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Archive for March 2011
The Adventure After That
Posted March 31, 2011on:
- In: Life As I Know It
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The beginning of my career could not have been more exciting. I was off in a far place, doing what I'd prepared for since early childhood; I was doing a radio show, doing on-camera television news, directing TV news and programming a TV station. Throw in the weekly snow machine ride on the frozen Yukon River and the occasional über-privileged visit to top-secret operations of this kind or that, and I had the stuff of gripping stories for the telling.
My adventure at Galena Air Force Base, Alaska, would be hard to beat, and I guess I arrived at Hill AFB, Utah, just a little full of myself.
Where Galena had the most basic Gates "Yard Board" for its radio console, and a black-and-white transmitter, two B&W cameras and two 16mm projectors for TV equipment, Detachment 8 at Hill was quite the fancy deal, indeed. This television production facility had a darkened master control room with four comfortably-stuffed key position chairs and the very latest programmable switcher with myriad special effects, 3/4″, 1/2″ and 1″ tape record & playback units, three turret-lens color studio cameras on hydraulic pedestals, a cyc-strip, chroma-key screen, music library and innumerable other goodies. I didn't know how any of this stuff worked, but I knew I was in hog-heaven and couldn't wait to touch it all.
Det.8 also had brass: Lieutenants, Captains and Majors all of whom were seasoned television production professionals. To that were added a half-dozen civilians with resumes as long as their arms. And to do the dirty work, there were a couple dozen Non-Commissioned Officers like me who got to yank cables around, set up dusty lights, build sets and do sundry other chores.
That kind of work didn't much appeal to me…I'd done it all before. I wanted to get into the sexy stuff: the script-writing, the camera work, the control room work, the remote work.
Senior Master Sergeant Mark Morris was in charge of the NCO's. He was every bit the stereotype of the brick-built, starched-shirt, not-a-hair-out-of-place, veins bleeding Air Force blue, authoritative, commanding figure. SMSgt. Morris yanked me into his office at about the 30-day point in my tenure at Det.8.
Senior Master Sergeant Mark Morris: "Marx, you've got an attitude problem…"
Airman First Class Fred Marx: "I do not."
SMSgt. Morris: "…and I mean to break you of it."
A1C Marx: "You don't have to do that. Just watch; a month from now, you'll be singing a new song."
SMSgt. Morris: (now red-faced) "Okay. But if I don't see a marked improvement in that time, I'm gonna bust you down to slick-sleeve, and you'll be diggin' ditches somewhere along the flight line."
A1C Marx: (now huffy) "Fine. Watch me."
SMSgt. Morris: (beet-red) "Dismissed!"
Galena Air Force Base was a tiny little outpost in the middle of nowhere. I guess the rules were a bit relaxed there, and that's how I'd come to believe the military was. Hill Air Force Base, on the other hand, was a major Air Force metropolis just spittin' distance from Salt Lake City.
Galena supported two F-4 Fighters. Hill supported the gleaming new F-15C Eagle Fighters – lots of them – and provided support for many other major functions; among them, the production of the classic "Air Force – A Great Way Of Life" television commercials of the 1970's and '80's.
These distinctions were lost on me. What I had just done in Morris' office was nothing short of hubris, insubordination, and idiocy of the highest order. I was nothing short of protected by God Himself from having my legs cut off at the knees and left to die a most agonizing death.
I was true to my word, though. With purpose and resolve, I yanked every cable, set every light, built every set, even cleaned toilets without a spoken syllable of complaint. It was a different story between my ears, however: "Just you wait and see how bad my attitude is, Senior Master Sergeant Mark Morris. I'll show you."
Thirty days later, I was summoned back to his office.
SMSgt. Morris: "Okay, then. You're back on track. Keep it up; I've got my eye on you. Dismissed."
The gall of that man! But at least I'd learned how to do things the Air Force way. I could build from that.
The cable-yanking, light-setting and set-building continued — but before too long, I was doing it on major projects; learning at the feet of the masters. After a while, I was placed on a team of people who operated a mobile unit (a full-size stretch van) equipped with over a million dollars worth of the finest remote television production equipment available. Holy cats! How did I get this lucky?
We traveled to the Tooele Army Depot deep in the Utah desert to capture bombing exercises; to Nellis AFB to chronicle training exercises at the Nevada Test & Training Range; and to Vandenberg AFB (CA) for missile launch tests.
All of the footage we shot had to be edited and produced back at home base: Det.8. And because I had a proprietary interest in the outcome of these projects, I was given the privilege of working with a higher level of equipment and talent.
One of our many studio projects was about a huge, highly-mechanized supply operation, and I was selected to do the on-camera narration for the entire training film. Another project was a series of short courses for entry-level 2nd Lieutenants teaching them how to be classy officers: how to eat; how to drink wine; how to dress; how to salute; how to address a superior officer. This was a people-intensive effort and all of us NCO's got to play the part of "Officer" here or there. It was every non-com's dream.
And let's not forget the part Det.8 played in the early commissioning of and training for the new F-15C Eagles. We shot the arrival of the very first F-15C to arrive in the USAF inventory at Hill AFB amidst a hangar full of dignitaries. We got to crawl around these things on the ground, shooting footage of this piece of hardware which is used for that function until we had the entire beast covered. We got to shoot footage of the fighters in flight, sun glinting from the shiny metal skin.
This was the sexy stuff.
I grew quite a bit older that year; wiser, too. And that's not to mention the wealth of training I'd received in the very techniques I had so desperately wanted to learn.
My new orders arrived about three months before the end: I was going back to Alaska, but to Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, this time. It, too, was a major Base, and this one also had a major television operation, if a bit smaller than Hill's.
Senior Master Sergeant Mark Morris called me back into his office. "Marx, you've done very well…very well. I'm going to fast-track you for promotion." What he meant was that, by the time I arrived in Alaska, I'd be a full-blown Sergeant; ahead of schedule; three stripes on each sleeve instead of just two, and a commensurate increase in pay. All of this, I then understood, for just knuckling down and doing the job.
My friends at Detachment 8 threw me a party just before I left. It was heart-felt; even tear-filled. Relationships were built there that endured for many years. I'm Facebook friends today with as many of these good people as I can find.
I arrived at Elmendorf better able to serve my country; and better prepared for the adventures yet ahead.
Incongruity 101
Posted March 27, 2011on:
- In: Life As I Know It
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We've all seen it; the pimply-faced kid driving a beater with a lit-up Domino's sign affixed to the roof. The car spews thick clouds of smoke as it chugs up the street toward your driveway, and you wonder: "How does this kid make any money for all the gas and oil he must be pumping into that car?"
Today I saw the strangest thing. A brand new dealer-tags-still-on-it white hybrid Toyota Prius with a Domino's sign on top pulled up to the house across the street. My first impulse was to fall on the floor laughing. Then my better angel said, "Wait a minute. This car probably travels only on local streets at 35mph or less. So it's burning no gas and, because it's new, is emitting no particulate matter from its tailpipe." My darker angel said, "It's probably his dad's car." My better angel said, "This kid is a genius. We should all learn from him."
My good friend Steve Young-Burns wrote this story on his Facebook page today. It speaks for itself. [Reprinted with permission.]
Ray's Indian Mini Restaurant. Crabby American diner waitress, cramped plastic booths, long-haul drivers lingering at the counter over bad coffee in a 24-hour truck stop near Baldwin, WI…and the best Indian food we have had ("in the states," says Julie). Me: "We want to try the Indian food." Waitress: "Oh…you want THAT menu." They had Friday fish fry, potato latkes, and incredible Indian food. This was the strangest eating experience since Twin Peaks. "Damned fine plate of vegie korma, ma'am."
Why do damp cloths pick up wet spills faster than dry cloths?
How do they make the baby talk on those commercials? C'mon! Babies don't talk.
Why do disgraced politicians, preachers (etc.) re-appear bigger than before?
Incongruity in pictures. (Click to enlarge.)
Is it ironic that linguistics intellectuals cannot agree on the difference between irony and incongruity? http://uclue.com/?xq=3864
How Close Is Too Close?
Posted March 26, 2011on:
- In: Perspective
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"Mrs. Smith, your dog just died. How do you feel?" That's a brand of reporting I'm not going to talk about here. But I'll get close.
I want to consider photographic journalism because it involves three of my favorite subjects: journalism, photography, and ethics. It doesn't hurt that I've spent more than a little time hanging out of airplanes in-flight and crawling in the dirt and weeds in attempts to get the shot.
Certain iconic photographs in history are because they are. I'm thinking of the heavily-burdened President John F. Kennedy in the Oval Office. I'm thinking of the swearing in of Lyndon Baines Johnson aboard Air Force One following the assassination of JFK. I'm even thinking of the footprint on the surface of the moon. There are professionals whose proprietary job is to chronicle such moments. Each of these pictures are important, and they were captured because history demanded it.
[Note: additional text will be found by mousing over each picture. Click to enlarge.]
There are at least two other kinds of photo-journalism; I'll call them 'journalism by opportunity' and 'enterprise journalism'. The first is impactful if a bit easier to get, and the second is impactful and dangerous to get. Both require being in the right place at the right time.
The subject came up last week when we were Skyping with Nick in Japan. He, too, takes pictures; it was a large part of his college major. But he told us that – given current events following the earthquake and tsunami – he was reluctant to get too close for fear of invading someone's privacy; of interfering with their grief and loss. These are people he lives with; works with; loves. I understand completely.
