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Why trends aren't random at all and how we can use them to our advantage
Welcome to Mental Space Monday!
Where we journey inside the rabbit hole of collective consciousness and submit to the whims of curiosity.
This week we're taking a look at trends; where they come from and why we should listen to them. In hearing the word trend, we tend to have one of two reactions. One, you are intrigued. You want to see it, get it, buy it, take part in it. You crave being "in the know" for the "next big thing". Then there are others who instinctually prickle against the term "trendy". You don't want to be a follower, you don't want "them" telling you what you like, what to eat, what to wear. In fact, much of the time, if it is popular, you avoid it for the sole reason that the general public, mass media, etc are touting it so adamantly. You don't want your actions and decisions to be driven by trends or pop culture (though, in avoiding them at all cost you are allowing them to do just that).
Last week we talked about Zeitgeist and the cyclical nature of our collective consciousness. It is easy to consider Zeitgeist in a more academic sense considering the fact that many of us don't have a personal connection to this foreign, almost science-sounding word. But trends and Zeitgeist are intimately related and serve a very important function in uniting us as a society and connecting our perspectives and ideas into a collective experience. Trends are the result of Zeitgeist; they are a vibration, a resonance stemming from the catalyst of our collective spirit. If Zeitgeist is a stone, trends are the ripples it makes when hitting the water of society. If Zeitgeist is a yell, trends are the echo.
The word "trend" is often thrown around in the context of something arbitrary and frivolous. It has a connotation that takes us all back to middle school when we watched the popular crowd parade through the halls wearing the coolest new jeans and hippest high-top sneakers. We tend to regard "trends" as a creation of corporations and the "haves" in order to manipulate the masses and the "have-nots" and sell more product. While there are undeniably elements of this, trends are so much more. Trends are the echoes of who we are as a society right now. They are the product of at once both our conscious and our subconscious - creating a resonance that vibrates to those around us. It joins us together, builds into a crescendo of collective mentality that results in us wanting/buying/watching/wearing what we do.
The etymology of the word trend actually goes back to Middle English meaning "to roll about, turn, revolve" and even further back, the word has a geological meaning "to run or bend in a certain direction"; think the path of a river. Trends in society are not random; they are not arbitrary. They are a product of us. They stem from what we want, what we are and how we live day-to-day. Our mental state and desires are the cause; trends are simply the tangential, physical evidence. They are "rolling about", "revolving" around the teeming mass that is our Zeitgeist. Trends cut through our history and our log of human experience the way that a river cuts through a landscape. Looking back over past trends is like looking at the carved path of the grand canyon - we can see where we used to be; what we wanted, craved, identified with at those times. There is value in seeing where we have been and just as much value in being a part of the current phase of this process that will help us look back and learn from where we are currently. The fascinating shift in mindset here is that these trends that are cutting the most recent layer of our societal riverbed don't define us; they reflect us; they are the offspring of our cultural idea sex. Trends are not the cause of the current ailment of our society. Instead, they are at once the most simple and complicated outward symptoms of whatever true virus is ailing us - for better or worse, or sometimes both. In example, the trend is swinging toward more raw, natural materials in both fashion and interiors. In our desire for more genuine, authentic experiences in our lives we are drawn to furniture and clothing that has also been stripped of the shiny, perfect veneers that we once hid behind. We are embracing flaws in ourselves, in those around us and as an indicator of this, there is a resulting trend toward rough, hand-hewn, reclaimed barn wood and natural fibers that aren't always perfect, but are real and more interesting because of it.
As Brillat-Savarin said, "You are what you eat." This extends further than just our food. We are 'feeding' ourselves daily with all of the knowledge and experiences that we take in. This includes visual food such as the spaces we spend time in, the clothes that we wear and even the facial expressions of those around us. It includes mental food such as our inner monologue, TV shows we watch, music we listen to and books we read. All of this combines to create the "diet" that we are ingesting. We also have shared experiences with those around us such as the hottest new blockbuster movie or the most recent VMA/EMA/Oscar/PCA/Nobel Peace/fill-in-the-blank awards, natural disasters and breaking news. Because our diets are so similar, it stands to reason that we would be collectively drawn to certain things. This is how new trends are born. We are all looking to fill many of the same needs, the same gaps in our daily experiences and so we respond to the same "food" to round out our current diet. This often means that similar trends start in many places at once, combine and grow to one large, sweeping movement. This doesn't just apply to clothing or car color - it extends to ideas as well. As an excellent example of this, Jason Silva released a new episode of Shots of Awe that covers exactly this ouroboros loop that we have been discussing. Take a look here: How Our Creations Change Us.
What does it all mean?
These things that we all see "trending" around us are not chosen from thin air. We are a cog in the machine and we have the ability to affect the output - likewise, we have a responsibility to be aware of what we are contributing to it. Yes, the products we are buying and the movies we are seeing are created by a small group of people for consumption by the rest of us - but here's the key: they don't work unless we let them. We are the ones feeding the snake. We guide the course of the Zeitgeist as we respond to the world around us. Those who create products are reacting to what we like; what we eat; what we buy; what we watch; what we tweet. Doesn't it make you feel powerful that you are a player in defining what the new trends are? But use your power wisely. We are all on the same train traveling on one set of tracks. We may have different views out of our respective windows but if someone decides to pull the emergency brake, we are all delayed. And that emergency cord now reaches further, faster than ever before. Trends are moving faster because information exchange is faster which means that we react to more input in less time and our mental cravings shift that much more quickly from one thing to another. Our trends run at the pace of Twitter rather than Pony Express. Trends can seem artificial and arbitrary but in reality, they are created for us by us. They are a result of the food that society has eaten they are echoes of us all. They are something to be respected, not in a blind, sheep-following sort of a way but in a collaborative respectful-and-aware-of-your-neighbor's-needs kind of a way.
It seems apt to end with the father of free verse, Mr. Walt Whitman - it is also fitting that this can be linked to an Apple commercial - (We can discuss the influence of Apple next week, but they are a powerful influencer of the current Zeitgeist - I can see why.)
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse -Whitman
We are all contributing our own verse to the continual rotation of "trends". Be conscious about your verse; make it worthwhile. If you don't like the beat; change it. This is a group effort and our song is richer for the diversity that each of us adds to it.
Delight in the verses submitted by other as well and also in the entirety of the poem that we are collectively creating. It is a beautiful thing -
Have a wonderful week, lovelies. Believe in your unique entelechy and actualize your wonderful.


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Growing with the Millennial Familia
Because the flow of familia is a story in itself
Presented by
We're bringing 100 Latina Millennial mom (and dad!) bloggers and creators together in one place at the whimsical headquarters of our hosts Munchkin for our first #WeAllGrowFAMILIA.
October 22, 2016
Munchkin, HQs
For this invite-only event, we will select from our network of more than 2,200 Latina bloggers and creators that are part of the Millennial Moms segment and that aside from parenting, also represent fashion, beauty, food, entertainment, travel, tech, social causes, and more.
Speakers & Mentors
Fashion Blogger and Founder, LiiRaven
Co-Founder, Yummy Spoonfuls
Writer & Founder, Celispao & Los Favelitas
Founder, Yummy Spoonfuls
Tide Safety Ambassador, CEO & Founder, Hispana Global
Senior Parents Editor, BuzzFeed Parents
YouTuber and Blogger, Betsy-V
Head of Brand Advancement, Girl Scouts of the USA
Senior Account Executive, Hampton by Hilton
Founder, De Su Mama
Editorial Vice President, Hello & Hola Media, Inc.
TV Personality and Founder, Familia Perfecta
Digital Engagement and Public Relations Strategist, Munchkin Inc.
Founder, En Tus Zapatos
Director of Network, Awestruck
Founder and Creative Director, Juana la Iguana
Editor-in-Chief, Parents Latina and Ser Padres
Fashion & Beauty Influencer, Glam Dapper
Style Expert and Founder, The Penny Closet
Head of Multicultural Strategy, Twitter
Executive Editor, BabyCenter en Español
Co-Founder, Creativitology
Co-Founder, Lil' Libros
Founder, Fashion Mamas
Editor, mom.me
Founding Editor-in-Chief, MamásLatinas
Journalist, Life Coach and Founder, Carolina Ortiz
Co-Founder, ILoveMole & Super Mamás
Co-Founder & CEO, Mundo Lanugo
8:30 AM: Registration Opens
8:30 - 9:45 AM: Breakfast Bites + Sponsors Connect
9:45 - 9:55 AM: #WeAllGrow + Munchkin Welcome Remarks
9:55 - 10:50 AM: Session #1
Esto.Es.Todo.: Parenting Online and In-Culture
presented by Honey Bunches of Oats
Bricia López | Carla Curiel | Patty Rodriguez | Susie Jaramillo | Tania Gilinski | Moderator: Vanessa Bell
10:50 - 11:30 AM: Session #2
Keynote chat with camila Alves + Agatha Achindu, founders of
yummy spoonfuls.
Moderated by Cristy Marrero, Hola! USA
11:30 - 12:25 PM: Mentor Roundtables
presented by disney channel + ELENA OF AVALOR
12:25 - 1:45 PM: Lunch + Sponsors Connect
Presented by Munchkin
1:50 PM: Session #3
Nuria Santamaria Wolfe, Twitter multicultural lead
2:20 PM: Session #4
LIfestyle Motherhood REdefined
Presented by munchkin
Carolina Ortiz | Claudia Felix-Garay | Lissette Pedreiras | Natalie Alcala | Rosanna Javier
Moderator: Karla Ortiz, Munchkin
3:10 PM: Snack and Connect Break
Presented by disney junior
4:10 PM: Session #5
Latina youtube moms
Anabelle Blum | Betsy Vilca | Danielly Lara | Karely Sigg | Paola Celis
Moderator: Maria Pelletier
5:00 PM: Session #6
Meet the parenting editors!
