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This essay was written a few years ago and certainly shows its age in some
respects, though it seems all too timely still in others (at least IMHO)…
Conservatism is an often used term. We can talk about conservative politics as adhering to a fairly strict set of norms, often roughly derived from Christian beliefs. We can talk about conservatism as conforming to the status quo of a society's mores or power structures. We can talk about environmental conservation. We can talk about conservative economic policy. A person of conservative attitudes might be someone who 'strictly' follows a given code or body of religious ethics, be they Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Communist, etc.
It seems the term conservative can be applied to a lot of different things, and I think that this can sometimes obscure important social, political and spiritual issues. The purpose of this essay is to untangle some of the uses of the term and offer a redefinition.
Part of the problem is that different senses of the word are sometimes used as though they meant the same thing. A prime example can be found in the politics of mainstream conservative governments such as the Howard Liberal Government in Australia.
Howard's Government maintains that it is conservative in a few senses. It says that it believes in 'traditional family values' – which seems to mean it believes in the unbroken nuclear family with bread-winning husband, householding wife and dutiful children. It appears to believe in Christianity as the conservative person's religion of choice (at least insofar as Australia is rooted in Western society). It perceives its conservative mandate to include the view that 'White Australia' must be conserved against immigration and refugees.[1] It has little interest in citizens whose relationships are not based on Christian notions of exclusive marriage and definitely isn't interested in non-heterosexual relationships. It appears to believe its conservative mandate requires strong law enforcement powers, and the prioritisation of corporate interests over broader social concerns and the environment.
Certainly in some sense these attitudes seem aimed at conserving a notion of 1950's, Menzies era Australia, when Red paranoia, moralism, rigid gender roles, and the White Australia Policy ruled. But does it actually conserve these values (I take it that my reader would agree that at least some of the Menzies era values were pretty flawed)? I think that in some respects Howard misuses the notion of conservatism, specifically in the context of the economy, the environment, and in the area of the family.
Howard's socio-economic policy has been to deregulate industry, dissolve trade protection laws, and bolster the voice of corporate interests. The general effect has been to relax restraint on the business world. This has seen the country's social fabric suffer. So for example we now find that the telecommunications industry remains just as inefficient, but now also suffers destructive corruption (c.f. the One.Tel collapse), and ever-rising prices (despite the promise that deregulation would cause a price drop). Traditionally centralised services have been cut loose, as protection for the rights of employees are systematically assaulted.
In short, this kind of socio-economic policy is anything but conservative. Rather than reflecting an attitude of restraint and continuity, it relies on the dubious notion of self-regulation and on apparently uncontrollable market forces. It may seems slightly contradictory, but a somewhat Socialist-influenced economic policy might actually be a lot more stable and conservative (not to mention less destructive to a social fabric assaulted by ever more rampant consumerism and self-serving corporate interests).
The Howard Government's policy on the environment is that it can get stuffed. It has generally refused to even keep the issue of the environment on the political agenda, let alone take or support steps to conserve the environment. Australia and the US are the only nations who have refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol on Reduction of Greenhouse Emissions.
Conservatism, however, means prudence. It seems prudent, regardless of the debate for and against, that
we make very significant steps to reduce our impact on the natural environment. This may mean a short-term restriction on industry, but industry is very adaptable, especially in this non-conservative economic climate. So the notion of environmental conservation, which seems to fall into a really genuine sense of conservatism as prudence and caution, has little support from Australia's current, 'conservative' government.
Howard's perspective on marriage, homosexuality and Christianity has been referenced to the conservative writer Edmund Burke. He simply believes that 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Unfortunately, the social fabric in this country simply has changed. Christianity is a waning force; marriage is viewed with much more perspective, caution and even disregard; and folk are becoming more confident of expressing their sexuality rather than hiding away in shame and suffering. Not only that, but one could argue that the Menzies era never was that great anyway: it was built on an endless yet largely manufactured fear about faceless hordes from communist Asia; on the subjugation of women; on genocide against Indigenous Australians; on the punishment of any variation from a one-dimensional notion of the good.
Here is the crux of the problem: a lot of folks want to vote conservative in the spirit of prudence and caution. Yet this weds them to the irresponsible socio-economic and environmental policies of leaders such as Howard. It also weds them to the often hysterical and flighty paranoia which under Menzies' reign was named 'conservative'. Surely a genuine conservatism would not be so lacking in confidence, prudence, and caution in forming judgements.
The notion of conservatism peddled to voters in Australia and other countries (especially the US) is not really very conservative at all. It lacks a sense of solid grounding; it constantly needs to reiterate and insist on a single, abstract dimension of national identity. Conservatism seems to mean having a strong sense of stability. But as Nietzsche so adroitly pointed out, a culture which cannot tolerate any variation from the 'norm' must be very weak. It takes a very strong culture to permit variation and difference in opinion. If conservatism means taking the time to strengthen ourselves, surely that would mean encouraging a self-confident society that can span many different perspectives! Instead, Howard is committed to a very brittle backwardness – as exposed in the lack of much or perhaps even any return for our military and political subservience to the US.
As an aside, Nietzsche's dictum reveals why dictatorships, though built on a notion of strength, can prove to be quite fragile: the tyrant is only one person, and even with modern mass communication, they can only exert so much uniformity. In their passing, all that has slept underground will quickly reassert itself. We are seeing this in a destructive aspect now with post-Saddam Iraq. A similar process can be seen in the radical upsurge of Christian and Islamic extremism in the former Soviet Union.
So if folk are seeking in the notion of conservatism a sense of prudence, stability, roots, and strength, then they've been hoodwinked by the notions of conservatism presented to them by 'conservative' interests and political parties. Another example? Hitler was a highly radical leader – his actions brought destruction and suffering, and were driven by a lack of confidence, roots, security, sense of self. Yet he appealed to successfully, and was supported by, those seeking the conservative promise of stability and prudence.
It seems that we have established that the word conservative has been used to refer to any number of different agendas. If this is granted, I would go further to suggest that some very radical (and imprudent, and hysterical, and unethical) acts have been given a conservative pretext by the current crop of political leaders.
So having considered the present situation, I would like to suggest some dimensions of what a 'real' conservatism would look like. In the process, I hope to reclaim the word for better purposes than those to which it has been set.
Conservatism as prudent foresight
We associate being conservative with being cautious or prudent. To be prudent is to seek many perspectives on a situation before making a decision on how to act. It is to reflect on the extent to which each perspective is true to itself. The more self-contradictory a perspective is, the less we can trust it.
By foresight I do not mean magical divination, but rather our ability to project towards possible futures. We may not be able to anticipate exactly how things will be, but we are able to imagine roughly how things could turn out.
My suggestion is that conservatism entails an attitude of prudent foresight. This means that we live with a certain wariness about the status quo – we recognise that things can change, or that things once thought positive can become negative over time.
Pseudo-conservatives would generally suggest that things should be kept the way they are, or even taken 'back' to some more or less mythical golden age of the past. However, our genuine sense of conservatism – as prudent foresight – would require that we be open to modifying our ways and values in order to adapt to the challenges of change. This does not mean that we are compelled to abandon the essence of our worldview or social structure – far from it! But it does mean that, for example, a person of conservative views would take the arguments of conservationists and environmentalists very seriously. Why? Prudent foresight, warily conducted, suggests that the consequences of ignoring the current environmental problems far outweigh the short-term difficulty caused by changing our current, polluting ways. Even if it turns out that things are not as dire as they seem (which I believe is an infinitesimal possibility), the green option is still more prudent. If we bury our heads in the sand and call that 'conservative', then we are being neither prudent nor realistic.
Some pseudo-conservatives claim that the jury is still out on issues such as global warming. They appear to be engaging in prudence by not jumping at what they think might be a false alarm.
Unfortunately, the scientists who say there aren't major problems are funded by those bodies that perceive short term benefit in the status quo – petro-chemical corporations in particular. Meanwhile, it has become ever clearer that the earth's forests are being decimated at increasing rates; that the seas are rising fast; that pollution levels are rocketing; that weather patterns are becoming more unstable. It seems absurd to suggest that our actions have not been at least a major contributor to these changes in the world's environmental state. I understand that insurance companies are becoming highly vocal advocates for making our way of life more sustainable – they know that they are the ones who will be forced to pay out as global warming destabilises world weather patterns more and more.
