text:
WINNIPEG - Ask "The Mecca" Shane Madison what it has been like to be part of the emergence of Action Wrestling Entertainment on the wrestling scene and the stories come pouring out.
"This started out as a pipe dream. Many guys were of the attitude of, 'We'll believe it when we see it,'" he told SLAM! Wrestling. "I was the same way for a while as I have heard it all in this business. However, every promise AWE has made they have delivered on and then some."
In an unusual step for most aspiring wrestlers from Western Canada, the 28-year-old Madison, who grew up in Winnipeg as Jeff Wallace ("a wrestling fan and then some"), headed east to earn his spurs when he first broke in.
"I was trained in Windsor, Ontario in 1998. I met a guy named Scotty Libido who got me in tough with Professor Maxwell of FMV fame," Madison said. "Maxwell was an old school hard-ass. They busted my balls and I wouldn't have it any other way. We trained for three nights a week, four hours a night in some warehouse in a boxing ring with no spring in it. I lived in a house with rats and mice and I had to hang my food from the ceiling so the rodents would not eat it. It was hardcore. I doubt most greenhorns could work a full-time, manual-labour job, train for three days a week for four hours a night for just a chance to make it. Personally, I could count the number of guys who could absorb that punishment on one hand and still have fingers left over. It was tough but it taught me the respect that a lot of guys are lacking nowadays. "
The first AWE show was actually in November 2003 at Coyotes Night Club in Winnipeg, and drew about 400 people.
"That was more of a test run for us. We didn't want to be known as a bar show. There were a lot of people wanting to see the first AWE show fail. There was a mass exodus of talent from another local company, a safe weekly bar show promotion but it barely drew 30 people on a weekly basis. AWE was not a sure thing; a lot of guys gambled and burnt some bridges for the good of a better vision of the wrestling business."
In earlier years the 6-foot, 220-pound tanned and toned Madison was around locker rooms with the likes of the Road Warriors, Honky Tonk Man and Brutus Beefcake. That first AWE card featured a number of imported wrestlers who Madison was very impressed with.
"Having Dan Severn on the inaugural show was very important. He is legitimately one of the toughest guys in the world. Plus, he helped us attract that MMA demographic that has been growing in popularity over the last few years," said Madison. "Donny DiCaprio looked fantastic in their MMA exhibition bout. DiCaprio is a guy who has been training in MMA over the last few years and is extremely versatile in both professional wrestling and MMA. The MMA match really suspended disbelief and Severn really gave DiCaprio a chance to prove he could hang with him. That was very unselfish of Dan and he will always be a regular in AWE."
On that first show, Madison teamed with Buff Bagwell in the main event against Chi Chi Cruz and Outlaw Adam Knight. Bagwell has "tons of charisma," said Madison, who was also impressed by a Toronto import. "When Notorious T.I.D. came in from Toronto, it gave AWE a profile in Eastern Canada that most anyone operating from here except for Tony Condello never get. And T.I.D. helped a lot behind the scenes that day. He's back with us for this week's show."
"Outlaw" Adam Knight, who has been a frequent opponent since Madison returned from Windsor and began his pro career, has high praise for his dedication to maintaining a major league aura. "Shane has always set the bar very high for how a professional wrestler should look and act outside of the ring. That may be a little too high for a naturally heavyset guy like me who never skips a buffet and isn't married to a tanning bed like Madison is, but seriously he has all the tools and is one of the most recognized performers in Central Canada."
Realizing that the size of his desired operation required a more elaborate financing plan, AWE promoter Mike Davidson set out to bring in more capital and marketing expertise. It took over a year until the next AWE event, when, on March 11, 2005, AWE presented Larger Than Life, a show taped for pay per view at the University of Manitoba.
"It is funny because a lot of people still wanted to see us fail. No matter which way you look at it the event was a success," Madison said. "The show was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but it was a good show."
Madison thinks the emphasis that AWE puts on bringing in big names to augment and mentor the resident Canadian wrestlers has worked out very well. "A lot of the time when big name talent is brought in they are difficult to deal with. However, all the superstars that we have brought in have been a breath of fresh air. Having guys like Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Jamie Gibson (Noble) and The G-Man (Formerly WWE's Billy Gunn, now TNA's Kip James) around only helped the AWE talent. They are willing to give back and help the younger guys better themselves. They teach locker room etiquette, and how to conduct yourself as a professional. Those are lessons that are invaluable. Plus, they make our shows that much more credible and can help get guys booked in other territories. You will see a marked improvement in the AWE roster because of the experience that the big names bring with them. "
Still Madison isn't satisfied that the image of the wrestling game in the crowded Winnipeg market sometimes stands in the way of getting a fair share of attention from the media. "We had a lot of sponsors and celebrity media personnel out with AWE Superstars to promote the last show. Sometimes it is a little disheartening because wrestling has always been the 'bastard child' of the sports world. If another professional sports organization would bring world class athletes to a show of this magnitude they would get more coverage than what we receive."
Looking forward to the October 8th taping for the new weekly 30-minute show, AWE Overload, for The Fight Network, Madison said the established talent and Canadian indy performers gives the fans a unique event to enjoy. "Our Director of Operations, Mike Davidson, tries to mix the best young up and coming superstars with some key international superstars like Fatu. It can be a delicate balancing act. You need to have the 'big stars' to attract the PPV providers and the DVD distributors but we also have a lot of talented individuals from across Canada that are just looking for a shot at the big time."
Madison singled out Western Canada veterans like Chi Chi Cruz and Massive Damage as high quality, and the young guys of Massive's promotion MPW in Edmonton like Bobby Sharpe and AllStar Tom McDonald. He called local grapplers Synn, Jon Cutler, Shawn Houston and Kenny Omega "tremendously talented individuals" and believes that established names like Johnny Devine, Billy Kidman and Brian Christopher bring an "X-Factor" to the show. "It is a balancing act for sure, but with all these ingredients, it makes for a great show and makes the boys extremely well rounded. The fans won't be disappointed and neither will our TV audience."
Despite a nickname like "The Mecca", Madison doesn't believe the show always needs to be about him.
"Mike Davidson always joked about how I have been on all of his big shows but I have never worked a big name for him. So those people who say I get preferential treatment are very wrong. I remember when Mike brought in Eddie Guerrero for a show in 2002 and he wanted Eddie to work with me. But I suggested another local wrestler would be better suited for that spot and I was right. That was the best decision for the show."
After years of plying the local circuits Madison had to cut back and focus on a more balanced approach to life. "I was a very selfish person and my only concern was wrestling. That bubble burst last year and I grew up a lot. I didn't want to be another 'wrestling casualty.' The business will chew you up and spit you out if you let it. Lucky for me I realized that early in my career and not in the twilight. I matured as a person and I like who I have become. I have a great career as an insurance broker, but with AWE located in Winnipeg, I have the chance to be part of the limelight without having to sacrifice a business career. Wrestling is an ongoing learning process. You never know it all and you continue to learn all the time."
Madison has definitely paid his dues and it has been noticed. He has had three meetings with WWE officials, an invitation to an Ohio Valley Wrestling tryout last March, and he was among the 75 finalists for WWE Tough Enough III.
"I certainly don't know it all -- and don't pretend that I do -- but I think I can offer a lot of insight into this business. I take wrestling very seriously. Sometimes I bring concerns up to Mike and he gets extremely mad at me. We have had some really intense yelling matches so contrary to what people say I am close with Mike Davidson but mostly on a business level. I am just happy to be a part of something that I can be proud of and attach my name to. Other workers would kill for this opportunity so I hope the guys who work here seize the moment and ride the wave of success."
Check out www.aweheat.com for more details of the October 8th Back 2 School Bash TV taping at the Investors Group Athletic Centre in Winnipeg and to read Shane Madison's new weekly column.
Marty Goldstein (email@example.com) is a live event and film producer and conducted the Manitoba Wrestling Safety Study. He was involved as a safety and booking consultant for promoter Mike Davidson's first AWE venture in 2003 and is currently developing an education program called Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) to warn parents and school officials about the dangers of backyard wrestling.