I told him that we (outsiders) might never know the depth of the tragedy and of the mounting needs if he didn't capture images that effectively conveyed those messages. We might never be moved to help.
But I knew that there was a whole lot more to the issue.
There is a point in journalism when the question must be asked: "Is this necessary?" Then, too: "For whom is this necessary?" And, "Does the necessity outweigh the invasion of privacy?" And even if the necessity does outweigh the invasion of privacy, "Should the story not be written or the shot not taken because privacy is sacrosanct?"
National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry found a 12-year-old girl in Afghanistan who, he believed, embodied the desolation of spirit experienced by the Afghan people in the mid-80's.
This picture was 'journalism by opportunity' in the sense that it was rare for an Afghan female to be photographed at all. Many of us became aware of the Afghan conflict of the 1980's and of the plight of refugees the world over through this girl's eyes. We could see deeply into her soul. Was her privacy invaded?
How about this girl's?
I used this picture in my other blog, ElderBlog, about a week ago. I even went so far as to zoom in closer so we could better see her agony. Did the photographer (or I) invade her privacy? I think not. I think she was so far beyond caring about matters of self-concern that she gave not one moment's thought to the camera to her left.
One could argue, however, that her privacy may have been violated anyway because she was unable (or too distant) to object.
And what of the value of this photograph? Does it outweigh its cost? I say yes. This young lady's face humanizes what could be perceived as an abstract situation half way around the world. Who can look at her and not feel the pain? The obviously-desired result would be compassion and the will to provide some kind of relief.
The ethics of news photography goes the other way, too. There's the producer (the photographer), and the consumer (you and me). What about our sensitivities? Are we being violated in some way by exposure to these images? War photography can help to answer.
Do we really need to see the bullet exiting the Vietcong man's head? Do we really need to see Kim Phuc's body burning from napalm? Do we really need to see the dead body of a 9-year-old boy being carried away from the Soweto uprising?
The answer to each question is 'no.' In your most vivid imagination, you could never experience what these people have experienced, and you shouldn't want to.
And the answer to each question is 'yes.' Most of us know little of the horrors of war. Seeing – and feeling – pictures like these helps to make real life real.
Another question of ethics, if not morality: should the journalist ever become involved in the subject's situation? At what point does the reporter put away the notebook, or the news photographer lay down the camera to render aid?
Nick Ut was shooting rapid fire during that scene in Trang Bang, and when he realized what he was looking at, quickly secured his cameras, helped Kim Phuc as best he could, and took her to the hospital. She says he saved her
life. He says he just did what he should. They remain close friends to this day.
This story highlights one of the most troubling challenges for journalists; while they are often hardened professionals doing their jobs, they are – at the same time – human. Even then, I'm not suggesting that what Nick Ut did should stand as an example for all journalists. A decision such as his can only be made in the moment.
We are witnesses to events in history through news photography.
This, perhaps, is the most difficult of pictures to see:
Why is it necessary to see this? Because it makes very personal the point that war is hell, and that real people die and are injured; people we love. It's necessary because – knowing this – we can question those who would send our loved ones to war. And if we are satisfied that it is indeed necessary, at least we will have made our peace knowing the risks.
Not all of life is about conflict and peril, of course. Yet, questions of journalistic ethics still arise.
This famous photo circulated around the world. It was taken on the day Japan surrendered, ending World War II. In the frenzied celebration that followed, this nurse was embraced by a sailor who kissed her passionately. The picture expressed the euphoria felt by so many, and became known as "The Times Square Kiss," taking place amidst the New York City landmark on August 14, 1945.
Did the nurse object? Were either the sailor or the nurse married? Did their spouses find out?
Aww, heck. It's a happy picture. Leave it alone.
The Pain Of It All
Posted March 25, 2011on:
I'm heavily medicated today and, therefore, will accept little to no responsibility for what follows.
I was playing catch with my 8-year-old son in the backyard way back when. As I backed up to catch a fly ball, the heel of my right foot hit a serious divot in the grass causing a hyper-extension of the right knee. In-so-doing, I broke a bone, loused up the ligaments, mangled some menisci, pissed off the patella and tore up tendons. In the three seconds it took to fall to the ground, I could only rasp to Jeremy, "Get your mother."
For the next two hours, it was me and a small paper bag – used to keep me from hyperventilating. I was in a state of wanting to scream and wanting to cry. I was absolutely sure that I was experiencing pain worse than that of childbirth. (I've since expressed that thought to many women who, upon hearing it, quietly shake their heads; knowing how very ignorant I am.)
When the good doctors had finished with me, I was sporting a full leg cast and looking forward to months of physical therapy. I remember it all as if it happened yesterday.
Sometime last year, I passed a kidney stone. Or was it a gall stone?; I can't remember. And the reason I can't remember is because I've forgotten. And the reason I've forgotten is that the pain was so incredibly excruciating that there's no way I'd ever want to re-live it. The pain, apparently, was worse – by a factor of ten – than the pain of the hyper-extension of my right knee, though I don't know how that could possibly be; the memory of the hyper-extension being as fresh as it was. The stone? What stone?
And then there was the time the truck ran over my foot. It was an icy, snowy day in Wisconsin. The truck got stuck. But it wasn't just any truck; it was a big truck…very big. And it was fully loaded. And it was on a slight downgrade.
I was doing what little I could to aid in the situation when I noticed that the truck had started moving – wheels locked – on the ice. I foresaw all kinds of problems with this. At the top of the list: my foot was being run over by a gigantic wheel. I believe I said, "Ouch." No, that wasn't it; it was something else, I'm sure. But I don't remember.
Many Christmases ago, we had a family gathering at my parents' home in North Carolina. We'd all traveled great distances and were quite happily assembled.
At some point, my little brother and I and our sons decided to play some touch football in the backyard. Michael had always feared me because I was so much bigger than he was as we were growing up. That would stand to reason; we were nine years apart in age. But he eventually grew up, himself; only he grew up to be the size of a linebacker – a size I was decidedly not.
As the first play from scrimmage began, Michael apparently figured that full-contact football was a far better enterprise, and he tackled me…
…breaking my left shoulder.
Now, I knew it was broken…I heard and felt the clavicle snap. But I was a man's man and Michael was my little brother and our two young sons were there and I couldn't not play football anymore so I continued to play with the broken shoulder and I didn't say anything to anyone.
Even though I'm right-handed, my passes looked like they were being thrown by a girl. (Sorry.) I tried to tackle my brother (did I mention that he was about fifty pounds heavier?) with my right arm while doing everything possible to not fall on my left side as it was a certainty that I would.
We played the first half and went into the house for snacks. By then, Michael was fully convinced that he'd been mistaken all these years — his big brother was a wuss. He couldn't figure out how he had been so wrong for so long.
It might seem to you that I am accident prone, but I'm not. You have read the sum total of my injuries over the duration of a very long life. And besides the usual childhood chicken pox and mumps and other assorted illnesses conjured up to stay home from school, I've been as healthy as a horse. I never get sick.
Except for this week.
I've got a cold. I've been consumed by it. It's like – I don't know how to act. I'm off my game. I'm three fries short of a 'Happy Meal.' (Sorry, again.) I can't think too much because a fever takes over. I will soon need a trachea transplant due to the considerable damage done by a persistent cough. I had my broker buy a thousand shares of Kleenex; that's how many tissues I'm using. My wife keeps pumping fluids and medications into me and that's making me loopy. It's a wonder I can spel enything correcly.
All of which brings me to the central question of the day: Honey, what's in this Nyquil?
Movie Review: Waste Land
Posted March 20, 2011on:
- In: Reviews
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From the outset, Waste Land has three things going against it:
- It's a documentary
- It features an artiste who just might be a self-aggrandizing clown
- It's about garbage
From the outset, Waste Land has three things going for it:
- It won Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, 2010
- It won several awards at the Berlin International Film Festival, 2010
- It was nominated for the Academy Award in the Best Feature Documentary category, 2011
It just shows to go ya that I can sometimes be wrong.
It seems, at first, that humility is not his strongest trait. Vik Muniz is a visual artist of world renown. He throws himself and his considerable energies into the next project: the re-creation of famous paintings. He will do this using people doing their jobs. The catch is that the materials his subjects work with are also the materials with which his art will be created.
Just to make things more challenging for the viewer, Muniz selects the country of his birth, Brazil, as the location…meaning that we have to switch quite often between English and Portuguese. And when the latter is spoken, we have to read those annoying subtitles.
About ten minutes into Waste Land, we begin to see almost another movie entirely; this one's about people who work in one of the world's largest dumps. They're called "Pickers," and their job is to extract recyclables from the fetid waste being dumped day and night. The Pickers – dozens of them – are at the backs of the trucks as garbage is tipped nearly on top of them. The work is obviously hazardous, back-breaking, and pays dirt-for-wages. But the work is done earnestly, and is extremely well-organized.
We begin to meet some of the individuals who do this work. We find that they carry themselves with dignity and pride. There's nothing bad about what they do; they could, after all, be dealing drugs or prostituting themselves. No, picking from the garbage is fine work. There's no shame here.
The concept of Muniz' art must be explained to his subjects only in brief; they don't need a drawn-out dissertation; let's just do it.
What they do is pose for a photograph: a lot of the subject's own character built into each shot. Then the images are projected onto the floor of a large warehouse. There, recycled garbage is carefully selected and placed to capture just the right shapes, colors, textures and shadings. It's really quite something to see how this all comes together. The resulting images are astonishingly beautiful.
