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Although women make up a higher percentage of the workforce in the fitness world, I think it is safe to say that they are the minority when it comes to sitting at the forefront of the industry. There is a definite lack of female leaders in our field, but the real question is why?
Now by no means am I saying that woman aren't doing an amazing job in the fitness industry, or hustling just as hard as their male counterpart. This is just an observation of what I see, but I would love to hear what you think!
There are definitely a number of woman out there kicking butt and taking names and this is not an exhaustive list. But here are just a couple of the ladies I think are trailblazers the fitness industry.
Sherri McMillan
Sherri has been a leader in the fitness industry for years now. She has spoke all over the world to trainers and received prestigious awards from CanFitPro, IDEA and ACE to name a few. She's the owner of 2 fitness studio's that generate 7 figures, as well as starting Northwest Fitness Education which helps fitness professionals with their business.
It seems like no matter what conference you go to, Sherri is their, so how could she not be on this list! Be sure to check out her blog at www.businessofpt.com and if you are at one of the many conferences she speaks at, make sure to check out at least one of her sessions.
Jen Sinkler
Jen is a contributor for both Men's and Women's Health magazine who has a great message to share, which I think a lot of fitness professionals could learn from. She does a great job of being real and showing that it's ok to lift and get calluses.
For anyone that's struggling with how to speak to women who workout (nudge…nudge guys!) I highly suggest you start reading Jen's blog on a regular basis.
"There is a definite lack of female leaders in our field,but the real question is why?" – Tweet This
Rachel Cosgrove
If you don't know who Rachel is, you've obviously been living under a rock for the past 5 years (possibly 10!). Not only has she started up the highly successful Results Fitness with her husband Alwyn, but she's also started Results Fitness University, which helps trainers build their business.
Rachel is a published author of two books (The Female Body Breakthrough & Drop 2 Sizes), won the IDEA personal trainer of the year in 2012, has been published in numerous magazines, and is a regular on the Perform Better tour. She's got a lot of great information to share, and extremely down to earth and humble.
You can see more of Rachel at www.rachelcosgrove.com or www.resultsfitnessuniversity.com.
Emily Splichal
Dr Emily is a podiatrist and the founder of the Evidence Based Fitness Academy. Not only does she teach other fitness professionals about the benefits of barefoot training at numerous events (I've even heard she'll be on the Perform Better Tour), but she's also been on Oprah!
Emily is quickly becoming one of the more in demand speakers around. And if you look at what she's created over the past few years you'll see she's quite the business women as well. If you want to see how to carve out a niche in the industry, Emily is an amazing example of this.
Be sure to head over to her site www.evidencebasedfitnessacademy.com/
Trina Gray
Trina has a super successful gym, Bay Athletic Club, in the booming town (sarcasm!) of Alpena, MI , as well as being a very in demand fitness business coach and speaker. She's been the IDEA Program Director of the Year, created the ground-breaking Corporate Fit Challenge, and speaks at a number of fitness related events.
Trina is a go-getter who is an inspiration to what you can accomplish if you put your mind to it. And is definitely one of the ladies who is raising the bar on the entire industry.
Check out Trina at www.trinagray.com.
Girls Gone Strong
Girls Gone Strong is comprised of Neghar Fonooni, Molly Galbraith and Alli McKee and their mission is to educate and inspire women of all ages to maximize the strength of their body, mind and character.
I think for too long women have been convinced that they should not be strong or pick up anything that weighs more than their handbag, so Girls Gone Strong are a breath of fresh air. And with a Facebook fan page of almost 54,000 fans I'd say they are spreading their message loud and clear.
Their excellence blog is www.girlsgonestrong.com
Well that wraps it up but I would love to hear what other women that you think are leading the charge below in the comments section!


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Geoff Zanelli
Click below to watch Secrets of the Score #002 & #003: Geoff Zanelli
Emmy Award-winning composer Geoff Zanelli is a standout in the film and television scoring industry, garnering accolades and recognition for his diverse musical voice. Zanelli has composed for directors such as Gore Verbinski and Ridley Scott; writer/directors David Koepp, Peter Hedges and David Duchovny; producers Jerry Bruckheimer, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg; as well as actor/producer Tom Hanks.
Zanelli just scored the fifth installment of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales", which debuted at #1 at the box office. "Pirates of the Caribbean" fans have previously heard Zanelli's original music contributions in all four of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films via his collaborative work with Zimmer.
This marks a return of Zanelli's strong scores for Disney, which began with his breakout score for the fantasy drama "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" starring Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton. Zanelli's organic and stirring score for the film also received critical acclaim, including a feature in Variety's Eye on the Oscars issue.
Zanelli recently collaborated with Grammy-award winning Mark Ronson on the co-written score and songs to Lionsgate's "Mortdecai," marking his third time working with writer/director David Koepp; director Jared Hess for the comedy "Masterminds;" and Steve Martin and Edie Brickell to lend string arrangements to the Grammy-award winning album "Love Has Come For You," and follow-up album "So Familiar," which dominated the Bluegrass charts. He is currently writing the score and songs for "Star Citizen: Squadron 42," the most crowd-funded game in history.
In 2006, Zanelli earned his first Emmy after scoring the original music for Steven Spielberg's miniseries "Into The West." With this win, Zanelli became the youngest composer ever to be awarded the 'Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score)' accolade. A few years later, Spielberg once again tapped Zanelli to score HBO's "The Pacific," which earned him his second Emmy nomination. Other credits include: DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures' "Disturbia," 20th Century Fox's "Hitman," Lionsgate's "Gamer," DreamWork's "Ghost Town," The Weinstein Company's "Outlander" and Columbia Pictures' "Secret Window" (co-written with Philip Glass) among many others. Additionally, Zanelli co-wrote the song "Don't Make Me Wait" for "Disturbia."
Zanelli has contributed music to many feature films including: Disney's "The Lone Ranger;" the Golden Globe-nominated scores for Warner Bros.' "The Last Samurai" and Touchstone Pictures' "Pearl Harbor;" Paramount Pictures' "Rango," MGM's "Hannibal," Columbia Pictures' "Angels & Demons," DreamWorks' "Antz," "Chicken Run," "Shark Tale," and "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa," working alongside composers Hans Zimmer, John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams and Steve Jablonsky.
Zanelli has degrees in Film Scoring and Music Production & Engineering from the prestigious Berklee College of Music, which he attended on scholarship. He is an active alumnus at his alma mater and has participated in Berklee's Curriculum Review Initiative as well as given seminars to students studying composition. During his time at Berklee, Zanelli received the Doug Timm Award in recognition of his film scoring work and the Music Production/Engineering Scholar Award.
A Southern California native, Zanelli began his musical career as a guitar player and songwriter. In 1994, he met Zimmer and was offered a job at Remote Control Productions. Now, Zanelli is known as a versatile composer in his own right, who combines music from different genres and cultures.

