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Target new populations to bring new business into your club.
Children, the elderly, the deconditioned, teenagers, families — the U.S. population is filled with markets waiting to be tapped by clubs. Target marketing and demographic analysis give operators the means to reach these markets. Still, operators often overlook demographic tools, and, in doing so, miss out on niche opportunities.
Take a good, hard look around your exercise rooms. What type of people are joining your club and where do they live? More importantly, what type of people aren't joining and what can you do to attract them?
You can answer the former question just by examining your membership data. The latter question is a little tougher. You can start to formulate an answer by comparing your club against industry statistics to determine where you may be missing out.
Consider the senior market (age 55 or older), which accounts for approximately 7.4 million club members (or 22.5 percent of the total market), according to the Health Club Trend Report. This report — which provided statistics collected from the 14th annual Superstudy of Sports Participation conducted by American Sports Data Inc. (ASD) and sponsored by IHRSA — ranked seniors as the third-largest population in health clubs today (behind ages 18-35 and 35-54, respectively). But how many seniors actually use your health club?
Gray Equals Gold
The graying of health club memberships can mean green for clubs. The majority of seniors have both a disposable income (although they may be conservative about spending it) and high retention rates, says Ed Tock, a partner with the New York-based Sales Makers, a consulting firm with more than 20 years of experience.
"We're no longer the 18-to-24-year-old market that we were 15 to 20 years ago," Tock points out. "We're seeing an older client. There's no secret the population is aging."
Casey Conrad of Communication Consultants (Wakefield, R.I.) uses a real-life example to illustrate this membership trend, and how it has proved to be financially profitable for some clubs. "I just got off the phone this morning with a client of mine," she says. "They have 3,000 members. One thousand are over the age of 60…. His non-prime-time use of the club is now busier than his prime time." This is because retired seniors come to the club when traffic is slow — that is, when other people are at work.
Overall, clubs have witnessed a growing number of elderly members. In fact, senior membership has jumped 379 percent since 1987, the highest increase for any age group.
"Ten thousand people per day turn age 50 in the United States…," says Jim Smith, president of Peak Performance Systems, a consulting company out of Bellevue, Wash. "And that's going to continue for the next 14 years."
Still, not all club operators have accepted the senior demographic as a viable market. These operators should consider this: While seniors only took third in terms of mass numbers, they came in first in terms of club attendance. According to the report, members over the age of 55 averaged 97 club visits annually, compared to 92 for the baby boomers and 88 for Generation X.
This isn't to suggest seniors — or any other demographic — will join a club and stick with it. To reach the elderly, clubs must offer programming that appeals to older adults.
Older adults enjoy low-impact and mind/body exercises, and participation studies seem to show that the growing senior market is influencing these activities. Specifically, from 1998 through 2000, participation increased in recumbent cycling (32 percent), yoga/tai chi (30 percent) and aquatic exercise (15 percent), according to Harvey Lauer, president and founder for ASD. Furthermore, Pilates, which was measured for the first time last year, registered 1.7 million participants, 60 percent of whom were new to this particular exercise program.
Actively Marketing to Active Seniors
Although more seniors are coming into fitness facilities, and the activities that they prefer are enjoying greater participation, many health clubs have not actively marketed to the elderly. In fact, while the senior population is the "fastest-growing segment, it's still, in most clubs, the smallest segment," says Smith. "Although there's been a lot of progress in that area…, clubs have barely scratched the surface."
This gets to the heart of demographic analysis and target marketing: It's not enough to know the population size; you also need to know how to market to the population in question.
Again, take a look at older adults. Industry advertising continues to focus on young, beautiful hard bodies — imagery that doesn't appeal to older adults. So club operators who wish to broaden their markets must examine their own promotions and how it relates to their own perceptions. What people are they trying to attract, and what members are they actually attracting?
"The demographic [of the membership] is a reflection of the owner and what he/she is about," says Charley Swayne, owner, Valley View Fitness & Racquet Club, La Cross, Wis.
According to Swayne, the typical advertising tactics that many clubs favor don't cut it with these older markets (or many other markets for that matter). To appeal to those over 50, he recommends a "live longer and healthier" theme.
"[They] really enjoy the social aspects much more so than the younger members do," Swayne adds.
Older adults are also a little more discriminating about where they spend their money. Music choice, amenities offered, and even facility decor all play a prevalent role in this group's decision to come to your club.
The senior market isn't the only growing demographic that clubs may be overlooking. When it came to membership growth, children under the age of 18 ranked second, behind seniors, increasing 131.5 percent since 1987. This indicates a demand for family, teen and children memberships.
"Kids' [memberships] are picking up significantly too," Smith says. "Really anything from toddler on up. Part of it is because there is such an increase in childhood obesity."
Know Your Neighborhood
Knowing that memberships are on the rise for seniors and children is important, but that's not enough to get these people into clubs. First, you must make sure that these groups — or any other demographics you would like to reach — live in your area. You can do this with the help of demographic research companies.
A reputable company can provide you with valuable statistics such as ages, income levels, gender, average number of children, and more. For example, CACI Marketing Systems, which has offices in Arlington, Va., La Jolia, Calif., and London, provides clubs (and many other businesses) with customer profiling and segmentation, custom target analysis, direct mail campaign implementation, target marketing, demographic data reports and maps, and even media planning.
For an example of customer profiling, visit CACI's ZIP code profiler at www.demographics.caci.com/zip_code_searches.htm. Plug in a ZIP code and find out about the area's prevalent consumer type. For additional help, you can also find copies of CACI's Sourcebook of ZIP Code Demographics in many libraries or you can purchase copies through the company's Web site (www.caci.com).
By profiling customers, clubs can pinpoint the best prospects for their businesses. This is a much more effective and cost-efficient approach than shotgun advertising to a wide market.
"The benefit there is a matter of economics," explains David Huffman, the managing director of the CACI Marketing Systems Group. "This spills over to other vertical markets, not just the fitness industry…. It drives your business decisions. It helps to keep costs of advertising and costs of mailing down."
Naturally, clubs interested in attracting seniors, children, etc., can request information based on age. However, operators should also seek information on income. Statistics point out that, in general, U.S. residents will not spend more than 1.3 percent of their annual household income on a club membership. This means that if your club is charging $750 for an annual membership, you'll need to target people with incomes of $50,000 or more.
"Having good information on the income level in the area is very important," Smith says.
Understanding the Market
Demographic information is also helpful for developing a greater understanding of a particular group of people. For example, older adults who live in retirement communities are 29 percent more likely than the national average to join a health club, and 45 percent more likely to participate in a fitness program at a gym. According to CACI, this prosperous group has lifestyle and spending interests in playing golf, weight training, bicycle riding, camping, hiking and more.
After clubs locate the groups whom they wish to target, the next step is to market through direct mail, using all of the targeted information that the demographic analysis has provided. "With any kind of direct mail, you want to be able to target demographically as well as geographically the age and income that is appropriate for your club," Smith explains.
To accomplish that, you need a mailing list. And before licking a single stamp, you want to make sure the contacts and addresses are good. Companies that offer cheap mailing lists may be selling outdated — and therefore useless — information.
One way to check the accuracy of a company's lists is by asking other customers if they were satisfied with the company's services. If they complain that many of their mailers were sent back because of incorrect mailing addresses, then you'll know to invest your money elsewhere.
According to Conrad, you can find reputable list companies through your chamber of commerce, local printers and even real estate agents, who all work with list companies. When you locate a list company, make sure you find out how often it updates its lists, where the company gets its information, and who is collecting the information (the company itself or a third party), states Conrad.
One list company that industry experts highly recommend is Experian. A worldwide technology solutions company, Experian compiles data from hundreds of public and proprietary sources for direct marketing purposes (see www.listsabc.com/experian). According to Smith, many of the smaller list companies simply sell outdated versions of Experian's lists (or one from another bigger list company).
Hitting the Target
Maureen Gilroy, the senior marketing manager for Experian, advises club operators to make sure they narrow their marketing scope before sending out any mailers. "They really, truly need to be very targeted," she says. "The tighter you define your [list] parameters, the better person [i.e., prospect] you're going to get."
For instance, a narrowly targeted list would include all the names of pre-natal women within a five-mile radius of the club with a household income of $60,000 or greater. You could then send mailers to these women advertising a moms-to-be exercise class.
There is one downside to gathering all of this information: "The more specific data you ask for, the more expensive the list," Conrad says. "But you have to weigh it against the returns. The more specific the data, the more qualified the lead."
If you do wish to go with a targeted mail, yet you're fearful of the costs, you can save money by culling information from your database. Conrad advises sending mailers to the areas already dense with your members (you can determine this from your computer software programs). Find out what percentage of people in your club come from what ZIP code, and mail accordingly. But don't mail beyond five to eight miles from the club, Conrad says. People don't want to travel that far.
In the end, the least expensive list for targeted marketing may be closer than you think. "The best mailing list you can buy is the one you make yourself," says Conrad. "How? All your missed guests."
