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The last few weeks with our move, unpacking, settling in, my sisters visit and how full we kept every single hour of her time here with us, I haven't had much time to venture online. Its been so very long since I've peeked into the hills and valleys of the internets (that word makes me giggle) and what waves of deep wisdom, insight and inspiration are flowing through. This morning I had a bit of quiet time to myself, unexpectedly so. I woke up earlier than usual and tip toed downstairs (which is not an easy feat given our very old stairs crackle SO LOUD). I poured my sacred cup of coffee and snuggled up near the fire and wiped the dust off of my laptop before I opened the door to Narnia.
Mmmm...oh how the softness and simplicity I am wanting so deeply to manifest in my life can easily become overwhelmed with the energies flowing around in the virtual space that sits on my lap and beyond. Oh how loud it can feel at times in the midst of my quieter spirit and voice. It is just the space I am in. Right now I am so hyper aware and conscious of how I process these voices. I know deeply that it is all about me and a process I am going through. Its not about anyone else or anything else but just what I am needing in my life, how I am wanting to offer love and receive love, how I am yearning to tell my story in a way that feels true to my own heart. Embracing my slower, quieter way of being and sharing in the midst of a faster and fiercer realm. It is so many things, really and I know it is my own path to walk. My own journey to find a place in the midst of it all. My journey to surrender to and embrace the tenderness, mercy, humility, authenticity and gentle warrioress-ness that my heart beats to.
So often when doubts begin to rush in and I need to feel not alone and to be understood and seen, I seek wisdom from my dear friend Rain (shown in image above). This morning she shared with me a question she often asks herself when doubt enters in; "Is this life bringing?" Mmmmm...yes, oh yes...that resonated so deeply. What is it, who is it...that brings me life? It reminds me so much of something my sister once asked of me because she knows I am a very FEELing person. "Check in with how you feel in this moment, how your heart is beating, keep note of when you feel peace and when you do not, when you feel anxiousness and when you feel ease."
These questions help bring me back to center when moments begin to feel cloudy or noisy and it is hard to hear my own voice and feel my own heart. THAT is the very space I am allowing myself to be in right now. A space of quiet so that I can hear deeper as I am so sensitive to others thoughts and emotions, mine so often become lost to me.
Rain sent this to me today and it is an exercise that created such a peace in my heart and helped me come to a place of knowing much sooner than usual. It is something I want to paint on my wall with the most beautiful handwriting. It is something I want to share with all of you. I hope you spend more time on her website. She is so true blue and uniquely her. I am grateful for this exercise she wrote...
The Soul Journey
1. Take a deep breath.
That's it. Breathe deep, as deep as you can, and before you let it out long and slow, I want you to hold your breath. Just for a moment. Hold it for a heartbeat. You can even close your eyes.
That suspension? The quiet place of in-between?
That is where you begin.
Life begins and ends with breath. We forget to breathe and lose our way, but we can always come home to that quiet place. We gain composure and find rest and strength in its steady rhythm. As you breathe, imagine pulling life-nectar up, up out of the deepest parts of your stomach and drawing it, with intention, into your lungs. After you feel your lungs expand, exhale all goodness and healing into the world, and begin again. Breathe without ceasing. Let this become your prayer.
No matter where you are, you can always begin again with breath.
{And this is grace.}
2. Become aware.
As you incorporate patterns of slow, deep, and steady breathing, begin to feel yourself rippling outwards, like water, from your center. Your center holds the core of you, your essence. This is where you commune with God. Your energy is rooted here, your intuition and instinct, and your own sacred presence.
With each rippling, ask yourself things like:How do I feel in my body right now? When I breathe, what do I taste in my mouth? What do I see around me? What is happening in my space? You can start with whatever immediately surrounds you, like the way air feels on your bare skin (cold? sharp? gentle? nurturing?) or how your favorite coffee mug feels in your hand (is it earthy, or slim and sleek? Does its smooth porcelain rim invite caressing?) and work outwards. Practicing this awareness is like gently rousing a sleeping loved one.
Remember: you can breathe slow, steady rhythms, even in chaos. And as you breathe, become aware of all that surrounds you. This awareness precedes your awakening.
3. Awaken.
Sometimes we don't know that we're not awake, and we stumble around in circles fighting the same old things, over and over, for years. It is important to awaken gently. Will you go to a mirror for me right now? As you face your reflection, what do you see?
For this next step, and for the rest of your life, I want you to begin seeing yourself as Soul. You are not what you see in the mirror; your skin and hair and wrinkles and lusciousness ~ the curves that aren't where they are supposed to be, and the extra curves which don't belong ~ this is the glorious vehicle which carries your soul as you sojourn on earth.
And the beautiful thing about this? As you ripple and flow outwards, you will begin to see others as souls, too. Your children? Eternal souls poured into skin that looks like yours, with perhaps a little more energy, but ageless just the same. Your lover? Sacred, multifaceted soul matched to the sacred multi-facets of yours. Your loud neighbor? The alcoholic? The addict?
The world is full of Souls who forget they are.
Remember: your adventure is to come alive. And your shimmering spirit will cause others to hunger for a life essence like yours; you will ignite and inspire, and through being, you will draw others to life, maybe for the very first time.
This labyrinth doesn't end, really. This means there will always be deep mysteries for the uncovering and places to rest along the way. As you go, keep in mind this secret of mine which will help you make wise choices. You can use this in everything—how to feed your body, the vehicle for your soul; what relationships to invite close, how you spend your time.
Sufi poet Rumi teaches, Out beyond ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing, there is a field. I'll meet you there. When you can suspend thoughts of condemnation or judgment and be present in your body, you will know what is right for you. And in this place of being, ask yourself—regarding any situation—"Is this life-bringing? Does this bring life to me?"
Whatever is right for you, whatever is the way for you, will always bring life.


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Arman Haveric is a sophomore at the University of Michigan. "Foosball in the Former Yugoslavia" is his first piece of published writing.
"Foosball in the Former Yugoslavia" will appear in the Spring 2018 issue of Carve. Preorder or subscribe by Sunday, April 1, for special savings and discounts.
Note from the Nonfiction Editor:
Arman Haveric is one of our youngest contributors, and he has tackled a difficult subject: conflict and displacement. Arman's story examines the siege of Sarajevo through the eyes of his parents and his own life in America, and how those two paths converge and at other times diverge. It is significant that a writer as young as Arman has considered the idea of "home" in this way, and I think the thoughtfulness Arman shows throughout the essay displays a well-developed idea of what writing can do and what it can say. I hope to follow Arman's career as it moves forward.
In "Foosball in the Former Yugoslavia," you examine the siege of Sarajevo and its impact on your family's history. When did you start working on this essay, and what has the process been like?
I began writing the essay in May of 2017, the summer following my freshman year of college. I had four months of summer break (the first two of which I was essentially unemployed) and I wanted to undertake some sort of writing project in my spare time. I started the essay with only a vague theme in mind and without knowing where it would go or what it was that I wanted to articulate. The whole thing came together very slowly and sporadically—I'd write a paragraph, revisit it a couple days later, revise it, add a segment, delete a segment, rearrange the segments, and so forth, until one day in August I had 8,000 words of text that had suddenly coalesced into something presentable. There were hundreds of ups and downs throughout the process. Some days I felt like a writing genius; other days I felt like an utter dumbass. It was a long and spastic project, but it's one I'm incredibly grateful to have gone through.
In the essay, you take on the very difficult task of examining war and conflict, yet doing so through a more literary lens. How did you balance the literary approach against other forms of nonfiction? Were there nonfiction writers that informed your approach?
I took a creative nonfiction seminar in my senior year of high school that exposed me to many really remarkable essayists, and which taught me the power of literary nonfiction writing in general. I took a lot of inspiration from the writers Yiyun Li and Anthony Doerr, whose essays do an incredible job of blending the poetic elements of fiction writing with the rigidity and honesty required of any memoir. Achieving that balance in my writing definitely wasn't easy—there were some segments of the essay that I agonized over for months trying to achieve the right literary effect. I had to make sure I was being truthful to the story I was telling while also framing it in a way that readers would find appealing.
We are always interested in young writers and their future work. Where do you hope to go with your career, and how has the act of writing informed it?
I'm officially a French language major. I used to want to be a lawyer, and now I'm thinking I'd like to pursue medicine. Regardless of what ends up happening, I do a lot of writing in school and will likely continue to do a lot of writing throughout my career, and after having undertaken a pretty substantial literary project in my essay, I've definitely felt myself become better and more efficient at it. I hope to keep writing on the side no matter what it is I end up doing. Like I said, it can be a surprisingly arduous process, and at times a demoralizing one, but as long as you push yourself to actually produce something, it's always worth it, always.

subset: commoncrawl


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Midlo's Spanish Students Take a Day to Visit UVA
Sophie King, Midlo Scoop Staff
March 29, 2018
On March 28, 2018, Señora Travis Jimenez and Señora Teresa Dombrowski's IB and AP Spanish students embarked on a field trip to the University of Virginia. Once in Charlottesville, the students learned about the Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese programs offered at the school. The trip began upon ...


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Goodbye Winter, Welcome Spring!/
The weather was appropriately warm and sunny today for our last day of the winter session at Birkdale. We had a lot of fun requests, like Wheels on the Bus, Old MacDonald, Little Green Frog and Five Little Monkeys. The final instrument of the week was the ever-mesmerizing Shruti box, which all the kids really enjoyed exploring. Kids had an especially great time during the jam and the parachute. All participants were happy and excited to receive certificates and clappers during the certificate ceremony.


