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Rewind to the beginning
Stacy Davis
(Previously published July 5, 2010)
The much anticipated weekend was before me. April 23-25th. A weekend that had materialized from over a year of prayer and waiting on the Lord. I drove to the AmishView Inn and Suites in Lancaster, PA with such anticipation and expectancy flowing through me at how God was going to move in our hearts this weekend. Over 100 Calvary Chapel women and friends would be joining us within hours, pouring through the doors of the hotel for a weekend of Bible teaching, fellowship, quiet time, fun and overall relaxation.
Two nights and three days of retreating from the daily pulls on our time and being able to sit, undisturbed in the presence of God. And we were being blessed beyond measure this year as Debbi Bryson, from Calvary Chapel Vista (in California) was joining us as our main teacher. Truly a feast was going to be set before us from the hand and heart of God. "Founded on the Rock" was our theme for the weekend taken from Luke 6:46-49 about a life that is strong in the Lord, standing immoveable on the rock of Jesus Christ, able to withstand the storms that come quickly into our lives rattling and shaking us and ultimately testing our faith in Jesus Christ.
As the Women's Ministry Coordinator at our church, God has given me the awesome privilege of planning our annual women's retreat, really of being His hands and feet as He lays forth His plans. Back in the late summer and early fall, God had spoken to my heart the theme for the coming retreat. I watched in awe as one by one, throughout the year, God put each piece of the retreat together and joined the hearts of the women together under these verses. So many women were in the midst of major trials and testings. Marriages were being tested, diseases/illnesses were prevalent, death, heartache, financial pressures, lies that were destroying relationships, lonliness, depression, wayward children.....the list continued and we can all fill in the blank to our pain and trials. Little did I know that at this retreat, one of the biggest storms in my life was about to descend. God knew, as He knows the end from the beginning. And for a year He had these verses pouring over and over my heart.
"He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock." Luke 6:48
The women began arriving Friday evening. I was to teach the first session that evening and give the ladies the "big picture" if you will on those verses: "Come, Hear, Do." I've never thought myself as being a teacher of anything so there is a lot of irony in the fact that God has called me to teach not only the women in our body, but my children in our home. I think it is God's way of continually telling me that it is His work and not mine. What my mind can fathom, His is so much greater.
I was so immersed in my the love of my Savior that weekend and in the lives of each of these women. I felt their hurts to the deepest part of my heart and carried them to the throne of our Lord. This is where God met me on Saturday morning: my eyes set on Him and my heart set on all the women around me.
I woke up Saturday morning, and spent some time with the Lord and then hurried in the shower wanting to quickly get down to breakfast and be settled before the morning sessions began. As I do every day, I shaved under my arms and as the palm of my hand holding the razor brushed over the top of my right breast, I immediately felt a lump slide under my hand.
Now I must digress for just a moment. I don't do monthly breast exams. I know the general composition of my breasts and I'm speaking here to all you breastfeeding mommies....the truth as we all know it is that the perky breasts of our early 20's change quite drastically as we birth children and breastfeed. And the more children you have, the more you breastfeed, the more those breasts become shall I say, deflated! :) After birthing and breastfeeding 6 babies (4 of which for over a year), I am quite defalted on top and the breast tissue is super thin! Oh, I wouldn't trade a second of those last 12 child bearing years to have perky breasts again. It was all worth it. But I don't have much that needs examining. That of course, is no excuse. I am now a 100% advocate of self-breast exams. And so I say to all you women reading..... know your boobies women and know them well.
Now picking up in the shower........as my hand slipped over this lump. I was a bit startled. I then went on to examine the whole breast and found a rather large lump on the top of my right breast. Being a women who in the past (like almost 30 years...) was prone to worry and fearing the unknown.....I tell you it was all but a miracle that not an ounce of worry entered into my thinking process. This is truly the Holy Spirit working inside of me and freeing me from this sin. I can say with assurity that there is victory in Jesus. I remember the thought going through my head, "hummm, this need to be watched closely and looked at when I get home." And literally I moved on. Thought gone, lump out of my mind and on with the work of the ministry.
I was rooming with my dearest and longtime friend, Beth and I didn't even mention it to her, or to my husband later on the phone.
The weekend came to a close. God had done more than we could ever had imagined in the lives of so many and I was tired, but rejoicing in His goodness and love. The lump was a distant memory until Tuesday night.
I was home and packing to go to visit relatives and see my sister, Heather, in the NY area for 5 days. As I sat on the edge of the bed talking with my husband, I remembered the lump. I shared the finding with my husband, who then confirmed that it was present and palpable. We both agreed that I need to get it checked out through radiology as soon as I returned from NY. As my husband worries about next to nothing, He assured me that he thought it wasn't anything. I wasn't quite so sure.
Fast forward.....Friday, May 7th, I'm scheduled for diagnostic mammogram and then ultrasound, if needed. Since the age of 35, my ob/gynecologist has given me a radiology script to have a baseline mammogram done. Well, at 35, I was still nursing so upon turning 36, he told me, "get a mammogram!" I didn't, deeming it not really high on the priority list and never even thinking that breast cancer would be a part of my life, as it didn't really run in our family. Well, now at age 37, and turning 38 in 5 days, with this script in hand I went to the appointment. I wasn't really worried. I didn't have anyone come with me. As I sat in the parking lot before entering the building, the thought of breast cancer began to creep into my thought process. I quietly prayed asking God to go before me and be my strength. I went in for the mammogram and my technician was just lovely and gentle. She had such a sweet spirit and we laughed together, despite the awkward moments and I'm sure, her seeing things on the screen that caused her concern.
She finished the scan and lead me quietly into the back waiting room and telling me I would need an ultrasound. My heart began beating a little faster. I remember pulling out a book that I had put in my purse on "Principles of Leadership for Women" by Gail Mays. I remember reading over and over the words "a leader fit for the Master's use."
"But what I can promise is that God never wastes your pain. He will use every trial to make you more prepared and fit for the Master's use."
"Remember you're simply a clay pot chosen by the Master to be used. It's not the container people should notice but rather what's inside the container!"
"Have you forgotten what prayer can accomplish? I'm so thankful that early on in ministry the example was set for me to make prayer my first response."
And as I let these words work through me, I was called into the next examining room. I laid on the ultrasound table with my eyes set straight up just praying. I laid as the technician took hold of a ruler, laying it across the top of my breast and moving the wand around the area in question. And then she told me to get dressed and she'd be back in a minute. They were long minutes. I didn't have a watch on and there was no clock in the room, but the minutes seemed like hours. I knew in my heart something was wrong. In walked a gentleman, the technician and another woman. The radiologist pulled his seat up next to me and said, "you have two masses in your right breast. We don't know what they are. They have characteristics of cancer and they have characteristics of fibroids. The only way to know for sure is to have them biopsied. Do you have any questions?" There were not assurances, no hands extended of hope. Just the unknown.
To say that the peace of the Lord was upon me is an understatement. His supernatural strength flooded through me. I looked at the radiologist and said, "ok, let's go to the next step." And as the radiologist and technician left the room. There across from me sat a young woman, probably about my age, who pulled her chair up close to me, leaned in and introduced herself. Her name was Cindy and she was my new breast care coordinator, a nurse, who would be walking the intimate steps with me until the end. A woman, who shared with me that just a couple weeks ago, she had to walk these very same steps herself. All turned out well for her. Her masses were benign. But she had such a heart of compassion. There was tenderness in her eyes. And I looked at this woman I said, "God knows. Let's do what we have to do."
She lead me to another room where she proceeded to talk me through what I could expect in the coming week. I would need to meet with a breast surgeon and would have a needle biopsy done in her office, as the mass was large enough to be done without ultrasound guidance. Her job, was to take care of all of the details and make sure I was ok as we went through the process. I broke down for a couple minutes as the magnitude and possibilities began to overwhelm me. It was a bit surreal.
Out to the sunshine I went. I remember it vividly from when I received my son's diagnosis just 8 years previous.....your world begins to come "unglued" if you will, but life around you continues untouched. Or does it?? Is it just that we become consumed with ourselves and don't stop to take notice of those hurting around us? My face was tear streaked, my heart was heavy as I got into the car to drive home.
It was another moment in my life where I knew in my heart of hearts, that my course was being changed. The winds were picking up, the storm was on the horizon....and I needed to stay the course hand in hand with my Savior, trusting Him to light the path.....
Much love,


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Koowheel launched it's latest hoverboard
Koowheel K8—Your choice of Hoverboard
•The sooner you choose K8, the more money you will make;
•As smart balance wheel hoveboard K8 will become the new hot-sell item.
What is going on with the Hoverboard Market?
•The Chic version has been on the Market for over 2 years, people are looking for new models;
•Yet,they don't have much choices;
•Prices are just keep going down , as the quality standard is also going down;
•Hoverboard Manufacturers are making no money from the Cheap models, no money, no new models;
•Koowheel off road hoverboard K8 is going to change the Market.
What Makes Koowheel K8 different-Design?
•K8 designed in Milan,it's originally EU market customized;
•Hidden Handle design, easily carried;
•Off road wheel design , easily catch eyes among the average models;
•Slim and light weight;
•Green lines on Pedal.
What Makes Koowheel K8 different- Quality?
•Koowheel don't make low quality products;
•K8 remains the Top quality standard;
•Use only the Top suppliers for PCB, Motor, Charger;
•The most reliable 24V 6.5inch hoverboard;
•Battery meets all safety standards;
•Lowest defective rate.
What Makes Koowheel K8 different- Price?
•A 6.5 hoverboard with New exclusive classy Milan-design;
•With guaranteed quality;
•With lowest defective rate;
•It's also with the lowest price possible;
•It's only.
Why Now ?
•The cheap low quality hoverboard is destroying the market;
•In the same time, potential risks is getting higher;
•People are looking for new designs that excites them;
•Holiday season is approaching;
•Koowheel wants to raise the safety standard;
•Koowheel has the design capability which no one else does.
Why Cheap ?
•Koowheel want to raise the safety standard of the hoverboard market;
•We beat the low quality hoverbaord not only by design, quality;
•Most importantly by Price;
•Purify the market by Price;
•Koowheel K8 is not only good, it also cheaper.
Post time: Jul-21-2017

