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Op-Ed: I Just Saw Something Special
If you've ever seen a truly world-class performance, you know it. The extraordinary talent, the physical capital expended, and the dedication to perfection stands out so clearly that you know you've witnessed something special. I just had such an experience, and it's worth sharing.
Think of this as the Olympics of the U.S. Military, but with a sharp distinction. Olympics are world-wide competitions held for pure sport and personal glory. The "Best Sapper Competition" is a world-wide competition, but held for military competence by competitors dedicated to defending our American way of life. Every competitor volunteered to serve our country, writing a blank check payable to the people of America, for an amount up to and including his or her life.
A Sapper is an Engineer on the cutting edge of the military sword that defends our country. Best known for employing explosives in combat, they do much more. On the offense they are called upon first - to blow holes in enemy defenses, to clear paths for infantry to follow, to clear landing strips for aircraft, to breach doors, and to clear mines. On defense, they are the last to leave the battlefield, blowing bridges, creating tank barriers, and hindering the advance of enemy attackers. Sappers have proven their worth from Yorktown to Omaha Beach to the mountains of Afghanistan.
The U.S. Army's Best Sapper Competition was held recently at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri - the home of the U.S. Army Engineers, Military Police, and Chemical Corps. Teams from around the globe (two people per team) earned the right to participate in the competition first by individually completing the grueling Sapper Leader Course to earn the coveted "Sapper" tab, then teaming up to win regional or unit competitions. The final Army-wide competition showcases the best-of-the-best and is hailed as "50 Teams, 50 Miles, 50 Hours" - a tagline that doesn't do justice to what I saw. In reality, the event pushed these warriors to the very edge of human endurance demanding physical, mental, and spiritual fortitude rarely seen. And, this year's event covered 60 miles, not 50.
The competition began at dusk with a three-mile run and obstacle course - rope climbs, pull-ups, wall climbs, balance beams, etc. - while wearing gas masks. Competitors then executed a "Helocast," an airlift via Chinook helicopter where they jumped without parachutes into icy water, at night, wearing combat fatigues and boots. After the several-hundred meter swim to shore, they then "rucked up" (70 pound backpack), and, as a squad, carried a 600-pound Zodiac boat overhead for a mile, still sporting their soaking fatigues in freezing weather. After a half mile swim across an icy lake in the dead of night, the hiking began.
For the next two days, the teams marched 60 miles carrying their 70 pound rucks, encountering 20-some "lanes" that tested their technical and physical proficiency as Sappers.
Technically, they measured a bridge and calculated the proper explosives to demolish it; they were tested on the proper explosives and techniques to breach doors, walls, and buildings; they built - then detonated - C4 charges to sever steel beams; they engaged targets with M320 grenade launchers; they used line explosives to breach barbed wire and concertina wire obstacles; and they calculated charges to destroy enemy artillery and mortar pieces.
Physically, they were pushed to exhaustion with road marches, cliff climbing, rappelling from mountainsides, more river-crossings, and a variety of stress tests. At one station, they performed a "stress shoot" - a combination of punishing exercises and rifle shooting to simulate marksmanship during combat conditions. At another station, instead of brawn, they had to use dexterity and concentration at night to tie knots taught in the Sapper Leader Course while wearing gloves and only under the light of a flashing strobe. And in a third location, they had to use robots, mine detectors, and ground-penetrating radar to simulate clearing an airfield of potential hazards.
Several teams met their physical limitations and had to stop due to medical conditions. Every team experienced blisters and hot spots from the heavy equipment, and were treated by medics along the way. I saw open wounds where backpacks wore bloody lesions deep into the flesh on Soldiers' backs. Sleep was at a premium, coming only during scheduled downtime for safety, or during strategic pauses on the course - one Soldier would quickly eat or change socks while the other napped, then switched. Speed was always a factor despite the extreme toll being taken on each Soldier's body.
On the third day, the teams gathered in a medical shed for a quick health evaluation before the final and most demanding event of the competition, the X-Mile Run. The "X" in "X-Mile" is a variable - no competitor knew the distance to be traveled or physical tests to be completed along the way. Thousands of Soldiers at Fort Leonard Wood gathered along the trail and at the physical challenges to cheer the contestants through the X-Mile Run.
The best comparison I can offer is to consider the most challenging cross-training event you've ever seen, and then multiply it by four, spread over a timed three-mile course. Again, contestants were tested mentally along the way, with scores dictating the severity of the physical challenge presented. The teams encountered stations that included: 50 box jumps; 100 meters of burpees; 50 squats with a 95-pound barbell; 150 meter tractor-tire flip; 800 meter fireman carry; 100 meter dead-man pull; 100 meter bear crawl dragging an 80-pound bag; 50 sand-bag thrusters; quarter mile 80-pound cratering-charge carry; 40 hanging toe-to bar reps; wall climbing; barbed-wire low crawl; manual door breaching with a battering ram; 300 pound sand bag/ammo box carry for 100 meters; and more (done in the woods, outside my view). Perhaps the most challenging was the "POW crawl," a face/chest-down 75-meter worm-crawl through dust and rocks with hands and ankles joined together behind the back as if tied as a prisoner of war.
Considering what these Soldiers and Marines had been through the previous 49 hours - the freezing temperatures, the blisters and open wounds, the strain from carrying 70 pounds for 60 miles, the lack of sleep - spectators cringed to watch them tackle the X-Mile event. Yet, at that point, we saw something special…there was NO QUIT. Contestants muscled their way through station after station, the agony in their faces felt by each and every spectator on the sidelines.
To say that I'm proud of what I saw is an understatement. More accurately, I was in awe.
I was in awe of the preparation that took place to host an event like this: the logistics, lane graders, medics, road guards, helicopter pilots, engineers to construct obstacles, travel agents, and more, all focused on getting contestants there, and putting on this world-wide competition. I was in awe of the cadre who planned, executed, and graded this grueling competition for 50 straight hours. And, I was in awe of the dedicated men - and two women - who volunteered to undergo the series of tests, all to sharpen and showcase their Sapper skills in order to better serve our country. They volunteered to serve in our Armed Forces, they have risen to the top of their profession in technical expertise, and they dedicated the time to condition their bodies and minds to push past the point of exhaustion. Then, they submitted themselves to be tested to complete exhaustion in front of an entire Army post. Everybody present knew they were witnessing something special.
At the ceremony where the winning Best Sappers were announced, the guest speaker, Lt. Gen. (R) Robert Flowers, made an interesting request. Moved like everyone else by the courage, dedication and tenacity of the contestants, General Flowers made an open plea to President Trump. Flowers asked the Commander in Chief to "bring attention to what is being done here, and at every Army post across our nation where we turn young men and women into Soldiers." He went on to say, "When the United States has a tough job to do, it calls on the Army. When the Army has a tough job to do, it calls on its Sappers."
George Orwell is attributed the notion, "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." At Fort Leonard Wood's Best Sapper Competition, I saw something world-class, something special - the "rough men" of whom Orwell spoke. You can sleep peaceably tonight knowing we have Sappers standing guard on Freedom's doorstep.
Mac Warner
West Virginia Secretary of State
Mac Warner is West Virginia's 30th Secretary of State. His son, 1st Lt. Scott Warner and teammate, 1st Lt. Louis Tobergte, are Combat Engineers assigned to the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) in Vicenza, Italy. They placed third in the 2018 Best Sapper Competition.


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And I sat there on the cobbled stones near the waterholed bonfire on a cold Monday afternoon, amidst the clouds passing by, mocking my inability to fly with them. I sat there still blankly looking at the mountain and wondering if life could forever this be. If only time could stand still and let me be.
This is not an exaggeration this is what The Bunker does to you.
-How did I find The Bunker?
I have never stayed in a hostel in India, partially due to safety and more so because of cleanliness reasons. But this time I was pretty tight on budget and after listening to a few stories about the new hostels springing up around the country, I decided to take the plunge.
On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Shailaja introduced me to the instragram influencer Abhinav Chandel who goes by the handle @abhiandnow who recommended The Bunker Hostel at Upper Dharamkot and after reading and staring at the pictures for an hour I decided to book the place through Booking.com.
Although my bed bunk was booked they didn't charge any money upfront and I kept calling them to ensure if that means I don't get a place. The person on the other side calmly said, Pooja, don't worry we got your bed. We are hiking right now,ceya.
With this I had an inkling that this isn't just another hostel and after spending a week with this enterprising and amazing lot I can only say, this has been my best hostelling experience ever. (I have stayed at St Christopher's Inn–which is an award winning hostel in Paris, just to compare the experience)
– Are you ready to reach The Bunker?
First things first, if you think this place is meant for the easy hearts it's not, whether you choose to stay at The Bunker or Zostel at Upper Dharamkot, you will have to pull your luggage for 500 meters to a kilometre from where the cab drops you. Not really a big deal, but I recommend do not carry suitcases and extra luggage. You will repent it.
I reached the hostel after sunset and met one of the owners – Ishan Byotra. And his friends Nidhi Iyer and Naihad Mohan who help him run the show. I didn't get the chance to meet the co-owner Ashish. But I am sure you will find them running the hostel once you reach there. Oh, there are two more important inhabitants- -Rain and Tazzoo.
-What makes The Bunker my favourite?
Its the people who run the hostel, its the people who stay in the hostel and those who come for lively discussions and stay through the evening for lovely dinners. The hostel attracts a lot of foreign tourists as compared to a Zostel, mainly because Indian's are more aware of Zostel as a brand and their infrastructure is usually the same across the country.
In a way that has helped The Bunker create its own niche. People playing and teaching poyi, Omir, an Israeli guy rapping along a hindi song in Hebrew, to the Swedish mailman Anton who brought me back from a treacherous trek or people playing guitars or lazily listening to music with each other. By the end of the day you would have spoken to everyone who is in the hostel. Instant plans with hostel mates and the zeal with which Nidhi, Ishan and Naihad help everyone, it sets them apart.
I had to go to Bir and Ishan overheard people in a cafe that they are headed to the same destination and got me to travel along with them. Or when I was in too much pain and Nidhi made me peanut butter sandwich even though the kitchen was officially closed. Its these gestures that go a long way in building trust with customers and loyal repeat travellers.
– What more?
The place dosen't feel like a strange new place, its more than a hostel, its a new home with a lot of roommates, who somehow leave their imprints on each other. So much so, that I cancelled my other plans and came back to stay three more days with them. And they were nice enough to adjust me at my same bed!
– Dent in the pocket?
I stayed in a mixed dorm called Rivers and paid Rs 450 per night. The room is cosy and has enough space for your luggage. The washroom is neat and clean and hot water runs 24*7! I think there are cheaper rooms too!
Food is good- totally recommend the ginger honey lemon to drink, the veg Thali and Bunker Fried Chicken. You obviously can't leave without eating or drinking Ishan's special hot chocolate or experimental desserts.
The place is pretty neat and clean and I recommend this hostel to anyone who is seeking to travel alone or with friends.
-What are you waiting to hear?
We all have fears of travelling alone, but this place makes it easier. So those who asked me if they should travel alone, there can't be a better place to start it.
Trust me you will leave a part of yourself when you leave promising to come back for its not everytime that you find a place which sings to your soul.
PS: Ishan didn't give me a penny's discount to write this.