The average club has 100 to 200 guests per month, according to Conrad, and in most health clubs, the closing rate is 50 percent. Think of all the names that you're missing!
The Deconditioned: The Lost Segment
Why health clubs are missing out on the biggest demographic of them all
Despite the availability of target marketing and demographic studies, the health club industry still only reaches a small minority of the population. "The latest data is that 10 to 11 percent of people belong to a health club," says Ed Tock of New York-based consulting firm Sales Makers. "That means when you go to the supermarket, nine out of 10 people in line ahead of you don't belong to a health club."
Many of those nine people probably don't exercise at all, which partially explains the rise in obesity. In fact, the deconditioned segment accounts for a large portion of the population, making this group an excellent target for health clubs.
"It's a big market," says Charley Swayne, owner of the Valley View Fitness & Racquet Club in La Cross, Wis. "It's a tremendously big market. It's the biggest market out there."
While the deconditioned may not join health and fitness facilities for psychological (e.g., no motivation or fear of change) or physical (e.g., feel too tired to exercise) reasons, clubs themselves may be to blame for missing out on this market.
"Most people who are…obese don't feel comfortable going into clubs — and rightfully so," says Jim Smith, president of consulting company Peak Performance Systems (Bellevue, Wash.).
This discomfort stems partially from the usage of beautiful models in club advertising and promotion. Instead of a place where people go to work out and sweat, many non-members view the club as a place to look good and be seen. Therefore, clubs that fill their ads with muscular models are pretty much telling the deconditioned market that these are the type of people who work out at their clubs, explains Smith.
Even when deconditioned people work up the courage to buy a membership, club staff may inadvertently ignore them, creating feelings of isolation and frustration. For example, personal trainers or instructors may chat with their friends in the club — in other words, exercise enthusiasts to whom the fitness professionals can relate. As a result, deconditioned members may feel left out and may not stay with their exercise program, Smith says.
Some staff can even be condescending toward overweight members, an extremely unprofessional attitude, to say the least. "Staff need to be supportive in their attitude and in their actions and in what they're wearing," he says.
Smith relates a story that focuses on this latter point. At a recent trade convention, he was eating dinner with some group exercise instructors when the topic of workout clothing came up. Smith pointed out how body-hugging, skin-baring clothing can intimidate some members. The instructors disagreed. Their reasoning?
"'We wear thong leotards in our aerobics class all the time, and it's not an issue because there are no obese people in our class,'" Smith says, recounting their conversation. The instructors never considered that the thong leotards were keeping the obese people out.
To make the deconditioned feel more comfortable in fitness facilities, clubs must teach employees how to make them more comfortable. "It starts with educating your staff on the importance of being sensitive and open to working with the deconditioned market," Smith says.
It also requires persistence. Staff should schedule workouts with new exercisers and follow up with a phone call whenever these members miss a session. "If you get a deconditioned person into your club, even on a sample basis, they need a lot of hand-holding," Swayne says.
On Target
Club Industry is interested in hearing about your experiences with demographic analysis and target marketing. Write to us at: Letters to the Editor, Club Industry, One Plymouth Meeting, Suite 501, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462.
E-mail: email@example.com.
Fax: (610) 238-0992.


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As a logical consequence of the prolonged economic downturn it appears that participation in the federal food stamp program is on the rise.
In fact, household participation has been climbing so steadily that it has far surpassed the last peak set as a result of the immediate fallout following hurricane Katrina.
The latest data released by the Department of Agriculture shows that, on a year-over-year basis, household participation has increased 25.22% while individual participation, as a ratio of the overall population, has increased 21.64% over the same period.
The December results confirm that participation is continuing to climb dramatically, likely as a result of the recent jump in total unemployment, driving the nominal benefit costs up an astounding 43.73% on a year-over-year basis to $5,244,527,739 for the month.
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subset: commoncrawl


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To help you 'relax' into your new understanding, enjoy an evening soak at one of our many local hot springs.
Course pre-work on your part allows for deeper learning, so sign up early.
The BTP is located at the Lobo parking lot, on the north side of Hwy. 160 a few hundred yards east of the summit of Wolf Creek Pass. Once you park your car and get geared up, head east over the snow on the summer road and the park is immediately on your right. It is freely available for public use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are currently 4 transmitting targets buried on the south side of the summer road in the area of the yellow control box. Just open the control box, flip on whatever switches you like, and start searching! Practice single burials until you can quickly and easily locate the target with a probe, then move on to multiple burials.
Please DO NOT DIG up the targets! Use beacon and probe ONLY! Shoveling may cut a power cable or distroy a target.


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This is the discussion for 63 year old male CC: Substernal Chest Pain, brought to you by Dr. Brooks Walsh of Mill Hill Avenue Command and Doc Cottle's Desk. Be sure to review the first part!
When we last left off, our patient was a 63 year old male complaining of substernal chest pain which awoke him from sleep. We obtained standard, right-sided, and posterior ECG's which cardiology deemed non-specific. Our patient continued to have persistent chest pain even after maximal therapy.
Coronary catheterization was performed later that morning, and a total occlusion of the first obtuse marginal (OM1), a branch of the circumflex artery, was found. A drug eluting stent was placed, and his subsequent hospital course was unremarkable.
Could we have guessed this from the start? Let's take a look at his ECG's again:
Reviewing our patient's first ECG we see horizontal ST segment depression of 1 mm was seen in II and aVF, 3 mm ST depression in V2, and 1 mm ST depression in V3 and V4, all with upright T waves. An early R-wave transition was noted, with a height of 13 mV and an R/S of 1 in V2. Lead III showed T wave inversion.
The right-sided ECG featured only ST segment depression and inverted T-waves.
Reviewing the posterior leads, we see some interesting changes. Notably ST segment elevation of 0.5 mm in V7 and V8, and an unchanged appearance of the limb leads.
So, Dr. Walsh, what can we take away from this case?
Devoted readers of EMS 12-Lead will already know much about posterior MI, so I'll just do a brief review of the basics. I encourage you to search for the tag "posterior STEMI" for more information. As always, Dr. Stephen Smith's website also has plenty of examples and teaching about posterior MIs.
There is a small amount of controversy about what anatomic area of the heart a "posterior" MI actually affects. Some have suggested that the infarct is actually in the infero-basal region, while others have evidence that it should be viewed as a lateral infarct.
Regardless of the name, however, it generally is the result of an occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery (link to cool animation). This territory is generally regarded as "electrically silent" in the standard ECG leads. As such, diagnosis relies on indirect evidence in the standard leads, as well as the use of non-standard "posterior" ECG leads.
So, how can we be Posterior STEMI Rock Stars, Doc?
For years, the standard teaching on identifying a posterior MI has emphasized some common elements. Brady summarized the most important of these:
- Horizontal ST depression in V1-V4
- Tall, broad R waves (>30ms)
- Upright T waves
- Dominant R wave (R/S ratio > 1) in V2
So, a typical posterior STEMI looks like this:
Inferioposterior STEMI courtesy of LifeInTheFastLane.
Note the ST elevations in the inferior and lateral leads; in general, a posterior MI usually shows signs of a STEMI in either of these two regions the majority of the time. It's pretty obvious that evidence of STEMI in one area (e.g. inferior) certainly strengthens suspicion for a posterior MI.
However, here's an example of a posterior MI that does not show any inferior or lateral involvement:
Posterior STEMI without inferiolateral changes. (PubMed)
Using posterior leads (V7-V9) can show ST elevation, but the magnitude may not be as dramatic as that seen in the "usual" STEMIs. Many experts consider, for example, 0.5 mm of elevation to be significant, instead of the usual > 1 mm criteria, and that elevation in just one lead is sufficient.
So what's wrong with the conventional thinking?
There's a short-cut way to diagnose a posterior MI, that involves "flipping" the ECG. The idea is that the ST depression in the anterior leads is a "mirror" view of ST elevation in the posterior wall, and that the tall R-waves are actually deep Q-waves.
For example, a blow-up of lead V2 from the isolated posterior MI above (the second ECG) looks like this:
It fulfills all the criteria I reviewed above, so it's a classic example of how we currently define a posterior MI. And if we "flip" it, we get this:
Yep Doc, that looks like a regular STEMI now!
For many people (MDs included!), the diagnosis of a posterior MI starts, and ends, with this flipping.
I'll tell you what has always bothered me though. Look at the R-wave in the un-flipped image. This is just the mirror image of the Q-wave, and our "flipped" image reinforces that. In fact, the Q-wave in our flipped image looks pretty darn old, like the MI has progressed far along already.
Furthermore, the T-wave in our "flipped" image hardly looks hyper-acute. In fact, it looks like the T-waves are in the process of returning to baseline, another indication that our "classic" posterior MI is old.
Here's an example of an subacute/old inferior MI, for comparison. Also note the resolving, partially inverted, T-waves in III and aVF:
Old Inferior MI courtesy of LifeInTheFastLane.