subset: commoncrawl


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Program Notes
A Child's World
Sunday, May 11, 2014, 3:00 PM
McAfee Center, Saratoga
Dr. Edward C. Harris, conductor
Walter M. Mayes, narrator
Peter Morris, trumpet
A Childhood Remembered
Rossano Galante (b. 1967)
A native of New York, Rossano Galante studied trumpet performance at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He went on to study film scoring at the University of Southern California, where he studied with composer Jerry Goldsmith (known for soundtracks to Alien, Gladiator, and the Star Trek movies). Galante's film credits as composer or orchestrator include Big Fat Liar, Scary Movie 2, and Tuesdays with Morrie. He has received commissions from the Amherst Chamber Orchestra, the Hofstra University Symphonic Band, the Nebraska Wind Symphony, and the Syracuse Symphony Youth Orchestra.
A Childhood Remembered was performed at the 2013 Midwest Band Clinic by the Lockport Township High School Wind Symphony of Illinois. According to the composer's program notes, the piece "was inspired by my late partner Douglas Howard Vought, a very gentle, kind-hearted man…Although the music evokes joy, energy, innocence, and hope, there is the slightest undercurrent of sadness…I believe all of us would like to re-live those joyous moments of our childhood, so close your eyes and let the music take you back to that simple time of life."
A Trumpeter's Lullaby
Leroy Anderson (1908 – 1975), arranged by Philip J. Lang
Famous for his "concert music with a pop quality" (his own words), Anderson possessed skill in technique and a rich melodic gift, as well as an engaging sense of humor. He was particularly successful in creating descriptive pieces that effectively borrowed sounds and rhythms of the extramusical world, such as the ticking of a clock, the clicking of a typewriter, and the ringing of sleigh bells. Leroy Anderson first studied music with his mother, who was a church organist. He earned a BA degree in music and an MA degree in foreign language at Harvard University. As a student, he conducted the Harvard Band from 1928 to 1930. His musical career included positions as music instructor at Radcliffe College, band conductor at Harvard, church choir director, organist, conductor, and composer-arranger. His works in the "encore" category have few equals. Leroy Anderson was one of the leading arrangers for the Boston Pops Orchestra and frequently served as the orchestra's guest conductor.
This delightful composition for solo trumpet and ensemble lives up to the definition of a lullaby: a song to quiet children or lull them to sleep. The gentle opening section "rocks" the child to sleep. A more lively section recalls the child's dreams of active play before the original tempo returns, and the child is fast asleep. Today our soloist Peter Morris performs this piece featuring his own original cadenza.
Suite: The Children's Corner
Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918)
Born in Paris, Debussy began taking piano lessons at age seven. He was admitted to the Paris Conservatory when he was ten years old and began composing two years later. In 1880, Tchaikovsky's patron, Madame von Meck, hired Debussy to tutor her children in piano. He traveled with her family through Italy, Austria and Russia. He was awarded the Prix de Rome in 1884 but soon afterward rejected his Germanic-based training, turning toward Russian and even Javanese melodies. His finest instrumental works, including La Mer, Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, and the opera Pelleas and Melisande, predate his piano pieces and established his reputation. Interaction with the impressionist art movement and the influence of modern French poetry contributed to Debussy's style, in which formal structure becomes less important, while mood, atmosphere, and color assume greater significance. Debussy is considered to be the most influential French composer of his generation and the founder of modern musical impressionism. He wrote, "I am more and more convinced that music, by its very nature, is something that cannot be cast into a traditional and fixed form. It is made up of colors and rhythms."
Debussy dedicated The Children's Corner to his five-year-old daughter, Claude-Emma. The original suite was published in 1908, and three of the original six selections are included in this arrangement. "Serenade for the Doll" portrays a little girl softly singing to her favorite companion. The animation of the piece follows the changes in the imagination of the child. "The Little Shepherd" depicts a vignette with a toy shepherd and sheep. The oboe and flute echo the sounds of the field and forest. Debussy had great enthusiasm for the American cakewalk dance style, reflected in the rhythm and vitality of "Golliwogg's Cake Walk." It is said that Debussy originally heard the tune played by the Grenadier Guards in London and developed it into a musical description of a golliwogg, a rag doll of the late 19th century.
Aesop's Fables
Scott Watson (b. 1962)
Scott Watson studied composition at Temple University. He teaches instrumental and elective music in the Parkland School District in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and teaches music education/music technology courses for Villanova University, Cairn University, and Central Connecticut State University, and applied composition for Valley Forge Christian College. His book Using Technology to Unlock Musical Creativity focuses on project-based creative music learning facilitated by technology. Watson has composed concert, radio, and theater music and has received recognition for his work from ASCAP, the American Composers Forum, the American Music Center, and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
Aesop's Fables, Watson's four-movement piece for band and narrator, was commissioned by the Wind Ensemble of West Chester University in Pennsylvania. The journal of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association said of this work, "What a sheer delight these wildly contrasting settings of the Fables are to audiences of all ages. Watson has taken four familiar episodes and brought them to life... The work has a very wide audience appeal — story lines and imaginative musical interplay captivate children and adults alike. It is without a doubt the finest programmatic/narrative that we've ever come across for band."
The Seal Lullaby
Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)
Eric Whitacre began playing piano at an early age and played keyboards in high school. He played trumpet in the marching band but was kicked out for bad behavior. Despite this beginning, Whitacre became a music major at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and later earned a master's degree from the Juilliard School of Music. He composes film scores and pieces for chorus and band.
About The Seal Lullaby, the composer writes, "In the spring of 2004 I was lucky enough to have my show Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings presented at the ASCAP Musical Theater Workshop. The workshop is the brainchild of legendary composer Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell), and his insights about the creative process were profoundly helpful. He became a great mentor and friend to the show and, I am honored to say, to me personally. Soon after the workshop I received a call from a major film studio. Stephen had recommended me to them and they wanted to know if I might be interested in writing music for an animated feature...the studio heads had always wanted to make an epic adventure, a classic animated film based on Kipling's 'The White Seal'... Kipling begins his tale with the mother seal singing softly to her young pup. (The opening poem is called 'The Seal Lullaby'). I was struck so deeply by those first beautiful words, and a simple, sweet Disney-esque song just came gushing out of me. I wrote it down as quickly as I could, had my wife record it while I accompanied her at the piano, and then dropped it off at the film studio. I didn't hear anything from them for weeks and weeks... Finally, I called them, begging to know the reason that they had rejected my tender little song. 'Oh,' said the exec, 'we decided to make Kung Fu Panda instead.'"
Children's March, "Over the Hills and Far Away"
Percy Aldridge Grainger (1882 – 1961), revised by Frank Erickson
The son of an architect in Australia, Grainger was a precocious pianist. He gave a series of concerts at the age of twelve and used the earnings to study in Frankfurt, Germany. He came to the United States in 1915, enlisted as an Army bandsman at the outbreak of World War I, and became a U.S. citizen in 1919. It was during his stay in England that Grainger began collecting and arranging folk songs and country dances. He tried to retain the original flavor of folk songs and their singers by strictly observing their peculiarities of performance, using composition techniques such as varying beat lengths and parallelism.
Children's March, "Over the Hills and Far Away" sets a sunny, carefree mood. Many of the tunes evoke familiar folksongs, but they are original compositions. Grainger gave this piece an enigmatic subtitle, "for my playmate beyond the hills," but he never said who this playmate was. Grainger believed that the lower octaves of the band and the larger members of the reed families offer the greatest musical expression. He made liberal use of instruments not typically heard in military band compositions, such as the bassoon, English horn, bass clarinet, contrabassoon, and the lower saxophones. Additionally, research by Frederick Fennell supports Grainger's claim that this is the first composition for band using the piano. Grainger conducted the premiere of this wind band arrangement at Columbia University in 1919. During the recording of this piece by the Goldman Band in 1957, Grainger played the piano part himself.
Joy Revisited
Frank Ticheli (b. 1958)
Frank Ticheli received his Bachelor of Music in composition from Southern Methodist College and his Master's Degree in composition and Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan. He is Associate Professor of Music at the University of Southern California and is the Composer-in-Residence of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra. He has composed works for band, wind ensemble, orchestra, chamber ensembles, and the theatre. Ticheli has earned many prestigious awards and scholarships, and The New York Times has described his music as "lean and muscular and above all, active, in motion."
Joy Revisited was commissioned by the Longmont High School Band in Colorado. About the piece, the composer writes, "Joy, and its companion piece, Joy Revisited, are the results of an experiment I have been wanting to try for many years: the creation of two works using the same general melodic, harmonic, and expressive content. In other words, I endeavored to compose un-identical twins, two sides of the same coin – but with one major distinction: Joy was created with young players in mind, while Joy Revisited was aimed at more advanced players... Joy Revisited moves faster, develops ideas further, and makes use of a wider register... Both come from the same essential cut of cloth, both were composed more or less simultaneously, and both were born out of the same source of inspiration. In short, Joy and Joy Revisited serve as two expressions of the feelings experienced by one expectant father (who happens also to be a composer) on one wonderfully anxious and exciting day."
A Child's Garden of Verses, Suite for Band
Ryan Fraley (b. 1973)
Ryan Fraley studied music theory and composition at the State University of New York at Potsdam and Ball State University in Indiana. He has taught courses in composition, arranging, computer music engraving, and music performance at the high school and college levels. Fraley works frequently as an adjudicator, guest composer, and guest lecturer.
A Child's Garden of Verses, Suite for Band was commissioned by the composer's friend Tom Thomas, director of bands at Mason County Central High School in Scottville, Michigan. The original book, A Child's Garden of Verses, is a collection of poetry for children by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, originally published in 1885 under the title Penny Whistles. Later editions of A Child's Garden of Verses also include prose and poetry by other authors. Mr. Thomas chose three poems that he and his brother enjoyed most as children.
"Butterfly's Ball" is a musical depiction of the 1802 poem "The Butterfly's Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast" by William Roscoe. It tells the story of a party for insects and other small animals. The playful nature of the piece features expressive melodies and a whirlwind of sounds, colors, and textures to evoke the fairy-tale imagery of the poem.
"Wynken, Blynken, and Nod" was inspired by Eugene Field's poem of the same name. The three characters symbolize a sleepy child's blinking eyes and nodding head. The music quietly builds into a lush chorale setting before slipping back to a still ending, with the sound of bells to add color.
The 1887 poem "Summer Sun" was included in Stevenson's original collection. A melody Stevenson composed on his penny whistle provides the inspiration for this movement, with a new rhythmic feel to capture the bright mood. Stevenson lived in Saranac, New York, very near where Hungarian composer Béla Bartók later lived and composed his Concerto for Orchestra. There is a brief melodic reference to the concerto at the end of "Summer Sun."
Prayer and Dream Pantomime from "Hansel and Gretel"
Engelbert Humperdinck (1854 – 1921), transcribed for band by Joseph E. Maddy
Engelbert Humperdinck studied the piano as a young child and produced his first composition at the age of seven. His parents disapproved of his plans for a career in music and encouraged him to study architecture, but he enrolled in the Cologne Conservatory in 1872 at age 18. In 1876 he won a scholarship to further his studies in Munich, and in 1879 he won the first Mendelssohn Award in Berlin. His career brought him into contact with Richard Wagner and subsequently with his family, as music tutor to the composer's son, Siegfried. Humperdinck held various teaching positions and collaborated with theater director Max Reinhardt, providing incidental music for a number of Shakespearean productions in Berlin.
Humperdinck is best known for his fairy-tale opera, Hansel and Gretel. Richard Strauss conducted the premiere in Weimar in 1893, calling it "a masterpiece of the highest quality... all of it original, new, and so authentically German." Humperdinck first composed four simple songs to accompany his nieces' puppet show, later added a libretto written by his sister (loosely based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm), and began the complete orchestration in 1891. With its synthesis of Wagnerian techniques and traditional German folk songs, Hansel and Gretel was an instant success. The Royal Opera House in London performed it for their first complete radio opera broadcast in 1923. The "Prayer and Dream Pantomime" scene portrays the two children, lost in the forest, saying their prayers before falling asleep.
Disney at the Oscars
Arranged by John Moss
This medley features five Academy-Award-winning songs from some of Disney's classic movies. Familiar tunes include "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" from Song of the South, "Chim Chim Cheree" from Mary Poppins, "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio, "The Bare Necessities" from The Jungle Book, and "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid.
Little English Girl Symphonic March
Davide Delle Cese (1856 – 1938)
Italian composer Davide Delle Cese received early musical instruction from his godfather, Antonio Geminiani, a former theater conductor. He received further training at the Music Conservatory of San Pietro a Majella. At the direction of the Italian War Office while he was just 26 years old, Delle Cese scored all of the known national anthems for wind band. This commission took him three years to accomplish. Following his military service, he led bands throughout Italy before settling in Bitonto as resident bandmaster. He composed more than 400 works, including 35 marches, lyric works, waltzes, and mazurkas written specifically for band. After World War I, Delle Cese devoted most of his life to composing and teaching.
Delle Cese composed Little English Girl (L'Inglesina) in 1897, while he was bandmaster in Bitonto. It is his best-known work and is considered one of most popular marches in the world. With eight different sections of contrasting material, L'Inglesina is reminiscent of an operatic overture. It features lilting melodies, several euphonium countermelodies and woodwind obligatos. The march concludes with a "grandioso" strain typical of the grand march or promenade in spectacular Italian grand opera.
SJWS program notes are edited by Karen Berry from the composers' notes, Band Notes by Norm Smith and:
Foothill College Symphonic Band
J. W. Pepper
The Wind Repertory Project
The International Percy Grainger Society
Eric Whitacre's website
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
MIT Concert Band
Scott Watson's website


