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Siblings Harmonize in Song
Fannin Eleven Sing on NBC and Shine as Catholic Witness
They have been compared to the Von Trapp family of Sound of Music fame, as well as the Partridge and Osmond families.
They're the Fannin family — known as the Fannin Eleven — from Hortonville, Wis.
This past fall they were in the national spotlight as contestants on NBC's prime-time program The Sing-Off.
"We all grew up surrounded by music," said 27-year-old Jacob, who serves as the family's unofficial spokesman. "Cantoring at Mass has been a family thing that has been passed down the line."
All would include six boys and five girls.
Jacob said that their mother, Kate, has always played the piano at their two parishes, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Greenville, Wis., and Most Precious Blood in New London, Wis. He and his older sisters have joined her singing at Mass from the time they were young.
"The (singing) reins have since been passed to the younger Fannin generation," he said.
About two years ago the family began singing a cappella, vocal music with no instrumental accompaniment. In December 2009, the group posted their first YouTube video. They soon discovered that they were not alone in their love of a cappella music, based on the popularity of the NBC program that brings the best a cappella groups from around the nation together for a season-long contest.
"We've been faithful followers of The Sing-Off since its start," 25-year-old Rachel said. "We love it."
So much so that when the call went out for audition tapes, the Fannins tossed theirs into the mix of 600-plus others. They got a call back from one of the show's producers, and before they knew it, they were headed to Los Angeles to be among the 16 finalists on the show's third season.
Maria, 15, the lead vocalist of the group, remembers that day in early June well: "When our sister Betsy told us, I just screamed and started jumping up and down."
Just as excited was Father David Lewis, their pastor at Most Precious Blood. "I felt a personal pride that they were given such recognition for the talents they possess and their humility in participating in the process," he said.
Father Lewis added that when Kate and her children are leading the singing at the 10:30 Sunday Mass, it makes presiding at the liturgy a wonderful experience.
"Their goodness and generosity in giving their time and their musical gifts are impressive," he said. "They are fun to be around, and watching them mature and move on but always staying closely connected to family has been inspiring as well."
On to L.A.
The eight brothers and sisters who represent the singing Fannins were quick to point out that their two-week West Coast jaunt was anything but a vacation.
"There was a wake-up call early in the morning. The eight of us then spent most of the day rehearsing," recalled 23-year-old Christopher. "The best part, by far, was meeting all the other groups who shared a similar interest in a cappella music. It was the only place where you could walk outside and sing on the street and people wouldn't look at you in a strange manner. Instead, they would join right in with the tune."
Out of all of the finalists, the Fannins were the only family group.
"They were so unique," said Joel Gallen, the show's executive producer. "What impressed me most was how down-to-earth and what nice people they were. These people were singing simply for the love of singing. They were the real thing."
The Fannins, in turn, were impressed by the professional treatment they received.
"Reality TV is often criticized as being fake or staged, but, for The Sing-Off, what you see on TV was how it was for us from start to finish," Jacob said. "Everyone out there, from the contestants to the judges to the producers, wanted the best for you. They wanted you to do well, and they worked to make it happen."
The family was able to get to Mass on Sunday thanks to NBC, who made sure they were given a ride to nearby St. Augustine's Catholic Church. "They were very accommodating," said Christopher, "given the fact that we were at their service during our time at NBC."
When showtime came on the last couple days of their visit, the Fannins didn't get past their first taping. They only got to sing their signature tune, Who Says by Selena Gomez.
Were they disappointed?
"I think, looking back now, we would have loved to have still been going," said Rachel. "(But) it was an honor just to be out there and be with such great singing groups."
"The fact that, for whatever reason, NBC thought we were on the same level with those other groups was a honor in itself," Jacob added.
There has been much interest in the family since their national debut. There has been an uptick of visitors to their website (FanninEleven.com) and YouTube channel. They have also landed a number of performances around town.
According to Jacob, the future of these singing siblings has yet to be determined. "We're never going to stop singing, and the fact that we are family means that we will always be together. What we sing and how often are the only two questions; and we will answer those day to day."
Equally proud were their mom and dad, Robin, who were front and center in the audience for the show's taping.
"I was very pleased that the show did a nice job of portraying the kids as they truly are: that is, a family of siblings who get along well and happen to sing together," explained Kate.
"The Sing-Off was a positive experience," she said. "The kids were exposed to such a tremendous amount of talent, the like of which they would not have had such close contact with (otherwise)."
She and her husband are pleased with the witness their children gave on national television.
"(As Catholics) we have an opportunity to witness to those around us, not necessarily with words, but simply by being true to who we are," she said. "I am proud that our family was able to put another face on a large family and to allow people to witness the joy that comes from having been blessed with each other."
Eddie O'Neill writes from Green Bay, Wisconsin.