subset: commoncrawl


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- SportPesa KSh 81 million Jackpot winner has made revelation on the funniest thing he did immediately after receiving news of his win
- The winner, Alfred Madanji says he rushed to the nearby ATM and tried to withdraw KSh50,000 just confirm it was real
- Madanji revealed that he will use part of the money to renovate a church in his Kakamega home area
Betting giants SportPesa recently unveiled the lucky winner of the KSh81 million SportPesa midweek jackpot.
As reported by TUKO.co.ke earlier, the KSh 81 million winner, Alfred Madanji who hails from Kakamega County was unveiled barely two days after Samuel Abisai won the SportPesa Mega Jackpot of KSh221 million.
Like any typical Kenyan, Madanji could not believe his fate.
READ ALSO: Just 15 photos of Wendy Kimani and her exotic boyfriend that will give you hope in interracial LOVE
In a hilarious revelation, the fifty-year-old real estate agent and father of four said how he was forced to withdraw KSh50, 000 from a nearby ATM just to see if the money was indeed in his bank account.
READ ALSO: Khaligraph Jone's FUNNY response on his bleaching lands him in HOT soup
Madanji who before the major win was living in a three-bed room house in Kayole, Nairobi had correctly predicted the outcome of 13 out of 13 games in the mid-week Sportpesa jackpot games.
"I wanted to make sure that the money was really there so I just withdrew the amount to make sure it was real," he said.
Being a Kenyan who believes in the saying 'seeing is believing',Madanji could not believe he had won such an amount of money when he received an SMS informing him of the win.
READ ALSO: After winning KSh 221 million jackpot, this is how Abisai is spending his money(photos)
Subscribe to Tuko youtube channel to watch more interesting videos!
"When we saw the text message my wife could not even walk, she started crawling on the floor screaming that we had won," Madanji added.
Madanji said he will use part of his fortune to buy his family a home and renovate a church in his home area.
"I will help with the renovation of the Ikokwa church back home and also buy a family home so that we could move away from Kayole," he said.
Have something to add to this article? Send to firstname.lastname@example.com
Watch the latest edition of TUKO HOT below:
Source: Tuko.co.ke


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Monday, July 30, 2012
Gucci Pre-Fall 2012 Campaign by Mert & Marcus
I am loving Gucci's Pre-Fall campaign. The colors are exquisite, and model Karmen Pedaru is currently looking gorgeous as a redhead..!
Posted by RedPoppy at 5:37 PM
Labels: Fall campaign, Gucci 2012, redheads
1 comment:
- vanessadg van said...
Thanks for this nice article. I'm a great lover of various ad campaigns. This one is rather magnificent and a bit mysterious. it captivates my attention at first sight. Most of all I like ad campaigns of nice and truly excellent Tiffany eyeglasses.
- July 31, 2012 at 1:18 AM
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This week on Simple Mom's Project Simplify we moved onto the kitchen.
I basically emptied out every cupboard and drawer in my kitchen, cleaning, decluttering and organizing.
I am in love with my newly organized pantry. I put my label maker to good use and labeled all the containers. I knew what was in each one but anyone else may not have, and the blue labels just look lovely. I also took all the empty jars downstairs where they belong.
My favorite part is the plastic bin you can see on the right of the picture below. I used this to corral all the bags of beans & rice. I also added a tray to the lower shelf below to hold all the oils & vinegars. They are in the same place but it just looks tidier.
The spice drawer, more labeling and putting bags of spice into jars. So much nicer without bags.
Cutlery, I removed half of the cutlery from the drawer and put it up for when we have a large number of guests over. The drawer also looks nice because Waverly hasn't had a chance to rearrange it yet, her favorite thing to do while we are baking at the island.
I finally threw out the tea that I didn't like but have been keeping in my cupboard forever.
I gave my fridge a deep cleaning. It was going to be just a quick wipe down but turned into a whole morning ordeal including ungluing the glass shelves that had been glued down by spilt milk, yuck.
Just a couple of weeks ago I defrosted and cleaned out my deepfreeze so that was one part I didn't have to worry about, yay!
I didn't get to my upstairs freezer but I did my duty eating the nearly freezer-burnt chocolate ice cream from in there, all in the name of decluttering.


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When the EarthBox came onto the market several years ago, it was an instant success with home gardeners who loved the promise of easy, small-space container gardening.
Hundreds of thousands of EarthBoxes - originally marketed as "the garden of the future" - have been sold, and the contraption continues to be wildly popular.
After all, what's not to like? The EarthBox promises no digging in the dirt, no weeding and no fertilizing, and the bottom-up, self-watering system forgives many sins.
But it wasn't long before tinkerers and tweakers began fiddling with the EarthBox concept, using everything from washtubs to big buckets to replicate its good features and improve on its perceived shortcomings.
Plans for home-built EarthBox-like gizmos are all over the Internet, and ideas are regularly swapped on gardenrelated forums online. And there are several knock-offs available in retail stores and on the Web.
Campbell, Calif., gardener Ray Newstead was fascinated by the closed-system, water-saving aspects of the EarthBox but decided it was too small to contain the large beefsteak-type tomatoes he has grown for years in the ground and in raised beds.
He also was not impressed with the caging system sold as an accessory to the EarthBox, which he says isn't sturdy enough to support heavily producing tomato vines without danger of falling over from being top-heavy or being blown over in high winds.
So Newstead - by day, an electrical engineer and executive in San Jose with semiconductor company SMSC - went to work.
He started by looking at some of the designs posted on the Web.
But then his innovation DNA kicked in, and pretty soon - through a process of trial and error that he has shared freely with the online community - he came up with an ingenious design for the growing box and its caging system that uses off-the-shelf components, but incorporates a proprietary accessory of the EarthBox setup he purchases from that company. He calls his version the EarthTainer, and he has applied for a patent.
Newstead's back yard now sports 26 of these big boxes. Two dozen of them hold two tomato plants each; in the other two, he's growing corn.
"My biggest question about the EarthBox was: How can I super-size it?" Newstead says.
At Wal-Mart and other big-box retailers, he prowled the housewares aisles and came upon some taupe-colored 31-gallon Rubbermaid Roughneck lidded storage containers. At 16 1 /2 inches tall, they are 5 1 /2 inches taller than the EarthBox (and longer by 3 inches and wider by 6).
When tricked out as an EarthTainer, the Roughnecks hold about 10 gallons of water in a 6-inch self-watering reservoir. The EarthBox has a 2-inch water reservoir.
"It's like a boat anchor," says Newstead, noting that a "fully loaded" EarthTainer - filled with potting mix, plants and water - weighs about 150 pounds. "Just try to pull that over."
Each EarthTainer is made from two Roughnecks. One is cut down, drilled like Swiss cheese with many holes and inserted inside the other to create an "aeration bench" that holds the potting mix and plants over the water reservoir.
In between these two layers is a "wicking basket" made from an ordinary 6-inch-tall pond filtration basket. The wicking basket sits on the floor of the bottom Rubbermaid container; its top helps support the shelf to create an air gap between the potting mix and the water reservoir. A piece of plastic pipe serves as a filler tube for the reservoir.
Plants in the EarthTainer, like in the EarthBox, are supplied with water through bottom-up capillary action.
The wicking basket, which is packed with potting mix, delivers the water up to the bulk of the potting mix, where the plants grow.
"The plant takes up just as much water as it needs as long as you keep the reservoir full," Newstead says. "You can't over- or under-water. It's a closed-loop system."
The sturdy caging system he devised starts with heavy-duty 54-inch tomato cages made by Glamos Manufacturing and available at Wal-Mart.
The cages, which have a diameter of 18 inches, are attached, two to an EarthTainer, using washers, wire rope clips and toggle bolts. The caging system integrates a black plastic moisture barrier, through which the tomato seedlings are planted. The lid of the Rubbermaid container - the center removed - snaps on to hold the moisture barrier and stabilize the cages.
He also offers plans to build a cage extension for those really big indeterminate tomatoes.
And what do the folks who came up with the EarthBox think about knock-offs like Newstead's?
It was inevitable, says Frank DiPaolo, general manager of EarthBox, based in Scranton, Penn.: "When we introduced the EarthBox, we knew we had a revolutionary product and if it hadn't been successful, there wouldn't be competitive products today.
"In the marketplace, imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery."
Newstead estimates that his EarthTainer-grown tomatoes will consume 75 percent less water than those cultivated in the ground or in raised beds.
Those savings will be particularly important this year, when the state is facing a drought.
"This closed-loop design concentrates 100 percent of the water in the reservoir to the plants," he says.
"I travel a lot for business, and when I grew my tomatoes in a raised bed with a soaker hose, even with a timer I would inevitably over-water and come back to weeds galore."
Plus, says Newstead, some tomato varieties are bigger drinkers than others.
"I was constantly fiddling with (the watering system)," he says. "My Ed's Millennium was wanting a lot of water, while Carmelo, not so much. One-sizefits-all was not working."


