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O Second Person Singular, Where Art Thou?
Ricardo, a reader, wonders why the second person singular pronoun dropped out of English.
In the earliest form of English, the difference between the pronouns thou and ye was one of number. Thou (object form: thee) was singular and ye (object form: you) was plural.
In the 11th century (1066) the French-speaking Normans invaded and conquered England. French became the language of the rich and powerful, while English was chiefly the language of the conquered.
Whenever cultures collide, each side takes something from the other. English speakers adopted the French practice of using the singular second person pronoun to address family members, friends, children, and social inferiors. Ye and You began to be used as a respectful singular form when speaking to superiors. By the 13th century the practice had become common in English.
In time, for political reasons, the descendants of the Norman conquerors abandoned French and adopted the language of the conquered.
By Chaucer's time (14th century) English was the language of the court. The dialect that Chaucer wrote in, rich in French vocabulary, is the dialect that has become modern English.
So what happened to thou? My theory is that the word had become so offensive because of its use as a class marker that eventually everyone demanded to be addressed by the respectful ye (you). We can see in our own time a process at work that leads to the deliberate disuse of certain words that are seen as being disrespectful.
This line from a 16th century play whose name escapes me illustrates that thou had the power to ruffle feathers:
Dost thou "thou" me, thou dog?!
The speaker is clearly annoyed at having been addressed as "thou."
Scholars have always tended to defend traditional forms even after popular usage has shifted.
The language of the King James translation of the Bible (1611), for example, is very conservative in its use of pronouns. In Genesis 3:15, God tells the serpent "I will put enmity between thee and the woman." In Genesis 6:18 Noah is told "…thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee."
Popular usage differed. By the 16th century the forms thou/thee/thy had fallen out of polite use except among the Quakers. That religious group chose to emphasize social equality by dropping you as a respectful singular form and addressing individuals of every class as thou/thee
Ye, the subject form of you, went the way of thou.
Before you triumphed as the all-purpose second person pronoun, ye was the subject form and you was the object form. The two words sounded too much alike to remain separate and the distinction was already being lost in the 16th century.
The distinction is observed in the 1611 translation of Job 12:2:
No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
Shakespeare, however, uses both ye and you as objects in this line for Caliban in The Tempest (I, ii 320-324):
A southwest wind blow on ye And blister you all over!
And that, y'all, is the story of how thou lost out to you in English.
(Verification for the information in this article can be found in A.C. Baugh, The History of the English Language.)
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10 Responses to "O Second Person Singular, Where Art Thou?"
You mean he "couldn't care less".
Maybe. It's possible that he's setting himself up for a future post about commonly misused words/phrases becoming a standard part of the language.
The whole could/couldn't issue has always been a bit of a bother to me, but its misuse is so common now that I find it pointless to try to correct it anymore.
Indeed I think that could/could not care less is a subject for a single post 🙂 .
I have already heard both versions, and arguments justifying both of them.
In Pittsburgh, we have a local colloquial for "ye."
Re. Ye / You:
That's an interesting article. In Ireland (mainly in the country) we have a habit of saying 'ye' when addressing a group of people e.g.
"Are ye coming?" (or sometimes "Are youse coming?" depending on where ye're from!)
Individuals are referred to as 'you'.
It's an oral tradition and isn't written down that way though. Maybe it's a form of old english that's persisted here!
Amy W.
Very interesting. That truly is all brand new information to me.
Bill G
How can I explain to my students why the singular "you" takes the plural verb "are?" Is there something obvious I am missing? Even "thou" took "art." What is the history of this shift?
When plural "you" started being used as a polite singular, the verb "are" was part of the package.
When singular "Thou art" dropped out to be replaced by "you are," are took on a singular meaning:
"are" IS singular in the sentence "You are my only friend." In "You are my only friends," are is plural.
The verb "to be" is complex. It deserves a post of its own. I'll get right on that.
I found this explanation (in Wikipedia) for the use of 'thou' in the King James translation of the bible.
"As William Tyndale translated the Bible into English in the early 1500s, he sought to preserve the singular and plural distinctions that he found in his Hebrew and Greek originals. "
This makes sense to me especially when applied to God since Tyndale would have recognised that it is an important Christian concept that God is one not many.
Thanks for listening. Judith
Terry Thrasher
The actual form of "to be" that was used with Thou was "be'st". "Art" was an alternative form.
By the way, the King James Version is actually one of the closest translations of the original Hebrew and Greek available. It preserves many of the grammatical features that would not be apparent in Modern American English.


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Release courtesy of Scott Miles, Sports Information Director, Ohio Dominican University
HARTVILLE, Ohio – Bill Blazer, Ohio Dominican's Athletic Director Emeritus, will be inducted into the Ohio Public Golf Association (OPGA) Hall of Fame today.
Blazer, who has served on the OPGA Board of Directors for the past 12 years, joins other notables in the Hall of Fame such as former Ohio governor James A. Rhodes and 1973 British Open Champion Tom Weiskopf. He is the 54th member to earn induction into the OPGA Hall of Fame.
"This is a very humbling experience for me," Blazer said. "It's a tremendous honor to be recognized like this for my involvement with the OPGA."
Blazer, a native of London, Ohio, began his tenure as Ohio Dominican's fifth Athletic Director in August, 2004 and moved into the emeritus role prior to the 2010-11 school year. Prior to his arrival at ODU, Blazer spent 14 years at Urbana University, where he served as Athletic Director, men's golf coach (1994-2004) and a tenured Associate Professor in the Division of Business and Economics.
Today's ceremony coincides with the final round of the Ohio Public Links Championship at Seven Hills Golf Course in Hartville.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Susan G. Komen Foundation "Race for the Cure" 5-kilometer run is coming to Portsmouth, New Hampshire this Saturday. I will not be there. Hooray for everyone's good intentions, and I'm sure it will be a lovely event for all concerned. The Komen-Planned Parenthood link, however, is too big a hurdle for me. There are other ways to support my friends & family who are dealing with cancer.
(Like the Rock'n Race in Concord for the Payson Center, or a run across New Hampshire for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, to name just a couple.)
You may recall that Komen, in an effort to put its grants to more constructive use, announced last year that it was going to discontinue making grants to PP affiliates, none of which was providing mammograms or cancer care. PP went nuclear. Komen backed down within days. A Komen executive who was pushed overboard after PP's blitz later wrote her account of the story in Planned Bullyhood.


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This week, nearly 200 leaders in the corporate world signed a letter titled 'Don't Ban Equality.' The website claims that the group represents more than 120,000 workers at numerous companies. While most of the signers are from small to medium sized companies in the fashion and new tech sectors, a few leaders from major companies have signed the letter. Some notable businesses represented are the finance and software firm Bloomberg LP, ice cream manufacturer Ben & Jerry's, retail clothing giant H&M, and designer Diane von Furstenburg.
While it is titled 'Don't Ban Equality,' the letter doesn't deal with equal pay for women. In fact, it doesn't deal with any issue in the corporate world where equality is concerned. Instead, it takes a position against the most fundamental right: the right to life.
The letter begins "when everyone is empowered to succeed, our companies, our communities and our economy are better for it." This seems unobjectionable; after all, a strong upbringing, or choice in education, or a healthy environment is empowering. People who are have these advantages are ready to succeed in the corporate world. Yet, the letter does not address any of those things. Rather, it focuses on what it calls "comprehensive reproductive care."
The letter confirms that this term means abortion. This echoes a common, yet spurious trend on the Left to associate abortion with reproductive healthcare. Abortion does not enhance reproductive health. It destroys a human life, so it is actually counter-reproductive. This doublespeak echoes Orwell's 1984. Yet that's not the most disturbing thing.
The letter exposes that many companies see the Roe status quo on abortion as friendly to their bottom line. When women carry their children to term, they become less available to companies. This is because they need to balance their new obligations of parenthood with work responsibilities. Among low-income communities, this becomes even more pronounced. Many low-income mothers don't have a spouse to assist them with childcare responsibilities. Almost half of the women who receive abortions are below the federal poverty level. Moreover, many of the companies on the letter have retail bases which rely on unskilled labor.
Looking at the big picture, the economic situation is more complex than the letter's cloying platitudes suggest. Population growth is worth considering. America is experiencing population growth at an annual rate of less than one percent. A significant number of economists think this rate doesn't coincide with a maximized potential for growth. Even the liberal-leaning International Growth Centre has found that historically, optimal economic growth coincides with 1.5 percent annual growth in population.
When a child is aborted, a person's chance at life isn't the only thing lost. Society loses a chance at having a creative contributor to the economy. Sometimes, failed abortion procedures make women liable to diseases which cause infertility. These situations render women unable to choose motherhood in the future. Why is corporate America so concerned with appearing 'progressive' by promoting a procedure that hinders their long-run interests?
This is the latest example of what some commentators call 'Woke Corporate Tyranny.' This idea is that companies seek to be 'hip' and in line with the Left's causes to receive business from cosmopolitan markets. This concept has gotten significantly greater play lately, with Netflix and Disney reacting similarly against states which have restricted abortion.
But while that overall trend is concerning, this letter has been over-hyped by news outlets. While it is true that many executives have signed it, barely more than 100,000 workers have done the same. For scale, 100,000 is less than the entire workforce of H&M. Given the large disparity in support between CEOs and ordinary working people, it would be easy for most Americans to dismiss this as elitist virtue-signalling. Meanwhile, these companies have also given principled citizens a handy guide on who to stop giving their business.
Besides, who needs Ben & Jerry's over-hyped store ice cream when one can get a delicious Frosty at Wendy's and feel good knowing the company says yes to life?
Photo credit: Jordan Uhl via Flickr, CC BY 2.0


