According to Jeremy I. Bulow, an economist at Stanford University specializing in pensions and Social Security, "It takes a better economist than me to understand how reducing contributions by that much is going to protect benefits and put the system on a sounder footing."
Can't trust private industry
The lessons of this sad tale are two: First, private industry cannot be trusted with management of any long-term social responsibility like pension benefits for employees. And second, our bought-and-paid-for Congress cannot protect us from this failure.
The choices for working people who want to keep their pensions are also two:
• Compel corporations to fulfill their responsibilities.
• Completely nationalize and reorganize the U.S. pension system, removing corporate prerogatives altogether.
Both solutions would require dumping the (with a few noteworthy exceptions) bought-and-paid-for Congress. But, like health coverage, many employers would actually heave a sigh of relief (after appropriate genuflecting to the gods of anti-socialism) at losing another burden blocking investments in the areas of their expertise.
Cowardly varlets
Anyone who has ever watched the very brief moral struggle taking place behind the eyes of a CEO balancing quarterly profits against 30-year possible liabilities or, heaven forbid, a social responsibility, will not be surprised at this sorry outcome. The corporate-owned Congress, despite the threat of ruin for millions of workers, will also grieve but briefly, trusting that their preferred but largely discredited "private savings account" philosophy will now take root as the replacement for private pensions. A blizzard of blame directed at unions "excessive demands" will no doubt be the song these cowardly varlets sing to deflect the judgment they richly deserve.
Seniors are becoming enraged, and so they should be. Lets dump this poisoned parliament of putrid poltroons calling themselves congressmen in 2006, and start afresh with a new, Peoples Retirement Program.
That program, in my view, should discard employer-managed pension funds completely in favor of a publicly regulated mix of government and participant-based plans. All assets and liabilities of existing plans would be transferred to the control of such funds. The California State Employees Pension fund and TIAA-CREF, the academic and research employee fund, are two working models that, though not trouble-free, stand head and shoulders above corporate managed funds.
Further, retirement expenses are inevitably bound up with medical expenses. And a solution to fundamental reform of retirement fund management is unlikely to be found without the nationalization of health care.
Since the nation's net pension liabilities currently exceeds actual assets by nearly $600 billion, and this shortfall is the direct result of underfunding by corporate pension management, these liabilities should be satisfied through corporate taxation or some other means of recapitalizing the underfunded plans.
This approach can liberate those companies that truly want to focus on genuine competition and secure the hard-earned retirement security of working Americans.


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Yet another record has been broken!
Over the weekend Finding Dory easy set the new record for being the biggest all-time domestic opening film for an animated movie. The record was previously held by Dreamworks' Shrek the Third which held the record with $121.6 million since May of 2007. Finding Dory also easily swam past the number two spot at the box office over the weekend, Central Intelligence, beating it by nearly four times as much!
However, not everything about the weekend's box office results is sunshine and rainbows. The fantasy/adventure Warcraft only brought in $7 million in its second weekend of release, barely making it into the top five. Domestically, this film has not done well at the Box Office at all. However, it is still making a killing in the international market. Where it has only made roughly $38 million in its two weeks in the U.S. in the same amount of time it has made over $200 million in China alone! So when considering the international box office, this movie is not considered a "flop."
Check out the rest of the box office results below!
No 1. Finding Dory – $135,060,273 in its first weekend of release.
No 2. Central Intelligence – $35,535,250 in its first weekend of release.
No 3. The Conjuring 2 – $14,880,050. Bringing its total gross in its 2nd weekend to $71,055,136.
No 4. Now You See Me 2 – $9,373,379. Bringing its total gross in its 2nd weekend to $41,085,908.
No 5. Warcraft – $7,241,430. Bringing its total gross in its 2nd weekend to $38,432,955.