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Seven mile kids //
loving and leading our kids to know jesus
Your kids will enjoy learning about Jesus with friends at Seven Mile KIDS. We currently have 2 "Kid's Church" groups available (1-4, and 5-8) with age-appropriate activities and learning. All of our volunteers are interviewed and background checked (National and State - CORI) to provide a safe and fun environment. Kids are "checked-in" before the service, where they are registered and receive a name tag. Kids attend the first part of the Sunday Gathering with their family to begin to build rhythms and memories of worshipping with their family. They are dropped off to their class immediately following the Kid Sermon and are picked up at the end of the Sunday Gathering.
We use the Gospel Story Curriculum to help our kids understand that the Bible is one story with Jesus as the hero. From Genesis to Revelation, the curriculum focuses on the the major passages of Scripture that tell the story of redemption. For more information about our policy, procedures, and philosophy of ministry, check out the Seven Mile Kids Handbook.
What a grace it is to partner together to love and lead our children in worship of the living God each week! We care deeply about the sons and daughters that our Father has blessed us with and are working hard to lead them toward a grace-centered, Biblically-grounded love of Jesus and His gospel. Our prayer is that they will grow up holy, healthy, and happy to call Seven Mile Road home. We are so excited and so thankful that you are aligning with the church's heart to serve and lead our children to this end. At Seven Mile Kids, our desire is to:
- Partner with parents to make disciples
- Infuse children with the language and story of the Gospel
- Celebrate as children come to saving faith in Jesus
- Form and shape children as Christ Followers
If we can answer any questions about Seven Mile Kids, or talk about our policy, procedures, or philosophy of ministry, please let us know. We would love to start a conversation.
-- The Seven Mile Kids Staff


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Sherry Hott/
If you have not tried a last Chance bow press, a Vane Master Pro or one of the other wonderful products that this company makes you're making your archery life harder than it has to be. My EZ Deluxe Press is a life saver when it comes to convenience and ease of use when I need to make a change to my bow. The Vane Master Pro makes fletching arrows a piece of cake for even those of us that are challenged by the arrow fletching chore.
Thank You Last Chance for allowing me to be a part of the shooting family.


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Drey "working title" bullet in my brain
|Posted by Staceyz. on May 23, 2013 at 1:15 AM
The idea and premise behind this whole showcase is Love in different formats I want to do something on self love, desire, romantic love, and even a bit of patient love. For example I want to do something featuring one female model using the Decorative lounger while in the background a male model is posed as well as watching her. I wanted this to represent Desire a longing for somebody that you unfortunately can not have or reach. There are other examples but I wanted to kind of let them come out once we start working on the project. For now I have posted a video and the song under the videos tab try to watch and get a feeling for the idea and as always if you have any questions, I'm free and open to answer.
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This summer has been a time of introspection for me. Between an injury that most certainly slowed me down to a minor procedure last week that wound up being not so minor after all, I've spent a lot of time on my butt. As someone who is constantly in motion, I've found this maddening and realized that some not-so-kind behavior occurs when I'm in this zone of discomfort.
As a child who suffered abuse for years, it's taken me an entire lifetime to come to peace with being at peace. I was in my late thirties before I learned to fall asleep without some light or ambient noise or to sit in a room in silence with nothing but my thoughts. When I'm able to use fitness as an outlet for excess energy and/or life is going pretty well, I feel pretty fulfilled and balanced. I take regular bubble baths, I can spend hours happily writing in solitude with no need for company or distractions; I'm a peaceful, happy little creature.
But give me a good, long rough period and I can do some serious damage. I've caught myself practicing some old bad behaviors over the past six weeks.
I have to be aware of my default setting in uncomfortable situations, which is to turn nervous energy inward. So, when life got out of balance and I didn't have the tools I'd developed to deal with excess worry and nervous energy, I become hyper-vigilant, my brain couldn't find a moment's peace with all the racing thoughts, and I started to do things to self-soothe, like online shopping and overeating.
I literally caught myself in the act. Right before my outpatient procedure two weeks ago, I was working on a bunch of articles for clients and sort of "woke up" with my laptop open to at least three different sites screaming, "BUY THIS NOW! EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED IS ON SALE AND YOU WILL FEEL HORRIBLE FOR MISSING OUT!" at me, and I was surrounded by ice cream bar wrappers. It was a scene out of one of those teen movies where the parents come home from a trip after leaving said teen in charge of the house to discover that the house has been destroyed by a wild party. I was shocked and dismayed. But, then I sat there and thought, "Now, why did I just do that?"
That's a different path for me, that kind moment of observation. Instead of hours of self-flagellation that would eventually turn into a shame spiral with a toilet flushing sound clearly audible around my ears (because life WOULD be going down the drain with further self-admonishment,) I sat back and watched the racing thoughts and realized that I was actually afraid. I was afraid of having the procedure done. I was afraid of gaining more weight since I couldn't work out. I was told my blood pressure was out of control at one point, and what was I going to do about that? The posts aren't done for the blog, the photos aren't edited, and all I wanted to do was take a nap, but how could I with all this work to do?
And so, for the first time in a really long time, I forgave myself and took the damned nap. I didn't need more angst; I needed a break. When we don't give our bodies the break it deserves, it will take the ones it can get. For me, if I'm not sleeping and managing anxiety, my body demands a moment of "feel good time," and that usually means empty calories or clothes I don't really need, neither of which I can really afford.
This is when I decided that I needed to back up off myself…period. People, we are so incredibly rough on ourselves. Many of us would never treat or speak to a friend the way we secretly treat the person who really matters most: us. We buy into this lie that we're supposed to have it all handled, that we have to look a certain way or feel a certain way or it's a sign of weakness or failure. When I thought I was failing, I turned against myself big time, and that is NOT the way to win at life or anything else.
So, I'm protecting myself from the part of myself that buys into the I Have To Be Perfect All The Time lie. I'm now the mediator between my emotions and my behavior, and negotiations have gone much better in the past few weeks. Instead of working out for three or more hours a day to make up for lost time or said ice cream bars, I'm slowly building strength and reducing unnecessary calories. Instead of trying to write nine pieces a day, I write two or three and then reward myself with something nice and calorie/harm-free, like new bubble bath from LUSH (the Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds Bubble Bar? I cannot discuss it without weeping —SO GOOD.) Ladies, we are our own best advocates, and sometimes you realize that the first person you need to champion yourself against is yourself.
Sometimes, it's up to you to convince yourself that you need to take a breath, a vacation, a nap or just have a moment to feel your feelings and move on with life. No one will give you that break, gals and gents; you have to give it to yourself.
So, I've emerged from my injuries with a new understanding of my hidden harms. Maybe someday I'll get to the point where I don't have to mediate and advocate for myself against myself. But for now, all sides agree that I'm worth it, and we're aligned to take care of me.
Photos: giafrese


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With all the enticing new books being published all the time, it's easy to forget some of the great stories that have been around for years - or even decades. I was reminded of that earlier this week when a trip to the library netted me a couple oldie-but-goodie paperbacks, and got me hooked on an entire series that will keep me entertained throughout the winter. Sara Paretsky's series of mysteries featuring hard-nosed, Chicago female private investigator V. I. (for Victoria Iphegenia) Warshawski had completely escaped my attention until I read a great little book called Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading. In it, Maureen Corrigan, NPR Book Editor, wrote about some of the books that have meant the most to her during her reading life, and Paretsky's series was among them. The first book, Indemnity Only, published in 1982, introduces the fast talking, smart mouthed V.I. - or "Vic" as we soon learn to call her. Written in that inimitable Raymond Chandler/Dashiell Hammett style, with short clipped sentences and atmospheric descriptions, Paretsky quickly grabs the readers attention and pulls you right into the story.
Here's what Maureen Corrigan and I both love about Vic - she's completely her own boss, she's fearless, she says whatever she means and makes no apologies. But she still enjoys soaking in a hot bath at the end of a long day, with candles glowing and Italian opera on the radio. She takes her steak rare and her Scotch neat, promising herself an extra hour of running in the morning to prevent the pounds from creeping up. Without batting an eye, she takes on the mostly male establishments in banking, politics, labor unions, and the police force, and makes them accountable, her sharp wit and ever sharper tongue her most powerful weapons.
Vic's character is as complex as the mysteries she trying to solve, and in some ways her story is more engaging than the plot. She began her career as a Public Defender, but left because she got tired of following political rules. On page 13 of Indemnity Only, we get a interesting glimpse into her formative past.
I put on jeans and a yellow cotton top and surveyed myself in the mirror with critical approval. I look my best in the summer. I inherited my Italian mother's olive coloring, and tan beautifully. I grinned at myself. I could hear her saying, "Yes, Vic, you are pretty - but pretty is no good. Any girl can be pretty - but to take care of yourself you must have brains. And you must have a job. A profession. You must work." She had hoped I would be a singer and had trained me patiently; she certainly wouldn't have liked my being a detective. Nor would my father. He's been a policeman himself. Polish in an Irish world. He's never made it beyond sergeant, due partly to lack of ambition, but also I was sure, to his ancestry. But he'd expected great things of me...My grin went a little sour in the mirror and I turned away abruptly.
Clearly Vic feels herself to have fallen short of parental expectation, and it's poignant to see how this tough, self-confident woman can fall prey to the same emotional traps the rest of us women do.
Of course the best thing about discovering a series like this is that I'm guaranteed reading material for quite some time. Paretsky has published 14 more V.I. Warshawski novels, a good many of which I snagged at the library book sale last Saturday for 50 cents each.
So I'll be spending a lot more time with Vic this winter. I couldn't be in better company, either.
How about you? Have you ever stumbled across a book or series of books that have been around for a long time but somehow escaped your radar?


