text:
ArtCall® is a web-based registration, jurying and exhibition system for art organizations, museums and galleries.
Sacred Threads
The 2017 exhibit of Sacred Threads featuring quilts with stories in Healing, Grief, Peace/Brotherhood, Joy, Inspiration and Spirituality
Opens: October 1
Deadline: December 31, 2016
Wild West: 21st-Century Quilts Salute the American Frontier
Theme: Entries must be quilts that relate to the theme of Wild West. Quilters have long used western-themed quilts to show their appreciation for all things western. Cowboys, cowgirls, Native Americans, horses, cows, other animals, rodeos, ranches, farm machinery, ranch hands, the Pony Express, railroads, Old West maps, panning for gold, mining, frontier architecture, square dances, and western movies are only some of the subjects that come to mind when thinking of the Wild West. Any techniques and processes—piecing, appliqué, embroidery, thread painting, photo transfer, printing, whole cloth and/or manipulated fabric, etc. —may be used as long as they are appropriate for the quilt and the theme. We welcome both classic and innovative approaches to quilt making in this competition.
Prospectus and to enter:
Deadline: March 1, 2017
Juried Quilt Challenge
Exhibit January 26 through April 25, 2017
EVOLUTIONS 2017 is an open challenge to all quilters and fiber artists in celebration of yesterday's traditions as well as tomorrow's innovations. Evolution can be defined as growth— a process of continuous change, from lower to higher or from simpler to more complex. Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum challenges you to create your concept of an evolution quilt. Interpret evolutions any way you choose—on a personal level, on a global level, or perhaps related to changes and growth of your favorite means of creative expression, the quilt. There are no design restrictions. Selected quilts will be exhibited at RMQM January 28, 2017. Ribbons will be awarded for first, second, and third place; the first place winner will be awarded a solo exhibit at RMQM in 2018.
Deadline October 31, 2016
Ohio's full-time public servants are invited to showcase their artistic talents outside the 9-to-5 in the Ohio Arts Council's Riffe Gallery juried exhibition After Hours: Artwork by State of Ohio Employees. Exhibition dates: May 4 –July 8, 2017.
After Hours was inspired by an exhibition the OAC Riffe Gallery produced in 1990, only a year after the gallery opened its doors. The exhibition displayed artwork utilizing various media made by Vern Riffe Center for Government & the Arts employees. Now, the exhibition will showcase creativity across the Buckeye state and is open to anyone employed full-time by the state of Ohio. Professional, emerging, or amateur—all levels of artistic experience are welcome to apply.
Deadline: October 21, 2016
April 20 – June 24, 2017
Page-Walker Arts & History Center, Cary, NC
A short period of rest or relief from something difficult, stressful, unpleasant, painful, emotional, or exerting. A way to escape, even if for a fleeting moment. Relief is found in reflection, prayers, meditation, physical movement or creative outlets. Courage is found with companionship, a change in circumstance or attitude or taking time to breathe. With a lull, or timeout, we gain strength to continue. We invite you to take break, then share your interpretation of respite in art quilt form.
Opens: January 1, 2017
Deadline: February 10, 2017
Gems of the Ocean
Gems of the Ocean is a juried show presented by Ocean Artistry, (oceanartistry.org) a division of the 501(c) 3, non-profit, Polly Plumb Productions, Yachats, Oregon. The show is March 10-11-12, 2017 in Yachats, Oregon.
Opens: December 15, 2016
Deadline: January 15, 2017
MQG Coffee Table Book Submissions
The Modern Quilt Guild has partnered with C&T Publishing to produce a book documenting the modern quilting movement from its early beginnings through 2017. At the heart of this book will be quilts from our members showcasing the best of modern quilting design and technique.
Deadline: October 31, 2016
QuiltCon 2017 – Savannah, GA February 23-26, 2017
QuiltCon includes a juried quilt show featuring modern quilts by members of the Modern Quilt Guild.
Deadline: November 30, 2016
The Nude Figure will present a survey of contemporary responses to the nude to illuminate resonances between traditions of imagining the figure and the artist's personal experience. The theme of mirroring is a metaphor for the persistence of the nude as a theme in art and our shared visual understandings of the body. Entries are being accepted in painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, ceramics, fiber, glass and mixed media.