It looks instead like our description of posterior MI is training us to look for old, completed MIs!
Let's look at this from another angle. Look at this typical inferior STEMI, and focus on lead aVF:
That's a classic STEMI, no doubt. Tiny Q-waves, tall T-wave – everything suggests that this is very acute.
Now, instead of being lead aVF, let's pretend it were lead V9. What would the "flipped" view of this lead be? Let's flip it and see!
This view shows a small R-wave, and a fully inverted and deep T-wave. Now, if we take a look back at the criteria listed above for a posterior MI, however, it would not meet much of the description of a posterior MI we listed before.
We're teaching people to pick up on old posterior MIs, and training them to miss the acute presentations.
Interesting, so how can we avoid this, Doc?
Well, I may have had this thought kicking around in my head, but some cardiologists actually wrote down these thoughts! Birnbaum et al. just published the article Common pitfalls in the interpretation of electrocardiograms from patients with acute coronary syndromes with narrow QRS: a consensus report. This wasn't a prospective controlled trial, but they managed to get 13 cardiologists to agree on a few things.
One of those was that our standard description of the morphology of posterior MI on the ECG is likely wrong. Helpfully, they proceed to describe what we ought to be looking for!
After reviewing the usual evolution of LCx-occlusion MI, they conclude that the standard definition, that relies on tall R-waves and upright T-waves is:
… the late "mirror image" of fully evolved ST-segment MI (STEMI) (Q waves with terminal T-wave inversion) and not the acute phase of STEMI.
By contrast, they give an example of what they consider to be an acute posterior STEMI:
If we blow up lead V2…
…we see that there is a small R-wave, and fully inverted T-waves, and an R/S < 1. It meets none of Brady's criteria above. But if we flip it…
It looks like a regular ol' STEMI!
Bring it home for us, doc.
The usual description of posterior MI may be in need of revision. The posterior leads, however, remain useful to reveal acute cardiac ischemia.
Thank you again to Dr. Brooks Walsh for this case and his insight into posterior STEMI!
- Did you catch the posterior STEMI?
- Does your service allow you to activate a posterior STEMI?


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very good... very true.
hmmm, I dont know about this..
I feel pretty provoked when I see an attractive female wearing anything more flattering than a bed sheet. I think that islam got it right with the burqa.
If women dressed like a ninja, men might be too afraid to rape them! ;)
But it is considered rape if a woman has consensual sex while intoxicated. So how is that fair? And, considering women have no regard for how the way they dress/present themselves as highly sexual beings affects the men around them, I'd be wary of claiming they have zero fault in the matter.
I think if a person says they would rape because the woman is dressed in a provocative manner is an indictment on the rapist not the victim. Not very long ago, people went around with the barest clothing and there are no recorded incidences of rape. A rapist will be a rapist whether the victim is in jeans pants, walking naked, or wearing a sari!
Rape is not sex; it is violence.
I agree with the spirit of this comment, but disagree with it on technical grounds. Rape is both.
But the fact that it IS violent, and that the sex is not consensual, is far more important.
Could someone being intoxicated lead them to be raped? Yes, if it made them more vulnerable to an attack. Could dressing provocatively? I suppose greater attention might be drawn, thus leading to attack, but from what I've read a lot of sexual predators seek out victims anyway. Recklessness is possible, depending on what it was. Does any of this mean that if the person victimized were intoxicated, dressed provocatively, behaved recklessly, etc. they were to blame? No. Does it diminish the guilty of their attacker? No. Does this poster express more than a tautology? Also no. By way of analogy, it does not help prevent murder by saying "People are murdered because murderers murder." One does not have to blame the murder victim for their to be proposals that may diminish their chance of being murdered. Nor is their murderer any the less to blame if they are murdered.
I don't accept that a 'victim' must always be 0% to blame for the actions of the perpetrator. For instance, if I walked into a crowd of violent and protesting muslims with a sign that shows Mo with a bomb on his turbin and I get injured or killed - Who in their right minds would say that I was 0% to blame for the actions of the muslims. Of course I was also to blame. The fact of the matter is the muslims had an intolerance for that sort of a depiction of Mo and I knew well enough I was putting myself in danger.
To say that I was killed or injured because someone killed me or injured me - to me - sounds ludicrous.
Also I know this isn't at all the circumstance that most rapes occur in - such as a woman sexually flaunting herself in front of a man that she isn't familiar with and doesn't know his history or his personality and then claiming 'I've been raped' - But I can't for the life of me see how each and every time the 'victim' of the rape can be claimed to be 0% at fault for it.
"Were your actions advisable in that hypothetical scenario? No, but that doesn't create justification for the violent response."
I completely agree with this statement. It definitely doesn't create justification for the violent response but to me that is different than saying one is blameless of their own actions of which may not be advisable.
I suppose I am a bit pessimistic in my view of humanity and specifically males. Some people claim 'Oh how dare you assume men do not have the intelligence or willpower to control their own desires to rape a woman if only we taught them the women are real people too and they deserve respect'
To which I reply, 'Yeah but you're assuming these men actually give a shit about the feelings of someone else' and more so I believe part of the desire to rape is precisely to put someone in a position of which they have no control.
I really don't think some men have the control that is needed. And if they can't control themselves then would they seek professional help? Probably not because who would want to go to a doctor and claim that they rape women for pleasure? Most likely not many men do this...
women get raped caused they were asking for it. nuff said


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When you find yourself doing business in South Texas and need legal support, call Walker Keeling LLP. We'll show you around.
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text:
CakeSpy: I'm not very cool. What can I do to make my life a little more bitchin', quickly?
Nadia G: It's all about attitude. It's about knowing what you want and going after it, saying what you feel…while having a sense of humor about yourself, so that you're able to laugh at yourself and not take yourself too seriously. And if you can't do any of these things, just get yourself some leopard or zebra print.
CS: How did you get started with Bitchin' Lifestyle?
NG: I've done sketch comedy on the web since 2002; but I grew up in an Italian family, and of course everyone was super food-obessed, as was I--and so after I spent years doing this comedy online, I realized that there was something missing, and that thing was food. So I made up this concept where I could make fun of my cake and eat it too. It combines the best of both worlds: the comedy and the cooking.
CS: How did Bitchin' Kitchen evolve into Bitchin' Lifestyle?
NG: It all started with Bitchin' Kitchen. Everyone was being pastel-polite, and just regurgitating the same kind of stuff, and nobody really had an attitude about it, so we brought some fierce female attitude into the kitchen, and then we realized we might as well bring that attitude into other aspects of lifestyle like DIY décor, because nobody wants to paint their walls beige or decorate in sushi restaurant styles from 2002…it's all about having fun with it and not taking things too seriously.
CS: So are you giving Martha Stewart a run for her money?
NG: Yes! I think so. I have a lot of respect for Martha Stewart—she legitimized homemaking for a generation, but when it comes to the next generation, they're not really looking to fold napkins into swans or color-code their linen closets, so this is where Bitchin' Kitchen comes in—it's relevant to a new generation of women and men who are interested in lifestyle but don't want to be put to sleep while getting their information.
CS: You recently came out with a book. How will it change someone's life if they buy it?
NG: Well, it will give them a great mix of comedy and cooking. There's lots of Nad-vice—that's what we call it—on various subjects, everything from breaking up to gold-digging to rehab recipes; it gives my take on all of these subjects...and it's a funny relief for a lot of people to get this kooky perspective on different types of life situations. When it comes to food, a lot of people think that making a soufflé is the hardest thing in the world, but frankly it's one of the easiest things. So you learn how to make good food presented in an easy way. We have a great newbie section for someone who has never cooked before--we teach you how to stock a fridge, what equipment you need to get started...so it's good for the first timer, and also we have a fun glossary including Italian slang we use in the show. So, you learn about life, you learn how to speak Italian, and you also learn how to cook some tasty simple meals.
CS: So basically, you can't afford not to buy it.
NG: Pretty much. It's pretty cheap too, and it's great too for a daughter or a family member going off to college, especially because of that Newbie section.
CS: Your Bag 'Em Tag 'Em French Toast appears to be the perfect dish to entice someone romantically. But how do you get rid of them once you've hooked them?
NG: Then you have to go to Splitsville Salad. I call it the Last Supper, and it ain't the King James version. It will teach you how to get rid of them once you've locked 'em in.
CS: Cake Versus Pie: Who is going to win this fight?
NG: Pie has got this liquid power and could blind you with the juicy fruit that's going on inside, but I think that cake is the more solid one. But then again, if the cake gets too soggy because of the pie juice…then the cake's going to fall apart and can't fight anymore. Actually, I take it back, maybe the pie's going to win.
CS: You have a new show that's going to be on the Food Network! Tell me more!
NG: We're so excited to go from net to network., The TV show is 22 minutes (a half hour show minus commercials). It's going to be on Food Network Canada; we're launching spring 2010. I start writing this summer and we have post production this fall, and it's going to be the same deal and themes: lifestyle, great recipes, and we'll be able to focus a little more on the food, and also add some new elements like the sketch comedy I used to do.