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Black Unemployment Rate Hits Record Low Directly Because Of President Trump
It's hard to believe that CNBC actually reported these facts about African American employment. They were quick to announce the good news but they didn't give President Trump any credit. Trump's strategy for unemployment has been the economy, and since he's taken office the economy hit new record highs directly corresponding to the unemployment rates.
Unemployment among black workers is at its lowest since at least the early 1970s, when the government began tracking the data.
The black unemployment rate of 6.8 percent in December was the lowest since the Bureau of Labor Statistics started tracking it in 1972, a year in which the rate ranged from 11.2 percent to 9.4 percent. In the 45 years the data has been tracked, the unemployment rate for black or African-American workers aged 16 years and older has never fallen below 7 percent.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Through last year, the black unemployment rate rose to 8 percent in March and fell back to 7 percent in September before falling again in December. The unemployment rate for white workers was 3.7 percent in December.
Overall, non-farm payrolls rose 148,000 in December, falling short of the 190,000 expected, according to data released Friday. The national unemployment rate was 4.1 percent. There was an unexpected loss of 20,000 retail jobs during the holiday season. Read more.
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Monday, July 31, 2017
Does it ever end? weekend recap
When Friday night date night is painting the ceiling...you know you've settled comfortably into married life.
So I put on the disco channel, got the super thick ceiling roller and ceiling paint after the Mr taped off the crown molding and got to it. It looked much better when we were done.
Thankfully because it's a 2 butt kitchen, I didn't have a ton to paint. He got the worst part of it but given I had to contort myself in the bathroom for 2 days to paint a couple of weeks ago, I'd say we came out about even in both rooms. Both rooms, you ask? I wanted to paint the attic access panel that looked like crap after a less than seamless patch job a few years ago and that meant it was now too white to match so we had to paint the bathroom ceiling.
One big thing kept glaring at me in the bathroom...that ugly ass crown molding. It's not even crown molding, it's chair rail our friend put up to mimic crown molding and I've hated it since the day it went up because there's this weird gap at the top. After painting the ceiling, the gap looked even more pronounced to me so I uttered how much I hated it Saturday morning and I thought the Mr would pass it off as a dream and never mention it again. Well, he did mention it Saturday night and said the next day we could go look for the new crown if I wanted to do it. Apparently doing a kick ass job on baseboards and quarter round will give you that kind of confidence. So we went to Lowe's and found this angle cut dohickey (affiliate link) that is supposed to help with wonky wall angles and some casing that looked similar to our chair rail and would fit in the space we have between the wall and attic access trim, which ain't much. That project is for this week because we just couldn't fit it all in especially after Pottery Barn had us make a trip out to their store to see a sample fabric and then they couldn't locate it after 30 minutes of trying to find their ass with both hands. *rolling eyes*
We were able to get outside a little bit and enjoy the weather here and there but it felt like most of the weekend was dominated with more home improvement crapola. Just when you think you're done picking paint out from under your nails. Sigh.
One last thing
|(You know who you are! :-) )
What did you guys do this weekend?
(This post contains an affiliate link. Should you be kind enough to buy through it, I may receive a few cents commission at no additional cost to you to help keep the blog lights on.)
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Friday, July 28, 2017
What I'm Reading This Week #30
Let's dive right into...
8 Tricks to Keep Your Metabolism Revving (Vroom vroom!)
Are 10,000 Steps a Day Really Best for Your Health? Here's What Science Says (Good to know what actually counts)
The Very Real Psychological Benefits Of Cooking For Other People (1000x this- though I don't actually think of the survival part...I just love cooking for people.)
10 Weird Signs You're Stressed Out (#6- we call those "stress trots" in our house)
The 1 Thing That Finally Helped Me Stop Binge-Eating (Good tips)
35 Things Married Women Are So Sick of Hearing (I can vouch for the kid stuff)
When Robin Williams Comforted Me In The Airport After My Husband's Suicide (How I miss that beautiful man.)
Neighbors Complained About Noise, So Man Set Up A Camera. Here's The Footage (OMG, belt it with sass! So funny!)
Shark Swims Up for a Cuddle with Her Diver Friend (Courtesy of the Mr.)
Spend the Night In Your Favorite Classic Horror Movie Hotel (Got some travelin' to do)
It's supposed to be really nice this weekend for once. I'm hoping we'll be able to do something outside.
What are you guys into this weekend?
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Labels: Interesting Article
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Finding the Best Deals When Buying for Your Reno
What I knew we COULD save on were things we got online like lighting. Many people will see a light they like and add to cart no questions asked. Not moi. For example, here is our new vanity light:
|(Minka Lavery Brushed Nickel 4 Light Vanity Light)
I think I originally found it on Lighting Direct.com and everywhere it was $293.90. I felt compelled to click on every place that carried it and when I did, I saw on my second to the last click, Build.com was having a 15% off sale at the time. I didn't expect it to qualify but it did! So I got it for $249 and free shipping. Actually, before I bought through Build.com, I went to Ebates.com (affiliate link) to see if Build.com was on there and they were. They gave 2% cash back which was another $5 in my pocket bringing my total to $244 for an almost $300 vanity light.
I did the same thing for our kitchen light that we just got yesterday. The Mr and I scrolled through thousands of lights. I'm not exaggerating. It was three full days before we settled on two and as he talked about how the one looked like the robot head from Lost In Space, that basically sealed it for the other one.
|(via 1StopLighting.com)
We currently have a 120W boob light in the kitchen and it's like a friggin' cave in there. While we were entertaining the idea of adding can lighting in there, I should thank the contractor for pissing me off and we never pursued it. So I found that bad boy on Wayfair and Overstock for $344 and we just weren't ready to shell out over $300 for a single kitchen light. (Even though we probably would've spent double that for can lights, go figure.)
So I put the name of the light into Google and had their shopping do some comparison pricing and I saw several other outlets sold it for the same price. I went on Ebates (affiliate link) and saw of the people listed who participated and who had the most cash back. That was 1StopLighting.com with 7.5% back. That would make it $318. Still not thrilled it was over $300 but close enough. When I opened my Ebates shopping trip, a big banner popped up that said: "Welcome Ebates customers, you get 20% off!" Hot diggity damn! That would make it $275 which was under our thresh hold and something we could get excited about! When I clicked on our light and the finish, the coupon changed to a 25% off coupon!! If you do the math, we're getting it for $258!!!
(*bubbling with confetti inside*)
Then an hour after I ordered, I got my Ebates email that told me we got $19.35 back from the 7.5% cash back which makes the light $238.65!!!!
We saved $105.35 by taking an extra few minutes, literally four minutes, to do a little research instead of just assuming we couldn't do any better. I think $105.35 is WAY better in our pocket than someone else's!
What money saving tips do you have to pass along? We all can use every cent!
(This post contains an affiliate link and I may make a small commission should you purchase if you sign up for Ebates. Ebates is free and they do not sell your information as posted in their TOS and you get the opportunity for tons of cash back for shopping you would've done anyway.)
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Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Food Review: Friendly Farms Tropical Fruit Greek Yogurt
We've been Trader Joe's yogurt peeps for a few years now. When I kept hearing bloggers talk about Aldi's new organic section, we had to go check it out. Well, I think ours is behind the times because I don't consider four veggies a vast array of organic.
What did catch our eye was this yogurt...
Pineapple and passion fruit? I'm on it!
Here's a look at the nutritional info...
|(Ignore the expiration date, I meant to do this post awhile ago but you know, life.)
Here's a peek at the rest of the info...
Looks like your usual yogurt.
But on the bottom is your hunks o' tropical paradise. (The last batch was mixed though so they might've changed it to be premixed now.)
So how does it taste?
We LOVE it! It has 6g less sugar than TJ's, 20 calories less, $.30 cheaper and 100% better flavor. I have half of one every morning with other stuff and the Mr has it some mornings as well. We never bought the same yogurt flavors but we both agree this is delicious. With TJ's yogurt, I always had to force it down a little but I actually look forward to this and the little chunks of pineapple in there. It's available at Aldi, which is part of the Trader Joe's family so how's that for a small yogurt world in our household?
What's your favorite flavor of yogurt or do you hate it?
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Labels: Food Review
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Bathroom Reno Reveal
It is FINALLY done.
The countertop guy came out yesterday and buffed out the scratches, repaired the nick and even buffed under the counter where the edge was sharper than it should've been. So here's some pics of the refreshed lavatory.
The light bulbs are a warm white so the cast is a little more amber than true life. We're still trying to get the right bulb for the look I want. I'm NOT a cool white girl at all (that blue cast might as well be called zombie white) so I think today is when my next set arrives and we'll decide between the ones that are shown and ones from a different company that I liked but a bulb arrived broken. Pfft.
I do love the way things look when you walk in though.
We had a semi-recessed vessel before and loved it. Unfortunately we couldn't find the same vessel this time so this was the closest we could find. We also switched from a standard faucet and two handles to an all in one. Mainly because our faucet handles would sometimes show a wee bit of rust from the water because I'd forget to clean around the base regularly. So now I only have one part to clean and not three but in a similar style to our last one.
Nothing like reminders of vacation to help relax you as you take care of business. The art is a picture I took and the shells at the boat base are from shelling in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard.
I have to admit that in the past week, the top of the counter has grown on me and I barely see the swirlies in it anymore so I do like it now. I'm still not a huge fan of how shallow the sink is...it looks way deeper below.
You can see I added a header to the top of the door which I think looks really good. The art pieces on this wall are also mine.
I did black and white with a hint of color. We love the way they turned out. The piece over the toilet was from Oak Bluffs, the private dock was in Edgartown and the kayak paddles were on Chappaquiddick.
This anchor shot was in Vineyard Haven and I love it.
All four prints cost me $15.50 for 8x10 mattes from Shutterfly, with money back from Ebates, (affiliate link) of course. So I highly suggest if you have an eye for photography, use your own prints to save some major moolah when refreshing a space.
A side shot of the vanity. I repainted it from a dingy cream to white with a linen pattern using dry brushing. I put a huge felt pad under a huge shell from Chappaquiddick to rest our glass so if there was water on the bottom, it would collect there and not on our counter. I also painted our old trashcan.
I absolutely love the vanity light. Seeded glass wasn't my first choice but I love how bright the clear glass is over our previous frosted glass.
I wish the bulbs were as white as they appear in that photo!
Finally a pic of our little sailboat we picked up from the closing of our friends store over the weekend. We thought it kind of went with the space. If we decide it doesn't, then it'll go in our bedroom.
I really do love being done...err...how it all turned out.
The only thing I still hate with a passion are these damn swirls on the side of the counter.
I have to say that if you are looking at samples for counter tops, go to the place that will actually cut it and look at the slab there. The samples in a big home improvement store are subjected to lights and the best possible sample. If we'd paid more attention to the side of the sample, we would've seen this swirling was in our future so also, don't forget to look at the sides of a take home sample, not just the top.
OH! I almost forgot one of my favorite finishing touches! Derp!
I had a vintage picket fence slat leftover in the garage for just the right project and this was it. One of our favorite lines from Mrs. Doubtfire is when she loses her teeth in the woody Chardonnay and Stu tries to help her form pinchers with fork and she (Robin Williams) says...
"Carpe Dentum...seize the teeth!" We love the way it looks, it's a great way to start and end the day on a funny note and the perfect tribute to Robin Williams.
So there it is. I'm so glad to be done!
Below is a source list if you like anything you see and are curious on prices. I haven't bothered to add it all up because I don't want to know. HA!
Floors- LifeProof Sterling Oak Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
Countertop- Corian Natural Gray
Sink- Milforde Porcelain Semi-Recessed Sink from Signature Hardware
Faucet- Hiendure Contemporary Deck Mount Single Handle Bathroom Sink Faucet (affiliate)
Vanity Light- Minka Lavery Brushed Nickel 4 Light Vanity Light
Vanity Light Bulbs- 60W Warm White LED Edison Style Bulbs (affiliate link)
Tools used:
Ryobi 10 Compound Miter Saw
Ryobi Brad Nailer (This will make you feel like you can build an entire house from scratch) (affiliate link)
Ryobi Cordless Drill (affiliate link)
Ryobi Job Plus (affiliate link)
Skil Jigsaw (affiliate link)
Laminate Floor Installation Kit (affiliate link)
Rubber Mallet (affiliate link)
Safety Glasses (affiliate link)
Speed Square (affiliate link)
(This post contains affiliate links. Should you be kind enough to buy through them, I may receive a few cents commission to go toward blog costs at no additional cost to you.)
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Labels: DIY
Monday, July 24, 2017
Productive weekend recap
Is it Fall yet? This whole walking into a wall of humidity has got to go! My plans to go on a baking spree Friday and Saturday were thwarted on the level I wanted to do but still got a few things made. We visited a friend of ours who is closing their business due to illness and I brought him some of the goodies I made with a card. I thought he was going to cry at one point but I had to change the subject because he still had customers. We ended up buying a cute little sailboat that will go perfectly in the bathroom and their Christmas tree! No friggin' clue where we're putting that thing. It's smaller and kind of thin but I've always wanted one that size to put our ornaments on to the places we travel to on vacation so this should come in handy. I might be able to put it in my closet. My heart breaks for them because I know this decision comes two years sooner than they planned.
We stopped by a vintage/repurpose store close to them and perused some items.
If I had the room, there were a couple of cute things I wouldn't have minded.
We stopped by my mom's house to drop some stuff off and to see her new flooring. (We were doing reno's at the same time.) She had a family member paint the inside walls and was pointing out all of his mistakes. Luckily I found some things were easy to remedy. We were horrified by the caulking job the guy who laid the floor did and there were some spots that needed spackled and a few things that needed tweaked so we rolled up our sleeves and got to it. It was probably the easiest thing I'd done in a month but given the limited mobility she can have due to knee issues, what we did helped her quite a bit.
Sunday we got some organization stuff, did our grocery refill, did our strength workout on the Total Trainer (affiliate link) and of course before we knew it, the day was gone. Pfft.
What did you guys get into this weekend?
(This post contains an affiliate link. Should you choose to buy through it, I may receive a few cents commission for blog costs at no extra cost to you.)
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Labels: Recap
Friday, July 21, 2017
What I'm Reading This Week #29
Happy Friday all! Finally the weekend...woo hooooooooooooo!!!
It's time for me to provide some links for you to look at whilst scrolling on the phone in the bathroom (don't act like you don't do it) or dorking off at work to make the day go faster!