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Listen to the latest Focus On Food interview with renowned biodynamic beekeeper Gunther Hauk via instituteofurbanecology.org
Gunther Hauk Interview by Focus on Food
List of Foods We Will Lose if We Don't Save the Bees
By: Christina Sarich, Natural Society.
Many pesticides have been found to cause grave danger to our bees, and with the recent colony collapses in Oregon, it's time to take a hard look at what we would be missing without bee pollination.
In just the last ten years, over 40% of the bee colonies in the US have suffered Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Bees either become so disoriented they can't find their way back to their hives and die away from home, or fly back poison-drunk and die at the foot of their queen. There are many arguments as to what is causing CCD, but the most logical and likely culprit is the increased usage of pesticides by the likes of Monsanto and others.
A study by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has labeled one pesticide, called clothianidin, as completely unacceptable for use, and banned it from use entirely. Meanwhile, the U.S. uses the same pesticide on more than a third of its crops – nearly 143 million acres. Two more pesticides linked to bee death are imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam. These are also used extensively in the US, while elsewhere, they have been taken out of circulation.
Recently, the FDA also seized Terrence Ingram's bees, a naturalist who had been studying bees for over 30 years, and had a colony that was resistant to Monsanto's Round Up. Ingram's prized hives, along with their queens, were destroyed by the FDA, and Ingram was given no warning that his bees would be demolished.
List of Crop Plants Pollinated by Bees
While we don't need bees to pollinate every single crop, here is just a brief list of some of the foods we would lose if all our bees continue to perish:
- Apples
- Mangos
- Rambutan
- Kiwi Fruit
- Plums
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Guava
- Rose Hips
- Pomegranites
- Pears
- Black and Red Currants
- Alfalfa
- Okra
- Strawberries
- Onions
- Cashews
- Cactus
- Prickly Pear
- Apricots
- Allspice
- Avocados
- Passion Fruit
- Lima Beans
- Kidney Beans
- Adzuki Beans
- Green Beans
- Orchid Plants
- Custard Apples
- Cherries
- Celery
- Coffee
- Walnut
- Cotton
- Lychee
- Flax
- Acerola – used in Vitamin C supplements
- Macadamia Nuts
- Sunflower Oil
- Goa beans
- Lemons
- Buckwheat
- Figs
- Fennel
- Limes
- Quince
- Carrots
- Persimmons
- Palm Oil
- Loquat
- Durian
- Cucumber
- Hazelnut
- Cantaloupe
- Tangelos
- Coriander
- Caraway
- Chestnut
- Watermelon
- Star Apples
- Coconut
- Tangerines
- Boysenberries
- Starfruit
- Brazil Nuts
- Beets
- Mustard Seed
- Rapeseed
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Brussels Sprouts
- Bok Choy (Chinese Cabbage)
- Turnips
- Congo Beans
- Sword beans
- Chili peppers, red peppers, bell peppers, green peppers
- Papaya
- Safflower
- Sesame
- Eggplant
- Raspberries
- Elderberries
- Blackberries
- Clover
- Tamarind
- Cocoa
- Black Eyed Peas
- Vanilla
- Cranberries
- Tomatoes
- Grapes
If one of your favorites is on this list, you should consider becoming a bee activist.
[read original post via realnews24.com]
The Trouble with Beekeeping in the Anthropocene
by Bryan Walsh via science.time.com
The beepocalypse is on the cover of TIME, but it looks like managed honeybees will still pull through. Wild bees—and wild species in general—won't be so lucky in a human-dominated planet.
I've written this week's cover story for the magazine, on the growing threat to honeybees. You can read it (with a subscription) over here. The short version: beginning nearly a decade ago, honeybees started dying off at unusually and mysteriously high rates—this past winter, nearly one-third of U.S. honeybee colonies died or disappeared. At first this appeared due to something called colony collapse disorder (CCD); hives would be abandoned without warning, with bees seemingly leaving honey and intact wax behind. The apocalyptic nature of CCD—some people really thought the disappearance of the bees indicated that the Rapture was nigh—grabbed the public's attention. More recently, beekeepers have been seeing fewer cases of CCD proper, but honeybees keep dying and bees keep collapsing. That's bad for our food system—bees add at least $15 billion in crop value through pollination in the U.S. alone, and if colony losses keep up, those pollination demands may not be met and valuable crops like almonds could wither.
More than the bottom line for grocery stores, though, the honeybee's plight alarms us because a species that we have tended and depended on for thousands of years is dying—and we don't really know why. Tom Theobald, a beekeeper and blogger who has raised the alarm about CCD, put that fear this way: "The bees are just the beginning."
But while we don't now we exactly what causes CCD or why honeybees are dying in larger numbers, we do know the suspects: pesticides, including the newer class of neonicotinoids that seem to affect bees even at very low levels; biological threats like the vampiric Varroa mite; and the lack of nutrition thanks to monocultures of commodity crops like wheat and corn, which offer honeybees little in the way of the pollen they need to survive. Most likely, bee deaths are due to a mix of all of those menaces acting together—pesticides and lack of food might weaken honeybees, and pests like Varroa could finish them off, spreading diseases the bees don't have the strength to resist. Unfortunately, that means there's no simple way to save the honeybees either. Simply banning, say, neonicotinoids might take some of the pressure off honeybees, but most scientists agree it wouldn't solve the problem. (And getting rid of neonicotinoids would have unpredictable consequences for agriculture—the pesticides were adopted in part because they are considered safer for mammals, including human beings.) Honeybees are suffering because we've created a world that is increasingly inhospitable to them.
Still, for all the alarm, honeybees are likely to pull through. As I point out in the magazine piece, beekeepers have mostly managed to replace lost colonies, though at a cost high enough that some long-time beekeepers are getting out of the business altogether. Beekeepers are buying new queens and splitting their hives, which cuts into productivity and honey production, but keeps their colony numbers high enough to so far meet pollination demands. They're adding supplemental feed—often sugar or corn syrup—to compensate for the lack of wild forage. The scientific and agricultural community is engaged—see Monsanto's recent honeybee summit, and the company's work on a genetic weapon against the Varroa mite. Randy Oliver, a beekeeper and independent researcher, told me that he could see honeybees becoming a feedlot animal like pigs or chickens, bred and kept for one purpose and having their food brought to them, rather than foraging in the semi-wild way they live now. That sounds alarming—and it's not something anyone in the beekeeping industry would like to see—but it's also important to remember that honeybees themselves aren't exactly natural, especially in North America, where they were imported by European settlers in the 17th century. As Hannah Nordhaus, the author of the great book A Beekeeper's Lament, has written, honeybees have always been much more dependent on human beings than the other way around.
(MORE: Behind the Bee's Knees: The Origins of Nine Bee-Inspired Sayings)
The reality is that honeybees are very useful to human beings, and species that are very useful to us—think domesticated animals and pets—tend to do OK in the increasingly human-dominated world we call the Anthropocene. But other wild species aren't so lucky—and that includes the thousands of species of wild bees and other non-domesticated pollinators. Bumblebees have experienced recent and rapid population loss in the U.S., punctuated by a mass pesticide poisoning in Oregon this past June that led to the deaths of some 50,000 bumblebees. A 2006 report by the National Academies of Science concluded that the populations of many other wild pollinators—especially wild bees—was trending "demonstrably downward." The threats are much the same ones faced by managed honeybees: pesticides, lack of wild forage, parasites and disease. The difference is that there are thousands of human beings who make it their business to care for and prop up the populations of honeybees. No one is doing the same thing for wild bees. The supposed beepocalypse is on the cover of TIME magazine, but "you don't hear about the decline of hundreds of species of wild bees," says Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
That's meant almost literally—we don't hear them anymore. The plight of the bees illustrates our outsized influence on the this planet as we reshape it—consciously and not—to meet our immediate needs. But just because we have this power doesn't mean we fully understand it, or our impact on our own world. We are a species that increasingly has omnipotence without omniscience. That's a dangerous combination for the animals and plants that share this planet with us. And eventually, it will be dangerous for us, too.
[Read original post via science.time.com]
Join us August 17th for National Honey Bee Day!
Learn the WAGGLE DANCE and send it to us to bee in our compilation video!!
Wanna Save Bees? Kill Your Front Lawn
In Kentucky, Project Pollinator is replacing grass with native flowers—and the early results for bees have been very promising.
The prairies, sloughs and forests of the great North American continent are home to a dazzling array of flowering plants that nourish pollinators from bees to butterflies and hummingbirds (like a green beauty, probably a ruby-throated hummingbird, I saw feeding from a purple coneflower this weekend in my relative's otherwise grass-dominated backyard in Indianapolis).
But in case you hadn't noticed, humans have the unfortunate habit of replacing these environs with crop fields and lawns. Perfect, manicured, American lawns.
Both cornfields and lawns are examples of monocultures, swaths of land made up of identical species that provide little food and habitat for native pollinators. They are, in a way, wastelands for pollinators, as pointed out in a story at Scientific American.
These beds of ubiquitous green blades, especially when sprayed with herbicides, offer virtually nothing to bees and other creatures on the hunt for food. Even when grasses are allowed to flower—which isn't often, since unruly lawns are frowned upon and can decrease property values—most grasses are wind-pollinated and don't need these animals to carry on their sessile lives.
However, many people are beginning to question the wisdom of the all-encompassing green lawn, and turf is increasingly being replaced by flowering native plants to help pollinators and for aesthetic value. (They also require less maintenance.)
One initiative, called Project Pollinator, is replacing grass with native flowers in Kentucky. Emily Dobbs, a graduate student at the University of Kentucky, and colleagues have planted swaths of indigenous blooms at five golf courses in the state. The project, in its second year, is already having an impact, Dobbs said.
When they began the surveys on turf-dominated ground, the researchers mostly came across a single species of honeybee, besides bumblebees and sweat bees. But now, after introducing eight to 16 native species, Dobbs has found about eight bumblebee species, two dozen species of small solitary species like miner and diggers bees, and butterflies, she said. In the fall they will finalize their recommendation as to what mixture of native plants brings in the most indigenous insects.
"We've seen much more diversity on samples we've taken from the Operation Pollinator plot than in surveys of turf," Dobbs added.
Thanks to the project, the Marriot, which owns many golf courses, has decided to place native flowers on half of its East Coast courses, according to Scientific American.
For people who want to replace their grass lawns with native plants, "two of the most useful online resources are the websites of The Xerces Society, a nonprofit organization devoted to the conservation of invertebrates, and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, a research unit of the University of Austin Texas dedicated to native plants,"Scientific American reports.
Most states also have extension offices, run by their land grant universities, which can recommend native plants to buy.
About one-third of the major industrial crops are also pollinated by bees and other insects. (Such is not the case with wheat and corn, which are mostly wind-pollinated.) Besides flowers cropping up along plots of turf, demand for native crops, pollinated by indigenous insects, has grown, Dobbs said. These include native squash, alfalfa, cranberries and blueberries, Dobbs said.
Supporting locally-grown foods also helps conserve native pollinators.
One contributor to the recent decline of honeybees may be the lack of diversity found in monocultures, research suggests. But this decline also highlights the importance of maintaining populations of local pollinators, many of which are indeed important for engaging in the dance of pollination that allows farmers to put bread (or cranberries) on the table.
So what are you waiting for? Add some flowers to that lawn. The bees will thank you.
[read original post via takepart.com]
Top 30 Flowers For Bees
[Article via naturalcuresnotmedicine.com / Photo by HoneyLove.org]
Bees are vital. Without them, pollination of crops doesn't occur. Bees work tirelessly to provide us with our food, but are struggling in the wild. In recent years it has become apparent that bees, not just the honeybee, are under threat and some have already gone extinct. Find out on this lens which flowers to grow for pollen and nectar that will feed them and help them to increase their numbers. Insects and plants must now be taken care of by gardeners if they are to survive.The private garden is now a better place than the countryside for wildlife, since much agricultural land is now devoid of the diversity of flowers insects need to give them their 'five a day'. It is now thought by scientists in the field that insects need as much variety in their food as we do to get all the trace minerals and vitamins to keep them healthy, so go on, plant flowers for the bees!
HA= Hardy annual
HHA =Half hardy annual
P = Perennial
HB= Hardy biennial
HS= Hardy shrub
· 1
Cosmos (HHA) is an annual flower easily raised from seed. It's also one of the very best for the bee. Grow it in groups, making the collection of pollen easier for the bees, who won't have to fly as far to find their food. Cosmos grows 2-5ft tall, the majority reaching about 2ft. It's from Mexico, so a half hardy annual. Plant out after all danger of frost has passed, and deadhead to keep them flowering continuously through the summer. These open, flat flowers will delight you as well as giving the bees a feast.
· 2
Aster (HHA) 'Compostion' or Michaelmass Daisies. Many modern hybrids have little or no pollen. easy to grow, colorful and late summer to autumn flowering, they provide food late in the season. Important if honeybees are to be well fed to get through the winter months.
· 3
Sunflowers (HA) are a great choice, available in many heights and colours to suit your garden space. Choose yellow or orange over red, which bees don't like. Varieties exist now for the allergic gardener, containing no pollen. Obviously avoid these when wishing to attract bees.
· 4
Calendulas or marigolds (HA) are great for bees, especially the original single flowered pot marigold. Dead head regularly for a longer flowering period.
· 5
Primulas. (HP) The native primrose, (primula vulgaris), primulas of all kinds, even the drumstick ones are great early food for bees. Cowslips (primula veris) are also good members of this extensive family of perennial plants.
· 6
Rudbekia (HHA) are an extensive group of cone flowers from the aster family. A wide variety of heights, mostly available in yellows and oranges, sure to brighten your border and feed bees. There are also a few hardy perennial ones, of which 'Goldsturn' is my personal favourite. All are easy to grow from seed.
· 7
Scabious or cornflowers (HA), another aster family member, are mostly blue flowered and bees adore them. Dead-headed regularly, they'll flower all summer long.
· 8
Lavender (HHS) There are plenty of lavenders to choose from, all needing plenty of sun and well drained soil, but they'll reward you with plenty of fragrant flowers for cutting and drying. Just watch them get smothered in bees when they come into flower.
· 9
Bluebells (bulb) Another early food supply. Just a note of caution for UK growers. The native English bluebell in now under threat from the Spanish bluebell, which outcompetes and crosses with it. So please ensure you are planting the native bluebell to ensure you don't endanger a bluebell woodland near you.
· 10
Hellebores (HP) The Christmas rose! A lovely flower to have in your garden from late winter to early spring, this plant will tolerate some shade and moist conditions, though not wet. When bees emerge from hibernation they need food fast. This one gives them a snack when there's little else around.
· 11
Clematis (Perennial climber) The majority of clematis will provide pollen, and I've watched bees happily moving from flower to flower gathering their crop. Always plant clematis deeper than they were in the container, as this gives more protection against cleamits wilt. These plants are hungry and thirsty, so add good compost to the planting hole. They also like their roots in the cool and heads in the sun, so once planted I place either a thick mulch or a pile of stones or gravel around their roots, keeping them cool and conserving moisture.
· 12
Crocus (bulb) Early flowering, plenty to choose from, and planted in the autumn to flower year after year. These are great value and cheer me up as well as the bees!
· 13
Mint (HP), especially water mint, is loved by bees. It's great in your cooking, too. Easy to grow, it can be a bit of a thug, so either grow it in a container or prevent its escape around the garden by burying a bucket (with holes in the bottom for drainage) and plant your mint into that.
· 14
Rosemary (HHS) A mediterranean herb, rosemary likes well drained soild and full sun. It flowers around April/May. A great culinary herb, bees will take advantage of the pollen as long as you prune it correctly. This is best done straight after flowering, as most of the flowers will appear on new wood. Don't prune rosemary back to old, bare wood as these are not likely to regrow. Depending on where you live and soil conditions, rosemary can be short lived, so take some cuttings each year so you can replace the old plant should it dsie or become too leggy.
· 15
Thyme (H to HHS)) There are now quite a few varieties available, tasting slightly different to each other eg lemon thyme. However, I've noticed that the wild thyme (thymus serpyllum) attracts a lot of bee visitors and tends to flower more profusely. But they are all worth growing. Give them the same growing conditions as rosemary and lavender.
· 16
Hebe (HH-HS) This extensive group of shrubs have wonderful flowers for bees. Plenty of pollen, all on one flower and plenty of flowers on one shrub. They vary in height, are mosly blue or pink and tolerate most soils. They dislike too much wet, so a well drained soil is best. Water well, though, until established.
· 17
Borage, the bee herb. (HA) Borage is blue flowered, simple to grow and in fact one type grows wild in the UK, though originally from Syria. Easy, prolific and the bees love it.
· 18
Echinacea, the cone flower. (HP) Now available in a variety of colours, all of which will attract bees. Echinacea Tennesseensis will attract birds, bees and butterflies.
· 19
Mignotette. There are HA, HHA and Perennial members of this family. They are sweetly scented and will attract and feed your bees, especially Reseda lutea.
· 20
Thrift, or Sea Pink (HP) is a great plant for a rock garden, trough or wall. Holding its bright pink flowers well above the grass-like foliage, it will cheer your garden and make the bees come back for more! Give it well drained condiitons and lots of sun.
· 21
Sedums are also excellent plants for rock gardens and walls… Biting stonecrop and English stonecrop (sedums acre and anglicum) are natives, and great for bees.
· 22
Sweet Williams (Dianthus barbatus) (HB) are fantastic flowers for bees. An old cottage garden favourite, bees are attracted to the pink or white flowers and we love the perfume! They are members of the dianthus family, as are Pinks and Carnations, all of which are good for the bees.
· 23
Monarda (Bergamot) (HP) This is the herb that flavours Earl Grey tea, but the bees love its flowers for pollen and nectar. Its folk name in the Uk is bee balm. It likes a moist but not wet soil and can cope with a bit of shade. Share it with the bees! Bergamot tea is a herbal treat in itself. Just pour boiling water on the leaves and allow about ten minutes before drinking.
· 24
Cornflower (HA) Easy to grow, cheap and cheerful, cornflowers are another cottage garden favourite. Thier blue flowers act like a bee magnet. Grow in as large a group as you have the space for. This makes it easier for the bees to spot them and saves them flying around more than necessary. It's easy to save seed from one year to the next, too.
· 25
Poppies (HA-HP) All poppies are attractive to bees, and are laden with pollen in nice open flowers. Very easy to grow, especially the annual kinds, and easy to save seeds to sow next year. Enjoy their delicate petals while your bees enjoy a feast.
· 26
Verbena Bonariensis (HP) a tall, delicate looking perennial with purple/mauve flowers that add a tropical feel to your borders. This is easy to grow from seed and sown early enough will flower in its first year. One not to do without!
· 27
Snapdragons (Antirrhinum) (HHA) Plenty of choice in heights and colours. Have you ever watched a bee enter and leave a snapdragon? Their weight pulls the lower part of the petal down so they can get inside for their food, and you can hear them buzzing while they are in there. Lovely to watch.
· 28
Ageratum (HHA) Easy to grow, with heads of blue flowers and another member of the compositae family, so lots of food on one flower head. This is one of my favorite annuals in the garden. Just don't plant out until all danger of frost has passed and dead head for more flowers.
· 29
Echinops (globe thistle) (HP) This lovely blue thistle is very ornamental, even when not in flower, standing about 36? tall. Bees and butterflies love the flowers which provide plenty of nectar. Easy to grow from seed and will come back year after year.
· 30
Digitalis (foxglove) (HB) Foxgloves make great food for bees. As they are poisonous, protect children from them and handle wearing gloves. As long as these precautions are taken these are wonderful plants for the garden and the bees. A woodland plant, they're useful for a shady spot.
[read original post via naturalcuresnotmedicine.com]
HoneyLove August Newsletter
Thank you Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council!
Thank you Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council for unanimously supporting URBAN BEEKEEPING in Los Angeles tonight!! That brings our total up to 15 NCs in support!
Click here to email a letter of support to LA City Council!!
*If you live/work in Los Angeles districts 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 15 – email us!
NEW FEATURE: HoneyLove Forums!
People always ask us "what's the first step I need to take to become a beekeeper?" and our response is always the same: "you need to find and join a community."
Here you go. We are thrilled to announce the launch of the HoneyLove Forum! This feature—free and open to the public—represents a major step forward in educational and community-building efforts. Forums are an incredible way for communities to collaborate, share information and discuss our shared passion.
Just as the individual bee needs a community of bees to survive, the beekeeper needs a community of beekeepers for continued education and support. Whether you are just getting started as a new-bee and need mentorship, or you're a multi-generation beek still learning new things and refining old techniques, you can benefit from the group's collective intelligence through discussions, shared observations/experiments, and by simply being around others who share your passion. There are beekeeping associations, clubs, and non-profits like HoneyLove in almost every city in the United States and throughout the world. We always encourage people to join as many of these as they can, as well as availing themselves of all the information the web has to offer. Now, with the HoneyLove Forums, we can offer a place for people to go—regardless of where they live—to dive into the world of beekeeping to learn and connect with likeminded people from all over.
The threads in the forum are organized into seven basic topics to get started. We encourage you to get in there and start a discussion, answer someone's questions and bond with fellow HoneyLovers! We want your feedback, so please let us know your thoughts on how we can continue to improve the HoneyLove Forum.
List of neonicotinoids and their trade names
[via agriknowledge.com]
Here you can find a list of neonicotinoids and their trade names (brand name). Please note that not all the brand names are listed and the availability of any chemical and its brands may change through time.
Help us save the honey bees!!
Your contribution directly supports the educational outreach, community action and advocacy efforts to protect the health and well-being of honey bees. HoneyLove is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. Your donation is 100% tax-deductible.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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|0.43 cents
|5 Years
*Average cartridge page yield in accordance with ISO IEC 24711