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"Society does not consist of individuals, but expresses the sum of interrelations, the relations within which these individuals stand." ~ Karl Marx, 1858
"If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business — you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen." ~ Barack Obama, 2012


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Focus Cities: 2017 project wraps up
This post, by our partners at Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, has been made possible by the grant-funded Focus Cities California program, a joint project of UC Berkeley SafeTREC and California Walks, which supports increased safety in walking and biking.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
With this blog post, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition is wrapping up our work on the Focus Cities project for the 2017 federal fiscal year. We were proud to be approached by California Walks to be the local San José bike advocates in a program funded by the Office of Traffic Safety and spearheaded by UC Berkeley SafeTREC and California Walks.
San Jose is one of seven California "focus cities" identified by the Federal Highway Administration as having disproportionately high walking and biking injuries and traffic fatalities. The program seeks to support events and activities that would counter that worrying state of affairs and build a culture of safety. Local organizations have been tasked with implementing projects that support those goals.
As part of our project, SVBC has been able to spend time educating decision makers and the public on protected bike lanes, open streets events, and Vision Zero. We've had the opportunity to sync up with colleagues in Bakersfield, Fresno, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Ana to share best practices and look for solutions to common problems. This peer-to-peer outreach is all too rare in our world and generated some very helpful insight and strategies.
The program also gave us the opportunity to participate more fully in the August visit from the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) to San José. We were able to organize a tour of the city's pop-up protected bike lane that got some media coverage via Streetsblog California.
To cap off the experience, I traveled to San Diego last week to finally meet my Focus Cities compatriots in person. Our last session together was a deep-dive on Vision Zero programs in our respective cities. We learned a lot: all Vision Zero programs are having trouble dealing with (and sometimes just acknowledging) the equity challenges inherent to the initiative; conducting meaningful community outreach requires both hard work and creativity; and most of us have at least one element of our Vision Zero efforts to be proud of. In San José, we've received praise for our police department's desire to help with Vision Zero while bringing in outside experts to study potential bias in the department. Chief Eddie Garcia has noted that, "The first step in any effort to improve is self-assessment, and this report provides a critical benchmark of existing stop practices that will help us make more progress."
Our thanks to the Office of Traffic Safety for funding this endeavor. We look forward to continuing our work with them, California Walks, and UC Berkeley SafeTREC.
Cross-posted at Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition's site.


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I met Lisa at our Air Force Christmas party in 2015 where I took a few pictures here and there . When I saw hers and her husbands I instantly knew, that I want to photograph this beautiful family. I was completely over the moon, when she contacted and told me she is pregnant with her third baby. We took this short (30 minutes) maternity session at our newborn photography studio in Richmond Hill. Look how stunning she is and how well she did in this short time frame.
Andrea Krey is a photographer in the Savannah, GA area such as Guyton, Pooler, Port Wentworth, Hilton Head, Tybee Island, Bloomingdale, Ellabell, Hinesville and Midway. She specializes in maternity photography, newborn photography, baby photography and motherhood photography. Newborn Photography is done in her private newborn studio in Richmond Hill, GA and all other sessions can be taken in surrounding areas. Andrea Krey serves Richmond Hill, Savannah and Tybee, just to mention a few areas. Andrea is known for her natural and organic newborn, baby, maternity and motherhood photography. She has a very natural style that fits today's modern family. Her sessions concentrate on natural interactions and love.


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He was a sickly kid, but later turned into a great soccer player in college and solid newspaper writer. He's our old friend Bram. Yep. Bram Stoker's immortal "Dracula" went on sale in late May 1897. Never know what you might discover in the dustbins of history. Here's what's cooking for you at week's end: Roasted chicken breast over crispy polenta with fresh tomato sauce, and a shrimptastic po-boy Friday.
What We're Cooking for You at Week's End
Thursday, May 26
Roasted chicken breast with fresh tomato sauce over crispy polenta with savory-sweet green beans. Wonderfully seasoned and roasted chicken breast tops a crispy polenta cake with fresh tomato sauce, and it comes with our savory-sweet green beans, house bread, and house salad. Roy Orbison notes, "I may be a living legend, but that sure don't help when I've got to change a flat tire." Yes, most of us are humbled before the difficulties of operating a car. This polenta, though, will make you famous and smart (and you can wear cool glasses like Roy), and it just might help you change a tire. Yep.
Friday, May 27
Shrimptastic Friday: Barbecued shrimp stuffed po-boys or fried green tomato and shrimp po-boys with house-made remoulade sauce. Take a half-size po-boy, hollow the bread to make a bread cave, stuff it with our own New Orleans style barbecued shrimp (prepped in loads of butter, white wine, and saucy spices), cover it with barbecue sauce, and grab the napkins. Or grab our fried green tomatoes, add some shrimp sautéed in our barbecue sauce, our house salad with house-made dressing, some remoulade sauce, and you've got a little more than a po-boy, you've got a "Whoa-boy." Pete Hegseth shares, "Memorial Day isn't just about honoring veterans, its honoring those who lost their lives. Veterans had the fortune of coming home. For us, that's a reminder of when we come home we still have a responsibility to serve. It's a continuation of service that honors our country and those who fell defending it." Have a blessed weekend, remembering those who've served our country so well, especially those who didn't come home and their families.
Have a look: Stone House Eats Standard Menu!
Stone House Eats Bread Baked Daily
Lunch Served | 11am-2pm Tuesday — Friday
You can find our house at 828 Julia Street in Rayville, Louisiana. You can call us at (318) 267-4457.
Thanks for letting us serve you, and may God bless you richly as you sit at the table.
Famous Quotes
Uncle Milton Berle quipped, "We owe a lot to Thomas Edison — if it wasn't for him, we'd be watching television by candlelight." Have a blessed and happy Memorial Day weekend!


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Project Links
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Northeast deserves a state representative with the urgency and experience to tackle Minnesota's inequities.
My Story
In the 1950s my grandparents immigrated to the United States from Mexico and El Salvador. Like many immigrants, including nearly all of the families of the 2nd graders in my Columbia Heights classroom, they left home with the hope that this country would be the start to a better life. For them, education was a powerful tool for upward mobility.
If my grandparents would have immigrated to Minnesota in 2017, their chances of success would look very different. In education, jobs, housing, and upward mobility our state has many of the worst racial disparities in the entire country. And in many ways, those gaps have gotten worse, not better, over the past 40 years. We can and we must do better as a state.
We need state legislators who have first-hand experience addressing and solving these inequities. As a teacher, my students deserve a fierce advocate not only in education policy, but also in transit, healthcare, immigration, affordable housing, and all the other policies that I've seen impact their lives.
Northeast Minneapolis has been a success story for generations of immigrant families, from Polish, Lebanese, and Ukrainian immigrants in the past to Somali, Ecuadoran, and Middle Eastern immigrants today. Ensuring that remains true for all future generations requires someone with the urgency, experience, and mindset to tackle Minnesota's inequities head-on. We need someone like that at the state Capitol. I believe I can be that person.


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Playing DefenseWe think these funds accomplish this objective by investing primarily in large-cap companies that are in traditionally defensive sectors such as consumer staples, utilities, precious metals, telecom, and healthcare. Both of these ETFs use this same philosophy. The only difference is that USMV holds companies based in the US, whereas EFAV purchases international companies. Additionally, MGV and IYZ are also defensive equity funds. The Mega-Cap Value fund has many of the same holdings as USMV, but is a little more diversified into other sectors. And we think telecom has been one of the few bright spots through the recent season of earnings, showing very strong growth over the last year.
Fixed IncomeLastly, we also like two fairly aggressive bond sectors: high-yield municipal and emerging market bonds. Both of these ETFs (that is, HYD and EMLC mentioned above) pay fairly high yields - 4.57% and 5.38%, respectively. They also have government backing, which, in our view, increases their safety to a degree.
Tough EnvironmentWhy are we so defensive? The overall global trend in stocks is still down. When stocks are in a bull market, the market will continually make higher highs and higher lows. As you can see in the chart below, over the last year, the highs and lows have been in decline. This is the basic definition of a downtrend. In order to break the downtrend, in our view, there needs to be a sustained close above the dotted line, which marks the most recent previous peak in the FTSE All World Index . We think that as long as the close stays below that line, it will remain technically in a downtrend.
Cyclical TrendsHistorically, we think that the market tends to do very well from November through April, and not very well from May through October. As we enter the time of year when the market has a tendency to peak (early May), we don't think it make sense to be overly aggressive. Also, as it relates to political cycles, we believe that the 4 th year of a second term has a track record of being the overall worst for the stock market.
Brexit RiskIn less than two months, the UK will be voting on whether or not it wants to exit the European Union. If this happens, we think it has the potential to really shake up global markets. In our opinion it's likely that this news story will become more and more dominant in the coming weeks and could make investors more fearful than they are currently. Photo Credit: Rob Deutscher via Flickr Creative Commons
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The post Why we're playing defense appeared first on Smarter Investing Covestor Ltd. is a registered investment advisor. Covestor licenses investment strategies from its Model Managers to establish investment models. The commentary here is provided as general and impersonal information and should not be construed as recommendations or advice. Information from Model Managers and third-party sources deemed to be reliable but not guaranteed. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Transaction histories for Covestor models available upon request. Additional important disclosures available at http://site.covestor.com/help/disclosures. For information about Covestor and its services, go to http://covestor.com or contact Covestor Client Services at (866) 825-3005, x703.