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Locate Mary Kay Beauty Products Near 85301
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Grammar and Complexity Language at the Intersection of Competence and Performance, by Culicover, Peter
Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.
- Cover: Hardcover
- Copyright: 5/19/2013
This book combines ideas about the architecture of grammar and language acquisition, processing, and change to explain why languages show regular patterns when there is so much irregularity in their use and so much complexity when there is such regularity in linguistic phenomena. Peter Culicover argues that the structure of language can be understood and explained in terms of two kinds of complexity: firstly that of the correspondence between form and meaning; secondly in the real-time processes involved in the construction of meanings in linguistic expressions. Mainstream generative theory is based on inherent linguistic competence and on the regularities within and across languages, with the exceptional aspects of any language frequently put to one side. But a language's irregular and unique features offer, the author argues, fundamental insights into both the nature of language and the way it is produced and understood. Peter Culicover's new book offers a pertinent and original contribution to key current debates in linguistic theory. It will interest scholars and advanced students of linguists of all theoretical persuasions.


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Welcome to our first book review and book giveaway! Trisha from http://www.intoxicatedonlife.com was gracious to agree to review a copy of our cookbook and post the review on her blog page. You can read the review at http://www.intoxicatedonlife.com. Trisha is also offering a giveaway of one of our cookbooks and has listed the rules at the end of the book review. Feel free to enter the giveaway if you would like a chance to win a copy that you can keep for yourself or give to someone else. The giveaway will end on Friday, October 12th. Otherwise, we would be glad to see you on our website checking out different aspects of the cookbook, such as the table of contents, sample recipes, testimonials, pictures of recipes we have made, etc. You can also enjoy getting to know Trisha and her family on her blog page after reading the review and checking out the giveaway.
Category Archives: Book updates
The Book Store is now open!
We are thankful for many things this week! We enjoyed time with my family early last week and now we are celebrating with Brody's family. Brody's parents have reached their 40th year of marriage! Congratulations to Mom and Dad! We are also thankful for my brother's work in photographing our book and for Brody's brother's help with the set up of the website!
Even though we are in Montana, enjoying vast skies, wide open scenery, and beautiful views of God's majestic creation, we can still drop by the Post Office and mail you your book! 🙂 We can now process credit cards and PayPal payments in our book store, so click on over and we'll send off your book after processing your payment!
The Deadline Has Been Met!
Brody and I are so excited to have the book available for purchase now! In late May, we said to each other, "God willing, we can finish what we need to do so that the book will be ready for sale on July 1st!" We are thankful that God was willing! Now we can surprise my family with their copies when we see them this week… and we can hand deliver copies to Brody's family when we see them later in July.
We trust that this project will encourage many who are struggling with various challenges, and we pray that weary caregivers will find hope in the spiritual encouragement included in the first part of A Recipe for Survival. The final portions of the book have over 50 recipes as well as an outline of the steps I regularly take to convert a "normal" recipe to a gluten-free and safe-for-Brody version, since besides gluten, he also cannot tolerate oats, corn, potatoes and onions. We expect that these principles for converting recipes can be applied to other special dietary needs so a caregiver who needs ideas for a diet different from Brody's can follow the thought process and develop recipes that work for her loved one.
We chose a comb binding for the book since the book's focus is to help a caregiver experiment in her kitchen. The comb binding allows the book to lie flat on the counter so the caregiver can make notes while she works, much as a chemist would in her laboratory. Even if a caregiver's background does not involve science or engineering, I trust she can learn from the experimental methods I describe in A Recipe for Survival, and her household can enjoy the tasty recipes from these six categories: Breakfast, Snacks and Sides, Quick Breads, Main Dishes, Sauces and Dressings, and Desserts and Treats.
Good News and Bad News!
Just a quick note to say that the cookbooks are finishing up at the printers and we should have them for sale soon. I am going to be on vacation from July 9th to July 17th, so will have limited access to e-mail and the blog page. I will try to connect with those who wish to order a book as quickly as I can, but I can't guarantee a quick response until I return from vacation.
As for the bad news, we are still working to get the website set up so that you can order the book and pay for it online. We hope we will have this resolved soon and will let you know as soon as we have an answer for you. In the meantime, you can contact us through the website and we can work with you to get the book to you and receive your payment in a timely manner.
Thanks so much for your interest in our cookbook. We trust and pray it will be an encouragement to you both physically and spiritually.


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|Damn these TPS reports! Damn them to hell!
Credit: Memory Alpha.
Speaking of Kirk, I just cannot imagine him filling out forms and whatnot. Picard seems like he would be the most okay with the administrative side of command, mostly because he can just grab a nice cup of Earl Grey, turn up the Van Halen and work in his ready room. Sisko, I imagine, had a pretty heavy workload. He had to manage a mixed crew of Starfleet and Bajoran military personnel, in addition to the civilian population and a warship. Janeway likely had it the roughest, since she probably had to deal with the upkeep of Voyager and its crew without the benefit of starbases. As for Archer, no clue.
Heh, maybe that's the real reason why Riker waited so long before accepting promotion?


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The Gray Man could be a killer role for Brad Pitt
Once Brad Pitt is done with the doom and gloom of the global zompocalypse in WORLD WAR Z, he may be looking for some thrills that involve significantly fewer flesh-eating mobile deceased.
According to Deadline, Pitt is considering THE GRAY MAN with the appropriately named James Gray (WE OWN THE NIGHT). The story is an adaptation of Mark Greany's novel, from a screenplay by Adam Cozad (one of the dozen or so writers who's worked on the Jack Ryan reboot attempt).
Amazon tells me that The Gray Man is "a former CIA operative now renowned as the ultimate killer for hire, is on the job in Syria and Iraq. To his shock, he learns that a team sent in to rescue him now has him targeted for elimination. On the run, Gentry slowly realizes that huge forces are marshaling against him, from his former government to the one man in England he always trusted. With unbelievable powers of survival, the Gray Man eludes teams of killers and deadly traps, while the reader begins to cheer for this unlikely hero. Cinematic battles and escapes fill out the simplistic but satisfying plot, and Greaney deftly provides small details to show Gentry's human side, offset by the petty rivalries and greed of his enemies."
Presumably the movie would follow a similar plot (although the synopsis for Paramount's WORLD WAR Z describes Pitt's character racing to stop the worldwide zombie outbreak rather than deal with the bleak aftermath as Max Brooks' book did, so you never know what will get altered during the adaptation process). It does seem like a potential franchise for Pitt if he's looking for one -- Greaney has three Gray Man novels so far.
Pitt's involvement and schedule is apparently contingent on wife Angelina Jolie's impending plans, as one of them needs to be available to corral their herd of children. Aw, that's sweet.
|Extra Tidbit:
|Isn't it about time for another Pitt/Fincher pairing?


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Friday, November 30, 2007 at 9:49AM | 1 Comment
by Greg Keller tagged cyclocross, videos Gregory Keller on Google +
This video by CTodd will either help our evangelism of the sport' sgrowth when we shop it to parks and rec people and the like, or ban it due to it being a sport of a bunch of crazy people. HA!
Either way, I love you CTodd. This is gdamn hilarious.


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If you're reading this post than you are probably where I was a couple of months ago. You wanted to jump on the bandwagon of the single board, SOC craze and ran out and bought a Beagleboard XM (rev C in this case). You did this not because you're a developer or a potential product manufacturer but you thought the idea of a 1Ghz computer that fits into the palm of your hand is just plain AWESOME. You got it in the mail, opened it up, plugged it into your TV, and played with the demo image for 5 full minutes before going "ok, what else can I do with this?"
Then you started researching (and perhaps started secretly wishing you bought a Pandaboard or RasPi due to the overwhelming amount of prebuilt software/support available). You spend hours sifting through Google Groups, forums, and blogs only to find that there are hardly any detailed 'how-tos'. Or even worse, only brief glimpses of people who are facing the exact same issues you are or the occasional, "I HAVE AN ISSUE"........."NEVERMIND. I FIXED IT" with nothing explanation as to how....
So I decided that I could either be part of the problem, or part of the solution. These posts won't contain issues or 'work in progress'. These will be detailed how-to's on how myself and my partner in crime plan on turning a Beagleboard XM rev C into a "Swiss Army Knife" of portable computing. Each 'phase' will basically be it's own 'sdcard' to swap out at will depending on what you want to accomplish.
Upcoming Projects:
Phase 1 - XBMC
- Phase 1.5 - XBMC - CarPC
- Phase 2 - Full Android System (rooted, google apps, etc)
- Phase 3 - Wireless Webcam Monitoring System (mjpegstreamer, lighttp)
- Phase 4 - Headless Music Server (MPD, lighttp)
- Phase 5 - OpenWRT Wireless Router
Phase 1 - XBMC
The first time I saw this little board my mind immediately jumped to using this thing as a replacement for my CarPC. While that process is ongoing, the majority of my time was spend just getting Angstrom, SGX, and XBMC to play nicely. Here is EXACTLY how to get XBMC running on your Beagleboard XM rev C (as long as you already have some basic knowledge of Linux).
(continued after the break)
Step 1 - Setup your Micro SD Card (minimum 4gb...maybe 2gb)
Using a Linux OS (ubuntu/debian/etc), plug in your Micro SD Card and check 'dmesg' to determine its location. For the purposes of this how-to, we're going to use '/dev/sdb'
Fire up 'gparted', go to '/dev/sdb/' (unmount the partition(s) if necessary), delete the existing parition(s), and setup two partitions as follows:
Partition 1 - Primary - 100mb - fat32 - set boot/lba flag - Name='boot'
Partition 2 - Primary - remaining space - ext3 - Name='rootfs'
Step 2 - Get the files you'll need
Download the following files:
Recently prebuilt Angstrom rootfs (Gnome) this is the only version I could get SGX to work on 'out of the box'
Ethernet Kernel Module (trust me)
Step 3 - Create uEnv.txt with the following:
Step 5 - Extract the tar.gz to 'rootfs' partition
Step 6 - Copy ethernet kernel module to home directory on the rootfs partition
Step 7 - SYNC AND EJECT SAFELY
You just did alot of stuff to that card, make sure it's complete before you unplug it.
Step 8 - Insert SD and Boot up the Beagleboard (takes about 20-30 minutes the first time...be patient)
After the initial boot is complete, login as 'root' (no password)
Reboot (just to be safe after first initialization) and log back in
Make sure you have ethernet connectivity and execute:
Reboot again (if any modules failed to load...it happens after an upgrade)
If you did everything perfectly, you're now on kernel 3.2.28 (as of Aug 2012) and your ethernet no longer works. So you don't have internet connectivity to re-download the package........aren't you glad you copied over that ipk now?
Install everything you need to run XBMC:
Set volume levels:
Save the volume levels
Step 9 - Fire up XBMC!!!
You can login to Gnome by typing
OR you can set gdm to start on boot by executing:
Once gnome starts up open a terminal and execute:
(launching xbmc from the menu doesn't work.........here's why if you want to fix it)