It's a little thing I like to call...
6 Training Splits to Help You Conquer Your Workout Plateau (I'm on it)
The 14 Best Foods for Your Heart (Some yummy stuff)
50 Kitchen Mistakes You're Probably Making—and How to Fix Them (Good food safety info in here)
10 Common Foods That Are Completely Messing with Your Metabolism (Don't mess with me!)
The 10 Grossest Things That the FDA Allows in Our Food (Uh, I consider mold a little more than "Offensive to the senses!")
Dust in Your Home Could Be Making You Fat (Holy crap, so THIS is my problem! *runs for cleaning supplies* )
25 Things That Should Never Have Gone Out of Style (Truth)
74 Tips To Extend the Life of Your Car (Good tips)
13 Things You Need to Know About Sex in Your 40s (Rawr)
Someone please stop me from watching Property Brothers. They've been playing them non stop and it's been the soundtrack of my life this week. Today I'm doing some baking/filming of Christmas recipes then trying to find people to dump it all off on this weekend. We've got some friends closing their business soon and we're going to go visit one last time. We don't have too much else planned that I know of because it's supposed to be swamp ass hot. I did see where the Mr replaced the hall lights that the ceiling is showing more and is of course discolored. *facepalm...adds to list*
What are you getting into this weekend?
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Thursday, July 20, 2017
"What did I ever do to you?"
1) They left a huge circular scratch from the WOODEN template they used to cut the sink on site. Literally, they made a shim wreath and let the edges vibrate into the top of the counter as they cut.
2) The front of the countertop is nicked.
3) Countertop looked nothing like the large sample in the store.
4) They left caulk and greasy fingerprints all over the top that wouldn't easily come off.
5) Juvenile caulking job around the sink that I will see every time I sit on the throne.
6) Sink leaked.
7) Plumber refused to call us back leading to me having to call Home Depot at 8 pm and having some dude who probably just happened to answer the phone as he was walking by, talk us through why our sink was leaking since no one with authority was there to do anything about it. I will have to ask if they still give away plumbers licenses in Cracker Jack boxes because the effer didn't put any plumber's putty around the bottom of the drain (as the directions SPECIFICALLY stated that the Mr handed him) and he chose to ignore.
8) Yesterday morning as I was brushing my teeth, I discovered they took a huge chunk out of my brand new, freshly painted chair rail. It was at this point as I slapped wood filler into it knowing it would never look as perfect and beautiful as it did, I went numb inside.
Did I mention it's hormonal week?
Basically, this whole piece is a nightmare. I'd give anything for my old sink back. I hate the way ours looks. It's too shallow and wide. The faucet had to be offset, which is fine, but not my ideal placement for it and when you turn it on, it's like Niagara Falls, Frankie Angel. (Points if you got the reference.) I know I'll get used to it but still. The countertop looks fine from a distance but up close there are these swirls in it that were NOT present in the sample at the store that was about 11"x 6". Certainly large enough to see if something like that was prominent. It looks like PAAS egg dye floating on water. Now, it doesn't look quite as bad on top to me as it did when I initially saw it and had to walk away before I started crying in front of the installers. But yeah, it has this concrete look to it that was NOT part of my mental design. The whole thing just looks way more modern than I anticipated. On the upside, the Mr loves it and I'm wholly glad for him. I guess I got what I wanted the past 12 years and now it's his turn. But I will never be able to unsee the hideous swirls that are on the side of the counter that I have to see every time I'm in the bathroom for business purposes.
So yesterday, late morning the plumber came back and the Mr schooled him on his absence of plumbers putty and made him feel inadequate. He's racing out the door as I type. Our job was to keep an eye on it all day to make sure that the putty, that the directions said was required to be there, kept things dry. As suspected, we were good to go. I will refrain from making jokes about men reading directions especially since mine does almost every time.
After several calls to both the plumber and countertop people with no response, we got Home Depot involved and we have an appointment Monday for them to come back out and fix the scratches and nick. The Mr has sent an email to the HD liaison that mama ain't happy and we don't want them to touch the chair rail. We had to pay $50 for nothing because they had a minimum cost to even do the job so our solution is to get that money refunded to us so that it's enough with having to work around yet ANOTHER appointment to get done what they screwed up. Oh, and did anyone say they were sorry for the inconvenience? Only the plumber after the Mr pointed out that the directions said putty was required. Our sales rep and no other points of contact even bothered which makes us think this is pretty common.
I'll admit, I was tempted to just take pics and post the reveal like it all went smoothly but it's important that you know that even the smallest of renos don't always go as planned. Also, given all of the BS we've put up with all contractors for the past 7 weeks, the only thing that got these two contractors to respond was once Home Depot was involved and quick. If you get enough complaints then you have potential to lose that major contract so I would consider doing any kitchen/bath reno through a place where you have a "middleman" who can advocate for you.
I'm so done. :-|
Any reno horror stories to share?
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Wednesday, July 19, 2017
DIY Easy, Inexpensive Craftsman Headers- Two Ways
How many times have we watched a home show or gone to open houses in historic neighborhoods and ogled the craftsman details? Those gorgeous window casings and headers are enough to make ya swoon. I researched online and saw so many pins and posts that made me feel like "heck, why not?" I thought the perfect spot to make this happen would be the entrance and garage doors.
You can see, it's not bad but doesn't exactly wow you either. So here's what you'll need if you want a traditional from scratch header that you can make to, as a friend put it, "put a hat on the door."
1x2's (you'll find it in the lumber section aka furring strips)
1x6's or 1x4's depending on how high you want to go (I used 1x6)
1 1/2" wood screws (affiliate link)
Wood glue (This is seriously the best stuff ever) (affiliate link)
Measuring tape
Speed Square (in the shape of a triangle...wth?) (affiliate link)
Miter saw (or small hand saw if you please)
220 grit sandpaper
Brad Nailer or small finishing nails
Paint or stain
Wood filler (affiliate link)
To quote Tone Loc..."let's do it."
1. Measure the top of your door (or window) trim and mark your 1x6 or 1x4.
2. Mark 1" more on your 1x2 if you want your top trim to be more traditional so it comes out by 1/2" on each side. If you're in a tight space, just mark the same measurement.
3. Grab your safety glasses and head out to the miter saw. Line up your laser with your pencil mark and cut your 1x4/6.
4. Do the same with your 1x2.
Make sure you sand the entire piece of wood especially the ends you just cut as they have a tendency to splinter when cut. You want nice, smooth edges or else it's gonna show under the paint/stain.
Now it's time to assemble.
5. Run a small bead of wood glue along the back of the 1x2 (the part that is 2".)
6. Put your 1x4/6 on the glue strip of the 1x2 as a "topper."
7. Wipe any excess glue from the back.
8. Use the 1x2 on top and bottom of the header. Assemble a few of them in batches.
Allow the glue to dry for at least 90 minutes.
9. Time to grab the 1 1/2" wood screws!
10. You can see that these will easily go through your 1x2 and well into the 1x4/6 to make a solid header.
11. Match up your screw to the drill bit that is one size smaller. If you select the same size, the screw will have nothing to grip to.
12. Drill a pilot hole and secure each end.
Now we're cooking with gas! (Said the frontier lady)
13. Now it's time to fill in any gaps you may have between the two pieces of wood so they will look smooth when painted.
14. In addition to making sure I sand the ends, sometimes you just have those rough wood cavities of the cut end so I fill those with the wood filler and use a drop of water to smooth the finish.
15. Sand any spots you used the filler.
16. Then it's time to prime/paint!
When I was done applying my coats of paint, it looked so purty! I was ready to hang it.
Then I had one of those sinking feelings and I had the Mr hold it up to its new home.
I hated it!
I mean I loved the header but I went against my judgment in the store to use the 1x4 and it was just too massive for our space. It would look awesome in a regular house but in a squished entry like that? Nope.
So it was begrudgingly back to the plan I had for quite some time. I've always wanted to do them and we've had some leftover baseboards from our flooring project 3 years ago just hanging out in the garage. I unscrewed the wood screws, grabbed my utility knife and scored off the wood glue and carefully pried off the 1x2's with my crowbar so I could reuse them.
I basically repeated the same steps but put a 3 1/2" stacked appearance baseboard in place of the 1x6.
Since a test screw showed that the 1 1/2" wood screws were going to be too big and crack the baseboard, I used the brad nailer to pop a few in to stabilize it.
Then it was time to repeat the process with the wood filler and paint. Didn't I just do this??
While we absolutely LOVED the way it looked, as you can see when it was held up that the bright new white paint made our trim and door look quite dingeworthy.
|(Trust me, it looked much worse in person)
Well, shizzballs.
So I busted out the painter's tape and taped off the hinges and doorknobs, put on the disco channel and got to it. As you can see in the second picture, painting the trim and door made all the difference in comparison.
You can see putting the header on makes a nice statement in comparison to just the plain old builder grade oak trim from the 90's.
I happily hung the other and my heart skipped a beat.
But hanging them isn't the last step. As you can see on the left side because of the gap the molding has compared to the 1x6, I had to put in some wood filler to build something for the caulk to grab on to.
|(Two different doors but you get the idea)
Then once that dried, I used a white caulk to smooth over that and give it a finished look on the right.
I loved it so much I made 12 more so now every doorway in our home has a header inside and out. It really gives such a beautiful architectural touch and I only wish I'd done it sooner! Total cost for all 12 headers was $93. The wow factor if we ever sell this place will make it look like we spent WAY more and we're confident has added a ton of value!
Do you have headers in your home? Do you think you'd take on this project?
(This post contains affiliate links and should you buy through them, I may receive a small commission for blog expenses at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!)
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Labels: DIY
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Step away from the sledgehammer
"Demo day" is the holy grail of any home show and it romanticizes the power you feel when swinging a sledgehammer into what you consider dated cabinets. People from licensed contractors to DIYers tackling a project for the first time go in, guns blazin', and demolish everything in sight because it makes for good TV. So when it comes time to tackle your own DIY project, you may be tempted to do what you see on these shows and annihilate everything you're getting rid of regardless of their condition. Meanwhile, across town, you have a family who is living paycheck to paycheck that has cabinets that are falling off the hinges, drawers that don't shut and duct tape holding stuff together because they can't afford a brand new kitchen. What could they afford? Those perfectly functional, nice cabinets that some person who didn't like the color just took a sledgehammer to so they could feel like a caveman.
Habitat for Humanity does not only build homes for eligible families, they also have a ReStore that carries everything from kitchen cabinets to lighting fixtures to extra wood pieces and flooring/tiles. Hotels, businesses and yes, homeowners just like you donate perfectly functional pieces from their remodels to HfH so that others may take advantage at a deep discount.
|Restore Atlanta has everything someone starting out in a new home on a budget could need!
|Habitat Boston restore has some pretty sweet kitchen cabinets!
ReStores are open to the public and you never know what treasures are waiting for you. Even if you don't need kitchen cabinets or bathroom sinks or a dining room table, if you have a small decor project you saw on Pinterest that you want to recreate, check the ReStore! A few years ago, I got a drawer front for $2 then painted it and added 2 hooks and had a place to hang my camera bag. A great piece for under $6 because I already had the paint on hand.
I desperately wanted to donate our bathroom countertop but because of the crack in our sink, it wouldn't be considered. If you want to know the things you can donate from your reno, this post covers a good amount of it. ReStores also help keep construction waste out of landfills and that's just good for everyone.
You can go here and enter your zip code and see the nearest Habitat ReStore near you. Some ReStores will do pick ups so you can schedule them to come out and get whatever item(s) you're donating. It's worth taking a peek around one so you can get an idea if it's a resource you may want to use in the future. If you have a kid heading to college or getting their first home on their own, you're trying to furnish a rental property or vacation home or need a vanity or other cabinetry or furniture at a fraction of the cost of retail. This is such a great resource that helps an amazing cause and if you have any bit of DIY in you and some paint, there are treasures waiting to be prettied up.
Have you ever donated to or shopped at a ReStore?
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Monday, July 17, 2017
Monday, we meet again
If I had a cool, big yard, I'd totally take out a home equity loan and buy that slab as a cool bench under a shade tree.
Then I'd make something with these babies...
Corbels are my jam and you can bet I'm sniffing out places to put them if I can. I think the Mr just cringes and hopes we get out alive with nothing in tow. I ended up with a cool piece of wood. No idea what I'm going to do with it.
We made a pit stop at home midday and before we knew it, it was dinner time. Since the Mr was in the mood for a gyro (ain't never happenin' for this girl), I got a sub and I finished caulking the tub at like 11 pm.
I woke up with my alarm and contemplated getting out of bed for 90 minutes before sleep took me. We're visiting some friends tonight to give them our old bathroom light since they just moved into a 'new to them' house. Well, I can't show up empty handed and since I needed to film some recipes, I figured I'd use them as an excuse to make some delicious schtuff to take over so they didn't have to worry about making dinner. I mean who wants to do that the day after all of your crap gets dropped at your door? The Mr just kept shaking his head because I'm basically delivering main dish, side dish, dessert, and wine. I swear my last name must be Devereaux. So I broke my back with a six hour work day of baking, cooking, and filming and suddenly it was 6 pm and we needed to hit the last grocery store. Off we went and they were out of mahi so we went across the street and got some of that, red snapper and some other fish I think. By the time we got started with our workout, it was 7:30 pm and I wanted nothing more than to turn in my get out of jail free card but we didn't. We did a 40 minute PT/strength sesh and then I made dinner.
So here it is 9:30 pm and the day, she is gone. Sigh.
I've got lots to do today and we have to get ready for the countertop dude tomorrow. SO excited! Maybe I'll give him some cookies.
What did you guys do this weekend?
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text:
What's Your Definition of Freedom? (Mine Changed Last Week) Plus: My Latest Attempt at Video
This week I'd love to find out, what is your definition of freedom? It might sound cheesy, but I think about the concept of freedom a lot.
33 Things I've Never Told You (or, How to Re-Introduce Yourself and Kick Your Watered-Down Self in the Ass)
That's me, riding my dog in the photo over there. I do shit like that sometimes.
Everything is Derivative
Over the past three months, I've talked and worked with a lot of smart, talented and motivated entrepreneurs-in-the-making who all get hung up on some variation of the same issue. The problem is usually described like this: "I can't decide what my business should be about.
A New Look for Free Pursuits
Welcome to a whole new look for Free Pursuits. I hope you like it.
How to Take 3 Years Off to See the World — with Betsy and Warren Talbot
If you've thought traveling the world for a few years is only possible for 20-somethings or retirees, this story is for you. Betsy and Warren Talbot from Married with Luggage are about to embark on a 3-year trip around the world.