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Software engineer for some time, I naviagte now in between project/team management and R&D contribution (mostly for proof of concept).
I started up working on medical image processing and multi modality registration (3D/2D). I developed a novative camera calibration algorithm mixing up image processing, pattern recognition and statistics computation.
My primary language has been C followed by C++ for which I acquired a solid experience (expert) including object oriented approach. Along my different jobs I have learnt several GUI frameworks (Motif/X11, MFC, Qt) for desktop applications.
More recently I have been involved in web (typescript/javascript) and web mobile (angular/cordova) developement and other languages (rust, go, kotlin). I have used Ruby to develop a sketchup plugin, python to maintain a weird and complicated simulation application.
Last but not least I am ramping up on a wider scope with Python: convolutional network in Python IA eco system coupled with an Android native development application, python as a primary dev platform for web backend. I reinforced my Python skills for couple years contributing to a project delivering a system to deploy an infrastructure defined as code.
ScholarJan 8, 2018
Popular QuestionJul 29, 2020
AutobiographerJan 5, 2018


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At the last minute I decided to watch UFC 244. A part of me felt I could wait until the fight ended between Masvidal and Diaz to, but then I also felt I only live once. Who knows if this kind of fight would ever happen again? It's not every day UFC puts on a main bout that isn't a title fight in New York City at Madison Square Garden where the winner gets the BMF belt. The attendance was 20,143 and the total revenue was $6,575,996. The Fight of the Night went to Stephen Thompson vs. Vicente Luque and Performance of the Night went to Kevin Lee and Corey Anderson. They all received $50,000 each. UFC 244 was the 500th live event. I did not watch the early preliminary or preliminary fights, but included the outcomes below.
Early Preliminary Card
Katlyn Chookagian (Catchweight) defeated Jennifer Maia by unanimous decision where all three judges scored it 29-28.
Lyman Good (Welterweight) defeated Chance Rencountre by TKO punches in third round
Hakeem Dawodu (Featherweight) defeated Julio Arce by split decision where two judges scored 29-28 and one judge scored 28-29.
Preliminary Card
Corey Anderson (Light Heavyweight) defeated Johnny Walker by TKO punches in first round.
Shane Burgos (Featherweight) defeated Makwan Amirkhani by TKO punches in third round.
Edmen Shah (Middleweight) defeated Brad Tavares by KO head kick in first round.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik (Heavyweight) defeated Andrei Arlovski by KO punch in first round.
I timed this perfectly as I had about 45 minutes to wait until the Main Card. Once it started, it went pretty quickly with the first fight ending in the first round and the one between Masvidal and Diaz ending unexpectedly. All I can say is I've seen worse, but people need their eyes to see. I'm not going to go in depth and describe all rounds between the fighters. As I was watching this, I took short notes and to get this posted before it turns November 3rd, I'm sort of shortening this out. Plus, I'm tired and don't really want to go in depth right now.
Main Card
The first fight between Kevin Lee (Welterweight) and Gregor Gillepsie was short and crazy in the fact Gillespie was lights out for a while. The fight ended 2.47 minutes into the first round by KO head kick. Kevin Lee was the winner.
The second fight between Derrick Lewis (Heavyweight) and Blagoy Ivanov went all three rounds with a split decision. The judges scored all differently with 30-27, 28-29, and 29-28. Derrick Lewis was the winner.
The third fight between Stephen Thompson (Welterweight) and Vicente Luque went all three rounds with a unanimous decision. Luque took more punches than a speed bag and kept going. He had a face made of steel. Two judges scored 30-26 and one judge scored 29-27. Stephen Thompson was the winner.
The fourth fight between Darren Till (Middleweight) and Kelvin Gastelum went all three rounds with a split decision. The judges scored all differently with 27-30, 29-28, and 30-27. Darren Till was the winner.
And now to the fight everyone came to see either through PPV or was lucky enough to score a seat at Madison Square Garden. The BMF title was up for grabs. Who was it going to be? West Coast fighter from Stockton, California or East Coast fighter from Miami, Florida. After the two fighters arrived into the arena and then the ring, the fight started and never got full momentum that it should due to Jorge Masdival sticking close to Nate Diaz during the first three rounds. Masdival showed the reason he belonged in the Welterweight division as a well-rounded fighter. Diaz was bloodied up in the first round, but he kept fighting and surviving during the next two rounds. Each time Diaz was punched by Masdival, the cut above his right eye kept opening more and bleeding all over. I told myself Diaz has to turn things up and huge in these last two rounds, but I never got a chance to see it. The doctor looked at Diaz's eye again and stopped the fight. So in other words, Jorge Masdival defeated Nate Diaz by TKO doctor stoppage after the third round was finished and before the fourth one began. The booing could be heard from the crowd and I was a little surprised. I've seen worse on fighters continue, but without workable eyes it's hard to fight.
The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) presented the BMF belt to Masdival. Masdival hugged it out with Diaz. They both agreed in separate quick interviews by Joe Rogan that there would another fight. I'm sure there will be and hope that Diaz can come back stronger and not take so many shots to the face and legs. Masdival definitely wobbled and hurt him. Masdival is quick on his feet and powerful with his hands. Okay, there's my quick recap so I could get this in before Sunday hits.
Good night, everyone.


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© Flickr/AskMen
Why Is This Important?
Because every man should be happy to know that this is possible.
Long Story Short
In the first ever penis transplant ever performed in America, doctors have restored the penis of a 64-year old man who lost his to cancer. The surgery counts as one of only three penis transplants ever performed.
Long Story
Losing their penis is something that most men only have nightmares about. Sadly, however, it does happen. The good news is that there have been incredible advances in penis transplant surgery of late, and these medical innovations offer tremendous hope to those who have lost this most precious of organs.
As The New York Times reports, last week bank courier Thomas Manning underwent a 15-hour operation in which doctors successfully completed America's first penis transplant surgery. The penis came from a deceased donor and was welcomed by Manning who had lost his to cancer.
It took doctors at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston three years to prepare for the surgery. They used dead donors to repeatedly practice the operation. While Manning's operation has so far proved successful, his doctors are waiting to see whether his new penis will work. "We're cautiously optimistic," says Dr. Curtis L. Cetrulo, a leader of the surgical team. "It's uncharted waters for us."
Manning's operation constitutes just one of three penis transplants ever reported to have been performed. The first, in 2006, took place in China and, ultimately, failed. The second, in South Africa, was so successful that the 21-year old recipient of the penis transplant was later able to father a child.
The team at Massachusetts General plan to perform more operations, with the hope of also being able to restore the penises of injured combat veterans. The New York Times reports that from 2001 to 2013, 1,367 men in the military had suffered genitourinary injuries in Iraq or Afghanistan. Nearly all of them were under the age of 35 and, tragically, suicide rates for these men have been exceptionally high.
Manning, who is clearly some kind of superhero, has spoken publicly about his experiences, partly to stop fellow survivors from feeling ashamed. "Don't hide behind a rock," he says.
Own The Conversation
Ask The Big Question
How long will it take for this surgery to become widely available to those who need it?
Disrupt Your Feed
It's possible that penis transplants may one day be performed for cosmetic reasons.
Drop This Fact
A government-approved American doctor has been performing penis enhancement surgery since 2004, by inserting silicone implants to increase length and width.