text: After enjoying success with trapping people inside prisons, political discussions, and—on a lighter note—towns filled with lesbian necrophiliacs, Netflix has settled on its next, hopefully just as addictive original drama series about things you ostensibly wouldn't want to spend much time in, but you will anyway. The service just announced an as-yet-untitled show from Damages creators Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman and Glenn Kessler, about a family of adult siblings who end up revealing years of pent-up secrets and psychological trauma when their "black sheep brother" comes home. Said secrets will unfurl across 13 episodes that you shouldn't watch in one sitting but likely will, glued to "a tightly wound thriller that explores the complex bonds between parents and children, brothers and sisters, and the rivalries, jealousies, and betrayals at the core of every family"—like the one you're ignoring, because you're watching this. Besides, now that you've had 13 hours to think about it, can you ever really trust them?

subset: commoncrawl


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Dental Therapistrequired to join our well-established Hazel House Dental Practice inInverness.
What we do matters. Our customers trust our Therapistswith one of their most important assets, their smile. Patient care is our passion and we believe everyone deserves a happy and healthy smile, which is why we thrive on having the very best Therapistsin the industry working with us to ensure we all keep on smiling.
Here at Bupa Dental Care our people are at the heart of everything we do, because we care. We have created environments where people can look forward to coming to work, feel empowered and benefit from working collaboratively with brilliant & talented experts. So joining us isn't just for a job, but a career.
As a Therapistyou'll be benefiting from a supportive practice team, a well-managed appointment book, exceptional development and opportunities to take you as far as you want to go; and that's just to mention a few, so what's not to love?
Working days/hrs required - Tue/Wed/Thu. Full time option available if preferred.
The Practice:Established with four surgeries, modern working environment fully computerised with R4Software, OPG and digital x-ray processing. There are longstandingexperienced Associates, supported by a dedicated Dental Therapist and a fantastic team of qualified professional support staff.
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Why join Bupa Dental Care? Here's a selection of the fantastic incentives we have to offer:
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If you or someone you know would be interested in working with a dynamic and expanding healthcare business we would love to hear from you!
Tina Louise Thomas, Regional Recruitment Partner
Mobile: 07552 166680
Email: [email protected]