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text:
We made this card during my club workshops in February. My card was inspired by Anne Matasci's beautiful card HERE. I used the Oval Framelits Collection to turn the card into an easel card and I substituted the lilies so that we could play with the new crepe paper in the mini catalog. If you would like to recreate this card, just follow my step-by-step tutorial below.
Easter Easel Card Tutorial
Pre-step One
Pre-step 1. To make it easier to cut this easel card straight, mark the center points on the scallop oval framelit with a Sharpie. To do this, first cut yourself a scallop oval out of scrap card stock.
Pre-step Two
Pre-step 2. Fold this oval in half lengthwise and widthwise. If you look at the photo closely you can see the crease marks on my scrap oval piece. Note: the center points are ALL on a scallop bump not on an indent. Fit the scrap oval back into the scallop oval framelit. Mark the center points at top, bottom and sides with a Sharpie onto the scallop oval framelit, using the creases as your guide. Note: Be precise when you are folding the scrap piece in half. It's easy to be a bump off and then you will mark your framelit incorrectly.
Step One
1. Start with an 11" x 4-¼" piece of card stock. On the long side, and score at the 5-½" mark. Fold along the score line to make a card base.
Step Two
2. Draw a pencil line 3/8" from the open end of the card base. Also make a pencil mark at the midpoint of this line (2-1/8" in from the side). Keeping the score line of the card base partially inside of the framelit (see wide yellow arrow), cut the card using the Scallop Oval Framelit. Make sure to align the midpoint pencil mark with the Sharpie mark (see red arrow) on the framelit before running it through the Big Shot
Step Three
3. Using the oval folder from the Designer Frames Folders, run the inside bottom of the card base through the Big Shot.
Step Four
4. Keeping the card base closed, fit it back inside the scallop oval framelit. Make pencil marks on the front of the card base at the side center points where you previously drew the Sharpie marks. See red arrows.
Step Five
5. Score the card front using the pencil marks as a guide. Note: darken the 6" score line of your Simply Scored to make alignment easier.
Step Six
6. Fold the card front along the score line you just made.
Step Seven
7. Cut a Baja Breeze Scallop Oval Frame. Adhere the Baja Breeze Oval to the top of the folded Pink Pirouette oval card base with sticky strip.
Step Eight
8. Cut the second largest oval out of Whisper White. Texture this piece with the Lattice Embossing Folder and adhere to the Baja Breeze oval.
Step Nine
9. Cut a Lattice Die piece out of Midnight Muse card stock. Mark and cut the lattice piece as shown by the white pencil marks.
Step Ten
10. Adhere the cross to the front of the card with multipurpose glue.
Step Eleven
11. Punch three branches out of Gumball Green card stock using the Bird Builder Punch. Trim the ends of the branches and adhere with multipurpose glue.
Step Twelve
12. Punch FOUR scallop circles out of crepe paper with the 1-¼" Scallop Circle Punch. When punching the crepe paper it is important to punch quickly as the paper tends to bow and not cut all the way through when punching slowly.
Step Thirteen
13. Layer the four circles on top of each other and pierce the center. Add a silver mini brad.
Step Fourteen
14. Taking care not to rip the crepe paper, wrinkle each layer toward the center.
Step Fifteen
15. This is what the crepe paper looks like with three layers wrinkled.
Step Sixteen
16. This is what the crepe paper looks like with all layers wrinkled.
Step Seventeen
17. Spritz the crepe paper flower two or three times with a solution of 91% alcohol and reinkers. I filled my Stampin' Up spritzer to the top of the logo with 91% alcohol and then added 5 drops Regal Rose reinker. Set aside the flower to dry. It should take just a couple of minutes.
Step Eighteen
18. Adhere the crepe paper flower to the card with a dimensional.
Step Nineteen
19. Finish the rest of the card as desired. I stamped "Happy Easter" with Midnight Muse ink on Whisper White and punched it out with the extra large oval punch. I also tied a 10" length of Pink Pirouette Taffeta into a bow.
Stampin' Up! Supplies:
Shop Stampin' Up! online anytime, just click HERE.
Thanks for visiting!! I love reading your comments!!