Clarisse Cespedes (Baby Center en español) | Grace Bastidas (Ser Padres + Parents Latina) | Johanna Torres (Mamás Latinas) | Maura Wall Hernandez (mom.me) | Morgan Shanahan (Buzzfeed Parents)
Moderator: Marinés Duarte
6:00 PM: Innovation Happy Hour
Presented by Ford
Become a sponsor!
Email inquiries to:

subset: commoncrawl


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Vibes Promotion with OHRWO, IVORIE and HANKO
The Vibes Promotion Show in this podcast is very special. OHRWO meets selector IVORIE and operator HANKO. Boths show guests hold the reggae and dub vibes very strong. HANKO controlled the heavy effectchamber. You will listen! Load down this nice show, with the first half hour by OHRWO than IVORIE start with a massiv Barrington LEVY tune. Enjoy the strictly vinyl reggae session.
Enjoy the show and give us your feedback! Also check our big Vibes Promotion Showarchiv of the last 8 years.
Listen Vibes Promotion live every Friday 7 pm
Podcast: Download
Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS
Tags: Dub, HANKO, Mr. IVORIE, Ohrwo, Podcast, Reggae, Vibes Promotion


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It All Starts with a Shared Vision
Fellow Nashvillians,
The redevelopment of the Greer Stadium property holds a significant opportunity for the city of Nashville. Sitting at the crossroads of several neighborhoods fragmented by freeways and railroad tracks, this site opens the possibility of reconnecting these neighborhoods, spatially and culturally. Currently, it sits abandoned.
The city seeks a private/public partnership for a signature Music City development that meets the needs of transportation, housing, education and public space at a city-owned site – less than 1 mile from downtown – that has been leased to the Nashville Sounds Triple A baseball team since the 1970s. The existing footprint of the stadium and parking is a dog-legged 21 acres lying below an important relic of the Civil War, Fort Negley. Just south of I-40, east of I-65, with railroad tracks immediately to the west, the site is central to a growing music, art and maker community that is developing in this old light-industrial/warehouse district south of downtown.
Our plan is based around the idea of a cultural generator. In an era of political and social change, music and the arts are ever more important to building healthy, sustainable neighborhoods. They are both a celebration of our social diversity and a social unifier. They are both our outlets and our expressions. Our plan proposes a center for music and art that provides an infrastructure to ensure a strong and sustainable culture for our city, our country and – as the music of Nashville has become a worldwide cultural touchstone – the world.
The historic summit on which Fort Negley sits is St. Cloud Hill. In tribute to the profound history of this place, we call this endeavor Cloud Hill.
- T Bone Burnett
The Cloud Hill Partnership


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Disclaimer: The characters of Xena and Gabrielle are the property of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. The characters and events of the Forensic Series belong to the author.
Travellers: My thanks to my many readers. I enjoy very much traveling with you through places, event and lives. My praises to my beta readers Lisa and Inga who do all the hard work and never complain and to Susan who makes sure we all stay on track.
This is a new murder mystery series which is a spin off of Seasons: Spring Rains. It is about the life and work of the forensic anthropologist, Doctor Alberta Pateas. Travelers, welcome to the bare bones of murder!
Note: These stories do interrelate and are best read in the order they are posted.
Warning: This story is alternative fiction; please do not read on if you are under age or if such material is illegal in your end of the swamp.
Visit Anne Azel's World at < http://www.jes.com.au/~azel/ > or write Anne at <email@example.com> The Anne Azel Murder Mysteries Book 1 can be ordered through Amazon.com or Openbookltd.
The helicopter's shadow glided across the undulating tree tops below. On the leeward sides of hills, patches of snow still lingered but up on the ridges, the leaves were budding and opening to the early summer sun. Summer came late here and died young.
Sargent Nicholson sat quietly across from Inspector Pateas. He would have liked to ask her about the Williams' Case but Pateas had been all business this morning. She had explained to them exactly how she wanted things to be run once they got on site and had insisted that they collect the equipment together that she felt they would need to do a proper investigation.
Nicholson was on two minds about this. On the one hand, Pateas had basically taken over the police investigation this morning and he wasn't sure he should have allowed that. Then there was the matter of the equipment that she had insisted they get at the hardware store before leaving. That had put a hole in the station's already strained budget. He had a feeling that it was going to be hard to justify to the district Inspector at the end of the month. The other side of the coin, was that Pateas was absolutely amazing to work with. She had carefully explained every step of the process and he and the corporal had already learned a lot from her.
The pilot circled and carefully lowered the 'copter into a small clearing about a half mile from the crash site. The Mounties jumped out once the blades had stopped and started unloading the knapsacks of gear. Twenty minutes later, they were following a deer run that would take them close to where the four seater craft had crashed.
The wind slid down off the hills and rustled the tall pines over head. The air smelt of pine, wet earth and a hint of aviation fuel. Nicholson watched Pateas at work. She was walking around carefully, looking at the site from all directions. Then she would look up at the trees. As far as Nicholson could see there wasn't much to investigate.
The crash site was oval in shape and the impact crater about a foot deep. There wasn't much that was recognizable. Just scraps of twisted pieces of metal, broken seat frames and bits of bone and clothing. Nothing like he had to deal with out on the highway. But then the bodies had lain here for well over a year and a half.
"Wherever I've left a file card, I want a photograph taken of the site. The arrow I made with the felt marker indicates the direction I want the shot taken. Be careful where you put your feet. Scavengers have spread the debris around a good deal and I don't want anything stepped on by mistake. Be quick about it. I want to get the crash stacked and a grid in place before we stop for lunch."
"Yes, ma'am," the Sargent responded, and indicated to the corporal that he should follow with the equipment. Pateas wanted each shot taken in black and white and colour.
"I'm going to follow the debris trail a bit and see if we missed anything," Pateas murmured, and headed off.
By lunch the photos were taken and they had helped the Inspector run string to form a grid of yard square areas over the crash zone. Each square had been labeled and as Pateas ate her sandwich absently, she was busy setting up the layout of the site on a sheet of grid paper. The Inspector sure is meticulous in everything she did, the Sargent thought.
"Ahhh, Inspector, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Williams' Case," he asked, when he noted she had almost completed the sketch.
The beautiful face hardened into expressionless lines. "Phillip Williams was hit once to the mandible lateral to the mental foramen by a right handed assailant. The victim received a green fracture to the mandible and was rendered unconscious. A second blow to the right tempororal shattered the articular eminence and fractured the squama. The resulting trauma was the cause of death. The assailant was left handed. This indicated the possibility of a second assailant. Subsequent evidence supported this theory and excluded Roberta Williams as a suspect," Alberta rattled off. " Let's get on with the job at hand, shall we gentlemen."
Nicholson looked over at Corporal Kirka, who grinned back broadly and waved his hand as if he had been burnt. The Sargent sneered back at him and got up to follow Inspector Pateas back to the crash site.
"Primary evidence would indicate three victims," Pateas murmured, into her field recorder. "The distribution of the bones would suggest skin sacks." Catching Nicolson's confused look she went on to explain. "The impact was so great that the majority of the bones were shattered, leaving what looks like a sack of skin." The Sargent grimaced and the corporal who had been given the job of drawing each find on the grid that Alberta had made, visibly paled.
The Sargent obviously wanted to learn and Alberta felt she needed to provide what instruction she could. "Look up. You'll note that very few branches are broken and I could find very little debris trail. This craft did not glide down, it fell like a rock. Planes don't do that. The forward motion over the wings will cause a degree of lift even if the engines stall. The craft glides forward as it loses altitude. We are looking then at one of two scenarios; either the plane fell apart in the air and dropped or the pilot flew it into the ground nose first."
Alberta ignored the surprised reaction. "We'll need to call in aviation inspectors but my bet is on the latter. This is very small crash zone. The craft would be buried a lot deeper if it hadn't hit bedrock."
"You mean the pilot committed suicide and took the others with him!?" asked the Sargent.
"Inconclusive data. I can't examine the remains until I can get them back to Swan Lake and we can render them down to the bone. We'll need the coroner and you'll have to find us some big soup pots, Sargent."
"You're going to boil them!" exclaimed the Constable in shock. The Sargent gave him a dirty look.
Alberta however, did not seem put out. "No, more of a slow stew," she observed dryly. "You can help stir." The Sargent snorted as he saw his young assistant's eyes widen in horror.
Alberta however, had gone back to her field examination. "A number of long bones have been dragged from the impact zone by scavenging carnivores, and the marrow removed..."
It was well after diner time when Alberta pulled her van into the Pateas yard. She picked up a large manila envelope and slipped out of the driver's seat . She had planned to raid the fridge for left-overs and then type up a report of her findings before heading to bed. Dawn and Baba were waiting for her in the living room, however, when she walked in. Dawn looked drawn and tense.
"Did you find them?" she asked.
"We think so," responded Alberta.
"Were they...I mean...was everything okay...?" Dawn asked hesitantly.
Alberta opened her mouth to describe the site and then was stopped by a warning look from Baba. "They were still inside the wreck, Dawn. Ahhh, you understand that after all this time, there was pretty well just bone. We've brought them out and their remains will be examined before they are released for burial."
Dawn nodded, pale and stiff with emotion. "Will you do it?"
"Probably, that will be up to the coroner. I haven't had much experience in police work. He might want to bring in a forensic team from Edmonton."
"But you've been a Mounty for years and you've worked on big cases!" protested Dawn, as she sat down on the edge of the couch.
"I was in active serve as a police officer for ten years but I took a series of sabbaticals to study during that time. My field research was actually on prehistoric Inuit sites because I was stationed in the Arctic. It is only in the last few years that I've been working in police forensic labs," Alberta explained.
"But I want you! I don't want some strangers..." Dawn trailed off, looking down at her own white hands that were clutched tightly together.
"This is not my jurisdiction. I can only work on the case if I am invited to do so. I have told them I want to but it is in the coroner's hands," Alberta explained. "Look, I brought a few personal articles from the site. Do you think you are up to looking at them and identifying whether or not they belonged to members of your family?"