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Single Family Detached
- 3 beds
- 3 baths
- $124,900 price
- 4107842 mls id
- Square Feet: 1,790 sqft
- Year Built: 1960
It is rare to find a duplex this well maintained. Updates include windows, kitchens, bathrooms, electric panels, garage roof, exterior paint, storm drain lines cleared to road. Back unit has new heat pump and gas furnace with a wifi thermostat and a dry basement system installed. Front unit is a one bedroom, one bath with full basement/laundry and extended concrete parking area. The back unit is a two bedroom, full bath/laundry on main floor, full basement with half bath, extra large living room that connects to back deck with built in seating and chain link fenced yard, Lots of natural woodwork/floors throughout the house. Don't miss the cozy concrete fire pit area tucked behind the detached garage that is shared by both units. Maintenance (gutter cleaning, snow removal, leaf removal, grass mowing) are the responsibilities of the tenants which makes stress free rental income for an investor. Tenant is currently in a one year lease that is renewable in Jan. Properties are metered separately for electric and gas. Owner pays Internet, water/sewer and trash. Front tenant is a long term renter. This property is truly move-in ready for Kent State students since both units are fully furnished. Back unit is large enough for a small family to live in while collecting income from front unit. The property could easily be converted to a one family home if desired by opening a (currently sealed) door between the two units. This is truly a one of a kind opportunity.
- Site Link
- Style Other Style
Related Listings
Single Family Detached
42 Pictures
Great home with everything on one floor. Inviting front entry for just sitting and relaxing in the evening or the back deck for a little more privacy. Siding and windows have been replaced within the last 6 years. The concrete drive was installed about 5 years ago and provides for ample parking....
3 beds, 1 baths, 1,360 sqft, $119,900
Listing Agent: Deborah Kruis
Courtesy of: Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realty
Courtesy of: Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realty
Office Phone: +13304221663
Listing Agent: Deborah Kruis
Updated: 19th January, 2020 3:00 PM.
876 West Riddle Ave Ravenna, OH