subset: commoncrawl


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Join Our Winning Team in Dickson, TN!
Alexander Chevrolet Buick GMC is always looking to add new talent to our roster of excellent, knowledgeable sales men and women. We have the highest standards and expectations for our employees so that we can continue our decades of excellence in the Nashville area. We couldn't be a trusted dealership in the region if not for our dedicated, hardworking team.
Do You Have What It Takes to Join Our Team?
The members of our team are deeply knowledgeable about past and current Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles. We have decades of combined experience on our team, and we expect our potential employees to demonstrate their knowledge. Our staff is incredibly personable, and you can expect each employee to treat each customer with the same respect and decency. Potential employees should exhibit the ability to accurately represent our vehicles with intricate attention to detail. Any potential employee should also display a positive, enthusiastic attitude. Alexander employees maintain a positive welcoming attitude every day they come to work. Customers can expect to be greeted with a smile and a handshake.
Apply for an Automotive Position at Alexander Chevrolet Buick GMC today!
One visit to our dealership will show you just how dedicated we are to maintaining our reputation as one of the best Chevy Buick GMC dealerships in the state. If all this sounds appealing to you, contact us today! We look forward to hearing from you!


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To remove bad odors from sandals, use baking soda sprinkled on the soles, put pantyhose filled with cat litter into the sandals to absorb even more odor, and spray the sandals with shoe deodorizing spray after wearing them. Leave them outside to dry when they are damp.
- Use baking soda
Sprinkle fresh baking soda over the soles of the sandals, and leave it there overnight. After the baking soda has remained in place for several hours, shake it out of the sandals. Rub any remaining baking soda out of the sandals with a clean cloth.
- Place kitty litter inside the sandals
Fill small bags made from old pantyhose legs with clean kitty litter. Put the bags in the sandals, and leave them overnight. Remove the kitty litter bags the next morning.
- Spray the sandals with deodorizer
Select an effective shoe deodorizing spray, and spray the sandals with it every time you wear them.
- Dry the sandals thoroughly
Whenever the sandals are damp, either from wear or from wet weather, dry them thoroughly outside in a warm area out of direct sunlight. Dry completely before wearing the sandals again.
- Repeat regularly
Repeat the deodorizing steps with baking soda and kitty litter regularly, if not every time you wear the sandals.


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There's lots going on at Camp Thom Dunn (is there ever not?); and so, I interrupt your regularly scheduled weird nerd pop culture discoveries & progressive political rantings to, ya know, talk about myself for a minute.
- As previously mentioned, my play True Believers is now available for purchase through Indie Theater Now, and you should totally go buy it, because it only costs $1.29, so why the hell not? (I'm also considering making the script available through Amazon's self-publishing portal, if there's demand for it, even though I do have some ethical issues with Amazon as a company. But dammit if they're not cheap and convenient)
- I will be returning to rock the Mortified Boston Christmas show on Friday, December 19 at Oberon in Harvard Square. Tickets are $15 and they're going fast, so hurry up if you want to see me play some really, really, really bad and embarrassing songs I wrote in high school! Which obviously you do.
- My words will grace the stage for the third consecutive year in the Boston One-Minute Play Festival (#OMPF). The festival is the brainchild of Dominic D'Andrea, who produces these little bursts in most major cities across the country. It's a fun night — as writers, we're not really given any prompts other than "60 seconds, one page, MAX," so it's neat to see what kind of thematic patterns emerge through that. It's a neat way to gauge the temperature of a city, and the topics that consume its collective consciousness. My two scripts will be directed by Stephanie LeBolt and Hatem Adell, and they'll be performed on Monday and Tuesday, January 5 & 6, at Boston Playwrights Theater.
- I'm also excited to announce that I'll be featured on a whole bunch of panels this year at Arisia, Boston's largest and most diverse science fiction & fantasy convention, January 17 — 20 at the Westin Boston Waterfront. Here's where you can find me (when I'm not at the bar or in bed, I mean):
- Neurodiversity in SF/F — Saturday @ 11:30am in Marina 2
- DC Comics on the Small Screen — Saturday @ 5:30pm in Marina 2
- Behind the Bristol boards: Comics as Profession — Saturday @ 7pm in Marina 4
- We Know (Philip K.) Dick — Sunday @ 10am in Marina 2
- Superman & Religion — Sunday @ 11:30am in Burroughs
- Story Autopsy — Sunday @ 2:30pm in Alcott
- The Medium & The Message — Sunday @ 5:30pm in Hale
- Writing & Racial Identity — Monday @ 1pm in Hale
- AND SPEAKING OF COMICS! I have 2 more comics coming out through Grayhaven Press — one is a story in their Science Fiction anthology, and the other is a super villain story featured in their "You Are Not Alone" anti-bullying anthology. Both comics will feature art by my buddy Dave Ganjamie, and he and I particularly pumped to actually have some comics going on, after talking about it for the last couple of years. I'm not sure when these comics will actually be published, as I'm currently working on the scripts, but of course, and let you know and link to 'em when they are.
Oh yeah, and then after all that stuff's done, I'm getting married, but ya know, that's a minor event.


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2017 Vignes de Bila-Haut Rouge, Roussillon
This classic, generous Southern French blend offers flavours of black cherry, redcurrant and wild strawberry compote.
"The 2017 M. Chapoutier, Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Rouge is the red counterpart to our first wine but maybe you'd twigged that already. Made from Syrah and Grenache Noir with just a splash of Carignan, it's a glorious deep red and full of ripe bramble fruit on nose and palate. It's succulent, soft and ripe with the silkiness of the Grenache and the robustness of the Syrah combining perfectly with the freshness and slight earthiness of the Carignan. If you want a wine to help see in the winter whilst reminding you of late summer, this is it." - Jonathan Ray, The Spectator
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The Chapoutier family motto 'Fac et Spera' – do and hope – sums up their patient and daring approach to winemaking. Michel Chapoutier's distant ancestor Polydor Chapoutier first bought vines in the Rhône Valley in 1808, and today history and tradition abound at this vast estate that stretches from Côte Rôtie in the north, to Costières de Nîmes and Luberon in the south.
The M.Chapoutier vineyards in the very best sites of the Rhône represent the quintessence of the range and with Michel at the helm since 1988, quality has been consistently very high. Michel Chapoutier's continual pursuit of great terroir took him south from the Rhône to the Roussillon in 2000, where he bought land in the village of Latour de France, known for its stony soil terraces and rich geological heritage.
On orders over £150 in value.*
Smaller orders are subject to a £7.95 charge
Please note, we will undergoing a stock check on Monday 19th August. Therefore, the earliest delivery day after this date is Wednesday 21st August. We apologies for any inconvenience caused, but it is essential we run these checks so we can deliver a great service for you.
Our specialist in-house fulfilment team pick, pack and dispatch wines to all UK addresses. Our service is fast efficient and reliable.
Most of our deliveries will arrive the next working day. Normal deliveries take place between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday. A Saturday service is available**
If you provide us with instructions, we are able to leave your wine in a safe place if you do happen to be out. Please fill out the delivery instruction upon check out.
Unfortunately we are unable to provide you with a time of delivery.
If you need your wine in a hurry we offer a next day service for orders placed before 3pm. This and other premium delivery services are available as follows:
Saturday Delivery: £19.95
Named day, Saturday delivery before midday
Diamond Service: £19.95
Next or Named day delivery, Monday to Friday only (excludes public holidays) before midday
Platinum Service: £22.95
Next or Named day delivery, Monday to Friday only (excludes public holidays) before 10am
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Please note, delivery to these areas can take up to 2 to 3 working days.
Orders under £149 in value £19.99
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Orders over £250 delivered free
If you are ordering from the Isle of Man, please call us on 01206 713560 for your delivery options.
European & Worldwide Delivery
We are able to deliver to most countries worldwide. Please contact the sales team on 01206 713560 or email [email protected] to obtain a quote.
*Normal free delivery threshold applies. If your order is under the free delivery threshold of £150, then £7.95 will be added to each premium service. Delivery rates are charged per delivery address. We are sorry, but this excludes Islands outside the Mainland UK and Northern Ireland. Please contact us on 01206 713560 or email [email protected] to obtain a quote for any destination outside Mainland UK.
Where possible, we will use the existing packaging the wine is shipped to us in from the producer. If we feel this is unfit, we will re-pack in a Mr.Wheeler branded, recyclable cardboard carton.
Inevitably there will be the occasional breakage upon transit. If your wine doesn't arrive in perfect condition, please contact our sales team on 01206 713560 or [email protected] and we will be very happy to arrange a suitable solution or straight replacement.
We are able to deliver to most countries worldwide. Please contact the sales team on 01206 713560 or email [email protected] to obtain a quote.
We hope you will enjoy every wine purchased from Mr.Wheeler
If you don't like any bottle, for whatever reason, please let us know. Faulty bottles of any description, and sound bottles returned unopened within 28 days of purchase, will be refunded without question or delay. Please contact our sales team on 01206 713560 or by [email protected] if you are not entirely happy with your purchase.