Baba scowled but Dawn nodded and stood up. Alberta took the package, carried it over to Baba's desk and poured the contents out on the table. There were two watches, a ring and a copper wrist band. Dawn stood looking down at the tarnished, weathered objects while Alberta bent over the desk and filled out the date on the affidavit that the Sargent had typed up.
"That's my brother David's watch and the copper bracelet was Uncle Joe's," Dawn said, her voice heavy with sadness. "I don't recognize the other watch or the ring."
Alberta wrote the information down on the sheet and signed her name as the witnessing officer. It felt strange to once again be using her rank. "I need you to sign here, Dawn," Alberta instructed, and the smaller woman moved around the desk and took the pen from Alberta's hand. She signed the form with a shaky hand.
"Where are their wallets?" Dawn asked, looking up at Alberta with innocent round eyes.
Alberta frowned. "Gone. That often happens. Someone stumbles on the site and steals any valuables. They can't report what they found without drawing attention to themselves," the forensic scientist explained, as she put the form and articles back in the envelope and sealed it.
"That's awful! Who could be so callous!?" moaned Dawn, moving to lean against Alberta's warm, strong body.
Alberta instinctively wrapped her arms around the small woman and held her close. Looking up she caught a momentary sparkle in Baba's sad eyes. You old devil, she thought, you're trying to match me up with Dawn!
"Alberta, why don't you take Dawn upstairs. I will bring hot chocolate," Baba requested innocently.
What Alberta really wanted to do was get some food in her and spend some time reviewing the case, but Baba had effectively designated her as Dawn's emotional support. That old weasel, she thought, but out loud she said, "Come on, Dawn, time for bed. You are going to need your strength for the next few days. There will be a lot to see to."
A short while later, Alberta was back downstairs and raiding the fridge. At her bedroom door, Dawn had thanked Alberta for her help and had encouraged Alberta to go and get herself some dinner. Dawn is pretty tough when it comes to dealing with life's ugly twists, Alberta had to admit to herself. She has a cry and then just gets on with things. Not one to brood, that's for sure. Not like you, Alberta, an uninvited thought chided her. She dug out the remains of a roast and put the thought behind her.
"So, you couldn't see that our Sweety was alright," grumbled Baba, from the doorway, having returned from dropping off Dawn's hot chocolate.
Alberta looked up from carving some thin slices of beef to put on home-made oat bread with a dab of English mustard. "She's fine, Baba."
"You couldn't have stayed, anyway?" argued the old man.
Alberta's knife hit the table with more force than she had intended. "Don't meddle in my personal life, Baba!" she warned, ice blue eyes snapping up and targeting her father.
"You don't have a personal life, Aliki," sighed the Greek, not the least bit intimidated. "Dawn, she is a very nice woman."
Alberta sat down and poked at the sandwich on her plate. "How long have you known I was gay?" she asked quietly.
Her father sat down opposite her and reached over to cover her hand with his own massive paw. "Slowly, I think over the years I realized. You are very beautiful, Aliki. The boys were lined up at our door but you were never interested. I realized."
"Does that bother you?" she asked nervously.
"Yes, of all my children, I would have loved to have your child on my lap. But, I have two fine sons and they will give me many grandchildren. It is more important that my Aliki is happy."
Alberta's hand curled around her father's. "Thank you, Baba."
"Hmmm," the old man smiled back, squeezing the hand grasped in his own. "So then, what is the matter with my Dawn!?"
Alberta pulled her hand away and looked intently at her plate. "There is someone else, Baba."
"Ahh, so when do I meet her?" he asked, trying not to show the disappointment he was feeling. Dawn, he would have liked as a daughter-in-law. His two sons, he knew, were already seriously involved with other women. He knew Ari planned to be married before the year was out. Nick was still keeping his options open, however.
"You won't. She is happily married and not interested in me," Alberta got out from around the lump in her throat.
For a minute there was only silence as Baba gently rubbed his daughter's hand that he had captured again. "Is this why you came home, Aliki, because you hurt?"
The dark head nodded. "I am glad you came but I am sorry you hurt. Once, Aliki, I thought I was very much in love. In the end, she left me for another man. I thought my heart had dried up and that there would never be another. Then, I met your mother. She was so different. I liked her, Aliki, as a friend. She was a good friend. Gradually, my heart opened again and I realized one day that I was very much in love with your mother. It was a different love but it was just as strong and just as passionate. Do I not have three wonderful children to prove that?!"
Alberta gave a weak smile but belief did not reach her eyes. Baba patted the hand. "Now you eat that sandwich. It will give you nightmares and you deserve a nightmare for not running away with my Dawn!" the old man grumbled playfully.
Alberta laughed and picked up her sandwich. "I do like her...as a friend, Baba," she reassured him.
The old man sighed. "Well, it is a start."
The coroner was going to be difficult. He had already given the Sargent and her a dressing down for having gone to the site without notifying him first. He was now on the phone to Edmonton. Several times, Alberta had heard her name mentioned above the muttering. She winked at Nicholson, who looked far more worried than he need to be.
The coroner came out from the Sargent's office that he had commandeered. "Edmonton seems to feel you can handle this matter, Pateas," he admitted grudgingly. "They tell me you are a bone expert."
"Yes. Actually, that's Doctor Pateas," responded Alberta, wanting to make it clear to Doctor Gordan Davis that she was not going to be intimidated.
The eyes widened in surprise but the pathologist said nothing. Alberta led them into the small kitchen at the back of the station where three cardboard boxes sat on the wood table. "So where are the bodies? Over at the funeral parlor?" Doctor Davis asked.
"In those boxes," Alberta indicated, with a jerk of her thumb.
Davis scowled and went over and flipped the lid on the first container. A rubble of bones and weathered material filled the box. On top, sat a skull, the remains of some dried skin and long white hair still clinging to the bone here and there. The odor of wet earth, fuel and decay seeped up. "What the fuck do they expect me to do with this mess?!" snarled Davis, closing the lid. "I'm a pathologist not a bloody witch-doctor. We'll put the cause of death as injuries received in a plane crash, causes unknown, until the aviation fellows can get up here."
"I don't think we can do that," stated Alberta, trying to be patient with Davis' lousy attitude.
"Why not?!"
"There are things about this site that just don't fit the pattern. That plane took a nose dive, I'm pretty sure of that. That doesn't happen naturally. Also one of the passengers was not strapped in. It was supposed to be a hunting trip and yet the only weapon I could find on the plane was a hand gun, a snub-nosed forty-five, one round missing. Something happened on that flight. With your permission I'd like to examine the bones."
Davis sneered. "You said yourself that their wallets were missing. The same person probably took the rifles too! You are not going to find anything in that mess! But go ahead, be my guest! I'll be over at the hotel if you discover anything," commented Davis, as he walked out.
It was a slow process, that took over four days. First, each set of bones had to be stewed in a solution of papain. Alberta explained that it was the main ingredient in meat tenderizer and that it would soften and break down the remaining tissue. As each patch was drained off, Alberta would carefully scrape away the loosened meat, dropping the pieces in a plastic bag for burial later. The next step was a solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochloride. They lifted the windows and propped open the door but still the acidic smell was strong. The mixture sounded very scientific but the truth of the matter was that it was basically the same ingredients found in drain cleaner. It was used to break down hair and fibrous tissue, just like it did in the drains.
Again the warm chemical soup was poured off and again, Alberta worked on the bones, using a soft brush this time to clean away any lingering debris and cutting away any remaining fibrous material at the joints . The next step was a soak in a hot tub of detergent. The enzymes would start to eat away at the fatty cells. A grey scum formed on the top of the simmering brew. Alberta smiled, noting that the Corporal was trying hard not to look. Alberta did one last scrubbing to remove any remains of the tough ligaments. Finally, the bones were soaked in bleach for twelve hours to disinfect and chemically dry the fat from them.
It was, Alberta had to admit, a ghoulish process. The bones came out nice and clean to work with and any residue in the pots was bagged for burial later with the bones. Corporal Kirka stood up well to the ordeal, although she noted that neither the Corporal or the Sargent chose to eat lunch in the kitchen.
Alberta had no such qualms. She ripped off her plastic gloves, washed her hands, and sat down in a chair in front of the unknown passenger's remains and chewed thoughtfully on the sandwich Dawn had made for her. She had made some very interesting discoveries over her three days of painstaking work. Explosive discoveries. She would have to be very careful how she handled this investigation in order to protect Dawn's rights.
The first indication that something had indeed happened on that plane had come late on the first day. She had been examining each of the vertebra in Trappers' remains. Bent over the table, she used a magnifying glass to look for unusual markings on the bone. There had been nothing of note, just the usual rodent gnawings that one would expect from bones left exposed for such a long time.
Then, on the twelfth thoracic, the lateral view revealed a ragged groove. Closer examination under the magnifying glass showed a spiral patterning consistent with the sort of scarring one could expect from a bullet. It had been Trapper's body that had not been fastened in by a seat belt. His remains had been wedged between the two front seats. Had he struggled with the passenger in the front, who had shot him? A shoulder holster was associated with the unidentified passenger's remains. It seemed logical that the gun that had been found in the wreckage was his.
Examination on the second day revealed an entry wound to Mike Freeman's temporal bone between the superior and inferior temporal lines. For an entry wound it had been a fairly large, ragged hole. The exit wound was barely recognizable near the frontal eminence in the pieces of shattered frontal bone that Alberta painstakingly fitted together. Such damage, Alberta knew, suggested a slow moving, flattened slug.
A scenario was developing in Alberta's head. The unknown passenger had sat beside the pilot, Mike Freeman, with a gun trained on him. Crazy Trapper, sitting in the back, had unfastened his safety belt and waited his opportunity, then had dived forward and wrestled for the gun. The gun had gone off. The bullet entered below Trapper's rip cage slicing through the soft organs and just clipping the twelfth thoracic as it existed. The bullet, now moving slower and distorted by the impact with Trapper's body, entered the pilot's brain. Mike slumped over the yoke and the small plane nose-dived from the sky.