A specialized photograph is taken of these works of art, then framed and taken to Sotheby's for auction to the élite.
There's a scene in which Muniz and his team discuss the ethics of taking the subjects to London for the auction. None of them have ever been on a plane, much less out of Brazil. That debate isn't shown till its end. The subjects do go to London and it is there that we see how the experience impacts the lives of the Pickers.
When the credits rolled, I found that I was holding my breath…I feared that breathing would allow a deeply meaningful moment to pass. I feared that breathing would open a floodgate of tears.
Waste Land is an affirmation of life. It shows that you don't have to achieve some kind of status in order to be a meaningful contributor to the world. It shows the souls of those who seem the unlikeliest of all…to have great beauty.
Waste Land is still showing at a small handful of art houses. It can also be rented or streamed from Netflix, and purchased from Amazon.com.
View the trailer here.
Be Genki
Posted March 19, 2011on:
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Be genki (GEHN-kee) is not just an expression; it isn't just an exhortation. Genki is an attitude, a mindset, a way of life.
Genki means 'healthy.' It is used when asking "How are you?" (ogenki desuka?). You would respond, "I'm fine" (genki desu, or just genki).
But this is not a language lesson. This is about the Japanese mindset; they exist in an almost spiritual state of genki.
Let's use just one sad event in modern history to illustrate how this attitude was manifest.
The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 were a crushing blow to the nation and to each of its people, as you can well imagine. By 1950, fully 350,000 people had died either directly or subsequent to the fact. Everyone knew someone who had died or was injured.
If you go today to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, you'll find a country that accepts all responsibility for bringing this fate upon itself; a nation humbled. This place is so moving to the visitor that it causes one to tear up.
These events brought about a time of soul-searching, of reclaiming purpose, of rebuilding.
Genki means 'strong, positive.' It is the foundation of the Japanese national spirit. Now, as before, Genki is drawn upon for the strength to recover. It was explained to me this way: "We've been through it before; we can recover again. Be genki!" This isn't a superficial expression…they really mean it.
The Japanese are nothing if not a people that cares for its elderly and its young. Examples of this are very visible parts of the national culture. So, how do you explain the current-day problems at the Fukushima Nuclear power plant to grade school kids? With strength and a positive attitude. And with humor.
As you can see, Nuclear Boy explains the problem in a way children can understand. It's informative and funny: what kid doesn't have a full appreciation for anything related to the subject of poop? This video tries to tell the truth, and may be overly optimistic. Nevertheless, someone thought it necessary to produce this explanation (a time-intensive job accomplished in just two days) to encourage the children.
That's what the Japanese do. When they're not telling you to be genki, they're saying "Ganbatte!" (gahn-BAH-tay) which means, "Give it all you've got." "Do the best with what you have." "We're all in this together." "Press forward."
The Japanese really liked Barack Obama's campaign slogan: "Yes we can!" It was right up their alley. Obama posters were plastered everywhere in 2008. The message fed their national spirit.
So, be genki. And ganbatte! Your response should be, "ganbatte-mas" (I'm giving it everything I can).
Somehow, I think the good people of Japan will get through their current problems.
Man Up For Japan
Posted March 18, 2011on:
- In: Current Events | Perspective
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It's eight days now since the quake. I wonder if we're becoming fatigued by the constant, awful news. One can only hope not.
The American Red Cross and it's equivalents around the world quickly organized relief efforts which this blog has been proud to publicize. But there's another story I thought might interest you.
Relief efforts have been organized within Japan. The country, itself, is renowned for its emergency management capability. These national resources have not been as stretched in seventy years. The Japanese – as a people – are deeply in the middle of saving their countrymen and physical assets. Their efforts take many forms: search and rescue, feeding and housing the displaced, medical, transportation of the injured, and a host of other needs – covered without anyone asking for the help. You could call it human nature in the face of extraordinary circumstances. But in tomorrow's post, I will talk about the specific nature of the people of Japan.
College graduates from around the world live and work in Japan; some for a year, others for up to five years. They teach their home languages and culture & customs. Languages are exchanged. Relationships are formed. Over four thousand of these graduates work with one program, alone. It's called the JET Programme; JET being the acronym for Japan Exchange and Teaching. These individuals call themselves "JET's", and have an association of their own called AJET.
As the title of this blog post is Man Up For Japan, a bit of language, cultural and monetary explanation is in order. The Japanese word man is the romanized spelling of the word for 10,000 ( 万 ). In monetary terms, for example, 10,000 yen = 1 man of yen. In recent history, 1 man equaled about $100US and the reference remains intact today regardless of the actual exchange rate for the yen.
AJET's have organized a relief fund of their own: Man Up For Japan. Their idea is for JET's to donate a man, $100, to the fund which will be used to support the work being done to help the Japanese people. There's a lot of love and appreciation among the JET's for their hosts and, just today, thousands of them "manned up" for Japan.
I thought you'd like to know how our kids are doing over there. There is much consideration and action revolved around the hazards of being in Japan just now. But there's more. Our kids are pitching in as best they can, be it by helping their towns dig out from the rubble, or rendering aid in any number of ways, or "manning up" for the country that has treated them so well.
If you are moved to pitch in, the Man Up For Japan Facebook event page provides links to several ways you can give money. Let's surprise them and swell the fund beyond their wildest expectations. Man Up For Japan, and then drop them a little note of support on their Facebook event page. Your good wishes will go a long way toward helping the wonderful people of Japan. Thanks.
Give to the Red Cross Japan Earthquake & Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund.


text:
{Reported by Annie Hafermann}
Hello bright, funky, make-me-wanna scrap "Estate Sale" collection. Bella Blvd has once again delivered a diverse fresh collection of double sided heavy weight papers with coordinating cardstock weight stickers. The collection includes 6 doubled sided patterned papers and 4 different sheets of cardstock weight stickers ranging from alphabets, to journaling spots, to embellishments. This collection screams "abandon whatever you are doing and SCRAP ME RIGHT NOW!"
What I made:
Layout - Hello Big Girl
Layout - Party Time
The GREAT variety of cardstock weight stickers.
The font of the cardstock alphabet stickers that came in the "Alpha + Bits" sheet.
All the great strips, accents, words, flowers, etc. on the "Bits of Bella (Estate Sale)" paper.
What do you think?
Have you had the please of working with this (or any of the other AMAZING collections) from Bella Blvd.? What have you made or what are you just dieing to create? We love to hear from you! Leave a comment by noon EST Tuesday to be entered to win a Bella Blvd Estate Sale prize pack!!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I am a walking contradiction. I collect and use the oldest of cameras, but crave the most modern trends and techniques of design. My insatiable curiosity constantly drives me forward to create and discover. The only way I am fulfilled in life is through constant learning.
Needed in this world are Renaissance men and women. Individuals with an understanding of both art and technology, who will solve problems with a questioning and open mind. Writers, psychologists, graphic designers, programmers, artists, and engineers; people that consider all of these roles as they design. I join this pioneering group of individuals striving to find intelligent solutions to problems large and small.
My goal is always the same: Find what drives people and give it to them in a meaningful way.
Good design will always work more quickly than fine art. It must feel effortless and intuitive. Steve Krug put it aptly: Don't make me think. There is more need than ever for efficient and smart design, not only across the web, but for anything that individuals interact with. I am excited to be a part of this movement.
Shoot me a message if you have any comments or questions about availability.


text:
18.104.22.168.2 HTTP Error 451
If the client is attempting to connect to the wrong server (that is, a server that cannot access the user's mailbox), or if there is a more efficient server to use to reach the user's mailbox, then a 451 Redirect error is returned.
The error returned by the wrong server resembles the following:
OPTIONS /Microsoft-Server-ActiveSync Content-Type: application/vnd.ms-sync.wbxml MS-ASProtocolVersion: 14.0 HTTP/1.1 451 Date: Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:43:24 GMT Server: Microsoft-IIS/7.0 X-Powered-By: ASP.NET X-AspNet-Version: 2.0.50727 X-MS-Location: https://mail.contoso.com/Microsoft-Server-ActiveSync Cache-Control: private Content-Length: 0
If an X-MS-Location header is present in the response, all subsequent requests SHOULD use the URL specified within the X-MS-Location header. If the server does not provide an X-MS-Location header in its response to the client, then the full Autodiscover command process is followed, as specified in [MS-ASCMD].