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There is a traditional Punjabi game where the girls on the bride's side steals the groom's wedding shoes and in order for the groom to have them returned to him, he must pay a price to all the bride's sisters - whatever they request. It is usually ALOT of fun when u are on the girl's side but being on the boy's side, ur main task is to hide his shoes. It gets kind of silly because during the ceremony, instead of watching solemnly and praying for a beautiful future life for the lovely couple, I find myself looking for exit routes and perfect hiding spots under cushions and ladies' outfits. :) Just kidding. The girl's side didn't really fight for my brother's shoes so this made an easy win at this wedding.
While all teh wedding guests return to their rooms to relax, the couple has their alone time together for pictures and enjoying their newly wed status. After a few hours of rest and picture taking, everyone gets to get ready all over again for the Reception!
|The bride with her brother and I
|The bride upon entering the groom's home. Here a game is being played where the groom's sister (me) has to attempt to drink water from a golden cup for 7 times while my brother has to try to prevent me from doing so. The significance? Beats me.
|A FUN game where the bride and groom have to fight each other to win golden rings hidden inside a bowl full of milk and roses
|My brother and his new wife in the wedding car!
|The quaint wedding richshaw
|Tradition where the bride's first steps into the house are recorded by having her step in red paint and then over a white scroll of paper adorned with rose petals
|My brother and his friends along with his new wife.
|The weddign car decorated
|My dad and I with the newly married couple
|Bringing Devina into the boy's home for the first time
|One of my favorite pics :)
|Helping Devina step on rose petals laid out for her to enter our home
|My hubs and I :)
|My cousin's wife Chandni and I watching our kids play together after the wedding ceremony
|Devina feeding my brother traditional Indian sweets
|The ring game
|The real wedding car - not the richshaw
|Devina and Moni
|My new sis in law and I :)
|My little nugget Jeevan at 8 months old
|Me receiving Devina into our home
|My brother dancing on the path Devina had to walk into our home. SO SWEET how happy and proud he is. It's written all over his face.
|My little Kavanjot with his cousin Noor :)
|Devina and Moni


text:
You are not going to the Super Bowl. You are not a corporate sponsor or a Bruno Mars roadie or the guy who polishes the Snoopy sculpture outside of MetLife Stadium, so you can absorb this news as an abstraction: the NFL is majorly jacking up the prices of the best seats for its first cold-weather Super Bowl, and making it harder for the people with "cheap" tickets to re-sell them.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the prices for the most expensive tickets for Super Bowl XLVIII—the club seats, of which the stadium has more than 9,000—will more be than double last year's best seats, $2,600 up from $1,250. The lower bowl seats will rise to $1,500. It's a big jump from the usual steady upward trend, and it's not just because everything in New York is more expensive. It's all because of scalping.
"We are looking to close the gap between the face value of the ticket and the true value of a ticket to what has become the premier sports and entertainment event," he said.
What he's saying, once you translate it from Newspeak, is that a tiny proportion of face-value tickets even go to fans in the first place. Most go to disinterested corporate partners, and many of those are sold for many times their face value on the secondary market. Why should some asshole Verizon VP profit from selling his ticket for true market value when the NFL can do it first?
The worst seats in the house are actually getting slightly cheaper. (Below you can see the NFL's internal comparison chart between this year and last.) But again, measures will be taken to thwart fans from selling their tickets.
As usual, the corners in the upper bowl will be distributed to fans of the two participating teams, distributed by a random lottery. But according to the New York Post, those fans won't receive their tickets ahead of time. For the first time they'll have to pick up their tickets at the stadium on gameday, after going through security—and won't be allowed back outside.


text:
Setup checklist for my Business Premium plan
Welcome to your Office 365 Business Premium plan! You've just purchased an entire suite of tools that will help make your business more successful. If you're new to Office 365, you might be wondering what it is and how it works. Or maybe you're wondering what to do after you've signed up, signed in, and installed Office on your devices. Whatever the case, we're here to help. Use this checklist to get started with Office 365.
1. Install your Office 365 Apps
(Give yourself at least an hour to do this.)
First download and install your new Office 365 applications.
Note: You can skip down to Step 2 to set up your email after you've completed the installation, before setting up the rest of these commonly used apps.
Get storing with OneDrive for Business
This is an integral part of Office 365 or SharePoint Server, and provides a place in the cloud where you can store, share, and sync your work files. You can update and share your files from any device with OneDrive for Business. You can even work on Office documents with others at the same time.
Get notating with OneNote
You can create, open, view, edit, format, and share the OneNote notebooks that you've created on OneDrive. You'll use this as your hub of working information for your business groups.
Get talking with Teams on your Mac or PC
Connect with co-workers or business partners in your company or around the world.
2. Set up your email with Outlook 2016
(This could take more than an hour, so grab some coffee before you start.)
Your organization recently got Office 365, and now you can use your new email product, Outlook 2016, to start reading email, sharing documents, syncing your calendars for meetings, and more. Learn how to set up and use Office 365 on your computer and get going with your business.
Here's what you need to do to set up Outlook 2016:
Migrate your email to Office 365.
Set up your email services to become an official Outlook user.
Start using email on your mobile device when you're on the go.
Set up your HIPAA compliant email to comply with your industry regulations.
Learn about encryption and how to keep your content protected.
Start using the email archiving add-on to provide your users with additional inbox storage and more effectively manage your inbox.
More info
- Learn more about using Office 365 from GoDaddy.


text:
These pages provide statistics for the participants of the BOINC-based Einstein@home project, and are based on statistics made available from the official project site.
Einstein@home Project Totals
|Einstein@home is a program that uses your computer's idle time to search for spinning neutron stars (also called pulsars) using data from the LIGO and GEO gravitational wave detectors. Einstein@home plan to deploy a production version of Einstein@home as part of the American Physical Society's World Year of Physics 2005 activities.
|BOINC is a software platform for distributed computing using volunteer computer resources, and provides the framework for SETI@home and other projects. It is based at the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley.