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It's time for Valentine Minis!
All you need is LOVE…and some great photographs of your little cupid!
Join us for our annual Valentine Minis in our Crabapple studio. Perfect for boys or girls of any age, we'll have plenty of fun sets to help you create memorable valentines to share with friends and family!
Thursday, January 25th 1-5pm (SOLD OUT)
Saturday, February 3rd 9a-1pm (3 left!)
Each session provides 20-minutes of in-studio shooting time using fun techniques and valentine props to bring out your child's personality! Up to 2 children per session; $20 per additional child. Images will be posted in an online gallery within 5 business days.
Option #1: $125 includes session and one 8x10 custom print of your favorite image.
Option #2: $149 includes session and three high-resolution digitals of your choice.
Option #3: $175 includes session, three high-resolution digitals of your choice and 32 wallet valentine cards for classroom or family sharing (or 1-8x10, 2-5x7 prints).
Our prints, cards & bookmarks are ready in just 2-3 days and delivered in time for Valentines Day. Simply select your preferred card design and receive a proof before printing.
Please note before booking:
1) If you are late for your session, we will shoot for the remaining time left in your slot as we must stay on time for all scheduled mini-shoots during the day.
2) No refunds. If your child is sick on the shoot date, you may apply your session cost toward another session in 2018. Sorry no reschedules for uncooperative children once session has started.
3) Digitals are high-resolution and without logo for personal printing and sharing.
4) Appointments will be filled on a "first-registered, first-served" basis and requested appt. times will be honored as closely as possible.
Spaces are limited; please request your preferred time during registration and we will email right back to confirm your appointment time.
To Reserve Your Session:
Please click the button to book your Valentine Mini
Additional Details:
Available designs for Valentine wallets & bookmarks will be provided via email before your session or on this website. You may select your preferred design and you will receive a proof to approve before printing. Once ready, cards may be picked up at our studio from 10a-5p Tue-Fri or shipped to your home. Additional wallet cards are available for $20/8 cards (1-sided, lustre paper) and Bookmark Valentines come in a pack of 50 for $45 (2-sided, press-printed on pearl paper).


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Capital Health is Nova Scotia's largest provider of health services, with over 12,000 employees, physicians, learners and approximately 1,900 volunteers. In July, Capital Health issued a call for artists to create an image to accompany the statement "Each of us is different. Respecting these differences you and I will create healthy people, healthy communities." Twenty-four artists responded, and I was selected by a judging panel (made up of members of the Diversity Council) as the successful artist.
The concept I had for the campaign carries through five different languages (three of which can be seen below), each with it's own particular configuration of figures.
The design was also carried through to the masthead for their 2013 Diversity Progress Report.
There was a Diversity celebration on September 13th where my art for the campaign was revealed to the public and staff of Capital Health. It was a full house, with speeches, highlights of diversity achievements, performances, and refreshments. Even a local newspaper and the Mayor were there!


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Though these select 5 sex spots in India are curious and interesting for tourists, you are advised to hold your pants! These places could be a potential source of sexual diseases, if precautions are flouted. Also, there are significant criminal activities, except Mumbai, which has relatively better law and order situation.
Here they are:
1. Shonagachi, Kolkata
|Inciting a customer
2. Kamathipura, Mumbai
|Mumbai red-light area
Being the oldest prostitute's area of Mumbai since British time, Kamathipura has thousands of workers seen standing at street side in dresses as seen in the pictures above. When one drives through the lane which is also famous as 'Falkland Road' the view is obviously and somewhat dirty. It is also heard that recently they have done this professional business with license allotted individually. Lal bazaar was once tagged as 'Tolerated Area' since prostitution was illegal during times.
There is also 'Cursetji Shuklaji Street' in Mumbai's Kamathipura which was also called as safe gully (the word Gully is a Hindi word for lane). It was called safe because it was home to European prostitutes in Mumbai well known Red Light Area of Grant Road. Since then, Kamathipura is still congested with garbage around street bins in narrow lanes where a girl shows off and attract customers.
There are reasonable numbers of stunning beauties among hundreds of prostitutes
3. G.B. Road, Delhi
|In action!
4. Shivdaspur, Varanasi, UP
|Prostitutes in Shivdaspur, Varanasi, UP
5. Chaturbhuj Sthan, Muzaffarpur, Bihar
|Oh my goodness!


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Betting that a modern central bank is ever "out of ammo" is a mug's game. Check out this incredibly interesting episode in monetary economics from the Financial Times:
What happens when a country emerges from deflation? Memories of the conquest of inflation are still fresh, but for examples of the reverse we must go back to the 1930s. Japan was one of the first to reflate successfully, thanks to Korekiyo Takahashi, finance minister from 1931 to 1936. His programme involved taking the country off the gold standard and issuing large amounts of bonds to be bought by the central bank. In today's terms it combined fiscal stimulus, quantitative easing and currency depreciation.
The effect was dramatic. Under Takahashi, national income rose 60 per cent while consumer prices rose 18 per cent. The debt-to-GDP ratio stabilised while stocks doubled.
According to Ben Bernanke, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Takahashi "brilliantly saved Japan from the world depression". But there was no happy ending. At the age of 82 he was assassinated by officers enraged by his "exit strategy" of cutting military spending. Reflation should have been withdrawn but inflation soared under the aegis of irresponsible militarists. The lesson of Takahashi-nomics is that reflation can take hold quickly if policy makers are determined.
1. One wonders whether Bernanke, in his heart, would preferred a far more aggressive and consistent bond-buying program the past four years. If so, did he refrain because he felt the Fed lacked the political capital with Congress to do so? Who knows, maybe if the Fed had pursued such a policy, he would not have been reappointed. But this episode does show just how effective monetary policy can be during financial crisis.
2. Of course, the more severe Bernanke critics will see his praise of the pro-inflation Japanese central banker as evidence the Fed will enable the Obama Democrats to inflate away the massive US federal debt rather than cutting spending.
3. More evidence that when a central bank does engage in aggressive monetary policy, exit-strategy communication is vital.


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By Kelly Hallstrom
Viruses generally are defined as protein-packaged genomes rather than as independent organisms because they are unable to propagate on their own. However, recent studies have shown that some large DNA viruses encode genes for metabolic pathways that make the viruses less dependent on host cell machinery for their propagation. In other words, they carry more genes that support their own survival compared with other viruses. As such, some think these large DNA viruses are evolutionary bridges between nonliving viruses and living organisms.
In a recent Journal of Biological Chemistry paper, researchers reported finding that a nucleocytoplasmic large DNA virus from the Mimiviridae family encodes genes that allow it to produce a rare type of sugar. Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses have large genomes, and some are known to carry genes that encode glycosylation systems, including genes for enzymes and substrates required for the production of complex carbohydrates.
In the JBC study, the authors aimed to identify and characterize the first two enzymes encoded within a Megavirus chilensis gene cluster thought to be involved with a glycosylation pathway. Sequences from two genes in this cluster had been shown to be homologous to bacterial enzymes involved in the production of 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy- L-hexoses, which are types of sugars called 6-deoxy-hexosamines. What is striking about these 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-L-hexoses specifically is that they are produced in the L-enantiomer as opposed to the more common D-enantiomer. Although the L-enantiomers of 6-deoxy-hexosamines have been observed on the surfaces of some bacteria, they are otherwise rarely found in nature.
Through a series of sequence, structural and activity analyses, the authors found that the first gene product in the cluster, Mg534, is a 4,6-dehydratase-5-epimerase. The second gene product, Mg535, is a bifunctional 3-epimerase, 4-reductase. Acting sequentially, Mg534 and Mg535 generate the L-enantiomer of the sugar UDP-L-N-acetylrhamnosamine, which is rare in nature like other 6-deoxy-L-hexosamines but confirmed by the authors to be present in M. chilensis viral particles.
No homologues were found in giant viruses from other groups for Mg534 or Mg535 or for Mg536, the next gene product in the cluster that the authors identified as a potential GlcNAc 2-epimerase. However, other large DNA viruses are known to carry genes for rare sugar production, indicating there is a specific and important role for these sugars in the lifecycle of these viruses.
The authors speculate that these sugars could be involved in mediating interactions between viral particles and host cells or perhaps in protecting the virus from cellular components during replication within host cells.
The authors indicate that carrying genes for certain sugars and metabolic pathways makes these viruses less dependent on host cells for these components. In turn, this may allow the viruses to infect a greater range of host cells.
More from the current issue


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National Association of Attorneys General
Gloria Post
Gloria serves as human resources manager. Her responsibilities include payroll, human resource, benefits, accounting, and investor relations. She joined the Association in May 2006, and since then has held various positions in NAAG office administrations.
Gloria has extensive experience in business and office administration. She worked with organizations such as CareFirst, CIBER, and Electronic Data Systems.
Gloria holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Marketing, from Salisbury State University.
Who's My AG?
Find the attorney general who represents you.
Meetings & Trainings
Stay informed of NAAG meetings and the NAGTRI trainings we offer.
AG Spotlight
Tim Fox, the Montana attorney general, has worked in public service since 1990.