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Surely all active users who have signed up on the website of a suitable Australian online portal, when choosing exciting entertainment, notice constant updates and the appearance of the best new casino bonuses offered by the operator just like that and no deposit. Here's a list of free gifts in 2020:
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Kane, Stephen R. and Wittenmyer, Robert A. and Hinkel, Natalie R. and Roy, Arpita and Mahadevan, Suvrath and Dragomir, Diana and Matthews, Jaymie M. and Henry, Gregory W. and Chakraborty, Abhijit and Boyajian, Tabetha S. and Wright, Jason T. and Ciardi, David R. and Fischer, Debra A. and Butler, R. Paul and Tinney, C. G. and Carter, Brad D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0035-8769 and Jones, Hugh R. A . and Bailey, Jeremy and O'Toole, Simon J. (2016) Evidence for reflected light from the most eccentric exoplanet known. The Astrophysical Journal, 821 (1). ISSN 0004-637X
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Planets in highly eccentric orbits form a class of objects not seen within our Solar System. The most extreme case known amongst these objects is the planet orbiting HD 20782, with an orbital period of 597 days and an eccentricity of 0.96. Here we present new data and analysis for this system as part of the Transit Ephemeris Refinement and Monitoring Survey (TERMS). We obtained CHIRON spectra to perform an independent estimation of the fundamental stellar parameters. New radial velocities from AAT and PARAS observations during periastron passage greatly improve the our knowledge of the eccentric nature of the orbit. The combined analysis of our Keplerian orbital and Hipparcos astrometry show that the inclination of the planetary orbit is > 1.25 degrees, ruling out stellar masses for the companion. Our long-term robotic photometry show that the star is extremely stable over long timescales. Photometric monitoring of the star during predicted transit and periastron times using MOST rule out a transit of the planet and reveal evidence of phase variations during periastron. These possible photometric phase variations are likely caused by reflected light from the planet's atmosphere and the dramatic change in star--planet separation surrounding the periastron passage.
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|Faculty/School / Institute/Centre:
|Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Agricultural, Computational and Environmental Sciences (1 Jul 2013 - 5 Sep 2019)
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|Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Agricultural, Computational and Environmental Sciences (1 Jul 2013 - 5 Sep 2019)
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|planetary systems – techniques, photometric – techniques, radial velocities – stars, individual (HD 20782)
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|02 Physical Sciences > 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences > 020110 Stellar Astronomy and Planetary Systems
|Fields of Research (2020):
|51 PHYSICAL SCIENCES > 5101 Astronomical sciences > 510109 Stellar astronomy and planetary systems
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The Gober Group wins First Amendment case in the 8th Circuit; Missouri law struck down as unconstitutionalThursday, July 12, 2018
A Warning Shot to Over-Regulators Across the Country
ST. LOUIS, MO – In a successful First Amendment challenge led by Chris Gober and Stephen Hoersting of The Gober Group, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has affirmed a federal court's decision to strike down a Missouri statute as unconstitutional. That statute requires groups to "form" a political committee no later than thirty days before an election if they wish to speak in support of a candidate or ballot measure.
Missourians for Fiscal Accountability (MFA) was formed in October 22, 2014, and the organization sought to advocate for a proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution voted upon during the November 4, 2014 general election. MFA endeavored to register as a "campaign committee" as required by Missouri statute; however, Missouri law precluded MFA from collecting or spending money to support the proposed amendment because MFA did not register as a campaign committee at least thirty days before the election. Six days prior to the general election, MFA initiated a lawsuit alleging that Missouri's "blackout period" is an unconstitutional "prior restraint" on political speech in violation of the First Amendment.
In an opinion authored by Circuit Judge Duane Benton, the Eighth Circuit court rejected the State of Missouri's argument that the statute is merely a disclosure law that is subject to a lower level of constitutional scrutiny. The court reasoned:
[T]he fact that a statute does not limit speech on its face does not mean that it is a disclosure requirement. While a formation deadline by itself might not expressly limit speech, the formation deadline here is more than a disclosure requirement because it prohibits (or significantly burdens) formation of a campaign committee, a requisite for legally engaging in speech, even if the individual or group is willing to comply with organizational and disclosure requirements.
After determining that the government must prove that the law furthers a compelling interest and is narrowly tailored to achieve that interest, the court concluded, "Assuming, without deciding, that this interest is compelling, the formation deadline is unconstitutional because it is not narrowly tailored."
"This is a resounding victory that underscores what we have argued all along: this law is an unconstitutional prior restraint on speech being masqueraded by the government as a nominal disclosure requirement," says Chris Gober. "Today's ruling sends a warning shot to over-regulators across the country who are seeking to undermine the First Amendment in the name of disclosure."
The protracted litigation, which has been drawn out over three and a half years, included two appeals to the Eighth Circuit that MFA won. During the course of the litigation, MFA has been represented by attorneys Chris Gober, Stephen Hoersting, and Troy McCurry of The Gober Group, Caleb Jones of Columbia, Mo., and Bryan White of White Graham Buckley & Carr. A copy of the most recent Eighth Circuit opinion can be viewed here.
About The Gober Group
The Gober Group is an Inc. 5000 law firm that represents CHANGEMAKERS in the business and political ecosystems. Rather than describing what we do by practice area, we're different in that like to describe the type of client we serve: ambitious and innovative COMPANIES, CAUSES, and INFLUENCERS that require our expertise at the intersection of business, law, politics and, of course, relationships.
For more information about the firm, please visit http://gobergroup.com.


text: For a variety of reasons, individuals may be asked by another professional, such as a physician, case-worker, or therapist, to receive a psychological evaluation for themselves or a family member. We offer psychological evaluations that assess a variety of diagnostic questions, including learning disabilities, ADHD, bariatric surgery readiness, and many others. Please check with us to see if we can provide an evaluation that meets your needs. We do not provide forensic, custody, or complex neuropsychological evaluations.