Deadline: September 12, 2016
Visions Art Museum: Contemporary Quilts + Textiles
Interpretations: Conversations is an international juried exhibition presented by Visions Art Museum: Contemporary Quilts + Textiles, October 21, 2017 through January 7, 2018. Visions Art Museum is a program of Quilt San Diego, a non-profit organization, established in 1985 to promote contemporary quilts and quilt artists. The jurors will select work that exemplifies innovation in quilting and surface design techniques as well as excellence in composition and craftsmanship. Cash awards will be presented at the Opening Reception, October 21, 2017. A full color publication will accompany the exhibition.
Deadline: January 31, 2017
Craft Forms 2016
The 22nd international juried exhibition is dedicated to enhancing the public's awareness of contemporary craft while providing a venue for established and emerging artists alike to share their functional and sculptural creative endeavors.
Deadline: September 14, 2016
FOCUS: FUNCTION | Excellence in Fibers 2016
Because of the vast response to the first Excellence in Fibers exhibition, we have established a more refined approach for Excellence in Fibers 2016, to better identify the range of the makers and their intent. Therefore, we have established five categories to narrow the entry focus. The final exhibition catalog will be expanded to make a larger publication and include more of the selected works. Prizes will be given in every category. This will allow for a more comprehensive exhibition and increased opportunities for the artists.
There will be a $300 prize for each category, with a $600 Best of Show prize chosen from all entries. This more than doubles the available prizes compared to EIF 2015. In each category, 12 works will be selected. This is twice the number of selected works as EIF 2015.
The function emphasis on EIF 2016 puts the focus on the maker's intentions and can incorporate the vast range of fiber mediums.
Deadline: October 1, 2016
The Emerging Artist Showcase is an opportunity for emerging artists to get their work shown and build their resume. Fiber Art Now is interested in seeing the latest techniques and ideas from emerging fiber artists and showing them to the world.
What is the Emerging Artist Showcase?
The Emerging Artist Showcase gives emerging artists the opportunity to have their work shown in Fiber Art Now , international magazine for contemporary fiber art & textiles. The final selection of works will be curated by Marcia Young, editor-in-chief and will be shown in an upcoming issue of Fiber Art Now and sold on over 600 newsstands in the US, Canada, and the UK.
Deadline: February 1, 2017
Art Quilt Retrospective Book
Within the next two years, SAQA is producing an exciting book-length publication. The working title is Art Quilt Retrospective: Fifty Years of Innovation.
The book will cover art quilts and artists from 1960's to today.
The introduction will be written by Janet Koplos, a senior editor at Art in America from 1990-2009. Final selections will be made by Nancy Bavor, Lisa Ellis, Sandra Sider, and Martha Sielman.
Please indicate whether each quilt is in your possession and available for exhibition because we plan to create exhibitions from quilts in the book.
We require high-resolution digital images to be submitted (at least 2100 pixels on the longest side). These should be print-quality images of the overall quilt only, no detail images.
If you do not have print-quality digital images, please indicate if you would be willing to have professional photographs taken. Shipping will be at the owner/artist's expense.
A maximum of six images, and no more than one per decade, may be submitted.
Prospectus and Registration:
Ongoing submissions for Digital Archive
Water – it's everywhere! The majority of the earth's surface is covered by water, and more than half of the human body consists of water. But water also plays an essential role in our survival. Cultures have thrived based on their proximity to water, and crops survive or fail, based on rain or the lack thereof. Every living thing depends on water to survive, and life hangs in the balance when shortages persist. An overabundance of water in its varied states of rain, snow, and hail may bring death and destruction in the form of tsunamis, hurricanes, or blizzards.
Opens: November 1, 2016
Premiere Location:
International Quilt Study Center & Museum Lincoln, Nebraska
April, 2017
Show Concept:
Layers are everywhere. They become apparent when we plumb the earth's surface, make archeological digs to discover the history of civilizations, explore human anatomy, dress for the weather, dig in freshly fallen snow, and count rings in the stump of a tree. Layers are abstract, too. We find them in language when we ponder the hidden meanings in novels, poems, conversations, and puns.
To become a member of SAQA to enter call for entries: click here.
Use discount code GBT to get 10% off your new membership
Deadline: September 30, 2016
Stitched: Embracing the Quilt as Art
Deadline to enter: September 30, 2016
All members of SAQA Florida region are invited to apply.