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Hey ladies! Before you give up on reading this, I swear this isn't as hard as it looks. Doing just one of these at a time on a ring finger is adorable, especially for the newly engaged chica!
- Toothpicks
- Polish
- Polish remover
- Choose your colors… I used "Alpine Snow", "Vodka & Caviar", & "Lincoln Park After Dark" all by OPI
- I started with a clear base coat, followed by painting all my fingers with the white (I used white so the contrast would be high for photos- you don't have to)
- Next put a couple drops of color on a surface you don't care about, a zip lock baggie is perfect
- WAIT a couple minutes to let the polish thicken a bit
- For a heart- Start with two dots, and lightly and SLOWLY drag them into a point, you'll probably need to dip your toothpick again to add a little more paint and "fatten" up your shape
- For a music note- Start with two dots, and then a top horizontal line above (I think it's much easier to do the top line first)
- Dip your toothpick into fresh polish as needed, and connect the top line to your dots
- Finish with a top coat
- Easy peasy :)
Since we're on the theme of music I figured it appropriate to share some of my playlist! Not many of these are new songs, but they've all been on repeat in my apartment a few times this weekend. :)
- Starry Eyed by Ellie Goulding
- Open Your Eyes by Snow Patrol
- In for the Kill (Skrillex remix) by La Roux
- Ours by Taylor Swift
- This Is War by Ingrid Michaelson
- Meant to Be (Acoustic) by Rebelution
- Miss Me by Andy Grammer
- Ghost by Ingrid Michaelson
- 1940 by The Submarines
- Begin Again (Reggae version) by Colbie Caillat
- The Last Thing On Your Mind by Lights
- Safe & Sound by Taylor Swift feat The Civil Wars
- Pocket Change by Josh Damigo
- Uncharted by Sara Bareilles
Also for those of you who don't know, Your Stylist AJ is on pinterest! Check it out and please pin this look to help spread the word.
X's & O's AJ


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Set sail with one of the UK's most well known luxury cruise travel agents. The Cruise Line offers an excellent range of five and six star cruises that provide first class service and facilities every step of the way. However, the special deals and discounts that The Cruise Line offer means that cruise lovers can enjoy this experience without breaking the bank.
Some of the luxury cruise lines that The Cruise Line works closely with include Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal Cruises and Oceania. You can choose from numerous specially selected cruises in all parts of the world such as the Caribbean, the Far East and Alaska.
While all of the most popular destinations are covered, the company also thinks out of the box to bring people who have a strong sense of adventure some delightfully different options.
The team at The Cruise Line specialise in finding the perfect cruise packages to suit the unique needs and style of every client. The company has created a large number of special cruise packages to choose from including Festive Cruises and Single Cruises that are ideal for people who are travelling alone and want to make new friends.
When you book a travel experience with the Cruise Line you can be sure that everything you need to enjoy a truly memorable break will be included. All of the cruise lines that the company works with feature excellent onboard facilities and top of the range staterooms.
Special sightseeing tours are available to help you really get to know your chosen destinations, while a whole host of optional extras can also be added to the cruise package to make it unique and memorable.
The amount of options that are available are almost endless. In addition to traditional ocean cruises, those of you who are looking for something a bit different can choose one of the exciting and relaxing river cruises or small ship cruises that offer a more intimate experience.
Thanks to the company's vibrant and detailed website, searching for the perfect cruise is both easy and a lot of fun. The Cruise Line takes the uncertainty and hassle out of booking a cruise and uses their expertise to arrange the perfect experience combined with an unbeatable price.


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Dr. Carole R. Beal
Dr. Beal was a Professor of Educational Technology in the College of Education. She retired in December 2018. Her research focuses on designing, deploying and evaluating technology to increase the learning of STEM related content by middle and high school students. She is especially interested in promoting access for groups traditionally under-represented in STEM, including students with visual impairments. Dr. Beal was the PI on the AnimalWatch Vi Suite project while at the University of Arizona. She is the PI on the current project from the Institute of Education Sciences, and on the Precision Education National Research and Development Center. Read more information about Dr. Beal.
Dr. Nicholas A. Gage
Dr. Gage earned his PhD in 2010 and is an Assistant Professor in special education. He has a background in special education policy, statistical analysis, single-subject research, Positive Behavior Support (PBS) and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). His knowledge of single-subject research design will guide the research team in conducting our studies during the 3 years of project funding. Dr. Gage took over PI responsibiity for the project in January 2019 upon Dr. Beal's retirement. Read more information about Dr. Gage.
Li Cheng
Ms. Cheng was a research assistant for the project during the first 2 years. She is a Ph.D. student in the College of Education. Though new to the field of visual impairment, she is passionate about the work the project team is doing. She looks forward to contributing to the project while developing her own expertise.


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I never dread winter, I actually look forward to it. After strong fall running, I picture myself thriving on a lighter farm schedule with a late winter race to keep me hungry. What I always come to realize is that my lighthearted attitude for training turns into a cerebral, existential march toward my running goals. In summer and fall I'm a frolicking doe, gladly rolling out of bed a 4am. In winter I'm a pensive snow tiger, questioning the meaning of my effort. After five winters of heavy training on the frozen roads and trails of Wisconsin I've developed some strategies to weather the most severe season. Winterize your wardrobe and fueling The most common winter running mistake is overdressing. Stepping out into frigid weather, I know I will be cold for at least 10 minutes but with aerobic activity I warm up quickly. Having on too many layers, or the wrong layers, will lead to over-sweating and subsequent chills. On cold days (under 5 degrees) I wear a base layer under loose running pants, two running shirts, a soft-shell jacket, headband, hat, Buff around my neck, socks and running mittens. On sub 0 degree days I will add a light vest under the jacket. On warmer days the layers are reduced. I wear trail shoes on roads with mixed levels of traction and only ever wear added traction on trails. In my experience, quality goes a long way with winter running gear. Being comfortable can make or break your level of enjoyment when it's freezing, so invest in a good pair of pants and coat. You don't need to wash them everyday and can wear them for years.
Staying hydrated and fueled is easier and harder. You do not lose as much fluid through sweating when it's cold but it's still important to manage hydration. On runs longer than 15 miles I bring a warmed up electrolyte drink in my water bottles and it stays in a drinkable state for up to 2 hours. TIP: unscrew bottle tops, do not try to drink out of the nozzles. For runs over 25 miles I work in a stop for water. Gels become hard to eat when they are frozen so store them close to your skin. I also run with for real foods like Honey Stinger Waffles and Energy Bars.
Cross training can add value Other than the occasional snowshoe run or hike, and ice skating with my kids, all I do is run. But snow sports are great and someday I plan to play one. As boring as it sounds, my personal approach to winter training is to put everything into running and not wear myself out with other endeavors. For runners who are just trying to maintain a base or are building up for spring and summer races, playing out in the snow is the best way to enjoy winter. Snow sports are a great way to build and retain fitness, give your mind a break from higher-volume running, and let your body heal from micro-injuries. Just be careful not to get a traumatic injury that will take you away from running!
Don't be snobby about running surface Even though I consider myself a trail runner at the core, I run most of my winter miles on the road. When trail conditions are good I will be out there as much as possible but I never compromise my ankle health just so I can tell myself that I am running trails as much as I do other times of the year. Winter roads are more challenging than dry roads. With varying degrees of traction, snow accumulation, and debris on the shoulder, I make it a game to hop around, keeping my agility sharp. My road-heavy training has not seemed to limit me in a race setting, though I do wonder how I would be different as a runner if I had dry trails to run year-round.
Something is better than nothing, except when it's not There are so many reasons not to run in the winter. It's dark, cold, and treacherous. With holiday parties and beers to be consumed, running can seem unimportant. But any amount of running is better than not running at all. Once you're out there it usually turns into a good run. If it doesn't, at least you gave it a shot and got your blood flowing. However, once the diehard mindset takes hold, it's important to stay honest with yourself about your health. With colds and flues going around in the dark months, most of us will get sick at least once. Running through a little cold won't kill you, but it can derail your training efforts. I have personally prolonged viruses but trying to push through. Just be smart.
Seek out warmth In the winter, I spend a lot of time in cold places. Although I work less on the farm, when I am there, I work in a cold office in the barn. I do farm chores to help out on my parent's hog and poultry farm and I am out in the cold running 6 days a week. Even through I dress right, the cold just wears me down. I have learned that being close to a direct heat source warms my body and spirit. I often eat dinner in front of our wood burning stove, with the door wide open so I can stare at the flames. I take a hot bath several times a week and a steamy shower on the other days - I actually bathe more in the winter than the summer. Adding in a hot yoga practice or finding a sauna can take the edge off of the season for runners and non-runners alike.
Be kind to yourself and others Winter running can be intense for a lot of us but ultimately it's a choice. When I truly do not want to run, I won't. It's hard to keep a relaxed grip on structured training but it's important to remember that running is for fun. In the winter I eat more chocolate, I let my house get messier, I burrow down inside my own mind and indulge my introverted side. I try to love myself more in the winter because winter is hard for me. This also means that we need to be kind to our friends and family who are supporting our running pursuits. We are choosing to take on our own challenges and it's easy to feel like a noble martyr of the Arctic Tundra but no one is making us run, so just be nice about it.
The reason winter is important to me is because my drive for running shifts from joyful autopilot to contemplative examination. I feel my runs more in the winter months and the entire process is more epic. In fair weather, one day bleeds in the next and I rarely ask myself if I like what I'm doing. Winter forces me to check in and make sure this is still a meaningful use of my time. Running holds me close and asks Do you still love me? My response is I will love you forever.