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Did you miss a session from GamesBeat Summit Next 2022? All sessions are now available for viewing in our on-demand library. Click here to start watching.
Chatbots are talking up a storm. Some are making sense; most aren't. In the era of conversational UI, every word matters. The conversational copy you write will define your bot's personality and amplify your company's brand. As you build your bot, it's important to consider how conversational copy can forge a sticky relationship between your bot and users.
What is conversational copy?
Conversational copy is simply how your bot is scripted to talk. At the same time, conversational copy is arguably one of the most important brand assets you have to make your bot rise above the rest and get noticed.
As bots grow in adoption and begin to replace job functions once performed by humans, it's incredibly important to make your bot a pleasant agent to interface with, both for the functional utility provided and for the conversational experience. It's no different from the polite small talk you might have (or once had) with a teller at your bank, cashier at the grocery store, or receptionist over the phone.
Writing strong conversational copy gives you an opportunity to build a mythology behind your bot, a mythology that aligns with your brand and with the WHY behind your business, to use a term made popular by Simon Sinek.
Bot promotion through conversational copy
In the absence of strong bot discovery mechanisms, getting others to find out about and adopt your bot will be a challenge, especially if you're developing a new consumer-oriented bot without an existing audience. The average user isn't going to Botlist.co in search of a bot (at least not yet).
Before you begin developing your bot, think about what efforts you are undertaking to overcome the challenges of bot discovery. How might conversational copy help spread awareness about your bot and spark adoption?
Well, an excellent way to cultivate and reveal your bot's persona and to generate user discovery is to incorporate Easter eggs into your bot's conversational copy.
What are Easter eggs?
An Easter egg is an intentional inside joke, hidden message, or feature waiting to be discovered. Easter eggs have been around for decades, and they mainly exist to get people talking.
Well-crafted messages can help your bot create a sense of surprise and amazement for the user. Your bot will seem fun and engaging, and thus more real. Users will then share their story of discovery with their friends and coworkers, casting your bot in a positive light and increasing the odds of discovery and adoption.
Writing Easter eggs
As your team of writers begins to write your bot's conversational copy, urge them to consider how to drop an Easter egg into the conversation. They can use these extras as opportunities to build your bot's brand and define its personality. Everyone enjoys talking with someone who has just the right amount of je ne sais quoi.
Cultural jokes
Now, with the popularity of Easter eggs that Alexa and Siri can respond to, it's inevitable someone will reference inside cultural jokes. For instance, a user might ask your bot "What does the fox say?" or a direct statement such as "Show me the money!"
Any and all established Easter eggs are valuable opportunities to get people talking and to showcase the cultural hipness and moxie of you bot.
However, moving past these direct opportunities served up by the user, your bot must be taught how to react to a range of other natural conversational interactions. These are the key moments when your bot has an opportunity to really engage with a user and disclose an Easter egg.
This is obvious, but first impressions matter. How your bot makes first contact with a user will leave an immediate and lasting impression. Consider this — if your bot was at a party would it try to meet everyone in the room, or would it stand alone in the corner and wait for someone to strike up a conversation with it? Once you get your bot talking, what does it disclose about itself? Do it know any entertaining magic tricks? Maybe it shows them, maybe not…
Hypothetical example:
User: Hello @yourbot
Yourbot: Well, hello! It's great to talk! Claire, your Slack admin, added me to your team to help schedule medical and dental appointments for you. Ready to take action and get started, or do you want to watch a funny cat video?
Users are going to say bad things to your bot. It's just what humans do. It's an excellent opportunity to inject some personality and saucy wit. There's a real creative exercise in solving for how your bot responds to requests for sex and/or drugs. Think of several ways to respond to avoid sounding repetitive and stale. Again, how might this response be driven by what your brand and your company values?
Hypothetical example:
User: Hey bot, can we have sex?
Yourbot: No. Never, ever, ever. You can type commands to see all the things I can do, though.
At some point in the conversation, your bot will likely get confused and not understand a user's request. This is another opportunity to showcase your bot's tenacity and readiness to learn. Remember to be honest with users when your bot is confused, but also let them know that your bot is continuously improving.
Hypothetical example:
User: Hey bot, go move $60 into my savings account.
Yourbot: Not going to lie, not sure what you're asking me to do (yet). You can type feedback if you want me to relay a feature request to my product team members.
Help requests
How does your bot demonstrate its willingness and ability to help the user? Does it arrive like a superhero to save the day? Does it simply provide an external link taking the user out of the messaging experience? How effectively your bot can get to the root of a user's need for help, and how it goes about reconciling this need for help speaks volumes about its personality and will influence the likelihood of someone continuing to use (or drop) your bot.
Hypothetical example:
User: Help!
Yourbot: Right away! Visit help.yourbot.com or type human to have a real person contact you right away.
Collecting feedback
How does your bot collect product feedback on behalf of the user? Passionate users want to be part of the process of creating products that bring them value. Consider how your bot might respond to a critical user. How does it accept criticism? And what does it do afterwards? This moment is a very interesting opportunity to drop an Easter egg for someone who has gone out of their way to bubble up feedback to you and your team.
Below is a neat example I really like from @statsbot:
How does your bot respond when someone tells it to be quiet? Does it bow its head and listen? Does it make light of the silencing situation through humor? Will it ever reach out to the user again? It's a little weird when someone says they don't want to talk anymore, so carefully consider how your bot chooses to handle the situation.
Below is an interesting example of how @meekan handles being asked to "talk" less with a user.
Developing Easter eggs
There are several firms that can help you implement Easter eggs for your bots. Some natural language processing (NLP) as a service providers include Wit.ai, Init.ai, and Api.ai.
(Disclosure: At Abe.ai, we use Api.ai to implement our Easter eggs. I encourage you to explore the pre-built conversational domains of Api.ai (or those of other providers), which include Small-Talk, Sports, Finance, and Weather.)
I hope you found this article helpful and that it inspires you to share your own thoughts on bots. If you want to talk about conversational copy or bot marketing, send me a message to firstname.lastname@example.com
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At the beginning of the year I set out to achieve four goals for 2017. (If you missed it, you can read about it here.) Recently, I met one of those goals — Travel (around town) — in the most interesting of ways.
Last Friday, I received an alert on my phone from Couchsurfers: Jonathan has requested to stay with you. Seeing as my weekend was pretty empty and I had the room, I enthusiastically hit the "Yes" button. What happened next was not having a person crash on my couch, but even better. I made a new friend and gained a new perspective on the place I call home.
If you really want to fall back in love with Baltimore, then show around an out-of-towner.
The first place that Jonathan and I hit up was the National Aquarium. One of the city's jewels, we decided to take advantage of the Fridays after Five deal and enjoy the underwater world without having to get soaked. (It was already raining, so staying dry was a bonus.)
Now, I will say that I am biased when it comes to visiting the Aquarium because I work there on occasion. But due to a pesky broken ankle that's made walking a literal pain, I haven't been back in six months. There is something about seeing a familiar place with a person who has never been there, which allows you to notice things that you may not have noticed — and get points of view on things you have always wondered. (For instance, Jonathan being an Aussie native, enjoyed the Australia exhibit and was delighted to get to see the archer fish being fed. Although, when you get to watch fish spit water to knock crickets out of the air, it's hard to be disappointed!)
It also shows you that, even when you live on the other side of the world, some things are universal — like getting your picture taken at the bubble tubes, something I've seen every visitor do at least once. We spent a good two hours wandering the Aquarium, so Jonathan was able to see Maryland rockfish, sturgeon and horseshoe crabs. He appreciated all of that, since he wasn't able to hit Ocean City on this trip.
Jonathan really wanted to know about the city as well as the animals. He already knew to grab a crab cake, try Old Bay with fries and buy a box of Berger cookies. I figured we could make some of it happen that night.
He wanted to get a real Bmore feel, but had to be at an event in an hour. I knew that if he wanted local Maryland beer and seafood, the best place close by was none other than my fave, Heavy Seas Alehouse.
Our awesome waitress helped Jonathan choose between the oyster poor boy sandwich, crab dog and crab cake sandwich — gotta go crab cake, man! I went with my own tried and true dinner of a foot long crab dog. We swapped stories of our homes while dining on lots of crab cakes, crab dip, Old Bay and beer. Just like a normal Bmore night, right? Well, with one Aussie twist: Jonathan brought Tim Tams from the land down under, so we swapped those in for dessert instead of searching for Berger cookies.
(By the way, tipping your waitress with an additional Tim Tam surprise is totally worth it!)
Over the next few days, I wasn't able to physically show Jonathan around (jobs are pesky like that). Instead, I steered him towards Hampden for some great music and dinner at The Food Market. And he enjoyed his crab cake so much, he hit up the Papermoon Diner for a crab melt. Before he left, he bought his own box of Berger cookies to take home. Rumor has it, his coworkers thought they were delicious.
I'm hoping that Jonathan and I cross paths again on the travel trail. And I must tell you, having grown up on crab cakes and Old Bay it was fun to watch someone experience the flavors for the first time. I was a little jealous! So if you ever get the chance to take someone around town, I say do it! You won't regret it!
After all, what could 'B' more adventurous?


text: Steve Sansweet (our friend from Rancho Obi-Wan) reminisces about "Christmas in the Stars: The Star Wars Christmas Album" in a recent blog post at starwars.com. If you truly want to get into the holiday season, this is a must for all Fankind! Oh, and we happen to have a few copies for sale at Brian's Comics. Makes a great stocking stuffer!!!


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EFD Rights Watch: Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey's wanna-be bedroom coach, says that Abortion is 'murder,'
Today in Beşiktaş a feminist group protested Erdoğan's latest – not any more funny- ranting:
via Twitter
PM Erdoğan counters growing pressure over Uludere massacre with arguments beyond reason… For the first time, I began to hear some rumors that he might in fact be in need of psychiatric help…
via Twitter
Abortion is 'murder,' says Turkey's PM
from Hurriyet Daily News
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday he considered abortion as "murder
Will Turkey Illegalize Abortion Soon?
from The Istanbulian by Emre Kızılkaya
Turkish court convicts Kurdish politician over speeches
– chicagotribune.com
Turkey through Amnesty International?s eyes
from Today's Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news :: Interviews by ORHAN KEMAL CENGİZ
Amnesty International (AI) released its annual report, ?Amnesty International Report 2012,? yesterday. I read the section of this report on Turkey quite carefully.
Press freedom still a big problem in Turkey?
from Hurriyet Daily News
All 33 employees of a local newspaper in Turkey?s north have quit after.
?Promised Legal Reforms did not Occur in Turkey?
from Bianet :: English
?Promised constitutional and other legal reforms did not occur. Instead, the right to freedom of expression was threatened and protesters faced increased police violence? cites Amnesty International Report in the section about Turkey.


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Our white vinyl sleeves are sold two sleeves to a pack and are designed to keep your arms dry, while protecting your shirtsleeves from becoming stained. Each sleeve has an elastic band on each end to ensure that they fit securely and prevent contaminants from reaching your arms. Most often these vinyl sleeves are used during light duty industrial applications in grooming shops, clinics, food processing, laboratory environments, car washes, and when working with wet tools.
Vinyl sleeves offer an inexpensive, quick, and simple way to save time and money. Although simplistic in design, these vinyl protective sleeves will save you a lot of time spent trying various mixtures in the laundry room attempting to remove stains from your shirtsleeves. They also save you money by eliminating the need to throw out the shirts that you weren't able to get clean. Simply slide one of these vinyl sleeves over each of your shirtsleeves and get to work. When you're done working, our vinyl sleeves are durable enough to clean and store for later use, although cheap enough to toss out as well.
White protective vinyl sleeves aren't just for contractors anymore. The popularity of our vinyl sleeves is growing with homeowners, hobbyists, and crafters. They have found that vinyl sleeves help keep their clothes clean as well. For the homeowner, cleaning and repairs are very common. When cleaning rooms that have been neglected, reaching behind electronics, and making minor repairs, homeowners tend to get their shirtsleeves covered in dirt, grease, and other stain causing substances. Wearing protective vinyl sleeves while performing theses tasks is an easy way for homeowners to save both time and money.
During meal preparations, at home or in a restaurant, anyone that cooks knows how messy cooking can be. These protective sleeves will not only keep their shirtsleeves clean, they will help prevent the spread of contaminates such as salmonella, e-coli, and other germs that may cause themselves and others to become ill. By wearing vinyl sleeves for tasks like removing the innards from a turkey and afterward disposing of the sleeves, you can keep your cooking environment much more sanitary.
Hobbyists find that by wearing protective vinyl sleeves while enjoying their crafting projects, they can spend more time crafting and less time cleaning. Substances like glue, paint, and glitter, tend to be attracted to their clothing and vinyl sleeves provide an ideal barrier to stop them from ruining their shirts. Another benefit offered by these inexpensive sleeves is that they are small in size and can easily be packed away with the rest of their crafting supplies.