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John McCain's attack on Hillary Clinton's support for a "hippie museum" honoring Woodstock may give his campaign a boost, but it's not winning him friends in Bethel, New York where the museum is to be located. According to this report, the unamused residents of the area make two points. First, they argue that the museum will boost the local economy which was hammered by the closing of once-popular Borscht Belt tourist resorts years ago. Second, they maintain that the museum won't just be about Woodstock and hippies, but also about the broader historical context of Woodstock — the baby boom, the Cold War, the roots of rock-and-roll, the civil rights movement, and the assassinations and riots of the 1960s. As Chuck Schumer puts it, "It was a tumultuous decade, and it is a good idea to study it. Museums and libraries are a very important part of our history and education, as well as a job magnet."
I'm all for studying history. But it occurs to me that no phase of our history is less in need of further study than the baby boom, the roots of rock-and-roll, and the 60s as a whole.
However, the Borscht Belt is another matter. Thus, I suggest that the good folks of Bethel convert the Woodstock museum into a Borscht Belt museum. The exhibits could pay tribute not only to the great comedians — Henny Youngman, Milton Berle, Morey Amsterdam, Alan King, and lots of guys named Jackie — but also the less well-remembered, more novel entertainers who graced "Jewish Alps" resorts like Grossingers, such as Esther Williams. The museum could also feature food exhibits consisting not only of borscht, including the Polish and Lithuanian variations, but also blintzes and kippers.
Such a museum would probably garner more support in Congress than its hippie counterpart. Not only would supporters avoid fall-out from the cultural war, they might obtain crucial support from the all-powerful Jewish lobby.
JOHN is AWESTRUCK: This is definitely a contender for best post title of all time.
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text:
Removing a proxy agent can fail if Windows Installer Logging is enabled.
When you try to uninstall a proxy agent from the Windows Control Panel, the uninstall fails and you see the following error:
Error opening installation log file. Verify that the specified log file location exists and is writable
This can occur if Windows Installer Logging is enabled, but the Windows Installer engine cannot properly write the uninstallation log file. For more information, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2564571.
- Restart your machine or restart explorer.exe from the Task Manager.
- Uninstall the agent.


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
The following is a sampling of calls received by the Town of Niagara Police between Oct. 26 and Nov. 4.
Wednesday, Oct. 26
•Military Road, accident. A driver of a red Plymouth Voyager was involved in an accident and found to have a revoked license for failure to appear in court.
•2400 block of Military Road, EMS. A 21-year-old male injured his leg on basketball court. Rural Metro Ambulance and Niagara Active Hose Volunteer Fire Co. were on the scene.
Friday, Oct. 28
•2100 block of Main St., Niagara Falls, aid assist. Patrol assisted Niagara Falls Police with a large fight at a bar.
•2500 block of Military Road, larceny. Business reported a man put a $179 vacuum cleaner and another item in a shopping cart, exited the store at an emergency side entrance, then fled in a gray Ford Expedition.
•2600 block of Military Road, drugs. Patrol stopped a driver for talking on a cell phone, then arrested the 24-year-old Bellreng Drive man for being in possession of a large quantity of marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia.
•6700 block of Packard Road, attempt to locate. Patrol checked on a report of an elderly male walking on Packard Road wearing a robe and slippers.
•Lockport Road at Petroleum Street, juvenile problem. Patrol checked on a report of juvenile females running in and out of the roadway attempting to hitchhike. On patrol's arrival, youths fled.
Saturday, Oct. 29
•4700 block of Creekside Parkway, burglary. Complainant said someone entered her garage sometime since Aug. 3 and took $5,000 worth of building supplies.
•2400 block of Military Road, larceny. Contractor reported that while he was on the other side of the building, someone stole $1,000 worth of paint.
•Porter and Packard Road, driving while intoxicated. A 55-year-old Baer Road woman was arrested for DWI after being involved in an accident.
•4700 block of Tuscarora Road, loud party. Patrol responded to a loud party complaint. Occupants were having a Halloween party.
Sunday, Oct. 30
•Pine Avenue at 17th Street, Niagara Falls, aid assist. Patrol assisted Niagara Falls Police with a large crowd of people fighting and shots fired.
•Tuscarora Road at Porter Road, DWI. A 42-year-old Depew woman was arrested for DWI after a pedestrian flagged down patrol and reported a driver driving very slowly and appearing to be slumped over the wheel.
•Licata Drive, harassment. Father reported his daughter has been getting harassed on the school bus.
Monday, Oct. 31
•Panama Street at Rhode Island Avenue, check situation. Patrol checked the area for an individual throwing bananas at a vehicle.
•Porter and Packard road, reckless driving. Motorcyclist was seen accelerating at a high rate of speed, doing a wheelie, then falling off his bike.
•Military Road, near Isherwood Drive, traffic stop. Patrol observed a southbound vehicle pass illegally in the center lane. Driver said he was in a hurry to get home because he had diarrhea.
Tuesday, Nov. 1
•2500 block of Military Road, larceny. Business loss prevention officer reported he has been watching an employee of an outside contractor over the last several months who has been caught on surveillance video taking store merchandise.
•5300 block of Military Road, aid assist. Patrol assisted Lewiston Police Department with an out-of-control intoxicated male in the emergency room.
•2200 block of Fashion Outlet Boulevard, aid assist. Patrol assisted Niagara Falls Transportation Authority Police at the bus terminal.
Wednesday, Nov. 2
•7100 block of Lockport Road, bad check. Hyde Park Boulevard resident came to police station to complain that a 42-year-old Crestview Drive man had issued him five bad checks.
•3200 block of Parkside Drive, attempt to locate. Patrol spoke with the parents of a man who reported that their son called and said he was in trouble, had been beaten up and was unsure of where he was. Niagara County Sheriff's Office and Buffalo Police notified.
•4500 block of Fox Avenue, larceny. Complainant reported someone stole his purple and silver mountain bike from behind his garage.
Thursday, Nov. 3
•3100 block of Dell Drive, EMS. Assisted with an 86-year-old man who had fallen.
•4800 block of Witmer Road, fire. Patrol noticed heavy black smoke coming from junkyard where a car was on fire and called Niagara Active Hose to the scene.
•Packard Road, traffic tickets. Driver ticketed for passing a school bus. Another driver ticketed for talking on a cell phone while driving.
•2700 block of Service Road, local law violation. Two people issued appearance tickets for building code violations.
•7500 block of St. Joseph Road, check situation. Caller reported a 3-year-old child left alone. Patrol spoke with parents who said the child was left with their 15-year-old son while they were away for 15 minutes.
Friday, Nov. 4
•6300 block of South Whitham Drive, fire alarm. All OK, burnt food.
•86th Street, Niagara Falls, aid assist. Patrol assisted state police with an attempt to locate a vehicle driven by someone suspected in numerous larcenies at department stores.
•2400 block of Military Road, check situation. Complainant said an elderly male driver pulled out in front of him, causing him to slam on his brakes, which caused neck pain for his passenger. Woman with elderly male said she allowed him to drive her vehicle so he could get the feel of driving again after recovering from a stroke and did not feel he was driving badly.