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Previous Episode: Revolution Collusion,
Scoring Society & Fiascos Of Our Future
Watch or Listen Below:
As growing numbers of people are becoming increasingly interested in politics, we find ourselves on the precipice of change. Civilians are quickly learning that they do indeed hold the power, and this awesome realization comes with a level of adjustment, while not entirely effective, these crude means of conveying a message work; We are tired of what we're seeing.
We are indeed all agents of change on this global scale, however, as people step into who they're supposed to become, we must recognize that there are already people who have chosen to be, as I call them, agents of our adversaries. If we are to work change into this world it will not happen without some form of resistance, and before those changes can be implemented, the threats must be assessed and eliminated.
Our current culture has all the hallmark signs of a revolution. If it isn't one of the political variety, it is indeed one of mental, emotional and spiritual change. Unfortunately, these growing revelations have been recognized by our adversaries, and as we've seen time and time again, the plan has been to disrupt, misinform and co-opt. Oddly enough these times have been prophesied, but only time will tell if we walk head first or with our third eyes blind.
The Stars Of Your Host with Leslie of @OurCosmicDay [Exclusive Members] [Audio Only]
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Previous Episode: Revolution Collusion,
Scoring Society & Fiascos Of Our Future


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"And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)
from Earth into Eternity
"And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)
Some people are living in bondage daily as a result of trusting in the world systems to save them. AContinue Reading
Any farmer will tell you that preparing a new field for planting is hard work. The same is true whenContinue Reading
04. 06. 2018 || A Call to Serve When he was just 19, Don and his Colorado youth group were inContinue Reading
A MISSIONS GOAL This is a Christian organization that aims at releasing children from Poverty in Jesus' Name "Whoever isContinue Reading
I found an article on VSO about a young purposeful lady who despite her hearing "limitations" puts impact before theContinue Reading
As part of the Missions Monday Reviews, I interview Mission Fields and publish their work for further reach and support.Continue Reading
Apr 2, 2018 || A Call to Action Autism is a mental condition that starts from early childhood, characterized byContinue Reading
Mar 19, 2018 || A Missions Story Compassion International is a christian NGO that reaches out to children to releaseContinue Reading
Mar 12, 2018 || Missions Monday On our #MissionsMonday feature, we have the Every Tribe Missions; a Christian NGO inContinue Reading


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Begining this August, Pastor Ken desires to connect personally with every member of Bay Cities Fellowship. These meetings will provide an opportunity to share concerns, to explore passions, and to revisit our covenant documents. You can sign up for a meeting by simply clicking below.
Also, if you are not currently a member, please consider Discovering Bay Cities Fellowship (https://baycitiesoldsmar.com/discoverbcf).


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March Madness, College Counselor Style, Part I
I'm not a big sports fan. But there are times when the enormity of an event makes following it pretty much a necessity in polite company. So this year, when everyone I know is talking about NCAA March Madness brackets, I decided I would create my own version and turn it into professional development.
We're down to the "Sweet Sixteen." With bracket in hand, I opened up College Navigator in one tab, and Niche in another tab. Putting athletic prowess aside completely, I looked at the statistics that matter to ME as a college consultant.
Starting with the South bracket, first up is University of Miami versus Villanova. Two private schools located in large suburban areas, one in Coral Gables, one outside Philly.
Average Net Price: Villanova is slightly less expensive on average, but overall less expensive for those with high need and more expensive for those with low need.
Retention and Graduation Rates: Villanova with the edge on retention (94% vs. 93%), but with a much stronger performance in the 4 year graduation rate (85% over U of Miami's 68%).
Pell Grant Recipients: University of Miami is a clear winner here with 17% over Villanova's 13%.
Niche's Rankings focus more on student life issues.
University of Miami posts strong rankings (A+) on Academics, Athletics, Diversity, Party Scene and Weather (duh!); and poor rankings (C- or D+) on Drug Safety and Parking.
Villanova posts nothing at the A+ level, but As in Academics, Athletics and Transportation, and C-s in Administration and Drug Safety.Overall, University of Miami beats out Villanova in 11 of 19 of Niche's categories.
It's not a slam-dunk (see how I used a great basketball metaphor here?), but University of Miami seems to emerge the winner.
The second match up in the South bracket is University of Kansas and University of Maryland. Two large, state-supported institutions.
Average Net Price: While Maryland's sticker price is higher, using either in-state or out-of-state number, the average net price for Maryland is lower, and for high-need students is a LOT lower.
Retention and Graduation Rates: Maryland has the edge here too. Their retention rate is 96% versus 80% for Kansas, and their 4-year graduation rate is 67% against Kansas' 37%.
Pell Grant Recipients: Kansas has this one with 23% compared with Maryland's 14%.
On Niche's student life rankings, University of Maryland's strengths (A+s) are Athletics and Attractive Guys and Girls (I wonder who determines this?). Low scores (C-s and D+s) are in Drug Safety and Parking.
For Kansas, Strengths are in Athletics, Attractive Guys and Girls, Off Campus Dining and Party Scene, and its only problem area is Drug Safety. I will not speculate on the possible connection between high ratings on Party Scene and low ratings on Drug Safety.
Without counting ties, Maryland wins 5 categories and Kansas wins 8 categories.
Who has the edge? If you care about price and retention, go with Maryland. If you're a "live for today" person and care about student life, go with Kansas. Me? I'd go with Maryland.
Bottom line: I'm taking University of Miami and University of Maryland to move into the next round. How about you?
I'll have my picks for the other regions in subsequent posts!


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Fast Friday 10k
Age cat prizes will be posted out next week
10km Road Race - Good Friday: 10.04.20, 9.30am - Exwick, Exeter
Flat & fast 2 laps course suitable for all abilities
Medal & Easter goodies for every finisher.
KM markers
Water station on route (using compostable cups)
Uk Athletics licensed event (2019-37016)
A great multi-lap, traffic free and pancake flat 10km run on footpaths and cycle tracks around Exwick Playing Fields and the River Exe Flood Relief. This event is suitable for people chasing PB's along with novice runners...so get your Easter Holiday off to a flyer!!
Elite entries available - contact us for details
Volunteers Needed = FREE Entry to another race, If your able and willing to help please get in CONTACT
Refund, Deferral and Transfer Information
From the moment we begin to organise an event, we start to incur costs. Your entry fee is invested into the cost of staging the event - everything from barriers to toilets, from printing to safety pins, from race numbers to marketing. Organising any event requires a considerable amount of forward planning, risk and expense. Therefore we are unable to offer refunds or defer entries over to the 2020.
However, we will do entry transfers up until 7 days before the race.
You must have agreed to take over the entry from the original runner directly. The fee we charge is to cover admin costs - we will not refund the original entrant, therefore you will need arrange payment (if any) directly with original entrant. Click here for entry transfer
See our full policy regarding - refunds, deferrals, transfers and event cancellation.
Good Friday = Fast Friday
Race Information | View Race Instructions Sheet
Date & Time: Good Friday: 19th March 2019 - Start Time 9.30am
Race Instructions: You should be able to find all the details you need reference the race here on the website. However we will email all entrants a race instructions email prior to the race.
Race HQ: The race HQ will be the changing rooms at Exwick Playing Fields (Post Code EX4 1EG) - click here for directions.
Entry Limit -300
Entry Fees: £16.50 England Athletics Competitions License Holder
£18.50 Standard Entry
Prize Fund: This will be awarded to the first 3 men and women over the line - these prizes will be awarded on the day. Age cat prizes will be awarded to the winner of each age cat (providing they have not already won an overall prize). Age cat prizes will be posted out after the race.
First Aid Cover: Will be provided by MET Services
Parking: Please note parking at the race hq is limited, so if you can car share where possible please do. If we could ask you to please park as tightly as possible so we can accommodate as many cars as possible. Parking will be done on a first come first served basis. There is on street parking available on surrounding roads and also a pay and display car park - we will include alternative parking details in the races instructions.