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National fuel retailer
In our dealings we have found FIS to be honest and open, and they deliver what they say
Our Clients
FIS has strong relationships with 12,500 retailers in Europe who use our services to accept payments online, at their mail order / telephone order centres and over 80,000 branch locations.
With more than 25 years' experience of working with the largest and mid-tier retailers, we help our clients to accept a wider choice of payments more securely than ever before, with solutions that work for both Customer Present and CNP transactions.
Our UK infrastructure supports payment acceptance across multiple sales channels for sectors that include: retail, leisure & hospitality providers, fuel vendors, B2B suppliers and financial services companies. A further 430 Debit & Pre-Paid Card Programmes are managed by FIS on behalf of 75 clients.
FIS provides payment gateway or managed card payment services to over 50 major UK clients. Our services are integrated in over 35,000 PEDs in the UK.
Key accounts include:
- The Body Shop
- Halfords
- Signet Jewelers
- WH Smith
- Costcutter
- Several supermarket retailers
Hospitality, Travel & Leisure
- Whitbread (Costa)
- Travelodge
- Q Hotels
Fuel Retail
- CH Jones (Keyfuels)
- Total
- Texaco
- Suresite Card Services
Financial Institutions
- Santander
- Aegon Insurance
Please see Sectors for further information.


text: Any one here own a Colt Officer besides me. Mine is a 1995 steel frame Pretty Colt Blue enhanced model. I am starting to carry more than my Defender and Commanders. Had for several years , but only carried now and then . Have carried every day for past 3 weeks Has grown on me .


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Fringe News - December 19, 2017
The Warrens, Spontaneous Human Combustion, a Frozen Bigfoot Head, and more...
Mysterious Interstellar Object
Gef the Mongoose on The Folklore Podcast
Outro Music by Dredneks, Human Parasite
If you like the show, for as little as $3 a month you can help support us by becoming a Patreon. You will get regular extra content and more every month!
The Warrens, Spontaneous Human Combustion, a Frozen Bigfoot Head, and more...
Mysterious Interstellar Object
Gef the Mongoose on The Folklore Podcast
Outro Music by Dredneks, Human Parasite
In this edition we talk about the 'proof' that we are NOT living in a computer simulation, the Starchild Skull DNA tests, Extra Terrestrial life found on the hull of the ISS, growing mini brains, and some flat earth craziness. Plus much more.
Outro Music is by V~Nessy, "Galactic Mist", from her album Hyperland.
This is a roundtable show, and Seriah is joined by Red Pill Junkie, Aaron David of Charm the Water, Adam Sayne of Conspirinormal, and Timothy Renner of Strange Familiars. This is Part 1 of a probably 3 part show, discussing a paper published in Frontiers of Psychology entitled, Fifty psychological and psychiatric terms to avoid: a list of inaccurate, misleading, misused, ambiguous, and logically confused words and phrases. An academic paper, it brings up many points that affect our study of the paranormal, consciousness, and the assumption of materialism. Published back in 2015, it provokes some pretty deep conversations as we explore just the first 20 items in this part.
Outro Music by Lee TNB AKA Monkey Mind with "Last Transmission (Deep Space Nine Mix)"
On this episode we take apart the claims made by Tom DeLonge, in particular, as regarding his appearance on The Joe Rogan Podcast. Seriah is joined by Greg Bishop, Adam Sayne, Red Pill Junkie, and Joshua Cutchin.
End Music is October by March and Beauty.
This is a sort of compilation of some video interviews I have done over the last year. I realize that many people would prefer audio to video, and since these were previously only available as video, I put them all together here. We start with our conversation at Albatwitch Day 2017, where Seriah, Timothy Renner, James Kibler, and Adam Sayne all trade off some strange encounters they have had. Then we hear from Joe about his weird void in the woods, and Dustin about his strange Dream Club experience. Finally we present the interview with Travis Walton and Jennifer Stein from the Travis Premiere in Ithaca, Ny, as well as a talk with Audrey Starborn.
Outro Music is from Tim Renner's band Albatwitch, with Pin.
Adam Sayne from Conspirinormal joins Seriah for a live edition of Where Did the Road Go? They discuss the latest announcement by Tom DeLong, The Corey Goode saga, various Conspiracies and the difference between facts and possibilities...
Outro music is by Spazzare, In Heaven, Live from Seriah's Last Exit for the Lost Radio Show.
In this episode we tackle the Peruvian 'Alien' Mummies that have been making the rounds on Social Media. We also get into some recent movies and some of the philisophical points that they raise...
Find Wren at https://liminalroom.com/
Find Adam at http://conspirinormal.podomatic.com/
Find Red Pill on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/redpilljunkie/
The Outro Music is by Fifty Dollar Dynasty with On Down the Road.
I am joined by Wren Collier, Red Pill Junkie, and Adam Sayne as we discuss (as per a listener's suggestion) ExtraOrdinary: The Stan Romanek Story. A documentary that appeared recently on Netflix and other platforms. Stan's claims are generally considered to be quite suspect, and we take apart what is presented in this documentary...
Outro Music by Stever, the song is "Blackguard" from the album Idiot Savant.
I am joined by Aaron David of Charm the Water, Adam Sayne of Conspiranormal, and Red Pill Junkie. We discuss an article on how the brain and memory do not perform like a computer and how that analogy is holding back progress. This conversation branches off into all kinds of things from that starting point, occassionally heading back around to the article. Well worth a read. Definitely inspired us.
Outro Music by Sleeping Bulls. The song is Sedna.
I am joined by Joshua Cutchin, Adam Sayne, and Timothy Renner for a discussion of Fiction and how it relates to the subjects we study. We discuss fiction as a release valve, as an influence on ideas, as well as how fiction can muddy the waters of what is fact and what is fiction. We get into a lot of stuff in this show, including recommending some excellent fictional podcasts. We also talk everything from Star Trek to Lovecraft. Enjoy.
The link to buy The Good People, from Patrick Harpur - https://strangeattractor.greedbag.com/buy/the-good-people-0/
Link to buy The Miracle Visitors on Amazon - http://amzn.to/2r7xQbF
Outro Music by Zero Mean, with the song, "In the Ether" - https://zeromean.bandcamp.com/