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Meet the Faces Behind Robert Kaufman Fabrics/
Vicky Fields - Customer Service Representative
Please describe your position as a Customer Service Rep. What exactly are your duties?
My position requires me to attend to the accounts of specific sales representatives in the field. We check on their orders, make changes per their requests and perform other account maintenance as required. We input the orders, ensure the order is fulfilled to the specifications outlined in the order and then finally track those orders to make certain they arrive. I also take orders that come off the phones when a retailer or other customer type calls in.
How long have you been working for Robert Kaufman?
June 8th, 1989 was my first day here. I am approaching my 21st anniversary.
WOW! You've been here a while now. Congratulations on your upcoming anniversary here. Did you start in this position or did you start somewhere else?
Well, I started as a file clerk in 1989. About 6 months later I was moved to a data entry position. After about 3-4 years I was moved to Invoicing. After about another 3-4 months I was placed in Returns and Credits. After that, I was placed in a position called "Verifier" where I would check all the orders prior to the warehouse receiving them. I would verify price, color, pieces, and addresses were all correct. From there I was moved into Customer Service where I am presently located.
You've seen to have done a lot here. Describe your daily routine in your current position.
At 7:30am, the phone system starts up and we get our first calls of the day. We begin to take orders and start to verify what we have in stock. At about this time, we start entering the data into our system. If questions come in on the phones, we answer them as quickly as possible. Our outside sales reps usually start to call in and we modify their assigend accounts to their specifications. Once this is done, we will begin to coordinate with the shipping department on orders that need to be expedited or get the status updates on previous orders already sent over.
What is your biggest challenge?
That has to be interpreting what we hear from customers who call in describing a fabric. In a perfect world, our customers would have the SKU number handy and can read it back to us. But, chances are they just have a swatch of the fabric. Sometimes the description they give us is rather limited. My job is to help them find that fabric and hopefully let them order it from us. We try to learn as much as we can about all our products, but with a library that covers 10,000 prints, it's rather tough to be able to remember all of them! But, we try!!!
What is your favorite part of your position here at Robert Kaufman Fabrics?
The people I work with day in and out. We are like a family here and I have a unique connection with so many people.
I am sure you have many fond memories working here. Tell me about one of them.
My first Christmas party here was a separate event between two buildings. But, the following year we had a party where the whole company came together. Before that we only knew people by the car they drove. Now, we had a party where we got to know everyone else. It's been great Christmas party after party since that first combined party.
Do you have any funny stories from the past?
Absolutely! A few years ago I was sitting down for lunch at the bench outside. All of sudden, we begin to hear a galloping horse coming near us. It gets louder and louder and finally we see a horse running at us. All alone! We are in an industrial part of Los Angeles! What is a horse doing here!!! Of course, we run and hide behind some cars while the horse wanders around. The best part is that the whole event was captured on security cameras. The whole office watched the video and we just couldn't help laughing at ourselves. Here are two women trying to eat lunch and all of a sudden scared off by a wild horse! What are the odds of that happening in Los Angeles?
Tell me about some of the changes you've seen in the industry over the years?
When I first started here, we sold so much bridal fabrics. We really supplied the bridal market with some amazing products. But slowly, we discovered the quilting industry and things changed. It was an incredible shift in our business and we have since become what I feel the best in creating and distributing of quilting fabrics. It is such an incredibly fascinating industry. We are fortunate enough to visit shops now and then to learn more about their business. They in turn can tell us one on one what they feel we could carry to help them sell more product. It's always an insightful visit.


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The SMD Peony Punch Coral designer collar is beautifully constructed, made of durable 100% nylon webbing, and the ribbon is woven with 100% polyester thread.
Fashion should be easy to maintain: wash our collars and leashes on delicate and lay flat to air dry.
Our Petite fashions fit dogs up to 11 lbs.
Petite collars measure 1/2 inch wide by 12 inches long. When buckled, the approximate circumference is 7.25 inches to 11 inches.
This design is only available in Petite.


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You will find Seminole to be a diverse place. Both culturally and statistically, our demographics are diverse with a consistent increase of the millennial population. What does this mean for your businesses? Simply, we have a workforce which will meet your needs and our community has the population and spending power to support your businesses.
Read More About Seminole, TexaS
Download a PDF of our 2018 Demographics Data
According to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Friday, April 24, 2017 Gaines County ranked as the 40th-fastest growing county — percentage-wise — in the United States (40 of 3,127).


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It is important to consider the developmental level of your child when explaining the death to him/her. Below are guidelines to help you understand where to begin.
Ages 2-6
Very young children may be more fussy or clingy, have changes in their eating or sleeping habits, and may fear going to sleep at night. At this age, they respond best to lots of physical comforting from you or another adult they know well.
Children are able to understand words before they can speak them well. So simple explanations can be given to preschoolers. They are least likely to understand death and may think it's temporary or reversible – that the baby will be coming back. They may also worry about the baby being buried.
Very young children often believe that their wishes or thoughts could have caused the baby to die. They may now remember all the times they felt selfish or jealous of the baby. Other events adults would not connect with the death make perfect sense to them. Having been told to always dress warmly before going outside, for example, they may think their mother forgot to do this and the baby got sick. The power of this "magical thinking" makes it important to use clear, simple explanations.
A real fear for children this age is that they might die, too, or that their parents will. You might want to reassure them that sometimes a baby stops growing before it is ready to be born. Or, that sometimes little babies' bodies stop working. But that this is not going to happen to them, or to you. You may find yourself answering the same questions about the baby's death several times. Preschoolers learn by repeating things over and over again.
Ages 6-9
School-age children usually understand that death is forever, so it may be more frightening for them. They may wish to avoid places or things they associate with someone who has died, such as the baby's room. Death may seem like an enemy that they can try to avoid or beat.
Children of this age may still develop theories that are not based on fact about why the baby died. And because conscience develops at this age, they may feel responsible. Your children are also better able to sympathize with you, now. But because they are so young, they may misjudge what they think you need They may not talk about the baby or their own feelings for fear it would make you sad. This protective burden can feel overwhelming to a young child.
Ages 10-12
Some false ideas about why death happens, and feelings of responsibility, still linger in this age range. Older children may reflect more on how death of the baby will affect the family as well as them personally. They may have strong ideas about memorial rituals for the baby. These children may be critical of the way family and friends react to your baby's death. However, they can also be very sensitive to others' needs.
Your teenager will most likely be capable of an adult understanding of death. But because they are very new to adult behavior, they may be unsure of how to respond to the death of the baby. Adolescents may also be more interested in the biological details of the baby's death and may have very strong feelings about the unfairness of death. It is normal for children to grow apart from you at this age. They may not have peers who have experienced this type of grief. It would be most helpful if someone listened to them rather than offered solutions.


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According to fairvote.org, of those eligible to vote, only about 60% end up doing so in years of presidential elections. To some that may seem like a good percentage, but in my opinion, we should continue to raise our standards.
This election is big. No matter where you stand on the presidential vote, go out there and let your voice be heard. Many people worry that due to the electoral college and historical voting patterns, our vote in California and in other states doesn't really make much of an impact. While there may be a degree of truth somewhere in there, it doesn't mean we shouldn't act on our duty as citizens to vote and share our opinions.
Even if you don't believe you can make a substantial difference with who the president ends up being, you have huge impact elsewhere. In the state of California, we have 17 propositions to vote on this election. This does not go to an electoral college. This is YOUR vote. It's your time to SHINE! When it comes to the direct effects on the wellbeing of the planet, there are no excuses! We are here as environmental activists. As ambassadors of the sea. We can force politicians to take us seriously by simply going out and voting.
In this election, we have the chance to vote YES on proposition 67 and NO on proposition 65 in order to ban plastic bags in the state of California. Finally, we are at the point where we can make big, big change. While these elections are confusing and difficult, they are worth the struggles in their potential rewards. They make us really think about our lifestyles, our ideas, and what precedents we want to set for future generations. Let us set a precedent to be ocean minded, to care for one another, and to love the world we live in.
RAISE YOUR FINS, MERMAIDS! Shine! Sparkle! Smile! VOTE!!!!!
Your voice matters to the future of the United States and to wherever else you may live. Your voice matters to us. Share your stories of what you're doing to inspire others to vote, tell us how you make our environment cleaner, what you do in order to be plastic free for the sea. Tag us on Instagram, send us SPLASHES on Facebook or through email. We want to hear from you!
Together we can be the change.
Best Fishes,
Aqua Ally


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In 2013, Rikki was living in her own place, supporting herself and her son and had just found out she was pregnant with her second child. Rikki suddenly lost her job and soon after her car broke down. With no
income, Rikki was unable to get her car fixed and she had no means of transportation to find another job. One thing lead to another and Rikki was soon evicted because she was not able to pay her bills.
Relying on others, Rikki moved with her children from place to place seven times in a period of three years, including one time having to move out of state, hoping for an opportunity for stability.
As soon as she was offered a chance, Rikki moved forward very quickly and within one month of moving into the shelter, she advanced into the newly remodeled shelter duplex. Rikki is working full-time as a CNA at a local nursing facility and has gained much respect from her supervisors. In April she will be certified as a trainer and receive a good raise.
Vincent Village has provided stable housing, in addition to supportive services that have helped Rikki to stay focused and move forward - providing encouragement and direction for each new step. She was recently nominated and received a donated car to get to and from work. It was a huge challenge using public transportation, getting her children to and from daycare while working second shift.
Rikki was able to save enough money to pay off of old utility debts and prepare herself to move into a house in the Village where she will continue to receive services through the Phase II as she presses on towards her goal of someday owning her own home


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This christmassy post was a little delayed getting out there... here it is finally!
So I didn't pick up my camera much over the holidays... if you follow me over on instagram you'll see much of what I captured was through my phone. But just before the decor came down I quickly photographed a few of my favourite little corners. They are on their last legs, but nice to have them catalogued anyhow!
This years advent calendar hung on a branch painted white.
This looked far better in the dark with all the candles lit.
Indoor christmas wreath made up of dried flowers, dried oranges, mistletoe, ivy & twigs.
Since these pictures were taken I've had a big clean through and another rearrange - which always makes me feel better. And despite a slow start to the new year (nursing my 2 poorly girls!) I think I'm finally ready for 2015.