So, no – it is not prudent to ignore the environmentalist call at this stage in the game. There is simply too much evidence indicating the seriousness of the situation. Surely it is conservative to change human industry and activity in order to protect our very survival! For those with any doubts as to this situation I would recommend Tim Flannery's remarkable book, The Weather Makers.
To take a different angle, consider the current prison system in countries such as Australia or the US. Pseudo-conservative politicians habitually call for tougher sentences, meaner prisons, and less empathy for those that commit crimes. They dismiss any consideration of social context; they are not interested in the vicious socioeconomic cycles which sow the seeds for crime and most criminal behaviour.
The result is that prison recidivism rates immensely high in some Western countries – as many as four out of five people see out their prison terms and then commit more crimes (for which they are caught). This suggests that prison don't actually reduce crime.
The conservatively prudent, far-sighted response would be to ask about the broader social patterns which produce crime, to ask why prisons fail so miserably to reform their inmates. If something isn't working, it seems wise to ask why. Piling on more and harsher treatment of criminals doesn't seem to be doing the trick.
These examples provide a fairly clear explanation of what I mean by prudent foresight. If we agree that prudent foresight is an aspect of conservatism, then we will also agree that what often passes itself off as conservatism is something else entirely.
Conservatism as sheltering mystery
For this section of the essay I must acknowledge the profound influence of Martin Heidegger's later writings.
For most readers, the title of this section will seem a little odd. What could I mean by "sheltering mystery"? I will provide an example of this kind of conservatism at play.
My example is a practice performed by the ancient Greeks. They had a holiday each year where offerings would be made to placate all the divine beings that were as yet unknown to the Greeks, but which might be out there, somewhere. These beings might be from other cultures, or they might still be awaiting 'discovery'. Rather than insist that they had the final word on the limits of the divine world, the Greeks were willing to actively face the uncertainty of their knowledge, the uncertainty of their experience of the world, and affirm it.
This ancient Greek practice reveals a deep respect for mystery, for the limits of human understanding. By declining the temptation of claiming knowledge over all things, the Greeks allowed themselves the possibility of being surprised by life. To shelter mystery is to allow space for it in one's life, in one's culture. It is to acknowledge the limitations and provisional character of one's relationship to the world. Insofar as the horizon of all our experiences is the unknown, sheltering mystery means holding our place in the world in high respect. It means that we attempt to understand things on their own terms. It means that we do not attempt to force all experiences into one way of understanding life.
This is not to say that sheltering mystery requires a commitment to relativism. However, it does require that we take different ways of talking, seeing, and experiencing the world seriously. Who knows, perhaps by remaining open to mystery we might find ourselves drawn to new or different ways of experiencing the world ourselves?
Heidegger argues that no amount of measurement, analysis, dissection, or counting can capture the essential character of something – in this case, let us take the example of a flower. I can weigh it, break it down into component molecules, talk about its role in the reproduction of plant life, dissect it for scientific diagrams, or write a manual on the best way to grow it. And yet the essence of the flower cannot be captured through any of these methods. Indeed, Heidegger argued that the more you analyse, the more the thing's essence slips away from view. This is the mystery of the flower's essence.
Now suppose my wife gives me a flower. Here the mystery of the flower's essence steps forth. Suppose I view a brilliantly evocative painting of a flower. Here again, the character of the flower stands revealed. These kinds of revelations are not total, absolute, or quantitative. They are always partial, incomplete. They always ride on the horizon of mystery.
Sheltering that mystery is the finite 'thingly' character of the artist's canvas and paint. Sheltering that mystery is the look in my wife's eye as she offers me the flower. These ways of experiencing the flower do not have the reassuring absoluteness of exacting measurements or chemical analysis; indeed, they are explicitly wedded to all that we don't know about the flower. And yet these ways of experiencing the flower always precede any possible analysis or scientific understanding. Without these ways of experiencing, we would not be able to hold in our imagination something we call a flower, to which we might bring the weight of sophisticated interpretation and analysis.
So if this what I mean by sheltering mystery, how might it be conservative? I regard this attitude towards the world as conservative on two counts. Firstly, it always carries with it a sense of the mysterious horizon of our lived experience – a very prudent perspective to hold. Secondly, to shelter mystery is to conserve it, to protect it from being lost in the temptation to sacrifice everything to rational empiricism (which so easily becomes irrational technocracy). Implicit in the attitude of sheltering mystery is the decision to decline rigid adherence to any one way of interpreting one's experience. "Back to the things themselves", as Husserl famously remarked, is our watchword here.
Once we adopt this aspect of conservatism into our life, we are likely to acquire a healthy disrespect for the manipulative 'spin' with which many authority figures use to sanitise and neaten their rigid attitudes and simple-minded power plays. The call to offer shelter to mystery is an invitation to ask "has this logic been used in a meaningful way?", rather than "is this logic valid?" It requires that we remain open to the presence, the character, the being of everything we encounter. It tends towards an experience of the world which, if articulated intellectually, might be called animism.
It is no accident that I used an example of ancient Greek religious practice. While religion tends to be more about human institutions than it is about divinity, it in turns gains its life from spirituality. Spirituality, the task of remaining open to (sheltering) the mystery in things, is a crucial aspect of my reclaimed conservatism. Whether we choose to equate the mysterious with the divine or not, myth can be a powerful vehicle for shaking loose our complacency and reintegrating us into an inherently mysterious universe. Mythologies that invite psychological, socio-historical, and magical interpretations are particularly suited to this purpose. Some examples would be the pre-Christian Germanic/Norse traditions; Buddhism; Sufism; or Indigenous Australian traditions.
I suspect that the pseudo-conservative insistence on dogmatic religious devotion (be it Christian, Muslim, or something else) may contain a sliver of forgotten concern for the need to shelter the mystery of things. By comparison, the primary ritual of Sufism is called the Zikr and is literally an 'Act of Remembrance' of the divinity of all things. It is not necessary to take myth literally in order for it to help us remember ourselves and our world; all that is needed is a willingness to offer shelter to mystery.
It is no accident that above I talked about this aspect of conservatism as being 'at play'. Playfulness is often equated with folly. And yet, nothing sends a problem out of control like overbearing, grumpy seriousness. Nothing closes down possibilities or understanding like telling ourselves that 'this is serious business'. Nietzsche called this attitude the 'spirit of gravity', and could not bear its stodginess. His antidote, 'Gay Science', is an attitude that is serious AND playful, hardworking AND imaginative. Would it not be exceedingly imprudent to close ourselves off to new possibilities for solving challenges and experiencing our lives? If we are serious about participating in the sheltering of mystery we will regard the 'spirit of gravity' as an unfortunate and rather bad habit – and little more.
Conservatism as empathic action
Pseudo-conservatives often express little empathy or concern for the wellbeing of those handed the short end of the socio-economic stick at birth. 'You get what you deserve' seems to be their attitude to life. This is not to say that to a greater or lesser extent each of us is not responsible for our own actions. But life is not a blank slate onto which we are free to impose our unfettered desires. All kinds of social, biological, familial, economic, religious, and other limits shape and define what an individual may choose to become.
Thus, the 'just desserts' attitude betrays a kind of egomania, a taking credit for achievements which the individual had massive help for by way of their family wealth, social standing, etc. According to social psychologists, people tend to claim credit for the positive things in their lives while blaming others for the bad things in their lives. One never hears a poor person agree with a rich person that one's wealth is a reflection of one's virtue.
If we can imagine stepping past these kinds of mind games we are free to seriously ask – where does being truly conservative position us with regard to compassion, empathy, and community?
While I accord postmodernism full marks for refusing to impose one way of seeing things onto a wide range of cultures, I nevertheless think there are some universal aspects of human experience. It may seem obvious, but food plays a pretty big role in every human being's life. Similarly, I doubt that anyone can truly thrive without sharing some kind of love with other people. I don't mean to trivialise the great differences that can exist between two cultures or even between two individuals from the same culture. But I do assert that empathy is possible across any boundary – given sufficient time and effort of course.
Empathy is when I experience your life from your perspective. Empathy is when I both understand and feel where you are coming from. In an age of clashing extremisms (e.g. US capitalism versus Extremist Islam), there seems little room for empathy. Since both of the camps in my above example are radicals who think themselves to be conservative, it would appear that empathy has no or little place in pseudo-conservatism.
And conservatism as I have tried to outline it? Would it be prudent, a sign of wit and wisdom, to attempt to understand the challenges and celebrations of other peoples' lives? Would be it common sense to try and appreciate the manner in which different individuals, communities, cultures, nations, are separate and the manner in which they are related? If our foresight invited us to strengthen the webs of our social fabric, would that insulate us against future, unexpected dangers? The New Orleans disaster is a testament to how dreadful the consequences of not acting on this foresight can be – plenty of resources had been allocated to reinforcing the canal banks that flooded and destroyed the city, but a complacent attitude led to this money being rerouted to military and political purposes instead.