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Here is the #3 Way to be truly thankful this Thanksgiving. I hope these are as beneficial to you as they have been to me over the years. I'm so excited for Thanksgiving Day coming up this Thursday. Between writing and studying my way through "November Thankfulness" and going back over these FIVE WAYS to be thankful, my heart feels definitely prepared to celebrate on Thanksgiving Day.
The Third Way to be Truly Thankful This Thanksgiving
Begin praying for and planning out your Thanksgiving Day, and preparing for Advent which begins on November 30th this year of 2014.
The third way to be truly thankful this Thanksgiving is by doing the "Three Ps". Pray, Plan, and Prepare ahead for your Thanksgiving meal and the celebration of Advent which takes place each Sunday after Thanksgiving until the week of Christmas. By doing this ahead of time, you will feel better prepared for the coming celebrations.
The following is a list of dishes and items that are typically on our Thanksgiving table. This list will vary, of course, for every household. My list is simply to get you thinking early about a list of your own:
Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy, homemade braided bread, peas & carrots, pistachio pudding with marshmallows and pineapple (my kids call this the green stuff), whole black olives, cranberry sauce, and of course, pumpkin pie with whip cream. Wow! Just typing out that list, makes me truly thankful for Thanksgiving Day!
If there are any recipes you may need, including how to bake your turkey, I recommend allrecipes.com. I love this site because it has videos for many of the recipes showing me exactly what to do.
In regards to preparing for Advent I recommend expectantlylistening.com with Valerie, "The Advent Jesse Tree" written by Dean Meador Lambert, "Celebrating A Christ-Centered Christmas" by Sharon Jaynes, or my favorite Advent book of all time, "The Handel's Messiah Family Advent Reader" by Donna W. Payne and Fran Lenzo. This book was given to me in 2004 by a special friend and our family has used it every year since.
I personally use all of these resources to prepare for Advent in one way or another.
I would love for you to send a list of your Thanksgiving Day dishes, or any traditions, books, or websites you may use to make it a very special day. If you stop by, please remember to click on the blue "Follow SimplyLiving101" button in the right side-bar or leave a message below. I'm so glad you came by. I will be giving the #4 Way to be truly thankful this Thanksgiving tomorrow, so be sure to stop by again! See you then 🙂


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Heritage Park Wedding
Brandy-Lee and Jordan's Calgary Heritage Park Wedding
Calgary has some of the most beautiful wedding venues and Heritage Park just happens to be one of our favorites. From the moment we met Brandy-Lee and Jordan in our downtown studio to chat about their Heritage Park wedding, we it was going to be one of the highlights of our 2014 season. An early evening ceremony. A Ferris Wheel ride at cocktail hour. A dessert table packed with 6 flavors from Calgary's own Jelly Modern Doughnuts … and the most packed dance floor we've seen all year. Yes, this wedding was right up our alley.
From the moment we joined them at the hotel in the morning to when we had to drag ourselves off a dance floor around midnight, this Heritage Park wedding was full to the brim with amazing moments, big smiles, and yes, a few happy tears. With close friends and family to celebrate, Brandy-Lee and Jordan were married on the lawn of The Prince House at Heritage Park. The ceremony started in the early evening when the light was most beautiful and carried on to a cocktail reception on the midway. Guests enjoyed a few light snacks and rid on the the Ferris Wheel before the reception. The large dining room at the Wainwright hotel boasted high ceilings, wooden beams and lots of space for dancing the night away. Did we mention the doughnuts? Yeah, I think we mentioned the doughnuts already.
Congratulations J&B! We were so thrilled to be your Calgary Wedding Photographers. Be sure to check out Brandy-Lee and Jordan's Wedding Slideshow to see their whole Heritage Park wedding day story!
J&B's Calgary Wedding Vendors:
Bridal Gown: Melissa Sweet's gown from David's Bridal , Wedding Co-ordinator and Floral Designs: Val Unrau, My Day Designs , Ceremony Venue: The Prince House, Heritage Park , Reception Venue: The Wainwright Hotel, Heritage Park , Desserts: Jelly Modern Doughnuts , Photography: Calgary Wedding Photographers, Photographik , Second Photographer: Erin Wilson of Erin K Wilson Photography ,Videography: Photographik ,Second Videographer: Alex Viviani


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Join SAMHSA, 1,100 communities, and 136 national collaborating organizations in celebration of the 2014 National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day: Inspiring Resilience, Creating Hope. http://www.samhsa.gov/children/national.asp
Whether you connect to Awareness Day with the May 6 national launch event near Washington, DC, or the many local events taking place across the country on May 8, you can be part of this nationwide strategy focused on the importance of caring for every child's mental health from birth.
The national launch event will be a special general session of the National Council for Behavioral Health (National Council) annual conference. Chiara de Blasio, the 19-year-old daughter of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, will serve as the 2014 Honorary Chairperson. Ms. de Blasio will be joined onstage by her parents Mayor de Blasio and Chirlane McCray. Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius will present Ms. de Blasio with a special recognition award for serving as an example of hope for other young adults by speaking out about her experience with depression and substance use.


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The Economic Benefits of Wall Street
The Big Q: Have you ever seen movie that lauds the economic benefits of Wall Street?
Note: Wall Street is the financial capital of the world in the world's #1 economy.
And yet people in Hollywood, and politics, for example socialist Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who brags he did not have a job till he was 40, cry out against Wall Street constantly.
An outstanding defense of Wall Street against Bernie's frequent outbursts was provided by Joe Rosenberg, the chief investment strategist at Lowe's Corp., in a 14 March 2016 WS-J op-ed titled "The Wall Street I Have Known."
Mr. Rosenberg wrote: "Senator Sanders ought to ask some of the immigrants who work on Wall Street what they think about the opportunities that this country affords, rather than going to college campuses and attacking the financial industry to further his own political ends."
And, Hollywood has profited from movies that attack Wall Street's profit motive, which always seems to be driven by greed and nefarious intentions.
Some of them "Wall Street," "The Wolf of Wall Street," and "The Big Short." And this TV example: the series Billions, about a corrupt hedge fund.
"Money Monster," directed by Jodie Foster and starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts is the latest Hollywood rant, notably even with a flashy Cannes premier it was virtually DOA at the domestic box office.
The Story: The evil-doer is the CEO of IBIS, a high-frequency trading (HFT) firm that is publicly traded. Mr. Clooney plays Lee Gates, a Wall Street guru who picks hot stocks as host of the television show Money Monster on the Financial News Network, obviously modeled after Jim Cramer's Mad Money on CNBC. During a live broadcast, a disgruntled investor storms onto the set and takes Gates hostage because he lost everything on one of his tips to buy IBIS. The stock cratered when the firm lost $800-M, blaming the loss on a glitch in the firm's trading algorithm. The armed-and-deranged young civilian investor is convinced that the stock market is rigged, and he wants the CEO of IBIS to admit it.
I have not seen the film (do not intend too) as it very much a part of the greed-is-good/Wall-Street-is-evil genre.
This year the stock market has gotten more volatile, and hence more risky, I put that in the lap of the world's central banks efforts to confuse participants, and spur their economies, and prop up the equities market. The cheap stimulus money flows into equities.
Monday's US major stock market indexes finished at: DJIA +175.39 at 17710.71, NAS Comp +57.78 at 4775.46, S&P 500 +20.05 at 2066.66
Volume: Trade was less than average with 840-M/shares exchanged on the NYSE.
- NAS Comp-4.6% YTD
- Russell 2000 -1.7% YTD
|HeffX-LTN Analysis for DIA:
|Neutral (0.20)
|Neutral (0.13)
|Neutral (0.06)
|Bullish (0.42)
|HeffX-LTN Analysis for SPY:
|Neutral (0.18)
|Neutral (0.10)
|Neutral (0.15)
|Bullish (0.31)
|HeffX-LTN Analysis for QQQ:
|Neutral (-0.15)
|Neutral (-0.02)
|Bearish (-0.27)
|Neutral (-0.15)
|HeffX-LTN Analysis for VXX:
|Bearish (-0.41)
|Neutral (-0.18)
|Very Bearish (-0.56)
|Very Bearish (-0.50)
Stay tuned…
Paul Ebeling
Paul Ebeling
Latest posts by Paul Ebeling (see all)
- Build a Better Heart, Change Your Lifestyle - January 28, 2020
- F1: Ferrari (NYSE:RACE) 2020 Has What it Needs to Win - January 28, 2020
- "US Would Refinance, Pay Off Debt if Fed Lowered Rates"–President Trump - January 28, 2020