text:
Agaves & Arids
Bananas, Gingers & Aroids
Climbing Plants
Cloud Pruned, Bonsai & Niwaki Trees
Gifts for Gardeners
Ginkgo biloba
Grasses & Grass Like
Half, Quarter & Full Standards
Hardy Palm Trees
Hedging & Screening
Japanese Maples
Olive Trees
Pleached & Espalier Screening
Tree Ferns & Ferns
All Gardens
Architectural & Colonial Gardens
Balcony Gardens
Coastal Gardens
Cottage Garden
Exposed Gardens
Japanese Garden
Jungly Gardens
Patio & Courtyard Gardens
Prairie Gardens
Roof Gardens
Screening or Lose Your Neighbour
Shady Gardens
Small Town Garden
Sunny Gardens
Water Garden
Windy Garden
Woodland Gardens
Fargesia 'Jiuzhaigou 1'
Fargesia robusta 'Campbell'
Phyllostachys aurea
Sarcococca confusa
Trachycarpus fortunei
Fargesia nitida 'Black Pearl'
Ginkgo biloba 'Troll'
Nandina domestica
Phyllostachys bambusoides 'Holochrysa'
Phyllostachys nigra 'Henonis'
Phyllostachys aurea 'Koi'
Nandina domestica 'Woods Dwarf'
Schizophragma hyd. 'Shiro Fuka fukurin fu'
Kalopanax septemlobus syn pictus
Phyllostachys vivax f. aureocaulis 'Huangwenzhu'
Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea'
Paulownia fortunei
Cordyline australis 'Pink Champagne'
Canna 'Stuttgart'
Polystichum setiferum 'Plumosum Densum'
Osmunda regalis
Dryopteris buschiana (crassirhizoma)
There are more than 1000 different cultivars of Japanese maples, ensuring a huge range of leaf colours, shapes and sizes. The term 'Japanese maple' tends to incorporate the species Acer palmatum, Acer japonicum and Acer shirasawanum, each type having very distinct characteristics.
Japanese maples are actually very easy to care for as long as you follow a few basic rules (To read more about growing and maintaining a Japanese maple, click here: Big Plant Nursery Guide to growing Japanese maples) such as watering, finding the correct site and soil type. Below are listed our most popular Japanese maples with descriptions of each type; if you find that you are uncertain as to which cultivar to go for, then please contact the nursery and any of our members of staff will be able to help.
We have not listed our full range of Japanese maples, as some varieties we only have in small numbers, so if there is a particular plant you are looking for just let us know and we will see what we can do!


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Meet rock band Menew and their crazy synth-modded upright piano
Menew are an alternative indie rock band of (literal) brothers; Shade (lead vocals, guitar), Key (piano, synthesizers), and Nathan Samuel Phillip (drums, vocals). Their sound derives from a background of classical music training and British rock. Loudwire said of the band, "If Muse, Coldplay, and the Killers had a genius, dirty lovechild, its name would be Menew." Find out more at menew.com.
HOMETOWN:Toronto, Canada
MUSICAL TRAINING: Being brothers, we all started playing classical piano at age five and studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music for 15 years. It was a good foundation for learning how to playtechnically, but for us, the formulaic and mathematical techniques could get in the way of writing. You spend the rest of your life unlearning everything when composing songs.
FIRST GIGS: When we were very young, we held concerts in our living room using instruments we fashioned out of cardboard, covering bands like the Beach Boys and the Traveling Wilburys. One of our first real live shows was when U2 brought us up on stage to perform "Out of Control'" together to a sold-out crowd of 20,000. It was an unbelievable experience, especially since during that time we were playing in and around Toronto at clubs to small crowds starting out.
INFLUENCES: The list is almost endless, but the Beatles, David Bowie, and U2 were an enormous influence on the birth of our band. We are inspired by many of the greats, including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty… to name just a few.
WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO NOW: Lana Del Rey's Ultraviolence. Dan Auerbach from the Black Keys did a great job on the production of that record. The new U2 album Songs of Innocence has been in rotation quite a bit as well.
INSTRUMENTS PLAYED: Yamaha custom upright pianos C-108 and C-109, highly modified Korg MS2000B and Trinity synthesizers, organ, and tons of guitar pedals.
OUR BIG BREAK:There have been many highlights in our career so far. Playing The Late Show with David Letterman in the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City was truly an exciting experience. But it's really the culmination of many moments of success that defines your "big break."
LATEST ALBUM: We have a new album called Mother Nature. We're proud of the work we did on this one, and we pushed the artwork to a unique place, using QR codes to create interactive, ever-changing album art. Fans can scan the cover on their phone or mobile device and see the artwork change daily. Images are taken from 24-hour live cameras, uploading the naturescapes as they grow throughout their lifespan.
FAVORITE KEYBOARD GEAR:Our custom Yamaha C-108 piano hybrid with a Korg MS2000 synth and MIDI controllers built into the chassis. We've also added a lot of vintage guitar pedals to mix through the synths. That rig is really like another member of the band—but the heavy annoying one you always have to carry around!
WHAT'S NEXT: We'll be performing in North America throughout the summer and fall with bands like Weezer and Linkin Park. We'll also be heading into the studio to record some new material that we are really excited about, and shooting a video on the west coast with director Joshua Butler of The Vampire Diaries.
ADVICE: Luck is the residue of design.
Photo: Menew's Yamaha upright piano has had hardware added to support a Korg MS2000 synth (top left) and MicroKey MIDI controller (middle left), as well as a Korg Trinity TR-Rack and Apple MacBook Pro (bottom right). Click photo to enlarge.


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Cantaloupe Ice Cream
With recent weather, it seems as if summer is around the corner! One of my favorite things about summer is how amazing all fruits taste, and melons have always been a favorite of mine. Thus, I took inspiration to make some cantaloupe ice cream to help cool down on the hot days. The recipe that I used is originally from this blog. Today, I will walk you through the recipe.
For this recipe you will need:
1 cantaloupe
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Step 3: Separate 3 egg yolks from whites
Step 4: add 1/2 cup sugar to bowl with egg yolks
Step 5: add 1 tsp vanilla to mixture
Step 6: put bowl on a pot of boiling water and whisk until light and creamy, about 5 minutes
Step 7: whip 1 cup heavy cream until you get light, stiff peaks
Step 8: fold in egg mixture with whipped cream
Step 9: slowly fold in cantaloupe pulp until there are no lumps
Step 10: pour your mixture into a deep baking dish and freeze for at least 4 hours
Step 11: Take out of freezer and enjoy!
And that is how you can make yourself a delicious, slightly healthier than the store bought variety ice cream! This method works with many flavors, and it is super easy and does not require an ice cream maker. If you try my recipe, make sure to post on social media and share it with me so that I can see your creations! I hope you have a fantastic week
xx Hanna
Cutting your hair short is always a hard decision. What are you going to be able to do with such little hair on your head? But never fret, there are many possibilities with short hair. Less to deal with makes it easier to deal with. Today I am going to show you 5 easy ways to style your short/medium length hair.
my hair go-to's
mini high pigtails
This is a super easy look that works with any hair length, but looks especially cute on short hair.
To make:
- section a small part of hair on the top of your head on one side
- gather into a pony tail
- tie with a clear elastic
- repeat on other side
and voila! You have cute mini pig tails. You can adjust the size of them to however you see fit, I like to use only a small amount of hair on either side.
Here is a side view!
space buns
This look is super easy to achieve! Just take your mini pigtails from the previous look, wrap them around into a bun, and bobby pin in place. It is a super cute look that also works with any hair length, but I find that it looks the best with short hair.
A front view. Aren't they adorable? They remind me of little ears.
milkmaid braid
What I love about this look is that it can really only be achieved with short hair. I have tried before when I had longer hair, and there is just too much to bobby pin up.
How to make it:
- section your hair into two halves
- dutch braid both sides of your head and tie with a clear elastic
- fan out the braids (pull them out a little bit so they look bigger or "fan" out)
- wrap bottom parts of braid around head and bobby pin in place
- pull out bits of face framers in front to soften the look
and there you go! I often use this looks for more formal occasions, but it is still super easy to do for every day, because it only takes around 15 minutes for short hair.
Here is a side view so you can see how the "fan" effect looks.
back pigtails
These messy pigtails take legit a minute to put up, and they are a super cute look for the day. I love to use this look when I want to keep my hair out of the way, but I also don't want to just throw it up in a pony tail. I often find that regular pigtails can get annoying, so by placing them in the back, it keeps them out of the way for the day.
To make:
- section hair into two halves
- pull halves into low pony tails at the back of your head and tie with an elastic
And you are done! Feel free to leave out face framers if you have them
Here is a front view! As you can see, I left out some face framers.
"Elsa" braid
It is often hard to pull your hair to the side, or braid it when you have short hair because there are always ends sticking out. That is why I call this look the "Elsa", it is essentially a messy fishtail braid
How to make:
- make a deep side part
- gather hair in a ponytail (if it is easier, you can tie it with a clear elastic and cut it off later
- fishtail braid your hair
- do the same "fan" effect as on the milkmaid braids, but not too much!! It will pull out your hair very easily because it is not a continuous piece of hair
- tousle the top: pull out some face framers, add some hairspray/mouse/other products, etc.
You are done! This look is great for all you Disney lovers.
That concludes today's post! I hope it brought you some hair inspiration if you have short hair length, or are thinking about getting your hair cut. Don't think that getting your hair cut is the end of your style! As you can see, there are many possibilities when it comes to short hair. If you like the sweatshirt I am wearing in today's post, it is from Urban Outfitters. Have a great week!
xx Hanna
Superbowl Sunday Food
Although the Super Bowl may have been last Sunday, the traditional foods you find at a Super Bowl party can be eaten everyday. Today I will be showing you some of my favorite Super Bowl dishes, that can be used for everyday cooking, your next sports game, or as a great party favor.
5 Layer Dip
I take my five favorite layers from the traditional 7 layer dip, and make one of my own! It can be made in a giant dish for everybody, or in small cups or bowls to make personal sizes (for those double dippers!) Here is everything you need to make this recipe:
You will need:
sour cream
refried beans
shredded cheese
guacamole (avocados, garlic, lime, salt and pepper)
Step 1: Layer the refried beans on the bottom, make the layers as thin as possible, they just have to coat the entire surface that you are using
Step 2: Layer the cream cheese on top of the beans
Step 3: Layer the shredded cheese on top of the sour cream
Step 4: Layer the guacamole on top of the cheese
Step 5: Top the dip with the salsa
And that's it! You know have a 5 layer dip in only 5 steps! Serve with tortilla chips.