The third day revealed the most interesting fact. The unknown passenger had a variation in the number of his vertebrae. He had thirteen thoracics instead of the normal twelve and only four lumbars instead of five. It was unusual but not rare, Alberta knew; about seventeen per cent of the population sported variations of one sort or another in their backbone structure. What was unusual was that Trapper had exactly the same variation; thirteen thoracics and four lumbars. From Alberta's point of view, it would be hard not to argue that Trapper and the unknown passenger were closely related.
Carefully, she unfolded a piece of paper she had found in the unknown passenger's pocket. It was a list of co-ordinates for parcels of land. She placed the page on a piece of window pane that the Sargent had got for her from the hardware store and carefully placed another piece on top. Then she used masking tape to edge around the two pieces of glass.
Taking out her own note book, she carefully wrote down the co-ordinates. Then, she packed everything away and headed over to the Office of the Registrar. At the computer, she entered each number. In each case, the land was registered to Joseph Lyon Freeman. In total, there were several thousand acres of land. Thoughtfully, Alberta logged off and headed out to her van. What the hell is going on here? And how much does Dawn know that she has not bothered to share with us?
Dawn glanced over at Alberta teaching Mackenzie how to use water colours. Mackenzie hung on every word that the scientist said. Alberta was playing chess with her father at the kitchen table with Mackenzie at her side painting the various exercises that Alberta was suggesting. Dawn herself was busy baking cookies for a school bake sale. There was a sense of family in the room that made everyone feel relaxed and contented.
Baba was a good chess player and there were few in town that could offer him a challenge. Alberta though was making him sweat, despite the fact her attention was divided between the game and Mackenzie's painting. In the end, Baba won but it had been a hard fought victory that left the old man feeling quite pleased with himself.
"Time for bed, Mackenzie. You have school in the morning." The pre-teen smiled and kissed each of the adults good night before heading up to bed. Dawn noticed Alberta's eyes soften as she watched Mackenzie taking the stairs in the hall two at a time. Alberta would make a good mother, Dawn decided. She'd make a wonderful partner too. She wondered how experienced Alberta was and whether she had someone special in her life.
"I too need to go to bed early. I have a very good book that I wish to finish before I go to sleep," said Baba, and kissing each of the women in turn he went up stairs. Alberta's eyebrow arched as she watched her father leave. Sneaky old devil never gives up!
"I've just taken the last of the cookies out. Would you like a few with a glass of milk, Alberta?" asked Dawn, trying to delay Alberta from leaving too. She wasn't sure why, but being near the quiet doctor just made her feel good. Over the last few days, she had hardly seen the scientist. Alberta had left early and arrived back very late.
"Mmmm, that would be nice. I'll pour the milk while you see to the cookies. Ahhhh, we need to talk," stated Alberta, as she got up and went to the cupboard for glasses. Dawn looked over at her with worried eyes. Alberta had been very closed-mouthed about her investigation, saying only that she hadn't yet finished her examinations. Maybe tonight she would have something to tell her.
Dawn sat down opposite Alberta and for a minute they chewed contentedly on the warm, chocolate chip cookies that Dawn had baked. "Great cookies, Dawn! You'll have to give me the recipe."
Dawn smiled, her face lighting up with pleasure. "Thanks and I will."
For a second, Alberta played with the crumbs on her plate; then she looked up. "What was Trapper's real name, Dawn?" Alberta asked.
Oh oh, I'm going to get the third degree! "Joseph Lyon Freeman," she answered, taking a sip of milk.
Alberta suppressed the surprising urge to kiss Dawn as she watched the smaller woman across from her. Get a grip here, Alberta! You are currently a police officer conducting an investigation!
"Did you know Trapper well before you went to live with him? "
"I didn't, but my father and brother, Mike, used to visit him occasionally. I was too young. Mike was twelve years older than I was," explained Dawn.
"How old are you now, Dawn?" asked Alberta, although she would be hard pressed to explain how the question fit into her investigation.
Four years younger than I am. Hell, she's almost the same age as my kid brothers! "Did your dad have any other brothers, cousins..."
"He had a brother that he didn't like, Uncle John. He lived in Vancouver too, I think, but we never saw him. I don't remember why because I was pretty young when my parents died and we came to live with Uncle Joe."
"Did this Uncle John ever visit Trapper?" asked Alberta, after she finished the last of her milk.
"Not that I know of. He talked about him occasionally to Mike but when I asked about him I was always told that it was not my concern. It was one of the reasons that I always wanted to leave. I wanted to be treated as an adult not a dependent."
Blue eyes looked at Dawn in a new light. So she too wanted to spread her wings farther than the borders of Swan Hills County. Interesting. " Do you have any idea about Trapper's finances?"
"Uncle Joe's finances!?" Dawn laughed. "We barely got by on his trap lines and guiding jobs until Mike learned to be a bush pilot. Then things were a little better. But we never had much money. Not that we needed that much, except to buy some basic supplies. Mike's plane had pontoons so he could land it up on the lake near the cabin."
"So they'd leave you alone up there while they went off guiding?" asked Alberta, her voice indicating more disapproval than she intended.
"Not usually, maybe once or twice a year. Most of the time, one would be gone and the other would stay back. But whenever the American came then they would both go. It was only for a week. But the fall before last, they just didn't return. I...It was hard," Dawn finished softly.
Alberta nodded and frowned not knowing what to say. "I think I need to go search this cabin of yours," she said.
Dawn looked up in surprise. "Why?"
"Trapper has bought a lot of land over the years, over two thousand acres. We need to find out where he got the money to do that and how he paid the taxes on it. Are you sure you are telling me everything, Dawn? This case is going to be a criminal investigation. I advise you to be co-operative and honest with us."
"Us?! Am I the enemy now?!" Dawn asked sadly.
"I hope not," Alberta sighed, "It would make things very painful if you are. This was your idea for me to handle this investigation, Dawn. Please don't make it difficult for me, as a police officer I have to consider everybody."
"I've told you everything I know, Alberta. Honest!" declared Dawn, completely taken back by this turn of events. She had thought it would be a simple identification job but Alberta was indicating it was far more sinister than that!
"Hey, wait, hang on here! What do you mean a criminal investigation? And where would Uncle Joe get money to buy land? What's going on, Alberta?!" demanded Dawn, putting down her empty glass with a thump and looking at the scientist with fire in her eyes.
Alberta slowly and methodically reconstructed the possible events in the plane and the finding of the co-ordinates. After she had finished, Dawn just sat and stared at her for a few minutes. Her eyes filled with tears and her chin quivered. Alberta braced herself for a scene.
Instead the small woman, wiped her eyes and swallowed hard. "Okay, so where do we go from here?"
"We? This is a police investigation, Dawn."
"This is an investigation of my family and I want to be involved," Dawn responded with determination.
Alberta hesitated. Dawn could be involved in this mess. It was inappropriate to involve a civilian directly in an on going investigation. This material was classified and shouldn't be revealed. Nor was it a good idea to spend too much time with Dawn. There was an attraction there and she wasn't interested in getting involved.
"Okay," Alberta heard herself saying much to her own surprise, "I think our next step should be to check out the motels. The American must have stayed somewhere prior to flying out with Trapper and Mike. We need to find out who he is and what connection he has with your family."
"He must be Uncle John, don't you think, if his bone structure is the same?" questioned Dawn, leaning forward earnestly.
Alberta could smell the warm scent of butter and chocolate and a sweetness that was uniquely Dawn. She gave herself a mental shake and focused on the question. That would be crossing the line to get involved with this woman! "It is extremely likely that it is but not conclusive. We need to collect more data."
"Can I come with you tomorrow to the motels?" asked Dawn.
"Sure. I need to get some paper work done. We'll head off after Mackenzie gets on the school bus,"
replied Alberta, getting up and stretching. Her long, lean body rippled with the movement of stretched muscle.
My God, she is beautiful, Dawn thought, Beautiful, intelligent, and worldly, so forget it Dawn, she is not going to be interested in you!"
They walked side by side across the street and into the motel that was on the out skirts of Swan Lake. It seemed the most logical place for a traveler to stay and so a good place to start. "Hi, Marianne! Do you remember Georgeos' girl, Aliki?" introduced Dawn.
"Why of course! I heard you were back in town. Nice to see you again, Aliki. I will never forget you going down the floor and sinking that final basket in the big game against Fox Creek! Wow, it was great! It's been a long time since then, I'm afraid. Tim and I got married after we graduated and would you believe we have three kids of our own! The oldest will be heading off to highschool next year. What about you? What have you been doing with yourself?" the pleasantly rounded woman behind the counter babbled.
Alberta tried to place her. Marianne Bondy; she and Tim Evans had been an item all through school. How could she explain her own life? She couldn't, not in terms that Marianne could relate to. "Not much. I go by the name Alberta now. Inspector Alberta Pateas. We need to talk to you about a man that might have stayed here around the time of the Freeman crash."
Dawn looked up at the stiff, formal woman beside her. Alberta, stop fighting. You got what you wanted, a life of your own. These people can't hurt you!
Marianne, however, didn't seem the least put out. "Sure, I got his case in the back. It's about time you guys came and got it! Of course, back then R.C.M.P. office in town was busy with the strike out at the oil fields. There was a lot of trouble. So Tim phoned Edmonton to tell them that some guy had left his stuff here and maybe it might be the American on the Freeman plane, they told us just to hold on to the stuff and someone would come and get it if it was needed."
Alberta closed her eyes and shook her head in frustration. Some desk jockey in Edmonton had taken the message, no doubt, and filed it. These sorts of mistakes happened all the time when budget cuts reduced personnel down to the bare minimum. Office employees then became little more than maintainers with no time to extend their ideas and talents. She was sure that the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire could be explained by the simple phrase "Down Sizing."
"Could we see that bag, please?" Alberta requested quietly, the edge of her frustration barely showing.
Marianne, talking a mile a minute led them into the back of the hotel and rooted around in a storage room. She emerged triumphantly with a large gym bag. "You can open it here on the table," suggested Marianne. "Tim said we couldn't take the lock off to look inside because that would be illegal. But you're a police officer so we can have a look now!"