The general public often translates the word quilt to mean bedspread. And they have no idea what an art quilt is. A very special bedspread, maybe? This exhibit will be an opportunity to clear up those misconceptions and to introduce a new audience to the idea of quilts as fine art.
With that in mind, all work will be visually appealing, but will collectively include a wide variety of subjects, abstraction/realism, colors, techniques, messages, and materials.
Let's Get Mod
Southen California/Southern Nevada Members Region
Let's Get Mod! Mid-century mod that is… Take a walk down memory lane to reacquaint yourself with mid-century modern style or try your hand at the modern-quilt-guild aesthetic. Think of modern style, elongated ovals, globe lights, positive and negative space, funky colors, and let's have fun!
Let's Get Mod! is a traveling juried exhibition that invites all SAQA Southern California and Southern Nevada members to make a square quilt (25" x 25") with a mid-mod theme.
Opens: October 18, 2016
Deadline: Novemebr 18, 2016
Untethered Thread
Southen California/Southern Nevada Members Region
Here's the Call for Entry you've all been waiting for! There is no specific theme to interpret for this exhibition. There is no specific size requirement. There is no specific "must have been completed after" date either… because we all know great artwork does not come with an expiration. So, if you'd like the freedom to enter a seasoned favorite or the freedom to create a brand new piece, here's your chance!
UNTETHERED THREAD is a juried exhibition of contemporary textiles showcasing the diverse artistic styles of SAQA regional members from Southern California and Southern Nevada, works of exceptional design and craftsmanship.
Opens: March 1, 2017
Deadline: March 31, 2017
Traditional Mid-west and Canadian Quilts
International Quilt Festival/Chicago plans to showcase traditional quilts and their makers in a special exhibit, Traditional Mid-west and Canadian Quilts. This exhibit will be one of the highlights at International Quilt Festival, April 6–April 8, 2017. This exhibit is open to any quilter who lives in the Midwest states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and the provinces of Manitoba and Ontario in Canada. The quilt must be made between January 2014 and February 2017.
Opens: December 1, 2016
Deadline: February 3, 2017
Mod Squad Quilts
You are invited to participate in this exciting exhibit focusing on the Modern Quilt! To enter, please submit a Modern Quilt, created in the last three years, that demonstrates the beauty of a non-traditional, but functional quilt. The modern twist may be pieced or appliquéd. This exhibit is open to anyone who lives in the Midwest area and the provinces of Manitoba and Ontario in Canada; no guild membership is required. Quilters must be from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Manitoba or Ontario.
A Celebration of Color
This new judged competition and exhibit is open to quilters working in any style—traditional, modern, or art. Artists are invited to play with color and design to create a vibrant work that truly celebrates color!
The winning quilts will be announced during the 2017 International Quilt Festival in Chicago.
Opens: November 14, 2016
Deadline: January 13, 2017
Beauty in Pieces: Scrap Quilts for the 21st Century
When there's an abundance of fabric in the world, the scrap quilt beckons. Surprising combinations, refreshed perspectives, riots of color, and attendant pattern adaptations mean scrap quilts are always one of a kind — just like the quilters who make them. Mary Fons will jury this exhibit of scrap quilts open to quilters from around the world.
Deadline: January 27, 2017
The Hexagon Revolution
Entries are quilts that are based on the book by Katja Marek, The New Hexagon:52 Blocks to English Paper Piece and/or The New Hexagon Millefiore Quilt-Along. Quilters have long used hexagons in quiltmaking. A selection of hexagon based quilts will make a powerful statement at our International Quilt Festival Chicago, 2017. Only newly made (within the past 5 years) hexagon quilts will be considered for inclusion in the exhibit.
Deadline: January 13, 2017
Copyright © - Giving Back Technology, LLC , Contact Lisa Ellis at email@example.com for more information.


text:
This was back from when we first moved in together, and still a memorable scene. The spreader bar is one that I made years earlier, and I was trying to think of a way to incorporate it into a scene unlike I had ever before.
For this one I had the boy get in his leather (Cod Piece Brief, Leather Chaps), and I did a bit of rope work on him to get him nicely restrained, with the help of some Four Buckle Hand Restraints. Looking back on these scene now makes me think of how far I have come with my rope work, and how much further I have to go.