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Signs of Allah around us
The depth of the mind is more than that of the depth of the oceans. And Allah gives men a power to jump into it and came out with the diamonds of conclusions. If we will look around in the world. Like when we sleep, we see the moon and when we wake up, we see the sun in front of us. Is that happen we see the sun at night and moon in the day? No then who manage and change the day into night and night into day? Does the moon and sun switch and change their timings?
If we will look at nature then we can see that there are many billions of people in the world and everyone is different from another. There is uniqueness in every person in the world. We will look to the mountain who created them so beautiful and decorated them with plants. Who harvests them? How the waterfalls from the sky as a rain? Perform Hajj thru cheap Hajj Packages 2019 and recall Allah the Creator.
Who created this all? Do they create themselves? No, it's the universal fact that every creation gives us the hint of its creator. Like the clock gives us the hint of the watchmen. The books give us the hint about the author. Likewise, these things also give us the idea of their creation.
He is Allah who is the creator of the universe and all the things within. These all are the signs for men to understand.
As Allah says in Quran,
"He is one who creates sun and moon and alternated days and nights. In a correct order, these all are the signs for the men to understand."
On the other place, Allah says as follow,
"We have created the ceiling of skies above you."
On the other place of the Quran Allah says as follow,
"Do they not see the bird in the sky suspended in the mid-air no one hold them except Allah. These are the signs for the man to understand."
On the other place, Allah says about his indication as follow,
"He sends down water from the sky in the due measure, and we raise to life therewith a land that is dead. Even so, you will be raised."
On the other place of the Holy Quran Allah says as follow,
"We have created the mountain to hold the land."
On the other place of the Holy Quran Allah says as follow,
"And the earth and we spread it out and set the mountains to hold them firmly and harvest there every kind of lovely growth plant."
And there are many more signs of Allah around us and he is the only creator of the Universe. He is only to whom we have to turn.
As Allah says in Quran,
"All the submissions belong to Allah Almighty."
On the other place, he said as follow,
"Allah is the only creator of the universe and what is in between the earth and skies."
We if look around we will see many of the blessings of Allah upon us they are soon much that we can't even count them. And Allah doesn't want anything from us except to practice his teachings. It's our duty to thank Allah for so many blessings that he gave us. There is no better place to thank Allah other than his own house. So, we all must go for Hajj and Umrah. Now, book Islamic pilgrimage services from the UK for Muslims for February because it is much cheaper and easy to get.


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My wife and I are coming to the logical end of our marriage. The only thing that keeps us together is the 2 two children.
My question is what are my financial commitments to her after divorce? She says they continue until she weds again. Is this the case? She wants the kids, and I cannot separate them from their mother. I will live nearby. Please advise me. As it is, I have a backlog of debt to her, where she forewent nafaqah, and I must repay it. Do I owe anything on top of this?
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
One of the rights of the wife on the husband is her financial support, which includes food, clothing, shelter, etc…
Allah Most High says:
"Let the man of means spend according to his means, and the man whose resources are restricted, let him spend according to what Allah has given him." (Surah al-Talaq, V.7)
This financial support (nafaqah) is binding upon the husband throughout the marriage if the wife gives herself to him or offers to. (al-Mawsili, al-Ikhtiyar, 4/229)
If the marriage unfortunately came to an end, then the woman will receive this financial support throughout the waiting period (iddah). Once the post marital waiting period comes to an end, the obligation of Nafaqah no longer remains on the husband.
Allah Most High says:
"Let the woman live (in iddah) in the same style as you live, according to your means. Annoy them not, so as to restrict them. And if they carry (life in their wombs), then spend on them until they deliver their burden." (Surah al-Talaq, V. 6)
It should be remembered that the wife will be entitled to this financial support (during the waiting period) regardless of whether the divorce was revocable or irrevocable. (Radd al-Muhtar, 3/609)
As far as the Nafaqah for the previous years is concerned, the Fuqaha mention that if a period passed, wherein the husband failed to provide financial support for his wife, the amount he should have paid her does not remain a debt on him.
However, there are two exceptions to this:
1) If both spouses arranged that it will be paid later,
2) The Judge (qadhi) ordered that it should be paid later.
Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) states in his Durr al-Mukhtar:
"Financial support (nafaqah) will not become a debt except with judgment (qadha) or by agreement (radha)." (See: Radd al-Muhtar, 3/594)
Therefore, if you did not make an arrangement with your wife of paying the Nafaqah later, it will not be binding on you to pay her for the previous years. However, if you do, out of your own will, you will be rewarded.
And Allah knows best
[Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam
Darul Iftaa
Leicester , UK


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Tryouts are just around the corner! They will be held during the second week of classes in the East Gym on SFU's Burnaby campus.
Who: All new or existing students enrolled in at least one class in the Fall 2011 semester who have a valid SFU Recreation shoe tag.
What: All spots on both Red and White team are available, we have full team tryouts every semester.
When: Thursday, September 15 from 7:30 - 9:30ish pm
Where: East Gym on SFU's Burnaby Campus.


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By manager on December 14, 2017
When you're a big group trying to go around various points around the city, then you should opt for a charter bus in Findlay! By using bigger vehicles fit for many people, you won't have to hassle yourselves through renting multiple cars or getting lost from convoying. But where exactly can you get the best charter bus rentals in Findlay? That's where we come along!
Our charter buses aren't only of excellent quality (with many of models to choose from!) but they also come at affordable packages and prices you can take advantage of. Plus, we have the premium customer service you deserve!
If you want to lear more about our charter bus rental in Findlay, then you have to know all about the vehicles we have to offer as well.
We have motor coaches and charter buses which can fit 30, 40, or 50 passengers at a time. And if you are a smaller group of people, then you can also avail of our mini buses and shuttle buses, which can fit up to 30 people at a time, depending on the model and make you choose.
Another type of service we have to offer are school bus rentals. These are best for field trips and regular services to take your students and teachers to and from school safely and conveniently.
What type of special events can you use our buses for? Here are a few ideas:
Our buses can offer wedding transportation to take your guests to and from the venue. We can also do the same for bachelor and bachelorette parties or other memorable occasions for you and your love ones. Prom and homecoming dances, sporting events, concerts, you name it!
We also have airport transportation, suitable for travelers going to the area for vacation. And for companies, we also have corporate transportation, optimal for retreats, meetings, and seminars for employees.
Another huge plus is that you can party in our charter buses, which can be a great way to celebrate intimate events like birthdays and anniversaries with your loved ones.
Our charter bus rates would depend on a variety of factors, such as how long you'll be using the bus for, the type of bus you are getting, as well as the number of passengers boarding. To get the exact prices, simply fill up our form or message our team of experts. We will be able to assist you as soon as possible, providing you with a price list and discounts or packages, if applicable.
Check out these three places when in Findlay:


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Lego is world's largest toy company thanks to 'Lego Movie' success
Lego says its revenue soared 11 percent in the first six months of 2014, mostly because of the success of the 'Lego Movie.' The Danish toy maker said Thursday that it was 'thrilled' by the success.
| COPENHAGEN, Denmark
Danish toy maker Lego says revenue soared 11 percent in the first six months of 2014, mostly because of the success of the "Lego Movie."
The privately owned company's chief financial officer said Thursday they were thrilled by the success.
John Goodwin said: "Lego Movie products provided a significant boost to our sales during the first half of 2014." He said that support could continue in the second half of the year, when Lego Movie will be launched on DVD.
Net profit in the period was up 14 percent compared with the first half of 2013, at 2.7 billion kroner ($480 million), on sales of 11.5 billion kroner.
A significant contributor to sales growth in the first half of 2014 was The LEGO Movie product line which launched in conjunction with the release of The LEGO Movie feature film in early 2014.
A portion of Lego's statement on the financial results is below
"We are thrilled by the reception of The LEGO Movie products that provided a significant boost to our sales during the first half of 2014," says Executive Vice President and CFO John Goodwin, adding:
"The LEGO Movie celebrated the creative potential in us all, which is also the foundation of any LEGO product we develop. Every LEGO set must offer a versatile play experience that fosters creative building, and this is what we continually strive to deliver to children all over the world."
Strong growth in all regions
In the first half of 2014 the LEGO Group experienced broad-based sales momentum in the regions where it operates.
"Consumer sales growth in Europe, the Americas, and Asia was in the double digits, which is very satisfactory in the light of the global toy market which experienced a slow start in 2014," says John Goodwin, adding:
"It is too early to say if the strong performance will be reflected in the full year results as the majority of LEGO sales to consumers happen in the second half of the calendar year in a short time span of a few weeks leading up to the holiday season. The strong performance of The LEGO Movie products had a positive effect during the first half of 2014, and it remains to be seen how the line will continue to develop behind the highly anticipated launch of The LEGO Movie on DVD in the second half of 2014."
Global presence a successful strategy
In the Asian region, growth in LEGO sales varied from market to market. China saw the most significant growth in consumer sales in the region by more than 50%. This supports the LEGO Group's ambitions to further globalize the company and make Asia a significant contributor to future growth.
During April 2014 two significant celebrations marked this intent; the official ground breaking of the first LEGO factory in China, located in Jiaxing; and the inauguration of a new office in Shanghai, which is one of five main offices globally for the LEGO Group.
"There is a huge potential in Asia, and we are still learning and in the process of building our capabilities in the region. The factory and the office represent a significant expansion of our physical presence in the region. Alongside our other main office in Singapore, the Shanghai office and the new factory enable strategically important functions to be located close to our customers as well as children and parents in China and Asia," says Bali Padda, executive vice president and COO.
The decision to place a LEGO Factory in China is a direct consequence of the LEGO Group's ambition to have production placed close to core markets.
"This enables us to deliver LEGO products to retailers and ultimately to children all over the world very fast, offering a world class service to our customers and consumers. This has proven to be a successful strategy for us, and by further globalizing the LEGO Group, we hope to reach even more children around the world with a creative play experience," says Bali Padda.
In the first half of 2014 other significant milestones on the LEGO Group's journey towards that ambition were achieved.
In Europe, expansions of the LEGO factory in the Czech Republic continued, while a brand new factory was inaugurated in Nyiregyhaza, Hungary in March. Alongside the LEGO factory in Denmark, these mainly supply LEGO products to children in the European markets.
In Mexico, expansion of the LEGO factory in Monterrey was completed and inaugurated in June. The Mexican factory mainly supplies the American markets, and the expansion is expected to create more than 1,000 new jobs.
"We have been investing and we will continue to invest significant resources in further globalizing the company, which is a precondition for our future ability to not only create great LEGO experiences for children all over the world, but also our ability to build a culturally diverse organization where we can attract and develop global talent. Ultimately this is what will ensure the future success of the LEGO Group," says Jørgen Vig Knudstorp.
Lego, which is not publicly listed, releases only half-year figures.