Alberta's face was passive as she pulled a book from her coat pocket and took out a pen. "This is a receipt for the bag," she explained. "If it is not retained as evidence it will be kept at police headquarters until such time as the rightful owner can be identified and notified. If an owner can not be found the bag and contents will be auctioned off after six months."
Marianne looked stunned by the response. Aliki always was a strange one. Too smart for her own good was the problem! Dawn lessened the tension. "Thanks, Marianne. This was really great of you to keep this bag all this time. I sure hope it helps us piece together what happened to my family. I'll be sure to let you know as soon as the police investigation is over."
"Thanks, Dawn. Tim and I are always willing to help out," Marianne responded, a bit stiffly, as she took the receipt from Alberta and watched the serious woman heft the bag on to her shoulder.
"You could have been more friendly," grumbled Dawn as she watched Alberta stow the bag in the back of her van.
"It wasn't a social call," muttered Alberta, feeling hurt and defensive at Dawn's criticism.
"Aliki, stop fighting. You've achieved so much. You don't have to be intimidated by these people," observed Dawn softly.
"I am NOT intimidated!," emphasized Alberta, slamming the tailgate. "And DON'T call me Aliki!"
Cold blue fire burned in Alberta's eyes. Dawn shrugged. "You've acted like a spooked horse since you got here. All you can think about is getting away again. You are terrified of getting close to anyone in case you develop a tie that will hold you to this place. Why did you bother coming home at all, Alberta?"
"That is none of your business! Now get in the car and stop trying to play police detective. You are lousy at it," snapped Alberta, storming off to get in the driver's seat. Dawn made a face at Alberta's retreating back, shrugged and went to get in beside the prickly scientist. This was not the time to pick a fight. The trip over to the station was made in hostile silence.
They found the three men's wallets inside the bag. The unknown passenger was John Lyons of Seattle, Washington. " It doesn't make sense!" observed Dawn, "Why would Uncle Joe and Mike leave their wallets here?"
Alberta was making a list of the contents of the bag which, other than the wallets, was just the usual travel clothes of a middle aged man. "Probably because they were looking down a gun barrel and it was requested of them," observed Alberta drily. "I imagine Lyons left his behind too so that it would be harder to identify him if the plan went wrong."
Dawn shot her a look. There was times when Alberta could be so warm and compassionate but when that wall went up there was no dealing with her. "Why?" she asked doggedly.
"Because he meant for it to be a one way trip. I don't think he planned to bring Trapper and Mike back," clarified the scientist.
"That's murder! Why would anyone want to murder Uncle Joe and Mike?!"
Alberta sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Why would Trapper buy all that land secretly and where did he get the money?" countered Alberta.
"Uncle Joe would not have done anything illegally," Dawn responded stiffly. Alberta didn't answer other than to raise one long, dark eyebrow slightly. She was feeling short tempered she knew but Dawn's remark's earlier had really touched some nerve ends.
For awhile there was quiet in the room, then Dawn looked up from absently playing with her late Uncle's wallet. "Where do we go from here?" she asked quietly.
"I'll have Nicholson follow up on inquiries about John Lyons. That will take some time because we'll be dealing with an American police agency. I suspect we are going to find that John Lyons and John Freeman are one and the same people. I'll also have a police check run here to see if we can find if and why John Freeman changed his name and moved to the States."
"So we just wait?!" asked Dawn impatiently, placing the wallet back on the table with the other contents.
The legs of the chair Alberta had been leaning back in hit the ground decisively. "No, we are going to look around that cabin of yours. We need to know what Trapper was up to. There is always evidence, a bankbook, ledger, letters, strong box: there has got to be something!"
"In the tree," stated Dawn matter of factly.
"In the tree outside our cabin. Uncle Joe kept a plastic box in the hollow of the tree," explained Dawn.
Alberta closed her eyes and counted to ten. "Why didn't you bring it out with you?" she asked impatiently.
"It wasn't mine! When we first came out for the investigation, I didn't know that Uncle Joe and Mike were dead. When we went back, we got caught there by early snows and couldn't get out until spring. It is a fifty kilometer walk from Baba's to the cabin. We took only what we needed to survive."
Alberta looked at the woman across from her. She was such an intriguing mixture of innocence and strength. Alberta alternated between a strong desire to protect Dawn and the sudden surprise of realizing just how strong and capable Dawn really was. I hope she does get out of here. She and Mackenzie need more opportunities than Swan Hills can provide. Yet she seems far happier and more contented with life here than I ever was. Is Dawn right? Am I feeling trapped for no reason at all?
"I need to type up a report for the files and code and label all this stuff. Would you mind taking the van and gathering the stuff we'll need to ride into your cabin? Once we checked things out, I thought we could cut over and visit my brothers on the way back. Baba and Mackenzie could meet us there. If that's all right?"
Dawn beamed. A week with Alberta in the high country would be wonderful no matter what the occasion. "I'll see to everything," she said, pleased that Alberta realized that Dawn would know a lot more about their camping needs than she would and had left the job of getting organized to her.
They rode out the next morning, each with their own quarter horse and a pack horse that Dawn led, carrying their supplies. They cut through the boreal forests fresh with their spring budding and followed the Freeman river north for nearly ten kilometers before stopping for a break. Dawn leapt from her mount and led the animal over to graze on the fresh grass by the river bank. Alberta followed, easing down off her mount and walking stiffly over to join the smaller woman.
"Stiff?" asked Dawn with a smile.
"Nope, well past stiff all the way to lame," Alberta admitted, with a grimace.
Dawn laughed. "Isn't that the Mounted Police you belong to?" she teased.
Alberta groaned as she straightened out her legs. "We don't train on horses anymore, just squad cars," muttered the police officer. "Still it is nice to be out here," she conceded. "I'd forgotten just how beautiful it can be."
They were in a long , narrow flood plain through which a clear mountain river flowed over and around colourful river rocks. The flats were a mass of spring flowers, clumps of yellows, purples and reds peeking out from the new grass. Beyond, aspen trees competed with pine for light forming a belt of green at the base of the blue hills that rose against the clear northern sky. A kingfisher dived down and scooped up a fish from a quiet pool and on a branch a magpie with its distinctive long black and white tail pecked at pine buds as it sat on a low branch. There was no sound except the rustle of the wind in the pine tops and the soft gurgle of the stream as it passed.
"If you want to see to the horses, I'll get lunch," suggested Dawn. Alberta nodded, her eyes and mind still on a distant horizon.
They ate on a flat rock protrusion warmed by the sun. "If you leave here, where do you want to go?" asked Alberta, feeling lazy and contented as she chewed on a piece of grass.
"Hmmm, don't know. My publisher is in Toronto but I could never afford to live there, I don't think. Maybe, Edmonton or at least a nearby town. I need to get help for Mackenzie that I can't get here. If I can, I'd like to keep Uncle Joe's place. It would be a wonderful summer place. As much as I realize that I need to go where there are more opportunities, I am not like you, Alberta, I love it here and I would leave with a lot of regrets."
"Who said I didn't like it here!" protested Alberta, sitting up.
Dawn laughed. "You do with just about everything you say and do. You act like a caged animal!"
Alberta frowned. "I just don't want anyone getting the idea that I plan to stay, because I don't," muttered the scientist, and then had to laugh herself when she saw the sparkle in Dawn's eyes.
"Okay, well, maybe I'm a bit defensive," she smiled, and Dawn snorted with laughter.
They repacked their gear and headed out once again, Dawn guiding the way now with Alberta bringing up the rear leading the pack horse. Dawn was a pretty sight sitting on the swaying saddle, her hair catching the sun and shining silver. Alberta let her eyes drift over the figure. Mmmm, nice, she had to admit.
They traveled until the sun was starting to set and Alberta had gone from discomfort to out and out pain. Finally, they came into a clearing and Dawn pulled her mount to a stop. "We've made good time. I figure we've covered about twenty-five kilometers today. With luck, we'll be at the cabin by late afternoon tomorrow," observed Dawn. When there was no answer, she looked back to see Alberta slumped over the neck of her horse looking exhausted.
Some Mounty, she thought with a smile, swinging off her horse to go help Alberta down.
"This is NOT a two person tent! It's a napkin with a flap," complained Alberta, crawling out from inside the small nylon hiking tent and staggering to her feet to limp over to the fire.
"You're just grumpy because your tush is sore. Here, have some stew. It will make you feel better," laughed Dawn, spooning the thick stew over a bed of rice and passing it to Alberta.
Gingerly, the scientist sat down and spooned a mouthful into her mouth. A smile appeared. "Hey, this is good! What is it?"
"Some left over lamb roast I brought with us, cut into chunks and fried with onion. Then I added carrots and a blackberry preserve. It makes a quick, tasty meal, I think," replied Dawn, watching the fire as she leaned on her saddle while she ate.
"Yeah, it's great. Is there anymore?"
Dawn smiled and got Alberta a second helping. "Well, it seems to have put you in a better frame of mind."
"I hurt!" protested Alberta, "And I'm going to have to sleep with my feet hanging out that damn tent! This is a God-forsaken country! Why my father ever thought he could make a go of it out here is beyond me! There is nothing here but trees, Grizzly bears and muskeg. Have you any idea how many cows I've pulled out of muskeg swamps in my life? Or how many winters my gloves have frozen to the saddle horn while riding fence. I slugged my guts out to escape this place!"
"You thought it was all very beautiful this morning," Dawn noted.
"That was before I spent eight hours on a smelly horse," grumbled Alberta, between mouthfuls of stew.
"I see it differently. I know those early days were rough and this environment does not lend itself to agriculture but your family is quite well off now. Pateas Oil Fields are very successful and Northern Wilderness Adventures, that's Nick's Company, can't keep up with the business. And the original ranch is well established now. The town has prospered since the discovery of oil back in the fifties. Swan Hills is an excellent community; hospital, curling, tennis, swimming pool a good highschool...the list goes on and on. There are nearly two hundred businesses in the area now, Alberta. It's not like it used to be. We are less than a three hour drive from Edmonton, you know!"