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Monday, December 23, 2013
The Swordbearer by Glen Cook
my scholarly examination of Half Price Books' list of 100 science fiction and fantasy novels worthy of "geeking out" over, I spent substantial time discussing Glen Cook's Black Company series. Over the last few days, between expeditions to shopping malls to buy Christmas gifts and marathon sessions washing dishes soiled during my wife's baking of mountains of cookies, cakes, pastries and fudge, I read a Glen Cook grim and cynical fantasy adventure set in a different world from that of the Black Company tales.
The main character of The Swordbearer is Gathrid, the crippled son of a knight charged with defense of a castle on the eastern border of the easternmost of a bunch of small loosely allied kingdoms. A huge army from the eastern empire of Ventimiglia, led by a bunch of undead wizards, comes to the castle and demands a famous magic sword. Gathrid's father, like everybody else in the castle, has no idea where the magic sword is, and before long the Ventimiglians have taken the castle and wiped out all resistance in their search for the sword. Gathrid manages to escape, and hides in some caves where, wouldn't you know it, he meets a dwarf who has been slumbering for centuries and is the custodian of a huge black magic sword.
The Swordbearer bears several resemblances to Michael Moorcock's Elric stories. Elric wields a sentient black sword, Stormbringer, that drinks the souls of those it kills and invigorates Elric, and the sword Gathrid carries is quite similar. It cures Gathrid's disabilities and gives him tremendous power, but also manipulates him in the interest of a cruel goddess. One of the interesting things in the book is how Gathrid gains the memories, even the personalities, of people he kills with the black sword; this is reminiscent of the alzabo episodes in Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun. Another interesting facet of the novel is the fact that the magic sword is famous, the subject of many old histories and tales, and Gathrid, and others familiar with the old tales, often wonder if he will suffer the same dreadful fate as earlier Swordbearers, or if he can somehow come up with a happy ending to his relationship with the sword. (A major theme of the book is the question of to what extent mortals are at the mercy of the gods and fate, and how far can people decide their own destinies.)
Wielding the sword, Gathrid participates in the war between the invading easterners and the western kingdoms. Thanks to the sword, he can fight whole platoons single-handed. Also thanks to the sword, he accidentally kills his own sister (not unlike how Elric accidentally killed his cousin/girlfriend with Stormbringer). Gathrid then leaves the war behind, sneaking east towards the capital of Ventimiglia, hoping to find the ruins where the Ventimiglians dug up the undead wizards and the magical artifacts they are using to conquer the west. He rescues a girl from being sacrificed to a demon, and (this is one of the book's most inspired elements) Gathrid takes along not only the girl, but the head of the demon, which is still alive and keeps up an abusive and jocular commentary for the rest of the adventure.
Cook's writing is often "revisionist;" the good guys are often not all that good and the bad guys not all that bad, war is not heroic, politicians are all corrupt, the plight of poor peasants and other civilians is remarked upon, etc. Maybe critics would say this is a response to Vietnam and Watergate. So, when Gathrid gets to the heart of Ventimiglia he finds that the place isn't so steeped in evil as he expected, and when he meets the leader of Ventimiglia he makes an alliance with him, and joins him in prosecuting a civil war against the now renegade army that is back west despoiling Gathrid's homeland. People, Gathrid included, often switch sides in this war, which is not about ideology or patriotism or economics or social forces, but about the ambition and insanity of the individuals at the top, kings, generals, wizards and deities.
The Swordbearer is an enjoyable "dark" or "grim" fantasy adventure, but there isn't much in it to mark it as special. I was entertained, so marginal thumbs up, but I'm not going to remember much of the plot, characters or setting. There are many minor characters with odd names who appear briefly and then get killed and many vaguely described battles and sieges, but Cook doesn't put too much effort into creating personalities for the people or cultures for the cities and nations fighting these insane wars. Cook isn't trying to paint sharp vivid pictures full of detail here, but rather a powerful mood or tone, and he uses bold and broad strokes and grinding repetition - battle after battle, tragedy after tragedy - to paint a dark, depressing, black canvas of doom.
I read the 1990 paperback from Tor of this 1982 novel, with a cover painting by Keith Berdak. I always think Berdak's work looks amateurish, and wonder why publishers have used him on Cook's books.
Posted by MPorcius at 11:54 PM
Labels: Cook, Moorcock, positive reviews, Wolfe
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Best Gadgets for students
College days are the golden days of ones life. Student might not realize that now but in future they'll understand what I mean. So here is your fun college bag that's full of stylish gadgets; I mean why not! We live in era of high tech equipments why should we hang on to old traditional college style that requires heavy bags and lots of library tours for right piece of knowledge.
So I am going to try and create an ultimate college bag. A bag that combines education to technology and technology to style.
First thing first we need The Bag. There are lots of bags out there I own a Kipling and I am happy with it. This large nylon messenger can hold your books if your caring them and it comes with your own Kipling monkey. It also expandable to hold even more of your stuff all you have to say is "Kipling Maximize".
Best Netbook Eee PC
Our first Gadget Bag entry would be ASUS Eee PC 1005HA-PU1X-BU 10.1-Inch Blue Netbook unlike many other netbooks around this little monster gives you 10.5 Hours of Battery Life. Yup! You read it right 10.5 hours of battery life for some people that's about the time they spend in college. So you're on the roll no matter where you are.
Using ASUS' elite fabulous Hybrid Engine, the Eee PC boasts an astounding 10.5 hours of uninterrupted battery life so you can work on important documents and surf the Web longer than ever before. This is without ant doubts one of the thinnest and lightest mini-notebooks of its class, and oh yes it comes with a brilliant 10.1-inch LED backlit widescreen display.
Best Flash Drive
Our next gadget would be Kingston Data Traveler 150 it has 32 GB of memory and its USB 2.0 Flash Drive. Now when I say 32 gb people say we don't need 32 gb space , why would I want that much space I just need a one gb flash because all I have to do is carry around some documents that's all. This is where they are wrong. There is a hard and fast rule of buying flash drive the bigger the better. Honestly I don't have 32 gb flash but what I do have is portable hard drive so its not that different.
Dual Purpose Tablet PC "POCKET EDGE Dualbook"
Dualbook Tablet PC is quite a smart and useful gadget, its very affordable around 200 dollars and unique in design. This dual book has double screens both for an e-book reader and tablet pc . User can read articles or books an simultaneously search the web for hyperlinks or references.
On the specially designed reader side of tablet pc you can write with a stylus, read books from library in any kind of light as it works well in both natural and artificial light. On the tablet side you can do all typical tablet computer work like manage photos, surf the net, manage email, make or cancel appointments, etc. Its has an amazingly quick navigation and app switching speed. It comes with Data-viz full versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Powered by android it gives you access to a huge android app market. You can listen to music, watch movies, connect through wifi and much much more. So like i said for a price tag of 200 dollars its a great tablet pc.
Canon PowerShot A480
Coming up nest is Canon PowerShot A480 this is point of shoot 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD. Why you need to carry this around; well you need to preserve you golden days and there is 1 in million chance that you'll get something good for you tube. I am just kidding! Cut youtube part. Stay focus on preserving your golden days.
Manufacturers say:
"With DIGIC III, your images boast superior quality, the camera operates at top efficiency and battery life is enhanced. What's more, DIGIC III enables Canon's Face Detection, Motion Detection Technologies and Red-eye Correction to give you better, more true-to-life people shots. Simply press the shutter button halfway down, and the camera automatically pinpoints the faces in the scene and chooses the ideal focus point".
If this isn't convincing enough check this out. This camera has motion detection".
"Motion Detection Technology works in the background to instantly evaluate how fast your subject is moving. It automatically selects and sets the optimal exposure and ISO settings to keep everything looking sharp and clear. This feature provides higher ISOs when you need it for action-stopping shutter speeds".
The Best thing about it is that its cheaper than many similar camera out there.
Best Video MP3 player with HD display
Zune HD 16 GB Video MP3 Player
Yup you spelled it right HD meaning high definition meaning great video on an mp3 player how's that. This little devil takes you closer and connects you to a whole new world of entertainment. With a built-in HD Radio receiver, HD-compatible video, multi-touch navigation, OLED screen, and games, Zune HD delivers the next level in music and video experiences.
Well if that wasn't enough check this out: Surf the web anytime, anywhere you have a Wi-Fi connection. Enjoy your favorite websites with a well-featured web browser, including tap-to-zoom technology, built-in accelerometer, and touchscreen QWERTY keyboard.
For more detail you can check review on any nerd site but take my word for it, this gadget is all you need to live a stylish life.
This last gadget is on of my favourites and i have been using it for quite a long time. Our last gadget is Digital Notepad . Gone are the days of paper and pen reduce your carbon foot prints and use digital notepad, it works exactly like a note book but advantage is that your pen will never run out of ink. Some of these notepads have great saving capacity so its fun and useful.
Nice blog ! I like your article and i will really read it again..It will be beneficial Specially for young graduates as well as for freshers.
For number one quality bag in which You will get quality as well as fashio.
bag manufacturers
well this is an unltimate bag ... but whose gona study with it lol
loved this article .... thanks for the reviews
Love this device Zune HD 16 GB Video MP3 Player
Cmon with all that stuff in bag whose gona study .... But if you are a good student then they can surely help..
Loved it !! Great article .. Hope i get them all
Thank you for a good selection of helpful advice.