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Instagram for Business – Part 3 – Video
In our blogs Instagram for Business – Part 1 and Instagram for Business -Part 2 we've walked you through setting up an Instagram account and shared some great tips for leveraging Instagram for business. Now we want to turn to the relatively recently launched 'video' element of Instagram.
It was introduced not that long ago (July) and has now gone viral – some believe it has even taken over Twitter Vine.
Instagram video is described as "everything you love about Instagram — and it moves," it is designed around three core principles:
- Simplicity — It needs to be easy to use and edit
- Beauty — "We need to do to video what we did to photos."
- Community — Instagram continues to look and work the same way when it comes to sharing and viewing content.
Instagram Video had the advantage over Twitter Vine as it came to iOS and Android at the same time and it supports 13 custom filters just for video where users can edit the frames of their videos to remove certain segments of the footage.
How to set up:
Make sure you have downloaded the latest Instagram App – and then you can start recording video straight away!
To record a video:
- 'Tap' at the bottom of the app to switch from either camera in the middle or video on the right.
- Press and hold the camera button to start recording.
- Lift your finger off the button when you wish to stop recording (so on for recording off to stop).
- Then tap Next to beautify your video by adding a filter,
- Then you can go on to sharing your video!
Benefits compared to Vine
There's no doubt about it, the launch of Instagram Video is now in direct competition with Twitter Vine, the Twitter – backed video app.
But what are the differences between them? Has Instagram Video taking over?
That is for you to decide, there are however many advantages of Instagram Video. Advantages that Twitter vine doesn't have!
Take a look at some of these features that are noticeably absent from Vine:
- Clip Editing
The greatest advantage of Instagram Video is the fact that it includes editing features. It also allows users to delete unsatisfying past frames, by clicking the delete button marked with an "X" to remove the last frame (or two).
- Effects of Filters
It wouldn't be Instagram without filtering options – 13 different ones to be exact. They perform very similarly to the photo filters but with different names.
Vine on the other hand keeps everything raw – all 'editing must be performed in video, meaning you all have to think about the lighting and exposure.
- Length
Instagram also offer up to 15 seconds of video – more than twice as long as Vines 6 second videos – there really is so much more you can do with a video in 15 seconds!
- Tap to Focus
When capturing videos in Instagram, all you have to do is tap within the frame to focus your depth of field; this makes more professional looking footage! Whereas when you tap with Vine it means you are filming and there is no option for focus etc.
- Image Stabilisation
Instagram also has a brand new tool: Cinema – which is a custom image stabilisation product which is meant to smooth shaky footage for a more professional, streamlined result. Impressive!
- Cover Image Selection
Instagram lets you scroll through the still of your video and select the best cover photo for you video. This is a very important feature as it gives the first impression of your video and therefore will entice your audience.
Why good for business
Video marketing these days has become more and more of a hot topic, where about 46% of people say they'd be more likely to seek out information about a product or service after seeing it in an online video.
Vine was the latest craze and was Twitter's attempt at making video easy to create and share – the only problem with Vine is that it requires a lot of creativity to make videos look great…
Now with Instagram Video, your door is open to a whole lot of new different things! Take a look at just some of the ways Instagram video could be useful for your business:
- Announcement of a new product or sale
Using videos is a great way to showcase the message you want to get across to your fans, with 15 seconds there's so much you could do.
If a picture of your work is worth a thousand words, imagine what 15 seconds of video communicates. They can also be useful to answer FAQ's – where a simple how-to video can answer your customers' questions quickly and efficiently.
- Your office in action
We often hear about how brands "need to become human." Social media has blurred the lines with real-time, real-life engagement between companies and customers, creating a need for companies to be transparent and more open.
Instagram videos offer an opportunity for brands and businesses to do this to showcase their culture and style. They can help differentiate your company from its competitors.
- Great way to boost your interaction on Facebook
Videos and photos inspire the most engagement on Facebook – so will sharing your Instagram videos on there – it can be a tool smart marketers use to boost community interaction on Facebook.
So there you have it – Instagram video can help you out with just about anything! We hope that this Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of Instagram for Business – and that these posts have helped answer any questions you may have as well as increasing your knowledge about Instagram.
Happy Instagramming folks!
Be social…share your favourite Instagram accounts with us. We'll share on our Facebook Page to inspire.


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an excerpt from the article...
Dan Perkins & Adam Ryder
"Alone in the Woods," Dan Perkins's show at Hamiltonian Gallery, takes its name from its largest canvas, in which a rising sun glows over a lake its rays have painted yellow. Nine smaller pictures are vignettes of nature, with heightened, slightly artificial colors. These oils intensify 19th-century landscape painting with the saturated hues of pop art and photorealism.
Perkins's sprin+g show at the Arlington Art Center more often depicted human-made structures in the wild, but there's always a hint of human intervention in his work. While the Baltimore-based artist doesn't place people amid the vistas, he uses tents, fences and telephone poles to frame the views, and thus set nature on a sort of stage. His recent paintings are interrupted by oblong portals, which suggest windows, lenses or digital-device screens. Perkins emphasizes painting's artificiality by making every composition a look through, and not just at, the natural world.
Does Washington's neoclassical architecture signify Athenian democracy or Roman imperialism? For Adam Ryder, it's the latter. So at Hamiltonian he's assembled actual photographs, ambiguous artifacts and a fictional organizational chart to illustrate his choice. The Brooklyn artist's "Renovatio Imperii" purportedly documents a covert group, based in D.C., that seeks to reestablish the Roman empire. It's an amusing little riff, but one that pales next to the vast corpus of existing conspiracy theories that involve Washington, let alone Rome.
Read the original review.


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The Forgotten.
The Forgotten
So many days, so many nights, so many months, that seem to fly by. Not one moment can be left at peace without having one moment thrown in your face of the imperfection that rises. One moment of this imperfection that I have been placed in which has created such a poor judgement, and harsh words that threatens a soul of not only me, but of a special love that I will have for the rest of my life. It is amazing how some people think it is ok to throw such harsh assumptions to a point where one has no way to turn anymore because you feel you are not allowed to be human. It saddens me to know that people out there have no heart, but ice instead that carries how they throw fear to some of us as if it were candy at a parade. The forgotten words of how I try, and how I will continue to try in my life seems to slip away every time someone else thinks it is ok to just always drop the weight on ones soul. Too much, too little and way too many times is enough for one person to not want that air we breath in. It is amazing how one persons bullying, or how one persons harsh battle can destroy a soul. All I can do is keep trying, "He says to himself ". I'm tired, " He Says To Himself ". So much more to express, but too little interest to actually understand. The forgotten soul of a human being and how a persons heart is real is also forgotten, or understanding would have been in place. Tired, lost, whatever, and just close the eyes. A mistake is something we will never forget, but it seems like and understanding I will never have.
The Forgotten.
As I share my thoughts, I want to hear yours. As I open up, I want to know you. I am Charlie Rivero.
February 2015