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[dropcap]C[/dropcap]lose your eyes. Allowing your mind to still, listen to the rolling waves cascading over the earth's crumbled floor. Now, take a deep breath and give Me all that jumbles your heart today. Do you smell the salty air? Cast your face toward the sun, allowing its' radiant light to warm your skin. I give what is good and My glory dwells in your land.
Giving Me this moment each day is a necessity in your life. Without Me, your life will never be fully fulfilled. No job, no child, and no other person can give you the same type of satisfaction. Daily, you turn to these things before you turn to Me. Mortal men twist your words and needy children beg for your attention. Instead of feeling My peace, you struggle with earthly discontentment.
I hear your cry. Child, know today that I came into this world to save the brokenhearted and to show you mercy. Sit beside Me on this back porch and share all that troubles you today. Take your time - I have unlimited patience.
Psalm 85:8-13, Psalm 56:3-6, 1 Timothy 1:15-16
Till next time, let your light shine!
Blessings, christen
[box_dark]Next week, I'll be offering a 7 Day Contentment Challenge to truth-seekers signed up to receive monthly newsletters. This challenge will provide tips for finding contentment during stressful situations. To receive your challenge, fill out the "Subscribe Via E-Mail" form on the right side of the page. Your day just might shine a little brighter! [/box_dark]


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The Steering Committee will make strategic decisions for the Alaska Resilience Initiative based on community and statewide input. New members shall be elected and consideration will be given to all applicants showing a sincere desire to promote and improve the lives of children and families in Alaska. Specifically, Steering Committee Members will have expertise from academic, professional, personal, community, or ancestral knowledge on the issues of trauma, health, well-being, and community systems change processes. Interested parties are encouraged to apply with the application here.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: November 22Communications Workgroup Meeting
Later Event: December 13Policy Workgroup Meeting


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The Luxor collection is woven from AbacoXF synthetic rattan, a revolutionary new mildew resistant fibre created by one of the leading synthetic rattan furniture manufacturers in the world.
This sofa comes complete with a protective weather cover.
Luxor's beautiful outdoor cushioning is created by MarinaPLUS with white pepper weave and Spradling Outdoor Fabric with meteor weave, originally developed for use on Luxury Yachts. This is perfect for use in outdoor furniture, it's UV stabilised, colour-fast and mildew resisitant.
The synthetic rattan and leather of the Luxor Range is temperature tolerant from -20 degrees celsius to +70 degrees celsius, so will maintain all its properties compared to lesser materials which may degrade in frosts and higher temperatures. The Luxor range uses HDPE resin wicker that is UV resistant and cool to touch even in hot weather.
Height 85cm
Width 155cm
Depth 86cm
We offer a three year guarantee against manufacturing faults on the Luxor collection frames and weave. The upholstery and cushioning comes with a 12 month guarantee.
"Hallo, Great thanks for fantastic work. I am very pleased with the quality, design and performance. So, now Ocean Design in center of Riga (Latvia). Viktorija "


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Farmer's Diary: To Garden is to Be Ready
Words by John Lee
It always seems to me that whenever there is an emergency, none of us is ever actually prepared. This seems to be an almost universal truth, sad to say. There are any number of reasons for this lack of readiness – procrastination, storage space, 'it won't happen here', and other 'reasons.' I think the fact of the matter is that we live in an era of instant gratification that pervades our lives more gravely than we might like to think. Due to busy work schedules and consumer demand (many of us work weekends, odd hours or nights), many of our shopping venues are open sometimes all night, many have extended hours, and the perception becomes that whatever we want or need is always available when we want or need it. We pick up dinner on the way home or stop for what will pass for dinner. Thus our reality becomes distorted by convenience.
Those who grew up in rural America, during the Depression or other troubled economic times, are sometimes more prepared for some types of emergencies. If one lives where one works and the so-called 'mod cons' (modern conveniences) exist at some distance from one's home, one tends to be a bit more of a pack-rat than our urban, suburban, and younger friends might be. To have a garden is by definition to plan ahead. But more than that, to garden is to be purposeful and purposeful responsibility is something that many of us need.
Vegetable gardening is highly under-rated in our communities, having passed from being a requirement for daily nutriment to a sometimes effete habit of those with time on their hands and a hankering for color. Everyone wants a bit of ephemeral beauty in their lives, but few want to put food by, as we used to say, for a long, cold winter or other emergency. Nonetheless, whether for effete satisfaction or for survival, gardening has much more to do with how we organize our lives than we might like to admit. Gardening is about commitment to an inanimate source of vitality; it is about understanding and caring for something that does not immediately return the favor; it is an art form, a palette upon which we can create and develop ideas that will provide imminent and marvelous satisfaction. Gardening brings patience, perspective, and persistence as those who are practicioners will attest. Gardening gives a lie to the TV news anchors who smilingly announce that it is another beautiful day because it has not rained in three weeks!
A good garden carefully tended will surely improve one's diet, expand one's palette, and bring conversation to the dinner table. The family will have ample opportunities talk about what they like and don't appreciate, discuss food preparation (was it the kale or the kale recipe?), and comment on pest control, weeding, and fertility. And the best part of all is that garden produce is low in salt, sugar, and GMOs.
On the other hand, if what one might consider in-the-ground conventional gardening an impossibility, and a window box garden does not suit your lifestyle, get to know your local growers at the farmers market or farm. There you will find what you would have wished to grow for yourself and the pleasure is only slightly diminished. Gather family and friends to explore new culinary territory. Join a local CSA and learn to love the weekly mystery that comes your way. Pretend you grew it and know that you just did something novel or creative by way of preparation. After all, when push comes to shove, your kitchen is but a metaphor for your garden and, carefully tended, will produce similar results! If art and artifice are prerequisite for the gardener, they are no less so for the cook who will take what nature or provender provides and create a colorful, nutritious, and tasty repast. If you are lucky, you can have it both ways. If less so, than take what is available and make the most of it.
John Lee is the manager of Allandale Farm (Boston's last working farm), which specializes in naturally grown local produce. Each summer, John manages an outdoor children's program on the farm. He writes for local news outlets and is deeply involved with farming and locally grown issues in Massachusetts.


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what is distinctive about storyboarding? - the essence
storyboarding - the findings, the progress, the issues and the needs
Cloud created by:
Bill Law
27 August 2012
Bill Law
The Career-learning Café
Bill Law's three-scene storyboarding is a narrative learning method, inviting both words and images in accounts of experience. It is designed to enable a person to move on, from whatever the remembered past may be and into a meaningful and purposeful future.
It is the product of a long and wide-ranging development process. Some key and essential ideas are now forming into useful bases for action...
- findings - what we can be reasonably sure of
- steps forward - progress in narrative thinking
- issues - how these ideas disturb and reposition practice
- needs - what further action is called for
There are positions - concerning needs, relevance and process - that we can be reasonably sure on...
- ascribing new meaning leads to new purpose - and that change may be a compelling response to re-configured experience
- how to achieve this kind of change can be learned - and applied life-wide and life-long
- it comes from learning to openly questioning the narratives - setting up talking-and-listening conversations
more information:
'Examples of Three-Scene Storyboarding - Narratives of Learning-for-living'
steps forward
Practice is now supported in terms of aims, theory and philosophy...
- the aims are for ready-for-anything flexibility - now brought into focus and developed into learning outcomes
- there is a theory of turning-point episodes - now developed from the interplay between cultural and neurological influences
- there is an underlying philosophy that nothing is inevitable - now focused and made explicit in achievable terms
more information:
'Three-Scene Storyboarding - Learning for Living'
The essential ideas of storyboarding show both what it is like and what it is not like. These are new uses of narrative, unfamiliar to much conventional thinking...
- it calls on the availability of significant time, resources and partnerships - which may not accord with familiar educational uses of narrative
- it is designed to take people on an exploratory journey, in search of unforeseen possibilities - although people commonly seek immediately-competitive narratives
- it re-situates narratives to where people can find new points-of-departure - people whose journey begins in cultural enclaves move beyond them, escaping entrapment
more information:
'What Future for Narrative Methods?'
There are priorities for action - on developing the programmes, on the locations of their operation, and on the management of their work with narratives...
- the work calls on learning which is socially-set, is in a step-by-step progression, and is creatively active - which is more than can come from the application of occasional and individually-focussed career expertise
- working in community-based and informal enterprise, or in the volunteering branches of that third-sector are well situated - able to do more than private- and public-sector formal institutions
- appropriate programme management selectively connects to 'friendly' helpers and stakeholders who are comprehending, intuitive and engaging - which means not relying on institutionalised or policy acceptability
more information:
'Ten Propositions in Search of Careers-work Professionalism'
the future
So much for the four essential areas of three-scene storyboarding development. But these have not been propitious times for introducing this work. Careers workers have been led to believe that there is a world-wide ideal and expert-led partnership model for their work. Such talk does not stimulate a hunger for the kind innovation that storyboarding represents.
Furthermore, policy responses to national debts are to transfer resources from the public to private sectors, seriously destabilised the professional prospects of publicly-funded careers workers. These unexpected threats do not commend unfamiliar departures.
Bad timing may explain why there is more interest than action in storyboarding. But a slow start need not be a bad thing. The following features of storyboarding call for measured implementation...
- formulating distinctive aims, theory and philosophy
- supporting sustained change through reflection
- appealing to the authority of student experience
- setting narratives in a social context
- using words-and-graphics formats
- processing attributed meaning into sustainable purpose
- enabling critical questioning
- rebalancing the importance of step-by-step help with occasional help
- relying on widely-linked but carefully-selective management styles
There is no quick fix here. It calls for a continually-adjusting development, over some time. Indeed that maintained process will itself modify and expand storyboarding's scope and usefulness. This is slow-burn not quick-fix innovation.
more information:
'Innovation - the Fizz and the Burn'
share in the innovation
contact a UK community-of-practice - e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com - or - firstname.lastname@example.com
more information about the Leonardo project
catch up with the background thinking
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An investigation by the U.S. Space Agency found that a metals manufacturer had provided hardware to Nasa backed by fraudulent test results. These materials eventually resulted in a loss of over $700 million, as well as multiple failed satellite launches. The company involved in the fraudulent materials scheme was an Oregon based company called Sapa Profiles Inc., which according to the investigation has falsified thousands of parts certifications throughout its nearly 20 years in business.
According to NASA, the faulty parts were used to surround a rocket named the Taurus XL, which was designed to deliver years of satellite research regarding the Earth's climate. However, with the uncertified parts installed, the rocket was not able to break out of its encasement properly during launch. This effectively destroyed the project and resulted in several years of work and funding put to waste.
"When testing results are altered and certifications are provided falsely, missions fail," stated the director of launch services for NASA, Jim Norman. However, the Taurus XL was not the only equipment ruined by the faulty hardware provided by Sapa Profiles Inc.