CS: Every one of the contributors on your site appears to be very attractive. So--is everyone who works with you a serious hottie?
NG: Yes, you know, they really are! We're pretty much an almost all female crew, and it's really fun. Maybe that is part of the interview process—you have to really be bitchin'.
CS: What are your favorite desserts?
NG: The chocolate soufflé (shown top) is definitely a favorite, warm and gooey inside, another great one is a raspberry-chili parfait, raspberry coulis mixed with fresh chili peppers, whipped cream and salted nuts; and millefeuilles, sfogliatelle and zeppole San Giuseppe. I love dessert. Even after breakfast, I eat dessert. So much dessert. Dessert for the dessert.
Bonus! Nadia also shared her chocolate souffle recipe! Here it is:
Spicy Chocolate Soufflé with Fleur de Sel
- 8 ounces Fine dark chocolate
- 6 Eggs
- 1/4 ounces Brown sugar
- 1/8 Cayenne pepper
- 1/8 Cream of tartar
- 1/8 teaspoons Butter (Unsalted)
- 1/8 teaspoons Granulated sugar
- 1/8 Fleur de sel
Melt chopped, dark chocolate in a double boiler over medium-low heat. (If you don't have a double boiler: add 1 inch of water to the bottom of a saucepan. Bring to a simmer on medium-low heat. Place a thick plastic bowl over the top and dump the chocolate into the bowl.) Once all the chocolate has been melted, set aside and cool for 10 minutes.
Egg Yolk Mixture
In a small bowl add 3 egg yolks at room temperature (reserve the whites), brown sugar, and a big pinch of cayenne pepper. Whisk thoroughly.
Pour 6 egg whites into a big mixing bowl. Add a small pinch of cream of tartar (if you don't have cream of tartar, you can use a few drops of white vinegar). Whop with a mixer until stiff peaks form. You've now made the meringue, set aside.
Putting it Together
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Transfer the yolk mixture to a large mixing owl. Add 1 tablespoon of the melted chocolate and stir. Repeat this process for the rest of the chocolate. (If you dump in all the melted chocolate at once, you'll end up with scrambled eggs.) Slowly fold in the meringue, being careful not to over mix. Fold about ten times (the texture of the mixture should look a little scary and spotted with meringue bits, this is what makes the soufflé light). Butter 3 ramekins, dust with sugar, and tap off the excess. Pour the chocolate mix into the ramekins, leaving a ¼ inch at the top of each ramekin. Bake for 16 minutes, not a minute more.
Skiaffing it Together
Sprinkle the soufflés with fleur de sel and serve immediately. Soufflés fall fast.


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Technology for Students
Technology at Evergreen is for everyone at any level studying any subject.
Computer Labs
Computer Center
The Computer Center, located in the Library building, is open 7 am until midnight most days. It has computer classrooms and open lab space. Our computers have all the software you need to get your work done. Plus there's collaborative space to work on projects together with your classmates.
Computer Applications Lab
The Computer Applications Lab (CAL) is an advanced computer center. One of the CAL's labs features dual monitors. CAL computers have advanced software for scientific and research curriculum. The CAL also hosts a color printer and Evergreen's 3D printing lab. Support staff are usually upper level science students who have experience with the programs used in the lab.
Assistive Technology Lab
The Assistive Technology Lab has a variety of options to help students with access, including screen readers, screen magnifiers, and specialized devices.
Multimedia Technology
Center for Creative and Applied Media (CCAM)
Evergreen offers advanced media access and education in a highly-current and technologically fluid environment. The CCAM includes a TV studio, green room, sound effects studio, audio lab, 5.1 surround mix studio, and audio/video post-production facilities.
Digital Imaging Studio
The DIS offers still imaging, graphics, and web design for use by Evergreen students, staff, faculty, and the general community. Facilities include twelve PC workstations, many flatbed and film scanners, and two exhibition quality large format inkjet printers.
Multimedia Lab
The Multimedia Lab offers new Mac towers with resources for video editing, audio multi-tracking, 2-D animation, web design, graphical programming environments, and 3-D modeling.
Sound Effects Studio
The Sound Effects Studio is part of the Center for Creative and Applied Media. The room has a Mac Pro and a Mackie 1402 mixer and a selection of floor surfaces, foley pits, and a variety of objects for creating sound effects.
See Media Services for information about using the Digital Imaging Studio, Multimedia Lab, or the Sound Effects Studio.
Science Labs
Students of all levels have access to science labs with a full range of equipment and high-tech tools. Our students have unique opportunities to conduct scientific research using high-quality instruments, such as a scanning electron microscope and a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer. In addition, they use some of the best modern software available.
Chemistry Labs
Evergreen has several dedicated laboratories designed specifically for instruction and research in chemistry including a state-of-the-art organic chemistry lab, a high-tech water quality analysis lab, an environmental analysis lab, two modern biochemistry and molecular biology labs, and general chemistry labs.
Phage Biology Lab
The phage lab has been a center for undergraduate research at Evergreen since 1972, Today, there are generally 10 to 15 students involved in work in the lab, analyzing these natural disease-fighting bacteriophages. These students have presented at various recent regional, national and international meetings.


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Eventually, as you move through your career as an artist, the inspiration you must find to push you onward will have to come from many different sources. In your early days, and sometimes much later on, it can come from your teacher or even your fellow players. In my case, so much of this inspiration came from artists and guitarists whom I truly admired, and whose sound turn my head around and made me really adjust my style so I could absorb what they were all about. For me, I was listening to, and inspired by many players of different styles at the same time, so it made for a great mixture of techniques and sounds that eventually added up to giving me a style, technique and sound that is all mu own!
In those days, I was so amazed by players such as Mike Bloomfield, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Zal Yanovsky, Clarence White, Son House, Elmore James, Otis Rush, Merle Travis and many more. I was so consumed by this pursuit that I couldn't help but want to dig deeper and deeper within all the styles, always trying to get to the source and the roots of these particular players and genres.
I have seen that these days, many players, often folks who are "coming back" to the guitar after many years, look to me and my lessons to give them that new "spark" they are looking for to help ignite some new ideas and new inspirations within their own playing. It always amazes me how much there is to learn and to be inspired by on a continuous basis, and I find this also a time of inspirational new sources for me! I now get turned on by the sounds of Jazz players such as Wes Montgomery, Pat Metheney, Charlie Christian, Tal Farlow, George Benson and more, always looking for something that can be a new addition to my playing arsenal, and a new "spark" for myself. Sometimes it's just a simple lick or phrase that you can "hang your hat on" that can really help you get re-inspired, and that can have a very profound effect on your playing and approach towards music in general!
I love being a source of inspiration at any time for other players, and barely a day goes by where I don't get thanked by someone for what I have contributed to either their playing, or to the guitar in general. I hope I can continue to inspire you, my friends and students, and that someday you'll be playing something so new and fresh that it will inspire others as well, forging your own new territory within the world of the guitar! Best of everything to you!
Even though you may be in the earlier stages of your musical career and development, you may be finding yourself coming up with some rather original ideas for songs. The beauty you'll find in this, is simply how these ideas can seemingly come from thin air, or certainly, at least from all kinds of unexpected places. This really is the beauty of this kind of creativity, since it seems to disregard how much knowledge you may or may not have. Rather, it simply uses what is at your musical disposal, whether conscious or sub-conscious, to conjure up all kinds of new aural concepts!
I can remember being an extremely young band member back in 1964, and at the age of 11, being very experimental with my music and sounds, while simultaneously becoming a better writer in a standard musical way, as well. This burst of creativity for me seemed to come "out of nowhere", but in actuality it was from being part of such a creative family, and also being a part of very creative times. Remember, this was when The Beatles first took over the world, and writers such as Bob Dylan were also re-defining all that we would hear coming over the airwaves. As a result, I simply couldn't help but start coming up with new ideas the minute I knew anything! I suppose this is really the key; to start to really utilize whatever is at your disposal at any time so you can start to come up with some original ideas of your own.
Certainly, this is one of the true joys you will discover as you start along this long musical journey of yours, and you must learn to be "open" to the process, because whether you even intend it to happen or not, it will, and songs and new sounds will certainly come to you for sure! Be ready for this; be ready to take it down, record it, and document it in any way you can, because it can always fade away, like waking up from a dream, if you don't get it down on paper or tape or disc before it vanishes! I know that even now, and every day since my beginnings, I always come up with new ideas the minute I pick up the guitar in a very casual, natural way. But most song writing seems to come during a much more "structured" situation, almost like you're punching the clock, as in the old days of "Tin Pan Alley". I have nothing against this, and believe me, some of the greatest and most enduring tunes of all time were written in this manner. I do love deadlines, and focused reasons for writing songs. It forces me to pay closer attention to what I am writing and to listen more closely to that "inner voice" that is really my muse. Even The Beatles, who were masters at this, were able to come up with genius-laden songs sometimes overnight, when they were "under the gun" to have to come up with new ideas for their films, etc., such as "Hard Day's Night" which needed to be written because they changed the title of the film. Somehow, Lennon and McCartney were able to, at the drop of a hat, summon that creative "muse" within them, and really make it count at a very young age. Where did it all come from? They had the ear and were certainly not afraid to use it. In fact, they embraced it, and as you can tell from a lot of their writing, the songs sound almost as if they wrote themselves!