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Friday, January 31, 2014
Braised Chinese leaves (Peking cabbage) in chicken stock
This was originally posted in November 2012. I'm reposting this as it seems like a perfect recipe to share to celebrate the Chinese New Year :)
What do you usually do with a Peking cabbage/Chinese leaves/Chinese celery cabbage/Napa cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis)?
In Estonia you'll most likely to encounter it chopped into small dice or thin ribbons and mixed with chopped peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, perhaps some feta cheese, and served as a side salad. Not particularly interesting, but cheap and filling.
I hosted/instructed couple of Chinese cookery events earlier this year, and while preparing for the events, I spent hours browsing my favourite Chinese cookbooks, looking for recipes and inspiration. Fuchsia Dunlop and Ken Hom are my favourites for inspiration (currently in love with Dunlop's most recent book, Every Grain of Rice, the US version is due in February), but Yan-kit So's Classic Chinese Cookbook, as well as Sasha Gong and Scott Seligman's The Cultural Revolution Cookbook provided a number of excellent dishes for the final menu.
One of the dishes that I included in the final menu, was this humble braised Chinese cabbage, served hot. This particular recipe is from Ken Hom's wonderfully approachable tome, Complete Chinese Cookbook (hardcover, published in August 2011), with tiniest of modifications (you'll find the original recipe for Braised Beijing (Peking) Cabbage in Cream Sauce on p 264); there are rather similar recipes for braised Chinese leaves in Sasha Gong's book (p 21), and in Yan-kit's book (p 205)).
I was rather sceptical to start with - I had never had these leaves in a hot dish before (and don't care much for the raw version myself). However, this dish was a true revelation - the leaves become almost silky after braising, and the final dish was much bigger that the sum of its parts. As we were enjoying our meal at the end of the 2-hour cooking marathon, most of the participants were expressing their surprise regarding how much they enjoyed this dish, having not had very high expectations about cooking and eating a hot dish using Chinese leaves (and that happened three times, actually, as I hosted three Chinese cooking sessions, all sold out, and all having 15 participants).
Note the dish is gluten-free, and also vegetarian, if you use plain water instead of Chinese chicken stock. Not as flavoursome, but still tasty.
NB! There are few more Chinese recipes here on Nami-Nami.
Braised Peking cabbage in chicken stock
(Hautatud Hiina kapsas leeme sees)
Serves four to six
500 g Chinese leaves
1 Tbsp groundnut oil
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
300 ml chicken stock (ideally Chinese-style chicken stock)* or water
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp ground white pepper
To thicken:
2 tsp cornflour + 2 Tbsp water (optional)
Cut the Chinese leaves into 5 cm (2 inch) wide strips.
Heat the wok. Add oil and heat until hot and slightly smokey. Add the garlic, stir-fry for 15 seconds.
Add the cabbage leaves, stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add the stock or water to the wok, season with salt and pepper.
Reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes, until the cabbage leaves are softened.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the cabbage leaves from the pan and place into a serving dish.
Reduce the remaining liquid by half. Add the cornflour water, heat through to thicken*.
Pour the thickened stock over the cabbage leaves and serve at once.
* To be really honest, I've usually skipped the final thickening phase with cornflour and simply reduced the liquid.
Thank you, Marju, for helping me style this simple dish for the photo shoot.
11 comments:
- James Mackenzie said...
Pille, you wouldn't recommend some veggie stock as an alternative rather than water?
- 12:18 pm, October 11, 2012
- Pille said...
James, sure, you could use vegetable stock as well. (Reminds me that I've run out of my trusty Marigold and cannot get it here in Estonia. Sulk).
- 12:21 pm, October 11, 2012
I used to do a salad: cut up chinese leaves, onions, celery stalks and sweet pepper. The dressing is grated horseradish from jar, oil, vinegar and thai sweet chilli sauce all mixed up. Something along these lines was served years ago at Prie parlamento restaurant in Vilnius.
Greetings from Riga!
- 7:54 pm, October 11, 2012
- Alanna Kellogg said...
What's special about "Chinese" chicken stock that it's recommended? Fascinating recipe - wish I were closer to a kitchen!
- 9:38 pm, October 11, 2012
- Pille said...
Anon. from Riga - interesting, that sounds almost like kimchi-analogue?
Alanna, I've been making one like this:
6 drumsticks, 6 wings
3.5 litres of water
a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves (crush with the blade of your knife)
6 spring onions (white part only)
1 tsp kosher salt
There's a rougher version using chicken pieces and pork pieces, but I've used just chicken.
- 9:45 pm, October 11, 2012
- Redhead said...
I have never eaten kimchi! But yes, horseradish in that salad dressing really works well. The dressing was really special, never tasted something like that anywhere else.
p.s. Marigold swiss bouillon powder is freely stocked in Riga organic food shops and I think at Stockmann as well.
- 5:22 pm, October 12, 2012
- Marju said...
Pille, you are very welcome!
It's nice that you shared the recipe now, too, because my dad is a big fan of Asian food and I remembered the spark in his eyes, when I had told him about your recipe we photographed together, so thanks! :)
- 11:15 pm, October 13, 2012
- Pille said...
Redhead - interesting - I wonder if our Stockmann stocks it, too? Never noticed it until now, but then I haven't been looking for it either..
Marju - loodan, et Su isale meeldib see roog!!!
- 12:53 pm, November 19, 2012
- Pene said...
I wondered what 'groundnut oil' is & then realized that you meant 'peanut oil'!
- 12:12 pm, February 01, 2014
- Pille said...
Dear Pene, I speak British English, so to speak, and "groundnut oil" is exactly the correct word.
I believe this is known as "peanut oil" in the US and Australia then, and can also be called arachis oil in some parts of the world.
- 12:20 pm, February 01, 2014
- LiisK said...
ma ei keedaks kapsast nii pehmeks - piisab juba vokkimisest ning puljongis vaid serveeriks. juurde sobivad hästi seened ja muna.
- 11:37 am, October 07, 2014


text:
Definition of livre
n. - A French money of account, afterward a silver coin equal to 20 sous. It is not now in use, having been superseded by the franc. 2
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ervil liver viler
Words formed by adding one letter before or after livre (in bold), or to eilrv in any order:
d - drivel e - eviler levier liever relive revile veiler i - livier virile s - ervils livers livres silver sliver y - livery livyer verily
Shorter words found within livre:
el er evil ire lei lev li lie lier lire live re rei rev riel rile rive veil vie vier vile virl
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text:
SUBSCRIBE, Rate and Review IN ITUNES
Intro with Adam Rotter of SNY.tv and Kevin Schultz of IslandersPointBlank.com
Keith Quinn from LighthouseHockey.com calls in…
Thoughts on the move
What's the fan reaction been on the site?
What really changes?
Adam and Kevin continue the conversation…
Will the team operate differently now?
Will the reputation change?
How will the fan base change?
The future of ticket prices…
Are the Isles a playoff team by 2015?
How the Rangers and their fans feel…


text:
CHAPEL HILL – A worker fell while doing construction on W. Rosemary St. Wednesday afternoon and then was safely rescued by the Chapel Hill Fire Department.
The worker fell 10 feet from a concrete pillar onto the top floor of the Shortbread Lofts construction site. The Chapel Hill Fire Rescue, Chapel Hill Police Department, and Orange County EMS responded to the call, which came in just after 3:30 p.m.
The rescue effort took about 35 minutes as the worker was lowered using the CHFD's Tower 73 Aerial apparatus. Parts of Rosemary St. were closed during that time.
The worker was transported to UNC Hospitals; authorities haven't release his name or condition at this time.