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Saturday, April 26, 2014
Pretty Pink Posh's Sequin Shaker Blog Hop: Vitamin C
61 comments:
Fabulous project, Amy!!!ReplyDelete
Another "hot" card, Amy, again I love the use of the sequins! Have a fun Saturday! I am up early so I can get a lot of crafting done...it is going to hit 90 here today...way to hot for April!ReplyDelete
Love love love love this!! LOVING the coffee cup and the bag-o-sequins!!!!!ReplyDelete
So fun and so Amy!ReplyDelete
Super cute shaker Amy. Love the coffee cup! Yum!ReplyDelete
I just LOVE your card Amy!!! LOVE the colors and papers and LOVE that shaker!!!ReplyDelete
Ha ha, vitamin C, love it! Love your card, Amy!!ReplyDelete
Jejeje Your card is great! I also "take" that vitamin...ReplyDelete
Love your card and your Vitamin C;) I hope you have a wonderful weekend, my dear!ReplyDelete
You know I love this card... and please tell your soon-to-be inspired blogger that you set the bar far too high and that she can be an occasionaly blogger and that's okay too!ReplyDelete
Very nice card.ReplyDelete
Your cards always make me smile Amy!ReplyDelete
Wish my coffee cup with that cute!!
Amazing card Amy! Your take on the vitamin C is the best! Also a I love how you worked all the challenges in! Happy Saturday!ReplyDelete
Great patterns and colors on this coffee card Amy Love the little tag!ReplyDelete
What a fun idea for a shaker card, Amy! Love it!ReplyDelete
This ROCKS, Miss Lady!! :)ReplyDelete
I love your card! Love the colors, the design, the coffee theme and the little pocket you created for your sequin shaker...soooo cute!ReplyDelete
OMG, I love anything with coffee on it and this card is simply divine! Love it!ReplyDelete
Look at you going for all those fun challenges AND with a super [coffee] FUN card! Totally loving the cup :)ReplyDelete
awesome, Amy, my coffee loving friend!ReplyDelete
Super fun! I think that little, stitched edge is my favorite part :).ReplyDelete
Thanks for sharing your cute card.ReplyDelete
Crafty hugs,
{Would love to have you visit. My entries are #49 and #58 so far}
Love this card! Great colors and design!ReplyDelete
Hugs, Debbie!
Ha ha, I never heard the 'bean' called vitamin c before! Cool card xReplyDelete
fun cardReplyDelete
Sandra ltb
what a fun card.. love how you added the sequins..ReplyDelete
Great shaker card! I love how subtle it is, and I love the stitching at the top.ReplyDelete
LOVE this, Amy!!!ReplyDelete
You always have a way with patterned paper, Amy! So fun!ReplyDelete
I'm seeing so many different renditions of this shaker card. I'm loving them all!!ReplyDelete
What a fun and cool way to make a shaker card! Love the cute coffee cup and the fun colors and papers you used! HugsReplyDelete
Fun card! Love the vellum with the sequins. I can't wait to make my first shaker card.ReplyDelete
Well of course you needed to make a coffee inspired shaker! LOVE the clever "Vitamin C" tag...took me a while to catch on! ;)ReplyDelete
Love this fabulous card!!ReplyDelete
Great card!!ReplyDelete
how fun to use a glassine bag for your shaker! this is adorable! :)ReplyDelete
cute card! love the sequins in the bag. fun!ReplyDelete
Sequin-istas, oh my! Love your "Vitamin C" card, the bag (AWESOME IDEA) full of gold and silver goodness, and the graphic papers you used. Your card is like a dose of caffeine, in and of itself!ReplyDelete
You know I love this card...if it has to do with coffee, it's hard for me not to love it! ;)ReplyDelete
So thrilled to have you as part of the very first Pretty Pink Posh blog hop! Thank you for participating and for sharing your beautiful creation!
Fantastically fun card. Love the gold hearts.ReplyDelete
I am totally diggin' those kooky red stripes and the pops of pattern *and* that awesome coffee cup!! Such a cool card Amy!! Love the added sequin goodies too! Thanks so much for playing to find a Cure For The Monday Blues!ReplyDelete
Fabulous card. Great paper choices. TFSReplyDelete
Very cute. Love the papers.ReplyDelete
Vitamin "C"...haha, that is so cute! This is such a fun card, Amy! Love the papers and love the paper pieced coffee cup. And that glassine bag sequin shaker is just fabulous!ReplyDelete
Great card! Love the papers, and the fun tag on your coffee cup :)ReplyDelete
On my fifth cup...this card is so me. lol! I just love it!ReplyDelete
This is so cute, I love the glassine bags with the shaker lookReplyDelete
Love the strips and polka dots!ReplyDelete
What an Awesome Shaker Amy! Oh love the glassine bag for your shaker :)ReplyDelete
Your shaker card is not only so cute, Amy, I love that you made it work for other challenges, too!! Way to go!! Hugs, DarnellReplyDelete
Nice cup for sure. :)ReplyDelete
I love this card! I am a committed coffee drinker :-) I love the Glassline envelope as the shaker. That's what I used on my card too. Great sentiment!ReplyDelete
Great coffee theme and just love the use of the bag.ReplyDelete
Well, speaking of someone who blogs with scissors in one hand and coffee in the other, L-O-V-E the card! The shaker envelope is great, and obviously we need to tell Paulina to find coffee bean sequins...LOLReplyDelete
Here is to coffee! May it be the perfect temperature, nicely balanced and ready to start a crafting journey. Marvelous sequin shaker. Cheers!ReplyDelete
Amy, I'm always inspired by YOU... what a compliment that you were inspired by me! <3 Love the way this turned out.ReplyDelete
Amy, look at your comments..tons, because your card is awesome! Thank you for joining us at YNS!ReplyDelete
HEY! I was still commenting! :) I was just going to say it took me a minute to get the whole vitamin C thing- duh!ReplyDelete
I. Love. This. Card. Ooodles and oodles. Seriously...love it!! Vitamin C = oh yes...Hugs~cReplyDelete


text:
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Do contact us if you would like to enquire if your product is eligible for refund or exchange.
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I am delighted to report that 2016 was a very good year for BB. I will report on the cricket later in this Letter. As usual it is my great pleasure to be able to thank all those who have contributed to the running of BB and I am extremely grateful to the members of the Benevolent Board and all our Match Managers for their efforts on behalf of us all. Their efforts have certainly made our Club one which still attracts good players and nice people – as happily has been the case throughout our long history.
A major innovation this year was the new and highly successful match at Torry Hill between two teams of Brethren. Brother Rose Kingsdown very kindly allowed us to play the game at Torry Hill and despite rather indifferent weather a large gathering of Brethren, past and present, witnessed a good game of cricket with a jazz band playing in a small tent in the outfield, a delicious barbecue lunch and the chance walk round her lovely gardens or swim. We will repeat the game this year and all Brethren who have given us their e-mail address will be invited to attend and I would love to see even more Brethren there this year. We are very fortunate to be able to play matches at Torry Hill and also at Belmont where the Trustees also make us very welcome.
Brother Rose, after her highly successful year as President of Kent CCC, was invited to continue into an unprecedented second term last season and she did so with unflagging charm and enthusiasm. She will now be succeeded as Kent's President by Brother Charles Rowe who played for Kent - and of course for BB - for many years. I know that all Brethren will be delighted at this. It is further excellent news that Brother Matthew Fleming has become the President of MCC.
Our prominence in the high offices of cricket should in no way diminish the successes of our playing Brethren. We had an excellent season (played 19, won 10, drawn 2, lost 6 tied 1) both in terms of the cricket played and the enjoyment had by those who played for, and against, the Club. Six matches were cancelled, three because of bad weather, two because our opponents failed to raise a team and one, regrettably, was our fault. The steps we took last winter to improve the match management of our teams paid dividends and as a result far fewer games were called off at the last minute. We will continue to do all we can to encourage excellent match management and thus hope to avoid the scourge of cancellations which sadly is more commonplace in cricket than I can ever recall. The continuing success of our cricket has been due in no small way to the enormous and infectious enthusiasm of our Hon. Match Secretary, Alex Norwood Hill. We owe him a continuing vote of thanks for all he does. The task is considerable but happily he carries out his many responsibilities with evident pleasure. In a year of good cricket one of the highlights was that rare bird, a tied match (241 apiece) against Tonbridge School.
Among some excellent individual performances during the season were hundreds from Marcus Pyke, Finn Hulbert and Mike Churchill. Piers Richardson bowled very well on many occasions including a haul of 5-23 in the inter-club game at Torry Hill.
Junior BB
I was delighted that BB had such an excellent season, but I was particularly pleased to see how well Junior BB is doing under the energetic management of Brother Mark
Pettman. This year he expanded our fixture list from four to eight matches, and we won the first seven before losing the last match, a 20/20 game against the Brethren. It was splendid to see how 2015's crop of inexperienced young players matured as cricketers and this season they played some marvellous cricket in exactly the right spirit. They all enjoyed their matches and getting to know their opponents. Brother Mark carried out his role magnificently – and he would be the first to say how much we owe to the parents of many of the boys. They do a lot of fetching and carrying and with Mark they give the boys great support.
This year we were able to take advantage of a kind offer from Kent CCC. In previous years we have seen declining attendances in our Tunbridge Wells tent –and the Kent CCC were experiencing similar problems. For a relatively small sum we were offered the chance to share their tent and we did so on an experimental basis. There was an irritating day when we found that all our food had already been consumed but apart from that it all worked well. Having received the appropriate assurances we will continue with this arrangement because we were able to put the savings we made into BB cricket and as a direct result we were able to cover the costs of our inter-club match at Torry Hill. There are worrying developments at Canterbury so far as our tent is concerned. The ECB seems determined to hold one day county cricket in July and August and there is to be no Championship game in August this year. Instead, Kent will have a three-day match against the West Indies and, assuming that we receive the appropriate assurances from Kent CCC, our tent at Canterbury will be in its traditional place and full of Brethren having their usual wonderful time on Sunday 6th, Monday 7th, and Tuesday 8th August. The Canterbury tent was much enjoyed by those who were present and the whole exercise was, as usual, managed very stylishly by Brother Peter Canney.
We thoroughly enjoyed our annual golf matches against, chronologically, Chislehurst, Rye and Royal St George's GCs. Our thanks are due to each of them for their hospitality and the warmth of their welcome to us. We also took part in the Quadrangular match against MCC, the XL Club and the Gloucester Gypsies at the Berkshire GC. It pains me to report that we came second in all of the matches except the Quadrangular match where we came fourth. We need to do better!
Changes to the Benevolent Board
After nine years of excellent work as our Hon. Secretary, StJohn Brown has decided that the time has arrived for him to stand down. He has looked after the affairs of BB diligently and has helped to move BB calmly into the 21st Century. I have been enormously grateful for his support and am delighted that he has accepted my offer that he should become an Honorary Life Member in appreciation of all he has done.
We are indeed fortunate that Anthony Fincham has agreed to become our new Honorary Secretary and I am greatly looking forward to working with him. He is a senior lawyer in the City of London and in his pomp was a fast bowler who, though narrowly missing his blue, once took four wickets for forty-odd for Oxford University against Glamorgan. I know that we will be in safe hands.
Tom Boucher has also joined the Benevolent Board as the Keeper of the Website. He has developed our new website and I am grateful for all he has done so far. Without doubt the running of BB will benefit greatly from the new technology and this will be a great help to all of us - the playing members in particular.
Communications with Brethren
Being able to send much of our literature by e-mail saves the Club a lot of money each year. If all of this year's mailing has come to you by post it means we do not have your e-mail address. If you are now prepared to help us by agreeing to receive our annual communications by e-mail and that you will be happy for us to e-mail you infrequently (on BB matters only) it would be very much appreciated. Just send an e-mail to me at email@example.com and we will do the rest. Those who are more set in their ways and prefer to continue to receive our annual communication by post should do nothing and things will continue as usual.
The Club has an acceptable level of financial resources for its current level of activities. We need to continue to run a balanced budget, so we need to be judicious as to how we spend going forward. Our policy is to support the playing side of the Club in particular and make playing for BB as attractive as possible.
Up to date, the following have accepted my invitation to appointment:
Honorary Life Member: A. StJ. Brown
Playing Members: T.W. Davey E. Dickinson M.P. Hickson
F. Hulbert F.T. Hulbert D. Lock
C. McLean W.C.O. Meredith A. Newport
H.R.F. Law H. Ward T.J. Whyte
Social Members: The Lord Colgrain H.M. Fenwick
In closing this letter I can say that I believe that BB is in a good place at present although club cricket has a very distinct problem insofar as many cricketers stop playing the game before reaching 30 - a far younger age than previously. BB is taking steps to ensure that our playing membership holds up well and that we continue to attract new members who will fit well into our traditional environment.
I hope that all Brethren will continue to take an active interest in the affairs of BB and I look forward to seeing many of you on the boundary in 2017.
Tony Monteuuis,