text:
And she's been happy ever since!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
A Sunshine Day
And she's been happy ever since!
Handcrafted by Laura at 10:35 PM 0 Welcome Comments
Friday, May 30, 2008
Slippery Sweetie
Did I ever mention that my daughter is an absolute girly-girl?
I've always lotioned my kids up after their bath times and pampered them with little rubby massages just when we're doing as much as watching TV together. Elaina has always loved her lotion and chapstick and anything else that Mommy will allow her to use with discretion.
As I was getting ready for work this morning my little lotion lover asked to use some lotion. Since her little body only holds so much skin which is only capable of withstanding sooo much lotion, I offered her to put her lotion on Mommy's legs. And so it began. Little hands that rub so gently. Cold lotion after a hot shower. And reaping some reciprocation on the pampering end from my daughter. And so what if she did use my expensive, beautiful smelling perfume that I received as a gift but will never shell out the money to buy more? And who really cares if she left the pump bottle a slimy mess of lotion and goo? This is one little luxury that I'll sacrifice for. Humble aren't I?
Handcrafted by Laura at 10:21 PM 0 Welcome Comments
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Last night my kids were both just darned cute. However biased I may be, they were cute and they were good. Last night. Elaina went outside with her dad to water the plants before coming in for her bath. In the meantime, I started a bath for Lincoln all by himself. Judging from his belly laughs as he splashed in the water, you would have thought it was his very first solo bath he's ever had. Not the case. Lincoln splashed his arms, kicked his chubby little ankles and just enjoyed every drop of his bath with great amusement.
After their bath, Eric and I swapped kids for bedtime and Elaina and I pretended to be in a rocket and that we were saving someone and that we just met for the first time and that we were glued together, etc, etc. We snuggled down tight together and read books and kissed goodnight and the night was done. Sweet!
So then, there are nights like tonight. After dinner, Eric took the kids to the playground to give me some space to get a handful of things done around the house. By the time they returned they were tired and a little bit dirty and it was already past their bedtime. Together, Eric and I tried to get the kids ready for bed by brushing teeth, washing hands and dirty little sandal feet. It was at this point that Elaina nearly came unglued.
Eric took back his charge to Lincoln while I tried to get Elaina jammied up and into bed. She was so mad and so tired and so yelly in throwing her tantrum that I was nearly through with her. Her attitude persisted and so did I. I took many deep breaths and used every tactic I knew to change the subject and divert her attention and calm her down. Finally, I learned that the stem of her anger was that Daddy put the toothpaste on her toothbrush and she wanted to do that.
Oh. Dear. God.
Handcrafted by Laura at 10:21 PM 0 Welcome Comments
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Back to the same
Has it really been a week? Only one week since I've posted last? So it has.
Handcrafted by Laura at 9:54 PM 0 Welcome Comments
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The Neverending Race: Non- Winner
Lately, I feel nearly defeated. Defeated by my own sense of responsibility, order and standards.
It seems like despite my efforts of maintaining a certain stream of organization and keeping up with whatever curve balls come my way, I am always finishing last. Not only last place in the race, but reaching the finish line (unfinished) every night after midnight.
Warning: Complaining to follow!
I don't know how it happens but by the time I get home from work at 5:00, we eat dinner, play or bathe children every other night and try to have the kids tucked in bed by 8:30. That's what we do. In theory, it sounds as though I should have a full 2.5 hours to myself to still make it to bed by 11:00. So, what happens to those 2.5 hours?? That's what I want to know!
Admittedly, this past week has been exceptionally busy with being away from home for almost 5 days. And then I was so thankful for the arrival of the weekend. Saturday found me doing a Tastefully Simple show, followed by a muddy outdoor graduation party which we drug the kids to right at their regular bedtimes, and then when the rest of the family went home, I joined some friends at their bonfire / cookout as my friend was announcing the sex of their baby (still pregnant) by food- coloring cupcakes blue for a boy and pink coloring for a girl. It was blue cupcakes all around!
Sunday was a happy day of sorts. It marked the last day of turkey hunting season for Eric. Up until now, I've practiced some level of restraint when it comes to how much I dislike hunting season. Eric has been out of the house before 5 a.m. and in bed by 10:00p.m. for like 3 weeks now. He works a full day of work there in the middle, but usually stalls out on any additional projects that I could use a hand with. So, when Eric came home on Sunday, he was all mine. We gave our living room a face lift with all new pictures on the walls. Added some new metal wall decor to our front foyer. And ended up swapping out some displaced pieces to other rooms. After what seemed like a full day of must-do projects, I still haven't gotten everything done. Another factor that contributes to my super-freakish-cleaning spree is that we're expecting company this weekend and I don't want to look like a dirty pack rat who sits in front of the tv all day. NOT!
As if I didn't already have enough personal pressure on myself for getting crap done around here, I feel like I've neglected my blog and my blog-friends almost entirely. I still haven't replied to this friend's kind thank you, still haven't written thank you's for Lincoln's birthday gifts, still haven't sent any reply to a friend who passed down two giant bags of hand me down clothes for Elaina, haven't vacuumed my house in over a week, still ignoring the soap scum and mildew that's hosting a reunion party in my bathroom and I still haven't slept over 6 hours a night since we were on a our mini-vacation at the grandparents' houses. My most important fault of negligence is that I have yet to craft Lincoln's birthday letter to him. For that, I feel like crap. Remorse and crap. My poor, poor second child. This is why I am so happy about having only 2 kids just like I always wanted. (By the way, that's a whole other blog topic I wanted to write about someday too.) I can't imagine what things I would let slip off my to-do list if I had a whole other kid to care for too.
So, just to not make this post entirely self-pitying and ridiculous to the non-OCD people, I'll conclude by telling you the good things that have been happening around here. Lincoln is now about a 65/35% walker now. He's walking about 65% of the time and getting around just fine. He's had some bouts of the fussies / clingies lately and I can just about see the giant molars under his gum line waiting to erupt. Elaina has been going sans diaper overnight and nap time for about 3 weeks without incident. Eric worked all day Monday to complete some landscaping in our front yard and bring in some lush and colorful plants. And me? I'm just hoping to beat that darned clock one of these days and feel like I've finally got the upper hand in the race. Only time will tell. Otherwise, I'll be back to more complaining.
Handcrafted by Laura at 10:30 PM 2 Welcome Comments
Monday, May 12, 2008
Party Tour: Part 3
Our third and final party of this weekend was my mom's retirement party. It was excellent timing since we were already in town and wanted to be a part of the most deserving recognition for my mom as she's taught at the same school for 27 years. Her fellow teachers were especially generous with gift giving and ever so thoughtful with a tribute video that had me wiping tears from my eyes more than once. I've always been proud of my mom for her hard work, commitment and genuine compassion for every one of her students year after year. This is something that just doesn't come so natural for some teachers these days, yet my Mom's only ambition was for them to learn. And over 1,000 students did just that by being in her classroom.Her next career move is that of full-time-long-distance Grandma. I know there have been times that my Mom's heart has been heavy when my brother or I call her on the phone and relay stories of all of us being sick and miserable and when our lives seem to be spiraling out of control in meeting deadlines, fulfilling commitments and trying to be full time parents. For the past 2 years, my Mom has been counting down to this. "Honey, you know I'd be there to help you if I could. When I retire, I'll be there whenever you need me." So, Mom, you're going to be retired soon enough and we'll take you whenever we can get you. Even when we're not sick. Especially then. This is a good thing. For all of us! This little guy can't wait to have you come to share his toys with him. Lincoln has been drilling Colin for all of the things that you'll need to teach him too. These guys have even put together a little song for you. (Leave that noise box at your place though, mmmkay! Elaina has made sure the notes are flawless. Of course. What else would my daughter be doing?I don't think your grandchildren can wait any longer. Look Grandma H., your fan club has decided to pack every single toy into their tent and camp out until your very last day of school. "Grandma? Can you come over to my house?"
Congratulations Mom! For all of your years teaching such valuable lessons in the curriculum and in real life, you've touched so many families and impacted so many individuals. For more than 32 years, you've taught lessons, corrected homework, organized people, wiped tears, soothed hard feelings and cared with a genuine heart. And you did the same in the classroom day after day.
We are so proud of your career that has been your life's work and we look forward to enjoying the Grandma and Grandpa who are not on strict weekend-only schedule for visits and don't have to rush to record mid-quarter grades to get to come out and play. Here's to making every day a snow day, minus the snow, and the only bus duty you'll be responsible for is to determine whose going to be driving your bus to our house to visit.
Last call: June 2.
I'm thrilled for you Mom!
Handcrafted by Laura at 10:31 PM 1 Welcome Comments
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Party Tour: Part 2
Any guesses on what party took place this day??!?!
My lovely husband and equally darling son. It seems as though Eric didn't get behind the camera even once and it appears as though I wasn't even in attendance at my own son's birthday party. Isn't this what big sisters are for? Helping the wee ones to open their gifts. And play with them first.
A great day to celebrate Lincoln, our wonderful mother's and being together as a family to share such happy moments! It's about time!
Handcrafted by Laura at 10:11 PM 0 Welcome Comments
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Party Tour: Part 1
Um... maybe you noticed a short hiatus here on the blog-front.
On Friday evening we loaded up the truck with piles and piles of luggage, the dog, two whiney kids and one mommy in desperate need of a break. We headed to the grandparents' houses for an extra long weekend.
Late Friday night, we arrived at Eric's parent's house to visit, play and stay the night. Eric's sister stopped by to visit with cousin Evan in tow to play with the kids. Elaina always enjoys playing with "Eban" as they make up their own jumping and chasing contests. This night it was the marching band parade equipped with children armed with sets of pan lids as cymbals and stock pots serving as the drum sets. *Joy.* They really had a good time and we enjoyed our visit.
Saturday morning was the first stop of our party tour. We headed to my parent's house to drop off the boys so that my mom, Elaina and myself could go to my cousin's baby shower. While it was nice to see so much of my family that I generally only get to visit at Christmas, Elaina had an agenda all her own. Which didn't include sitting in the house on a sunny, crisp, spring-like day watching someone else open presents. She and her co-conspirators (cousins: Kari and Aidan) found the trampoline much more exciting. And just because I didn't want to see anyone crack their pretty little skulls, I was the keeper of the jumping children for much of the baby shower. That is, until they decided to pull out the water guns and find cooler ways of entertaining themselves. Happy Baby Shower Abby.... I hope it was good. I wouldn't know. Elaina LOVED it!
Handcrafted by Laura at 9:21 PM 0 Welcome Comments
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Happy Birthday Lincoln
Dear Lincoln,
My sweet, handsome boy. Good God, you have a gift my baby, every time I look at you, I just melt. My angel boy.
Lincoln, I don't even have enough words to express what you mean to me. You are my dessert. Sweet and delicious and I can't even get enough of you. And like dessert, I never expected you to show up when you did. It was the most perfect timing as if I had custom ordered you and you finally arrived. Of course we wanted another baby and of course, we wanted a boy if it were up to us. And in the whole lottery pool of adoption, we hit the jackpot. Like the super grand prize with monthly installments of riches. I would have never thought I could be so selfish to ask for such a perfect boy and receive all of my heart's desires wrapped up in a soft, blue blanket with stunning blue eyes. How could I think I was was worthy of you?
In the past year, you have captured my heart. You have caused my heart to ache with worry over sicknesses which have landed you in the hospital and kept us up at night. And you have touched my heart in a whole different way than your sister. You've made me a mother of two. With that, I've learned a whole new capacity of love. You are my son and you are all of my heart.
Being a mother to a son is new to me. Maybe it's more a cross between second child and gender differences together. I'm having to relearn to be a new parent in your new world. As a second child myself, I know just how loved you will be regardless your birth order. I am constantly reminding myself to slow down and make time to teach you and make things special for just you. I want that for you . I want nothing but the best for you.
In my first year of being your Mother, I have felt more blessed than any other mom that ever had the privilege of having a son. You are special, Lincoln. Special because God made you ours. And by the way you resemble your Dad and look like your sister, you weren't meant for anyone else. You have a quiet calmness about you. You are cautious and you are thoughtful. Although you are not overly generous with your smiles, your whole face just sparkles when you flash your baby teeth smile between your sweet baby face cheeks. And I know which smiles are just for me.
In the past couple months, you've matured so much. You are a true toy-boy and play very well on your own already. You've developed a special fondness for cars and wheels as well as your soft, silky edged blankets that go with your tasty thumb. Although you are a little man of few words (like your Dad) you've learned to obey and you like routine. I don't know if you've ever reached a maximum fullness after meals because you appreciate food that much and you seem to like every food presented to you. (Alleluia!) Over the past few months, your sleeping habits have become like clockwork and you like your rest. In the early months of your life, you didn't seem to like to cuddle and snuggle as much as you do now, but I think that you do it because you know how much your Mommy needs to hold you and squeeze some love into you for a few special moments each day. For the most part, you are a very easy baby. Best of all, you are a perfect fit into our lives. With you, our family is complete.
Until you came along, I never knew just how much I wanted and needed a son. You've opened up my world and given me the opportunity to become a new parent all over again. I can't wait to see what this year has in store for us. This is your new age of development and learning. There is so much I want to show you and share with you. There is so much fun to be had and memories to make. Lincoln, my love, thank you for capturing my heart by becoming our son and making me the most proud and honored mother that I could ever dream of being.
All of my love and abundant happiness be yours Lincoln,
Love, Mommy
Handcrafted by Laura at 11:03 PM 1 Welcome Comments
May seventh.
Three years ago today, we held our baby Ava in our arms for the last time. It was this day that our hearts felt broken beyond repair, our eyes ran out of tears and our hopes of ever becoming parents seemed less than dismal.
To this day, I don't really even know how we got by losing our second child. We were still recovering from the loss of Ella. Ava was meant to heal us. She was our angel that was going to fill our arms and our hearts and our home with love. From the moment that her soul lifted up to heaven, I only felt pain and emptiness right down to my bones. A feeling that's more than despair. Crumbling. Debilitating. I promised myself that I would never smile again. I was convinced that I would never even begin to think that I could find happiness in anything without a child of my own to love. I truly didn't know what our future had in store for us. I was empty. And so, with a painful heart, I continued to pray. What else did I really have left? It wasn't like it was the very first time that I ever called on God for healing and protection. It wasn't the first time that I cried in vain over losing my baby. It's not like God didn't know the pain that paralyzed our hearts. I needed to tell God that I was angry. How could he take our two daughters to heaven when we needed to love them so badly? And why us? We deserved a baby. Why not the crackheads and the teenagers who don't have an ounce of responsibility or affection for their children? God needed to know that sometimes I just wanted to yell and scream and shake a stick at the entire world and beat my anger out onto anything in my path. How did He let this happen?
I still don't know.
What I do know is that God had a plan. Just when we began to try to pick up the shattered pieces of what was left of our lives, the hope of adopting a baby girl fell into our laps. It was like a dream come true and an answer to our prayers when we got the call that changed our lives. We were going to have a daughter. Elaina was going to be born into our family. She was and continues to be nothing short of a miracle. We had a daughter.
Almost 2 years later, God had yet another miracle in store for us. Just hearing of a baby boy who was about to be born and still in need of a family, our minds trembled with excitement and disbelief. A baby boy for us? Did we really deserve to be this blessed? Our wonderful baby boy, Lincoln filled our arms and our hearts with love and reminded us what a miracle felt like.
It's amazing how God brought us through this journey to parenthood. He turned a once angry and hopeless shell of bitterness into the most proud and fulfilled mother ever. I never thought that one day I would recover from my anger and emptiness to the extent that I have. While I can't say that I don't cry over my babies in heaven (I do) I remind myself that if it weren't for them, we would have never been blessed with Elaina and Lincoln. This can't be explained by mere luck. God allowed us to walk through the fire and not get burned. I didn't know this was possible. I'm not the first to proclaim that all things are possible with God. This is true. And He works miracles. Even for us.
Lincoln turns one today. Our beautiful angel boy who came into our lives and has given us happiness beyond compare. The baby boy that we wanted so desperately, yet felt overly blessed already to ask for more. And without him, our lives wouldn't be nearly so full. Full of smiles and hugs and kissing and cuddling and love. Another miracle to make our lives complete. Fulfilled. Proud.
With this, I send my love to Ava and Ella. I know that they chose Elaina and Lincoln to be their brother and sister in our family and that they can feel our hugs and love through them. I know God works miracles and that He can mend hearts. I know that I will always be the mom to hold her kids tighter and love them a little harder because they are sharing our love with our angels.
Lincoln is one.
Handcrafted by Laura at 10:40 PM 2 Welcome Comments
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Let them eat cheese
A few months back, over dinner time, I got so frustrated with Elaina's ever-so-limited menu options that I told her that when she turns 3, she will no longer have a choice in what she eats at mealtimes. My statement was mostly off the cuff and had no idea at the time that she would take my words to heart. Yet, she has.
It's no secret that Elaina is an extremely picky eater. Just maybe I've complained about that here more than once. She's probably on her 63rd consecutive day of eating grilled cheese for at least one meal (sometimes twice a day) with her second option being pizza. I can't complain about her getting enough fruit in her diet since she easily accepts apples, applesauce, bananas and grapes. She laughs in the face of a vegetable. This doesn't however, prevent me from offering her a bite of anything that we're eating for her to taste. Her standard answer as of late has been been, "No thank you. When I turn 3, I eat big people food." Or "Mommy, I'm not 3 yet."
While I admire her for her manners and her acceptance (we'll see) of the eat-everything-at-3 rule, a slight, sneaky idea crossed my mind. What if her birthday just happened to come early this year? Kinda like she turns 3 maybe, oh let's say, 45 days early. Is that wrong?
Okay, okay, okay. I know it's wrong. I'm not really a bad person that would intentionally fraud my child out of her respective birthday celebration just to get her to eat a vegetable. Just a thought. And my husband and mom have already put the kaboosh on my idea anyway.
So, July isn't really that long away is it? Just another 5o grilled cheese sandwiches away.
Handcrafted by Laura at 10:49 PM 1 Welcome Comments
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Finding Gold
I spent my morning rummaging through a neighborhood garage sale seeking out bargains and treasures. Despite the intermittent drizzle of rain, I really had an enjoyable time and found both bargains and treasures.
The one and only downfall of garage saling is coming home and cleaning up my finds. And so, after the many hours I spend out collecting my deals, I spent the next several hours cleaning them up to look fresh and new and find homes for everything. At one point, my house was such a complete disaster that my Type A personality kicks into super anxiety speed and I begin to think of all of the million and 8 things that I need to do while I'm going about my business.
By the end of the day, my kids were fed, order was restored to most of the surface areas in my house and I sat down for the first time all day to feed my baby his bottle. As Lincoln cuddles up on my lap and we feel each other breath and then his eyes close from his hard day of playing, I know that everything is right in my world. Everything.
Handcrafted by Laura at 9:24 PM 0 Welcome Comments
Friday, May 02, 2008
On a Roll
Just for the record Ladies:
If you feel like you hardly ever get a break and you just need some down time with your girlfriends, let me fill you in a little secret. Play Bunco.
Tonight was our third monthly Bunco night with the girls and it has been everything we had hoped it to be. A fun filled evening together to sit around, catch up, snack and roll the dice of chance. Bunco has got to be the most simplest of games, requiring only a little bit of your attention along the way. And can you say FUN??? So fun in fact that I ended up going home with a prize tonight. We had a Cinco de Mayo theme and my prize was a cactus in a terracotta planter.
By the way, anyone know how I can get a cactus prick out of my thumb?
Yes I am serious.
Handcrafted by Laura at 11:06 PM 0 Welcome Comments