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Chloe (Lucy Boynton) is a teenager who is grudgingly giving her estranged, recovering addict, mother, Jess (Katee Sackhoff), a second chance. She is also fool enough to have knocked twice on the door of a house rumoured to be haunted by a vengeful ghost. And now she's scared.
This film doesn't deliver much in the way of anything new. The jump scares are hokey and a little silly and the build up between scenes is somewhat tedious with the friction between the two main characters feeling forced. The resulting film feels a bit stale as we visit old ground, with not very much to differentiate itself from others in the genre.
[Image: Red & Black Films]


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Thursday, August 11, 2011
I know I do.
For instance, take the two hunks in my new story BEAR IT ALL Travis and John.
They are based on a *blush* porn star I love. I know I'm revealing a bit more than I should...he he he he he...Oh well!!! The actor I love goes by Travis on the Corbin Fisher website.
I even named the guy Travis because he was so real to me when I wrote it.
I refuse to comment on other ways this little firecracker inspired me, LOL I will leave that all to your vivid imagination.
My other hero, John is based on a very straight man you may have heard of before.
Trace Adkins.
If you know him....I need no further explanation as to why I was having naughty fantasies about him starring in a book with sweet Travis.
After taking a look at my inspiration, I'm sure you can seee how these two men needed a story in my mind?
How could I ignore it?
I know the men look a bit different on my cover, but you gotta admit Fiona Jayde did a damn good job giving the reader a great idea of my two guys!
I would love to hear from other writers out there.
Do you use real people to base your characters on? Or are they all in your head?
BEAR IT ALL Now available from Decadent Publishing
Travis hired 1 Night Stand hoping for a hot encounter with a sexy older, hairy man, someone to make him feel safe and cherished, and John looks custom made to order.
After losing his partner three years ago, John needs to learn how to open his heart and live again. He thinks a one night stand in the Caribbean might be the answer, but when he sees the young, thin and much smaller Travis, he thinks the agency sent the wrong man.
Can desire overcome misunderstanding when these two bear it all? Or will both men walk away from exactly what they need and desire?
4 comments:
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
She keeps saying 'Come to the dark side, Wendy,' but I can't -- I want those guys to MYSELF --or my female characters!ReplyDelete
Wanna find out what happens to Corbin & Trace ...I MEAN, Travis & John...well check out THE ONE HE CHOSE...on sale now at Decadent Publishing!
For the first book I wrote the character descriptions were in my head. The second one was a partial. Blake was in my head and Rick was from a picture I'd seen. This last one, only one was also from a picture.ReplyDelete
The covers never actually look like what we might imagine. Then again, that's probably a very good thing! Your cover is amazing and just on that alone made me want to buy it.
I wish you much success with the story and, as always, it's great to read how other writers deal with things.
....we have cookies and beer on the Dark Side, Wen....ReplyDelete
Johnny, I too bounce around on how I create my characters. These two are the first actually where I had real people so vividly in my mind. More often than not, I find a pic but end up changing the people in my minds as I write.
And I so hope you enjoy Bear it All...its my favorite thing I've had published so far :)


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Shea Chang, illustrator.
Shea Chang is in constant creative hustle. Originally from Vancouver and now based in Toronto, she keeps in motion through commissioned and freelance illustration, curation and art instruction. Inspired by everything from Abstract Expressionism to Dadaism and influenced daily by the city's energetic bustle, Shea's work has been featured in various publications throughout North America and her illustrated children's book "Tarantele" was a finalist in the 2011 Governor Generals Awad. We met up with her for a coffee at The Mascot and stopped by later for a studio visit, read more below! Continue reading article


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Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Wowza!!!! I'm a Winner!
Thanks so much to Miss Snowden! I was one of the 5 winners she chose during her fantabulous blog design giveaway! So stay tuned (or tune in) to see what she comes up with to "spice" up my look! I'm so excited!!!
Posted by Randee at 8:58 AM
3 comments:
Love your template!!! Look at you go girl!ReplyDelete
Mrs. Wills Kindergarten
Yay! I won this too! Can't wait to see what Jena comes up with for us both!ReplyDelete
Primary Inspired
Congrats Brenda! I know...I'm so excited!!!ReplyDelete
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Reviews, etc./
If you are going to read Pride and Prejudice for the first time or the twentieth, pick up a copy with a peacock on front. Seriously, why read the entire book imagining Mr. Darcy as Colin Firth, Elizabeth as Kiera Knightly, or Wickham as Patrick Dempsey (that was my own imagination), or worse, any of the characters as some strange looking History Channel pencil drawing of a person from the 1800's? Give yourself a clean slate, open mind, and the power to use your own imagination to create the characters. Pick up a copy of the book with no faces on it...just peacocks.
As I am not a "classics" type of girl I have never been inspired to read Pride and Prejudice, or any other great work of literary fiction. I think this mainly stems from the fact that in literature I never get beyond the first, most obvious, theme of the book. If it is not written, then I don't see it, because I do not read into things (yes, I was the girl that did not know when a guy was flirting with me either) I just don't read into things too deeply. If an author is trying to make a point about communism, women's rights, social isolationism, or trying to secretly convey that the world is coming to a terrible end through a story about five sisters or an island full of eighth graders and a wild pig, or killing birds, red letters, or a great man who has lots of nice parties at his house...I will completely miss it.
I used to get so mad at my English teachers because they would start talking about these hidden agendas and secret messages and themes being conveyed and I wondered...if he wants to talk about slavery or his feelings, why doesn't he just say, "Today I am writing about the evils of slavery"??!! Why does everything have to be shrouded with literary genius so that people like me have no clue what the book is really supposed to be about??? And why were so many other kids in my English classes looking at the teacher with complete satisfaction that they shared the same knowledge of the secrets of the book??? It's a book about animals on a farm, not about government and change and the evils of society!!!
So, for much of my life I have protested against literary works of genius. But if Meg Ryan (in the movie You've Got Mail) loved the book so much, how could i not read it?
My review (minus anything that went beyond the surface): sassy, endearing, empowering, witty, and a humorous story with only a twinge of tragedy. A well crafted story of the realities of human desires. Wealth, beauty, class, comfort, and security on one end that requires at some point the loss of self, dreams, aspirations, or dignity. And on the complete other end confidence, dreams, integrity, deep love, passion, self worth, and aspirations that are only fulfilled in their due time and in the natural course of life that culminate in truly being content, satisfied, slightly humbled, and more complete as a human. It was a perfect love story. A great picture of a family I don't want to mimic. And a pursuit of self-worth and intrinsic value that I wish more girls would find themselves worthy of. It was fascinating, funny, squirrely, prideful, and really pretty beautiful.
I loved the book. Of course, I loved the heroine and secretly, desperately, hoped that I was like her. And I loved the happy ending.


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Its been a little while since I posted, but I have been pretty busy, some good and some bad. First, I took my first final in 12 years (((hip hip hooray))) I took an excel class in order to be able to add it to my resume. It was an 8 week class, I skipped 3 weeks though but I did all of my homework, mid term and final and I ended up getting a 'C' which I am very proud of lol……
I had planned on taking several art classes through the summer but after taking this class and talking to a friend I was inspired to go to school for 'real' this time and get my A.A.
I have been very scared to do so because I fear that I am not smart enough (I don't even have my high school diploma 'yet'). I am 26 almost 27 years old and I 'feel' old. *Sigh* I do not want to turn 30 ad not have a degree to my name.
I have always considered going to school fashion design or baking and pastry because I already have talents for it. But actually there is nothing wrong if I choose one of these if I do because I am passionate about it not because I am scared that I am not 'smart enough' to get a degree and it will 'take too long' (but time is passing anyway).
I had thought about just getting my AA and then going to get my certificate to do heart ultrasounds but AGAIN I would be doing that out of fear, not because I am passionate about it.
So what I REALLY have been wanting to do deep down and for yeeears is Psychology. Which has always seemed so daunting because it means I have to get a Masters degree. I guess I never thought I would be capable doing it. But you know what I finally think I am starting to believe in myself. Whodathunkit?
So I enrolled in 3 classes for this summer the start of my AA……I thought I was going to have to give up all of my art classes, but I found out that one of them (Charcoal Art) starts the day AFTER my finals. Yes! That plus a party will be my celebration of the beginning.
I have had a few setbacks, 1st this week I saw my 2nd therapist for the 2nd and last time. I do NOT like her. She made comments that were full of judgement and she has a kind of patronizing disposition. I am not comfortable with her. One good thing out of that was that I seriously appreciate my current therapist even MORE and I plan on telling him so this Wednesday.
The other set back was the fact that I cut myself the other night. I was super overwhelmed and I had had a panic attack earlier twice in public. I also smelled a smell that took me back to my past. The cut was pretty deep (deepest yet) and I cut over and over about 8 times and it was a lot of blood. I must own up to the fact that I felt pretty satisfied about it…sad I know
So all in all a balanced week I guess LOL….