Empathy, be it towards our best friend or towards someone we never have and never will meet, seems to be part and parcel of prudent, sensible conservatism. And yet its justifications are not just utilitarian. If we are committed to the sheltering of mystery we recognise the ethical, spiritual, and psychological importance of being open to the ways that things speak for themselves. Empathy, understood as an attempt on my part to appreciate your experience as though it were my own, is not a mercenary activity.
If we are to be empathetic, how will that guide our actions? Presumably the most important lesson of empathy is that we should not assume that everyone else thinks the way that we do, or that everyone else has the same values as we do. If we want to understand why someone does something, we are free to ask them. Their reasons may or may not hold water in the grander scheme of things, but we at least owe them the right to be heard and related to.
Secondly, empathy implies a commitment to ethics, to personal honour. If I can appreciate your experience of the world and then do something to harm you then I have also harmed myself. Just as I expect to be treated, so must I treat. A good lesson to learn for the arrogant business executive and his or her harried administration underlings! Would I want another country to offer me refuge from political persecution? I've no right to expect such treatment if I will not offer it to others as well. Do I expect others to speak the truth and act according to their word? Then I had better be able to respond in kind. In the current climate, it would seem that almost no Australian politician is truly conservative, if we judge them by the standard of personal honour outlined here.
Finally, empathy impels us to offer support to those suffering more than we ourselves are. It impels us to seek to strengthen and deepen social bonds, to offer resources, our time, our imagination, and absolutely not just grudgingly dole out our cash. It requires us to own up to our own 'spin', the excuses we make to ourselves for living in ways harmful to ourselves and others. It requires us to take responsibility for ourselves and for others. To act in this manner conserves and promotes the health and happiness of individuals, communities, and cultures. There is nothing conservative in concocting dubious justifications for absurd and inexcusable xenophobia. Our rejection of others is also a rejection of ourselves, a rejection of the parts of ourselves we would like to imagine are 'really' the sole province of someone else. To wound another is to wound ourselves.
Pseudo-conservatives often talk about family or community values, and yet generally seem to have very little empathy or compassion for themselves or anyone else. How on earth can community be deepened without empathy?
Does empathy stop with humans? Should we extend as much regard as offered to humans to animals, plants, even inanimate objects? Am I a hypocrite to advocate humanism, spend much money and time working in the environment conservation movement, and then still eat meat? Here I find challenges to my own sense of self, which I cannot easily resolve. I can only conclude this section by inviting my reader to undertake the same challenge.
Conservatism as regenerating roots
Regenerating roots means a few things, but in essence it refers to the view that postmodern humanity is alienated from him/herself, from other living things, and from the world in general – and that we need to put a lot of energy into changing this!
If we are to conserve ourselves and the world we live in we must first have whole relationships with urselves and the world. If I am split within myself, if I experience other people or the world around me as alien or fractured, how can I possibly even have anything worth conserving?
History, it must be said, has burdened us with many contradictions. In Australia we celebrate the festival of Easter in Autumn. Easter is generally regarded as holy because Jesus Christ died and was resurrected at this time. And yet a little research tells us that the Easter festival in Germanic Europe well predated the coming of Christianity. It was a celebration of spring and rebirth. The word Easter is literally the modern version of the name of the Anglo-Saxon spring goddess Eostre, whose continental German equivalent was Ostara. Easter, good old Christian Easter, has never stopped being a heathen occasion.
There are so many contradictions in the history of our modern Australian Easter festival. Can a spring celebration make sense when transplanted to southern hemisphere autumn? Does the Christian overlay implicitly keep and set to work heathen motifs? How can we make sense of the too and fro of Germanic and Roman cultures that have left us with this bizarre cross-breed? And how can any of this make sense in post-colonial Australia – a place that Europeans came, partly in the name of Jesus, in order to destroy the Indigenous Australians, whose traditional ways of experiencing life have much more in common with pre-Christian Germanic spirituality than with the Christianity that the Germanic peoples have by and large adopted?[2]
Given the blood and suffering that the fractured history of even one annual festival reveals, it seems clear that we need to make some effort to understand where we have come from. It is tempting to idealise the history of one's ancestors, to gloss over the bad and deify the good. In some cases someone else's more exciting or exotic history is co-opted as one's own – Germanic Europe did this with Roman Catholic culture, throwing in Greek, Arabic, and now perhaps even New Age elements as it suited.
Australian pseudo-conservatives can harp on about the mateship of the ANZAC days – yet this is only one narrative in our country's rich history. What of the conscientious objectors? The women who kept society running? The children who lost parents? The soldiers who returned broken alcoholics, perhaps making their loved ones' lives miserable? What of the immigrants whose ancestors fought against the ANZACS, or did not fight at all? What of the slavish obedience to mother Britain that led Australian soldiers into the Great War? The tapestry of our history is profoundly rich and is written in suffering as well as joy. There is no caution, no prudence, no reserve, no good taste in choosing to idealise one thread in the weave and ignore the rest.
Since my own spirituality is so deeply wedded to Germanic archetypes, divinities, spirits, etc., I feel deep sadness at the confused, simplistic, polyglot chaos of our historical sense. Thanks to the colonial enterprise, Christianised Europe has managed to introduce this kind of spiritual and cultural fragmentation to many other parts of the globe – along with, of course, exploitation and alcohol.
The regeneration of roots therefore has three major aspects. The first is for each of us to turn a genuinely curious and critical eye to our implied history, to engage and challenge the easy myths we permit to comfort us, and to ponder the ways in which we bear the mark of each layer and aspect of our heritage. Personally I found that one of my oldest spiritual and historical influences, Germanic heathen beliefs, held the most relevance for my life and character. Perhaps others of Germanic heritage will not have this experience, and that is fine. The same goes for all possible heritages and ancestries.
The second aspect of regenerating our roots is to take seriously the harm that both we and our ancestors do or have done to others, and where appropriate to make reparations. No person and no culture can move forward with their victims or themselves until the debt of blood on their conscience is cleared.
The third aspect of regenerating our roots is to imagine new layers that might be added to our histories. Forging new ways of being spiritual, of being creative, of having community, family, or love. It is likely that this task will be informed by what has come before, or perhaps from cultural influences not directly contained in our heritage. This is the heart of what I mean by regenerating our roots – remaking for the first time our relationships to time, culture, love, the natural world, ourselves. There are so many tools available to us in this challenge to conserve our heritage by reinvigorating it as living tradition. They include reading, writing, meditation, art and performance, psychotherapy, community service, even raising a family.
Ultimately the way we will best be able to conserve ourselves and our world is to constantly reweave the past into new and beautiful patterns of existence that recall their origins and invoke the future. Seen in this sense the term 'conservative' may seem a far cry from the pseudo-conservatism so often peddled in recent times, be the peddler John Howard, George Bush, or Osama Bin-Laden. So be it.
Disentangling conservatism and egotism
What is the greatest foe of conservatism as I define it? Egotism.
Egotism is my commitment to myself, to my rightness, to my indubitably, to my unquestionable goodness. It is rigid, brutal to anything or anyone who deviates from its values, and it is highly hypocritical. It is defensive, paranoid, and stupid.
No human being is free of the danger of egotism (I am no exception). Whether we flee to a rigid self concept in the face of death, anxiety, or deep-seated feelings of inferiority, the end result is the same. For some, egotism becomes a cage, a trap within which the person rots. For others it becomes a battering ram, a brittle war machine which shreds all before it until eventually it shatters on the rocks of mortality.
Pseudo-conservatism is used as a vehicle by both of these approaches to life. It enables a person to justify the unjustifiable. It allows irresponsible individuals and groups to shirk the consequences of their actions (at least in the short term). Ultimately, pseudo-conservatism is just the attitude that "I am right and you are wrong unless you absolutely agree with me". In other words, it is a punitive and ugly manifestation of egotism, which in turn is probably the most wretched and botched element of human nature. Of course, I have more faith in my own opinions than I do in the opinions of those who disagree with me. However I need to be able to transcend my own ego enough to engage with difference. If someone cannot do this then they've just failed one of life's central challenges.
Both egotism and pseudo-conservatism invite us to become lax in our selves, to become hypocrites, to hand responsibility for our lives over to passive fear or desperate rage. Any ideology which de-emphasises the power of human agency for both good and ill lends itself to profound abuse by those without scruples, those driven by ego madness.
One final point that requires emphasis is the interwoven relationship of spirituality and politics. It seems quite common for a person to have done a lot of deep personal, psychotherapeutic, and spiritual growth and change, and yet never have challenged their blinkered political perspectives. The reverse is also true: a person can have a deep appreciation of politics and ethics, yet have great difficultly developing within their own self. I don't expect everyone to agree with my opinions, but I am always surprised at the ways in which someone can be so committed to growth and insight in one part of their life and yet be unconscious of difficulties they carry in another part of their life. Perhaps this essay demonstrates why I find spiritual, ethical and political concerns to be inseparable.
Tags: Ecology, Politics, Spirituality