Fried Ravioli
Who doesn't love fried things on game day? This recipe is super simple, especially if you are limited on time, because it can be done almost entirely in prep work. Here is everything you need to make this recipe:
You will need:
1 egg
bread crumbs
marinara sauce
Olive oil
Step 1: Beat the egg in a bowl, put the breadcrumbs in another bowl
Step 2: Coat the ravioli in egg, let excess drip off
Step 3: Place the egg coated ravioli to the bowl with breadcrumbs, and mix until ravioli is thoroughly coated
Step 4: Place on baking sheet
Repeat Steps 1-4 until all ravioli is gone
At this point, you can put your raviolis in the fridge if you are having them that day, or you can store them in the freezer until use.
Step 5: Fry the ravioli in olive oil, take out and drain excess oil with a paper towel
Step 6: Enjoy! Serve with marinara sauce on the side for dipping
Bruschetta is a classic, light, refreshing appetizer that goes great with the many other fried things that are usually served on game day. It is a light, oiled piece of toast topped with a tomato salad. Here is everything you need to make this recipe:
You will need:
any type of tomato (I used campari tomatoes)
a fresh loaf of bread
1 garlic clove
tbsp olive oil
5 basil leaves
salt and pepper
Step 1: dice tomatoes (1 big tomato = 5 campari tomatoes)
Step 2: dice the basil
Step 3: add the olive oil, salt, and pepper
Step 4: add the garlic and mix
Step 5: Slice the bread, put in oven at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes
Step 6: Take out the bread, coat with olive oil and garlic, and then put back in the oven for 5 more minutes
Step 7: Take out the bread, top with the tomato salad, and serve
Pizza Bombs
Pizza bombs are just like homemade versions of pizza rolls, and they are absolutely delicious. If you like calzone, you will love this recipe. Here is everything you need to make this recipe:
You will need:
pizza dough
tomato sauce
pam (olive oil)
basil (optional)
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
Step 2: Cut the mozzerella into small cubes
Step 3: Take pizza dough and cut it into small 1 inch cubes
Step 4: Take one cube and flatten it into a disc on a floured cutting board
Step 5: add a dot of tomato sauce
Step 6: add one pepperoni
Step 7: add a mozzarella cube
Step 8: add another peperoni
Step 9: fold in corners of dough until wrapped to create a "bomb", place in baking pan
Repeat steps 4-9 until you are out of dough
Step 10: coat all pizza bombs with pam olive oil, and add on fresh basil if desired
Step 11: cook in oven for 18-20 minutes, or until golden
Step 12: Remove from oven and let cool. Enjoy!
I hoped that you found some inspiration in some of these game day foods! And remember, they make perfect appetizers for any night at home, or if you just need a quick, but homemade snack! Let me know in the comments below if you would like to see more posts like this one. Have a fantastic week!
xx Hanna
Pumpkin Carving and Seeds
Happy Halloweekend! With Halloween right around the corner, the weekend before has been filled with many fall activities. This weekend, I carved my Halloween pumpkin, and then made my favorite flavor of pumpkin seeds. Below, I am going to walk you through the process, and what I carved on my pumpkin this year.
How to make: Cayenne pumpkin seeds
First off, you have to gather all your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need:
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp teaspoon salt
1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp of smoked paprika
Step 1: Soak the pumpkin seeds in water until they all start to float at the top of the bowl. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2: take out the pumpkin seeds and let them dry on a paper towel
Step 3: Put the seeds in a bowl and toss in the olive oil and seasoning. Mix until all seeds are covered evenly.
Step 4: Spread out pumpkin seeds on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes. Make sure to check on them every couple of minutes, because they can burn very quickly.
My pumpkin!
I got my pumpkin seeds from my pumpkin, which this year, I carved in the shape of a cat, and then cut out little triangles and circles to be its ears and paws. Other pumpkins I have done in the past include the Cheshire Cat, Tinker Bell, Minnie Mouse, the mockingjay symbol (from the Hunger Games), and others.
What I love about this activity is that it can be done literally anywhere; at a friends house, outside, inside, as a party idea, etc. Pumpkin seeds are something that I look forward to every fall, because they are super easy to make and only require a couple of ingredients, and they taste fresh and healthy. If you decide to make your own pumpkin seeds or take inspiration off my pumpkin carving, post a photo on social media and tag me in it, I would love to see your creations! Have an amazing week
xx Hanna
Peppermint Ice Cream
Even though it is starting to get cold outside, ice cream is still a necessity! And what better time to make it one of winter's most popular flavors: peppermint? Today I whipped together this quick ice cream that looks gorgeous and tastes delicious!
The recipe I used can be found here. To make it, you will need the following ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup milk
1 1/2 Cup half and half
2 Cup whipping cream
1 1/4 Cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1-4 tsp salt
1 Cup crushed peppermint candy
Step 1: Combine all of the milks together. I used a large measuring cup as a bowl.
Step 2: Add the sugar and combine until it has dissolved
Step 3: Add the vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt, then combine.
Step 4a: If you have one, pour your cream mixture into an ice cream churner
Step 4b: If you do not have an ice cream churner, place it in a loaf pan, or any other baking pan which you can freeze.
Step 5a: Add in the crushed peppermint candy as it starts to churn. Leave it to churn for the usual amount of time, or until it is frozen and creamy.
Step 5b: If you don't have an ice cream churner, add the peppermint crushed candy mix, and freeze for 2 hours, then stir, then freeze for another 2 hours, stir, and then freeze it overnight.
The mixture will turn a bright pink. Once it is done, I reccommending freezing it for at least 2 hours before eating, but if you can't wait, it will be the consistancy of soft serve, which is still delicious. Add some fresh crushed peppermint candy on top for decoration, and you are done!
That is it! I hope that this gave you som inpiration for a special treat to make this holiday season, and that is a little different from the regular holiday goods. It is very refreshing, and doesn't taste like toothpaste, which was a fear of mine. Have a wonderfull week!
xx Hanna
Mini Caramel Apples
There hasn't been a DIY post on the blog in forever! Well today, I finally took my camera into the kitchen and decided to make a classic fall treat, caramel apples. These aren't your ordinary caramel apples though, I made mini bite size versions that are perfect for an event, sharing, or snacking on. Enjoy!
To make this recipe, you will need:
- melted caramel (you can buy it pre-made and heat it up, follow package directions as I did, or make your own!)
- toppings (e.g. mini marshmallows, m&ms, chocolate chips, pretzels, sprinkles, etc)
- skewers/Popsicle sticks
- and of course, apples!
1. Start off by making/heating up your caramel. I highly encourage you to make it homemade if you have time, because it is amazing from scratch, but if you don't have time, pre-packaged caramel works well too. You want to follow the directions to make sure that it is the perfect temperature before dipping the apples, because otherwise the caramel won't stick.
2. While the caramel is cooling, you want to peel your apples and take a melon ball tool to cut out mini spheres from the apple.
3. After, line them up on a greased baking tray and stick in your skewers or Popsicle sticks. I recommend something small and thin, because the apple bits will be pretty small. If you have time, pop them in the freezer to let the apples harden for a little bit.
4, Next, it is time to start dipping your apples! Dip once and let any excess drip off, and if needed, dip again. Then, quickly dip and roll in the topping of your choice, or sprinkle the toppings on the apple.
5. Once you have all of the apple pops coated and decorated, it is time to chill them. Place them in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or just keep them chilled until you are ready to eat them. They are perfect for parties or large occasions, or just make a yummy snack!
Yummy! That concludes my post for this week, I hope you found some inspiration in these apple bites, or that they helped you in planning for a fall party. If you decide to make them, post pictures on social media and tag me so I can see your creations! I hope you have a great week!
xx Hanna
Last-Minute Mother's Day Gifts
Happy Mother's Day! I wish you a joyful time to spend with friends and family. And if you maybe forgot about it until yesterday, I've got you covered. Below, you will find some last minute ideas to treat your mother for on her special day. All of them are quick and easy, and great choice if you are time-crunched, but want to show you care.
1. Breakfast
If you live/are staying with your mother, then a great way to give thanks is by making her a special breakfast. It doesn't have to be special or fancy, she'll appreciate that you thought to do it for her. Some breakfast ideas are:
- pancakes (I saw a cute idea where you use cookie cutters to cut the word MOM out of the pancakes)
- yogurt/granola/berry parfait
-orange juice, coffee, tea
- pastry
-jam and toast
-her favorite kind of egg
2. Handmade Card
Even if you haven't made your mother a card in years, it is a very cute, cheap, and easy way to tell her you love her. Plus, it is so fun to get out the ol' crayons and colored paper, and make a homemade card. If you don't have time or resources to make something homemade, there are plenty of online free card sites, such as:
- American Greetings (my personal favorite)
- 123 Greetings
- Hallmark eCards
- Blue Mountain
3. Mason Jar
Putting things in Mason Jars has been all the rave recently, and finding something to put in it can be quite easy. The jars are so versatile and work with baking mixes, small items, turning into pots, etc. As long as you have one lying around the house, there is probably something you can do with it.