So when the ideas hit you, be sure to go with them, and embrace them. You never know, one great little melody may make your entire future! Good luck in your songwriting endeavors!
I can recall from my early days as a player developing a balance of sorts, between getting any gig I could, and making sure I got the gigs I wanted! This is a fine line, and certainly when you are first starting out, you must be sure to not come off as someone who is necessarily "playing hard to get!" Of course, a healthy amount of seeming "special" and a bit hard to get is okay, because after all, we always want what's a little harder to attain, but still we must be careful. That "balance" between the need we feel to get those gigs and the need to seem a bit "hard to get" is hard to achieve, but it's a well-honed skill.
I know that when I started out, I certainly wanted any chance I could to play, to be heard, to record or whatever it took, but very soon I developed a way of looking at the whole landscape with a finer eye and ear, and became a bit more selective about which gigs I did and did not say "yes" to! I'd say that in the current economic conditions, you must be sure to do as many gigs as possible, almost regardless of their quality, or lack thereof. The reason for this is the one I used way back when I began; no matter how bad the gig may be, you'll never know who may be listening. Not only that, the lack of quality of the other players may even make you "shine" more, especially if you make the most of the music, as distasteful though you may find it!
I remember one very dark musical period for me, soon after I had first moved to Woodstock in 1971. The band I moved there to help form, quickly disbanded, and after less than a year, I had to join an average "cover" band that was doing gigs in bungalow colonies, next to swimming pools, and on handball courts, for something like $10 per day for me, 6 days a week! I hated playing a lot of the music they did, but I still was so far beyond that music that I truly shined and made a reputation for myself as a great player even with a lousy band lie that. Not only that, and even more importantly, this enabled me to play 2 or 3 of my original tunes each show with this band. This helped even spread my reputation farther, and of course, it built up a lot of respect from the listening audience. It made them see me also as a creator of my own original music. It sort of made me a "hometown favorite" with these people. Therefore, even though I had tasted the "real thing" while living in Woodstock when I was only 18, these gigs helped win me new fans, and most of all, helped me hone my performing and playing skills!
So be selective, but be sure to choose the right gigs for yourself, and sometimes take whatever gig you can…you just never know where it may lead you!
A lot of players and students alike are always asking me about the "modes" when it comes to learning, and while it is of course, a legit way to acquire musical knowledge, I have certain bones to pick with the whole concept as well as approach.
First of all, the idea of a "mode" already over-intellectualizes music in general, and is one of those things that are better off learned after one has already gotten a good foundation in playing, and in how things should really sound! What this means to me is that if you are literally "overloaded" with this kind of knowledge too early on in your development you will often have to "think too much" before even setting your fingers to a string, and that just is not right. One must first really be able to "hear" what the concept of a "mode" is all about as well as what it creates from a musical standpoint before actually taking the mode concept apart. Only with that foundation of knowledge would you ever be able to make the modes truly apply to your style.
In my many years of producing instructional tapes for my company Hot Licks, I recorded many Jazz titans of the guitar, such as Joe Pass, Emily Remler and Jimmy Bruno, and none of them ever mentioned the modes as a means of improvisation. For those of us who are largely self-taught and who play by ear and by heart, the mode approach represents the ultimate in a cold, dry and emotionless approach to music that we truly find un-appealing.
I prefer the natural approach to hearing and improvising, which involves a great deal of seeing the neck in various shapes, and being able to truly hear the effect that any mode-like addition of a note actually means to the solo or song you are playing. If you can then wrap your head around the concept and that special sound you are creating, you can then "translate" that to a "mode" way of hearing and understanding. I often like the idea of working within the pentatonic approach, both minor and major, and then adding some of the key "passing" as well as "outside" notes that can be real "ear twisters" that give birth to thousands of new improvising ideas. It's so important to practice this way, and to try to find the new notes and ideas on your own. If you learn this stuff the hard way, as I did, it certainly "sticks" to you much more, since the learning was done in a way where you had to find the licks, the notes and the ideas on your own. In the end, no matter how much you may learn from others, you are still the final judge, and the one who really teaches themselves! Keep that important fact in mind, and then one day the "modes" will mean that much more to you, and you'll be a far more complete player!
There certainly has been an awful lot said over the years regarding a guitarist's practicing "routine" and what is right and wrong about this. I have always been a big believer in practicing at least a little every day, and especially since I'm a self-taught guitarist, making sure I learn something new every day as a part of the same process. I believe this should hold true for other players as well, but everyone is different, and has different needs and disciplines.
I, for example, am a man of a very free style and free way of handling his life, and basically approach the guitar in the same way. Since I was a kid, I always played and learned really for the sheer love of it, and coming up with new ideas was never really an issue. The same holds true for me in current times, but I believe the teaching I do actually helps me get in that "practicing and playing" time, as well as the ability to come up with new ideas ad concepts. Let's face it, when you have advanced students, sometimes one must dig pretty deep to come up with fresh ideas for them, and all of that can lead to many new and creative concepts, without even expecting it! It's one of the great benefits I do love about teaching, and I've even come up with many new song ideas right there on the spot.
No matter what, your playing can truly suffer from not playing enough, and I believe you must find a way! It's good to develop a routine in which you take a small (or large) part of every day so you can work on a new piece of music to learn. Not just scales and repetitious stuff, but really playing songs that you want to make a part of your repertoire. Then, the next important thing, and really a polar opposite, is to be able to work on your improvisation. This means really digging in, and trying out new ideas that can get you out of that "rut" you may sometimes feel yourself getting trapped in.
On my Gibson "Chat" yesterday, so many people were asking questions about this, and I was at least able to answer them with some quick advice that they could put into use immediately. Things such as using "passing notes" to come up with new ideas that take you out of the "pentatonic rut" and more are important, and to not always look at all of this as "scales." This was one person's problem, who even after I said "find passing notes, and play the notes you always avoid" thought I simply meant "practice chromatic scales." Couldn't be farther from the truth. Scales, and the like just tend to keep you in a rut…they help your technique, but seeing in "shapes" and other true visualizations are much more suited to helping your improvisational skills! Good luck to all!
Stage fright can be a real paralyzing problem for performers of all types, and it sometimes, for some people, seems to literally spin out of control, rendering true performance almost impossible. I do know friends and other cases where this was truly an out of control problem, but for those of you starting out in this world of performing music there certainly is hope.
In some of my earliest days of becoming a professional musician and performing guitarist, I was often experiencing some pretty bad bouts of nervousness onstage. I wouldn't absolutely call it "stage fright", since I was able to get onstage, and certainly was not trying to avoid the act of performing. Still, once I was performing, and since I was so outclassed by the performers I was working with in terms of their age and experience, I would sometimes get overpowered by the nerves, and it would really cut into my ability to even play correctly and to play with the freedom and abandon I was so used to having.
This can be very disconcerting for a young player, and also very discouraging, especially if nothing is done about it quickly. The problem is the "fear and flight" problem that can develop within the human brain, wherein you actually start to always anticipate the symptoms of the fear, thereby rendering yourself incapacitated by the very fear of the symptoms of fear!
Well, if you expect to have any overcoming of this problem, you have to really stare it right in the face. The nervousness, which really most performers experience at some level or another, can actually learn to be "channeled" to make your performance even better and more intense than ever. Remember that when you are performing, you are always in a heightened state of emotional and even physical intensity; this can be further enhanced by taking that "natural nervousness" you've got and making sure that it gets to become an additional "friend" to the intensity you want to feel when playing. This is really the only way to overcome the "nerves", and in fact can become a true ally to you, that you can start to even look forward to as you launch into your performance.
In the end, this is all really a very common experience for performers, and you must really make this a part of you becoming a better and more confident guitarist, who is willing to take his or her craft to a higher level, and to the public. At one point or another, we all must take this critical step, and go from the living room to the stage; make sure it's a positive step in the right direction!
Making the right connections, and using them wisely is a very important of anyone's developing or even well-matured musical career. In the latter mode, I certainly have found it to be true for me, even though I am a seasoned pro. Let's face it, some "old" connections can literally "dry up" or certainly be overused if we're not careful. There is one artist who comes to mind for me, who I worked with for many years off and on, who had a bad habit of constantly using and I mean using, the same limited group of people over and over again, year after year. This created an awful professional "profile" for her, and started to paint a very undesirable picture of her, career-wise, for a long time, and for many observers. It's certainly one thing to have the connections, but a whole other thing how you utilize them.