text:
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Las Vegas
I hope to get back to work on the drawer unit this weekend. I can't wait to get the project wrapped up, not just because it is an amazing piece, but because my craft room is a mess and I simply cannot be creative in there. The one thing that I have come to realize after working hour after hour on the unit is that I really hate fixing anything, especially something so large. If given a choice between fixing the unit or going to the dentist, I sincerely believe that I'd opt to have my teeth drilled if it would mean that someone else would fix the unit!
I managed to complete an entry in my art journal this morning. Although insignificant, it fulfills my need to create.
I may still add to it in the future if the inspiration hits me, but for now, put a fork in it as I am calling it done!
Thank you for the wonderful comments that you continue to leave me. I hope that you have a fantastic weekend. Take care!
17 comments:
- Billies Primitives said...
oh, I LOVE LAS VEGAS!!! My favorite place to visit, I would ask if you had fun, but I know the answer!!! because if you did not have fun, something is wrong with you.... Too much to do and see, to be bored there....
- Thu Mar 10, 10:57:00 PM 2011
- Montsemi said...
Qué bonito diario, es una obra de arte. Un besazo guapa y feliz fin de semana.
- Fri Mar 11, 02:09:00 AM 2011
- Nile e Richard said...
Oi Arlete.
Que bom que estas de volta.
Mas eu adoro las vegas,justamente pelo grande movimento e brilhos.
As capas de cadernos estão lindas.
- Fri Mar 11, 03:31:00 AM 2011
- Sewing Junkie said...
Sounds like you had fun. Hopefully with the tsunami going on right now you are safe. Chris
- Fri Mar 11, 04:40:00 AM 2011
- AverettLadyNana said...
Prayers for your safety during Tsunami this morning!
- Fri Mar 11, 05:25:00 AM 2011
- Nicola said...
Prayers for your safety during Tsunami.
- Fri Mar 11, 06:11:00 AM 2011
- Maggey and Jim said...
Sending prayers your way,, hopefully out of danger.. Take care,
- Fri Mar 11, 07:22:00 AM 2011
- Needled Mom said...
I know what you mean about Vegas. I couldn't live there either.
Love your journal pages. They capture Vegas perfectly.
- Fri Mar 11, 07:37:00 AM 2011
- Lola said...
hey lettie, i just stumbled across your beautiful blog. you are living in hawaii- are you alright? all my prayers are with those affected by that damn quake!
all the best from germany
- Fri Mar 11, 11:49:00 AM 2011
- Lois--Huckleberry Lady said...
Lettie, hope everyone is safe. Your the first person I thought of when they said that tsunami would hit Hawaii.
- Fri Mar 11, 04:29:00 PM 2011
- Elisa Cherry said...
Arlette I can't believe you call yourself a novice! Your art journal entry looks amazing. I'm stepping into the world of art journaling myself! Can't wait to see how your new craft storage turns out!
- Sun Mar 13, 04:17:00 AM 2011
- Janine said...
Oh Lettie,
you are so creative, you are not just great in sewing and crafting, you are great in journaling too.
Have a great week
- Sun Mar 13, 11:28:00 AM 2011
- Tins and Treasures said...
Good afternoon, Lettie,
I, too, was thinking about your safety this weekend. And now, laughing about your comments on LasVegas. I agree...it's a fun place to visit for just a couple of days...then I'm ready for home!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend. ~Natalie
- Sun Mar 13, 03:29:00 PM 2011
- k.storey said...
Do you know how to make diaper bags or wallets? Please email me at email@example.com if you do! Thanks!
- Wed Mar 16, 02:26:00 PM 2011
- Ellie said...
Hi~ I stumbled onto your blog tonight. I lived in Las Vegas for 6 and 1/2 years, moving to Florida last year. I miss it so much - the lights, weather, mountains, shows, people . . . well, EVERYTHING. This is where I spent the happiest and most peaceful years of my life. Know what? The fascination never left the whole time I lived there. I will now become a visitor. Am glad you are home safely.
- Mon Mar 21, 08:54:00 PM 2011
- sweetiepie said...
Lettie, I love Las Vegas. I hope you had a winning time there. I haven't been there in about 7 years. I don't travel well anymore with my health issues.
I love your journal pages. You are so creative.
Take care.
- Thu Mar 24, 11:59:00 AM 2011
- Carrie @ Cottage Cozy said...
Hello old friend! Hope this little note finds you well. I was so happy to return from Vegas the last time we visited...fun times... but always good to touch your feet on home ground! Blessings and best wishes♥
- Sun Apr 03, 06:59:00 PM 2011


text:
Yes I did, and I don't regret it! Well kind of.
Here's a tip, if you're going to do a search on Placenta, make sure your 'safe images' is on. Bleugh.
Placenta is quite popular in a lot of Asian skincare and health products and I must admit, with my somewhat delicate western upbringing, I wouldn't personally eat any placenta product…but put it on my face? Yeah! I'll do it!
White Label is a Shiseido brand and they have a range of skincare based on the Placenta. Here is the imagery which uses a baby…I don't need to be reminded of where the Placenta comes from!:
Awww! What a cute babe though. Cutey cutey!
A quality whitening & moisturizing mask contains 100% luxurious placenta content from Japan, as well as hyaluronic acid, collage, lipidure, squalene, glycerin, trehalose, and more. This comfortable gel-type cream texture gives you a rich moisture replenishment, promotes skin reborn (metabolism), and against wrinkle (lines) and dryness.
Yes, it's 100% Japanese placenta so I think this means we are dealing with some seriously clever and technologically advanced placenta here!
There's nothing sinister about the mask though! No one will see this in your bathroom and call you names at work the following day, don't worry, unless of course, they can read Japanese:
The mask is scent free (and as mentioned before, free from additives.
It's a really really thick creamy white mask, totally opaque on the skin. No hint of any weird, funky stuff in this mask, in fact I think they went the other way and made it as plain as possible.
This mask is a moisture mask and that is just what my skin needs at the moment:
This face mask it FAB. I love it. I had no allergic reactions to it (not allergic to placenta then), it hydrated my skin really nicely and my skin just looked a lot brighter afterwards. It's a great face mask.
The instructions I got said leave it on for 1 minute then rinse off but…doesn't that make it a cleanser, not a mask? So I left it on for 5 minutes…actually 10 because I started talking to people on Twitter but you get the idea.
There's no fragrance, no colour, no preservatives and no mineral oil in this mask. Just placenta.
Here's the not so great translation of the ingredients via Google Translate:
Hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid, DPG · Wed polyacrylamide placenta alcohol titanium oxide, hydrogenated rapeseed oil Toriechiruhekisanoin Na · diglycerol ethylhexyl palmitate glyceryl stearate, hydrogenated polyisobutene Setesu – Stearic acid, phenoxyethanol Jiokuchirudodesesu lauroyl 15 – -2 – beeswax tocopherol Laureth -7 – Al · farnesol hydroxylation hydroxylation etidronate trehalose
I love it! If you have dry dull skin, this is so worth a try. I paid about £8 for this on eBay.