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Our Story
The company's founder, Jullian Preston-Powers, lost a friend to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) after a motorbike accident in Greece. Doctors told Jullian that had his friend's brain not swollen and had recovery been faster, he might well have survived.
The experience moved Jullian into action. He found out that most existing helmets use EPS foam inner linings to absorb the impact and that 87% of all deaths in accidents occur while wearing protective headgear. In other words, passive protective headgear is not working at a fundamental level.
Since then Halo® has spent $3.5 million to create the strongest, most technically advanced helmet in the world. With a highly experienced management team and advisory group including industry experts, plans are in place to introduce a range of high-tech helmets and branded kit that focuses on the safety and comfort of the rider.


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Barn Venues
The Lazy J is available for rental for any type of event, from 1-250 guests, any day of the week. Daytime and evening events may be planned and held inside either one of the fully furnished barns, as well as on the grounds.
The Lazy J ranch hands will be available from the time of your arrival to the time of your departure to smoothly handle every detail and ensure a relaxing and memorable experience for everyone.
Please Note: Special Rental Rates Apply For Weddings.
RANCH GROUNDSOne visit to our ranch and we know you will agree that The Lazy J Ranch is truly a one-of-a-kind facility in which to host any kind of event. Our uniqueness extends to our style of entertainment and the design of our evening long program.
Situated on 30 acres in the beautiful farming area of Milford, Michigan, the Lazy J offers 2 charming barns in which to host your special occasion. Our great location in a beautiful country setting complete with down-home atmosphere and entertainment will create a memorable experience that will distinguish your event from all the rest.
TURN OF THE CENTURY BARNOur two-story barn was built at the turn of the century and provides a wonderful old-fashioned atmosphere. Originally built by an Amish family in 1904 as a dairy barn, this gambrel style barn has been restored and converted into two separate halls, an upper level named the "Hayloft Barn" and a lower level named the "Dairy Barn". Both feature natural lighting and finished flooring. Inside the barn, you will find old world charm as the original hand hewn beams and logs are still intact.
The 2100 square foot upper level with 30 foot ceiling, originally the hayloft, was built to store hay and farm equipment. This level includes the original grainary, which has now been converted into restrooms. The upper level will accommodate up to 100 guests.
The Hayloft Barn is available at the price of $2500 (both barns are available for $3500)
BRIDAL SUITEOur Bridal Suite is available to the bride thirty minutes prior to the wedding. Finished knotty pine planks line the walls of this comfortable and cozy suite, where you can relax with plenty of seating and air conditioning.
WILD WEST BARNIn 1999, a second barn was built to accommodate large groups of up to 250 guests on one level. Finished knotty pine planks line the walls of this 3500 square foot barn with a 25 foot high cedar ceiling, lending a charming feel to any event held here. The Wild West barn is available at the price of $2,500 (both barns are available for $3,500)
- Rental Rates listed above include up to four hours of rental time; additional hours may be purchased at the rate of $350 per hour
- Catering Services are available at additional rates
- Private entertainment may be hired
DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTSA $1000 deposit is required to book all Special Events.
All deposits are considered non-refundable and non-transferable.
If you cancel the event and we are able to fill your date with another booking then we will refund your deposit.
Deposit Checks Payable to:
Joe Schultheis
Mail to:
Milford Travel, Inc.
653 Highland Avenue
Milford, MI 48381-1519


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The not-asking
When you ask her
where her shoes are,
she tells you finally,
that she's outgrown
them all.
Turns out she's been wearing her
battered, torn snowboots to class
for two months, maybe three.
She's been wearing them
all the time, whatever the weather.
When you ask her why
she didn't tell you sooner
that she had no shoes, she says
I know we don't have enough money this month.
But shoes, you sputter. Shoes.
Don't feel bad about needing shoes.
You can't ever feel bad about
needing shoes.
But of course she can. And she does.
She has seen you skip dinner.
She has slept in your bed when
the oil tank was empty.
She doesn't want to talk about it.
You wish you could wrap
your arms around her bony shoulders
and take it all back.
Too bad you don't know anymore
what that all would be, the magic
all that would change everything.
You need the all that will fill what's
empty and empty what's too full.
I get that from you, she says.
The not-asking, she means.
I don't always know how to ask for help.
She glances at you, untangling
your expression. You, her confounding
comical cross, her absurd blessing,
you who eat, breathe and sleep worry,
you with more frets than her yellow ukelele.


text:
Within the last decade – researchers have discovered that not only is vitamin D important to your bone health, but as a hormone it regulates of muscle health (including both skeletal and heart muscle), immune response, insulin and blood sugar, and regulation of calcium and phosphorus metabolism. With so much research pointing toward the importance of vitamin D for our overall health, this newsletter article from the Harvard Medical School caught our eye.
According to 2011 National Center for Health Data statistics, almost one in three Americans has vitamin D blood levels below 20 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml), the threshold that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) says is needed for good bone health. Some experts say even higher levels are needed. Figuring out all the factors that can affect a person's vitamin D levels is complicated. You can get the vitamin from food (mainly because it's been added; few foods are natural sources of vitamin D) and by taking supplements (many doctors recommend taking 800 IU of vitamin D3 a day).
But vitamin D is also produced by the body in a complex process that starts when rays in the invisible ultraviolet B (UVB) part of the light spectrum are absorbed by the skin. The liver, and then the kidneys, are involved in the steps that eventually result in a bioavailable form of the vitamin that the body can use.
A review paper about the many factors influencing a person's vitamin D levels appeared in 2011 in Acta Dermato-Venerologica, a Swedish medical journal. Here are nine interesting factors identified in the paper:
1. The latitude where you live. At higher latitudes, the amount of vitamin D–producing UVB light reaching the earth's surface goes down in the winter because of the low angle of the sun. In Boston, for example, little if any of the vitamin is produced in people's skin tissue from November through February. Short days and clothing that covers legs and arms also limit UVB exposure.
2. The air pollution where you live. Carbon particulates in the air from the burning of fossil fuels, wood, and other materials scatter and absorb UVB rays. Ozone absorbs UVB radiation, so holes in the ozone layer could be a pollution problem that winds up enhancing vitamin D levels.
3. Your use of sunscreen — in theory. Sunscreen prevents sunburn by blocking UVB light, so theoretically, sunscreen use lowers vitamin D levels. But as a practical matter, very few people put on enough sunscreen to block all UVB light, or they use sunscreen irregularly, so sunscreen's effects on our vitamin D levels might not be that important. An Australian study that's often cited showed no difference in vitamin D between adults randomly assigned to use sunscreen one summer and those assigned a placebo cream.
4. The color of your skin. Melanin is the substance in skin that makes it dark. It "competes" for UVB with the substance in the skin that kick-starts the body's vitamin D production. As a result, dark-skinned people tend to require more UVB exposure than light-skinned people to generate the same amount of vitamin D.
5. The temperature of your skin. Warm skin is a more efficient producer of vitamin D than cool skin. So, on a sunny, hot summer day, you'll make more vitamin D than on a cool one.
6. Your weight. Fat tissue sops up vitamin D, so it's been proposed that it might be a vitamin D rainy-day fund: a source of the vitamin when intake is low or production is reduced. But studies have also shown that being obese is correlated with low vitamin D levels and that being overweight may affect the bioavailability of vitamin D.
7. Your age. Compared with younger people, older people have lower levels of the substance in the skin that UVB light converts into the vitamin D precursor, and there's experimental evidence that older people are less efficient vitamin D producers than younger people. Yet the National Center for Health Statistics data on vitamin D levels fly in the face of the conventional wisdom that vitamin D inadequacy is a big problem among older people. They don't show a major drop-off in levels between middle-aged people and older folks.
8. The health of your gut. The vitamin D that is consumed in food or as a supplement is absorbed in the part of the small intestine immediately downstream from the stomach. Stomach juices, pancreatic secretions, bile from the liver, the integrity of the wall of the intestine — they all have some influence on how much of the vitamin is absorbed. Therefore, conditions that affect the gut and digestion, like celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, and cystic fibrosis, can reduce vitamin D absorption.
9. The health of your liver and kidneys. Some types of liver disease can reduce absorption of vitamin D because the ailing liver isn't producing normal amounts of bile. With other types, steps essential to vitamin D metabolism can't occur — or occur incompletely. Levels of the bioactive form of vitamin D tend to track with the health of the kidneys, so in someone with kidney disease, bioactive vitamin D levels decrease as the disease gets worse, and in end-stage kidney disease, the level is undetectable.
What are the best natural sources of vitamin D? Besides sunshine, salmon, sardine and shrimp… read on