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The road to freedom is one of the great themes of American history. The story of the Underground Railroad exemplifies the profound power of that journey. Following the lead of its famed anti-slavery preacher Henry Ward Beecher, Plymouth Church played a fundamental part in New York City's underground activity.
From the very beginnings of slavery in America, slaves escaped to freedom. They ran to the wilderness; they went to live with the ever-hospitable Indians; they slipped into cities and made their claim as free blacks. In the Revolutionary era, Puritan New England and Quaker Pennsylvania passed legislation abolishing slavery. The exodus northward, which came to be known as the Underground Railroad, began. By 1831, the term "Underground Railroad" had been coined to describe the informal, secretive network of ordinary citizens, black and white, whose safe houses offered refuge.
Although Plymouth Church was not established until 1847, just fourteen years before the start of the Civil War, it later became known locally as "the Grand Central Depot" of the Underground Railroad. Oral tradition and several published memoirs tell us that slaves seeking passage to Canada may have hidden in the tunnel-like basement beneath the church sanctuary (this space can still be visited during our public and school tours). Beecher's private stenographer, T.J. Ellinwood, quotes the Minister as claiming, "I opened Plymouth Church, though you did not know it, to hide fugitives. I took them into my own home and fed them. I piloted them, and sent them toward the North Star, which to them was the Star of Bethlehem." The Rev. Charles B. Ray, an African-American living in Manhattan and the founding editor of the Colored American newspaper, was quoted as saying, "I regularly drop off fugitives at Henry Ward Beecher's Plymouth Church in Brooklyn." Other churches in Brooklyn and Manhattan, especially Black churches, also hid escapees, but most have since moved to newer buildings. Plymouth Church is one of the few active Underground Railroad congregations in New York still housed in its original location.
Plymouth's first minister, the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, spearheaded and symbolized Plymouth's antislavery activity, but the founding members of Plymouth selected him as their pastor in no small part because they knew he would do so. He already had a record as an opponent to slavery when he made those beliefs clear in his trial sermon for Plymouth. Beecher and his peers were greatly influenced by the Second Great Awakening, a Protestant religious revival of the early 1800s, firmly committed to abolishing slavery. As a student at Amherst College, he helped found an abolitionist organization, which was promptly shut down by the faculty. At seminary in Cincinnati, he contributed to an antislavery newspaper which was mobbed and destroyed; he also patrolled the streets of that city, fully armed, when temporary special policemen were called upon to protect free blacks from threats. When he was a minister in Indianapolis, his limited preaching on the subject caused members to leave his church, but he remained active in the Underground Railroad there, as his widow, Eunice, recalled years later.
Enormous publicity surrounded one of Beecher's first antislavery acts at Plymouth Church. In 1848, 77 fugitive slaves were sold in Washington after the failure of the largest group escape attempt on the Underground Railroad. In that group were two teenage girls, the Edmondson sisters. Thanks to the fundraising efforts of people like Beecher to regain the girls' freedom, the Edmondsons galvanized public support for the abolitionist movement--and inspired Beecher's own sister, Harriet, to write Uncle Tom's Cabin.
Beecher, with his newly elevated public profile, had to be especially circumspect in harboring escaped slaves. Eventually, in 1872, he was named by The Brooklyn Eagle as an active participant in the Underground Railroad. The article claimed that Plymouth's minister helped dozens of fugitives in cooperation with a man in New York named "Napoleon." This Napoleon "had the matter of escape under his charge and whenever a slave was sent on to Mr. Beecher he, Napoleon, would fix things along the Central Railroad and see to it that the officials along the route were got into friendly disposition for the fugitive." The article does not indicate Napoleon's race, but he may well have been black, for black involvement in the Underground Railroad almost certainly exceeded that of whites.
There are believed to be many members of the Plymouth congregation who were active in the Underground Railroad. Evidence suggests that escaped slaves were hidden in the homes of several Plymouth members. The Church treasurer, S.V. White, had a small chamber in his house said to have been used to hide runaways, a room that was still in existence in the 1900s. One of the church's greatest activists in the Underground Railroad was Lewis Tappan. He is best remembered as a leader in organizing efforts to release the escaped slaves of the Amistad in 1839. Later, he helped fund the creation of Plymouth Church (his daughter, Lucy Tappan Bowen, was one of the original 21 members), but he did not join until 1856. As part of his work helping runaway slaves, he provided refuge in his home to a 15-year-old girl who escaped by pretending to be a male conductor on a New York-bound ferry.
All this was taking place in one of the most pro-slavery states of the North. Not until 1827 was slavery finally abolished in New York. Much of this attitude may be traced to the years when New York was a proprietary colony of the Duke of York, a major shareholder in the slave-trading Royal Africa Company. With his powerful influence, he instructed the governors to do everything possible to sell more slaves. After independence, the close business relations between Southern planters and New York merchants continued to enhance pro-owner sympathy.
Whatever ambivalent feelings about slavery remained in New York, they were greatly tested in 1850. That year, the country began negotiating slavery in the newly acquired territories seized during the Mexican-American War. The designation of new slaveholding states, plus the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act requiring all American citizens to assist in apprehending runaway slaves, incensed many Northerners. The work of the Underground Railroad intensified. These were the years of Plymouth Church's greatest involvement, and, by 1860, it was certainly the most famous church in America. One year later, the Civil War began, and Plymouth continued to supply material and spiritual support to a devastated country. Five brutal years later, slavery was outlawed, and Plymouth Church's role in the Underground Railroad could finally, thankfully, come to an end.
The exact statistics of the Underground Railroad--how many slaves escaped, how many free citizens aided them--will never be known. But we do know that this was a time and an undertaking in which blacks and whites came together to right a grievous wrong. It should also be said that, for the members of Plymouth Church, and for most if not all of those who took part, they did so to live out their Christian faith.
Other resources:
National Historic Landmarks: Plymouth Church
National Park Service Underground Railroad: Plymouth Church


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So many people are happy to close the door on 2016 and declaring it one of the worst years ever. Undoubtedly there have been some horrific things that have happened over the past year. People are dismayed over the results of the presidential election. Celebrities - musicians, actors and Hollywood entertainment legends seem to be dropping like crazy. There's been a lot of sadness this past year.
However, while still acknowledging the unfortunate events of 2016, there were beautiful, inspirational positive things that happened as well. There were things that made me incredibly happy. Things that made me beam. Things that made 2016 an amazing year for me personally.
I can't help but think to myself that 2016 wasn't so bad after all when I hear people grumbling. Among the things that made me happy in 2016:
My son was awarded Cadet of the Year in his Civil Air Patrol Squadron
My youngest one finished up elementary school and I permanently retired from room mom duty (this one was bittersweet)
We did a little traveling around the Midwest
I got to do my annual April visit to Wrigley Field with my Dad
I got to take my son to a Cubs game for his birthday
I got to do an overnight with just hubby and no kids downtown (the last time this happened was about a decade ago)
My middle boy graduated from junior high
I wrote the manuscript for another children's book
My oldest started his senior year of high school (also bittersweet)
We had a visit from my mother-in-law who we hadn't seen in two years
My nephew got married and all 7 of us attended their beautiful wedding
My husband's aunt visited from Germany - we hadn't seen her in a couple years
One of my boys had an opportunity to take a trip to Canada
I had a lot of wonderful meals at some amazing restaurants
My son got a college acceptance letter from his first choice school
My husband and I celebrated 25 years of marriage!!!
The food blog my sister and I started continues to grow and turned 5 this year!
And the most memorable event and the thing that really made this an awesome year was the Cubs' World Series win. You have to be a die-hard Cubs fan to understand the significance of this one. For my entire life and so many other Cubs fans, we've ended every season saying "Next year will be the year." It is just so unbelievable that this really, finally was the year. And I still have to pinch myself sometimes.
It's so important to me because of the tradition in our family of being Cubs fans. I've written many times before about how my dad grew up in central Illinois (surrounded by many Cardinals fans), but became a Cubs fan after listening to the Cubs in the 1945 World Series on the radio. So, of course, he raised his kids to be Cubs fans. I remember going to watch the Cubs in the bleachers with dad as a kid. And there were many summer afternoons watching the Cubs on television and celebrating wins with Harry (yes, back before lights!)
When I became a mom, you can bet I exposed them to my love of the Cubs and took them to many baseball games. My sister is a season ticket holder and for several years, each kid has received a set of tickets as a birthday/Christmas gift. I cherish those time spent taking them to games - even when they were too little to sit through a full game or more interested in the peanuts and cotton candy than what happened on the field. Of five boys, my oldest is the only one who followed along in being a hard-core, die-hard fan. He's been to several Cubs conventions and has many autographs he obtained directly from players while waiting outside the locker room or the player's parking lot or at Cubs events.
So, my oldest son, my dad and I share this big, big love of the team. This year is the year we had been waiting and waiting for. Many times in recent years my dad has said, "All I want before I die is to see the Cubs win the World Series." It was so significant and heartwarming and emotional for it to finally happen and for him - at age 80 - to be able to see it. 2016 may have been a bad year for others, but has been one of my best by far.


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After your dream landscape is installed, the next step is maintenance.
Well timed seasonal maintenance makes the difference between an ordinary looking garden and something to be truly proud of. How do you feel about how other people view your property? Your neighbours? Your guests? We're here to help you to be proud of your home.
Our experience with many kinds of landscaping is your big benefit. We know what to do and when to do it so that your plants and lawns are in optimal condition all year round.
We can make sure that you gain the greatest enjoyment from your newly installed or upgraded landscaping.
Talk with us about adding a landscaping maintenance agreement to your project, or alternatively contract us to maintain your existing landscaping.


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This weekend I went on a bike adventure for some coffee and food. Follow the adventure on my exposure post: "Tearing thru the Trails."
I am getting a little more accustomed to this new site of mine. I really enjoy the clean and simplicity of it that focuses on my photographic work. And it is an ease to go through.