text:
Hamlet. Sounds familiar, huh? Not if you see the new production at the Rose Theatre on Bankside, which is surprising in a whole range of ways - most of them good.
First, the venue. The Rose is not so much a theatre as an English Heritage site-cum-museum. Try to imagine a muddy archaeological dig encased within the (unheated) car-park basement of a modern office building, then add a raised platform for a tiny stage and seating on one side and you get something of the idea.
The 'dig' is all that remains of the original Rose Theatre, which was built in 1587 opposite the old Globe on Maiden Lane, now Park Street. It was rediscovered in the property boom of the late 1980s during routine excavations for the construction of Rose Court, the big office building on the West side of Southwark Bridge. A high-profile campaign by Ralph Fiennes, Sir Ian McKellen and the like eventually ended in a typically British compromise whereby the developer went ahead with the building, but pledged to protect the ruins. Then the new Globe was built, shifting attention 100 meters westwards.
This provides a highly unusual backdrop for a trip to the theatre. The wider space feels a bit like one of those abandoned East London warehouses that now feature trendy ambulatory productions. But in fact most of the action takes place on the platform overlooking the dig, which can't be much larger than most living rooms.
This makes for an unusually intimate version of Shakespeare's epic tragedy. If it hardly gives the impression of a bustling royal court, it does help Jonathan Broadbent very effectively convey Hamlet's suicidal sense of claustrophobia. The only time we really wished there had been more space was in the final 'duel', which is turned into a somewhat anti-climactic game of drinking poker.
The intimacy is further intensified by two radical directorial decisions - first to cut the play by about two thirds and reorder some scenes, so that it lasts just 90 minutes, and second to stage it with just four actors. This is surprisingly convincing, even in the set-piece scenes that require much larger forces.
We particularly enjoyed the play-within-a-play, in which Hamlet has his uncle, King Claudius, act out his own fratricide (normally Claudius is watching a troupe of travelling players). Upon realising what he has done, the King tears down a curtain to reveal the watery wasteland of the archaeology site for the first time – an act of extraordinary dramatic and poetic power. We also liked the patterned jumper Hamlet was wearing, amusingly reminiscent of those worn by Sarah Lund, the star of The Killing, another sociopath who is in the habit of having Danish crime scenes re-enacted.
There is virtually no set, just a table and chairs and a series of red illuminated ropes. These normally show where the theatre stood but are here used to evoke the guilt that gradually enmeshes the entire household. They stretch across the waterlogged excavations, creating a mesmerising and entirely appropriate mirror effect.
This production is not for purists; it inevitably skates over many of the famously encyclopedic play's complexities. But it is nonetheless a deeply evocative, moving Hamlet. Not to mention chilling – remember to wear your thermals...
Hamlet is playing at the Rose Theatre on Bankside until 3rd March. Tickets £12 / £10.


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Oh my this is fun (crazy, but fun). Seriously, we've had more snow than I can recall in my adult life. Eight inches in the last 24 hours, on top of what we've gotten the last few days. The kids are having a blast sledding, and I went sledding to work, sliding all over the freeway in a six thousand pound sled. (Sleds, as you may recall, have primitive steering and no brakes. That was consistent with my commute.)
Is it too much to ask that in the worst winter storm of the last decade, that people only come to the ER if they are actually sick? It was a busy shift, 24 patients in 8 hours, and maybe three of those people needed the ER. WTF? You came out in these conditions for the abdominal pain you've had for three months? A wound check? Seriously?
And still more on the way. Woo hoo!
21 December 2008
Posted by shadowfax at 10:16 PM
7 comments:
- Anonymous12/21/2008 11:16 PM
bring it on!ReplyDelete
8 inches in 24 hours? that's nothing.ReplyDelete
i'm always shocked by what people come in for during a snowstorm. back pain for three years? that couldn't have waited until tomorrow morning?
i've stopped asking the question, "what changed TONIGHT that made you come to the ER?" i've come to the realization that there is no answer they can give that will satisfy me.
While I always want to make fun of people for enjoying snow (I live in Southern Ontario, so it's not exactly news here), I'm glad that you guys are having so much fun with it!ReplyDelete
We live in Southern Ontario so snow storms aren't really that uncommon- it seems to me that a lot of people hit the ER then just because they think that for some reason it will be slow. That's usually wrong, in my experience, as no matter how many times a year it snows here, people often forget how to drive in it.
- ladyk7312/22/2008 7:42 AM
I live in Buffalo, so snow is no biggie. Although we have had quite a few storms in the last week.ReplyDelete
However is is really cold. The sun is shining in my eyes, but it is only 14 F out.
We have lots of plows...and we use salt (sometimes sand) on our roads. Trying to drive when there is a foot of unplowed snow sucks, no matter where you live.
To be fair, some of the patients who could have, and hopefully would have, gone to a walk-in clinic were not able to do so due to closures. Unfortunately, my friend and I were in this position Saturday as the Redmond and Woodinville clinics were both closed. Had she not been suffering from left arm pain due to an unknown cause, we may have waited, but better safe then sorry. Luckily, it wasn't serious.ReplyDelete
- Leigh12/22/2008 2:04 PM
LOL Doc! If I were in the sunbelt, I might go to the ER because I thought it wouldn't be crowded.ReplyDelete
Now, 8 inches of snow.... not a big storm. We had over 2 feet in 48 hours. However, we have the infrastructure to deal with it. I can't imagine letting 8 inches of snow really influence travel plans. If I were back in the Bay Area in California, an inch would keep me locked up in my house though! LOL


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In this lesson, students explore how eclipses happen and why Einstein needed a total eclipse to image stars near the Sun in order to demonstrate how the Sun's mass bends the light from a far away star. Using a foam ball and a lamp, learners create a... (View More) solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse, and learn more about why the moon appears differently from one night to the next. The activity needs to be done in a very dark room and requires a very bright light (e.g., a lamp without a shade) and a very dim light (e.g., like one found on a keychain). This activity is part of the Cosmic Times teachers guide and is intended to be used in conjunction with the 1919 Cosmic Times Poster. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $1 - $5 per group of students
In this laboratory activity, learners explore the difference between heat and temperature, and explore the rate of heat transfer from one substance to another as it depends on the density of the substances being investigated. The activity can be... (View More) conducted either in a science lab or in a kitchen. It is one of two activities supporting the scientific investigation of the Interstellar Medium (ISM), and is linked to reading material, reading review questions and problems, a teacher answer sheet, and glossary. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $1 - $5 per group of students