"I know you had never been there," snorted Alberta, putting her plate down and pouring tea for the two of them.
"Well, I lived a pretty unusual life. Uncle Joe deliberately avoided contact with the outside world. He wanted to live a simple life. I look around and see a really amazing landscape. Sure it is harsh but its extremes make the beauty harder to see and therefore more tantalizing. My Uncle's cabin backs on to the Goose Mountain Ecological Reserve. This area is a unique sub-alpine environment because of its high elevation. Did you know there are over sixteen rare plants in this area? There is a spot I know where the wild orchids cling to the fallen trees by a waterfall. It is so beautiful, Alberta! I once saw a black bear there trying to teach its cubs to catch fish. It was so funny!"
Alberta smiled as Dawn rambled on, her face animated with the love that she felt for this wild and beautiful land.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I kind of went on didn't I?"
"I enjoyed listening to you. Yeah, there were happy days. Sometimes I forget that. It's still early, tell me some more," suggested Alberta, as she stretched out and put her head on the saddle.
Dawn smiled. "No, I'll tell you a story from Mallory Forest," she said. "Once a long time ago, the first of The People came by canoe down the Assiniboine River to this great land. They set up their longhouses and lived on the bounty that Manitou had given them. But the people became arrogant. 'We are the greatest of all Manitou's creatures,' they would brag.
"One day, Manitou heard their boastful ways. That night, he filled the sky with light and let the clouds weep torrents down on The People. Then The People heard the most terrifying of sounds. The sky roared with the thunder of huge wings taking off in flight. 'What creature is so great that it can make the skies shake?' they asked Manitou.
"You are silly little creatures in my great domain. I have given you weapons not to make you superior to the others but to make you equal because I forgot to give you the strength and claws of Grizzly Bear or the warm fur and big legs of Rabbit or the sharp eyes of Hawk. So that you remember your place, I will make the rains come in the spring and summer and light up the sky. Then the Giant Swans that live in the Hills will take flight and the thunder of their mighty wings will remind you that you are only one of many that live under my sky,'said Manitou.
"And since that time, so long ago, this land has been known as the Swan Hills."
Alberta smiled. "And have you heard the giant swans taking flight, Dawn?" teased the scientist.
"Oh yes, many times," smiled Dawn. "If you are lucky you might too! Come on, we'll better get to bed. It will be a long day tomorrow."
The darkness was absolute. The cold sent icy fingers into the tent. "I am so cold, I think my teeth are going to shake out!" complained Alberta.
"Mmmm, a cold front has moved down from the Arctic. The temperature has dropped about twenty degrees in the last few hours. With the warm mountain air, we are likely to get a dusting of snow tonight," came a sleepy voice from under a sleeping bag.
"Snow! It's the beginning of summer!"
"This is three hundred kilometers north of Edmonton and we are over 1,200 meters above sea level here," came the contented mutter.
"Are you warm?" demanded Alberta.
"No, but there is nothing I can do about it, so I'm just going to sleep if you'll let me!" grumbled Dawn. "Hey! What are you doing?!"
"I'm putting our sleeping bags together so we can share a little body heat," came the voice above all the fumbling about in the dark.
Dawn smiled. "Good idea!" she agreed, although fear of freezing was not the main reason for her agreeing.
Alberta slipped her cold body into the sleeping bag and wrapped herself gratefully around Dawn's small body. Her long legs made a chair for the smaller woman to nestle into and Alberta's arms instinctively wrapped around Dawn and cupped her small cold hands inside her own.
"I like this Alberta," Dawn whispered honestly.
There was a moment of silence then, "So do I."
"I guess, you've had lots of experience with women," Dawn said hesitantly.
"A little," Alberta answered openly.
"Is there someone special in your life?" Dawn asked.
"There is someone special. Unfortunately, she is not part of my life. I fell for someone who was already happily married," Alberta stated.
"Oh." For a minute all was silent. "Alberta?"
"Does that mean you wouldn't get involved with someone else?"
"Yes, that's what it means," responded Alberta honestly.
Alberta woke feeling warm and more at peace than she had felt in many years. A soft mass of blond hair was nestled under her chin and a warm body was curled up tightly next to her. She brushed her face into Dawn's hair. There was a delicate scent of warm herbs and fresh rain. The golden head lifted and soft green eyes looked into hers. "Morning," came a voice husky with sleep.
"Morning," smiled Alberta, pushing the golden head back down onto her shoulder. Dawn willingly curled even closer.
"We should get up," she murmured into Alberta's warm shoulder.
"In a little while," responded Alberta, gently stroking Dawn's back.
It was some time before necessity forced them out into the cool morning air. Just as Dawn had predicted there was a dusting of snow on the grass. Alberta got a fire going and made coffee and flat-jacks for breakfast while Dawn broke camp and got the horses ready to move on.
"If we keep a steady pace we still should make it to the cabin by night fall," reported Dawn, as she came over to accept a steaming plate of pancakes covered in maple syrup.
They stood close to the fire and ate their breakfast, belatedly feeling a bit awkward about their sleeping arrangement the night before. "I've never slept with anyone before," Dawn announced into the silence.
Alberta dropped her fork and it rattled against her tin plate. "We did NOT sleep together! We just shared the same bed," clarified Alberta quickly.
Dawn frowned. "I've shared a bed with Mackenzie - that was different. We didn't just share a bed, we hugged," insisted the petite woman.
"Well...yeah, we hugged but we didn't sleep together," insisted Alberta doggedly.
"Okay," Dawn agreed.
"I wouldn't want you getting the wrong idea because, well, you know there is someone else," explained Alberta uncomfortably.
"No, I won't," Dawn promised.
They finished off their pancakes in silence. "Did you sleep with her?"
"No!" Alberta snapped with more feeling than she had planned to reveal. "Let's get these dishes washed and be on our way."
"Okay," agreed Dawn pleasantly.
They moved on. The day warmed quickly and the snow melted into memory. A warm, dry wind now blew in and the day was perfect for a ride through the hills. At one, they stopped and had a quick meal of apples, cheese and crackers. Then they moved off again. Near dusk, they broke through a thicket of trees and galloped across the pasture towards the Freeman homestead.
Alberta dismounted with difficulty and looked around her with curious eyes. Dawn's home was a small log cabin with a shed for the horses and a split rail corral. In the distance, craggy hills rose up, around them the forest formed an embrace of green and ahead of them the meadow sloped down hill to a spectacular view of the Freeman river winding towards the horizon in the valley below.
"This place is beautiful," whispered Alberta, as she watched the setting sun staining the valley below in pinks and golds.
"Yes, it was a magical world to grow up in," acknowledged Dawn. "If you see to the horses, I'll go and open the place up again and get it respectable."
"Okay," agreed Alberta, taking one more long look at the panoramic view in front of her before she led the horses to the shed to feed and water them and brush them down.
It was dark by the time she had thrown a blanket over each horse and closed the shed against predators before heading over to the inviting looking cabin. Smoke rose from the chimney and light shone out from the windows. Alberta carefully wiped her feet before opening the door and stepping into Dawn's world.
Part 3
fiction index | xena
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Getting out of the Boat {a.k.a. Comfort Zone}/
Jesus walks with us on the chaos of our lives. Oswald ChambersLast time we talked about what faith really is. One tender (and biblical) thought is that faith is responding to Jesus' COME...His grace-filled invitation.
Often times, coming to Jesus when the storms of life are raging is the last thing we do. That is, until all else has failed.
We rather go to friends, addictions (like social media, exercise, food), withdrawal, and one of my personal favorites, Christian self-help books. All of these feel comfortable (and "safe") to us...at least for the time. But eventually, we realize we need HIM!
Or sometimes the Lord may be calling us to something new and scarey. Maybe a new job, a new home, a new stage of life, a new challenge. We avoid the issue for as long as we can -- it's too uncomfortable and risky! But if we want to grow, eventually we must get "out of our boat" and come to Him. And that's faith.
That's what Peter did in the familiar and captivating story in Matthew 14 (Other parts of the story are in John 6 and Mark 6). Let's pick up the story...
22 Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24 But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." 28 Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29 And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, " O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!" Matthew 14: 27 - 33
Here are some questions to explore as you read through this passage. Next time we'll share some thoughts about these questions:
1. Why didn't Peter just jump out of the boat? Why did he ask Jesus to command him "Come to Him"? (vs 27-29a)
2. What decision did Peter face once he heard Jesus' come? Do we face the same decision at times? (vs 29)
3. What ultimately happened to Peter and why? What did he do in the midst of his dilemma? How readily do we do the same in the midst of our doubt and fear? (vs 30-31a)
4. What did Peter learn as a result of the storm? (vs 31-33)
PART THE WATERS/ I NEED THEE Selah
When I think I'm going under, part the waters, Lord When I feel the waves around me, calm the sea When I cry for help, oh, hear meLord and hold out Your hand Touch my life Still the raging storm in me
I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord No tender voice like Thine can peace afford I need Thee, O I need Thee Every hour I need Thee O bless me now, my Savior I come to Thee
I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain Come quickly and abide, or life is vain


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Take a second. Let it sink in.
The first impression might be disorienting. There are very few interface elements on the screen. Start exploring however, and you'll find out that Mockups is filled with powerful yet only-visible-when-you-need-them features.
Getting your ideas out should be effortless. We sweat the details so the app gets out of your way, instead of forcing you to learn it. You won't see many dialog windows interrupting your flow, and you won't have to twiddle with options all the time.
Our sweet spot: the ideation phase
Mockups really shines during the early stages of designing a new interface.
Mockups is zenware, meaning that it will help you get "in the zone", and stay there. Our aim is for you to forget our software is there at all.
Mockups offers the same speed and rough feel as sketching with pencil, with the advantage of the digital medium: drag & drop to resize and rearrange elements, make changes without starting over, and your work is clear enough that you'll make sense of them later.
Limited interactivity, on purpose!
We think that in most cases, wireframes + running code is much better than prototyping.