After blindfolding the boy and playing with him a bit, I laid him out on the bed and attached the spreader bar to the ankle restraints, then connected the spreader bar to the ropes for a nicely effective hog tie.
The fun came in when I tied one of his favorite dildos to the spreader bar. All I had to do was sit back and watch the boy fuck himself while completely helpless.
Makes for a good show!
Gear Used in this Photo Set

subset: commoncrawl


text:
KISSIMMEE, Florida - A Birmingham man vacationing in Florida was arrested and charged with aggravated child neglect after a 4-year-old girl drowned in a resort pool Friday night, according to an Orlando Sentinel report.
Elijah Darnell Morton, 28, and his girlfriend Gwendolyn Henderson were vacationing in Kissimmee, Fla., when they took nine children to the Coral Cay Townhomes pool.
Local news station WKMG reported that some of the children were Morton's and Henderson's, and others were Henderson's relatives, including the victim.
The 4-year-old girl slid into the pool and was found at the bottom, unresponsive, about five minutes later, police told the Sentinel.
Henderson tried to give her CPR, but Morton did not attempt CPR and told Henderson to "stop and take the children back to the town home." The girl died at the hospital about 9:15 p.m., WKMG reported.
According to the Sentinel, Morton told detectives he hadn't seen the child after 7:50 p.m., but witnesses said he was with her between 7:55 and 8 p.m., when she was found.
Morton was taken to the Osceola County Jail.


text:
The Gino dance is everyone's favorite part of a Celtics blowout win at home. But no one… NO ONE… loves it like Kevin Garnett. I wish I loved anything like KG loves that video. It seems like that video is like a hypnotist snapping his fingers and waking someone out of their sleep. KG goes from "deranged lunatic" to "kid laughing at the circus" in a heartbeat. I'm glad he got Pierce in on the fun too.
Good times.


text:
Learned Helplessness: You're Not TrappedJanuary 19, 2010 • Contributed by Joyce A. Thompson, MS, LMFT
Do you find yourself stuck in bad situations, feeling as if there's no way out? Do you tend to give up before trying in order to avoid the pain of self-perceived, inevitable failure? Do you blow off your successes, assuming it was an accident things went so well? If so you might have a well-known psychological condition known as learned helplessness, which causes emotional or physical pain every day for millions. The good news is that you are not stuck. Help is available.
Learned helplessness often begins in childhood for those who've experience neglect or abuse, or who've witnessed a parent show signs of this condition. Perhaps as an infant, their cries for their mother were met with silence. Eventually they learned that there was no reason to cry, since their mother would not come to their aid.
Maybe this child sought help from a parent to keep them away from an abuser, but the mother did nothing to help. In families with learned helplessness it's not unusual for these mothers to respond either with silence, or to say there are no other options available and they just have to live with it. The mother allows the abuse to continue because she feels there's no place to go, no money to support her children and herself. She settles. The child learns to do the same.
When a child works hard in school, bringing home good grades, yet continues to receive nothing in the way of praise from their parents, they give up in their efforts—realizing that it is a futile effort if they expect to gain love, praise, and attention from their parents. If a good teacher is involved, sometimes this can keep the child motivated to accomplish their best.
When children perform to receive love and other signs of positive feedback from their parents and their needs are unmet, they often give up due to learned helplessness. Abusive parents punish their children for not doing well enough or for not doing enough. It's not about the child. It's about the parents' own unresolved issues. Sometimes the parent messes up, but blames it on the child. Either way, this teaches the child that no matter how hard they try, they can never do well enough. They give up, again due to this sense of learned helplessness about their situation in life.
People who struggle with learned helplessness blame themselves for everything. They struggle, as a result, with low self esteem and depression. When a parent tells their child (literally or through unspoken words) that their life is as good as it will get—that they cannot and should not expect their life to improve—the pattern then carries to another generation. This is why we sometimes see families who become more and more unhealthy, generation after generation. They give up, assuming any efforts put forth on their part will be futile.
As this child becomes an adult, they continue using this psychological approach in their adult efforts, with fear as the driving force behind these attempted efforts. These adults may fear that success is impossible, so they give up before they get started or they stop before they succeed. They may be fearful that others will judge them—or worse, they may judge themselves harshly for not being good enough. This condition is called perfectionism. Adults in this situation either give up on attempting important milestones in their adult lives, or they give up before they can complete these milestones. These include dating, receiving higher education, choosing a mate, choosing a career, being a parent, etc.