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holiday gift guide : trivet of my dreams
I have to say that I responded passionately to this trivet. Yes, to a trivet!
Made by Jansen, it's a silicone, dishwasher-safe, pixelized depiction of a rose. There is something about that is just so WONDERFUL.
I found mine at Brooklyn's Stewart/Stand shop for $25 but you can also buy one online at the MoMA store among other retailers.
(First image via Jansen; second via The Future Perfect)


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Brain Pool for Artists Meetup
My boyfriend keeps telling me that it is better to actually meet and talk to people in person. Yet each day I get on my computer and I am pretty much glued to it all day. I thought that it is time to break away from it and actually meet some of you. So I have started a Brain Pool for Artists Meetup. We are going to do a Pot Luck at my loft building in Downtown L.A. Hope you can make it. It wouldn't be a party without you.
Check it out and RSVP! http://meetu.ps/2ZLlc2


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Welcome to EXPO MOTO 2015 Mexico ( C37, C38, C13)
The Expo Moto Mexico 2015 will be held at World Trade Centre (Montecito 38 Col. Nápoles, México D.F.C.P.03810) in Mexico City from November 18 to 22, 2015.
As a professional and reputable group specialized in 3 wheeler motorcycle, general purpose gasoline engines and related accessories, we are pleased to inform you that we will participate in this exhibition too. Our booth no. is C37-C38 & C13.
We are going to exhibit the following machines in the Expo Moto:
1) Three-wheel motorcycle for passenger transportation and cargo transportation
2) General purpose gasoline engine,gasoline water pump and gasoline generator
We warmly welcome you to visit our booth so that we may be able to introduce you our company, our products and our service in details.
Our booth no. is C37-C38 & C13.
Looking forward to your visit.
New Products Research and Development
New Passenger Tricycle Storms!
-----A new round of tricycle sales frenzy!
After repeatedly tested, our new passenger tricycle finally can be sold in large quantity. It with excellent performance, very comfortable and quality is very stable, also the price is competitive.
Distributor wanted!
We plan to select 1-2 distributors each country, if you are searching for new business opportunity of tricycle, please provide us informations as below:
1) Company Documents
(Include: company business license, tax registration certificate etc.)
2) Company Introduction
(Include: company name, company address, company telephone and fax number, website, founded year, business type, annual sales volume, numbers of employees, factory area, business area, shop quantity, engineer quantity, engineer service years.)
3) Personal Introduction
(Include: first name and last name, sex, birthday, job position, year of join company, contact way such as mobile number/email/whatsapp/MSN/wechat/Viber/twitter/facebook etc.)
4) Other necessary photos you decide to provide to us.
Why waiting? Join us now!
Welcome to 3rd Expo Moto AAP Peru 2015 (40,41,42)
The 3RD Expo Moto AAP Peru 2015 will be held in the JOCKEY Convention Center in Lima from July 17 to 19, 2015. As a professional manufacturer and supplier of three wheel and two wheel motorcycle and related spare parts, we are pleased to inform you that we will participate in this exhibition too. Our booth no. is 40, 41 and 42.
In recent years, Chinese motorcycles are getting more and more popular with consumers in Peru and its sales quantity accounts for 1/3 of the total market share in Peru. We have been constantly receiving positive feedback from our clients because of our price advantage, unique technology and rich range of models and functions.
In addition to the three wheel motorcycles, we will also exhibit some of our general machineries (such as generators and water pumps) in this show.
We warmly welcome you to visit our booth so that we may be able to introduce you our company, our products and our service in details.
Our booth no. is 40, 41 and 42.
Looking forward to your visit.
Industry Summarization
Know about the latest news about the industry


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UL alum and Mystery Grand Master James Lee Burke has published his latest effort, Feast Day of Fools, and the critics are raving.
Sheriff Hackberry Holland patrols a small Southwest Texas border town with a deep and abiding respect for the citizens in his care. Still mourning the loss of his cherished wife and locked in a perilous almost-romance with his deputy, Pam Tibbs, a woman many decades his junior, Hackberry feeds off the deeds of evil men to keep his own demons at bay.
When alcoholic ex-boxer Danny Boy Lorca witnesses a man tortured to death in the desert and reports it, Hack's investigation leads to the home of Anton Ling, a regal, mysterious Chinese woman whom the locals refer to as La Magdalena and who is known for sheltering illegals. Ling denies having seen the victim or the perpetrators, but there is something in her steely demeanor and aristocratic beauty that compels Hackberry to return to her home again and again as the investigation unfolds. Could it be that the sheriff is so taken in by this creature who reminds him of his deceased wife that he would ignore the possibility that she is just as dangerous as the men she harbors?
The danger in the desert increases tenfold with the return of serial murderer Preacher Jack Collins, whom The New York Times called "one of Burke's most inspired villains." Presumed dead at the close of Rain Gods, Preacher Jack has reemerged with a calm, single-minded zeal for killing that is more terrifying than the muzzle flash of his signature machine gun. But this time he and Sheriff Holland have a common enemy.
Praised by Joyce Carol Oates for "the luminosity of his writerly voice," James Lee Burke returns with his most allegorical novel to date, illuminating vital issues of our time—immigration, energy, religious freedom—with the rich atmosphere and devastatingly flawed, authentic characters that readers have come to celebrate during the five decades of his brilliant career.
"Holy shit does this novel crush into its pages a whole war chest of bloody drama and brutal questions about what it means to be an American and a Christian and a Christian American in the new century. . . . James Lee Burke--muscular and elegiac, brutal and compassionate--is a Stetson-wearing, spur-jangling giant among novelists."
-- Benjamin Percy for Esquire


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To share or not to share? Why? With/For Whom?
This post was written in in Porto at the 2ndEuropean Conference on Social Media, where I presented my work on professional online presence and learning networks, and publicised our CFP for the Twitter in Education special issue. Time to share a few key messages from the two-day conference, further details of which can be traced on Twitter via #ECSM2015
The conference opened with a keynote from Dr Luis Borges Gouveia relating to security issues and human relationships in social media. Among other matters, Luis invited us to consider FaceBook (FB) as a room in which all of our past and current acquaintances, family, close friends, romantic partners and professional colleagues meet and mix. How would we feel about this occurring in any other social setting?!
While some regard this as a time bomb and advocate establishing separate profiles for personal/professional use, others question the integrity of splitting identity online, and regard separate groups as a more authentic response to communicating with diverse parties. Whether we separate people into rooms or groups, key concerns are audience, privacy and purpose. This reflects the challenge students often face when shifting from socialising on FB to using a wider range of social media tools for learning and professional purposes.
Audience is also about influence and reach. A number of speakers at ECSM15 tackled the problem of measuring social media influence (de Marcellis-Warin, Alshawaf & Le Wen). In education, social media enables reach beyond the VLE to connect with an extended audience. For example, Hogg & Ritchie presented how they used course narratives via blogs and FB to inspire and encourage prospective students.
Interestingly, recent research looks at disclosure and risk perception online. I had the privilege of chairing a session at ECSM, incorporating work by recent masters graduates in this field, and it is clear that the factors determining what and how much users of social media disclose online, correlated with their perceptions of the risks of disclosure, are areas of emerging research. The extent to which young people are risk aware and savvy about privacy issues appears to be a bone of contention.
A further point made by Luis Borges Gouveia is that only the rich can afford privacy. However it seems to me that riches very often lead to fame that is incompatible with anonymity, and famous people are targets for those who hunt private detail and seek to breach security. If we are all in the same boat, do we sacrifice a degree of privacy in order to work with (rather than against) our reputations, by proactively cultivating, rather than leaving this to chance or in someone else's hands? Fundamentally, this is about our identity and sovereignty in terms of control of our data, ownership and self-determination.
Of the shorter sessions to follow, I found Nicola Osborne's presentation most relevant to my current preoccupations with professional online presence and learning networks, or in Osborne and Connelly's terms "eProfessionalism". This concerns how students manage (or neglect to manage) their digital footprints, and how tertiary institutions might provide guidance in this area to build student competence.
A related and highly creative articulation of guides to social media netiquette (SMetiquette?) is Elaine Garcia's wild west poster, proposing that cowboy codes centred on notions of hospitality, fair play, loyalty and respect, could well be applied to the wild frontier of social media.
More on this in another post, as I think Elaine and Nicola's work will continue to inspire my teaching and research practices.
On day two of the conference, Batista on social media in higher education, looked at issues and challenges, all of which coalesced around:
- privacy and security
- institutional frontiers
- copyright and authoring
Drilling down, all of these are about Reputation. Privacy is about guarding what you want to keep to yourself; security is similar, particularly about safety and data protection. Institutional frontiers involve protecting a university's wares and this in turn relate to intellectual property and then to copyright and authoring. Essentially, we are happy to share freely if this is in our interest and positively enhances our reputation without causing us harm or loss (our co-authored book Digital Smarts is a case in point).
Overall, the key messages here are about being thoughtful and intentional about what we share on social media, while maintaining integrity, managing risk and sustaining positive relationships with those who matter.


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The current London Underground map has gone a bit too far. It's a headache made 2D. If you also feel a bit sad for the simpler days before it expanded into an Inside the Factory episode about spaghetti, there's yet another alternative on offer.
Read More: What the Evolution of the Tube Map Teaches us About London's History
Assembled by French design team Inat, the alternative London map introduces more curves to the original design schematics to create a quite pleasing international-style. What's clever is that this streamlining actually includes more data, with the designers including some National Rail lines, with Thameslink, C2C, South West Trains and more on it, just in case our overseas visitors fancy a day out in historic Luton.
Here's a close-up snippet:
Maybe it is just a bit of a mess, but at least it's got the river boats on. Tourists love those. [Inat via Metro]
Want more updates from Gizmodo UK? Make sure to check out our @GizmodoUK Twitter feed, and our Facebook page.