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This event has been marked mature level 1 due to the following, "banging".
Whoever said "Hip Hop is Dead" obliviously hasn't heard the spoken words of the 22 year old fresh out of Mississippi's womb, a constant movement of innovative beats and hypnotizing lyrics that keeps your ears fiendin' for the next track. Meridian, MS native Big K.R.I.T. has done more than established his place in the game, he's letting all MCs "overstand" that fact that he's not going anywhere anytime soon. K.R.I.T. is young enough to be ahead of his time and old enough to be just in time to resuscitate the corpse of hip hop. Quoting the young talent "you like me shawty, I like me too" gives the young Krizzle the confidence to place hip hop on his back and demand the attention of his predecessors. See Me on Top III has hit the streets and A&Rs are listeningunderground artists are trying to step upHe is ahead of the movement. Early in age, K.R.I.T. discovered his musical inclination. At the ripe age of twelve, Young Krizzle followed in the steps of the late Tupac Shakur writing poems and turning them into raps. He then began free-styling in the hallways of Kate Griffin Jr. High School perfecting his craft. At the tender age of fourteen, he began producing and arranging music for local artists. Soon after he began producing and writing his own music, with the finesse of a veteran. Immersing himself in the talents of the late greats: Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur and the southern influences of Andre 3000 and Cee-lo Goodie; Big K.R.I.T. has developed himself into a living legend that's unknown to the popular circuit but adorned by the true underground hip hop heads. His soul is young but his roots are deeply planted in southern soil growing up to the sounds of Willie Hutch, Bobby Womack and the Manhattans, whose music has sincerely influenced his works.Since 2005, he has dropped four mix tapes: See Me on Top I, II featuring DJ Folk, III featuring DJ Infamous and Hood Fame with DJ Wally Sparks: King of the Queen. He signed himself to his label Multi Records, manages his own production, creates and sells his own beats. He's worked with established DJs in the industry without dropping a cent, such as DJ Folk, DJ O.K. out of Oklahoma, Black Bill Gates, Big Mike out of NYC, DJ Chuck T, Chief Rocka, DJ Papa Smirf, DJ Certified Kingpin, Governor Kush: Live From MLK, DJ Break 'Em Off, DJ Sweat, DJ MLK, Bigga Rankinsand the list goes on. He's been featured on tracks with Donnie Cross, Collective Efforts and Mike Hartnett. He's produced tracks for many established artists such as Max Minelli, Ya Boy, Cheeto Gamine, Alfa Mega from Grand Hustle and Big Floaty.The young talent also has accumulated/developed a catalog of unsurpassed sounds and lyrics calmly waiting to take the rap game by storm. Big K.R.I.T. has consistently presented his scope and depth as he eagerly waits at mainstream's doorknockingno, banging to be let in. Who's going to open the door?
Cost: 25.00 to 90.00
Categories: Concerts & Tour Dates
Highly Suspect
Tori Kelly
Jinjer with Suicide Silence...
Tech N9ne, Krizz Kaliko, Je...
Ryan Hurd - Minglewood Hall
Tech N9ne with Jelly Roll T...
Jacob Collier - DJESSE WORL...
Trippie Redd
Frank Foster
Larkin Poe
Allen Stone
Ky-Mani Marley
Brian Culbertson
Sorry, you missed Big K.R.I.T. at Minglewood Hall.
Demand that Minglewood Hall gets added to the next tour!Demand it!
Sorry, you missed Big K.R.I.T. at Minglewood Hall.
Demand that Memphis gets added to the next tour!Demand it!
You missed Big K.R.I.T. at Minglewood Hall.
We're generating custom event recommendations for you based on Big K.R.I.T. right now!


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The Nature Park of Arrábida is full of wonders, culture, history, stories and things to discover. But it is also the place for the more adventurous ones. Here are 10 outdoor activities to do in Arrábida: (scroll down) 1) Scuba … Read More
Standard Blog
10 Outdoor activities to do in Arrábida!
A week from Hell!
Hi everyone! Feels good to be back! This was one crazy week. During this week you probably have heard of Mel, if not don't worry just follow this post and you will. This is Mel: Mel is our family dog, … Read More
10 places you can't miss in Arrábida!
Hey everyone! If you are here is because you are one step closer to meet the wonders of a paradise we call HOME! Here, where the blue water meets the green of the mountain, you can find the amazing beaches … Read More
The Tour Experience
The Arrábida Daytrip: Our best seller! This was filmed and edited when I began touring around. It was my first experience with GoPro and Adobe Premiere. I havent´t touched it since then but I promise to use this post as … Read More
Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller
Hello world!
Hello! My name is Miguel and I am a tour guide at inArrábida. I am creating this blog to share with you all the wonders of the unique nature park we live in, some of my adventures and other curiosities … Read More


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PEARL – The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency wants to remind residents that while Tropical Storm Andrea is not forecast to affect the state, they should continue preparing for what is forecast to be an active hurricane season.
"As Tropical Storm Andrea makes landfall in Florida today, bringing as much as 10 inches of rain, we are reminded that some of the greatest risks associated with named storms are torrential rainfall and inland flooding," said MEMA Director Robert Latham. "We are only six days into the official hurricane season and already have a named storm. Planning before a storm is essential, and can save your life."
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted 13 to 20 named storms, with seven to 11 of them becoming hurricanes. NOAA also says that three to six could become major hurricanes.
"We have to remember that it only takes one to impact our state. Have the conversation with your family now about your hurricane plan," added Latham.
Last year during Hurricane Isaac, hundreds of citizens had to be rescued as a result of rising water. Heavy rains and storm surge will almost always be associated with tropical systems resulting in high water. Once tropical storm force winds begin, first responders may not be able reach stranded citizens as a result of rising water.
For more information about emergency preparedness, visit www.msema.org.
The public is encouraged to follow MEMA on Twitter and Facebook for updates.


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To provide safe housing, work, and leisure opportunities for adults with developmental challenges.
DIGS, Inc. offers a variety of leisure opportunities for our adults and older teens 18+ years in age, learn more!
DIGS, Inc. seeks donations of your time, expertise, and financial resources and it's tax deductible. Learn more >>
Find out what's happening with DIGS


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BINH PHUOC (VNS)—The National Ba Ra Mountain Climbing Tournament will kick off on Monday at the foot of Ba Ra Mountain in Binh Phuoc Province.
Apart from local athletes, the organisers have invited runners from Laos and Cambodia.
Athletes will compete in individual and team categories. Professional men will run 7.7km while women will run 5.4km and amateur and youth athletes will race 6km and 5.4km, respectively.
Last year nearly 600 athletes participated in the event. Tran Van Loi of the host won the men's pro event and Pham Thi Binh from Quang Ngai triumphed on the women's side. — VNS


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Detroit Print Shop provides clean, clear and precise catalog printing with a variety of available custom features that can turn your catalog into a showpiece.
Let Detroit Print Shop help you compete your saddle-stitched catalog project with easy to use templates and personal service.
One of the most invaluable tools in increasing sales is an itemized listing of your merchandise with photos, illustrations and complete descriptions. When potential customers are searching for a specific and particular item, they need to be able to know that what you offer is exactly what they are looking for.
The high quality printing at Detroit Print Shop ensures that your photos and illustrations are clear, the specifications legible and descriptions precise—providing the best purchasing experience possible for your customers.
Among the choices available in catalog printing are:
- Two standard catalog sizes
- Number of pages from 8-96
- Four paper options, including a recycled stock


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Kevin O'Bryan's Irish Pub
Call (330) 724-9782Directions
Get directions to thisWebsite
location on Google Maps.
location on Google Maps.
Open websiteShare
in new tab.
in new tab.
Share this business
on social media.
on social media.
Did you know that besides being Akron's oldest Irish bar that we also have a private party room in the basement for 30-60 people? It's perfect for surprise birthday parties, team banquets, and group get togethers! Make sure you ask our bartenders for more information!
Business Hours
Monday 11:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Tuesday 11:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Wednesday 11:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Thursday 11:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Friday 11:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Saturday 11:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Sunday 11:00 AM - 2:30 AM


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Immigration Reform: A Senior Statesmen of Virginia ForumWednesday, September 13th, 2006
On September 13, 2006, the Senior Statesmen of Virginia held a forum on the topic of immigration reform. The speakers are Dale McGlothlin, Chief Operating Officer of the Federation of American Immigration Reform in Washington, D.C., and Tim Freilich, Managing Attorney of the Virginia Justice Center for Farm and Immigrant Workers.
Standard Podcast [ 0:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download