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Several months ago, in a marriage counseling session, the counselor said something that resonated enough with me that I still remember it today. It was along the lines of, "Partnerships like marriage are meant to help you grow and change into a better person. The fact that it isn't as easy to leave is what keeps you there during the hard times, but the work you put in to stay and develop is what curves your edges and builds you up."
Now I'm sure anyone could say the exact opposite and make it sound just as likely. After all, keeping marriages afloat is this woman's bread and butter. I chose to believe her, and I DO feel that one of the benefits of marriage is that it does make it little harder to cut and run on a whim.
I also know that keeping a long term relationship going is hard, no matter who you are, if you are really doing the work to keep it healthy and growing.
Some marriages have less strife than others. Some thrive on conflict. Others seem to just always be perfect (from the outside). I cannot judge anyone's marriage but my own. I also cannot defend the institution of marriage for anyone else but myself. For me and Mr. D, it was THE choice. It was symbol...it was ritual...it was vows that each of us took (and still do) very seriously.
Our problem has been born of this: I changed more than he did - and we didn't really change or grow together. So, now, like bending branches on an tree and tying them together, we are re-training ourselves, which is much more difficult than just having done it the right way from the start (easier said than done and so easy to see in hindsight).
Now, we aren't really starting over...because there is no real way to do that. We've been together too long to do that. We have too much history (good and bad) and too much emotion attached to that history.
Instead, we are taking what we have, the best parts, and rebuilding with those materials, leaving the weak ones out or reinforcing them with forgiveness.
Mr. D is my mirror. Of course, the image I see there is colored by his interpretation, but it's just as skewed as my own can be (of myself and of him). He is my best friend, my partner, my son's father, my companion, and (less often than is needed) my lover.
It's that weak - and sometimes missing - element that I'm focusing on here, because when it is working, everything else seems to fall into place. We become the soul mates we knew we were at the beginning.
My heart and mind can be fickle. But, there is something at my core that says, "This cannot be lost." So I have to use my mind and my heart to build what my core tells me to.
I am on a journey to find a true home within my marriage. This is about receptivity and graciousness. This about creativity and courage and letting my guard down...all the way. This is about vulnerability.
Because, quite honestly, I don't know what I'm trying to protect. Whatever insecurities are hiding in my head, it really is time to let them all go. Half of my lifetime is already too long to have let them run the show.
I am not religious, but I am spiritual. And for me, marriage is a spiritual connection. It is a choice that I made to join my essence with another's, but for some reason, I have not allowed that to happen completely.
Rather than try to figure out why (hours of psychotherapy that I am not willing to subject myself to or pay for), I am just going to work out how to move forward with this "opening."
Today is Winter Solstice. The day when the dark half of the year gives way to the growing light. I can think of nothing more symbolically appropriate for my life right now.
Habit isn't really what I'm going for here. In it's simplest form, I suppose, but habits are things we do without thinking. Things that just happen because we have done them the same way repeatedly for a long period of time. Habits are not inherently good or bad. Intentions, however...that's where it's at. These are conscious decisions to believe or act a certain way. But, even intention isn't enough (we all know about the road to Hell, right?). What is important is the action. Love is a verb. And being a good lover is much more than intention. If intention were enough, I'd have had this thing nailed long ago, as my intentions have always been good.
The real questions that get at the heart of this problem are hard to face. What has been getting in my way? Why haven't the intentions grown into sustained action? What keeps me from prioritizing my marriage?
And once again...hours of psychotheraphy. But the simplest answer is self-centeredness. I'll just be painfully honest. I have a tendency toward self-preservation and self-motivation. If it benefits me, I'm all over it. If I have to move outside of myself, it feels like a chore. Believe, admitting things like this about myself doesn't feel good.
So, this is not only about becoming a better lover to my husband, but about becoming a better person, period: more deeply connected, more receptive, more sensual, more gracious and more centered. This is about creating a life vision and working my way toward it.
There is something oddly calming about realizing that I have achieved all of my major goals and that this is likely what has been causing all of my emotional disharmony...trying to answer the question "what now?" for someone who is all about productivity is unsettling. But, I've begun to feel that maybe "what now?" is the wrong question to ask. In fact, it makes me think of a favorite quote:
Maybe this is a year that answers. Maybe this is a year that I finally learn to simply be comfortable and content in my own skin. Accepting. Opening. Expanding.
Happy Solstice!


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22 No-Fuss Family Christmas Traditions to Start This Year
The best Christmas traditions begin organically. For example, one Christmas Eve my mom was frustrated because my dad wanted to go to church and she knew she had hours of wrapping still to do. So my dad offered to bring … Continue reading →


text: Subscribe to our newsletter By subscribing, you agree with Revue's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and understand that Startup Watching will receive your email address. Apr 16, 2020 When to go from no-code to code ⌨ (Startup Watching #240) Happy Thursday Watchers! For the last year or so I've been trying to establish a daily writing habit. When to go from no-code to code ⌨ (Startup Watching #240) By Andrew Askins • Issue #240 • View online Happy Thursday Watchers!For the last year or so I've been trying to establish a daily writing habit. This was driven by two goals: Become a better marketer Find creative work that makes me feel fulfilled Outside of this newsletter it has been a struggle (and sometimes including this newsletter, let's be honest). But then a few weeks ago I made a small change to my habit. Suddenly writing every day feels incredibly easy. It went from being a chore that I had to accomplish to something I enjoy doing.What changed?I started journaling instead of blogging.Tons of people were suggesting this would be a good time to journal, if for no other reason than to document everything going on in the world. I already journaled sporadically, so I decided to make that my daily writing instead of blogging.I love it. The lack of pressure is so freeing. I don't have to worry about the writing being good enough, or long enough. I just write.I'm hoping over time I can still parlay this into blog content somehow, but maybe not. Maybe this will just be a personal habit. I'll let you know when I figure that out!Cheers from Charleston ✌AndrewP.S. You'll find a lot less corona-inspired content today. I'm starting to get tired of it, so figured it's time to get back to normal categories (at least in part). FEATURED How to Rands 🧜♂ I've likely shared this before, but it's one of my favorites and to be brutally honest I needed a featured article I knew was worth your time but was getting tired of putting together the newsletter.I love the concept of how to guides for people, and imagine writing one for yourself is a valuable learning experience. It's been on my list for ages. What would be in yours? randsinrepose.com • Share MVP SignalFire's back-office adulting guide 📑 This is a killer list of tools and steps to get any new business off the ground. It's not product-focused at all, instead it's the unsexy stuff you need to run a business but usually don't find until you're a couple years in (caveat: that's totally okay, you can run 90% of your business with an excel spreadsheet and a google doc). I would replace Gusto with Justworks because you can offer benefits way sooner through a PEO. coda.io • Share The right way to talk to people about your idea 💡 I loved this IndieHackers interview with Rob Fitzpatrick, founder of the Mom test. I've been a big proponent of user interviews for ages, and he does a killer job of explaining how to do an interview the right way in really simple terms. www.indiehackers.com • Share GROWTH I loved seeing Jason's answer to the question, "when should you consider transitioning from no-code to your own codebase." Exciting to hear investors saying they want to invest in no-code startups. email@example.com @Jason Aaron asks..."How do investors view no-code startups? At what point (Series A,B, etc.) should they transition to their own code base?"#AskJasonFull episode 🎧: https://t.co/bKYZqqTvGM https://t.co/aFxWyhjhtp 12:56 AM - 14 Apr 2020 How a tiny 3D printing startup became a critical supplier of face shields 🛡 One of our former clients, Zverse, has made a major pivot to combat the crisis and is on track to produce 20 million shields. Super cool to see the small company based in Columbia, SC written up by Forbes this week. This is what it looks like to adapt in a crisis. www.fastcompany.com • Share SCALE The Indie.vc v4 investments 💵 Indie.vc is one of the most interesting VC firms out there. The invest in smaller, slower-growing profitable businesses (what they dub "Real Businesses") and make most of their investments remotely. They just announced their latest round of portfolio companies. www.indie.vc • Share How to buy income-producing websites 👑 This could just as easily fit under the MVP section, because this is a valid strategy for starting your own business. But it's also an interesting way to scale your wealth or your business as you grow. This is a podcast interview with the CEO of Flippa. Listen as he breaks down what makes a good purchase when buying a digital property, how the biggest investors are doing it, and what the common mistakes are. podcasts.apple.com • Share INTERESTING The Food Lab's chocolate chip cookies recipe 🍪 I've been on a quest since before quarantine to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, and this is one of my new favorites. It makes chewy chocolate chip cookies with crisp edges, a rich, buttery, toffee-like flavor, big chocolate chunks, and a sprinkle of sea salt. Enjoy! www.seriouseats.com • Share Did you enjoy this issue? By Andrew Askins Curated knowledge, inspiration and background stories from the startup world. Delivered to your inbox every now and then 📬 | Find me @andrewaskins. Tweet Share In order to unsubscribe, click here. If you were forwarded this newsletter and you like it, you can subscribe here. Powered by Revue 369 N Nassau St, Charleston, SC 29403 Share Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Subscribe to our newsletter By subscribing, you agree with Revue's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and understand that Startup Watching will receive your email address.