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Our Fitness Blog
Can You Benefit from Cardio-kickboxing
Cardio-kickboxing is one of the most popular fitness routines in America today. It is a cardio exercise routine that uses techniques from boxing and martial arts to give you a complete and total body workout. There are many benefits associated with this type of fitness routine. It can help you not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. Kickboxing is a great way to transform your body and overall look and feel better.
Get in some cardio
Most health professionals recommend getting at least twenty minutes of some type of high intensity exercise a day. Cardio-kickboxing is a fun and exciting way to do this. You can learn a new sport and easily manage to get in more than the necessary twenty minutes a day. Cardio is essential in helping you lose weight. You need to burn calories in order to shed those pounds. In cardio-kickboxing you can burn about 450 calories per hour and even higher if you are working at a higher intensity. It really depends on you and your routine to determine the exact number of calories you will burn. However, if you follow most routines you will manage to burn a lot of calories.
Tone your body
A great cardio-kickboxing class will combine kickboxing with free weights, usually in a circuit training format. They will also incorporate resistance training and core training. If you use heavy bags or pads, instead of just kicking or boxing the air, you will bring in a resistance factor that will help you burn more calories. You are also engaging every muscle in your body during your fitness routine. The many kicks and punches that you are throwing are working your upper and lower body at the same time. The use of both the upper and lower body unintentionally engages your core muscles, which gives you a full body workout. The high amount of calories burned combined with the fact that you are working your entire body can transform your body almost immediately.
Look and feel better
Many of us let how we see our bodies affect how we feel. We may allow ourselves to feel depressed when we believe our bodies are not at their best. In order to feel good, we need to look good, so we need a fitness routine that is guaranteed to give us the results we want fast. This makes kickboxing a perfect routine for many of us. The fact that kickboxing is such an intense form of exercise that gives you a total body workout ensures that it is a highly effective form of exercise, and you will see results rather quickly. We can gain confidence in the fact that we are sticking with such a challenging fitness routine and achieving our goals. We earn a sense of pride in knowing that we are actively pursuing our goals and achieving the body that we have always wanted. When you can look into a mirror and see the difference you are making, you will definitely experience a boost to your mood.
Mental and emotional benefits
Cardio-kickboxing is a great way to release stress and frustration after a long day. You can kick and punch away all your stress and work on your body at the same time. Physical activity is a better way to rewind after a long hard day when compared to just relaxing on the couch with a glass of wine. Any type of physical activity releases endorphins, a chemical in the brain that naturally boosts your mood and relieves stress. The harder the physically activity, the more endorphins we release, so the better we will actually feel. The group atmosphere of kickboxing will also aide you in releasing more endorphins. According to researchers from the Institute of Cognitive and Evolutional Anthropology in Oxford, England, group exercises actually enhance the impact of endorphins. A kickboxing fitness routine gives us a healthy way to relieve stress and feel better, which can also give us a better night's sleep and improve mental clarity.
Cardio-kickboxing is a high energy fitness routine that will challenge you physically, mentally and emotionally. However, by challenging you, you will be able to quickly see the benefits of this routine. If you are looking for a fun and exciting workout that can give you the results that you want then kickboxing would be the perfect go-to routine for you. The unique combinations of cardio, core and resistance training ensures that you will be working hard and on your way to achieving your goals in no time.


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David Bowie's top 100 books
In October 2013, we published this list of David Bowie's 100 favourite books. With the sad news of his death at 69 from cancer, this list offers a special insight into the mind behind the musician. Celebrate the life and music of a man who read a book each day.
David Bowie's favourite 100 books have been revealed and it's a good list stretching from Homer to modern bestselling authors like Michael Chabon and Junot Diaz. The musician is the subject of an exhibition called David Bowie Is and the list was released as the exhibition moved from London's Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum to Canada's Art Gallery of Ontario.
The top 100 was supplied to the curators by the singer's archivist, who keeps watch over a huge collection of stage costumes, sheet music, books and other memorabilia accumulated from an entertainment career that began in 1962 when Bowie was just 15 and formed his first band.
David Bowie is a "voracious reader," according to Geoffrey Marsh, the V&A exhibition co-curator, "who consumes a book a day."
The list boasts many titles from the 1960s, a formative decade for Bowie (real name David Jones), who hit the big time in 1969 with Space Oddity. Favourites from the Swinging Sixties include A Clockwork Orange, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Saul Bellow's Herzog.
There are three George Orwell books – Inside the Whale and Other Essays, The Road to Wigan Pier, and Nineteen Eighty-Four. Apparently Bowie wanted to produce a musical around Nineteen Eighty-Four but failed to obtain the rights.
You will also find Dante, Homer's Iliad, Faulkner, Kerouac, Fitzgerald, Capote, Evelyn Waugh and D.H. Lawrence. There's poetry too and several books that analyse modern music, including the evolution of soul and the career of Little Richard.
Fans of British humour will be pleased to see the chameleon of pop also reads Viz Magazine when not browsing Albert Camus' Stranger. Viz is infamous for memorable satirical characters such as the Fat Slags, Johnny Fartpants, Buster Gonad and Sid the Sexist.
David Bowie's 100 books
Interviews with Francis Bacon by David Sylvester
Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse
Room at the Top by John Braine
On Having No Head: Zen and the Rediscovery of the Obvious by Douglas Harding
Kafka Was The Rage by Anatole Broyard
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
City of Night by John Rechy
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
The Iliad by Homer
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Tadanori Yokoo by Tadanori Yokoo
Berlin Alexanderplatz by Alfred Döblin
Inside the Whale and Other Essays by George Orwell
Mr. Norris Changes Trains by Christopher Isherwood
Halls Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art by James A. Hall
David Bomberg by Richard Cork
Blast by Wyndham Lewis
Passing by Nella Larson
Beyond the Brillo Box by Arthur C. Danto
The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes
In Bluebeard's Castle by George Steiner
Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd
The Divided Self by R. D. Laing
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Infants of the Spring by Wallace Thurman
The Quest For Christa T by Christa Wolf
The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin
Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Herzog by Saul Bellow
Puckoon by Spike Milligan
Black Boy by Richard Wright
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea by Yukio Mishima
Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler
The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot
McTeague by Frank Norris
Money by Martin Amis
The Outsider by Colin Wilson
Strange People by Frank Edwards
English Journey by J.B. Priestley
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
The Life and Times of Little Richard by Charles White
Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom: The Golden Age of Rock by Nik Cohn
Mystery Train by Greil Marcus
White Noise by Don DeLillo
Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm and Blues and the Southern Dream of Freedom by Peter Guralnick
Silence: Lectures and Writing by John Cage
Writers at Work: The Paris Review Interviews edited by Malcolm Cowley
The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll by Charlie Gillett
Octobriana and the Russian Underground by Peter Sadecky
The Street by Ann Petry
Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon
Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby Jnr
A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn
The Age of American Unreason by Susan Jacoby
Metropolitan Life by Fran Lebowitz
The Coast of Utopia by Tom Stoppard
The Bridge by Hart Crane
All The Emperor's Horses by David Kidd
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess
The 42nd Parallel by John Dos Passos
Tales of Beatnik Glory by Ed Sanders
The Bird Artist by Howard Norman
Nowhere To Run: The Story of Soul Music by Gerri Hirshey
Before the Deluge by Otto Friedrich
Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson by Camille Paglia
The American Way of Death by Jessica Mitford
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
Teenage: The Prehistory of Youth Culture: 1875-1945 by Jon Savage
Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh
The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Selected Poems by Frank O'Hara
The Trial of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens
Flaubert's Parrrot by Julian Barnes
Maldoror by Comte de Lautréamont
On The Road by Jack Kerouac
Mr. Wilson's Cabinet of Wonders: Pronged Ants, Horned Humans, Mice on Toast, and Other Marvels of Jur by Lawrence Weschler
Zanoni by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Transcendental Magic, Its Doctrine and Ritual by Eliphas Lévi
The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels
The Leopard by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa
The Inferno by Dante Alighieri
A Grave for a Dolphin by Alberto Denti di Pirajno
The Insult by Rupert Thomson
In Between the Sheets by Ian McEwan
A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924 by Orlando Figes
Journey into the Whirlwind by Eugenia Ginzburg