text: Sijun Forums :: View topic - DIY Cintiq Log in to check your private messages Sijun Forums Forum Index >> Digital Art Discussion View previous topic :: View next topic Author Topic : "DIY Cintiq" noticmemberMember #Joined: 09 Apr 2001Posts: 441Location: Sweden Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:15 pm Hey guys, long time no posting. I just thought i should share my project over here, as i suppose several people here could be interested. So, as the topic says, i'm building my own "cintiq" device, using a wacom intuos 3 A4 and an old laptop that i've deconstructed. the screen is sepaated from the computer, and then fitted over the active area on the wacom board. I've put all this in a frame with 3mm glass over. Here's a video of my first try with it's functionality: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAj75uVwVOw&feature=player_embedded i'm actually very happy with how it works, except for some jitter. The computer only had Gimp installed, so i'm gonna try this out with Open Canvas or Photoshop. i'm gonna post some better pics later on, and a better explanation! i hope someone thinks this is a fun project and might try it for themselves! (beware of the electricity ) Back to top TomasismemberMember #Joined: 19 Apr 2002Posts: 813Location: Sweden Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 3:47 pm pretty cool project! I'd love have more info!_________________out Back to top noticmemberMember #Joined: 09 Apr 2001Posts: 441Location: Sweden Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 11:05 pm Hey Tomasis, since you're swedish i figure this could be something for you: http://www.grafisktforum.org/showthread.php?t=33565 and well, here's a "lazy english" version: http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=sv&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.grafisktforum.org%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D33565 Back to top TomasismemberMember #Joined: 19 Apr 2002Posts: 813Location: Sweden Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 12:17 am tack I regret when I allowed my brother to trash his old laptop when I could try revive its dead screen instead if I did know your project.... well_________________out Back to top SumalethAdministratorMember #Joined: 30 Oct 1999Posts: 2898Location: Australia Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 12:35 am That's pretty impressive._________________Art Links Archive -- Artists and Tutorials Back to top mattyukmemberMember #Joined: 23 Sep 2007Posts: 392Location: Cumbria, UK Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 2:26 am AMAZING!!! Back to top noticmemberMember #Joined: 09 Apr 2001Posts: 441Location: Sweden Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 9:09 am : ) thanks guys, i'll post some better pics, probably today. Back to top B0bmemberMember #Joined: 14 Jul 2002Posts: 1807Location: Sunny Dorset, England Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 2:02 pm http://www.bongofish.co.uk/wacom/wacom_pt1.html Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Sijun Forums Forum Index -> Digital Art Discussion All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Digital Art----------------Digital Art DiscussionWork in ProgressGallery/Finished Work Miscellaneous----------------Random MusingsArchive : Sep99 - Dec00 You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2005 phpBB Group