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Sno-Valley Indoor Playground is 100% run by volunteers
Our volunteer roster is comprised of parents, grandparents and other caregivers who share a couple very important traits: They're passionate about their families, and they like to have fun!
Want to help? Here are a few ways anyone can contribute to our co-op-like organization:
- Train to facilitate a playground session. Each shift is about 1 hour of your time, ideally while your kids play…not a bad deal! You can email us or sign-up directly on the calendar at the play gym.
- Consider the Indoor Playground when you
plan your charitable contributions. We're a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donation is tax deductible. We can provide a receipt for your tax records.
- Attend our monthly Board meeting and share your suggestions or concerns.
- Volunteer to serve on the Board! It's great experience, and we have a role open right now. Email us for details! 🙂
- Offer to watch children while parents attend the monthly board meeting.
- Post flyers and distribute brochures for our annual community programs.
- Tell everyone you know about the playground and encourage them to visit!
What's your passion? Odds are your skills/interests can contribute a great deal to our operations! Email us for more information.
2018-2019 Board of Directors
President: Susan O'Leary
Vice President: Emily Heffernan
Treasurer: Casey Beck
Volunteer Coordinator: Laci Smith
Secretary: Heather Wiker
Special Events: Jackie Coscarart


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WORK aimed at boosting rail connections to and from the Capital is months behind schedule with costs spiralling, according to a new report.
The analysis of Network Rail's performance has found electrification of the line between Edinburgh and Glasgow is unlikely to be completed by December this year.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said he was "concerned and disappointed" as it emerged electric services would not run until July 2017 – seven months later than scheduled.
He has ordered Transport Scotland officials to carry out a review of the governance of major rail projects.
Mr Yousaf said: "Network Rail has informed Transport Scotland that the Edinburgh-Glasgow line will not be running electric services until July 2017.
"This is seven months later than scheduled and seven months later than they advised ministers two months ago. This will also increase the cost of the project beyond the previous £742 million estimate.
"Network Rail's cost estimates for a number of other major projects which are at earlier stages of delivery have also increased. Moreover, progress on other projects has also been slower than expected.
"I am not prepared to simply accept the long-term cost implications, nor the revised programmes that Network Rail have set out. I will also be doing everything possible to ensure that Network Rail deliver the full programme in Scotland by March 2019 and without any extra funding from the Scottish Government."
Mr Yousaf said he expected the Transport Scotland review to be completed by September, with Network Rail officials due to come before Holyrood's rural economy and connectivity committee to answer questions.
In its annual assessment of Network Rail, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said it had concerns "regarding the ability of key projects to meet their obligations and regulatory milestones".
Phil Verster, managing director of Network Rail Scotland and the ScotRail Alliance, said: "Our Network Rail project teams and their suppliers have a strong and proud track record in Scotland of delivering on-time and on-budget. We need look no further than the Borders Railway line to see evidence of that.
"The programme impacts highlighted today will not delay the introduction of our exciting new fleet of faster, longer, greener trains – nor will they impact on our ability to deliver the 200 new services and 20,000 extra seats promised in the Revolution in Rail timetable change. Very importantly, our teams have learnt valuable lessons from the circumstances, decisions and programme impacts over the last months."
Mr Verster added: "As the ORR indicated today, the costs have risen due to extra compliance requirements, complicated interfaces with other projects and other unforeseen factors such as severe weather impacts.
"Despite this, I am pleased to confirm that we are committed to still deliver the overall railway enhancement programme for Scotland by March 2019, and within the agreed funding limits."


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Mistakes Social Impact Start-Ups Make (& How To Avoid Them)
In 12 years of working in social enterprises, I've noticed a few mistakes most social impact start-ups make. Most of these aren't malicious, but can cause major pain to your social enterprise. Here are five mistakes I've seen most often, and the ways to avoid them so you don't make the same mistake.
Mistake #1: Starting without any plan at all
Most social enterprises start with no plan. No business plan, no strategic plan, no plan at all. And I totally understand prototyping and testing and failing and all that garbage that's trendy right now. But this "jump in and see" attitude is not the same as critical thinking. There's a time and place for prototyping (I talk about that later in this post).
I'm not saying you need a 40 page business plan before you start your social enterprise. But you do need to research and think enough about the business to know at least an ESTIMATE of your costs and expenses, reasonable revenue projections, competitive analysis, what staff may be needed, an idea of an operational plan, how you're going to find and engage customers… and of course, how you'll track and measure your social impact. Without this, you could find yourself 10-years into your business, still consider it a "start-up" and not have generated any profit or social impact (true story of a social enterprise I know).
How to avoid this mistake: Create a financially and impactfully sustainable plan! And I'll help you.
Mistake #2: Not paying your staff
You probably won't be able to pay staff right off the bat. But the sustainability and growth of your social enterprise relies on stellar staff to keep it going, so compensate them appropriately! And when I say stellar, I mean the very best person you can find for the job. If you have an open position, take your time to find the right fit. Hire slow, fire fast.
Volunteers can supplement your staff, but not replace them. Board members are not your staff. And just like your paid staff, onboard board members slowly and if possible, dismiss them quickly.
How to avoid this mistake: Build compensation into your business plan from the start. Be clear about how and when you'll reasonably be able to pay staff (including yourself), to retain the talented unicorns you've got on your team.
Mistake #3: Starting a social enterprise in an industry you know nothing about
Don't be Jon Snow. Know a little something about the industry you're starting your social enterprise in. Don't know anything? Hire someone who does. Can't afford that? Work in the industry for a bit or learn about it yourself.
Just because you had the idea doesn't mean you're the best person to start or run the social enterprise.
For example, if you've never worked in construction and don't know anything about the construction industry (regulations, licenses, safety, vendors, contracts, etc), would it make sense to start a social enterprise in that field? Probably not. Maybe work in that field for a bit. Take some classes in construction. Read some books. But just hoping that things will work out in your favor because of your social mission - well that's just an expensive disservice to the people you're trying to help.
How to avoid this mistake: Start a social enterprise in field you already know. If you don't know the industry, hire someone who does.
Mistake #4: Assuming people will buy your product or service simply because of the social purpose
They won't. People will not buy your product or service simply because of the social purpose. Your product or service needs to be competitive on price, quality, value, accessibility, and availability as every other in your niche - and all other things being equal - the consumer may decide to purchase in your favor because of the social purpose. Now, there are varying degrees of this elasticity depending on your product/service industry, but the general concept stays the same.
Considering many social enterprises are selling a product, let's take that example for a moment. Say you purchase a cup of coffee from a local coffee shop that only sells fair trade, organic coffee. If that cup of coffee doesn't taste good, how many more cups of coffee are you going to buy from that coffee shop? One? Maybe? Even if the coffee shop is convenient, you love the social mission, and the price is right (or less than other places!), the quality is poor and customers won't come back. And it costs five times more to attract a new customer than retain an existing one, so let's make sure they have a great experience, eh?
How to avoid this mistake: Make sure your product or service is competitive on the factors the customer looks for: price, quality, value, accessibility, and availability. I have a free Competitive Analysis guide to do this work BEFORE launching your social enterprise, in the free social enterprise toolkit. Access the social enterprise toolkit here.
Mistake #5: Assuming there's a problem where there isn't
The other mistakes I mention here are mostly related to the business side, but there's a major mistake I see on the impact side of creating a social enterprise: the assumption of a social or environmental problem where there isn't one.
What I mean by this is assuming you know the answer to the issue without fully understanding the problem.
How can you get to the root of the problem and fully understand it?
Ask the people experiencing the issue. This process is called Human Centered Design, and is essentially a method of asking people what they want and creating a solution specifically for them. Ideo.org has a free, 4-week course in this topic and exactly how to do it - I recommend signing up for it here.
Use the 5 Whys. This is an activity you can do by yourself or with your board or cofounder. Start with stating the social or environmental problem you're trying to solve. Then ask why, and answer as clearly as you can. Repeat this until you've asked why five times, or until you have clarity on the root of the issue. You might get stuck on the third or fourth time you ask why, and may need to do some research before you can answer. That's great! Don't feel like you have to have all the answers - you probably don't.
How to avoid this mistake: Use Human Centered Design and the 5 whys to get to the root of the issue. Get to know the Sustainable Development Goals. Get to know others who are addressing the same issue already.
Hi there! I'm Beth. I'm here to equip social entrepreneurs and change makers like you with the tools to change the world. As a jack-of-all-trades nonprofiteer and recognized social enterprise expert, I've walked the talk in this emerging industry. With over a decade of experience launching and managing social enterprises, I want to share my best tools, resources and knowledge with you.
I'd love to hear from you! Find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.


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Gum Disease in Madison
Gum disease, it's no secret that it's no easy thing to deal with. And unfortunately, this disease for is for life. Sometimes, despite all of your efforts, gum disease still gets the best of you—eating away at both gums and jaw bone. Sounds like it's time to pay Caryn Miller a visit and take care of that dreadful Madison gum disease. You'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.
It's likely that you're familiar with this term (Gum disease). Assuming this let's explore a few basics about what it is and how it affects you. It's a long-term disease that gradually shrink gums. The latter stages (Periodontitis) is extreme and dangerous. Jaw bone loss can happen in these later stages. Other symptoms afflict the mouth, too. Some of these include extreme sensitivity to cold and hot beverages, gum irritation, and bleeding upon contact. If you're struggling with this gum disease (in any form), you'll want to minimize tartar buildup. One of the best ways of going about this is frequent deep cleanings. Unlike regular cleanings, this alternative eradicates tartar lodged beneath the gum line. Unfortunately, it isn't curable. But it doesn't mean you can't keep it under control. Whatever damage done to both gums and jaw bone can be patched up through periodontal surgery. Visit Caryn Miller and be well on your way to finally getting control of Madison gum disease.
Don't gamble on your oral health. If gum disease is slowly destroying your smile, don't let it get any worse. Get your smile back to the way you know and love it. All you have to do is make a simple phone call (or shoot an e-mail), to Caryn Miller's office. Setup an appointment. And presto! If only all things in life were that simple. Then undo the effects of Madison gum disease.