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Explainiation on spirit manifestation evps and the afterlife
I am always being asked about spirit manifestation in my free psychic reading email.
When a spirit is attempting to manifest into this world it draws energy from the available electrical fields around it. this often causes a physical reaction that creates a chill down our spine or causes the hair to stand up on the back of our neck. This can make us very uncomforatble and be a frightening experience if we do not understand what is happening. This is one reason so may people who have experienced spirit manifestation are so frightened by it..
But spirit manifestation is rarely a situation that can put the living in any actual danger.. Quite the opposite, it can be quite enlightening if we learn to overcome our initial reaction.. Most spirits do not want to frighten us. They are often simply trying to interact in the physical world in order to get a message across to, or be close to, someone or some plac, they loved when they were living in the physical world..
But some believe that they now have a way that they can tell when a spirit is trying to manifest.
When a spirit uses electrical fields to try to manifest in the physical realm, that spirit creates its own EMF ( electro magnetic field). These fields can be measured using an EMF detector.
Many of the modern ghost hunters find that they can detect the electro magnetic field of a spirit by using Electro Magnetic Field meters (EMF).
Everything in nature, both alive and inanimate, gives off an electromagnetic field. And many modern appliances emit a very strong electromagnetic field such as electrical outlets , computers, electrical wiring, TV's, air conditioners, fuse boxes, etc.. Most of these electrical sources will give off high EMF readings as part of their normal operation.
A normal EMF reading from one of these appliances will be strong and steady
EMF readings that might indicate a spirit are
Readings which fluctuate for no accountable reason, especially if they happen around a "cold spot" If the readings spikes from high to low and seems to move around the room. ''it is likely a spirit trying to manifest.
When this happens we often feel a "chill" such as the hair standing up on the back of our necks. This does not mean that there is a presence of anything bad or evil. It is just a natural physical reaction to the spirits drawing energy from a physical source in order to materialize in this physical world....
Fluctuating EVPs are very often found in cemeteries, hospitals and accident sites – places where people (especially large numbers of people) have died.
I believe that there are other universes, other realities and planes of existence that are close (parallel) to our own universe but not in the same physical space. I believe that one of these parallel planes is the realm of the afterlife, the place souls/spirits go when our body dies. The theory is that under the right circumstances spirits form the other side ( parallel universe) can momentarily bridge between their universe and ours to contact us, but with great effort and difficulty. They must learn how and they must draw power from existing physical sources to function on a limited level in the physical realm as they no longer have bodies.
If you would like more information on spirit manifestation you may ask Joan in your free psychic reading. Joan is also an experiences channeler of spirits of the how have departed this world and answers 1 free psychic question pertaining to messages from loved ones who have passed on.
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Themes and designsRead Now
Before I even begin with the baking of my cupcakes, I first decide on 3 things...
1. The flavour
2. The colour
3. The theme
These particular cupcakes are a mixture of 6x chocolate with hazelnuts, and 6x chocolate with ginger.
The theme in this case was 'a spring garden' and so the colours were already decided on because of the topic.
The butter cream is green and cream coloured to represent the 'grass/ground' and the flowers are a mix of spring colours... nice to know that it's almost here!
Once I know the answer to each of the above I can then bake with confidence knowing that my end result has already been decided upon.
I created these cupcakes for myself, however when I am designing cakes for clients it is still as important to be able to answer the 3 questions above.
I am teaching a 'cupcake master-class' on April 21st at Stevenage college from 10am - 2pm. If you think you would like to know more about how to create the perfect cupcake then why not enrol? follow this link http://www.nhc.ac.uk/default.aspx or give them a call.
Leave a Reply.
About me...
Hi there...
March 2016


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You want to lose weight for summer 2018?
It's true that summer bodies are made in the winter.
If you want this summer 2018 to be the summer you feel amazing in your swim wear, t-shirts or short shorts then start focussing on it now.
It's not about being skinny but it is about looking and feeling your best.
When we look and feel our best, it feels like we're on top of the world, everything seems to fall in to place.
Most of that comes down to confidence.
When we're at our best, we carry ourselves differently and our presence is different. It's amazing!
So how do you start working on that summer body.
1) Decide what that looks and feels like to you. Do you have a photo of your former self you'd like to get back to? An inspiring image of someone you feel is the peak of health. Post it somewhere you can see. Visualising DAILY is key.
2) Focus on the habits that will get you there. For example. Consistently eating a healthy breakfast, reducing stress, exercising, walking 10k a day etc. Don't worry about getting these all right at once. Choose one until it's a habit and simple to do, and then add another.
3) Find support. If you don't currently have people in your life that can help you then look to join a group or hire a coach, or both… But if you think you can go it alone, you only have to ask yourself how has that worked for you in the past? Or if the only people wish you keep around yourself are friends and family that just want to indulge in bad habits, then it's likely you're going to make life difficult for your fitness goals. Everyone has tough days and having people that will encourage and motivate you can make all the difference.
That's the magic of our fitness bootcamp and our 6 week challenge….
But if you're unable to attend our gym in Streetly, Walsall..
Take a look at our online Fit in 30 challenge
The secret to getting ahead is getting started – Mark Twain.
Look at what you need to do over the next six months and break it down to what you would like to achieve monthly.
This long term approach will not only bring you results but it will ensure they are long lasting.
This is how we will create your summer body.
If you need to talk, pop a comment below.


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Apprentice Program
Hair models needed
Practice makes perfect! Here at Butterfly Studio Salon education has been the key to our success. We have a group of passionate and creative individuals who are beginning their careers that are seeking models for haircuts, color and highlights.
Please understand this is limited to non existing clients only, understanding new talent is still undergoing our training program. They are licensed individuals in their final stage before promotion. We cannot accept any existing Butterfly Studio Salon clients to this program.


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Jan. 16 (Bloomberg) -- It may be an exaggeration to call ``Willie Nelson Sings the Blues'' a historic moment.
Yet the concert, held Jan. 12-13 at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Allen Room in New York, offered something rare: the country music star singing and playing guitar with the Wynton Marsalis jazz quintet, melding black and white, north and south, city and country. For two evenings, it all just became American music.
Marsalis and Nelson both look like they own the world. They are different worlds, of course, and you might have imagined conflicts. Yet they were both interested in the same thing, as it turned out: playing some old-time bluesy 4/4 swing. You could tell how well they were communicating by their eye contact, of which there was plenty, and by how much fun they seemed to be having. It was nice to discover that their worlds are, in fact, not all that different.
Marsalis's new-fashioned arrangements wove gently and effortlessly behind Nelson's innocent, carefree twang. Parenthetically, it should be remembered that Miles Davis was a Willie Nelson fan, and that he once recorded a tune called ``Willie Nelson.'' There's a gigantic picture window behind the bandstand of the Allen Room with a fine view of Central Park South, on which Davis lived toward the end of his life. As the evening wore on, the music seemed to become more in synch with the crosstown traffic, which was flowing smoothly.
Small Guy, Big Hat
The comfy Allen Room seats less than 500 people. All the sightlines are clear. Like many famous people, Nelson is shorter than you expect him to be, even in his ten-gallon hat. He lined up on stage as though he were just one more soloist with the band. He looked happy in that role. The difference between hillbillies and hipsters was split as they played such songs as ``Georgia on My Mind'' and ``Don't Get Around Much Anymore.''
Playing the guitar, Nelson has a touch of the raw, deliberate disorder of Thelonious Monk. He turns wrong notes into upper partials, and his time is sort of lopsided, like a child playing hopscotch. Occasionally he was flat, but he was just playing on the sad side of the note. He was the only musician on the bandstand not wearing a necktie.
Writing this in a hotel room, listening to Willie Nelson on earphones, I asked myself why I -- a jazz musician -- have dozens of tracks by Nelson and none by Marsalis in my iTunes file. I do not generally go out of my way to listen to Wynton Marsalis, and I can't really tell you why. With his assortment of mutes and plungers, he was certainly convincing with Nelson, and I may have changed my mind. In the past, he has aroused my admiration more than my emotions.
Divisive Definition
Marsalis is a showman as much as a musician, and he's really good at both. He's a fine trumpeter and a splendid front man, but he obviously has agendas other than the musical one.
Marsalis has been a divisive figure on the global jazz scene. Now the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, he defines the jazz tradition as something that stops at about 1960. This doesn't make him very popular in Europe, where musicians are more interested in being what they consider ``contemporary.'' Traditionalists, for their part, accuse the Europeans of trying to snuff out African-American history. The truth is, as always, more complicated than that.
In the Allen Room, it was a joyful joust. In between two songs, the black jazzman was telling the audience about how he and the white country singer had, during a rehearsal, discussed the relative merits of Louisiana barbeque and Texas catfish. (Marsalis is from New Orleans, Nelson from Abbott, Texas.)
Nelson just stood there and pretended to tune his guitar with his trademark aw-shucks smile as he listened to Marsalis's patter. Marsalis ended the story by saying, ``but Willie don't talk too much.'' Then he snapped the tempo for Clarence Williams's ``My Bucket's Got a Hole in It.''


text: PORTLAND, Maine, March 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Beacon Group is proud to announce their partnership with the Viper 640 International Class Association, as the title sponsor of the 2017 Viper 640 North American Championship to be held in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The Beacon Group is a pioneer in the world of growth strategy consulting. For over fifteen years, the firm has provided guidance to Fortune 500 corporations on their global organic and inorganic growth strategies and tactics.