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Top 10 Reasons To Vacation In Rome, Italy
When people think of the world's greatest cities, a short list can come to mind quite quickly – New York, London, Paris and Rome. Named Trip Advisor's second best destination, behind Istanbul and ahead of London and Paris, Rome is a fabulous city rich in history, art and culture. You probably don't need many reasons to visit Rome but here is a look at 10 of the best. The best part of all is that you can see many of the top attractions in the Eternal City in a matter of days, allowing you to consider visiting other fascinating cities in Italy.
At look at Rome's architecture is like a look into more than two thousand years of innovative designs now familiar all over the world. The Romans are credited with developing architectural structures such as arched construction and aqueducts. Examples of Roman influence in other parts of the world include Paris' Arch of Triumph, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, New York Public Library and Washington Square Arch in Greenwich Village.
Roman Forum
Some of the world's most famous structures can be visited in the Roman Forum, including the iconic Colosseum. The Roman Forum was the center of all activity in the city during the time when most of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa were ruled by the Roman Empire. Among the structures to see are the Arch of Titus and Circus Maximus, the site of the fictional chariot race from the classic 1959 movie "Ben Hur."
Vatican City
Each year, millions of people from all over the world flock to Vatican City to see one of the holiest sites of the Christian religion and, upon occasion, the Pope. St. Peter's Basilica is considered to be the world's largest church and along with its massive square and other buildings, comprises the smallest country in the world. There is no admission fee to enter St. Peter's Basilica but visitors are advised to act and dress properly. Once inside, visitors will get a better feel of the sheer enormity of the church, with its towering arched ceilings, meticulously crafted mosaics and priceless artwork and sculptures such as Michelangelo's "Pietà."
Sistine Chapel
Although there is no admission fee to enter St. Peter's Basilica, there are fees to visit other sections of Vatican City. For many visitors to Rome, the Sistine Chapel is the ultimate highlight of their trip, with a chance to gaze at the ceiling artwork by Michelangelo, with nine scenes from the Book of Genesis including one of the world's most famous paintings - "The Creation of Adam." The famous chapel is located within the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope.
The most important museum in Rome is the Vatican Museum, of which the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms are part of the tour. Drawing nearly six million visitors annually, the Vatican Museum is the world's fifth most visited museum. But other museums are also worth visiting during a Roman holiday and among them are the National Roman Museum, National Museum of Art and the Capitoline Museums, home to the famous Capitoline She-Wolf, the symbol of the city.
Trevi Fountain
Completed in 1762, Trevi Fountain is the largest Baroque-style fountain in Rome. Also one of the world's most famous fountains, Trevi Fountain has been featured in several movies, including "La Dolce Vita," "Roman Holiday" and "Three Coins in the Fountain." Visitors to the fountain can toss a coin into the fountain over their shoulder, signifying a return trip to the Eternal City.
Food And Shopping
The food is a big part of why a vacation in Rome can be so unforgettable. From cheap eats to high-end restaurants like La Pergola, visitors can enjoy a variety of excellent Italian cuisine to fit their budget. Pizza can be found most anywhere but it's hard to find any other city that serves better gelato. Rome is also well known for its shopping districts, most notably Campo de' Fiori, the oldest market in the city, Via del Corso and the luxury designer stores like Gucci, Prada and Bulgari on Via Condotti, near the very popular attraction the Spanish Steps.
Completed in the year 128, the Pantheon is one of the world's most famous churches and considered a precursor to modern places of worship. Originally built as a temple to all gods, it is also one of the best preserved buildings of Ancient Rome. The nearly two thousand-year-old structure is believed to be the site where Romulus, the founder of Rome, ascended to heaven. The Pantheon's dome is the world's largest dome made of unreinforced concrete.
Other Sightseeing
Because Rome's Metro subway service has only two lines, most of the city's popular attractions can be visited more easily than those in Paris and London. St. Peter's Basilica and the Colosseum are must-see attractions, but visitors should also visit the famous squares, such as Piazza Navona with its Fountain of Four Rivers and Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna), especially during the traditional evening stroll. Other attractions include Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland), the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the official seat of the Bishop of Rome and Bocca Della Verità (Mouth of Truth) at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin.
Proximity To Other Famous Cities In Italy
If it fits within the budget and length of the trip, visitors should venture out to other cities. Like the rest of Europe, Italy has an efficient train system with stations at all of the most important cities, including Naples, Florence, Pisa, Milan and Venice. Several trains depart from the Rome train station (Roma Termini) to Florence (Firenze), and most one-way trips takes just 90 minutes. A trip to Venice will takes about three to four hours on average but a visit to this magical city is likely to be an unforgettable experience.
Related: How To Save Money While Traveling - Taking Public Transportation
Randy Yagi is a freelance writer covering all things San Francisco. In 2012, he was awarded a Media Fellowship from Stanford University. His work can be found on Examiner.com Examiner.com.
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Usage-Based Approaches to Language Change
Usage-based approaches to language have gained increasing attention in the last two decades. The importance of change and variation has always been recognized in this framework, but has never received central attention. It is the main aim of this book to fill this gap. Once we recognize that usage is crucial for our understanding of language and linguistic structures, language change and variation inevitably take centre stage in linguistic analysis. Along these lines, the volume presents eight studies by international authors that discuss various approaches to studying language change from a usage-based perspective. Both theoretical issues and empirical case studies are well-represented in this collection. The case studies cover a variety of different languages – ranging from historically well-studied European languages via Japanese to the Amazonian isolate Yurakaré with no written history at all. The book provides new insights relevant for scholars interested in both functional and cognitive linguistic theory, in historical linguists and in language typology.


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Real First Post
Alright… so this is the real first post…!
If you are reading this, post a comment below, so that I know how many people there are who are reading this… (well, that was a bit too obvious…)
This is being posted far earlier than I scheduled it to be; the reason is because of a survey (that I have unfortunately been spamming many places with) that I have to conduct for a school project…
I am now in the process of spamming this link instead, as it is easier to type, and can also fit into a tweet.
If you are seeing this right now, I probably spammed your forum/thread/inbox, and then you chose to come here.
This is purely a test post; this is to see how many people will come…
Please, tell other people that you know to come here too; I will update somewhat daily…
The next post (tomorrow or something) will contain the details of the actual survey.
Until then, entertain yourself with these links:
Thanks for visiting, check back tomorrow pl0x…!
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Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'information'.
Found 1 result
Hello, I'm just wondering what is the best way to log some informations. I will need following: Login/logout, battery low - switched to charging mode and so on. I will need to have separate display and the log should have time and thing that happened. It will probably have to be in table because it suppose to have "history" feature, like you can list back in time and see what happened. I've been searching for answers in help feature, but i still don't know how exactly do it. Any advices are greatly welcome! Sorry for my bad english. Best regards, Martin P.