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"Happy Endings" by Canadian author Margaret Atwood is an example of metafiction. That is, it's a story that comments on the conventions of storytelling and draws attention to itself as a story. At approximately 1,300 words, it's also an example of flash fiction. "Happy Endings" was first published in 1983.

The story is actually six stories in one. Atwood begins by introducing the two main characters, John and Mary, and then offers six different versions -- labeled A through F -- of who they are and what might happen to them.

Version A

Version A is the one Atwood refers to as the "happy ending." In this version, everything goes right, the characters have wonderful lives, and nothing unexpected happens.

Atwood manages to make version A boring to the point of comedy. For example, she uses the phrase "stimulating and challenging" three times -- once to describe John and Mary's jobs, once to describe their sex life, and once to describe the hobbies they take up in retirement.

The phrase "stimulating and challenging," of course, neither stimulates nor challenges readers, who remain uninvested. John and Mary are entirely undeveloped as characters. They're like stick figures that move methodically through the milestones of an ordinary, happy life, but we know nothing about them.

And indeed, they may be happy, but their happiness seems to have nothing to do with the reader, who is alienated by lukewarm, uninformative observations, like that John and Mary go on "fun vacations" and have children who "turn out well."

Version B

Version B is considerably messier than A. Though Mary loves John, John "merely uses her body for selfish pleasure and ego gratification of a tepid kind."

The character development in B -- while a bit painful to witness -- is much deeper than in A. After John eats the dinner Mary cooked, has sex with her and falls asleep, she stays awake to wash the dishes and put on fresh lipstick so that he'll think well of her. There is nothing inherently interesting about washing dishes -- it's Mary's reason for washing them, at that particular time and under those circumstances, that is interesting.

In B, unlike in A, we are also told what one of the characters (Mary) is thinking, so we learn what motivates her and what she wants. Atwood writes:

"Inside John, she thinks, is another John, who is much nicer. This other John will emerge like a butterfly from a cocoon, a Jack from a box, a pit from a prune, if the first John is only squeezed enough."

You can also see from this passage that the language in version B is more interesting than in A. Atwood's use of the string of cliches emphasizes the depth of both Mary's hope and her delusion.

In B, Atwood also starts using second person to draw the reader's attention toward certain details. For instance, she mentions that "you'll notice that he doesn't even consider her worth the price of a dinner out." And when Mary stages a suicide attempt with sleeping pills and sherry to get John's attention, Atwood writes:

"You can see what kind of a woman she is by the fact that it's not even whiskey."

The use of second person is particularly interesting because it draws the reader into the act of interpreting a story. That is, second person is used to point out how the details of a story add up to help us understand the characters.

Version C

In C, John is "an older man" who falls in love with Mary, 22. She doesn't love him, but she sleeps with him because she "feels sorry for him because he's worried about his hair falling out." Mary really loves James, also 22, who has "a motorcycle and a fabulous record collection."

It soon becomes clear that John is having an affair with Mary precisely to escape the "stimulating and challenging" life of Version A, which he is living with a wife named Madge. In short, Mary is his mid-life crisis.

It turns out that the bare bones outline of the "happy ending" of version A has left a lot unsaid. There's no end to the complications that can be intertwined with the milestones of getting married, buying a house, having children, and everything else in A.

In fact, after John, Mary, and James are all dead, Madge marries Fred and continues as in A.

Version D

In this version, Fred and Madge get along well and have a lovely life. But their house is destroyed by a tidal wave and thousands are killed. Fred and Madge survive and live as the characters in A.

Version E

Version A is fraught with complications -- if not a tidal wave, then a 'bad heart.' Fred dies, and Madge dedicates herself to charity work. As Atwood writes:

"If you like, it can be 'Madge,' 'cancer,' 'guilty and confused,' and 'bird watching.'"

It doesn't matter whether it's Fred's bad heart or Madge's cancer, or whether the spouses are "kind and understanding" or "guilty and confused." Something always interrupts the smooth trajectory of A.

Version F

Every version of the story loops back, at some point, to version A -- the "happy ending." As Atwood explains, no matter what the details are, "[y]ou'll still end up with A." Here, her use of second person reaches its peak. She's led the reader through a series of attempts to try to imagine a variety of stories, and she's made it seem within reach--as if a reader really could choose B or C and get something different from A. But in F, she finally explains directly that even if we went through the whole alphabet and beyond, we'd still end up with A.

On a metaphorical level, version A doesn't necessarily have to entail marriage, kids, and real estate. It really could stand in for any trajectory that a character might be trying to follow. But they all end the same way: "John and Mary die."

Real stories lie in what Atwood calls the "How and Why" -- the motivations, the thoughts, the desires, and the way the characters respond to the inevitable interruptions to A.


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Franklin County Patriots
- Details
- Written by Erik Kritter
I did this site for the Franklin County Tea Party group known as The Franklin County Patriots BACK IN 2009. The url was http://franklincountypatriots.net. I am not sure if the site is still up (I thought it was) and I'm not sure if the group is still active.
The site utilizes WordPress for a CMS and will be used as a functioning blog. The layout is the Magazine Basic template which I did not modify beyond a small addition to the footer.
The new site was a big addition of functionality in comparison to their old site at http://franklincountyteaparty.blogspot.com/
The Franklin County Patriots is a grassroots activism group which is opposed to the loss of freedoms occurring in America today and against the socializing of the American Economy.


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My Client Is Complaining That They Have Not Received an Email.
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If you do see a delivered event for the message in Email Activity, you can expand it and look at the reason code. You should see a message with 250 OK. Often times the receiving server will "queue the message" and it will say "Queued" right after 250 OK. This means the receiving server accepted the message but is holding it.
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Movie Monday: We will hit up our local movie and catch "The BoxTrolls" In theater. I plan on heading to the dollar store to grab some cheap snacks to bring with us to save some cash! Remember that this summer is all about saving money and getting the most out of our time.
Time off Tuesday: I am required to sign in for my classes and be online all day, so the kiddos will be playing in the dirt and enjoying a day with grandma. When the come home later that evening, we may try a "bug filled" recipe!!! More to come here.
Water Wednesdays: As long as the weather plays fair (It is not playing fair today, so we are not able to do the splash park), we will be heading to our local water park for some fun with the human creatures.
Travel Thursday: Oh this one I am so excited about! Our local museum has an exhibit called "Mythic Creatures!" I have some free passes to the museum and plan to catch this exhibit and a few other creature exhibits as well. I know my son is going to love this one!
Family Friday: Two of the main characters in the BoxTrolls are "Fish" and "Eggs", therefore the kids and I are going to make some salmon and eggs for dinner! A little nonconventional but still fun. For dessert I am thinking about something that is sweet but with creepy crawlies like the BoxTrolls eat!
I am so excited for next week and hope that some of you join in as well. The movie is on Netflix right now and every museum has some sort of "Creatures" that you can go see as well. If you want to check out our plans for THIS WEEKS EARTH WEEK, Click here.
How is your summer going?


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No surprises as indisciplined England outplayed by All Blacks
• 32-6 defeat is second-worst ever at Twickenham
An honourable defeat was about all England were hoping for and in the end they did not even get that. This was their second-worst defeat at Twickenham, to go with the first-worst last week, and, if truth be told, it could have been worse even than that.
Dan Carter was missing kicks left, right and centre, and there cannot have been many All Blacks leaving the field without having dropped the ball at some point or other. The All Blacks, as they have done all autumn, were sauntering around in a half-interested fashion – half-interested and 30 points to the good. It has been a depressing month for those in the northern hemisphere.
England did not help themselves by losing four players to the sin bin – nearly a third of their team – in a game that became the Alain Rolland show. IRB protocols are not necessary with this guy around – he'll ping anything that moves, always has. The penalty count was up around the 30 mark yesterday – maybe that free-kick sanction was not such a bad idea after all.
So Martin Johnson walks away from this autumn series with a whole load of headaches, the main one being that his players are just nowhere near as good as those in the southern hemisphere. The analysis board will get quite a pounding from him and his coaches between now and England's next opportunity to work off some steam in the Six Nations, but the nub of his problems is as simple as that – and as impossibly difficult.
There was no shortage of effort here, and at times in the first 50 minutes or so New Zealand were rattled, spilling balls and losing line-outs as the decibel level rose and England continued to tear into them. Their efforts reached their high point just after half time when England's two best players, Delon Armitage and Nick Easter combined with Riki Flutey, and Easter was haring towards the tryline from beyond the 22. He seemed certain to get there, but an extraordinary tap tackle from Mils Muliaina felled him just short.
It was still on and England were swarming round, but New Zealand regrouped heroically – nothing half-hearted about them at that point – and the danger was snuffed out. England were forced back into that futile pick-and-go stuff they have laboured with all month and then some of that even more futile pass-catch-and-run stuff.
Richie McCaw hit his opposite number, Michael Lipman, with a ferocious tackle, the ball was spilt, Jimmy Cowan broke, Toby Flood took his head off with a clumsy tackle, another yellow card came out, and, instead of a try that would have brought them back to within two points of the All Blacks, England were down to 13 for the second time in the match. It was a long day.
England did manage to squeeze a penalty out of Mr Rolland a few minutes later to get the score back to 12-6 with 50 minutes gone, but that was it. New Zealand took it away with three tries in the last quarter, all of them brilliant, effortless and so far removed from what England had been doing as to be almost a different sport.
When you are down, you are down, and the number of yellow cards England suffered summed up where they are. For the record they were awarded to Lee Mears and James Haskell in the first half, then Flood and Tom Rees in the second. The first three yellows overlapped, so England were down to 13 men twice across the very heart of the match. After that the capitulation towards the end was inevitable. In fairness to Mr Rolland, none of them was harsh. So discipline is another thing, along with quality of player, for Johnson to ponder over Christmas.
And then there is the scrum. England were annihilated again as the match headed towards its denouement. The worst instance came just shy of the hour, with England twisting and retreating on their own ball. Cowan nipped in to whip the ball away, and in the blink of an eye Muliaina was in at the corner for the first of what would be a brace of tries.
That was the end of England's resistance. The scoreline now read 17-6 (Carter missed the conversion), but it might as well have been 42-6, so unlikely looked England to score a try. A touch of genius from Carter in the 66th minute, chipping a flat kick to Muliaina, brought the full-back his second try – 25-6 – then a brilliant break-out off turnover ball had Ma'a Nonu haring away and England flapping once again in the wake of an ugly scoreline.
Where England go now is anyone's guess. They will not be among the top four seeds for tomorrow's World Cup draw, and their deal with the Premiership clubs means selection is limited to those picked in the elite squad months ago. Last week half of Johnson's team were from Wasps – swaggering champions in the far-off days when the squad was picked, haunted relegation candidates now. Basing an international side around that is hardly going to work.
Not that changing his side is going to help much either. Johnson's big change this week was not a success. Toby Flood came in for Danny Cipriani and looked even more diffident and unsure than his predecessor. Fly-half is a problem position for England once more.
But why pick on fly-half? Nowhere, other than full-back and possibly scrum-half can England claim to be inundated with options. They are inundated, rather, with youthful promise, which in theory should be good for the future. But only if they can make it to that future without suffering irreversible harm getting there.
England pens: Flood, Armitage
New Zealand tries: Muliaina 2, Nonu
Con: Carter
Pens: Carter 4
England: Armitage; Sackey (Hipkiss 73), Noon (Cipriani 75), Flutey, Monye; Flood, Care (Ellis 61); Payne, Mears (Hartley 67), Vickery (Stevens 53), Borthwick (capt), Kennedy, Haskell, Lipman (Rees 58), Easter (Croft 67)
New Zealand: Muliaina; Rokocoko, Smith (Toeava 6), Nonu, Sivivatu; Carter, Cowan (Weepu 70); Woodcock, Mealamu, Tialata (Afoa 55), Thorn (Boric 69), Williams, Kaino (Read 55), McCaw (capt), So'oialo
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Game rating: 4
Att: 81,180