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Arkansas State University uses QTV for sports prompting
Arkansas State University (ASU) has installed a range of QTV and Autocue systems for digital production of its sports programming.
The installation is a major part of a new studio installation in the University's Department of Radio-Television. ASU students producing programming for the university's cable channel, ASU-TV (broadcasting to Jonesboro and Bay, AR), are now using Autocue's newsroom computer system, QSmart, with two QTV 15in Master Series prompters.
The equipment is being incorporated in three courses: Reporting for the Electronic Media, Electronic Newsgathering and News Production and Performance.
ASU media students taking these courses produce a variety of programs for ASU-TV, including sports talk shows, half-hour TV newscasts, five-minute TV news updates, radio newscasts and public affairs programs.
For more information, visit www.qtv.com


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San Francisco must be one of the most expensive cities to visit or live in in North America. The host hotel Marriott Marquis offers a buffet breakfast for $34; continental breakfast for $22.
The ACBL bridge rate is listed as Marriott Marquis $165 + tax 780 Mission St.San Francisco CA 94103
But when you click on regular member to reserve a room, you discover:
Marriott Marquis San Francisco $169
It also showed SOLD OUT for the night of Wednesday, November 27 when I arrive. So I called ONPEAK at 855-992-3353 and after a 5 minute wait, reached an agent. She confirmed that there was availability every night and the price was indeed $169 (not $165). With taxes that adds up to $196.49 US (for Canadians that is a whopping $264.97 CDN per night!).
For a couple playing in an NABC event add another $120 per day in entry fees ($161.30 CDN)
Total for one day and one night $316.49 US (food not included). That's $425.32 for Canadian folks.
I shudder to think what the entry fees will be in Canadian dollars when the ACBL goes to Montreal, Summer 2020. Or what the attendance will be.
How does this violate our Community Guidelines?
Benefits include:
Plus... it's free!


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Medical Office Technology
The Medical Office certificate is intended for persons desiring to be able to perform the basic functions in a medical office setting successfully. When the student has completed these courses, he or she will have an understanding of the various types of duties that could be assigned to an office worker in a medical setting.
Gainful Employment: For more information about graduation rates, cost, the median debt of students who complete the program, and other information, please visit our Gainful Employment page.


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ABCMouse.com (available in library only) – Helps kids learn through phonics, and teaches lessons in math, social studies, art, music, and much more. For ages 2-6 years old. For a 3-week home access trial, click here.
eLibrary Elementary – Easy searching of child-friendly newspapers, magazines, reference books, maps, pictures, and audio/visual content.
Kids InfoBits – For students in kindergarten through grade five. It features a kid-friendly graphic interface with full-text content from elementary reference sources and magazines. Kids InfoBits covers geography, current events, the arts and sciences, people, government, history, and more.
Learning Express – Offers tutorials for building school skills in math, science, social studies, and English.
ABCYA – Educational computer games and apps for kids
Starfall – Teaching children reading and mathematics
Cool Math Games – Free online math games, puzzles and more!
Scratch – Create stories, games and animations using basic coding.


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It's been about a month since I resolved to stay off Social Media and avoid mindless internet browsing until after 12 pm.
Honestly, I felt the benefits of this from day 1. Mornings, especially mornings where I have to be somewhere by a particular time, are much less rushed. I feel calmer without all of the "noise" that accompanies social media posts (think politics) and the internet in general.
That being said, I still have moments where I am uncomfortable; moments when I instinctively reach for my phone as a distraction. I think I am still learning just how much this dumb rectangle has enslaved me.
If there's a lull in conversation, keep occupied with the phone. If I'm waiting for someone to arrive, keep occupied with the phone. If I'm not ready to jump into the days activities and feel like lingering longer, keep occupied with the phone.
I'll be honest and tell you that I've cheated on some of my mindfulness goals a time or two. Like popping on HGTV with my Sling TV app during lunch this past weekend (which I haven't done in WEEKS) because, in my own words, "It's the weekend and I don't care." I've opened social media roughly 3-5 times before 12 pm; most times I caught myself and closed it. Other times I was actually looking for something specific (like testing how quickly WordPress publishes my blogs on Facebook after I linked the two).
It's definitely challenging to just BE in those blank spaces of life and that is the thing I want to work on the most. The truth is, learning to be mindful is not easy-it's work. But I believe if I keep working at it, mindful living will become my habit rather than acquiescing to constantly available distractions and an inability to focus.
After several weeks of eating my breakfast in solitude at the little table off the kitchen by myself, it still feels weird to sit in silence and NOT be playing on my phone or iPad. It still feels like an effort sometimes. Yet I know it's fostering more of a sense of calm in me as I start my days. It's forcing me to be present, be in the now.
And that's truly one of my big life goals: to live as much in the here and now as possible. We've all heard "take it one day at a time" so often that it hardly holds meaning anymore. But if most of us would stop and think about that, I think we'd realize that perhaps we spend a lot less time in the here and now than we should.
The Bible says that God gives us grace for each day; that we ought not to worry about the
future. To me, living mindfully and focusing on His presence through each part of my day is the ultimate freedom. Not worrying about tonight or tomorrow or next week/month/year. Not being so preoccupied by stuff or my to-do list or what I want to accomplish that I lose sight of what's truly important in life.
I want my journeys to be as full of love and joy as my destinations. And it is in the seemingly mundane moments of life these past several weeks that I've seen the power of a daily focus on God's presence and the present. I've seen more beautifully colored flowers and trees while driving to and from my normal weekly destinations. I've heard more bird songs as I've sat quietly with no distractions on the front porch. I've smiled at more strangers while I grocery shop.
The big moments of life are certainly great, but it is when I'm present enough today to notice the tiny ones that my heart explodes with joy, gratitude, and love for the journey itself.


text: Dmitry Timoshkov wrote: > "Jeff Latimer" <lats at yless4u.com.au> wrote: >> + ok( CloseHandle(hslot), "CloseHandle failed\n"); > To close the handle returned by an NT API you have you use an NT API > as well. Have reread MSDN http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms648410.aspx and it seems that NtClose has been superseded by CloseHandle. So I suppose that CloseHandle is the one to use. Have fixed the other points. Jeff


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MyQuickCloud makes printing remotely easy, with the ability to print to both remotely and locally. Remote printers are those connected to the host computer (e.g. the office PC). Local printers are those connected locally to you (e.g. connected via a USB at home).
What Do You Need?
- A host with MyQuickCloud installed
- An admin or user account signed into MyQuickCloud on your remote computer
- A printer set up on either the host (for remote printing) or the user machine (for local printing)
Printing Remotely
As MyQuickCloud creates a remote session on the host machine, as if you were sitting in front of it, any printers that are attached to the host are automatically available to print to. Just select the correct printer as you would normally and you will be able to print to it.
Printing Locally
To print to a printer that is attached to your local computer (the one you are using to connect to the host computer), you will need to follow these steps:
- When prompted to choose a printer by the application you are working on, choose the MyQuickCloud Printer and then click "Print"
- A blue pop-up window will appear. You will see your current default local printer as highlighted below. If that is the correct printer and you do not need to change any printer settings then you can just click "Print" and your document will begin to print
- If you do wish to change to a different printer or change any settings such as duplex then simply click on the printer name and you will be presented with your normal printer settings dialog box. Make any changes necessary and then click "Print" on the MyQuickCloud Print pop up.
Running Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008?
If so then the following additional steps will need to be completed before being able to use MyQuickCloud Print:
- Open a Virtual Desktop on the host (or login directly on the host computer)
- Open Windows Explorer and go to the following folder
- For 64-bit computers: C:\Program Files\Vedivi\MQCServer\tmp\print\driver\x64
- For 32-bit computers: C:\Program Files\Vedivi\MQCServer\tmp\print\x86
- Right-click on "install.bat", select "Run as administrator" and follow the instructions
- Restart the host computer
Alternative Printing Method:
If you prefer you can also use the Microsoft redirected printing method. This is where you print to your local printer that has been added with the (redirected) suffix. If your printer does not appear you will need to install your local printer drivers on the remote host machine and then reboot the host.
You can also see the steps above in action in the following video