It's funny how it works, and everyone has a totally different view of how much they can or should, be used. I have worked with incredibly powerful people who can help me enormously with the push of a button, but who show such disregard that it's almost criminal. What I have noticed is that these folks seem to have a fear of being "used", or a complex about people only wanting to use them, as opposed to actually liking them! It's silly, but those of us who really need these connections must pick and choose when we use our contacts wisely.
I have some friends from the "old days" who I occasionally contact about needing help for a project, and because of their belief in me, and the fact that I don't always "hound" them, they are always more than happy to be whatever help they can be. I guess mutual respect is what it's really about, and if these "people of power" look at you with admiration and respect, the help should always follow easily. These are the kinds of friends that you should be cultivating…. not only professionally, but especially on a personal basis. The "personal" side of things will always speak more to the heart, and will always tend to make them that more generous and approachable.
Of course, many of you will be asking, "where and how do I make these connections that Arlen is talking about?" and the answer is really "anywhere and anytime." As I have always said, "one good thing always leads to another" in the music business, and I, personally love to help anyone who really has talent, and who needs to be recognized. For goodness sake, I used to sign guitarists to Hot Licks Video, who nobody ever even heard of, but who I felt deserved to be recognized for their fine abilities. I know these people will forever be grateful to me for what I did, and clearly understand why I did it for them.
It's a cyclical thing…the ones who always were helped in the proper way and for the right reasons, will always tend to be helpful to others. I hope this always proves to be true for you, as you make your way through this tough and rocky path we call the music business!
All of us are very affected by where we end up settling down, and where we have grown up, but one thing is for sure, that many musicians have had to be "nomadic", to say the least! Sometimes, it's very important to really pick yourself up and go to where you really should be.
Many players spend a long time being, or attaining to be, a "big fish in a small pond." This can serve as being very satisfactory for a long time, and can also be a great learning experience, but sooner or later you have to really make the move that will be the one you need to really make it in the "big time." For many this can mean coming to New York, or maybe Nashville or L.A., but regardless of where you go, sometimes it's just the right stimulus you need to help "jump start" your career.
I know that when I first moved to Philadelphia to go to school, along with my band, we had an immediate incentive to drive forward with our career. Then I moved to Woodstock on my own, which gave me another strong incentive, although I was much more "alone" feeling, and was still cutting my teeth on the whole aspect of being a performing and session guitarist at a very young age. Finally, after that I came back to NYC to start a really much more "aggressive" career in the studios of New York, while also continuing to build my touring and solo career as well.
In every case, the act of "transplanting" myself always seemed to lead to a new and higher form of creativity within my own playing, as well as "stepping up" my career itself. I think if you do this one day, you'll be amazed at how "turning over a new leaf" and changing location can really impact your career in a positive way. I have encouraged many old friends as well as students to finally get up and do this for themselves, and it has always paid off.
In my case there have also been some moves that even though they seemed "obvious" were moves I just couldn't pull the trigger on. There were many places I considered, such as Nashville and Austin, because even though I'm NY born and raised, my Country and Blues roots were much stronger than many NY players had, and I thought my playing would be far more appreciated in these places where so much of my "sound" had originally come from.
So, I certainly do recommend that you bring yourself to a place where your playing and where your music would be most appreciated. But please remember to do this at the right time, and not too early. This was the mistake I made with Woodstock, as the band I went there to form in 1971 at the age of 18 was to break up so soon, I couldn't really establish myself there. The unusual outcome though, was that after I moved back to NY after the one year in Woodstock, all my work seemed to come via Woodstock after all, and everyone thought of me as coming from that "scene", even though I no longer lived there! Hope your journeys all prove fruitful!
As many folks are aware, these days, and really all days that one is involved in the music industry, one has to from time to time, develop and manage a business that may be a little out of the ordinary when it comes to what that music -related thing is about. In my particular case, I had decided to turn the teaching I had always done into a much larger-scale operation by creating Hot Licks, back in 1979. I knew as early as 1973 that I wanted to do this, but I was still very involved in touring and recording, plus teaching, and was far too busy to think of having a real, bona fide business of my own.
This was an exciting and daunting task, starting my own company, but one thing was for sure, we had determination, and we simply learned every step of the way, right from the start. It of course, would never have been possible if I hadn't had my incredible late then "wife to be" at my side, helping me all along the way. It amazed us how we started to take so much money in right away, and the need to get organized, and also to have employees started happening real fast, as well!
Hot Licks, of course grew and grew, and became a worldwide phenomenon that was the first company of its kind. My part in it was always the creative side; creating the initial lessons, and then signing other artists, many of whom I was working with and already knew from our mutual musical encounters. I also stayed deeply involved in the marketing, advertising, and other promotional aspects of what Hot Licks did all around the world.
These days, I have taken to starting up a new venture, The Guitar Hall of Fame, which will be in Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of fame, also! It's once again going to be a labor of love, as I really see this as a lasting and necessary legacy for me to leave for the guitar and for guitarists everywhere. One thing is for sure, I'm going to need a really great staff and "team" to make this happen in the right way. Big names in the business are of course, important, but the real thing that will make the "wheels turn" will be dedicated staff members who also share my "vision" for The Guitar Hall of Fame.
It's always been my experience that as long as your music-related business still keeps people focused on you, they will also be open to your artistry and music, and will always seek you out, and try to know as much about you as possible. So don't worry if you get into a certain wing of the business that may not make you play or record every day…..it should still help keep the focus on what should always matter most to you…..your guitar playing, and your music!
Many of us are already familiar with the recording processes that take place in the studio; Cutting rhythm tracks first, overdubbing both instruments as well as vocals, mixing etc., but I'm sure many of you have never had the true experience of "cutting" live!
In some of the earliest days of my studio experiences, I would often walk into a session I was booked on to see that some 15 to 20 musicians were all there, ready to go, and ready to record all at the same time! This is, of course, how the majority of music had always been recorded, before Les Paul had invented multi-track recording, and in fact in the earliest days, only one or two mikes were used for the whole session! But it was not unusual for many of these sessions I did to have a whole group of "live" musicians all playing at once! And quite frankly, at that time, I was so "raw" as a player, I actually responded more favorably to that environment, as opposed to the more "artificial" act of layering parts, and recording the instruments separately.
In those kinds of sessions, there would actually be an eight-bar area on the sheet music saying simply "Guitar Solo" where I would have a chance to really show off my "live" chops, and blow everyone away with my instant creativity! Remember, a lot of these musicians were the traditional kind who would only play what was on the music stand in front of them, and who could never improvise! To them, a true improviser like me was somewhat of an anomaly and a rare treat for them, indeed! This also went for the "Producers" of these sessions, who were loving the fact that I could "make them look so good" with my sheer ability to "create" right on the spot!
This was a great time to be first getting into recording, since I was coming at it from such a live viewpoint, but once I had to do the "other" kind of recording, it became a much harder thing to adjust to, for sure! The last 4 albums or so that I have recorded, particularly the one with Levon Helm, "Toolin' Around Woodstock" and my latest upcoming one, were done with a very specific "live" approach in mind. This all also includes getting the right kind or real "room" sound, which was particularly great in Levon's barn, and even though we were trying separate the instruments, a certain blend that occurred from the "leakage" between them. It takes away from how you can later manipulate and isolate the instruments, but it adds a kind of dimension that is kind of hard to describe! In the end, I was glad I really "went for it" with these live recordings, because the "vibe" was unmistakable, but I also wished I had a little more flexibility when it came to the overdubbing and mixing process. Here's to "live" recording! I hope you get to do some soon!


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Want your playspace to be a featured playspace on the Map of Play? Make sure it has a complete record! This includes a full address and description, photos, fans, comments, whether it is public or private, free or not free. Visit the playspaces in your area on the Map of Play and complete those records!
Featured Playspaces
Nay Aug Park
Safety Harbor City Park Boundless Playground
Bear Branch Park
Tugboat Island
These folks are superstars on Map of Play! They are the ones regularly logging in, adding new playspaces, adding photos, rating playspaces, and sharing information about the playspaces near them. Want to be featured here? Start participating in our community today!
Liza Sullivan
Alexander Dupuy
What is Map of Play?
KaBOOM! envisions a place to play within walking distance of every child in America. To achieve this vision, it is imperative to know the location of each playspace in the United States. The Map of Play is both a playspace finder and a way to gather data on where playspaces exist, the condition of existing playspaces, and where playspaces are needed, so that we all can participate in improving the state of play in our own communities. Learn more about the Map of Play and Play Deserts.
Community Spotlight
We're excited to announce our four Grand Prize Winners from our Summer Challenge, who each get a trip for two to Washington, DC and will join us at our annual Play Academy to share their playground adventures.
|Alex Nguyen, Seattle, Wa. "I lost 9 lbs doing the Playground Challenge, and that doing nothing special except being outside and chasing after my kids!"
|Dana Wheatley, Calgary, A.B. "You can do something great for your community, while having a blast with your kids and learning about your city all at the same time!"
|Annie Cheng, San Francisco, Calif. "You get to explore so many playground you would otherwise miss. We used to go to the same ones all the time. Now after the Challenge, we found so many fun places to go."
|Sara Russell, Waterville, Me. "Thanks to the Playground Challenge, my daughter and I have inspired over 40 of our family and friends to get out and play with us!"