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Getting isometric contraction in shape often means doing quite a few exercises, but it can also mean having to do some weight training as well. For some people they will find the exercises that are being done are very difficult to do at times. This is when people should know the benefits of doing an isometric contraction. By knowing some things on these contractions and the benefits that are present with doing them, it will be easy for people to see this is the best isometric exercises possible. Then they will finally be able to get into shape and not be concerned about the exercises not helping them out.
Builds up muscle endurance is one of the main things that people are going to notice that is enjoyable with these exercises. Normally when people are doing an exercise they will find that it is going to be helping them in getting the muscle mass, but not the endurance they need to have.
With this type of exercise, though, it will be easy for people to get more of an endurance built up because they isometric definition are going to be holding the weight for a set time period. So this is going to help in building up the endurance people need to have.
Ability to create a healing in the muscle is something else that people are going to need to know about. Normally people would never think about this, but when they are doing these contractions and holding them in place for a set time frame it is going to make it easier for isometric holds the muscles to heal. That is because they are not doing anything that is going cause any problems for the muscle or have examples of isometric exercises any new stresses added onto the muscle from having to lift up the weight or make a jerking motion from the weight.
This static contraction training has a tendency to help people in getting the right method of working out with a decreased chance of injury. Since this is the case, people should make sure they realize this is going to help them out in avoiding injury, but also helps them in getting to know they are working out. So this will help encourage people to workout and get into shape. Without this people may have some issues in getting in shape because they are too scared of getting injured when they are attempting to workout.
Being able to get in shape is a good thing. However, for some people they will find that it is going to be a challenge to get this done. This is when people should know some of the benefits of doing the isometric contraction type of exercise. By knowing about all of these benefits and what these exercises are, it is going to be easy for people to find the right exercise and know they are going to have a great time in doing the exercise because they can finally get in shape. Without this people may have some problems in getting in shape because of the way they are working out.
Chiropractic Advice to Help Care for Your Spine
Taking proper care of your back might require a lot of small sacrifices, but at the end of the day isn't living a healthy, pain-free life worth it? More and more people are becoming aware of their back problems and the things they do that make it worse. Below are some helpful tips that have been gathered from chiropractic websites. These are tips directly from professional chiropractors and they are designed to help the average person improve the quality of their spine without spending any money. All of these tips involve small life changes that, when added together, make a big difference.
Proper Lifting
If you don't learn how to properly lift heavy objects, then you'll be facing some serious back pains by the time you're 18. If you haven't heard already, proper lifting is all about lifting from the knees. This doesn't just apply to objects you think are heavy because any additional weight on the spine isn't really a good thing. Instead, lift objects with your knees and don't bend or twist during the lifting process. This will help guarantee your back isn't placed under any addition stress that could tear muscles or dislodge vertebrae.
Proper Shopping
A lot of women face back problems on a daily basis and it could stem from their shopping techniques. First, it's a good idea to get your holiday shopping done far ahead of schedule. Standing in line for hours is not a good thing for your back if you don't maintain proper posture. Proper posture involves standing straight, with your knees unlocked and your back relaxed. Shopping weeks or months ahead of schedule will help you avoid all of those long lines that linger around during the holiday. The second shopping tip that chiropractors offer is to use a shopping cart rather than a shopping basket. There's no need in carrying a basket and hurting the back when you could easily push around a cart and save yourself that strain If you do find yourself carrying a shopping basket, then make sure you don't position on one side of the body, but rather carry it in front of you and centered at all time. This helps balance the weight across your back and arms.
Stay Active
It's easy to use the winter months as an excuse for getting lazy, but in reality, this is not good for the back. If you get lazy, then you're likely to put on a few extra pounds. Weight is bad for the back, so you'll have to find new ways of exercising that don't push you out into the cold. Try walking up and down your staircase as often as possible to get a little cardio in your system without even stepping outside of the door. Light stretching and yoga is also a great way to stay limber and in shape during the cold winter months. You can get all of the exercise you need inside or just visit a gym where it's warm. It's not difficult at all.
If you want some more information about chiropractic websites you can visit notadocinthebox.com
If you are looking for more information about Chiropractic SEO & marketing you can click here to learn more about the best chiropractor in Liverpool NY. Dr. Chris also does a lot of teaching to doctors and students around the world. You can find out more about his Applied Kinesiology Seminars Here.
It's An Open-world Isometric Rpg That Will Let The Players Steal Anything While Also Practicing Their Parkour Skills And Pulling Off Stealth Kills As Necessary.
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Qualified Nutritionist: Any Person Who Is The Holder Of A Degree Baccalaureate, Master, Doctoral In Prescribe Diets, Work At Hospitals, With Clinical Intervention, Or In Food Production Segment.
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If You Look Closely At The Last Paragraph, Of Your Own Home With Sisters In Speakers.
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Athletes Who Use Sustanon, Tell About Solid Muscle Growth Since It Accumulates Significantly Less In It 3 - 4 Weeks Due To Addition In The Composition Of Decanoate.
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You Can Fall Ill Or Then Vitamin, Referred To As Vitamin B Much Like How People Refer To Vitamin C Or Vitamin D.
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Mix Equal Amount Of Almond Oil And Honey And Apply Use The Same Techniques And Methods That Every Other Company In This Industry Does.
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2002 Chevrolet Venture Minivan - Consumer Review
Build Quality
Reliability Value
Build Quality
Reliability Value
Good Van
By Z on
Vehicle2002 Chevrolet Venture LT Fwd 4dr Ext Minivan (3.4L 6cyl 4A)
ReviewI bought this van new and think overpaid for it at 27K. My other choice was a Honda Odyssey, but dealer did not want to reduce price. Overall the van has performed well. Drove from NC to Colorado, and then to San Diego and back without problems. Has a good soft ride, OK gas mileage, and good interior features. Wish it had better cup holders in front and better storage in center console. Front seat rear pockets have come apart at the upper corners from kids pulling on them. Storage space is great. It seats 8, but second row is too low to the floor. Overall I am happy with the van. I dislike the fast depreciation when compared with its Japanese counterparts. You should get a good deal on this van when buying used
Best FeaturesRide, storage space, seats 8. AC/heat dual control front and rear. Rear parking aid.Traction and stabilization in the snow. Integrated child seat. Dual automatic sliding doors. Easy to maneuver.
Worst FeaturesDepreciation, front seat rear pockets coming apart, should get more support at upper corners. Raise the second row seats. Integrated air pump too weak. Make the air filter in engine compartment easier to replace. More speakers needed, only has 4. OK sound, but could use a better stereo.
Recommend (0) (0)
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Lemon Meringue is practically dessert in a bottle, and has a bunch of awesome ingredients. Aloe juice, avocado oil, coconut oil, green tea, lemon peel oil and vanilla. Yum! Love it. Works awesome :)
This lotion smells exactly like a fresh slice of Lemon Meringue Pie! A combination of tangy lemon and sweet vanilla! It smells divine and is chock full of healthy ingredients like coconut oil and sunflower oil. Super moisturizing! It is so much more satisfying using a product knowing that what you are putting on your skin is in fact good for the skin. Your skin will feel like silk!
These reviews are the subjective opinions of ChickAdvisor members and not of ChickAdvisor Inc.