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The article I wrote, published originally by LegalTech News on December 22, 2016, has generated some great conversations with legal tech and other tech sector professionals.
"Interesting" is the most commonly used word to describe their reactions. Being a Southern boy, we learned long ago that "interesting" is a phrase not unlike "bless his heart". In other words, "He means well, but there's something wrong upstairs. Bless his heart."
Often, these extremely successful and experienced technology professionals agree that the first three legal tech developments referenced in the article (AI, blockchain and interoperability) are truly disruptive and will change the nature of legal service delivery . . . for the better . . . someday.
However, they draw the line at expecting any of these technology advances to make a big difference very soon. Their deep experience, many successes and a few failures have led them to caution this Southern boy to not become irrationally optimistic. Apparently, what I don't understand is that it's all about timing. "The right answer at the wrong time is the wrong answer," they say.
To illustrate and bring their point home, the conversation then turns to a great idea they had in 1994, 1998, 2005 or whenever which was too soon for the market and someone else later "stole" that idea and made a fortune. The reason? Their optimism was premature. "Things don't happen that fast." "You don't understand how things work." "The legal industry is a big ship. No, it's an entire fleet, and it can't turn on a dime." As I leave, under their breath I hear them mutter, "Bless his heart."
To which I respond, "May I be heard, your Honor?" (A trial attorney's last hope to salvage a losing argument.)
The final "Huge Transformative Purpose" mentioned in the LTN article (recombinant technology) is something few of us have experienced. . . until now. Anything the human mind has not experienced is highly suspect and treated as an untested theory.
The power of disruptive technologies to work in combination and hasten the speed of development is not a theory, it's a fact.
The folks at Outlier Ventures are putting their money into it. This highly leveraged European investment group is willing to pay to meet startups who are helping create the next phase of the Internet: "Web 3.0".
Blockchains – The Next Web
We believe blockchain technologies, including distributed ledgers & smart contracts, are the mega-trend that allows all other macro-trends to both scale securely, converge and combine.
They represent the next phase of The Web, Web 3.0 or 'The Trust Web', and are going to transform how technologies interact with one another and the World around them.
More specifically we believe there to be a handful of emergent technologies that hold the most promise for blockchain enabled convergence in the mid to long-term that we wish to bring together.
Outlier Ventures sponsored, and paid for, a week long European retreat in the Fall of 2016 for 25 startups. These new tech companies are building Web 3.0 through the convergence of blockchain, internet of things, artificial intelligence and other cutting edge technologies working in combination.
The exclusive Convergence retreat was paid for by Outlier Ventures so that an environment of collaboration among these bleeding edge tech companies can be created to destroy the silos of competitive empire building . . . collaboratively.
The "collaborative economy" has arrived. Venture capitalists are lining up to invest in it. Competitive empire building has served its purpose and is no longer as useful as it once was.
An example of convergent, or recombinant, technology in action was demonstrated today. At LegalAlignment we were one of the first outside the company to view the Clause.io application for data-driven self-executing contracts. Pursuant to an interoperability agreement with Clause, we were given a glimpse into the power and speed of development when other key technologies are built on top of blockchain technologies.
The world's first data-driven contracting software toolwas created by Clause.io to demonstrate how blockchain, artificial intelligence, plain language and the Internet of Things creates contracts which self-execute and enforce their terms in real time. Ask for a demo and see for yourself.
Peter Hunn, Clause CEO, affirms that convergent technology is created faster and to better operational effect than even they had hoped.
Imagine when contracts built on the Clause.io platform, monitor compliance, adjust price, eliminate some areas of dispute and even notify lawyers in real time when a contract term is violated. You don't have to imagine anymore. Convergent technology created by Clause.io has delivered the real thing.
For those who expect to build tomorrow's legal tech by steering this ship, or fleet of ships, through our rear view mirrors, all I can say is, "Bless their hearts."
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Maruka Music was created in 2003 to publish the works of Skaila Kanga, the celebrated versatile harpist, composer and teacher at the Royal Academy of Music, London.
Skaila studied piano and singing at the Royal Academy of Music and studied the harp with Tina Bonifacio. Skaila is renowned for her extensive career in both classical and pop records, television and her amazing list of nearly 500 film soundtrack credits, including Harry Potter, Shrek and James Bond. She has recorded with Elton John, Paul McCartney, Sting, Robbie Williams, James Galway, John Williams, Frank Sinatra, Joan Sutherland, Pavarotti, Katherine Jenkins and many more.
For over 25 years Skaila was the solo harpist with the Nash Ensemble. She has been the Principal Harp of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields since 1971 and the London Mozart Players.
Skaila works closely as Harp Consultant to the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. In 2003 Skaila, who was Head of Harp at the Royal Academy of Music from 1999-2010, was awarded Professorship of the University of London. In 2006 she co-founded the renowned summer International Harp Academy "HarpMasters" with Milda Agazarian. Skaila was appointed the title of Professor Emerita of Harp at the Royal Academy of Music in 2010.


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Mid-Nebraska Lubricants, LLC proudly markets Soy Gold to our producers at any blend desired. Call your local MNL Energy Representative to place an order today. 1-888-580-3244


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#124: A Love Connection at the LiLV/VVN Meetup?
Oh sure, we deliver a nice balance of information and opinion about what it's like to live in Las Vegas. . .and we've even helped a handful of folks get a job. But what about love? Well, in this episode of Living in Las Vegas, we link the names of the many people you've heard us talk about with their photos AND, perhaps, bring about our first love connection. Show notes:
- Visit LASIK of Nevada (50% Off Premium LASIK + $200 more if you mention VVN)
- LiLV Stuff
- NEW TOLL-FREE Listener Line: 866.966.4599
- Sign up for Email Alerts (form found on right side of our website)
- Get your questions answered: email@example.com
- Visit our FACEBOOK Page: Facebook.com/VegasVideoNetwork
- THUNDER & LIGHTNING! / LiLV Pool (77)
- Zappos by First Friday
- Foreclosures are up BIG
- Phantom: 2:1 tickets
- Thanks Mark for the booze and chocolate lobster!
- Listener Email: A few tips for Scott
- LiLV/VVN Listener Meetup at Rhumbar: Drinks, good folks, and a bit of love?
Show #124 [87:22m]: Download


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Hey Everyone,
Access Hollywood had a lovely talk with Tay during Abduction's press junket and here are some lovely things he said about Kristen Stewart's Bella. Thanks to Rachel for the Tip! Enjoy!
Via @AccessHollywood
The blog that gives you all the facts (and no gossip) on The Twilight Saga since 2009.01.24
Get Free UpdatesGet RSS Updates Get RSS Updates on mobile Follow On Twitter Follow On FaceBook About
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The Author: Stephenie Meyer
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Bree Tanner
Twilight New Moon Eclipse Breaking Dawn The Cast and Characters


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Wednesday, 22 June 2016
My work table is looking a bit dejected today.
I have been painting frames for Maxine's "needle-felted garden" workshops.
Each little frame is painted and waxed and has a little piece of linen, all ready for attaching a little finished "dumfling" to.
The rest of the bits and bobs are left overs from other activities. Do you like the printed cards? They are prints of Maxine's finished needle felted pictures. She has about 6 different ones and they make a colourful display on her table at craft fairs etc.
The cash box looks impressive doesn't it!! Unfortunately it's empty - just a handy place to keep a float for workshops etc.
Now here is what I have really been spending odd hours on.....
My addiction!
The wool was supposed to be for the footie muffs but I just couldn't resist the gorgeous colour in that random ball - so I guess I will still be knitting muffs tfor a few more weeks yet!! All in a good cause.
(Just in case you don't know what they are.... they go to the local hospital for use with patients with dementia/Alzeimers).
AND the owl...
Well Ben loves him and loves the little chair that he can climb onto so I often go in the lounge and find them both sitting together on my chair!!
Well that's it for this week.
Join in with our WOYWW fun over at Lunch Lady Jan's blog.
Here's hoping that Julia is recovering well and able to check out a few of our desks and make sure we are all behaving ourselves! Best wishes Julia, if you are having a sneaky peek at my desk today!!
x Jo
18 comments:
- Jackie Mackay said...
Couldn't enlarge your desk pic to have a proper look at the cards :( . You really are in production on the twiddlemuffs - the blue and yellow could be used for Swedish dementia patients during the Euros. The owl is super - did you knit him - whats not to love . Have a happy week x Jackie 22
- 22 June 2016 at 08:59
- Kathyk said...
Interesting desk and projects and well done on the charitable works knitting too
Happy WOYWW
- 22 June 2016 at 09:10
- Lunch Lady Jan said...
That variegated yarn works so well for the twiddle muffs! You really have got a production line going there - you must knit at the speed of light :-D. That little owl is so cute, I can see why Ben finds him irresistible!
Hugs, LLJ xxxx
- 22 June 2016 at 09:35
- sandra de said...
Those twiddle muffs look very sweet and I know all about crafting addictions. The prints of Maxine's dumflings are great.
sandra de @18
- 22 June 2016 at 10:41
- Shaz Brooks said...
Hi Jo, love those little pics of Tillys work, I actually thought they WERE some of her dumflings. You are such a creative family.Ben's owl is lovely too, how sweet they sit together. Have a great week, Hugs, Shaz #7 xxx
- 22 June 2016 at 12:08
- Lisca Meijer said...
Oh those twiddle muffs are gorgeous! I bet they will do well. Are the yellow and blue local football colours?
I like the owl too and more importantly Ben likes him.
Happy WOYWW,
Greetings from sunny Spain,
- 22 June 2016 at 12:57
- Felicia Aaron said...
Jo, I love that you and Max are a dynamic crafty team. My daughter does enjoy "arting" with me, but it's in and out because she's a teen...you know how that is!? But I do enjoy the moments we share together, so I know the two of you do! I love that you help her with her dumflings..which happen to be one of my favorite things. She has been an inspiration to me to give it a go as well! That being said, I also LOVE your twiddle muffs! You guys are the cutest with your craft names! Most importantly I love what you do with them. I KNOW you are a blessings! Happy Wednesday! Felicia #40
- 22 June 2016 at 16:35
- Helen said...
you are addicted to those muffs... but as you say, all in a good cause! Helen #1
- 22 June 2016 at 18:15
- Sharon Koole said...
Wow you have been busy. I can understand why you're addicted to the twiddlemuffs and such a great cause!
Have a wonderful week
Sharon K #37
- 22 June 2016 at 18:32
- Diana Taylor said...
Aren't you good sorting those frames out - she's a lucky girl! I love the cards - they are beautiful and show the amazing detail and intricacy of her work. The twiddle muffs are looking great, you'll be knitting them in your sleep at this rate! Hope you have a lovely week,
Diana #17
- 22 June 2016 at 18:41
- Neet said...
Sharing Ben's love of that little owl - there is something about it.
Love how you have been helping DD with her beautiful work - lucky girl having such a handy mum.
Hugs, Neet 5 xx
- 22 June 2016 at 18:44
- Anne said...
The prints are gorgeous and I think the twiddle muffs are super. Thanks for popping by. Anne x #20
- 22 June 2016 at 19:37
- Annie said...
Lol....all I can say is your muff making is taking over your world :-) But I do rather like them. By the time we need them you will have knit a good stock :-)
Annie x
- 22 June 2016 at 21:41
- Angela Radford said...
I agree with Annie about the muffs but if you enjoy making them well so what! This is another late visit for me today as we've been to the Lincolnshire agricultural show. The area where we live is surrounded by farm land. Thanks for the visit to mine and happy woyww, Angela x 21
- 22 June 2016 at 22:54
- April Story said...
Awww - such a sweet owl. You have been one busy lady.
April #34
- 23 June 2016 at 01:33
- dmgarafalo said...
Gosh I love those twiddle muffs! xoxox Donna #4
- 23 June 2016 at 03:04
- Morti said...
Hello Jo!
Thanks for stopping by this week, and taking the time to drag your way to the end of the post! Heheheheh.....
Seeing you mention Shrewsbury Town FC, whereabouts is it you live? I'm up at Hawkestone Park, end of August, with the re-enactment group...
I love the idea of the twiddle muffs! I wonder if they'd be any good for autistic or aspergers children/young adults?
- 24 June 2016 at 14:22
- Sylvia/LittleTreasures said...
Thanks for visiting....I'm late but Life just keeps me hopping in the summer.
Cute little items in your photos. I always smile when I see an Owl have no clue why but. Have a great weekend.
- 25 June 2016 at 15:25


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A public ritual of Pagans and friends from many paths to protect Albion from fracking is being held at Glastonbury at noon. Over 1500 people have said they will attend, and others are holding ceremonies in different parts of the country, and the world, at the same time.
All over the world members are creating wonderful projects, artwork, books, poetry and music, and this blog is a space for telling others about your work, or posting about any subject relevant to Druidry or the spiritual quest.
If you are an OBOD member and would like to post here, just email email@example.com include photos, purchasing information if applicable, your web site, contact information, and any other relevant data, and we'll post it as soon as we can.
The new Moon takes place in darkness yet begins a new cycle of growth and experience. This Moon is the gate to the Jewish new year, Rosh Hoshannah. It begins a period of contemplation and remembrance, a time to take stock of what has happened during the past year, and to measure what our words and actions have created. The opportunity for new beginnings is always available us.