Some examples include:
- brownie mix (put all the dry ingredients in the jar with a tag containing what else to put in)
- her favorite chocolate/candy
- paint it (makes a great vase or pot)
- themed (e.g: spa day, pedicure, baking cupcakes, tea time, hot cocoa, etc)
4. Photos
Whether it is is photos of you, your family, with your mom, etc, photos are prefect for bringing back memories. On top of that, they can be given in many different forms, for example through a scrapbook, frame, wallet, etc. Here are some ideas with how to place your photos:
- glue to inside of mason jar (works as a vase) or place inside like a memory box
- on a poster filled with other notes, memories, artwork, etc.
- in a lock necklace
- inside a book
- make a string of them with clothespins to hang in her house
5. Spend Time with Her
The best gift of all could be spending time with your mom. It doesn't have to be in person, it can be through call, Skype, or any other way of communication. What is most important is that you show her you care by wanting to spend time with her. The gift of time is often much better than an object.
I wish you the best Mother's Day, and I hope that this post made it easier for you to find a gift for your mother, or give you some inspiration for next year. Let me know down in the comments what you got your mother this year. Spend time with the people you love and have a great week!
xx Hanna
3 Spring Hairstyles
Happy first day of Spring! To celebrate, I put together 3 light, springy hairstyles to start the season with some bounce. They are are decently easy, because I am not pro at hairstyles, and tend to leave them for special occasions.
1. Embellished Bun
To make this hairstyle, you will need:
- A hairbrush
- Bobby Pins
- Hair ties
- an Embellishment (flowers, headbands, jewelry, etc.)
Step 1: Brush through hair to make sure there are no tangles
Step 2: Pull up hair to the top of head, around the crown of your head
Step 3: Curl hair around itself to form the shape of a bun
Step 4: Tie it up, being careful to keep the shape
Step 5: Use bobby pins to adjust places, until you like the shape
Step 6: Add Embelishment
2. Fishtail Crown
To make this hairstyle, you will need:
- Hairbrush
- Bobby Pins
- Clear Elastics
Step 1: Brush through hair to make sure there aren't any tangles
Step 2: Take a small section of hair underneath, near the ear
Step 3: Take this section and fishtail braid it
Step 4: Put a clear elastic at the end of the braid
Step 5: Pull this small braid over the top of the head and bobby pin it to the other side of the head
Step 6: Repeat step 2-4 on other side of head
Step 7: Pull this small braid over the top of the head, this time making sure to go over the end of the last braid, and tuck the end of this one into the other.
3. Light Curl
To make this hairstyle, you will need:
- Hairbrush
- Curling Iron
- Heat Protection Spray
- Hair ties
Step 1: Heat curling iron
Step 2: Put up top half of hair using hair tie
Step 3: Spray heat protection of the hair still down
Step 4: Curl the hair, using smaller sections for smaller curls, or larger sections for larger curls.
Step 5: After the curls have cooled, put down top layer, leaving up bangs if you have any
Step 6: Spray heat protection on this layer
Step 7: Curl
Step 8: Curl bangs if any, and then either bobby pin back portions of hair, or do a half up, or leave as is
What did you think of these three hairstyles? Let me know what you do with your hair in the spring, and if you've tried any of these, take a picture and tag me on Instagram or Twitter. Have great first day of Spring and a lovely International Happiness Day too!
xx Hanna
Spa Day
Every once and a while, you get gross feeling: you're tired, grumpy, smelly, and feel like lying on the couch all day. I usually feel this way when I've been away for a trip, and don't feel as comfortable in the bathroom. When I return home, I usually always take a spa day. Today, unable to come up with a good enough idea for a blog post, I decided to take a bath. Automatically, I realized that sharing this piece of my routine with you would make a great blog post, so here is my how-to guide for a spa day.
First things first, I get together all of my products I may use in or after a bath. This includes some products you have probably seen before in my favorites, and a few homemade things. In the three jars are lavender body scrub, coffee body scrub, and mint Epsom salt. Up there is also some bath bombs, sponges, body creme, and bubble bath. Here are the ingredients for all of my homemade goodies:
Coffee Scrub
- coffee, soap chips, and sugar
Lavender Scrub
- cane sugar, lavender essential oil, coconut oil, lavender sprigs
Peppermint Epsom salt
- peppermint oil, peppermint tea leaves, baking soda, Epsom salt
After picking the products for my bath, I start filling it up with bubbles, and get the mood set. This includes placing candles (fake ones) around the bath, and getting anything I would like to do or use during the bath. I got myself a nice glass of ice tea, and brought up a face mask to use during the bath.
Finally, I take a dip in the bath. It usually takes a while to ease all the way in, because I like my bath very hot. I try to spend as much time as possible in the bath before I either prune up, or it gets to cold.
That is the end of my short post for this week, I hope you found it relaxing :) Have a fantastic week, and you'll hear from me next Sunday!
xx Hanna
Gingerbread House
Want to know how to make the perfect gingerbread house? Well you're in the right place! Here are the tips and ticks to making the perfect house this year.
First things first, is finding a good recipe for making gingerbread. I got mine from here. The consistency of the dough was perfect, and the gingerbread was hard, but not too stiff. Finding a stencil was the harder bit. My brother purchased his gingerbread house (one of those pre-put together ones) and I took some paper and stenciled his walls and roof. If you don't have a stencil, make sure all the walls are the same size, because otherwise the house will not fit together.
Next is to roll out your dough and cut the shape of your house. If you like, you can outline/cut out windows and the door. If you decide to cut out your windows, you have the option to make stained glass windows with candies. Take crushed jolly ranchers and sprinkle them in the windows. They will melt in the oven and cool into the window, creating a colorful panel.
After, it's time to bake! Put them in the oven for around 10 minutes. I would recommend letting them cool for at least a day before putting it together. Icing is a great for sticking pieces together, but I have also seen some done with caramel. If you don't feel like holding each piece together for 5 minutes while the icing dries, you can find something around the house to hold the walls up. That is what both cups on either side of the house are doing in the picture above,
It is finally time to decorate. I like using leftover Halloween candy, and sometimes purchase small candies from the grocery store. This year I found cute Christmas lights which I hung all around the house and it gave so much color. You honestly cannot go wrong when decorating a house. I know some people who give their house a theme every year, but I just decorate as I go, and it is usually quite mismatched.
And your house is done! It should last for a while, and will make your actual house smell amazing, It adds a lot of Christmas decoration and cheer to your home. Plus, it makes a great snack!
I hope you all have had a great start to December! I am very sorry that my first post this month is not a November Favorites, but I hope this is a good substitute. Let me know what you want to see this month, whether it is winter themed or not. I hope you are all having a great start to December, have a wonderful week!
xx Hanna
A seventeen-year-old fashion obsessed girl, who stands just under 5 feet tall.
May 2018


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Splendour Sideshows 2015 Tickets
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The sales of Office for Mac 2008 has tripled compared to its 2004 predecessor. According to Microsoft, "Office 2008 for the Mac is the hottest selling version of the productivity suite in nearly 20 years".
The Mac BU offers two versions in addition to Office 2008 for Mac that meet distinct user needs. The Office 2008 for Mac Special Media Edition features a full version of Office 2008 for Mac with Microsoft Expression Media for Mac to empower the media-savvy Mac user; and Office 2008 for Mac Home and Student Edition targets home and school users.
Microsoft also released Service Pack 1 for the Mac Office suite, featuring "suitewide updates for increased stability, increased security and overall performance improvements." Bloggers said the most notable addition in SP1 is support for Excel chart-formatting options that were available in previous versions of Office. Microsoft has also stated that it "recognizes that VBA language support is important to a select group of customers who rely on sharing macros across platforms." Thus we should see the return of VBA into this suite.
Read more at Information Week.


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Representing quality and rigorous design principles, single storey ease and a sun-rich living-focused layout ensures a scaled-down contemporary lifestyle without compromise. Equally appealing to professionals, investors and small families, this open-plan 3 bedroom/2 bathroom townhouse style home is perfectly placed within wandering distance to Burwood One shopping complex and trams, including just a couple of stops from Deakin University. One of only 2, features include expansive north-lit casual living and dining spaces opening to a light-flooded private alfresco court-garden, sleek Miele equipped kitchen with Caesarstone benches, glass splashbacks and stainless steel appliances, Main bedroom with en suite (dual vanity) and fitted walk-in-robe, two further generous air-conditioned bedrooms with built-in-robes, extensive gleaming hardwood floors, deluxe family bathroom, powder room, separate laundry, split system air-conditioning to living areas, ducted vacuum, alarm and double remote garage with secure internal entry.
• Generous light-filled living expanses
• Miele kitchen with Caesarstone stone benches
• Private northerly alfresco court-garden
• Split system air-conditioning, alarm, ducted vacuum
• Short walk to Burwood One Shopping Complex and trams
Air Conditioning
Built-In Wardrobes
Close to Transport
Close to Shops
Alarm System
Vacuum System
Close to Schools


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Lord Govinda, as everyone knows HE as Lord Krishna- a Multi-dimensional personality, this world has ever seen in the history. HE, who became a mentor, not only for Arjuna but also for our country to establish peace, integrity and true religion on this earth. He is known as Lord Govinda because of his unconditional love and intense care for cows (Gau); thereby worshipping them as his own mother.
To celebrate this unconditional love, serenity and divinity, Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan (DJJS), under the true guidance and direction of HIS Holiness Shri Ashutosh Maharaj Ji, (Founder and Head), organized a grand programme of Bhajan Sandhya at Jammu.