Think of using Mockups as you would pen and paper. Sure it's a medium with lots of limitations, but you can still get your point across with it. We consciously decided not to let users specify interactivity other than the ability to link wireframes together into a storyboard.
Two reasons:
- we're not huge fans of building large prototypes. Too many times we've seen people spend a lot of time putting a fully interactive prototype together, then realizing that some features couldn't actually be built or noticing that the user experience wasn't so great once they implemented the prototype. The problem with prototypes is that they take time to build. When you spend time building something, you start getting attached to it, and changing it becomes painful.
We believe it's much better to wireframe the key screens, implement them, see how they feel and go back to the wireframes to tweak them if needed. You won't be attached to the wireframes, and you'll have spent time learning about what works and what doesn't using the real codebase, and real users!
- Letting you specify behaviors and click-actions would inevitably turn Mockups into a much more complex tool, which is a terrible thing for us: if we want to continue to be the in-between tool, Mockups needs to be extremely quick to learn so that every stakeholder can have their say with an equal playing field.
There are lots of quick and easy ways to specify interaction in Mockupsalready. If you're curious to know more about where Mockups fits into the UX Design process, check out UX Apprentice.
We know that there are some scenarios where you may prefer to build complex, highly interactive prototypes. For those, try out Axure RP($589) or Omnigraffle Pro ($199.99). You may notice that they have a steeper learning curve, are slower to use, cost a lot more than Mockups, and are backed by large companies. They have to be: the problem they're trying to solve is much much larger than ours.
Not sure if Balsamiq Mockups is the right tool for you? Here's a handy guide to help you choose.


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Now if you are a regular reader of my waffle you know how I can't resist hair care products. If a product claims to make my hair softer, stronger or more manageable I buy it. Yes I have wasted a tremendous amount of money but beauty products really are my only vice.
I decided that I had to do a little review post on Kerastase Elixir Ultime Cataplasme Masque. It deserves it. Mainly this is down to the fact that it has made my hair feel luxurious and long rather than long and tatty (which is definitely what it has been!).
I'm a fan of Kerastase products in general – the Bain Oléo-Relax shampoo is my favourite shampoo and their hair fragrance oil has a prime place on my bedside locker. Ok, so back to the masque…
The good
- Smells delish and not in a tacky, synthetic way. An elegant scent.
- Made my hair shiny – a hard feat for blonde hair. I can only imagine the effects on dark hair. I'm jealous.
- My hair was much more manageable. It had been sitting funny for a while. Sorted!
- Coarseness is no more
- Hair was less frizzy and held up better in damp weather
- Made my locks easier to style
- Didn't make my hair greasy or flat
- 200ml tub is a decent size. Can't imagine I'll be running out any time soon. I only apply a small blob to the mid lengths and ends of my hair.
The bad
- All of this goodness comes at a price, unfortuantlely. It's expensive at €28.55 on LookFantastic.com but it will last me a good few months.
Would I repurchase? My hair goes through phases, lately it had been more coarse and harder to manage. If I find my gruaig in a similar state again (I blame hormones) I will definitely be picking up another tub.
Any hair conditioner recommendations?


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- Home
- Departments & Offices
- Courts & Judicial Services
- Clerk of the Circuit Court
- Historic Records & Deed Research
- Historic Records Newsletter
The Historic Records and Deed Research Division publishes a quarterly newsletter titled "Little Gems." "Little Gems" refers to a binder of references for interesting records originally compiled by late Deputy Clerk, Louisa Hutchison. The newsletter is meant to provide you information about upcoming programs and exhibits, updated indexes, processed records, tips for research, as well as some articles on a few of the "little gems" we continue to find.
Do you have "Little Gems" found while conducting your own research on Loudoun County history? Tell us about your discovery by filling out the "Little Gems" Form.


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Today we're talking about everyone's favorite Facebook topic, politics! In contrast to the people you have hidden from your Newsfeed, today you'll meet someone who has spent her career working in politics.
Emily's and my career passports share a lot of the same stamps, but we didn't cross professional paths until earlier this year when she hired me to manage the social media for one of her candidate's campaigns. Having spent the past 8 months working alongside Emily, she has kind of blown my mind. Emily doesn't hesitate, apologize, or wait her turn to speak. And when she speaks, you listen because homegirl knows her stuff. Meet today's bitch, my friend, Emily Passini!
What is your job title and where do you work?
Partner at Greenlight Media Strategies. Greenlight is a political consulting firm specializing in direct mail, working exclusively with Democrats and progressive causes. We work directly with candidates, as well as advocacy groups, labor organizations, state parties and candidate committees in over 30 states.
When did you first learn about this field of work?
I was introduced to direct mail during my first campaign in 2004, but I knew I wanted to work in politics at an early age. I grew up in Little Rock (cue the Clintons), and the first campaign I volunteered for was Clinton/Gore '92. That experience made politics very real and personal, but at the time, I didn't know you could make a career out of it.
How did you know it was what you wanted to do?
I always knew I wanted to work in politics and government, but it wasn't until I managed my first campaign in 2004 that I knew I wanted the political side to be my career.
What was your path that lead you to the job you have now?
My career has been a very windy road! This is going to take a lot of explaining and backstory…
Growing up, I thought I would go to law school. That seemed the obvious path for getting into politics and government. I was accepted to law school, but it didn't feel right, so I enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Memphis and earned an M.A. in Urban Anthropology. Believe it or not, that was the exact right move for me! Anthropology is all about the study of people and culture, and the main research technique is ethnography – observing and talking with people. It taught me how to quickly assess situations; talk to complete strangers without anxiety; and understand how different situations affect different communities. I worked for a non-profit in Memphis as their Director of Community and eventually started a new non-profit with the assistance of my current employer.
About a year later, I accepted a position in then-Governor Phil Bredesen's administration as the Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Mental Health and Development Disabilities. It was during that time (2003 – 2005) that I got to know the players in the Tennessee Democratic Party. In 2004, at the urging of State Representative John Ray Clemmons (he was the political director of the TNDP at the time), I took a leave from the administration and managed my first campaign – John McKamey for State Senate. It was a hard fought race, and we raised more money than any other democrat had ever done in the district. We lost, but I knew I had found my calling.
I came back to the Governor's administration for another 6 months before heading to New Jersey for the 2005 cycle. I was the Deputy Political Director for the NJ Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee. We took the Democrats to their highest majority since the late 70's.
The next year, I returned to Nashville and was the Campaign Director for the Tennessee House Democratic Caucus. Democrats were still in the majority that cycle. We had 53 seats out of 99. We had a budget of $1.5 million, and we did not lose a single incumbent seat. It was the first time in 10 years that democrats didn't lose an incumbent seat, and it hasn't happened again since. I was also the first woman to serve in that position.
In 2007, I managed David Briley's mayoral campaign in Nashville. We didn't win, but the campaign still ranks as my favorite. I learned a lot, and made some great personal and professional relationships.
From 2008 – 2010, I took a break from politics and did public affairs work specializing in land use issues.
In 2010, I moved to DC to take a job as a Political Director with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC). The DLCC is a national committee that works to elect Democrats to state legislatures. I was responsible for spending and strategic decisions in 13 states. It was a lot of travel, but well worth it. The connections I made were invaluable.
I went to work for my first direct mail firm in 2013. It was a great experience, and I learned the production side of direct mail, which is the most difficult part to understand and execute.
Earlier this year, I accepted a partnership with Greenlight. We're an all-woman firm and that is definitely a plus in my book!
Favorite piece of advice, business or otherwise?
I was negotiating an employment contract, and I was unhappy with what was being offered, when a friend told me to read Knowing Your Value. That book completely changed my outlook on my value in the workplace. Women are more likely to accept less than a man, and we're more likely to think that people will reward us for our accomplishments without us asking for it. That doesn't happen in business. You have to stand up for yourself or no one else will. I went into my final negotiation with a list of what I wanted, and I was okay with walking away from that job if they didn't meet it. That firm didn't want to meet my demands, so I walked. I felt incredibly empowered by that decision, and less than a week later I landed at Greenlight.
Failure you learned from or that helped you improve the way you work?
In this business you either win or lose, there's no in between. Hopefully you win more than you lose, but it's the losses that teach you the most and make you better at what you do. You rarely, if ever, pick apart the wins. But I always take a deep dive into my losses to see what we could have done better.
What would you do with 2 more hours a day?
More gym time!
What is your greatest success (or something you're most proud of) in your professional life?
My favorite "job" in politics has been as the Tennessee House Caucus Director. 2006 was a high stakes year, and we accomplished something that hadn't been done in 10 years (not losing an incumbent seat) and I was, and still am, very proud of that. Caucus jobs are tough because you're working on 15+ races with multiple candidates, staff and consultants. It's a juggling act.
What's the first app or website you open when you wake up in the morning?
Definitely email.
How do you decompress at the end of the work day?
Sometimes it's working out. Other times it watching my latest obsession on Netflix. It depends on the day.
What's the hardest thing about your job that isn't obvious?
The production end is probably the most difficult thing I do. There are a lot of details involved with direct mail. You deal with designers, printers, mail houses and the Post Office. Making sure everyone is on the same page regarding schedule is key.
What is one thing everyone gets wrong about what you do?
The biggest misconception about my job is that it isn't a career. I think a lot of people don't understand that this is a full time, lucrative job.
Lastly, and most important, what is your favorite TV show and what is your favorite snack?
Favorite TV show is such a hard one because I have so many! I just finished binge-watching The Good Wife and it is indeed very good. I also love The West Wing, House of Cards and Orange is the New Black.
Since I am writing this during the holiday season, I have to say my favorite snack is Chex Mix.
All photos courtesy of Emily Passini
P.S. Meet last week's bitch: Artist, Agnes Barton-Sabo!