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In celebration (?) of International Rare Diseases Day, a doctor in the UAE has recommended that couples get tested for genetic disorders before marriage in order to prevent producing babies that have rare and expensive conditions. While from a logical standpoint this makes sense, as some would argue that it's irresponsible for couples with debilitating genetic conditions to pass on those genes, on the other hand, this reeks of proto-eugenics.
What do you think, readers? Is it necessary for couples to be aware of each other's potential to bear disabled children? Would you want to know if your partner had a genetic disease? If they did, would it affect your decision to marry or have children with them?
Doctor Calls For Pre-Marital Tests [Worldpress]


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He also has a head full of hair that sticks up all over the place.
Maybe he still has some drugs in his system, but he is so very calm compared to Creed. Even the pediatrician commented on what a calm little guy he seems to be so far. He snorts like a pig quite often, and Larry and I both think it's adorable. It's so nice to finally have a chance to get to know him better.
Larry was incredibly supportive, and going through experiences like this just makes me love him even more.
In honor of the Olympics, one of the nurses gave Ollie this little hat that she made, and he looks so cute in it!
More updates to come soon, I promise!


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At first glance, the delivery vans undergoing final body assembly do not appear different from any other vehicle that Utilimaster Corp. has produced. But look closer. On the production line, the hoods are missing from the front and the space where the diesel engine would sit is empty.
As reported by the Elkhart Truth, these are the new all-electric walk-in vans that Utilimaster, based in Wakarusa, Ind., and Smith Electric Vehicles, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., have designed especially for the FedEx delivery fleet. Smith manufactures the chassis and power train, Utilimaster builds the body and A123 Systems, with corporate offices in Waltham, Mass., produces the lithium ion batteries.
During the first week of July, Utilimaster production crews were working to fulfill the order for 27 all-electric vans and expected to be finished in two days. Twenty five of the vehicles will be outfitted with a coat of crisp white paint and FedEx logos.
To read the entire article in the Elkhart Truth click here.


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Bilingual thoughts on life, language, learning, and all things Latina.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Hispanic Heritage Month Book Giveaway
The books in this giveaway are:
1. Zumba® By Beto Perez , Maggie Greenwood-Robinson
2. Evenings at the Argentine Club By Julia Amante
3. Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz By Belinda Acosta
4. Tell Me Something True By Leila Cobo
5. Amigoland By Oscar Casares
To win a set of books, please answer the following question, and comment here by October 15. When you comment, please leave an email address or link to a site where you can be contacted. Winners must be US or Canadian residents. No PO Boxes please. Winners will be selected and announced on October 16th.
What notable Hispanic, past or present, do you want to know more about? Why?
33 comments:
- Mrs. DeRaps said...
I would love to know more about Sandra Cisneros. I've taught her book The House on Mango Street for several years now, and feel like I've equated the life of the main character, Esperanza, with Cisneros'. Of course, I know that this is not Cisneros' life but I can't help but feel like Esperanza is a real person. I love teaching this work and have gobbled up most of her other works, but I still come back to The House on Mango Street as a favorite. My students love this book and love to write in Cisneros' style. She has a love and care for words and people that warms me. I'd love to know more about her!
I can be contacted via email at firstname.lastname@example.com or at my classroom blog: derapsclass.blogspot.com.
- September 15, 2009 at 7:08 PM
I would like to know more about Henry Cisneros because he was Major of our city, San Antonio, TX and then he went on to bigger things. I don't know how he got to where he is. I'd like to know his background. And of course his favorite book!
Jo Ann Hernandez
BronzeWord1 AT yahoo com
- September 15, 2009 at 9:34 PM
Hi Cassy!
This month, I'm only going to enter ONE contest to win these books. I hope I'm still lucky!!
Part of me wants to say I'd like to learn more about Jimmy Smits because I have such a nice poster of him on my office door :)
But, my serious side would like to know more about Pedro Albizu Campos. I learned about him in Rosie Perez's movie "Yo Soy Boricua, Pa'Que Tu Lo Sepas!" (The movie was in English!). I was amazed by all that man went through for his country: the inhumane suffering he face for Puerto Rico. I have to learn more about him.
- September 15, 2009 at 9:56 PM
- BookwormBete said...
I would love to learn the TRUE story of Eva Peron. My husband's family see her as a saint. Others see her as an oportunist. I'm sure the truth is somewhere in the middle. However, she was a strong woman in a macho society in a time where women were invisible.
- September 16, 2009 at 9:25 PM
- Misusedinnocence said...
I would also like to know more about Eva Peron, mostly I only know about the musical Evita and would like to know more about the history.
- September 16, 2009 at 9:46 PM
- teachin' said...
Julia Alvarez. I totally heart her writing, but I've never gone any further and I'd love to know more about her.
- September 16, 2009 at 10:47 PM
- rng888 said...
Mario Vargas Llosa would be my choice amongst multitude of notable Hispanic authors. This is due to his wide range of both fiction and non-fiction works. Beyond being a modernist as a writer, he's political involvement and his controversial views has indeed made me more interested in understanding his background and how it has influenced his earlier and later works. I'm genuinely surprised but I can't seem to find a biography of someone his stature.
rng888 (AT) gmail (DOT) com
- September 16, 2009 at 10:50 PM
- Learn Spanish said...
Hi Cassy, great blog. Kim from http://www.SpanishPod101.com sent you an email. Let me know when you get a chance to read. Thanks!
- September 16, 2009 at 11:17 PM
I'd like to know more about Daniel Flores Duran. I know he writes children's books and adolescent literature. But, that's all I know.
Thanks for the chance.
- September 18, 2009 at 2:52 PM
I have seen the video of Sandra Cisneros in conversation with Dorothy Allison. I would like to learn more about her.
Pat Murphy
- September 18, 2009 at 3:31 PM
- Okibum said...
I would love to learn more about Luis Alberto Urrea. I have just discovered his books and love them. I would love to find out more about him and what he is working on next.
supertalya @ gmail DOT com
- September 19, 2009 at 7:50 AM
There are so many notable Hispanic men and women... Frida Kahlo has always fascinated me, for her individuality, power and the impact she has had on Mexican and American culture.
Aliya D.
- September 21, 2009 at 1:57 AM
- Marjorie said...
I am a new follower and would love to win this very awesome giveaway.
cenya2 at hotmail dot com
- September 21, 2009 at 12:18 PM
- edmontonjb said...
I would like to learn more about Cesar Chavez
- September 23, 2009 at 5:38 PM
- MOMFOREVERANDEVER said...
Sandra Cisneros sounds interesting, there are many who have such backgrounds that would amze me, and keep me interested.
- September 26, 2009 at 9:33 AM
- Bethie said...
Please count me in. Thanks for the great giveaway. I would love to learn about the real Eva Peron.
lizzi0915 at aol dot com
- September 27, 2009 at 12:09 AM
- Ali said...
I've recently come across three fabulous-looking new or upcoming books about Diego Rivera, so I'm hoping to learn more about him, very soon! Worducopia/at/gmail/dot/com.
- September 27, 2009 at 12:06 PM
- kakihara said...
Frida Kahlo --I've always been really drawn to her work-- it's so vibrant.
- September 27, 2009 at 10:45 PM
- enyl said...
I would like to learn more about the following people, Tito Puente because I enjoy his music. Cesar Chavez because he fought for economic parity for the Latino community. Freda Kahlo and Diego Rivera because of thier art.
- September 29, 2009 at 1:49 AM
- Confessions of an Overworked Mom said...
I'd love to learn more about Eva Perone because she has always fascinated me.
- September 29, 2009 at 3:38 PM
- ossmcalc said...
I am a high school mathematics teacher. I used to teach at a regional center at a state school for math and science where I taught Advanced Calculus AB and BC. Then I transferred to a local high school when the regional center was closed. Jaime Escalante was my hero. I kept thinking that if he could do it, so could I. I would like to know more about him both before and after the movie about him, "Stand and Deliver."
thank you,
- September 29, 2009 at 5:54 PM
- Sarah said...
I would like to learn more about the life of Lazaro Cardenas, the great progressive Mexican president who instituted many social and economic reforms in Mexico in the 1930s. I recently took a college class about the history of Mexico and would like to read more about this very interesting political figure.
saemmerson at yahoo dot com
- September 29, 2009 at 11:39 PM
- Mary Ann DeBorde said...
Mary D
zenrei57 (at) hotmail (dot) com
I've always been interested in the beloved Eva Peron, so sad that she died of cancer when the entire populace was praying for her recovery :(
- September 30, 2009 at 11:09 PM
- Marianna said...
Diego Rivera
mannasweeps (at))) gmaildotcom
- October 1, 2009 at 5:49 PM
- Estela said...