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If I Could Have More Data...
A look at what information companies don't have—but would like to
For some companies, big data isn't quite big enough yet.
These firms already collect loads of information about their customers and suppliers—but that has only whet their appetites for even more. Some retailers want to see what customers buy from other stores, for instance, while health providers want a real-time rundown on their patients' vital stats to get an early warning about potential health problems.
We asked companies what data they wish they had—and how they would use it. Here's what they said.
What's for Dinner?
Graze.com has a huge appetite for data. Every hour, the mail-order snack business digests 15,000 user ratings about its foods, which it uses to better understand what its customers like or dislike and to predict what else they might like to try. And Graze, which is based in London and recently entered the U.S. market, does real-world experimenting: Among the snacks it sends subscribers, it includes foods that Graze's in-house algorithm has a hunch they'll enjoy.
Chief Executive Anthony Fletcher thinks more data could help him understand customers' tastes even better. Among the information he wants most is data about customers' dietary habits, such as what they buy at grocery stores, as well as better information about what they look at on Graze's own site. And because the dietary needs of children change rapidly, he'd like to know if his customers have children and, if so, their ages.
"If you get the data right, that's a new type of discovery—introducing people to new foods," Mr. Fletcher says. "It's the start of the journey."
The Price of Power
Savant Systems LLC, of Hyannis, Mass., makes hardware and software that allows homeowners to control almost all of their electronic devices using their smartphones.
Energy consumption is among its customers' main concerns, says CEO William Lynch. For instance, the company offers a product giving homeowners the real-time ability to see things like how many kilowatts it takes to heat the hot tub in January.
Because of privacy concerns, Savant doesn't collect homeowners' energy data. But Mr. Lynch says if the company knew more about customers' energy use, it could help create customized plans to conserve energy. "We could make recommendations on how to set up your thermostat to save a lot of money," Mr. Lynch says.
Looking at Loans
A San Francisco-based subsidiary of BNP Paribas SA, Bank of the West, operates more than 700 branches in 20 states in the U.S. Chief Information Officer Kirsten Garen says the company has gathered terabytes of information about its customers and has been able to use them to create better tiered prices.
But Bank of the West would like "predictive life-event data" about its customers—like graduation, vacation or retirement plans—to create products more relevant to their financial needs, says the bank's head of product strategy, Alan Newstead. At this point, however, collecting that breadth of data is a logistical and regulatory challenge, requiring very different sources both inside and outside the bank.
An Eye on Appliances
Whirlpool Corp. , the Benton Harbor, Mich., appliance maker, has a vast reach in American households—but wants to know more about its customers and how they actually use its products. Real-time use data could not only help shape the future designs of Whirlpool products, says CIO Mike Heim, but also help the company predict when they're likely to fail. The technological costs, which have made this kind of real-time monitoring prohibitive, are continuing to decline, says Mr. Heim.
Taking Patients' Pulse
Spun off from the Cleveland Clinic, Explorys creates software for health-care companies to store, access and make sense of their data. It holds a huge trove of clinical, financial and operational information—but would like access to data about patients at home, such as their current blood-sugar and oxygen levels, weight, heart rates and respiratory health. Having access to that information could help providers predict things like hospitalizations, missed appointments and readmissions and proactively reach out to patients, says Sarah Mihalik, a vice president of provider solutions.
Wearable devices already exist to monitor and transmit patients' data. But cost, privacy and a lack of standardization are big barriers, says Explorys co-founder and Chief Medical Officer Anil Jain.
Under the Microscope
By analyzing patient data, Carolinas HealthCare System of Charlotte, N.C., can predict readmission rates with 80% accuracy, says Michael Dulin, chief clinical officer for analytics. It's working to predict chronic problems including asthma and diabetes using social and economic data, from violent-crime rates to educational attainment in patients' neighborhoods, in collaboration with the Metropolitan Studies Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
But access to genomic data could give providers greater insight into patients' risks for disease and help providers offer much more personalized care. Genetic data might reveal, for example, that certain medications are significantly better than others, Dr. Dulin says.
Carolinas HealthCare's oncology teams already use genomic data, but it has yet to be used beyond cancer care, largely because of cost issues and the lack of ethical guidelines around genomic data.
Playing Better Defense
Historically, law firms that specialize in defense work, like Seyfarth Shaw LLC, are reactive: When clients are sued, they respond. But Ken Grady, CEO of the Chicago-based firm's consulting subsidiary SeyfarthLean, would like the ability to predict lawsuits—and prevent them.
How? By analyzing reams of contracts and looking for common traits and language that often lead to problems.
Comparing two contracts side by side is time consuming and expensive—let alone doing that for the thousands typically held by a large corporation. But software is evolving that could analyze, and make sense of, contracts with greater accuracy and at much lower cost, Mr. Grady says.
More Help From Allies
One of the largest defense contractors in the world, BAE Systems PLC invests heavily in protecting itself from cyberattacks. But it says better data from its suppliers could help improve its defenses.
The London-based company says if its suppliers get cyberattacked, its own hardware and software could be compromised. But "those suppliers are smaller businesses with lesser investments in their security," says Peder Jungck, vice president and chief technology officer of BAE's Intelligence & Security sector.
A lack of trust among suppliers, even those that aren't direct competitors, means only a small percentage of them disclose the data showing the cyberattacks on their systems, he says. Sharing that data, he says, would strengthen the security of every product BAE makes.
Mr. Taves is a writer in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He can be reached at email@example.com.
Copyright ©2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


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Lighting Control for Miami Businesses
Lighting represents over 40% of the electrical energy cost. It is easy to see when lights are left on and a room is unoccupied, electricity has been wasted. It is apparent this is environmentally irresponsible, but it is harder to see that this swells your energy cost, increases the burden on HVAC, and wastes lamp life, which […]Read more »


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While other insurers are trying to gain a foothold in the marketplace, BCS Insurance has been filling this important need for years.
Explore our EssentialCare Solutions
EssentialCare Limited Benefit
EssentialCare Highlights
- No pre-existing condition limitations
- Dependable administration
- No medical underwriting
- No deductibles within the fixed indemnity medical plan
- Dependent coverage for all plans
- No coordination with other plans
- Employer contributions not required
- Fixed indemnity medical with Rx insurance coverage
- Ancillary lines such as dental and vision
- Flexible plan design allows for customizable programs
- Coverage for physician office visits, hospital services, surgical procedures, and more
Top-rated Provider Networks
- First Health network of hospitals and physicians
- Caremark network of pharmacies
- EyeMed Vision Care network
Administrative Features
- Enrollment, claim payment, ID card issuance, and customer services
- Online web administration tools
- Flexible enrollment option with call center, Internet, IVR, and paper submissions
- COBRA administration
BCS Insurance Limited Benefit Markets
- Employer/employee relationship with 100+ hourly employees
- Young populations with average age under 45
- High turnover and/or waiting period-based populations
- Industries include national restaurant franchises, hotel chains, department stores, and staffing companies
EssentialCare Group Hospital Indemnity
EssentialCare Group Hospital Indemnity Highlights
- Market-leading features and most current pricing based on favorable carrier experience
- Flexible plan designs for member life-stage needs, HSA-compatibility, and more
- Includes up to 39 benefit types to complement current medical or supplemental coverage an employer may offer, with innovative benefits to help cover the unexpected, including mortgage and rent reimbursement, dependent adult care, pet care, transport, lodging, and second opinion benefits
- Three- or four-tier rates available on employee pay, employer pay, or a combination of the two (employer-paid base plus employee buy-up)
- Industry-leading support by AmWINS Group Benefits and WebTPA take the supplemental headache out of offering supplemental coverage
How does EssentialCare Group Hospital Indemnity work?
Administrative Features
Guaranteed issue, HSA-compatibility, portability options, and no network restrictions1
- Enrollment, claim payment, billing and reconciliation, policy/certificate issue and customer service
- Online web administration tool available
- Flexible enrollment options and group onboarding
BCS Insurance Group Hospital Indemnity Eligibility
- Who's eligible? Employee only, Employee and dependent child(ren), Employee and spouse, Family
- Participation requirements: 51+ Employees; minimum enrollment requirement varies
1Not available in all states. Coverage is guaranteed provided: 1) the employee is actively at work; and 2) the employee and all covered dependents are enrolled in a major medical health plan that meets minimum essential coverage requirements as provided under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The availability of portability varies by state and is subject to Underwriting discretion. Eligibility for portability through the Portability provision may be subject to certain eligibility requirements and limitations. For more information, contact your BCS representative.