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- 78 years old
- Date of birth: Nov 18, 1933
- Place of birth:
Charlestown, Indiana, United States
- Date of passing: Aug 4, 2012
- Place of passing:
Clarksville, Indiana, United States
|Let the memory of Nancy be with us forever
This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Nancy Smith, . We will remember her forever. We would like to thank everyone who showed us the kindness and the prayers and concerns for our mother. She was needed in heaven to pass out those warm kisses and hugs that she had for everyone. To make others laugh and not be so serious about everything, was her way. There will be none other like Nancy Louise Smith. Aunt Nancy, Mom, and everyone's friend. We love you all as she did.
"Ms Nancy. I Love You. You ALWAYS made me feel like I was yours. You always said come on round and get you a seat connie. You were always real full of love and laughter. I know those wings look good on you. I will forever remember you. I know you are making everyone laugh. Peace Be Still"
"It still seems like it was yesterday, 2 years have gone by so fast, just like when your spirit flew away that Saturday morning, and it caused me to take notice that your not far away, your here in everyone of us. You had me on Sat. Morning, you had My Sister on Sat.Morning, and your spirit went home on Sat. Morning and that's why you loved Saturdays. We love you always will, we miss you and always will, and we'll always laugh cause we know we'll see you on one Sat. Morning."
"Happy birthday!!!!! Grandma. ....I love u always...."
"Rest in heaven Aunt Nancy truly missed...."
"I miss u so much...some times I just know you will be calling me to take you somewhere...love u bunches....till we meet again"
"Happy birthday grandma... I love you and I miss you"
"Aunt Nancy was my favorite aunt. I loved her a lot. I will miss her beautiful smile, and the laughter that always followed. She was truly a beautiful person inside and out."
"Sylvia I was sorry to hear about your moms passing but I know she is in a better place where there is no pain. She would want you to live and be happy as she will see you again. Im hear for you whenever you need me. Love ya girl"
"So sorry to hear about the death of your mom....she always kept a smile on my face...she'll be missed. I will keep your family in my prayers. Deepest sympathy!"
"Rhonda and Sylvia and Your Families
I am not gone
While you cry with me
I am not gone
While you smile with me
I am not gone
While you remember with me
I will come
When you call my name
I will come
When I feel your pain
I will come
On your final day
It could never be
That we
Would never be
We shall always
Be together"
"ALL OUR LOVE AND PRAYERS TO THE FAMILY OF NANCY SMITH. We wish you all PEACE LOVE HAPPINESS. Trust GOD he will hold you all up with his VICTORIOUS Right hand. I thank GOD that we had and still have the opportunity to be a part of your family. GOD BLESS you all. Look up. Levon Connie and B"
"Rhonda and Sylvia my heart goes out you and your family at this time. I have been where your are now. I will not tell you not to cry. But you go on and cry for your tears of sorrow will be replaced with tears of joy and praise. Miss Nancy lived her life to the fullest. Rejoice that God let her stay for a while so we would have the chance to know her. Love you guys and God Bless you all."
"Sylvia and Family - David and I send our deepest condolences for the passing of your mother. We pray for the peace and comfort of our Lord Jesus Christ to uphold and keep you and your family during this time of loss."
"Sylvia you have our Love and Prayers every Sunset will bring you peace and every Sunrise will bring you and your Family hope. Our thoughts are with you. Words dont seem enough right now but we hope you can feel our heartfelt caring and deep sympathy. We will forever miss her . LOVE, Beulah Bobby, and Mark"
"In John: 14 it says Let not your heart be troubled. I go to prepare a place for you, and in my fathers house are many mansions. You went home mama, but not without us kissing and loving on you, the way you loved us. We were already missing you, but now we know that you will be there when we get there, and that's a comfort to us all. Love you mom Luv and prayers is what you taught us."
"Rhonda and Sylvia and Your Families
I was blessed to be able to spend time with Aunt Nancy the days prior to her home going. She enjoyed the conversations and laughter we shared as I sat with her enjoying her favorite TV shows.
Her spirit will be with us all as she is now in peace and with our Lord"
"You all have my deepest sympathy. May the Lord continue to comfort you and keep you at peace. Seeing her photo reminds me of back when we were kids and they were all young on Indiana Avenue. Thinking about seeing her up on the porch watching us play. Good memories.
Keeping you all in my prayers."
"James, Sylvia & Family,
You all have our condolence. May God provide peace and comfort.
Tony, Tamika, and family"
"Aloha `oe, aloha `oe
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au
Until we meet again ♥
I'll miss you, Big Mama. ♥"
The name of the Lord
is a strong fortress;
the godly run to him and are safe.
Proverbs 18:10
We pray for your family at your time of loss."
"I got to know Mrs Nancy while she was at Clark Rehab. She was a wonderful person she could make you smile just by saying"Hi baby how are you today " God just received one of the most special angels. We love and miss you very much Mrs Nancy."
"We are in great, great sympathy at the loss of your dear mother. I didn't know that her name was so similar to mine, mine being Nanci Lou. I wish I could have met her. Thank you for calling us Sylvia and dear James. Love and sympathy always, Nanci Humes, Barry Humes and the kids...."
"Ms. Sylvia, so sorry to hear about your mother. You and your family are in our prayers. Remember, earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal."
"I extend my Deepest Sympathy to you, so sorry to hear about the death of your mom. May God's richest blessing be on you at this difficult time. I pray that God will give you the strength to endure. Mary Hunter"
"How lovely is thy dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yea, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God!... Blessed are those who dwell in thy house, ever singing thy praise... O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in thee! Psalm 84:1-2,4,12 (REST IN PEACE COUSIN NANCY)"
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Capital One Says $250M Settlement Bars AG Credit Card Suits
Capital One says the April 12 suit filed by Hawaii Attorney General David Louie and June 28 suit filed by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood in their respective states' courts seek to cover consumers already covered by the nationwide class settlement agreement. The bank...
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Awesome Anatomy
How does our hearing work? Give your child a great guide to the anatomy of our ears with this anatomy worksheet.
Does your child know his five senses? Give him an introduction to human anatomy with this sense of touch worksheet.
The brain is the most important organ in the human body. Get a basic grasp on the parts and functions of the brain with this anatomy info sheet.
This skeletal system worksheet, featuring a funny diagram of a human skeleton, is just the thing kids need to master their skeletal system vocabulary.
Did you know our sense of smell is also called "olfactory"? Learn about the structure and function of the nose with this human anatomy sheet.
How does our sense of taste function? Introduce your child to the anatomy of our tongue with this diagram and info sheet.
If your child is starting to learn human biology, give him a great study sheet with this anatomy worksheet about the pancreas.
Human anatomy may be complicated, but even more intricate is our DNA! Learn the basics of our body's building blocks with an informative sheet.
Did you know there are over 200 bones in the human body? Learn more about the human skeletal system with this diagram and info sheet!
Read about the intestines, an important part of our digestive process. Your child will see a diagram of this body organ and learn important terms and concepts.
Studying human anatomy? Here is a great sheet that shows a diagram of all the muscle system. Your child will learn the scientific terms of the major muscles.
Learn all about cells, the tiny pieces that make up our body, in this color-in diagram.
Humans have 32 teeth, including wisdom teeth, and this diagram has the names of all the other 28.
Learn all about your sense of smell with this diagram and coloring page.
Read up on the digestive system with this page, which follows your food from start to finish.
Learn the names of major joints in the human body, the points at which bones intersect to make your arms and legs bend.
Cranium, noodle, melon, noggin...the human skull has been called a lot of things over the years. Here are the proper names for each part.
Learn about your sense of touch with this Awesome Anatomy page on the nervous system.
This handy diagram on the awesome anatomy of the human skeleton will help you learn the names of major bones.
This Awesome Anatomy coloring page focuses on the heart and all the different parts of it.
This Awesome Anatomy coloring page is all about the human eye, and makes a handy study tool as well!
This Awesome Anatomy page focuses on the heart and how it pumps blood to all parts of your body.
This Awesome Anatomy coloring page shows how blood circulates through your body.
Color this Awesome Anatomy coloring page that focuses on how the ears work to hear sound.
This Awesome Anatomy sheet focuses on the brain, often considered the most vital of vital organs.
Color in this Awesome Anatomy page on the respiratory system and learn about how we breathe!


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Eminence Mineral Sun Defense
July 6th, 2010
Defend YOUR skin with Eminence's Organic Sun Defense. A gentle powdered sun block designed to infuse the skin with anti-aging, healing properties for a naturally radiant look.
Choose from five different shades to suit your skin color.
This hypoallergenic, water-resistant formula goes on light and won't wear off with sweat, clog pores, or leave skin looking cakey. Perfect for carrying around in your purse!
Key Ingredients: Minerals, Micronized Zinc Oxide (Sunscreen), Fruit Extracts, Vitamins A & E
Our Price: $63.15
Call Joanna Vargas Salon, Skin Care Sanctuary in New York City at 212/949.2350.
Tax is included unless shipped out of state, not including New Jersey. And if you pick up get a free consultation with one of our estheticians.