I'd love to read more on Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. She sounds fascinating!
easagredo at yahoo dot com
- October 2, 2009 at 8:10 PM
- bcgirll said...
I would like to know more about Salvador Dali in order to understand his art.
tooluckyducky AT hotmail DOT com
- October 5, 2009 at 3:41 PM
- Mishia said...
I'd love to know more about Che Guevara
- October 7, 2009 at 3:13 AM
- ikkinlala said...
I'd like to know more about Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, because he's been honoured several times for peace and human rights work.
- October 13, 2009 at 12:51 AM
- Shawna said...
Shawna Lewis
You know I would choose the Mexican Presidents Wife. No one ever talks about her. I don't even know her name, how bad is that!! I wonder what she is like in person, how many kids she has, what she does for hobbies & what she looks like!! That's who I would choose!!!
Thanks for this neat chance to win these amazing Hispanic Heritage Books in this Giveaway on your wonderful blog!!!
- October 14, 2009 at 6:30 PM
- degood said...
I would like to know more about Fidel Castro's brother who is supposed to take over power when Fidel dies.
- October 15, 2009 at 5:47 AM
- windycindy said...
Hello, What an interesting question!
I enjoy studying artists and their paintings. The 20th century Hispanic
artist, Diego Rivera interests me very much. It is interesting to study his paintings which I feel
give me his outlook on his cultural views. Many thanks for a chance to win theses fabulous books!
- October 16, 2009 at 1:31 PM
- Beverly said...
I would like to know more about Fidel Castro.
- October 16, 2009 at 8:01 PM
- Niurka said...
I would love to win
- October 16, 2009 at 8:58 PM


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Bed and Breakfast Rooms and Rates
After Eight offers the most comfortable bed and breakfast in Lancaster PA with eight guest rooms and two two-bedroom garden level cottages. There are two sets of adjoining rooms: Sunset adjoins Bay Window Room. Sunrise Bay Window adjoins the Candlelight Room. Rates are based 1 or 2 person occupancy and all lodging features:
- Beds that are triple sheeted with ultra soft Comphy sheets
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Click the pictures below for more images
No arrival and departure date specified yet.


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No Branding Selected
October 2017
"There were no witches in Salem in 1692, but they thrive here in great numbers now."
~ from Brunonia Barry's
The Fifth Petal
Recent Releases
Among the Dead: A Rachel Carver Mystery
J.R. Backlund
Police Procedural. Rachel Carver quit
North Carolina's SBI
six weeks ago after her last case went bad. Called to a small mountain town by a friend and former colleague, the talented investigator finds herself consulting on a most peculiar crime: a murder in a town that never has them by someone who knows what he's doing. Though readers learn who one murderer is early on, those who like to figure out why (and who's behind it all) while reading a compelling story with a strong female detective will enjoy this accomplished
debut novel and series starter.
Dog Dish of Doom: An Agent to the Paws Mystery
E.J. Copperman
Cozy Mystery. Broadway's going to the dogs in this funny 1st in a new series. Kay Powell, an agent to talented pets, has discovered a star -- and doggie Bruno has just been cast in an
revival (he might even get the film role!). But there's a catch: the director forbids the obnoxious owners from the theater. When one of them is murdered and dognappers show up, Kay needs to solve the case to keep her client safe. If you enjoy Copperman's writing and like lighthearted stories featuring unusual detectives, try his Asperger's Mystery series; the 3rd,
The Question of the Absentee Father
, came out earlier this month.
Fast Falls the Night
Julia Keller
Mystery. In a 24-hour period, Raythune County, West Virginia faces a record number of overdose victims thanks to heroin laced with elephant tranquilizer. S
heriff's deputy Jake Oakes, other cops, and EMTs try to save who they can, but not everyone lives, and opinions vary among locals if an addict's death matters. I
nvestigating the source of the tainted drug in her Appalachian hometown, prosecutor Bell Elkins learns more about her past and new secrets from her ex-convict sister. Critics love this atmospheric, gritty 6th in the Bell Elkins series. Looking for more beautifully written rural crime novels? Try Tom Bouman's Henry Farrell novels.
Bluebird, Bluebird
Attica Locke
Mystery. In a rural East Texas town of fewer than 200 people, the body of an African American lawyer from Chicago is found in a bayou, followed several days later by that of a local white woman. What's going on?
African American Texas Ranger Darren Mathews hopes to find out, which means talking to relatives of the deceased, including the woman's white supremacist husband -- and Mathews soon discovers things are more complex than they seem
. With fully realized characters and a timely look at race relations in the U.S., this book by award-winning novelist Attica Locke (who's also written and produced for TV's
) is the 1st in her Highway 59 series
Lightning Men: A Novel
Thomas Mullen
Historical Mystery. In this highly anticipated follow-up to last year's
, African American police officers Tommy Smith and Lucius Boggs find themselves once again navigating volatile racial tensions in Atlanta. This time, it's 1950, and their attempt to stop the influx of illegal alcohol and drugs is complicated by the involvement of whites, whom they're not allowed to arrest. Meanwhile, neo-Nazis are in town stirring up trouble as black families move into formerly whites-only neighborhoods. Examining the cops' professional and personal lives,
Lightning Men
provides a well-rounded look at fascinating characters in an explosive setting.
The Amber Shadows
Lucy Ribchester
Historical Mystery. Walking to her billet after watching Alfred Hitchcock's
, Honey Deschamps is given a package by a man she doesn't know. He claims to work at Bletchley Park like Honey, but since the package contains a small piece of amber from Russia, Honey can't help but wonder if she's being tested. Or is the amber some sort of coded message from someone? Maybe from her Russian father, who her brother claimed was custodian of the famous Amber Room? When more packages arrive, people go missing, and a murder occurs, Honey must decode what's going on and figure out whom to trust. This well-researched, suspenseful tale should please fans of Hitchcock and World War II mysteries.
Bewitching Mysteries
Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch
Nancy Atherton
Cozy Mystery. After living in the Cotswold village of Finch for years, American Lori Shepherd thinks she knows the place. But she learns a lot more when famous artist Amelia Thistle moves to town incognito, hoping to discover information about a 17th-century relative...who might have been the village witch. With the otherworldly assistance of beloved Aunt Dimity, Lori and Amelia look for clues and dodge Amelia's very rabid fans. The delightful 17th entry will please series fans (who should know that the 22nd,
Aunt Dimity and the Widow's Curse
, came out in May). New to the series? You may want to start with the 1st book,
Aunt Dimity's Death
, to best appreciate the development of relationships.
The Fifth Petal: A Novel
Brunonia Barry
Mystery. It's Halloween, 2014, in Salem, Massachusetts, aka "Witch City," when a murder occurs. Alcoholic chief of police John Rafferty investigates the new death as well as its connections to a 25-year-old triple homicide involving three descendants of Salem Witch Trial victims and the Witch Trials themselves. Those who enjoyed the author's
Lace Reader
will find familiar faces here.
The Fifth Petal
mixes supernatural elements, crime, history, and multiple perspectives to make
a perfectly haunting Halloween read
. Prefer a more lighthearted Halloween mystery? Try Donna Andrews'
Lord of the Wings
A Kind of Grief: A Novel
A.D. Scott
Mystery. It's 1950, and newly married Joanne Ross no longer works at the
Highland Gazette
, but has taken to writing short stories and other pieces. Hearing about an artist on trial for being a witch, she thinks it might make an interesting story. But after Joanne visits the acquitted, the woman's found dead in her home on a remote Scottish glen. Unable to accept it was suicide, Joanne investigates and finds a secret government agency is somehow involved. If you'd like to visit 1950s Scotland, pick up this 6th Joanne Ross novel. Want to meet Joanne when she's trying to escape her abusive first marriage? Pick up the 1st book,
A Small Death in the Great Glen
The Witch Hunter's Tale: A Midwife Mystery
Sam Thomas
Historical Mystery. In York, England, the summer of 1645 was brutally hot, then it was so rainy that crops rotted in the fields, and now winter is just as bleak. When the weather and several deaths are blamed on witches, midwife
Bridget Hodgson and her assistant Martha try to do what they can to calm things, but that results in
Bridget's nephew Will being accused of murder. Meanwhile, Bridget's Puritan nephew Joseph and her old enemy Rebecca are both ringleaders in the witch hunt. How far is Bridget willing to go to protect her loved ones -- and can she find the real murderer? To find out, read this impeccably researched 3rd entry in the Midwife Mysteries, set during the English Civil War.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
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We hear this day in day out, "I drive a Lexus which dashcam is best for my car?"
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If you're looking for a dashcam for a Lexus or indeed any other car, and you can afford it, then what you want to do is purchase the very best dashcam you can afford. We recommend the HP F800G Dashcam which is currently sitting as our number one dashcam in 2016.
If you're looking to buy a dashcam for your Lexus then your best bet is to read our reviews, and read reviews over on Amazon. Again, in our opinion the best dashcam for Lexus and indeed any other car is the HP F800G.
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