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Letters from another world :)
Hello, my friend, and welcome to my page! My name is Alex, I'm a musician and a songwriter. I love creating music, that's the most interesting thing in life) And AudioJungle is a wonderful place, where I can share my little creations with other people. So, once again, welcome and make yourself at home. If you like some of my tracks, but want some changes or fixes so that it better fits your project – just let me know!
My SoundCloud Profile: https://soundcloud.com/sonicletters


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I would like to just let those of you out there who have an interest in Fantasy Baseball know that soon there soon will be a new Simulator on the market called Nostalgia Baseball. Developed by two professors at Simpson College in Redding CA, this simulation has been in Beta testing for the last several years and is finally nearing completion and public display.
What is Nostalgia Baseball? It is an exciting simulator that allows you to join a league and compete against other real live owners in your league. You draft players from different eras (Ever wanted to see Bonds versus Cy Young?), manage payroll and contracts, while also having the ability to make trades and fashioning your roster as you see fit. If most fantasy simulators leave you wishing you had more control and more fulfilling competitve play, this honestly is the simulator for you.
What does it cost to see what this simulator is all about? Nothing. Just email Craig Slane (the co-creator) at mailto:email@example.com and you will be given instructions on how to download and test the simulator for free.
In closing, if you want a comparison I would say that the closest thing to this is Diamond Minds Baseball. Not the same by any means, but simply close to it or surpassing it in quality.
I have been in the Beta League for 2 and a half years now and have loved every moment of it. With the second and final Beta League opening you have honestly nothing to lose if you simply want to check it out, and everything to gain if you like it and join the new league. Thanks for your time.
Brad Hickey


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Baddest Botnets of 2012
According to security firm Kindsight, these are the Top Ten Worst Botnets this year.
Botnets are networks of computers that have been compromised by malware. They're difficult to detect because they are controlled remotely by cybercriminals. Victim computers are often referred to as "bots" or "zombies" because they're carrying out a cybercriminal's orders without the victim's knowledge. In this slideshow, Kindsight Security Labs has identified the most dangerous botnets of 2012 based on their impacts this year.
Related: Tracking the botnets
Grum was responsible for sending 18 billion spam messages per day and 18% of the world's spam. It used victim computers to distribute pharmaceutical spam email. The shutdown of Grum in July 2012 was considered a huge win for the security community. But even after its shutdown, spam levels quickly resurged to the same level, likely due to other spamming botnets.
Once shut down in early 2010, Lethic is alive and kicking again. Unlike other spamming botnets, Lethic proxies all traffic between the spammer and the destination mailserver. It also uses simple but effective encryption. Lethic is responsible for 28% of the world's spam.
Festi is one of the world's largest spam botnets. It's distributed as an executable Trojan and infects older versions of Windows operating systems. After the takedown of the Grum spambot, Festi surged to infect at least 250,000 unique IP addresses.
Back in 2010, Cutwail-infected computers were used in distributed DoS attacks against hundreds of websites, including those for the CIA and FBI. Earlier this year, Trustwave (formerly M86 Labs) identified large-scale spamming campaigns with malicious HTML attachments, attributed to Cutwail.
Once called the "God of DIY botnets," Zeus enables cybercriminals to steal banking information and other sensitive data. It includes a control panel and a builder to create executables and infect victim computers. Its malware typically spreads through email or drive-by infections. Earlier this year, a new version of Zeus emerged that uses peer-to-peer protocol to maintain contact with its command-and-control sites. There are an estimated 944 Zeus C&C servers in October 2012.
SpyEye is an established botnet designed to steal consumer banking information. It's especially sneaky in that it steals money from victims while offering reassurance that the money is still sitting in their bank accounts. As a Trojan, it picks up login credentials for online accounts and initiates transactions. There are estimated 278 SpyEye C&C servers in early October 2012.
Based on Zeus' original code, Citadel features new capabilities and has been called "Zeus on steroids." But what makes Citadel highly unusual is how it's been sold and marketed to criminals. Earlier this year, its developers created a social network to serve as technical support for Citadel, helping cybercriminals report any bugs, suggest new features and connect with other customers. In April 2012, RSA reported a 20% increase of Citadel in analyzed Trojan attacks.
ZeroAccess is currently the fastest-growing botnet. Over the past few months, ZeroAccess has grown from 1 million to more than 2 million super nodes globally. Its primary function is ad-click fraud. Victim computers receive instructions from a controller directing them to click on ads on specific websites. The website owner gets paid by the advertiser on a per-click basis, usually through the intermediary of an ad network. It circumvents safeguards by simulating normal human browsing behavior. In July 2012, Kindsight Security Labs reported that victims of ZeroAccess were downloading the bandwidth equivalent of 45 movies per month.
TDL-4 (TDSS or Alureon)
TDL-4, also known as TDSS or Alureon, is a sophisticated botnet that made major headlines this September. Once installed, it removes competing malware, hides itself from detection and installs a master boot record. A new variant of TDL-4 has infected approximately 250,000 unique victims and can generate "disposable" C&C domain names, making it especially difficult to track.
Signaling an end to Mac's immunity to malware, Flashback infected hundreds of thousands of Mac computers last spring. Its current focus is to collect passwords to sites like Google and Paypal, so that cybercriminals can take over those accounts. Flashback topped Kindsight's "home network infections list" for four straight weeks. Last April, it infected 10% of home networks with Mac computers.
Copyright © 2012 IDG Communications, Inc.


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Piscataway Township Schools
1515 Stelton Road - Piscataway, NJ 08854 (732) 572-3686 - Fax (732) 572-7889
Legislative/Policy: Develops and revises district board policies as mandated by law or required for the daily operation of the district. Efforts include addressing issues with public officials.
School Culture and Climate: Assist school and district with culture and climate initiatives that will benefit the entire Piscataway community. Efforts will include beautification projects and programs that will promote positive educational environments.
If you are interested in applying for membership on a Board Committee, you may obtain an application by clicking here, contacting 732-572-2289 x2532, or by send your name, address, phone, and e-mail address to firstname.lastname@example.com. Please indicate on which committee you wish to serve.


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By Chris Wright
Tomorrow will mark what would've been the 57th birthday of West Brom legend and pioneering black football icon Laurie Cunningham, had his life (and career) not been cut tragically short in 1989 when, at the age of 33, he sadly died in a car crash in Madrid.
One of Ron Atkinson's famous "Three Degrees" at the Hawthorns (alongside Cyrille Regis and Brendan Batson), Cunningham was the first black player to represent England at any level (he received his first U21 cap against Scotland in 1977) and the first black player to play for the England senior side in a competitive match (with Nottingham Forest's Viv Anderson having made his groundbreaking debut in a friendly six months earlier), which meant having to deal with all the racist abuse that came with it – this was the 1970s and 80s after all.
However, the colour of his skin was not the only reason he gained plaudits – he could bloody well play a bit too.
In 1979, Cunningham moved to Real Madrid for close to £1 million and quickly became a cult hero at the Bernabeu, with Barcelona fans famously referring to him as "the Black Johan Cruyff" before a string of injuries (including a nasty ruptured knee ligament inflicted by a Madrid teammate in training), sheer bad luck and increasing friction with the club over discipline and his "goldfish bowl" private life bought about Cunningham's eventual decline.
Next year marks the 25th anniversary of Cunningham's death and, as such, West Brom have announced that a statue of their "Three Degrees" is to be placed outside the Hawthorns in tribute. ITV Sport are also running their cracking documentary, "First Among Equals" on the ITV Player at the moment – we thoroughly suggest you have a watch.
In our own humble way, Pies have also prepared a wee doff-of-the-cap with 10 vintage photos of Cunningham in his pomp…
Photos: PA