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This Week In Fashion: Reset Launches At The Pulitzer And Neiman Marcus Hosts A Manolo Blahnik Trunk Show
The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts launches their new series, Reset, on Friday, Jan. 17 featuring a variety of activities set to give the Grand Center art hub a more approachable feel for a variety of audiences. The event lasts through Jan. 25 and showcases national artists and bands, a B-Boy competition, custom manicures by Vanity Projects, family-friendly activities and collaborations with a variety of local organizations including Urban Breath Yoga and the St. Louis Symphony. Free admission to most events. For a full schedule, visit the Pulitzer on the web. 3716 Washington Blvd.
ALIVE Bride will be taking over the Lumen event space on Jan. 16 from 6pm – 9pm, where a variety of venders will set up shop at the carefully curated wedding showcase. Complimentary cocktail samples, wedding-inspired culinary tastings, an interactive beauty experience and gift bags await the brides and planners of 2014. Regular and VIP tickets are still available. For more information, visit the official Facebook event page and purchase tickets here. 2201 Locust St.
Neiman Marcus hosts a Manolo Blahnik Trunk Show on Tuesday, Jan. 21 from 10am – 7pm. Guests can view the latest collection at the upper level of the Shoe Salon while mingling with shoe fanatics from all over the Lou. 100 Plaza Frontenac Woods Ln.
Local boutique, Schon presents a shopping and socializing event to benefit Marian Middle School on Friday, Jan. 17. From 5:30pm – 9pm, guests can enjoy beverages, hors d'oeuvres and desserts while shopping and visiting with featured artists from around the St. Louis area. Suggested minimum donation is $10 upon arrival. RSVPs requested by end of business hours on Thursday, Jan. 16 to receive a gift bag and entrance in a drawing for door prizes. Call 314.726.6909 to RSVP. 30 The Boulevard
Beginning Feb. 1, South Grand furniture dealer Rocket Century will begin The Vintage Modern Collective, which will feature pieces from three other local vintage modern dealers. It will become an excellent one-stop shop for great Vintage Modern furniture, artwork and accessories. View their full service website to get a preview of their selection or stop by their showroom at 3189 South Grand.


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we've had special company in our home for the last few days.
all the way from the texas hill country.
to see us!
it has been SO great.
the girls have loved every minute of it too.
it's been fun waking up & making an extra big pot of coffee...
knowing someone else would be sipping too.
the best i tell you.
this morning after we were dressed...
ready to head out...
my mama & i walked out and looked at each other and just laughed.
both of us in jeans... a black blouse...
and our yellow purses... the same shade of yellow to boot.
our great minds thinking alike!
it sure won't be fun when they have to leave tomorrow but...
for right now we are enjoying this time.
and hoping that times slows down a bit.
happy tuesday yall!
three generations in the housecapturing9 Comments
we've had special company in our home for the last few days.