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If you've been looking for a healthier brunch option, look no further than Flavaz in The Bronx. The menu is made up of nothing but healthy food and no Carb mimosas for only $30. There are happy hour options that include healthy drinks.
Healthy Brunch
Related upcoming events
09.23.2019 12:00 pm - 09.23.2019 4:00 pm
Who says you can't have brunch on the weekdays? Monday should definitely be a brunch day - some people work weekends and get Monday off and Monday is sometimes a holiday that gives us a 3-day weekend. It's only right that we treat Monday like the weekend Jr., and enjoy brunch as if it's Saturday. From 12pm-4pm at Lasagna Restaurant, $11 gets you bottomless brunch drinks. This Italian restaurant has a special brunch menu that will make you a lover of Mondays.
09.23.2019 5:00 pm - 09.24.2019 12:00 am
Each and every Monday, the good people at Woodland in Brooklyn make sure the women feel loved and appreciated. Ladies receive 2 for 1 drinks all night! Monday's are usually everyones least favorite day of the week, but at least a couple of lovely women get to enjoy themselves afterwork to make up for it. Fellas, if you've been looking for your Queen, this might be the Move for you. Happy Hour starts at 5pm.
09.23.2019 5:00 pm - 09.23.2019 9:00 pm
Monday's can be rough, so before you go home and manifest your frustrations in an unhealthy manner, you should stop by Taboga. Each and every Monday they have Play Night. You and fellow victims of Monday Blues can play some board games and unwind a little more before attacking the rest of the week. Grab a drink, a order some delicious food and find a game to play that will take your mind off of everything. From Uno, Jenga and Dominoes, to Darts, Pool and the basketball shoot out game. This place is definitely the place for big kids. Happy hour is from 5-9pm, but you're welcome to stay and hangout after 9.
09.23.2019 5:00 pm - 09.24.2019 2:00 am
MCM could also stand for Margarita Crush Mondays. The bar has $9 specialty margaritas all night including the sorrel and sugar cane flavor. Doors open at 5pm and stay open until 2am. Mondays don't have to be terrible.
09.23.2019 5:00 pm - 09.24.2019 12:00 am
Each and every Monday at Prive Lounge in Brooklyn is D'usse Monday. Monday's are rough and Prive is just trying to help make it better. Food and hookah are available and from 6-7 you get a complimentary D'usse drink, so get there early!
09.24.2019 3:00 pm - 09.25.2019 12:00 am
Each and Every Tuesday is Taco Tuesday at La Agenda. This Happy Hour last from 3pm-12am and everyone is greeted with a free shot of Tequila. $5 goes a long way in La Agenda on a Tuesday night. you can get 2 delicious tacos, guac and chips or a strong margarita, each for just $5. $20 gets you a pitcher of margaritas, so if you're going with friends, this is the best choice.
09.24.2019 5:00 pm - 09.25.2019 12:00 am
Tuesday's just got better with the launch of Woodland NYC's new Tuesday night feature. $1 Wings with a minimum of 5 wings per guest. Accompanied by great drink specials and a great DJ, you'll have a great night and good energy going into Wednesday. This special last from 5pm-12am, but I'd recommend you get there right afterwork!
09.24.2019 8:00 pm - 09.25.2019 2:00 am
Every Tuesday at Chloe's Bar in the LES you can come party wit DJ Woodly. Ladies are free all night! Drink and hookah special available.
09.24.2019 8:00 pm - 09.25.2019 4:00 am
$2 Tuesdays at Plenty's the move after work for happy hour every Tuesday! Same specials, same time, same place. Get some co-workers together after work and do some "Team Building" exercises.
09.24.2019 5:00 pm - 09.24.2019 11:00 pm
Fresh catch Tuesday is the perfect afterwork mix for the seafood lovers. Every Tuesday at Caribbean Social you can indulge in their seafood menu while enjoying one of their specialty drinks.


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Eugène Carrière
Eugène Carrière (1849-1906), French painter and lithographer, best known for his spiritual interpretations of family life and maternity. He also painted large canvases for the Sorbonne and the Hôtel de Ville, Paris, as well as portraits of famous men such as Verlaine, Daudet, and Edmond de Goncourt.
Portrait of Isadora Duncan. Montpellier, Musée Fabre, D33.3.1.
Isadora, wishing to express emotions, discovered in Greek art her finest models. Full of admiration for the lovely figures of the bas-reliefs, she adopted them as her inspiration.
Yet, endowed with the instinct of discovery, she returned to Nature from whence came all these gestures, and thinking to imitate and give rebirth to Greek dancing, she found her own expression. She thinks of the Greeks and obeys but herself; she offers us her own joy and her own grief.
In demonstrating to us her fine feelings so beautifully, she evokes ours: as before Greek statues revivified a moment for us, we are young again with her and a new hope triumphs within us. And when she expresses her resignation to the inevitable we also resign ourselves.
"Isadora Duncan's dance is no longer an entertaining diversion; it is a personal manifestation as well as a work of art, livelier and more fecund as an incentive to works which we ourselves are destined to do."


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FOX Traveller brings back Life Mein EK Baar – When Angels dare
Five daring divas pack their bags for a 'Life Mein Ek Baar' South African adventure in exchange for their frantic city life to fulfill their bucket list…The result? A power packed season of FOX Traveller Life Mein Ek Baar! Watch sizzling Spanish beauty Barbara Mori, of the Kites fame; make her Indian TV debut with her new friends – Yaana Gupta, Archana Vijay, Diandra Soares and Kirat Bhattal. Be a part of their adventure sojourn- South Africa! Life Mein Ek Baar premieres on FOX Traveller on 18th March 2013 and will air every Monday & Tuesday.
The girls do it all and that too with much élan! Whether they are giving free hugs to passers-by or experiencing life inches away from a deadly shark – Every day is a surprise for the girls. From an emotional tour of Nelson Mandela's prison island to an adrenaline pumping sky diving lesson; from flying in a Gyrocopter to playing with cheetahs; from seal diving to club hopping and attending tattoo conventions. Every episode holds a promise of something new and refreshing.
Here's why the girls decide to go on this Life Mein Ek Baar adventure:
Barbara Mori: "I like taking risks in life; I have been like this all my life. I like adventures and I like to take risk in everything I do whether it is my career or life. And I think it's the only way to win. Life Mein Ek Baar is a great opportunity to really live and experience different things and feel alive!"
Yaana Gupta: "I got a call from Fox Traveller and they were telling me there is this exciting project that I would definitely wanna do because it's all about adventure sports and lot of fun. So I packed my bags and came to South Africa on this adventure."
Archana Vijay: "When I was called to actually be part of Life Mein Ek Baar – When angels dare, I was really excited especially when I was told it was gonna be shot in South Africa. I was going to go out there and do all these crazy activities. Try to overcome all fears if I may have any and the next question that I had for them was can I take a friend along they said yes and the first name that came on my mind was Kirat"
Kirat: "Archana and I go back a long way we have known each other for years. In fact we are always planning a little backpack trip here and there. When Fox Traveller called her, luckily I was the first person she called and for me it just sounded like a Life Mein Ek Baar moment, the entire thing."
Diandra: "There was so much that I had to accomplish and do and get away from my hectic schedules back in Bombay. The fact that I have been doing what I have been doing which is namely Modeling for so long, I just needed to get away, take a break, live and feel alive again. Life Mein Ek Baar gave me the perfect opportunity."
Sharing her excitement on the launch of the show, Debarpita Banerjee, VP- Marketing, FOX International Channels says, "We are back with one of our most popular shows from last year- Life Mein Ek Baar. This time around the high profile girl's gang is all set to paint the streets of South Africa red. With a myriad of adventure activities and a promise of bringing friends closer than ever- Life Mein Ek Baar promises a complete package filled with fun, adventure and a 'dare to do' attitude which creates a once in a life time experience. These intrepid travellers make South Africa their own as they soak in the adrenaline pumping experiences, interact with the locals and bring back memories of friendship and adventure".
To be a part of this daring all girls trip in the wilderness of South Africa tune into Life Mein Ek Baar on FOX Traveller, started airing from 18th March 2013, every Monday & Tuesday at 10 p.m.


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Barber's films and videos have screened nationally and internationally in solo and group shows at MOMA, NY; The Tate Modern, London; The Whitney Museum of American Art, NY; The Paris Cinematheque; The Walker Art Center, MN; MOCA Los Angeles, The Wexner Center for Art, OH, among other galleries, museums and festivals.
Her videos are distributed by Video Data Bank and her films can be found at Canyon Cinema and Fandor.com. Her books Night Moves and these here separated... were published by Publishing Genius Press in 2013 and 2010 respectively. Her collection of very short stories All The People was published by Ink Press Productions in 2015. Her full length play Trial in the Woods will be published by Plays Inverse in Winter 2019.
James Glisson at Artforum wrote "...the films of Stephanie Barber engage universal themes—time, death, memory, forgetting, frustration." and Ed Halter at Afterall Online wrote "Barber...approaches cinema as a philosophical toy, intimately small, in which the play itself generates both pleasure and insight."
Barber is currently a resident artist at The Mt. Royal MFA for Interdisciplinary Art at MICA in Baltimore, MD and The Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts at Bard College.
- Film and Video Distribution:
- Video Data Bank
- Canyon Cinema
- Fandor
- The Cinemad: Almanac 2009 includes letters, notes
- The Some Kind of Loving from Joanie4Jackie includes pornfilm
- VidChops from Pleasure Editions includes the Shama Bird in 1889 from Jhana and the Rats of James Olds


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The summer is flying by! Every time I think about all I want to accomplish this summer, I am reminded that it is already 1/3 over! WHAT? How in the world did that happen? And the year is already half over too!! Oh my, I need to get my rear in gear.
This week was a bit of a rough week. The passing of my Auntie hit me really hard and I felt like I just floated through this week. I tried to distract myself most days at work by keeping the kiddos busy. And that helped some. Swimming, the library, doing lots of art and going to the 4th of July parade kept my mind off of the sadness in my heart. I have to admit the art turned out pretty cute.
The hats were a HUGE hit at the parade! Almost every float that came by had someone call out that they loved the hats! Thanks for the inspiration Pinterest! After we made the flags I realized that one of them was accurate with the number of stripes and one wasn't…Opps!
The hit of the week (other than all the cool art) was the new 'cleaning supplies' the kiddos received! The house will always be clean now 🙂
Anyways, my goal was to be productive yesterday, but it just didn't happen. The hubs was working and I am usually able to get a lot done while I am home by myself. If you call a nap and watching Netflix productive, then it was a win. Sorry office, we will meet again another day soon!
And I really want to get my office work finished so I can put up my new Running Bling sign!
Anyways, we ended up just getting some pizza (at least it was spinach and I added more tomatoes), watching the fireworks on tv and going to bed. It was not the most patriotic celebrating, but we were ok with that.
We also had a chat about the history of our country and how according to these videos (1, 2), most Americans need to learn or relearn about our history.
I also took THIS test floating around social media. Only missed 1 question so I guess I would be able to pass the US Citizen test. How about you?
What did you do for the 4th? Race? Fun with family/friends? Just relax? Whatever you did, I hope you enjoyed yourself!