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Where are the shortcuts in Thunar stored? I have been finding the shortcuts sidebar pan very useful for quick navigation but if one moves directories around there doesn't appear to be a way to modify the shortcut from the UI.
A UI fix would be a right-click properties dialog with a name field and a location field. Sometimes I forget where the shortcuts points to also. It would be helpful to add a tooltip displaying the location value of the shortcuts for us older types getting a little forgetful.
Author of: MenuX Firefox extension, MonkeyMenu Seamonkey extension, SeaFox GTK theme, and Volume Desklet
Cats rule!
Pages: 1


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Celebrating illustration, design, cartoon and comic art of the mid-20th century.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Len's Lovely Lady Lounging in Luxurious Linens
Since I mentioned Len Steckler yesterday, let's look at another piece by this talented illustrator.
As mentioned, Steckler was a member of the Charles E. Cooper studio.
Just for fun, I pulled a few images from my Flickr archives by other illustrators of "lovely ladies lounging in luxurious linens".
First up, Joe De Mers, also of the Cooper Studio, from 1951...
... another Cooper heavyweight, Coby Whitmore, did a ton of these ads (several more in my Coby Whitmore Flickr set).
Here's one by Harry Fredman, co-owner of rival studio, Fredman/Chaite, where Bob Peak got his start.
And finally, perhaps the most loungin'est lovely lady of all is depicted by the great John Gannam.
* As we ease into the new, less wordy Today's Inspiration, I encourage those who enjoy a substantial hit of information with their art fix to head straight over to Charlie Allen's Blog for a look at this week's CAWS. Its a doozy!
* And don't forget Storyboard Central, where German illustrator Arne Reismueller shows us some terrific examples of his advertising storyboards.
7 comments:
Time for me to check in and say thanks since I visit several times a week. Much appreciated.ReplyDelete
- Charlie Allen10:15 PM
I was going to say, Steckler's illustrations were a lot like John Gannam's....then you showed Gannam. Gouache, handled almost like transparent water color, Gannam's work was beautiful and amazing. Steckler was also good....and I don't remember his work. As always, good stuff, good history, and thanks!ReplyDelete
Leif,I'm a day late on the congratulating,but thanks for the postings.Your 1001st hits the spot.the assortment of bed ads is beautiful,there isn't a stinker in the bunch.ReplyDelete
Charlie mentioned that Gannam used gouache.I thought he worked with transparent watercolor.Did he use both?
- Charlie Allen3:18 PM
Good question, Steve. I just assumed Gannam used Gouache....almost everybody did in those days. If he painted in transparent watercolor, his technique is even more amazing. Very little wiggle room for error with transparents.ReplyDelete