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Amazing Houses of the World
Amazing Houses of the World
There are many amazing houses around the world. Some are underground, some are up in the air and some are on the water. Others are fortresses and still others are tents. Come with me and prepare to be astounded as we take a tour and learn about some of these unusual and fascinating homes around the world.
Photo of these reed houses on a floating island courtesy of geoced on Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0).
The Most Amazing Home
Where would you like to live?
Amazing Houses of Asia
Mongolia and Kazakhstan - Yurt / Ger
© Copyright stealthtractor (CC BY-ND 2.0).
Yurts (or gers) are the circular, folding, portable homes of sheep or horse herders in the steppes of Central Asia. They have wooden frames and are covered by white wool felt. In the picture above, you can see the chimney sticking out of the roof. Horse manure is used to fuel the stove attached to this chimney. The beds line the walls inside.
See photos of a ger being constructed.
Make your own model yurt from dowel, balsa wood, an embroidery hoop and felt.
Fujian Province, China - Tulou
© Copyright kudumomo (CC BY 2.0)
In the mountains in the Fujian province in Southern China there are tulous, large round (or rectangular) buildings surrounded by thick rammed dirt walls (up to 6 feet thick), housing about 300 people. Some of these tulous are very old, being built as early as the 12th century. There is usually only one main gate with a thick wooden door. The tulou is between three and five stories high and has four communal staircases. In the center of the tulou there may be a hall for ancestor worship, storehouses, wells, animal pens and living areas. The top level of the tulou has gun holes for defending these fortresses.
Read a much more detailed description of the tulous including photos.
Papua, Irian Jaya - Treehouse
© Copyright 710928003 (CC BY 2.0)
The Korowai and Kombai tree people live in the basin of the Brazza River in the lowland jungles of Papua, Irian Jaya. They build their houses up in the trees, normally 20-80 feet (6-25m), but sometimes up to 130 feet (40 m) above ground, to try to avoid floods, mosquitoes and for protection from other clans who may try to capture people for slavery or even cannibalism. A family of up to 8 people will live in this treehouse. And there's no lift or staircase to get up, just a wooden ladder or a log with notches cut out of it.
Find out more about these tree people and their homes with this series of photos.
Indonesia - Floating Bugis Houses
© Copyright zhaffsky (CC BY-SA 2.0)
There is a fishermen's floating village on Lake Tempe, a shallow lake in Sengkang, Indonesia. Animals and boats are kept under the homes. The fish that are caught are dried for three to four days on the rafts attached to the houses.
Not only do these fishermen have floating homes, they also have floating gardens to help them catch fish.
Indonesia, Sumba - Tall-roofed Houses of Ratenggaro Village
© Copyright monica.renata (CC BY 2.0)
These amazing houses with tall roofs have four thick pillars in their center but the rest is made from bamboo and grass. Animals such as water buffalo and pigs live in the fenced area under each dwelling. The tall pointed part of the roof is empty and it where the gods are believed to live. The people live between the two levels.
Japan's Alpine Valleys - Grasshozukuri
© Copyright Yosemite (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Gassho-zukuri means clasped-hands style. These buildings have high peaked roofs, made from grass or straw thatch, to allow the snow and rain to easily slide straight off. This prevents water soaking through the roof into the rooms inside and will also stop the roofing materials rotting too quickly. Inside, there is often an open fireplace, a square pit in the floor, called an irori. It is used for heating, cooking and even for lighting the room. There is no chimney so the smoke just rises into the high roof space so the people don't have to breathe it in. Sometimes there is a small vent hole for letting the smoke escape.
Read more about these fascinating buildings with steep thatched roofs and see dozens of people re-thatching one of these roofs.
Make a printable model grasshozukuri.
Amazing Houses of Africa
Matmata, Tunisia - Living Underground - troglodyte house
© Copyright The Cisco Kid (CC BY 2.0)
Some of the people in Matmata, a small town in southern Tunisia, live in caves. A large pit was dug in the ground and holes for rooms were dug off to the sides of this courtyard and plastered white. Sometimes these cave-rooms are connected with passageways. The temperatures in Matmata can be very high in Summer and very cold in Winter, but in the rooms of this underground dwelling, the temperature is always about 70°F - 80°F (21°C - 27°C).
Togo and Benin - Somba / Taberma house - Earthen Fortresses
© Copyright Erik Cleves Kristensen (CC BY 2.0)
The Somba or Taberma people of Benin and Togo are famous for making two story fortified huts made from mud. The outside of these earthen castles is painted red with paint made from karite tree nuts. See the little circular door on the right hand side, with the branch as a ramp? That's for ducks to walk up to get inside. Farm animals are kept on the bottom floor and people sleep upstairs. Cooking and other tasks, such as grinding millet into flour, are also done on the bottom floor. The rooftop is used for drying beans, grain and chili peppers. Outside each home is an altar for each person living there.
Amazing Houses of South America
Peru - Reed Huts on Uros Island on Lake Titicaca
© Copyright Cmunozjugo (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Uros Islands are several man-made islands, made from bundles of dried tortora reeds on which a few hundred Uros people live .The islands were originally constructed for defensive purposes. Because they were floating islands, they could be moved if there was any kind of threat. The islands constantly need topping up and repairing with new reeds. The surface of each island is spongy because the reeds underneath rot quickly, and if you're not careful where you walk, your leg could sink right through into the icy lake water. The walls and roofs of their huts are made from the same reeds with wooden stakes supporting the raised bases. As you can see in the picture above, some homes even have solar panels to run appliances like televisions. To prevent burning the reed islands, cooking fires are built up on a layer of stones.
Amazon Rainforest - Yanomamo Shabono
Public domain photo courtesy of Zeljko on Wikipedia
The Yanomamo (or Yanomami or Yanomama) people live in villages in the rainforest on the border between Brazil and Venezuela. The village, which is usually an extended family of up to 400 people, lives in a huge dwelling called a shabono or yanos. It is ring-shaped with a shelter around the outside for housing individual families and an open area in the center, measuring an average of 300 feet (91m) in length, for group celebrations. These shabanos are built from tree trunks, leaves and vines and consequently get damaged easily by wind, rain and insects. Every 1 or 2 years they need to be rebuilt.
Amazing Houses of Europe
Iceland - Turf Houses
Public domain photo courtesy of TommyBee on Wikipedia
In Iceland where timber is in short supply because it is such a harsh environment, people often used turf (grass) on their roofs. Turf is a great insulator against the cold and it also is effective at keeping out the drafts. Over about 20 to 70 years the turf would deteriorate and have to be replaced. Nobody lives in these turf houses any more.
More information on Icelandic turf houses
You can also find these sod roof dwellings in Norway (pictures). Do you think that the first photo with trees growing on the roof is genuine?
Amazing Houses of Australia
Coober Pedy, Australia - Dugouts, Underground Houses
© Copyright whale05 (CC BY 2.0)
During Summer in the desert town of Coober Pedy in South Australia, temperatures can reach extremes. To avoid the heat, people started living in dugouts - holes in the ground. Originally these dugouts were dug into the sandstone by hand with picks and shovels, usually into the side of a hill. Today, tunneling machines are used. The rooms in these underground dwellings are ventilated with small pipes which you can see sticking out of the ground.
For more information, visit Outback Australia Travel Secrets.
More Info About Amazing Houses of the World
This 48 page book has great photos and also cut-away diagrams of each building so you can see clearly how the people live in these homes. Great book! In fact it was this book which inspired me to do the research for this page.
Which is the most amazing house? Choose from those shown here, or tell me of another incredible house somewhere in the world.
Great stuff - makes me want to hit the road again!
Why don't people live in turf houses any more? They seem such a great idea in every way. Fascinating lens.
Cozy huts!
What an interesting variety of amazing houses from around the world.
I saw only uros's houses at Titikaka lake. But I don't like to live there because of high humidity.,
It's a very interesting lens, thanks!
Fantastic - love the floating houses.
I would love to live in a circular house with a courtyard in the middle like I saw in Japan. The simpler the house to me the more amazing and beautiful it is.
Japan, the sand houses in the desert and the dugouts in Australia! Loved this lens, enjoyed it very much.
That troglodyte thing scares me, I wonder how they get their air supply! Nevertheless, this is another interesting lens.
@beaworkathomemom: ya!!
Really interesting lens. I really enjoy reading your lens. Thumbs up
Have to go with Tunisia Angel Blessed
@Diana Wenzel: An underground house would be awesome.
These houses are really amazing. They've got creative ideas.
Hello. Just letting you know that I featured your lens in my lens about dream houses. This was the lens I saw that inspired me to create that lens. The houses are outrageous but I think living underground is interesting.
I featured this lens on my lens.... https://hubpages.com/technology/my-10-favorites-le... : )
Amazing houses. I enjoyed reading your lens.
wow, you make a great lens, never think about this before..
I love the ingenuity of people who have learned to adapt and dwell harmoniously with the land. Those turf homes are awesome. Yurts also appeal to me. The other place that speaks to me is that floating island. Don't think I would enjoy living above farm animals. I'd never get any sleep and I'm wondering about the smells that would drift up into the living space. Very interesting article. Thanks!
Really interesting idea for a lens.
Really amazing! Would love living in each for sometime just for the experience. Great lens.
Really amazing! Would love living in each for sometime just for the experience. Great lens.
I think the treehouse and communal house in China are the coolest looking ones. Living underground is neat too. I've heard of people carving houses from caves and running cables for TV and broadband internet.
BRILLIANT! Would you like me to use one of these in my pic-of-the-day lens?
I can't pick! These are really cool. Nice lens.
What an amazing lesson in geography. Thank you for making this lens.
very nice article i do remmember something coming up in china where students are using permanent inflatable houses in the parks due to shortage of apartments in the city.
I know some people that bought Yurts and put them next to my property in Hawaii. They rent them out now to travelers as rustic vacation rentals. People seem to really like them. Great stuff on the ways people make use of the most abundant materials their environment provides to make comfortable shelter. Congrats on being one of the top 11 for the Top Lens of 2011! *Squid Angel Blessed* This lens has also been added to My Squid Angel Wings to the "Voted the Top Squidoo Lens for 2011" module.
Great lens! Very educational!
I seen some strange houses in the past. You've captured a few too. I think it was funny how nobody voted in your poll that they would like to live in a tent. :
The Matmata looks like it inspired the homes of people on Tattooine in Star Wars. I suspect the Sand People take their inspiration from nomads of the same region.
Very interesting lens and great photography! You are right, there are some amazing houses built around the world, your choices are quite amazing. I remember a house in the shape of mushrooms in the Chicago area that was quite interesting, saw it years ago, perhaps you are familiar with it.
First, congratulations on being in the top 11 for 2011. Then, I find all these houses fascinating, but if I had to pick one, then the treehouse would be it. But I can't help but wonder about the underground ones in Tunisia----what do they do if they get alot of rain, or maybe it doesn't rain there.
Very interesting lens. A lot of people living off the grid in Hawaii have yurts. The insides of them are amazing. Congrats on top 11 ~thumbs up and blessed!
Fascinating. I can't say which amazes me the most!
Just came back to say congratulations on the Top 11 of 2011!
Left me speechless here. Photos are really worth a thousands words. Funny how most votes went to living in "a normal house" though :)
I'll always remember a trip I made to White Cliffs another opal mining town with underground housing. I was luck to be able to visit a home where the feature wall in the living room was a brilliant opal seam! Congratulations for being in the Top 11 for 2011
Can't choose just one but my preference would be to build an underground house. Definitely NOT the one in the trees!
Congratulations on the top 11 of 2011. This is a super lens. Makes me want to go back and document all the places we've lived since marriage. Love the Bugis Floating Houses, I would do that. Blessings and Happy New Year.
So hard to choose one. I was always fascinated by the Pueblo Culture and their dwellings. You have an amazing collection here. Congratualtiosn on making the 2011 MONSTER BOARD for Community Favorites. It is well deserved-- so much work was put into this! I really enjoyed reading and I am adding you to the lensmasters I follow. Happy New Year!!
Being scared of heights, the house on the poles scares the heck out of me! Congratulations for being in the Top 11 Squidoo lenses for 2011! ~~Blessed~~
Congrats for your lens for 2011! What a great subject and some strange homes out there. Very fun to read.
Congrats on being nominated for Community Favorite Lenses of 2011. A wonderful lens. Fortunately we both share one thing it was easier to vote than for most as mine was my "why-I-am a- vegetarian was nominated as well. A proud moment for all of us. Good luck in the voting.
Enjoyed learning about such unique houses around the world. Congratulations on being one of the final 100 favorite Squidoo lenses of 2011!
Australia looks great - on the inside! This reminds me of a now famous motel that I stayed in several times - all the rooms represented some theme. Amazing!
Hard to choose just one. It it so interesting to see how the human being can make a home anywhere.
Amazing how creative people can be.
That was a wonderful tour around the world made within the confines of a lens.
These are fascinating! I can't imagine living in them Makes me feel blessed to have my comfortable home as humble as it is. Blessed.
Neat! Well done. Thanks!
These houses are all excellent examples of how to live in harmony with nature! Each of them are built of low cost, locally available materials, probably by the occupants, and are uniquely suited to the climate they are built in, to keep the occupants as comfortable as possible. Really lovely that you bring us these wonderful examples
After seeing these Amazing Houses, I know I am glad that I am right here in my own boring home. Very interesting. Congrats on being in the Top 100 Community Favorites.
Nice lens! There are definitely some very interesting ideas out there. I am a huge fan of architecture.
Check out this 'folding house': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C2ufYuoauQ
Also love this 'hobbit house': http://gaia-health.com/gaia-blog/2011-12-21/man-bu...
I am a big fan of 1930's Moderne houses - you know the type that are modeled on liners? All white. Metal framed windows that wind round the house. Art Deco interior - that sort of thing.
Awesome lens. I think the houses in Tulou are the most amazing. Thumbs up!
Really interesting lens, wouldn't like to live in the tree house but the floating houses are really nice.
Great lens with a lot of space to expand. It can even grow into encyclopedia one day:)
I would love any house that I could call my own!!!! :) GREAT LENS!
So interesting! Thank you for putting this wonderful collection together for us to enjoy.
i'm amazed by the one in the air!
Amazing photos, and idea for a lens! Probably you could tell a bit about pole houses, I love them most ( they also are built on water but are static and don't float). I was looking to place a link but couldn't find what I meant to share. Angel Blessed.
Incredible houses - don't like the idea of the tree houses though :) There are dugout houses in Coober Pedy in South Australia. I've not been there but would love to see them!