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Micro PLC Market to Grow at 8.17% CAGR Driven by Integration of HMI into Micro PLCs to 2020
RnRMarketResearch.com adds Global Micro PLC Market 2016-2020 latest research report, the analysts forecast global Micro PLCs market to grow at a CAGR of 8.17% during the period 2016-2020.
Complete report on micro PLC market is now available at http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/global-micro-plc-market-2016-2020-market-report.html
According to the micro plc market report, miniaturization of industrial control systems is increasing in the factory automation industry. Customers look for small form factors that can provide the same functionalities and features of larger devices, while consuming low power. Germany initiated Industry 4.0 to increase production efficiency and maintain competitiveness in a smarter and greener way. This has led to the rise in smart factories that are intelligently connected and automated. Industrial controllers that are critical for smart factories are evolving toward miniaturization with high performance capabilities.
The global micro PLC market at present, integration of HMI in micro PLCs is one of the major trends in the market. Vendors of micro PLCs are coming up with products with wider HMI screen compared to earlier generations. These HMIs display user-friendly graphic icons, send and receive text messages, and change displays according to the progression of the manufacturing process in an industrial production line.
Inquire for Discount at @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/contacts/discount?rname=539898
Micro PLCs incorporate I/O modules in the range of 24-128. They have opened up new perspectives in industrial control systems due to their compact dimension and low cost. Micro PLCs provide added functions in smaller packages, and are efficiently used in control applications in which space is limited. They can handle complex sequencing functions and switching of small control devices. They have an efficient price-performance ratio, and are used for simple and complex automation tasks in various industries, including food and beverage, automotive, chemical, pharmaceutical, metals and mining, paper and plastic manufacturing, conveyor systems, and packaging.
Global Micro PLC Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. This report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. This report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of global micro PLC market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from sales and aftermarket services of global micro PLCs market. Micro PLCs are compact PLCs with greater than 24 and lesser than 128 I/Os.
The Micro PLC market is divided into the following segments based on geography: Americas, APAC and EMEA
Order a copy of Global Micro PLC Market 2016-2020 report @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/contacts/purchase?rname=539898
Key players in the global Micro PLC market: Mitsubishi Electric, OMRON, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric, and Siemens.
Other prominent vendors in the market are: ABB, Beckhoff, Bosch Rexroth, GE, Hitachi, Honeywell International, IDEC, Yaskawa, and Yokogawa.
Further, the report states that the high preference for industrial PCs among end-users should have a negative influence on the demand for micro PLCs.
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Props to the alternate ability modifiers for the classic races. So many possibilities open up for these races now that wasn't present before:
- Dwarf: Strength opens up dwarves for both fighters and barbarians! Dwarf has always been a solid race mechanically, with an awesome racial power (dwarven resilience) and a few great feats. In particular, Dwarven Weapon Training (+2 damage and proficiency with all axes and hammers!) and Shield the Fallen (adj. bloodied allies get +2 to all STs and Defenses!) are both very powerful and work well for either a fighter or a barbarian. It was always tempting to play either one as a dwarf already but the lack of a primary ability score always kept me away. Now I have no excuse!
- Eladrin: Another awesome race that was crippled by having Dex and Int as primary scores, making for only a handful of good builds (wand wizard comes to mind). Adding Charisma into the mix really opens the class up for both Bards and Warlocks. Fey step is such a nice racial power that I can definitely see considering Eladrin for either of those classes.
- Elf: Int/Dex is a weird combination. I know some classes use it. An obscure rogue build sure does. In any case, elves have one of those awesome racial powers that is super useful, elven accuracy, so for those classes that can use those stats, elf will be high on the list, I'm sure.
- Halfling: Dex/Con is another one of those combinations that doesn't see a ton of use, though the idea of a super dark and creepy Halfling assassin does have some appeal!
- Human: Humans don't get any ability mods, but heroic defense is yet another example of one of those awesome super useful racial feats. Getting a bonus to either an attack roll or a saving throw when you miss is huge. At higher levels failing a saving throw can be very rough, so the party really needs a nice group of powers they can draw one and so having a flexible like this one is awesome. My only regret is that I doubt I'll be able to bring myself to take a third at-will anymore when I play a human (which is fun if not usually super useful!) since this power is definitely one of the crucial use at just the right time abilities!
Tags: essentials


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PG&E Meter Readers Near Settlement In FLSA Suit
Lead plaintiff Manuel Murillo lodged the motion Monday in the U.S. District for the Eastern District of California, noting that under the proposed agreement, each opt-in member would receive half the maximum amount of liquidated damages available, up to $450,000.
That figure would be calculated by multiplying the...
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Hi every one
I am new in Linux. I use Cent OS 5. When I try to connect my LAN card from network configuring wizard then from the manufacturer pop up menu it can't be found. It is mention that my NIC manufacturer is Atherose. Can anyone help me? Please.


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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) – A University of Alabama art student has filed a federal court suit alleging nude photos of her ended up on the Internet after she had work done on her computer at Best Buy.
Attorneys for Nicole March said she filed the invasion of privacy suit Friday in federal court in Birmingham. It names Best Buy Corp. and Geek Squad Technical Support as defendants. Best Buy spokeswoman Paula Baldwin said the company does not comment on pending litigation.
The suit says March was working at Best Buy in Tuscaloosa and took her computer there in 2011 to have data retrieved from the hard drive. It says the photos were for her professional reference, but a Geek Squad member recently told her the photos were in circulation.
2 thoughts on "Student Sues Best Buy Over Nude Photos on Internet"
Hello! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog.
Is it difficult to set up your own blog? I'm not very
techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick.
I'm thinking about creating my own but I'm not sure where to begin.
Do you have any tips or suggestions? With thanks
When will they ever learn?


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This guide shows you the fastest way to rip and convert Blu-ray/DVD ISO to Google Nexus 6 supported video formats with ease so that you can watch BD/DVD ISO contents on Nexus 6 freely.
The next Nexus smartphone is likely to rely on an Adreno GPU to bring to life the device's screen panel, which is expected to stretch a bit further from the Nexus 5's 4.9-inch screen size. However, reports suggest that the Nexus 6 will merely reflect the 1080p display resolution that its predecessor has delivered in November 2013.
There were reports that say the Nexus maker is eyeing a July 2014 rollout for its flagship smartphone, which will debut via the company's I/O Developers Conference on June 24.
Planning to buy a new Nexus series phone, and I have several Blu-ray and DVD ISO image files. As there is no virtual BD drive, it is impossible to play ISO videos from Blu-ray/DVD Disc on the Nexus Phone. Any Blu-ray Ripper to convert the ISO files to play smoothly? Any suggestion?"
If you want to watch Blu-ray/DVD ISO files on Google Nexus Phones ane especially the upcoming Nexus 6, you will need a tool to convert Nexus playable video files first.
Hot Search: Best DVD to Surface Converter|Install Flash Player on Kindle|Play HD Movies on Surface Pro|Play Amazon Instant Video on Surface
Here, Pavtube BDMagic (Mac users: BDMagic for Mac) is highly recommended to help easily remove commercial Blu-ray protection from BD/DVD ISO and output MP4 videos for freely playback on Nexus 6.
System requirements:
- Operating System: Windows XP/2003/Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 8.1
- DirectX Version: 9.0 or above
- Memory: 64MB at least
- Processor: 500MHz Intel or 500MHz AMD CPU
- Hard Disc Space: 512MB or above
- Optical Drive: DVD drive(BD drive is required for ripping Blu-ray disc)
- 1G Hz or above Intel processor.
- Mac OS X Leopard (10.5), Snow Leopard (10.6), Lion (10.7), Mountain Lion (10.8), Mavericks (10.9)
- 512 MB physical RAM (memory) or more.
- 1024*768 or higher resolution display.
- Optical Drive: DVD drive(BD drive is required for ripping Blu-ray disc)
Follow this guide to quick learn:
How to convert Blu-ray/DVD ISO to Google Nexus 6?
Step 1: Load ISO movie to the ISO to Neuxs 6 Converter.
Insert your Blu-ray/DVD ISO to disc drive, and click "IFO/ISO" icon to add your Blu-ray/DVD ISO files into Pavtube Blu-ray Ripper.
Step 2: Select video format.
Here we select MP4 with H.264 codec for Nexus 6. Click the Format drop-down list, and select "Google Nexus 7 H.264 Video(*.mp4)" from Android category.
Tips: If you have special requirements on target video, click "Settings" to customize video size, bitrate, frame rate and sample rate.
Step 4. Ripping ISO to MP4 for Nexus 6.
Click the red "Convert" button to start ripping Blu-ray/DVD ISO to H.264/MPEG-4 MP4 for Google Nexus 6. When it finishes, click the "Open Output Folder" icon to quick locate the converted video.
Once get the converted videos, just copy and dump them to Nexus 6 via USB. Then you are ready to play Blu-ray/DVD ISO image files on Nexus 6 freely.
Further Reading:
- Best Video Formats & Tips for Surface Pro 4/3/2/1
- Best Video Player Apps for Kindle Fire/Kindle Fire HD/Kindle Fire HDX
- Can I play Flash on Microsoft Surface RT/Pro Tablet?
- Is it possible to load TiVo TV Shows to Kindle Fire HD 7/8.9?
- Enjoy 1080p videos on Kindle Fire HD 8.9? Watch 720p videos on Fire HD 7?
- Download, Stream, and Tranfer Media Files to Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
- Transcode/Convert/Shrink HD Videos to Kindle Fire HDX on Mac 10.9 Mavericks
- Transfer ISO/IFO image files to Kindle Fire HDX on Windows 8.1/8/7
- How to Play HD/4K Videos on Sony Xperia Z4 Smoothly?
- Transfer HD Videos to Google Nexus 6/9
This blog post is really great; the standard stuff of the post is genuinely amazing.
Android owners accounted for a much smaller share of buyers immediately after this year's iPhone launch, and with smartphones so prevalent in the US, we also saw a smaller percentage of iPhone buyers moving from basic phones.
The article you share enough to help me in searching for health-related information, thank you for the information very useful.