The audience was mesmerized and dazed at the purity, divinity and simplicity with which devotional renditions were sung. That too for the LORD who himself engaged people in an eternal music throughout his life using Baansuri as the medium. This eternal music was unmatched and moved not only humans but animals, birds and non-living objects as well. The devotional songs and bhajans had an anaesthetic effect on the audience who forgot the world for some time and soaked themselves in the divinity of the bhajans and the purity of the hearts, with which the bhajans were sung. The audience lost in the series of divine bhajans and prayed to be engaged with such divine Naad, for life.


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Listen & view Fergie's lyrics & tabs
Fergie (born Stacy Ann Ferguson March 27, 1975 in Hacienda Heights, California) rose to prominence when she joined the hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas in 2003. While the group took a brief hiatus, she released her first solo album, "The Dutchess", she was also featured in Slash's debut album "Slash" singing two rock songs "Beautiful Dangerous (feat. Fergie)" and "Paradise City (feat. Cypress Hill &...read more
Similar Artists of Fergie
Top Tracks of Fergie
L.O.V.E. (Let One Voice Emerge) [feat. Patti Austin, Shiela E, Siedah Garrett, Lalah Hathaway, Judith Hill & Keke Palmer]


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How to stay safe during the winter storm
The Northeast is bracing for a winter storm, which is expected to dump up to 3 feet of snow in some parts of the region. As people bundle up to keep warm from the icy rain, snow and sleet, the most dangerous conditions could potentially be on the road.
According to a survey conducted by State Farm and KRC Research, 60 percent of drivers have "junk" or non-emergency supplies in the trunk of their car. While 99 percent of people had at least one emergency item, only 9 percent were fully equipped just in case they had car trouble during the storm.
State Farm suggested that all drivers should have these items:
- Hazard triangle or road flares
- First aid kit
- Jumper cables
- Windshield scraper and brush
- Spare tire
- Blankets and extra warm clothing
- Cell phone and charger
- High-calorie, non-perishable food
- Road salt or cat litter to help with traction
- Candle/matches or lighter
- Tarp for sitting or kneeling in the snow for exterior work like a tire change
- Extra clothing and non-perishable food if you have young children
"In these weather conditions, it's better to stay off the road, but if you do have to hit the road it's better to be prepared and have this stuff in your car," Rachael Risinger, State Farm Public Affairs Specialist, said to CBSNews.com.
In general, you should also make sure your gas tank is at least half full in bad whether and that your spare tire has the correct air pressure, according to the company. Check that your supplies are still working twice a year.
If you do find yourself stranded on the road, don't panic. State Farm advises to pull off the highway when possible. Turn on your hazard lights and hang a distress flag from your antenna or window. If you have a phone on you, call 911 and describe where you are in as much detail as possible. Most importantly, stay in your car as much as possible.
If you're going to be in your car for a while, you might be tempted to use your car's heater to keep warm. To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, run your vehicle's engine and heater only 10 minutes every hour. Keep a window cracked for ventilation and clear snow from the exhaust pipe if it's safe to go outside. Keep drinking to avoid dehydration.
Try not to waste your battery and only use it for necessary items. It can help if you are stuck at night to turn on an inside light when you run the engine so other people can see you.
"Use your battery power carefully," Risinger explained. "You want to make sure you have enough for heat. Don't waste it on lights or the radio."
Even if you're not driving, you should be prepared just in case you get stuck at home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends keeping a week's worth of food and safety supplies stocked up in the event of snow. Such supplies may include drinking water, canned foods or foods that don't need to be cooked, non-electric can opener, baby food and formula, prescription drugs and other medications, a first-aid kit, rock salt, battery-powered lamps and a flashlight.
Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, adds that it's important to take measures to stay warm, paying close attention to the head and scalp which could be most at risk for heat loss in cold temperatures, especially if you're going to be outdoors.
"In the cold weather, make sure you also keep your head, face and nose covered and dress in layers to prevent heat loss," Glatter recommended in an email to CBSNews.com. "It is important to wear sturdy insulated boots with thick wool socks which help to keep your feet warm while out in the cold temperatures or while shoveling snow."
For people in poor health or who have a history of heart disease and stroke, the combination of cold weather and physical activity from shoveling could dramatically increase risk for a heart attack, according to the American Heart Association.
"Take frequent breaks while shoveling and keep yourself well hydrated both before and after shoveling," Glatter urged. "If you develop chest pain difficulty breathing dizziness arm or back pain while shoveling, stop -- and call 911."
The AHA adds that people should use a small shovel or consider a snow blower, because lifting heavy now could raise blood pressure significantly during the lift. It's safer to lift smaller amounts more times, or simply push the snow, according to the association.
Other potential risks include back injuries -- which could be prevented by lifting the shovel with your legs -- or falls and slips when walking outdoors. People should wear sturdy, insulated boots and walk slowly, looking carefully at both feet and the pavement in front of them to avoid any potential patches of ice mixed in with the snow, said Glatter.
Don't drink alcohol or caffeine immediately before or after shoveling, because they can lead to dehydration, he added.
Hypothermia is also a risk, and can occur within 15 or 20 minutes if you're outdoors in below-freezing temperature without proper covering. Symptoms of hypothermia include confusion, dizziness, and shivering, with elderly people and young children are most at risk. Hypothermia can also lead to heart failure and death, warned the AHA.
Call 911 and remove the person from the outdoors if they are showing these symptoms.
The CDC has more tips on winter weather safety.


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WASHINGTON: There are two anchors of conventional views on the U.S. DoD budget outlook. The first is that it is cyclical and headed down and will follow the same trajectory as defense budgets in the last four cycles since the late 1940s. The second anchor is that the U.S. can and should "pivot" its strategy towards Asia.
There are reasons to question both consensus views.
Most people who discuss U.S. defense budget trends tend to so from the very narrow perspective of U.S. defense spending (in constant dollars) from 1947 through 2010-2016. That framework allows some to believe that there are set parameters to spending over cycles and to even proclaim cycles follow uniform periods for up and down trends. Those four U.S. cycles, however, are a pretty narrow set of observations with which to fix a future course for U.S. spending. Three of the cycles were caused by direct and indirect conflict with the Soviet Union and that catalyst is gone. The latest cycle was spawned was a willingness by the U.S. to commit large numbers of ground forces to Iraq and Afghanistan.
U.S. defense spending will decline in 2012-14 but then there is the question of "what next." High sovereign debt and sustained demand for non-defense discretionary spending and entitlement programs are factors that are unique, compared to the period from 1940 through the 1990s. On the other hand, the Middle East doesn't appear to be more stable and there remains the risk that the Arab Spring may turns to Winter. China will protect its interests and recently created wealth and has the resources of a robust industrial base and an emerging technical base to do so. Nuclear weapons proliferation in the 1950s-70s was limited to two adversaries — China and the Soviet Union: that has changed. There are bound to be other security surprises beyond some of the obvious sources of potential instability recognized today.
Part of the "what next" could be illuminated by thinking beyond the narrow box of U.S. defense spending in constant dollars from 1947-2010. There is data on defense spending for the U.S. and for other countries (some of whom faced similar strategic issues) across different time periods. This data, and its interpretation, should become part of the dialog and analysis of future U.S. spending trends.
For example:
• Great Britain's defense expenditures from 1800-1913 showed three major cycles (the Napoleonic Wars, a mini-cycle at the time of the Crimean War and another around the time of the Boer War). From 1818-1845, however, spending was virtually flat but declined as a percent of GDP (5.3% in 1819-1821 to a low of 2.3% in 1836. Defense expenditures evidenced a number of smaller cycles in the latter half of the 1800s, with swings of 20 percent over multi-year periods. Interestingly, public net debt in Britain from 1818 to 1845 was as high as 260 percent of total GDP and trended down to 130 percent or so by the 1840s.
• U.S. spending in the 19th century was mainly defined by the Civil War and the war with Spain over Cuba and the Philippines. Other cycles are hard to discern over this time period. Spending as a percent of GDP was low, but then the U.S. was not a global power with global interests.
• Japanese defense spending 1920-1940 showed little change until 1935-36 when it became militarily engaged in China and launched a major naval expansion program. Expenditures prior to that ramp-up saw a dip in the post World War I period but were stable for 10 years.
U.S. Strategic Pivot or Pirouette?
U.S. plans to pivot our strategic focus to Asia and away from the Middle East, Europe and Southwest Asia might instead turn out to be a pirouette. The "pivot" has implications for defense spending as ground forces again become the bill payers for air, space and naval forces in the budget drawdown. However, it is entirely possible that events in the regions the U.S. is pivoting away from won't at some point yank the U.S. back. Not that another 100,000-plus troop deployment in the region is likely, but there are enough pots on the stove that could boil over and entail some level of heightened U.S. engagement. Furthermore, when Iran states that it will attack Turkey if Israel attacks Iran, that seems to indicate this region shouldn't be a bad environment for sustained weapons imports and defense spending.
Even as the U.S. draws down troops it is going to have a strategic interest in Pakistan. The December issue of The Atlantic has a cover story, "The Ally From Hell," about Pakistan. It includes a lengthy discussion about Pakistani concerns over their nuclear arsenal and the U.S. focus and plans to neutralize that arsenal if a weapon(s) fell in terrorist hands or there was broader turmoil in Pakistan. It seems clear from the article that, in these scenarios, U.S. technical intelligence means and strike aircraft and missiles could not alone neutralize Pakistan's nuclear weapons.