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Laura Bliss
Laura Bliss is CityLab's West Coast bureau chief. She also writes MapLab, a biweekly newsletter about maps (subscribe here). Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Los Angeles magazine, and beyond.
Following President Trump's executive order suspending the U.S.-Syrian refugee program and barring travelers from several majority-Muslim countries, Uber found itself in a tricky spot. The ride-hailing company's CEO, Travis Kalanick, now serves on a business advisory council to the president. But many Uber drivers—in fact, a majority in some cities—are immigrants.
Rather than show solidarity with those drivers—as the New York Taxi Workers Alliance did with theirs, halting pick-ups at JFK Airport for an hour on Saturday evening in the name of "a working-class movement that is rooted in the defense of the oppressed"—Uber took a different path. As protestors clogged JFK's terminals, Uber turned off surge pricing there, effectively slashing the cost of a ride.
Surge pricing has been turned off at #JFK Airport. This may result in longer wait times. Please be patient.— Uber NYC (@Uber_NYC) January 29, 2017
This, according to a torrent of online critics, amounted to strike-breaking. Calls to #DeleteUber from celebrities and civilians flooded social media Saturday night and Sunday. From New York to Los Angeles, hundreds of Facebook and Twitter users posted screenshots of their impassioned Uber break-ups through the company's online account-deletion form: "I don't need a ride to Vichy territory you quisling scum," read one.
In a way, the controversy was nothing new. Protests and Uber seem to go hand in hand, given the gig-economy behemoth's union-busting tendencies. But anti-Uber ire is now hotter than ever—and the sides in the ride-hailing universe have been firmly drawn. On Sunday morning, the company's arch-rival, Lyft, pledged to donate $1 million to the ACLU (which is actively fighting Trump's ban in court), doubling down on its public persona as a more worker-friendly Uber alternative. The move was widely hailed by #DeleteUber-ists on social media. "Lyft was always better anyways," was a common refrain.
In the face of the backlash, Uber went into damage-control mode, with Kalanick posting a statement to Facebook on Saturday that seemed to suggest he opposed Trump's ban. He mentioned plans to compensate Uber drivers trapped overseas, and perhaps give Trump his two cents later this week: "[T]his ban will impact many innocent people—an issue that I will raise this coming Friday when I go to Washington for President Trump's first business advisory group meeting."
But the statement is unlikely to placate those who've removed their accounts—especially those who already frown upon Kalanick's spot in the advisory group he alluded to. In December, addressing employees concerned about Uber's new White House connection, the Uber CEO said the company would "partner with anyone in the world as long they're about making transportation in cities better, creating job opportunities, making it easier to get around, getting pollution out of the air and traffic off the streets." One might generously imagine Kalanick using his relationship with Trump to whisper in support of the immigrant workforce that sustains Uber's operations, or policies that take single-passenger cars off roads.
History, however, has no shortage of despicable leaders who've sought to improve transportation as a way to massage constituent support. And it is perhaps an understatement to say that Uber has shown little interest in protecting the rights of workers, or even riders, in the past. It rose to its current $69 billion valuation by undercutting fares traditionally charged by taxis (and transit), employing a class of "independent contractors" who are not entitled to benefits or protections and skirting city regulations on matters like background checks and airport pick-up restrictions in its pursuit of growth (and, increasingly, actual profit). As with Donald Trump and his lawsuit-intensive enterprises, the legal battles and public outcry that accompany Uber's business practices seem like features, not bugs. For a company facing multiple-dozens of lawsuits (most recently, Uber agreed to pay $20 million to settle a Federal Trade Commission suit over misleading driver-compensation claims), a regulation-hating president may be their greatest ally.
One could argue that hailing an Uber has always been something of a political act—by taking a ride, passengers "vote" for Uber's policies and business model with their dollars, even if they're not particularly aware of the implications. #DeleteUber may raise a certain level of public consciousness in regards to that fact. But as the landscape of urban mobility redraws along partisan lines, fresh arrivals to the anti-Uber camp should know this: The best way to support immigrants and low-income workers who could be exploited by a private transportation service isn't by downloading a competitor's app. Now, and always, the most radical statement is riding the bus.
Pittsburgh is the worst place for black women to live in for just about every indicator of livability, says the city's Gender Equity Commission.
Cities that require builders to provide off-street parking trigger more traffic, sprawl, and housing unaffordability. But we can break the vicious cycle.
From ancient Rome to modern Atlanta, the shape of cities has been defined by the technologies that allow commuters to get to work in about 30 minutes.
Historian Margaret O'Mara talks about her new book The Code and how Silicon Valley has maintained its competitive edge in high tech.
Much of the country won't see those vibrant oranges and reds until mid-October, which leaves plenty of time for leaf peepers to plan their autumn road trips.


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Women Vintners Chip Away at the Wineglass Ceiling
Excellent wine is being produced by women winemakers in California. So why are only 10% of vintners in that state female?
"WHEN CAN WE stop talking about women winemakers?" Lisa Drinkward asked in a mock-plaintive tone. I was sitting with her and Françoise Peschon, her winemaking partner, in their Napa Valley tasting room when she posed this (rhetorical) question. After all, Ms. Drinkward added, with almost no professional class does one say a man is a "male something."
Ms. Drinkward and Ms. Peschon produce Cabernet Sauvignon under the Drinkward Peschon label, and Ms. Drinkward is also partner and co-owner of the Napa-based Behrens Family Winery...


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Centric believes in the power of innovation as a boost for sustainable growth. By connecting with professionals, partners and customers, we deliver innovative, pragmatic solutions and services that support the responsible growth of our company and enhance stability for customers and partners.
Centric Lithuania is part of the Centric group, offering Software Solutions, IT Outsourcing, Business Process Outsourcing and Staffing Services. We enable our customers to focus on their core businesses with our technological solutions, administrative services and more than 5,000 qualified professionals in Europe. The combination of our thorough IT knowledge and our years of experience with specific industry processes, distinguishes us from traditional IT suppliers and administrative suppliers.
Agnė Jankauskė +370 610 822 79 email@example.com
Choose your language Kies uw taal Choisissez votre langue


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Looking to attract attention to your package? Color packaging helps to build a brand, make a statement and stand out from the crowd. These vibrant glossy colorful boxes will definitely catch the eye of the receiver. The boxes are made of corrugated cardboard, with a glossy color exterior and kraft interior. They have a tab lock top for extra security during shipping. the Multi-Purpose boxes can be used for gift packaging, storage, and shipping. Boxes ship flat and can be assembled quickly and easily.
*Sizes are the outside dimensions of the box.
*Dimensions of a box are based on the opening of the box when it is assembled.


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The Louis Zamperini Foundation, A Chance For Children, LAPD, and Little Free Library have teamed up to place a Little Free Library in the lobby of the Torrance Police Station. A Little Free Library is a "take a book, leave a book" gathering place where members of the community can share their favorite stories. A Chance For Children has placed Little Free Libraries into every LAPD station in Los Angeles, to great success. We are so thrilled to be sharing this with the Torrance Police Department.
Torrance Chief of Police, Mark Matsuda, said, "Child custody exchanges take place in the police department lobby regularly and the Little Free Library will be a welcoming activity for all involved."
The books target children ages six-16, and are free. All children are invited to stop by and pick out a book (or two) to read or drop one off to share.


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Laying the Foundation part two
Video One - It's all about energy & frequency
Frequency Meditation - Universal Connection
In this frequency meditation we will be establishing a deeper connection to the Universal Energy.
We will connect via the Emerald ray to Gaia Consciousness, the energy of the nature for rejuvenation & revitalisation, as well as the energy of the cosmos.
Frequencies Embedded into this meditation include;
Emerald Ray - for connecting to nature & rejuvenation
Om Symbol - for going deeper into your heart and connecting to Gaia
This frequency meditation is perfect;
To support wellness and rejuvenation
Connection to the universal energy
Absorb quantum nutrients into the body


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In today's technology-driven world, your association's website is arguably its most important marketing tool. As such, the content and design of the website should accurately reflect your vision, services, and ideas.
It's time to take a good look at your website. The first step towards improving your website is knowing which critical mistakes you're currently making, and how you can fix them. Does your organization need a website makeover? If you're not sure, here's how to tell.
1) Bad Navigation
Poor navigation can be one of the most frustrating things on any website. Not knowing where to go next, where you are now and what will happen when you click on the link called next. All navigation should be clearly labeled and the text or images for it should be distinct from the normal text and headings on the page.
2) No Contact Details
There is no excuse for this. Having no contact details on a website such as an address, phone number or even email says one thing to your customers. "We do not want to be bothered by you and your business is not that important to us".
Even if it's just a contact form that hides your email address, have some way to interact with your customers.
3) Poor or No SEO
You may have the best website in the whole world, but if no one can see it, what's the point of having it? SEO stands for search engine optimization and it is your website's way of telling the search engines like Google where you are and what you have to offer.
It is very hard for your customers to find you if Google can't.
4) Too Many Colors
We all like colors, but sometimes designers and business owners throw too many colors at you and too many colors blinds your customers. We like to stick to a theme of no more than 3 main colors plus black text on a white background.
Keep it simple and smart.
5) Not Responsive
Have you every look at a website on your computer and then looked at the site on your phone and it looks terrible. That's because it's not responsive and does not change when you view it on different size screens and devices. Now that everyone has a phone or tablet, all websites should be designed to change when the device does.
In fact, Google is now penalizing websites in their search engine ranking if they do not have a responsive design in place.
6) Bad Links
Links that go nowhere are also penalized by Google. Just say you have a link on your site to your contact page and when someone clicks on it goes nowhere, there is no contact page in place because of an error or it has been taken down. Not only does it look unprofessional, it will also get you penalized and demoted.
Does Your Website Pass the Test?
Ultimately, your website should be the hub of all marketing efforts for your association. It is your organization's face to the world and often provides your target audience with a first impression of your association. For this reason, it's essential to keep your website up to par with your audience's expectations. So, with that said, take a long look at your organization's website. Is it making any of the mistakes listed above? If so, it may be time for a new website. The bottom line is to invest in a quality website. It will pay off.
If you are interested in building a website please ask us for a free no obligation quote today.