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Shortly after we moved to California for Justin to attend medical school, we found ourselves on the cusp of a highly coveted long weekend with no plans. As we sat on the bed discussing what a crime it would be to waste the weekend without having an adventure, a plan began to emerge. We would go to Yosemite to backpack. That night. It was already evening and the drive would be six hours so there was no time to hesitate. While one of us packed up gear the other made a quick dash to the grocery store for our backpacking staples - instant noodles and instant mashed potatoes. And that's how at 9:00 pm we found ourselves on the road to Yosemite with vague plans to take the Cathedral Lakes trail head from Tuolumne Meadows to the valley. We arrived at 3:00 am and drove straight to the permit station. For people who don't reserve a back country overnight trail head permit in advance, Yosemite keeps 40% of them for first-come first-serve walk ups. Since it's such a popular park those 40% fill up very fast and we wanted to make sure we got a permit so we spent a few hours sleeping in the parking lot before joining the line.
While we waited in line we chatted with two young women who were going to hike the John Muir Trail (JMT), a 210 mile journey, and were hoping to score a permit onto one of the JMT trail heads. They had just met each other because a mutual friend had planned the trip and then fallen ill and was unable to come. So these two girls thought, heck, we can still do it just the two of us and get to know each other along the way. Pretty awesome. When we actually landed the Cathedral Lakes trailhead permit it felt like a sign that we'd done the right thing to take a leap of faith in the name of adventure. And thus began our three day trek over approximately 24 miles of pristine alpine wilderness. On that first day we were only about four miles in when an intense thunder storm brought us to a halt in an expansive meadow around 10,000 ft. We decided to go ahead and make camp and were privileged to watch a stunning sunset from our tent as the storm cleared up.
The next day we covered 12 miles to make up for lost time on the first day. The terrain was as spectacular as ever but our spirits plummeted after a few hours of hiking in a chilly downpour come late afternoon. We could have pitched camp but really wanted to make it to the Half Dome backpackers camp. Plus we were traveling along a particularly steep set of switchbacks that made finding a level spot big enough for a tent challenging. We weren't winning any backpacker beauty awards by the time we dragged into camp looking like something that had been dredged from a swamp. The camp itself was quite lovely with an ideal location next to a river which I was determined to bathe in. When I got out of view of the camp I stripped down and took an insanely quick wash due to a) I was still a bit close to camp to be naked and b) the water was so cold I might as well have been scrubbing myself off with snow. It is the only time in my life that I've seen steam rising off my own body.
On day three we made the 4,000 ft descent past Nevada Falls into the valley. Let's just say I was definitely ready to give my legs a break by the time things leveled out. And now came the fun part of hitching a ride back to our car parked many miles away back in Tuolumne Meadows. I can't say that I'm into hitch hiking as I think it's a good way to get stuffed in a trunk, but I decided that there probably aren't too many serial killers lurking inside national parks and so helped Justin make a sign indicating that we were trying to get to Tuolumne Meadows.
We only had to stand for about two minutes before a lovely lady and her nephew stopped and picked us up. They weren't going all the way but we were happy to take whatever we could get. As we drove they explained to us how she'd bring him to Yosemite as a kid and they just kept the tradition going even though he's an adult now. They dropped us near a small gas station and we headed up the road a ways to start the process again. After awhile a British couple on vacation stopped and said they'd be happy to take us all the way. After a preliminary exchange things got rather quiet and none of us seemed to be able to keep the conversation going, so we were quite happy to reach Tuolumne Meadows. Despite the occasional awkwardness of riding with strangers we were and still are grateful to people willing to give us a ride. Per usual, we weren't ready to head back to reality, but we did so with the knowledge that we'd definitely be coming back to Yosemite to backpack again!


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FLSmidth Announces CEO Succession Plan
FLSmidth recently announced that Jørgen Huno Rasmussen has decided to retire from his post as group CEO of FLSmidth & Co. A/S, effective in mid-2013. He will be succeeded by Thomas Schulz, who is expected to take up his new position no later than June 1.
Schulz has been part of Sandvik (Svedala Industries) since 1998, currently as president of Sandvik's Construction business area and member of Sandvik's Executive Management group. From 2005 to 2011, he was based in Germany, Sweden and Singapore as president of Construction and senior vice president of Mining and Construction.
For additional information, visit www.flsmidth.com.


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Case background and claims
Owners have seen shadows, heard noises, feeling of being watched, and uneasy feelings while living in there home. They had nowhere to turn but to call the MCGH into investigate.
- Investigators: John, Joe, Chass, Kellie
- Date: January 20, 2012
- Time: 9:00 p.m. to 12: a.m.
- Weather: 16° – 17°, light snow
Baseline Readings:
- Living Room – EMF: 0.1; Temp: 76º
- Kitchen – EMF: 0.4; Temp: 74º
- Bedroom (small) – EMG: 0.1 Temp: 76º
- Bedroom (master) – EMG: 0.4; Temp: 69.7º
- Bathroom – EMF: 0.3; Temp: 71.6º
Living room
An EVP session was conducted in the living room with everyone present. Using a flashlight, we were able to make contact with a spirit who seemed to be a young boy around the age of six. Going through the alphabet, using the flashlight to indicate the letters of his name the spirit spelled out "AJ". AJ seemed to dominate the night, answering most of our questions and seemed to enjoy the attention. AJ indicated that he lived in the area. We also received evidence that he may have died in a fire.
The audible voice of a child saying what sounded like, 'hey' or 'hi' was heard by investigator Kellie during this EVP session. It appeared to be coming from the hallway. Another investigator felt something touch his head and saw a visible orb near the dining room table. He also saw what appeared to be a shadow in the hallway which was captured on one of our cameras (see enclosed video).
Footsteps were heard multiple times going up and down the hallway. With Investigator Joe in the smaller bedroom and the rest in the living room, we continued to talk to AJ, trying to obtain more details about him, his life, and whoever else may also be in the house. It's interesting to note that the investigators in the living room would get responses on their meters and then there would be footsteps heard in the hallway. Afterwards the meters in the living room would not respond to the investigators questions however the K-2 meter in the small bedroom with Joe would. Joe's K-2 meter would continue to spike until the footsteps were heard again in the hallway, after that the meters in the living room would begin responding again. We believe that this was the spirit of little AJ running back and forth to answer all of us. He seemed to really like the attention he was getting.
Also interesting is the fact that although we used two flashlights only the red flashlight continuously answered the majority of our questions while the blue one dimmed to a nightlight setting and stayed there throughout the investigation. This may be evidence that AJ was manipulating it.
At 10:55 the bathroom door was heard opening by itself. We were unable to debunk this and so set up a static night vision camera in the bathroom focused on the door for the rest of the night. Unfortunately we were unable to capture anything.
AJ indicated that there was also the spirit of an older woman in the house. He looked to her as a sort of grandmother figure. Finally he was willing to take a step back and let someone else answer the questions. Throughout a series of yes and no questions the spirit of the older woman proved herself to be the homeowner's grandmother. She indicated that she was extremely proud of her but also expressed her want of the homeowner to quit smoking. Flashlight answers were consistent enough for not only the investigators present, but more importantly the homeowner to conclude that the female spirit present in the house was that of her grandmother.
We also received evidence in the form of flashlight answers that there was a man present as well
however he did not want to talk and further details about him are unknown.
Audio Evidence Obtained During Investigation:
"Get out/sigh " EVP class C: This EVP was recorded at the end of the night when the team was packing up. It's very faint and sounds like it says "get out" followed by a sigh or breath.
"Mommy " EVP class C: During a session in the living room, Investigator John asks AJ if he'd like to talk to Chass or Kellie (the two female investigators present). An EVP of a small child was then captured and it sounds like a child's voice saying "mommy" not once but twice. (You may need headphones to hear this one).
"Umhmm "EVP class C: Investigator John is heard asking AJ if he fell into the fireplace. The response he received is a very faint "unhmm".
"Yeah" EVP class B: Investigator John was discussing a spirit that he encountered in Iowa the previous year. After talking about the nightmares he had following this encounter this EVP that seems to agrees with him was caught. It says simply, "yeah".
"Yeah" EVP class B: Investigator John asks AJ about having his picture taken. This EVP was captured that sounds like a long drawn out "yeah".
"Yeah EVP" class B: This EVP was recorded in the small bedroom by Investigator Joe. Everyone was trying to get AJ to touch one of the devices and after Joe says "it's a lot of fun" a voice can be heard saying, "yeah".
Our best evidence is in the form of EVPs (electronic voice phenomenon) however in this case we also have a piece of video evidence which shows a dark shadow in the hallway.
After careful review of all written reports, video, audio and photographs taken it is the belief of the Motor City Ghost Hunter team that there is paranormal activity at this location. We do not at this time feel that there is anything threatening in the house. We believe that there are at least three spirits at this location at this time: a very playful little boy named AJ, the homeowner's grandmother, and a man of which we got very little details from however based on the answers given from the grandmother during the investigation it is possible that this man may be the homeowner's grandfather.


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In case you missed it... Apple released a public beta of Safari 3.0 for both Mac AND WINDOWS! To be honest, I never saw that one coming... With great new features, its a worthy upgrade for both platforms. I've seen an occasional hang-up, but the program is faster and adds some great features.
Inline find – Search within a web page by pressing Cmd+F (Ctrl+F)
Resizable Text Fields – More room when working online
Improved Security – Shoo!
Pick up the tabs – Rearrange tabs with drag and drop ease
PDFs Control – Zoom, Save, or Send to a PDF app
Get the free download here.


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Alright, alright, alright. Ya got me. I NEEDDDDD to start blogging again, but really though. This college thing is rough.
And you can see the white background in the picture? I am in the laundry room in my dorm doing my laundry;) I still have awhile till its all done so I thought I would do a blog post in between my studying and working on papers. I have TWO tests tomorrow-blah. So maybe I will reward myself with a blog post after I get done with them ;) I would love to sit around blogging all day and have my roommates take OOTD pictures for me. Maybe I will have them do that for me at one point of time.
I should just stop making excuses and start blogging again weekly but I really want to do well in school, and until I find a routine its going to have to be this way for awhile and I sincerely do apologize.
So thats all- just wanted to say hi and tell you that
I think about you all everyday