While the Libyan civil war was a non-event for U.S. defense spending, that conflict needs to be kept in context. Syria faces a civil war in that country which could be qualitatively different than the one that is winding down in Libya. There 22.5 million Syrians compared to are 6.5 million Libyans. Syria's active and reserve forces are about five times larger than pre-war Libya's and Syria has an extensive arsenal of aged Soviet equipment (which Libya did too). Syria borders a key NATO member, Turkey, as well as Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, which are all important to U.S. interests in the Middle East. Turkey's deputy prime minister stated last week that his country was opposed to foreign intervention in Syria but a civil war there has the potential to create large refugee movements and potentially involve Syria's neighbors. Additionally, there have been reports that Libya may send weapons to Syrian rebel groups.
The recent Egyptian demonstrations are a reminder that conditions are not settled in that country by a long-shot. The Egyptian military appears to be firmly in control and elections have gone smoothly, but that could change, and there is the risk of weapons seeping into Egypt from Libya.
Iran is an issue that is not about to slink away quietly into the night. The mob that attacked the British Embassy is another bit of evidence that Iran is willing to respond to an escalation of pressure to curtail its nuclear program. At any point this escalatory behavior could create new immediate security challenges.
Byron Callan, one of the most experienced U.S. defense stock and company analysts, is a director at Capital Alpha Partners LLC.


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ReAgent's Case Study Highlights: Dragons Den, Speed Records & Ice Robots
At ReAgent, we've got a lot of great stories to tell. We've worked with some amazing companies at the cutting-edge of their industry to create bespoke chemical blends, manufacture new chemical formulations and solve their packaging dilemmas.
We think it's important to look back at successes (and at failures too, because there's always something to learn from them – although we're less likely to write about them in a blog post!), and we've updated our case studies with a bit more information.
ReAgent's Case Study Highlights
There are three case studies which we just think are just pretty cool.
Case Study 1: ReAgent Takes Part in Land Speed World Record Attempt
The BLOODHOUND Project is building a supersonic car that will attempt to break the world land speed record by travelling on land at 1000mph. The team is embarking on a huge engineering adventure that has attracted support and attention across the globe. Find out how ReAgent is involved – we're super excited about this one!
Case Study 2: How ReAgent Helped Create A Dancing Robot…Made Of Ice
Ice sculptures are a hot trend, but to look good they have to be crystal clear. Our client, an expert in ice sculpting with over 35 years' experience, came to ReAgent to see if we could supply a chemical that would ensure their ice was completely clear. The artists and sculptors at the company have worked around the world and their sculptures have been used by the world's biggest brands and celebrities, and they needed a quality product with good turnaround times to fulfill their need.
Case Study 3: How ReAgent Helped Reviveaphone Win On Dragons' Den
Oliver Murphy founded Reviveaphone (now called WeFix) to answer that common problem many of us have experienced; dropping our mobile devices into liquid, rendering them unusable unless we pay a significant sum of money. He needed a chemical solution of specific strength and purity – and ReAgent is now proud to supply a company that actually won over the Dragons!
If you're a customer who would like to be featured in one of our case studies or if you have chemical services requirements, contact our team today.


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Thumper Max Dual Air Compressor MkII
Introducing the Thumper Max MkII - This weapon offers a lightning fast 300L/min and a brand new quick connect tyre chuck that makes airing up even faster!
The Thumper Max MkII also features a 125PSI electronic pressure cut off, that means if you combo it with an optional Adventure Kings 3in1 Ultimate Air Tool you can turn the compressor on and off while you're airing up – just like an inflator at the servo!
Along with this, the Thumper Max comes with all the same trusted features as the Thumper MK III, such as:
• 8m heavy duty rubber hose with pressure gauge
• quick connect tyre chuck
• Built in circuit breaker
• Automatic thermal cut-off
• 2m Heavy duty power cords with alligator clips
• 2 stage air filters for each cylinder
• Tough rubber mounted, shock absorbing base and a carry bag!
The Thumper Air Compressor has already proven itself all over Australia, in some of the harshest, most unforgiving places. The Thumper Max MkII not only rises to the challenge but takes air compressors to another level!


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Taylor Wilkins and Jud Johnson sit beside each other, drinking dark brewed beers, glowing in the florescent lighting of the Whole Foods rooftop. They laugh and effortlessly finish each other's sentences—a byproduct from rehearsing music together every Tuesday and Thursday for the last five years. "Jud is definitely the longest relationship I've ever had," Wilkins says with a hint of charming coyness embedded in his dry humor.
Wilkins and Johnson play guitar and drums, respectively, for The Couch, and they have since they were undergrads at Texas State University in 2007.
When you walk the streets of downtown and East Austin, you hear sounds of soft indie voices bleeding into a mix of lo-fi rock. Punk pummels you from one venue while something folkish, bluesy or post-rocky soothes you from the bar next door. But if you walk past a venue while The Couch is playing, you'll hear rock 'n' roll—rock as solid as stone, in its sound and in its frequency.
This organic and classic style of rock 'n' roll is palpable in their recently released debut album, Old & Touchin' Blue. The process of getting that sound on an album, however, was years in the making.
The Couch began on Aug. 27, 2007, when Wilkins and the band's original bassist, Matt Adams, moved from San Antonio to San Marcos. At the time Johnson, a childhood friend of Adams', had two spare rooms available. With a bassist, a percussionist and a guitarist/vocalist beneath the same roof, collaboration naturally occurred.
"We started working on the first three songs together, some of which we still play versions of today," Johnson said. The band began playing shows in their adopted home of San Marcos, with occasional trips up I-35 to Austin. After finishing their undergraduate studies, the band made the move the Live Music Capital of the World.
"The music scene in San Marcos is transient," said Wilkins. "As great as a town it is, you can only go so far. You got to get out."
Upon arriving in Austin a year and a half ago, Wilkins and Johnson began working with a new bassist, Kyle Robarge. The band added multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Sara Houser to fill out their sound, shorty after completing the album—a process that wasn't always easy.
"I think bands naturally have a lot of tension, in the sense that every member has what they think they should do," Wilkins said. "I think that with us, negotiating those roles is always complex." The band can't always predict when they'll be cohesive, he said. "Some songs we just write; they come right out on the table. Other songs, we just sit on for weeks."
But, Johnson added, "Everyone trusts each other with abilities; everyone likes where everyone is coming in their musical interpretation, so it is a constructive kind of project. Once you get that full picture of the agreement, then you can definitely expand from there."
The band started recording in March 2011, working closely with Lars Goransson with Sounds OUTrageous Studio. Goransson helped the band tailor their style, and mix and master three of their EPs—what eventually became their full-length album.
"Our goal was to do an 'X' amount of songs and at the end of the year say, 'Look, this is what we've done our first year in Austin,'" said Johnson.
Originally, the band intended for each recording session to be released as an EP. The first two sessions produced New Roman Buffalo and Close To You, but after recording the last four tracks, The Couch decided to gather the best songs from their three EPs and produce a full-length album.
"We wanted a big rock record; we wanted a lot of punch and in-your-face," said Wilkins. "A lot of bands these days sell themselves short by wanting to sound like it was recorded out of their ass holes. And I like that, some of my favorite bands have that sound—The Walkmen, National—but I didn't want to do that."
Though the band only spent seven days in the recording studio, the process spanned over the course of six months.
"The process was two-thirds great, one-third shit," Wilkins said. "What I mean by that is that we did it in three separate sessions. The one in the middle, New Roman Buffalo—it is not something you can identify, but there was a weird feeling; it was a weird time for everyone."
After finalizing their album, The Couch collaborated with Eye in the Sky Collective, or EITS Collective, to optimize their success through a collective, community effort. The organization presents artists with a new, innovative business model, helping them connect with album artists, studios, and public relations coordinators.
Through EITS Collective, The Couch was connected with MusicBox Media, who now manages their public relations; their album artist, Elizabeth Fox Roseberry; and Anthony Erickson who helped coordinate nationwide orders for their CDs.
Since coming to Austin, the local media has shined a light on the band. In May 2011, a few months after their move from Austin to San Marcos, KUT featured their track, "Close To You", on KUT's Song of the Day. The track was originally recorded on their first EP, Close To You.
"It came out of nowhere, this girl we knew from San-Marcos, Haley Howle, now works at KUT. She showed the song to Dave Brown and Laurie Gallardo and they liked it, so it was song of the day the following Monday," said Wilkins.
A few days after the release of their first album, KUT also reviewed the band's album, describing their style as, "the perfect riff-laden melodic hybrid of rock, pop and a touch of blues."
Earlier this year, The Good Music Club hosted a live performance taping with The Couch on the bill. The cinematic recordings showcased the band's liveliness and rock 'n' roll essence with traces of an endearing, optimistic blues style in a studio setting.
In regards to their future plans, The Couch hopes to continue booking gigs regionally—Austin, Denton, Dallas, San Antonio, San Marcos, Houston and Corpus—aspiring to perform in front of fans as opposed to empty venues in distant cities. And the hard work shows in the tightness of their sound and in the quality of the bills they're booked to play.
"For us, it is a longitudinal thing, and laying down the groundwork for a career as opposed to just success," said Wilkins. "We would love to be playing rock 'n' roll until we die."