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Ready-Made DIY Templates
Alyssa Watercolor Funeral Program Template
- Availability:
- In Stock. Immediate download links provided immediately after purchase in your account. Add our Customization Service and our designer will enter all your information for you. M-F 9AM-6PM.
- Color:
- Pink
- Style:
- Watercolor
A very beautiful and delicate background framed with our watercolor pink roses creates the perfect border for your loved one's optional photo and information. The back offers a solid soft pink background which can also be removed if desired. The inside is ready to contain your personalized text upon the simple background. A great choice for those seeking a minimalistic design with only a few elements.
Add as many pages as you like to create a funeral style booklet, if desired. The front word art image reads "A Celebration of Life, Love and Legacy" but can be removed or moved to create your own text box and wording.
- Insert Additional Clipart and/or Photo Boxes Anywhere, If Desired; Changeable Front Cover Photo Shape
- High Quality Background Resolution; Full Color Front, Back & Inside; Removable and Movable Front Title
- Prints on 8.5 x 11 Letter Size Paper, Finished Size 5.5 x 8.5; Expandable To Unlimited Pages With All Fields Editable
- Immediate Download Includes Template For Microsoft Word, Publisher, and Apple iWork Pages Files
Returns Policy
PERSONALIZED MEMORIAL PRODUCTS are not refundable due to the nature of the custom created product. Products incorrectly ordered, not reading the full description on our product details page, received AFTER your date needed by, a result of not giving us enough time for production, no due date was specified, or an incorrect ship time was selected is not eligible for a refund. You may return most new, unopened NON-PERSONALIZED items within 10 days of delivery for a full refund, less the shipping. Please phone our customer support line for assistance AND clarification if you are unsure or have questions before ordering.
You should expect to receive your refund within 3-4 weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return a non-personalized item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.
TEMPLATE DOWNLOADS are non-refundable due to the nature of the digital product. If you experience any download problems, please contact us via phone or email asap so we can manually send you the template in an email instead of a download link. This request can be made 7 days a week via email. You will receive your template within 1-2 hours or sooner, depending on the off hour time.
We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations. FEDEX shipping business days are Monday-Friday only. If you want a Saturday delivery, please call to upgrade your shipping day. Saturday delivery is not given in online checkout.
When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.
Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound. Make sure you select the correct ship time at checkout so you receive your products in time. We are not responsible for refunding any orders that selected the wrong shipping time, please make sure you select the correct ship time and indicate DATE NEEDED BY. Orders not noted with a date needed by cannot be delivered on a date not indicated.


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How To Be More Friendly And Social
If becoming like this is one of your goals, here are some general pointers on how to act like a more friendly, social person. A quickie definition of 'friendly' could be being nice to, and interested in, other people. I'd define 'social' as spending a fair amount of time with other people and enjoying it.
The points in this article describe behaviors. If someone is naturally in a mood where they like people and are interested in everyone, many of the actions below will come naturally to them. The thing is having a certain disposition is easier said than done. However, regardless of how you're feeling, you can still carry out these friendly and social behaviors in the situations where you've decided doing so is important for you.
The ideas here don't suggest that you need to turn into a phony, or a needy suck up, or an over-the-top caricature of a 'friendly' person. Be fairly low key about implementing the points below. They should also be thought of as a general approach to how you interact with other people. A serious macho guy and a more sensitive artist type can use the same basic concepts and still maintain their own personality styles.
These points will be harder to follow if you're wired to be less social, but still want to act in a more friendly, sociable way in at times. Trying to do everything here, or go all out with each suggestion, may be too draining. Only apply the ideas that seem manageable, and don't feel you have to take them to an extreme.
Here are some things you could possibly try:
Start conversations with new people
If you've recently been introduced to someone, or you see some new people around, go up to them and start a conversation. Even saying hi, asking for their name, and going, "Cool, nice meeting you. I'll see you around later hopefully" can be good.
Chat back to people who try to talk to you
Have you ever tried making pleasant conversation with someone you've run into, and they blew you off by giving one-word responses and obviously looking like they don't want to be spoken to? You probably walked away thinking they were pretty unfriendly, even if you intellectually knew they may have had a reason for being brusque. If someone is trying to chat with you, make an effort to give them something back in return.
Take time to talk to people you already know
If you see someone you know, then go over and find out what's going on with them. Keep in touch with your friends. Stop and chat to your co-workers when they're not too busy. Maintain your relationships and show you're interested in the other people. If you see someone you know, don't avoid them because you don't feel like talking, or pretend not to notice them because you're worried the conversation will be stilted. Go up to them and chit-chat for a few minutes.
Invite people to do things with you/the group
Be fairly loose and generous with your invitations to people. Be the one to invite people out rather than waiting for them to come to you first. Don't feel you have to know someone for a long time either. If you seem to get along then why not ask them to do something? If you like your new co-worker or classmate, ask them if they want to grab a drink later, or come by your place to chill. If you run into a friend downtown, and neither of you is doing anything, ask if they want to grab a bite to eat, or if one of you is busy, suggest you get together later some time.
If everyone at work is going out on Friday evening then ask anyone who may not know about it if they want to come along as well. If you're meeting some friends later that night, ask your new acquaintance if they want to join you. If you run into a classmate on the street for five seconds, tell her that you're going to be a Dan's place later if she wants to drop by. Of course, when you throw invitations out like this, they won't always be accepted, but that's alright.
Make an effort to bring new people into the fold and make them feel included
If you're out with your longtime friends and there's a new person there, take the time to talk to them a bit, rather than being more aloof and expecting them to make the effort of getting to know you. At the end of the night mention, for example, that everyone is seeing a certain concert in the next two weeks if they want to come. If there's a new person at work, fill them in on the general goings on of the office, and let them know everyone in your department usually grabs lunch together at 12:30. Mention that you and three other people usually play football on Thursday evenings if they want to join in.
Go to where the people are
If you're at work and everyone is going out for lunch then go as well. If they all eat lunch at a certain time and place, then eat lunch then too. If you're at a party and everyone is talking on the front porch, go join them. If you're at a bar and everyone is hanging around on the couches downstairs, then you may as well be there too. Show you want to spend time with the people you came with. And once you're there, join in whatever they're doing. Don't hang back and focus on something else.
Spend more time with people
Spend time with people more often. Spend longer periods of time with them. Spend time with more of them. If when you normally see your friends, you leave after a few hours, try spending half the day with them. If you only see your friends once a week, try seeing them more often, if they're willing and not too busy. If you usually keep to yourself at work, and only talk to people on break, try spending time with your co-workers a little more during the workday. If you only see some acquaintances of yours under specific circumstances (e.g., in particular class, at a club), then try to see them outside of that situation.
If this piece of advice seems like something you'd like to try, but you quickly get drained in social situations, and worry you wouldn't last long, then you may want to look at this article:
When You Easily Get Drained And Tired In Social Situations
Make nice little gestures towards other people
Bring food or drinks to a party when it wasn't expected that you do so. Perform basic courtesies like holding doors for people. Buy someone a drink or a shot if you're out at a bar. However, less is more. If you're overly "nice" and giving you can be taken for granted, taken advantage of, or come across as if you're trying too hard to please everyone and make them like you. It also puts other people in an awkward situation because they feel uncomfortable taking so many free handouts.
Offer compliments to people
Don't be afraid to be positive and encouraging. If someone is good at something then tell them so. If someone looks nice, or is well dressed, then say you think so. If you think someone is funny, or an interesting person, then let them know. Again, moderation is essential. The occasional genuine compliment is way better than a constant stream of try-hard ones.
Make sure everyone is having a good time when you're out
Without overdoing it and being a pest, put some energy into making sure everyone is having fun when you're out in a group. If someone seems left out of the conversation, try to maneuver it to a topic they can contribute to. Or if someone seems like they want to say something, but they can't get a word into a lively discussion, casually indicate to everyone that they want to talk. If you're all doing an activity that someone doesn't seem comfortable with, try to coax them to join in (if it's harmless and you know they'll have fun once they start), or take some time to explain the basics if they aren't familiar with how to do it. Or maybe help form an alternative side activity.


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What I'm Wearing
Gray Pashmina: XSRE ($8) | Earrings: ALDO | Necklace: Charming Charlie
Red Blazer: thrifted ($2.50)
Red Belt: old
Half Floral Asymmetrical Blouse: ROMWE ($23)
White Pants: F21 (gift)
Black Booties: BAKERS (my sister's closet)
So, it SNOWED! I don't think anyone understands my excitement! AHH!
I wasn't planning on posting again until the new year, but my sister helped me take a few pictures of my outfit after this morning's mass, so I decided I'd quickly edit them and post after eating and opening up my gifts.
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it! Christmas has really morphed from what it had been originally celebrated for, but one thing that I'm glad stayed the same is the value of being with your family. I cooked for mine! My mom taught me how to make jollof rice & I can now do it on my own!! Whoot!!
I didn't ask my parents for anything because I know there are so many obligations that they have aside from getting gifts and happiness in the family is all I really need! In one ear and out the other though; my mother bought me clinque happy and my dad wrote me a check (both of which I'm extremely happy and grateful for)!! (My sister, Sarah, recieved Chanel No. 5, which she invited me to use at my will and BOY OH BOY I will take advantage of such an invitation! It smells beautiful!!)
I hope you all enjoy this holiday season with your families and those closest to you! And if you don't have anyone close to you, go out and make someone else's holiday season something memorable. Putting a smile on someone's face is clinically proven to put one on yours!
During the Christmas season, each of us hopes to receive at least one gift which we consider the "perfect" gift. Look within yourself; your gift is waiting.
Happy Holidays!!*P.S. Noticed my new glasses?! I am in LOOOOOVE!
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012 No comments


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"Internet of Things" Companies Band Together
"The Internet of Things" might not be not as flighty as it sounds. Smart-gadget makers today announced at CES they are creating the Internet of Things Consortium to promote their emerging industry and discuss best practices. Founding members include Active Mind Technologies, BASIS Science, Coin, Kease, Logitech, MOVL, Ouya, Poly-Control, SmartThings and Ube.