In most cases, feeling they will never achieve better, no matter how much they try or how hard they work, these individuals end up settling. They feel they have no control over their situations and surroundings in life. Research has shown that learned helplessness inhibits ones emotional growth and development and can leave a person struggling with depression, anxiety, and guilt. These individuals feel that they should achieve more and feel stupid, lazy, worthless, and non-deserving of accomplishing more. In addition, any failed attempts serve as reminders to the person that they are stupid, lazy, worthless, and non-deserving of accomplishing more in life. A self-fulfilling prophecy unfurls, leading many to finally give up altogether since the pain of not succeeding—in these individuals' eyes—is too painful to face.
If you feel like a failure much of the time, experiencing depression, anxiety, and guilt because you feel that you avoid risks and personal growth, consider speaking with a licensed therapist. Sometimes the hardest part is realizing this is an issue for you. You can overcome this way of experiencing life; the past does not have to dictate your present or future.
Children have no power or control in their lives, but adults do, even when they don't yet realize it. With the help of a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist, you can explore where these feelings of learned helplessness originated from, overcome this unhealthy way of thinking—replacing the old beliefs with new and healthy beliefs—and learn to have compassion for yourself.
© Copyright 2010 by Joyce Thompson. All Rights Reserved. Permission to publish granted to GoodTherapy.org.
The preceding article was solely written by the author named above. Any views and opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by GoodTherapy.org. Questions or concerns about the preceding article can be directed to the author or posted as a comment below.
- 40 comments
- Leave a Comment
Francis W.January 19th, 2010 at 3:04 PM
What an inspiring read! Thank you for sharing that, Joyce.
jordonJanuary 19th, 2010 at 4:01 PM
Such individuals need to be told and shown that they are capable of getting a good result and can believe in their own abilities to achieve things. Its not that they will always meet with failure, and that whenever there is a failure, they should try ahrder again an not just give up.
luke J.January 20th, 2010 at 3:48 AM
Positive thinking can make a person capable of doing something even if he was initially incapable of doing it. Similarly, if a person is pessimistic, he will not be able to do things even if he has the potential to do it… this just goes out to show how important the mind is…
BrandiiJanuary 20th, 2010 at 8:36 AM
If you are guilty of learned helplessness, do you tend to choose a partner that is too?
Joyce A. Thompson, MS, LMFTJanuary 20th, 2010 at 9:11 AM
Thanks to each of you who have taken the time to comment on my article. I'm happy to hear that the article has provided inspiration to you Francis! That was my intention. I had a very difficult childhood myself and for years I suffered with learned helplessness…But once I found the 'right' therapist who 'got it', I was able to resolve those old issues and go on to accomplish much! I have wanted to be a therapist since childhood, and I have now fulfilled my dream so that I can go on to help others who feel there is no hope for them. I cring at the thought of saying someone is "guilty" of learned helplessness, since they didn't ask to be so short-changed in their life as a child (or in an abusive adult relationship) and since it's a condition which causes so much emotional suffering. But Brandii, I do understand what you are asking. It is true that people tend to choose a partner near their own level of emotional functioning. Threfore, those who suffer from low self esteem, a lack of confidence, and learned helplessness do tend to pair up with someone who struggles with the same issues.
ChristyJuly 14th, 2016 at 9:09 PM
Thank you for your article. I know I have learned helplessness. You described how I feel. It has taken over my life and I live a very small and painful life. I am in therapy with a skilled and compassionate therapist for many years. I have not been able to make much progress towards a happier life. I still feel quite helpless to improve my life. I don't even know what I would want to do. I get paralyzed by anxiety and doubt. I wish I too could overcome this as you did.
GeorgiaJanuary 20th, 2010 at 12:04 PM
This is so sad to me that there are kids who have to learn from a very early age that they either have to fend for themselves or els eno one else is going to do it for them. No wonder there are so many screwed up people in this world! I would bend over backwards to help my own children and often wonder why there are other parents out there who do not feel the same. It makes me feel even sadder to know that they have to carry this sort of experience around with them for the rest of their lives because so often the things we learn and become in our childhood dictates and controls so much of our adult lives. I hope that reading this will encourage those who feel that this was the way that they were raised to seek help from a professional, someone who can help them unravel this kind of mess and make them feel happy like they too deserve to be.