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Floor Space
Off Plan
sale type
property details
Ref BENV238
Parking Garage
Distance to Sea 10 minute drive
Distance to Airport45 minute drive (Alicante)
related links
Enquire Now
about the property
Four spacious bedrooms, four bathrooms, plus 2 W.C
Modern fitted kitchen, underground garage
Terraces with stunning mountain & sea views
Close to amenities, restaurants, beaches & shops
We are delighted to offer this new built ultra modern style villa in one of the most privileged areas of Benissa in Alicante on the beautiful Costa Blanca.
Benissa has the contrast of beach and mountain views of fabulous beaches and coves of Bahía Les Bassetes, Playa La Fustera and Cala Pinets, with water sports, leisure, nature and exquisite gastronomy.
You can drive to the nearby beach resort of the Arenal in Javea, where you will find a lovely selection of restaurants, bars and nightlife, as well as the Port, Marina and Javea historic old town.
The villa is located within a quiet residential community with good connections to the main road, AP7 highway and the N332 coast road.
This modern home boasts 500 square metres of internal living space and stands on a 1,350 square metre plot and offers fantastic views to the sea and mountains.
It has four spacious bedrooms, four bathrooms and two toilets, as well as spacious kitchen and living room area with large windows allowing the natural light to flood into this wonderful home.
The property is characterized by the use of luxurious materials and it features a basement with cinema room and outside you can enjoy a private infinity pool and a Jacuzzi bath. It also has a large solarium with panoramic views, three terraces, and a lift, underground garage for several cars, a storage room and barbecue area.
This modern home is a perfect place to live in permanently, enjoy as a family holiday home, or it could be let out as a rental investment property.
Contact us now to arrange a viewing of this property by calling us on +44 (0)20 8339 6036 or by submitting your contact details and a member of the team will contact you shortly.


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If someone told you, 20 years ago, that the the world would start using the word Mom in tandem with "bad ass," you might have laughed. It was a well known secret among moms that they obviously were superheroes, I mean, they save the day - EVERY day.
Now, thanks to social media, photographic evidence of these iron maidens in motion just proves what every mother already knows: they rock. Earlier this week, we introduced you to this amazing Doctor Mom, now let us present Marathon Mom.
She is a BOSS.
Anna Young ran a marathon 5 months after giving birth to her daughter. That day of the race, she woke before 4:30 in the morning, nursed her new baby and was ready to race by 6:45 a.m. What.The. Heck. Amazing!
She ran 8 miles, pumped and then finished the race, after which, she nursed again. Listen, ladies, don't let anyone tell you what you can, or can't do with your body - or as a mother. These women are absolute proof that anything is possible! Check out her post on Occupy Breastfeeding here.
Anna, we salute you!


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(Canto 5, line 74)
These two are Francesca da Rimini and her brother-in-law Paolo Malatesta. Francesca was the daughter of the lord of Ravenna, Guido da Polenta il Vecchio. In 1275, she was married to Gianciotto Malatesta, son of the lord of Rimini, Malatesta da Verucchio. Gianciotti was a deformed cripple, and the match was in fact a political marriage, with the object of putting an end to the long-lasting rivalry of these two clans of Ravenna and Rimini. Francesca instead fell in love with Gianciotto's brother Paolo, and they started seeing each other secretly. Their affair was discovered by Gianciotto, and in 1285 he had them both killed. Their story is not recorded in any historical work of the period, but the episode was well-known among the people: according to one version, Paolo was required to perform the wedding ceremony with Francesca in place of his brother, letting her believe that she would be married to the handsome Paolo, not the deformed Gianciotto.


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Volume 70, Number 3 (July 2013), of the Institute of General Semantics's quarterly journal ETC: A Review of General Semantics has been mailed and is now available for download from the IGS Store in searchable PDF format.
Table of Contents Preview
- "On Semantics and General Semantics: Re-Defining the Former to Understand the Latter" by Ben Hauck
- "The Science and Sanity of Listening" by Benjamin J. Cline
- "Awareness and Action: A General Semantics Approach to Effective Language Behavior (Part 2) – Abstraction: Exploring Why the Map Is Not the Territory" by Mary P. Lahman
- "Loose Lips: Broadcast and Socially Mediated Political Rhetoric and the Sinking of the 2012 Senatorial Campaigns of Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock" by Jefferson Spurlock
- "The Textbook Writer" by Joseph A. DeVito
- Metaphors in Action:
"Reality Is Boring, Media Are Magnetic" by Raymond Gozzi, Jr.
- 75th Anniversary Reprint:
"Remembering Don Hayakawa" by Alan R. Hayakawa
"The Empty Eye" by S. I. Hayakawa and Alan R. Hayakawa
"Whatever I Call It, It Is" by Neil Postman
"New Hope for the Technological Society: An Interview with Jacques Ellul" by Berta Sichel
"Perspectives on Our Age: Jacques Ellul Speaks on His Life and Work, by Jacques Ellul. Edited by William H. Vandenburg; translated by Joachim Neugroschel. New York: The Seabury Press, 1981″ by Terrance P. Moran
"Media Tribes: Making Sense of Popular Culture, the Mass Media, and Everyday Life in America" by Arthur Asa Berger
"The Electronic Imagination: Requiem for a Narrative" by Brian Donahue
- "For the Nonce (Excerpt)" by Phillip Dow
- Plus Book Reviews and Dates and Indexes.
Cover Art
The cover of ETC 70:3 is from a painting titled "Earth" by Nicole Wilson.


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The following content is reposted from Faith and Wonder!
Palm Sunday
Matthew 21:1-11
As told by the Rev. Jeff Krehbiel
For more Palm Sunday story learning/discussion ideas check the original post HERE.
You can also catch the Story Divine podcast from Palm Sunday last year:
Holy Week with Story Divine
Hear the story of Holy Week as told by Casey FitzGerald on Story Divine. (This is a collection from last year–Casey is currently on maternity leave.)
Episode 11.1 Memory Reboot
Episode 11.2 Not I, Lord!
Episode 11.3 EXPOSED
Episode 11.4 I Don't Know This Man!
Episode 11.5 he was crucified
Episode 11.6 he was buried
Episode 11.7 HE IS RISEN
(Or find any of the Story Divine episodes on iTunes!)
(My favorite video of all time. It was such a joy to make.)


text: The increased odds of Brexit fears after London Mayor's move in favor of 'exit group' are keeping Sterling bulls at the bay. The GBP/USD pair hit a fresh 7-yr low of 1.4057 on Monday and now trades above 1.41 handle ahead of inflation report hearings in UK. Brexit-headlines could overshadow inflation report hearings Bank of England, in its quarterly inflation report, revised the inflation forecasts lower earlier this month. Hence, a weaker inflation is already well known and priced-in by the markets. As of now, the main issue is Brexit. The uncertainty might wind up dampening demand for the pound for the next few weeks. Moreover, ratings agencies have fired warning shot about a potential downgrade (in outlook) if Britons vote in favor of Brexit. Consequently, the inflation report hearing is likely to take a backseat. The pair dipped to a low of 1.4090 in early Europe, before recovering to trade around 1.4112 levels. GBP/USD Technical Levels The immediate resistance is seen at 1.4156 (daily high), above which the cross could 1.4173 (Jan 26 low). A break higher would expose 1.42 handle. On the other hand, a break below 1.4090 (daily low) would open doors for a re-test of 1.4057 (Monday's low), which if taken out could see the spot drop to psychological support at 1.40. For more information, read our latest forex news.


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He said he would do late afternoon now, for a bit of an extra cost (he would have to stay the night in Negril) so I think I'm going to go with that. FI wasn't too happy when I told him he'd have to wake up so early on our wedding morning!
What time was your TTD shoot?
Started by luv2love, Feb 27 2008 01:17 AM
11 replies to this topic
Posted 27 February 2008 - 12:16 PM
Posted 27 February 2008 - 12:20 PM
That is very early in the morning the next day...my FI would not be to happy about that either.
We are not sure when we are going to do our TTD shoot yet.
We are not sure when we are going to do our TTD shoot yet.
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