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Asian Sesame Salmon
Another one of my favourite cuisines to cook aside from Italian is Asian! I also love going out for this style of food and am often inspired by the flavours and dishes I try. A little bit of Sriracha, soya sauce, garlic, ginger and sesame oil can go a long way my friends!
This is a new dish that I recently started making and it puts an Asian twist on salmon. Funny enough I really disliked salmon growing up – I think because it has a particularly 'fishier' taste, if that makes sense, compared to more mild fish like halibut, tilapia or cod. Anyways, as I get older I am finding that my taste buds are definitely changing and salmon is appealing more and more to my palate. BUT one reason I really like this recipe is because the Asian marinade is full of flavour so the salmon isn't to overpowering. So for those of you new to cooking with Salmon this could be a good place to start!
There are two parts to this recipe. One is the marinade for the fish and the other is a glaze that you put over top once the salmon is cooked. BUT I like the marinade on its own too- so the glaze is definitely optional.
Marinade ingredients (2 salmon filets):
2 salmon filets (salmon steaks also work)
2 tablespoons grass fed butter melted (or olive oil, or 1 tbs of coconut oil)
1 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon finely diced garlic or 1 clove
1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste
1 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
First: whisk the marinade ingredients all together in a bowl and then pour into a large ziploc bag. Place the salmon filets or steaks in the bag and lay flat in fridge for minimum half hour – for optimal flavour leave it in the fridge for 2-3 hours! Regardless of how long you marinade- flip the fish over at the half way point.
Once your salmon has been soaking in the yumminess for at least 30 mins you can preheat the oven to 400 F. Place a sheet of tin foil on your baking sheet and the filets on top (saves a mess). Alternatively you can cook them on the BBQ wrapped in a tin foil packet!
Pop the salmon in the oven for about 20-30 mins. You'll know it is ready when the salmon is flaky. While your salmon is cooking don't forget to prep the glaze. Mix all of the ingredients until its a smooth glaze – the honey can take a bit of work.
Drizzle over the fish once it comes out of the oven and garnish with leftover green onion and sesame seeds.
The best part about this salmon is that it can go with so many different sides. You can do some simple steamed greens, enjoy it over rice OR try making your own fresh bowl like I did below. (Stay tuned for my recipe on that!)


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Access to things that matter most.
Patients & Visitors
Accessibility to Services
Mayo Clinic Health System – Northland in Chetek offers many accessibility services for patients who need assistance. These on-campus services are easy to access and free of charge.
Patient care staff can help you arrange accessibility services. Family and friends also are welcome to assist you with special needs during your visit to Mayo Clinic Health System – Northland in Chetek.
Wheelchairs are available free of charge for use on campus and are located at the main entrance. If you prefer a larger-sized wheelchair, please ask a staff member.
Staff members are available to transport patients within the facility to and from appointments, provide directions and answer questions during your visit. This free assistance is offered to patients with visual impairments, those who use wheelchairs and others who have difficulty walking.
Wheelchairs, walkers for off-campus rentals
Social Services and Nursing staff can assist you with obtaining wheelchairs and walkers for off-campus needs from Mayo Clinic Health System Medical Store or other local providers.
Handicapped parking
You may park in any designated handicapped parking stall if you have a handicapped parking tag displayed on your car. Van-accessible and state handicap parking spaces are located near the main entrance in the clinic parking lot.
Services for the hearing impaired
Qualified sign language interpreters are available at no charge to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. The MARTI video translator system is available for use as well. Please tell the registration staff or scheduler that you will need an interpreter. Volume-controlled telephones are available for persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired. Staff at information desks or your nurse can direct you to these devices.
Interpreter services
If you feel more comfortable speaking a language other than English, we offer interpreters for many languages. Interpreters are available in person for some languages and through telephone services for all others. When scheduling your visit, tell registration staff or scheduler that you will need an interpreter. There is no charge for interpreters.
All buildings have wheelchair-accessible restrooms. If you have difficulty locating a wheelchair-accessible restroom, ask a staff member for assistance.


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Annavaram Srinivas
About Us:
Swirling and twirling, the tiny painted dots form geometrical patterns akin to a galaxy. A painter of immense talent, Annavaram Srinivas meticulously recreates the vistas of his motherland. Started off as a figurative artist, he gradually moved on to a nonrepresentational practice, representing the lush farms, wide lakes and exuberant woods. His earlier art works are schematically stylized and the subject matter is derived from his rural life, where men and women are depicted with typical outfits. Whereas his later works are inspired from Australian aboriginal dot paintings formulating codified abstract forms with an entirely new approach to the subject. The methodically organized geometrical patterns akin to the sub-cellular structures emblematically show his countryside creating an optical illusion. He uses this enticing visual dialect to convey pictographic and geographic locations of the region. The acrylic paintings on large canvases are typified by the incessantly drawn abundant white dots. The barren semi tropical landscapes mesmerize the viewer with the enigmatic quality as the colours and the infallibility of his craftsmanship are employed here with extreme arduousness. The earthy raw siennas, yellow ochres and brick reds are overtly used in order to signify the barren lands, hillocks, pathways and dried lakes. With an appealing technique and temperament the artist comes up with a flawless treatment and balance.


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Boeing and United Technologies Corp.'s Sikorsky aircraft unit are partnering to develop a multi-mission helicopter for the U.S. Army, Reuters reports.
Andrea Shalal-Esa writes the companies plan to give the Army a joint proposal for the branch's technology demonstration project, aimed at acquiring design plans for a new helicopter.
The Defense Department wants to replace more than 4,000 medium-lift helicopters and this Army program will act as an initial phase for the Pentagon's Future Vertical Lift program, according to the report.
Boeing and Sikorsky will compete to build and fly one or more demonstrator aircraft in 2017 for evaluation under the FVL program, Shalal-Esa writes.
Sikorsky partners with Lockheed Martin on the MH-60 helicopter for the Navy and that team is collaborating on a new search-and-rescue helicopter for the Air Force, according to Reuters.


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Gratitude for some is a ways of giving thanks. For Jesus gratitude was his true greatness. Some have journals in which they write words of gratitude Journals created for writing words of gratitude have become a popular idea for reflecting on ways of giving thanks, blessings, and praise. I created my own journal writting at the beginning of each year words of blessings and thanks.
The gratitude campaign was created by Scott Truitt. While traveling for years for business in airports, each and every time Scoot would see a military personal.in an Airport, he would say," "thank you from the bottom of my heart." . The idea began to spread and the Gratitude Campaign was born. This message of thanks has been spread to millions of veterans. Visit Scott's Blog and Gratitude Campaign
Sarah Ban Breathnach author of Simple Abundance, increased our awareness of the need to give thanks and to recognize those simple pleasures in our world that provides simple means of gratitude.
Create your own world of gratitude by saying "thank you" .Count your blessings, and praise God. For by spreading blessings to others we are blessed.
To express gratitude to that special someone in your live, visit Angel at Rose Hall your Eureka Springs vacation destination.


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Florida Springtime Lawn Guide
Spring in Florida is breathtaking as it lives up to its name, leaving a florid and fragrant path of blooms throughout the state. Flowers are not the only plants springing forth in this bountiful season: grass is spreading, flourishing, and becoming greener every day. Apex Pest Control has compiled a list of important lawn and yard tasks for Orlando lawn care.
- Beginning: Take a soil sample to your county extension office to determine the pH of your lawn and to see if your lawn has the proper nutrients. Acidic soil dominates many areas of Florida. To stabilize your soil, add lime in compliance with the soil test results from your county extension office. Azaleas begin their showy blooms in March. Because azaleas bloom only once or twice a year, many gardeners are uncertain the color of their plants' blooms. Take a picture while the plants are in bloom to remind yourself, or spray the trunk with non-toxic paint in the color of the blooms.
- Middle: By now your lawn is undoubtedly tall and thick enough to begin mowing, especially if you have Bermuda grass, St. Augustine, or centipede. In the garden beds, last year's mulch may need replacing since it is a perfect breeding ground for spores and young insects. If you have had these pests in the past, replace all the mulch with a new layer of fresh mulch, such as cedar, that will keep many insects and spores from developing. If this is not a concern, simply spread a new layer atop the existing mulch.
- End: Fertilizing should begin at the end of spring. Because every lawn has specific requirements, fertilizing should be left to the professionals. Contact Apex Pest Control for the correct timing, amount, and chemicals. Plants and trees should be pruned after the leaves have developed. Pruning removes any winter frost damage and readies the plants for more abundant growth. Summer annuals – petunias, impatiens, salvia, and marigolds, for instance – are ready for planting, and May is one of the last opportunities to start annuals.
With so many details for your lawn and garden in the spring, it is important to plan how and when you should perform each task. This list is definitely not conclusive; check your county extension office for items specific to your area, and call Apex Pest Control at (866) 675-4070 for all your lawn and pest control maintenance. Read our past blogs for more information on Orlando lawn care, fungus control, and insect eradication.