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Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall said Friday that he feels like he can do "pretty much everything" on his ankle, which he has been dealing with since Week 1.
Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall said Friday that he feels like he can do "pretty much everything" on his ankle, according to Bears reporter Zach Zaidman.
Marshall originally injured his ankle during Chicago's Week 1 game against the Bills. He played in the Bears' Week 2 game before aggravating the ankle against the Jets a week later.
• BANKS: Week 5 predictions: Bears or Panthers?
The receiver was held out of practice leading up to Chicago's game against the Packers last weekend, but played, catching two passes in the loss.
Marshall was a full participant in practice on Wednesday. On Friday, Marshall said that he used to not be able to jog without pain, which is no longer the case.
"It feels good to go out there and be back with the guys," said Marshall after practice. "I feel like I got my wind back, feel more explosive."
• FARRAR: Thursday Night Dud: Packers trounce Ponder, Vikings
Marshall has 16 catches this season for 144 yards, with five touchdowns. He is a five-time Pro Bowler, including each of the last three years.
The Bears play at the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Guard Matt Slauson and defensive end Jared Allen are both listed as probable, while center Roberto Garza is questionable. Tackles Jermon Bushrod and Jeremiah Ratliff have both been ruled out.
- Molly Geary


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There's a whole other kind of back to school preparation that goes on when you have kids going off to college or university. We experienced this for the first time last year when we sent the Teen off to college for the first time. Their education-based needs are certainly different, including a laptop and printer in most cases, and if they will be living away from home you have a whole other set of concerns to think about.
Will they be living in a house needing furnishing? An apartment needing cooking utensils? Or maybe a dorm room in desperate need of a touch of personality to make it feel a little less institutional? Whatever the specifics, it's important to get the right pieces in place to make sure your son or daughter has a comfortable and welcoming place to live and study during the school year. They'll need the basics of course, like linens and cookware, but adding some personality goes a long way to making them feel at home as well, especially if they are moving in to a generic dorm room.
A little decoration goes a long way, and Posterjack has 5 photo art tips to make the most of a small dorm space:
1. Make it feel bigger with reflections - Metal Prints and Lacquer Frames catch and reflect light which can make a space feel bigger.
2. Make a statement - on oversized Poster makes a statement and also creates a focal point, tricking the eye into thinking the room is bigger than it is.
3. Create continuity - use a collection of Canvas Prints that have the same soft colours and are the same size for a natural flow throughout the room.
4. Add personality without the paint - create a great accent wall without the paint or damage with Peel & Sticks.
5. Inspiration boards - create a collage of all the people, places and things that inspire you – perfect for above a desk or workspace.
Your kids can apply these ideas using favourite photos from their personal collection. Maybe some family pics, maybe some vacation memories. Whatever the subject matter, decorating a dorm with photo art from Posterjack is as easy as 1,2,3:
1. Upload a photo
2. Select your print and size
3. Sit back as Posterjack delivers right to your door
Why not get started today?
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Posterjack.ca. All opinions on this blog, as always, remain my own.


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I accidentally smashed a newly opened bottle of black olive pate on the kitchen floor tiles this morning. It's amazing how far shattered glass can travel across a freshly mopped floor. Yes, that's right, I'd only just mopped it, adding insult to injury. Oily black olive pate splattered up the cupboard and refrigerator doors, what a joy that is to clean up. Then, because of all the mess and re-mopping, we were nearly late for school. I'm not only smarting from having to mop the floors all over again, I'm also lamenting the loss of a whole jar of black olive pate. I think I need a kiss to make it better.
from Janelle Bloom's Family Food & Weekend Feasts
Makes 20 sandwiched biscuits (40 singles)
For the Biscuits:
250g butter, softened and cubed
1/2 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1/3 cup custard powder
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C fan-forced. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Sift the flour and custard powder together over the butter mixture and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Refrigerate if the dough is soft.
Roll the dough out between two sheets of baking paper until it is 5mm thin, then refrigerate until firm. Cut out shapes and refrigerate again until firm (this helps the biscuits hold their shape). Bake for 15 minutes. They will be slightly golden at the edges but still pale. Cool for 15 minutes on the trays, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
For the Filling:
400g of dulce de leche
1/4 cup peanut butter
Whisk the dulce de leche and peanut butter together until smooth.
Sandwich the biscuits together with the caramel filling.


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Ohhh dear time...you are flying too fast.
Make-up Moday is on a temporary hiatus until I catch up a bit.
I hope y'all don't mind that I will be leaving with you with some lyrics instead of my usual banter.
I have much to catch up on during this season, but couldn't leave you hanging without
a 'sneak peek' of the "M" family!
"How it amazes me, you're changing with every blink
Faster than a flower blooms they grow up all too soon.
So, let them be little 'cause they're only that way for awhile
Give them hope, give them praise, give them love every day.
Let them cry, let them giggle, let them sleep in the middle.
Oh, but let them be little
So innocent, a precious soul, you turn around and
it's time to let them go
Sooo let them be little."
I lined them up and walked about ten feet to take the picture.
When I turned around they had this super cute pose happening.
The boys were leaning out - which I think looked fun.
I love when things just fall into place.
I NEED these outfits.
Navy is a huge color this year and looks great on everyone!
Brothers, twins, room mates...best friends...
I love when a little bit of personality shines through in an otherwise traditional picture.
Okay, I know Mom is not going to be crazy about the middle pic, but you know - I have a picture of me when I was younger like that...and it's actually one of my favorites.
I love the emotion and realness of the moment. It makes me actually lol - for real.
Ahhh you make it look soooo easy...
So, I'm a huge believer that the outfits are half the battle when making an image 'flow'.
Marietta has a gift of pulling the 'look' all together. I was in awe, I was envious,
I wanted her immediately to start shopping for my family.
Such impeccable style.
I'm thinking Marietta should be a guest blogger - to give us all some tips - what do you all think?! : )
Thank you soooo much for visiting me again this year. It was great to switch up the season.
I don't know how you do it Marietta. You really do make it look sooooo easy.
God only knows how hard it is to make it look that easy.
Thank you for all of your referrals this past year.
I'm humbled by all of your kind words and the wonderful people you have sent my way.
Many thanks!!
Before you go, leave your thoughts below.
20 comments = complimentary gift


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A Canadian girl whose great grandfather was one of the leading Zionist kibbutz pioneers has returned to her Israeli roots and now is serving as a combat soldier in the IDF. "I always felt that Israel was my place, that I needed to be here," IDF Pvt. Estelle Tabenkin told IDF spokeswoman Rotem Caro Weizman.
Yitzchak Tabenkin was one of the founders of a social Zionist party and the Mapam party, which David Ben-Gurion headed as Israel's first Prime Minister. His grandson met a Jamaican Jew vacationing in Israel and eventually moved to Vancouver, Canada. They spoke Hebrew at home and frequently visited Israel, and their daughter Estelle decided to return to her roots and study at Tel Aviv University where her famous last name quickly attracted attention.
"It was a little weird that I had only just arrived here and people knew things about my family; it also happens in the army sometimes," she says. "I think that by the time I had been here for one month, I decided that I would definitely want to immigrate."
Immigrant friends from the Garin Tzabar pre-military service program for Diaspora Jews convinced her to enlist, and Estelle decided to leave her studies and part company with her home in Canada to join the group.
Her mother was not happy about her leaving Canada, but Estelle says she, as well as her father, supported her decision. Estelle decided that she wanted to become a combat soldier and joined the Home Front Command Search and Rescue Company.
"Sometimes it's hard physically, but it feels so great to me," she said. I do things that I would never have dreamed of doing, like marches or shooting. I saw completely new things. Where else in the world would I be able to do things like that?
"My dad always told me about his grandfather and also his uncle Yosef Tabenkin, who was one of the commanders of the Palmach pre-State military, and now I feel that I am doing what they did and fighting for the same principles," she explains.
"In 2008, I was a participant on the March of the Living and it really touched me, as did the book Exodus and the stories of the Jewish immigrants during the British mandate in Israel. I know that even if it's a bit difficult for me now, in the past people did much more difficult things than what I'm doing now, and at a much younger age," she says with tears in her eyes.
Pvt. Tabenkin says she feels as though she is "in a movie" after having holding a rifle in her hands during her swearing-in ceremony. "The fact that I am a combat soldier makes me feel even better. I am loving every second in Israel and in the IDF."
Her off-base home is at Kibbutz Yizrael, a neighbor of Kibbutz Ein Harod that the Tabenkin family helped found. One of the family descendants on the kibbutz was active in the protests supporting the mostly religious Jewish residents of Gush Katif. He said at the time that the government expulsion program contradicted Zionist values.