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When I started using Twitter back in 2009, there were many strategies to manage the size of your account.
Some teaches you to not follow your followers. It seems that having many followers while following as little people as possible reflects authority.
"Twitter Gurus" were even preaching that we should follow as many people as possible and then unfollowing them once they become your followers.
But some say that to follow your followers is a form of courtesy.
In the end, I felt that the first strategy wasn't fit for me and I had decided to go with following my followers.
As a result of that, I was often criticized for following over 130,000 people on Twitter. People are always asking me if I can follow conversations of 130,000 people. Truth is, I can't. And I don't.
Question is: Why do I follow so many people?
1. I don't know anyone on twitter
I didn't know anyone when I started back in 2009, and no one knew who I was. I was one of the first among my friends to join Twitter.
Since I didn't know anyone, I initially followed less than 100 people, and had approximately the same amount of followers as well.
I didn't know what to do with my account, but one fine day, someone responded to one of my tweets about posting a new blog post. He wasn't someone I knew or someone that knew me. He was a stranger.
That conversation was what made me fall in love with Twitter since 2009. I was able to connect with someone without any boundaries. That was when I knew I had to connect with more people.
2. Accessibility
I wanted to give people access to reach me whenever they feel like. I did end up following a lot of spammers, which was damaging my Twitter stream. I had to slowly remove them and thankfully it worked.
These days, anyone can simply reach, ask questions, or talk to me through direct messages on Twitter. So although I don't keep tabs on all 130,000 people that I follow, at the very least they can keep tabs on me at any one time.
3. It takes two to connect
I always felt a "follow" was like a business card, you should exchange it with one another. Having said so, this theory works well only when those people that you're 'exchanging' with don't use your email to spam you.
I always felt that it takes two to connect. When someone shares an interest to what I have to say and is following me, I need to follow them. Since they took the time to introduce themselves to me, I'll introduce myself to them. It's common courtesy.
I did try to not follow people back although they have engaged with me and they decided to unfollow because when they reach a point, they had to unfollow those who did not follow back.
4. Random encounters
For some reason I believe in random meetings and chance encounters.
Once, someone who was my follower, and whom I was following, sent me a DM because he saw my tweets about attending a conference. However, we haven't even spoken to each other on Twitter before the direct message that he sent. So he was a complete stranger to me. It turns out that he was also attending the same conference.
We met up over drinks during the conference and had a great chat. We still talk till today.
5. I wanted the numbers.
Starting and seeing how others had huge followers, I was going after the numbers too.
Believe it, people do judge the amount of followers you have. Just like how people are looking at klout score too. Scary huh?
Following my followers has helped me to know great minds in business too.
Since I follow people and people follow me back, I am lucky to have the opportunity to connect with so many of them both directly (tweets, DMs) and indirectly (RTs, Comments on my blog). This two-way connection is much more accessible for my followers and to the people that I am following.
I've even connected with many them further on other social networks as well.
Having said so, what might have worked for me might not work for you. You don't really need to follow 130,000 people on Twitter. Do what you think is best for YOU and experiment with what you have in mind.
photo credits: by MShades, Horia Varlan


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24 Nov Feasting and Saber Rattling at the First Thanksgiving
We have certain images in our minds about that first Thanksgiving. It usually involves bountiful harvests, amicable relations with the Indians, and prayerful thanksgiving to Providence for his manifold blessings.
Well, it wasn't quite that simple. Although there are various versions of the "first Thanksgiving," one event that has a strong claim to it occurred at Plymouth, Massachusetts in the fall of 1621. Unlike subsequent harvest celebrations (particularly the other "first Thanksgiving" in the summer of 1623), this "first Thanksgiving" had as much to do with a display of force to the Indians as it did grateful hearts to God. Those new immigrants were thankful to God and fearful of neighbor. So what better way to address both concerns than a celebratory display of feasting and saber rattling.
Here is how historian Diana Karter Appelbaum describes it in her book Thanksgiving: An American Holiday, An American History:
Landing at Plymouth in December 1620, the Pilgrims faced winter without an adequate food supply, sheltered from the elements only by such dwellings as they could build quickly. Unseen, dreaded Indians lurked in the woods, their intentions unknown. Faith and prayer sustianed the pious settlers–their first act upon setting foot on dry land was to kneel and pray. Records of the settlement are punctuated by notations of recurrent occasions when "solemne thanks and praise" were offered.
Only 55 of the 102 immigrants lived through that first winter, but when spring came, all 55 committed themselves to life in the New World and resolutely watched the Mayflower sail back to England without passengers. Tisquantum, an Indian of the Wampanoag tribe who had once been carried off by fishermen to England, where he learned to speak the settlers' tongue, befriended the colonists. They called him Squanto, and under his direction the colonists learned how to plant New World crops of corn and squahs, where to catch fish and how to hunt. Squanto also served as negotiator and interpreter, helping to conclude a treaty that kept the peace for 50 years between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag sachem, Massasoit.
The first autumn, an ample harvest insured that the colony would have food for the winter months. Governor Bradford, with one eye on the divine Providence, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving to God, and with the other eye on the local political situation, extended an invitation to neighboring Indians to share in the harvest feast. In order to guarantee that the feast served to cement a peaceful relationship, the three-day long meal was punctuated by displays of the power of English muskets for the benefit of suitably impressed Indian guests.
This "first Thanksgiving" was a feast called to suit the needs of the hour, which were to celebrate the harvest, thank the Lord for His goodness, and regale and impress the Indians. We have Edward Winslow's testimony that the feast was a success:
Our harvest being gotten in, our Governour sent foure men fowling, so that we might after a more special manner rejoyce together, after we had gathered the fruit of our labours; they foure in one day killed as much fowle, as with a little helpe beside, served the Company almost a weeke, at which time among other Recreations we exercised our Armes, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest King Massasoyt, with some ninetie men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deere which they brought to the Plantacion and bestowed on our Governour, and upon the Captaine, and others.
… They worked with the resources at hand, and although they successfully fed the hungry men, the feast bore little resemblance to the modern Thanksgiving dinner. Partridges, ducks, geese, and turkeys could be shot along the shores of Cape Cod Bay in the fall, and it may be that those who went a-fowling brought back some of each to be roasted or stewed. Although there is no proof that turkey was eaten at Plymouth that day, it is certain that there was venison and equally certain that some items were missing. There was no apple cider, no milk, butter or cheese (no cows had been aboard the Mayflower), and no bread–stores of flour from the ship had long since been exhausted and years would pass before significant quantitaties of wheat were successfully cultivated in New England.
What they did have were pumpkins and corn; these grew abundantly, and colonists ate them until they were cordially tired of both. With no flour and no molasses, there was no pumpkin pie, but there was plain, boiled pumpkin to eat. Corn was more versatile. It was boiled as "hasty pudding," kneaded into ersatz bread and fried in cakes. Cranberries may have been boiled for a honey to sweeten the sour, red berries. Nine little girls and 15 boys were in the company, and they, or some of the hunters, may have gathered other wild fruits or nuts. Oysters, clams and fish rounded out the abundant, but far from epicurean, feast that the celebrators would have been more likely to call a "harvest home" than a "thanksgiving" celebration.
Thanksgivings were holy days of solemn prayer in the Puritan lexicon, days akin to sabbaths and fast days on which "Recreations" and "exercising Armes" would not have been countenanced. Had the governor proclaimed a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God, Edward Winslow, one of the Pilgrim Fathers, would have written about the religious services the settlers held. Thus this feast was more harvest celebration than prayerful day of thanksgiving.
Hope you have a wonderful day of thanksgiving, fowling, and recreation. Presumably you will have no need to exercise arms to suitably impress the neighbors.
(Republished from previous post)