RosaleeJanuary 21st, 2010 at 4:48 PM
I know a middle aged woman that blames her deceased parents for the state of her adult life today. I wouldn't mind if she didn't refuse to do anything to change her thinking on or release that pain. There's always an excuse to not do anything I or her family feel could help her. This will sound selfish but it gets tiring listening to the "poor me" stuff. She doesn't see her own refusal to change her life is the problem and not the suggestions.
BelleJanuary 21st, 2010 at 6:13 PM
Why tell yourself you're not good enough when you can tell yourself you are? :)
LouiseFebruary 26th, 2015 at 4:47 PM
Your ridiculous comment – complete with smilie face to seal the deal on your total lack of understanding – unfortunately represents much of society's ignorance regarding mental health issues. My stating the following fact probably won't make a bit of difference to you, but just maybe it will trigger thought for others: Those suffering from this condition are UNABLE to think well of themselves; it is their ill-conceived, but nevertheless near impermeable TRUTH that they can't do anything right. Even if they tried parroting your little mantra, it would have absolutely no positive impact because they wouldn't believe it.
LouiseFebruary 26th, 2015 at 4:56 PM
Your comment – complete with smilie face to seal the deal on your lack of understanding – unfortunately represents much of society's ignorance regarding mental health issues. My stating the following fact probably won't make a bit of difference to you, but just maybe it will trigger thought for others: Those suffering from this condition are UNABLE to think well of themselves; it is their ill-conceived, but nevertheless near impermeable TRUTH that they can't do anything right. Even if they tried parroting your little mantra, it would have absolutely no positive impact because they wouldn't believe it.
BrandiiJanuary 22nd, 2010 at 5:36 PM
Hi Joyce, thanks very much for replying to my question. I'm so sorry I asked it in such a tactless fashion. Guilty wasn't the best word I could have used. I'm relieved that you knew what I meant despite that. Thank you again.
themuseJanuary 23rd, 2010 at 8:44 PM
I believe anything you can learn you can unlearn. Having your heart in experiencing true change is what makes the difference. Some get so comfortable in their misery they don't want to relinquish it so choose the known over the unknown.
KenFebruary 2nd, 2010 at 4:46 PM
I know that nobody wants to hear this but not everybody can be successful. We need people at McDonalds and waitress's at bars. We need underachievers as much as we need overachievers…I think that a shift in social attitude of not looking down on those jobs and people would be much better benefit to society as a whole.
BillJuly 14th, 2015 at 5:31 PM
Nothing wrong with those jobs but there is something wrong with the pathetic slave wages they pay
HelenaSeptember 7th, 2010 at 5:33 PM
I disagree with you Ken. Firstly, you should think of the structure of society as malleable rather than as being in a fixed state, and secondly, my best friend is a part time waitress and is using the income to fund her education to become a psychologist. Not everybody in a low paid job is a chronic under achiever. And nobody is looking down at anyone here, as the point of the article was to educate and support those who experience learned helplessness.
Joyce Thompson, MS, LCMFTMay 18th, 2011 at 12:43 PM
I received an email from a reader, expressing her anger with me for writing this article. She felt I had written the article from a "naive speculation of the subject". Actually, I wrote the article based upon my own personal history as a trauma survivor, upon the history of many of my peers (both past and present), from many peers in the past who have been with me in support groups for childhood abuse issues, and from my own client base (since I do extensive work with trauma survivors). The person who contacted me was a psychology student who felt that I had attempted to make the subject of 'learned helplessness' worse than what it really is. From my personal experiences with this topic, I feel that the subject can truly be crippling for many. My intent was to offer hope to the readers. I believe that most anyone can heal from this learned behavior and can overcome much. I am wise enough to know that learned helplessness can come from a variety of experiences. But in my own experiences, I oftentimes see it coming from childhood issues. I just wanted to clarify this matter and I invite readers to send me an email if they have further questions or concerns.
AshMay 19th, 2011 at 1:09 AM
Angry writer here,
my email to you was in concern, due to the fact of if everyone was treated with therapy upon speculation alone, whether it be naive speculation, or speculation from someone who has been through this themselves, imposing your own thoughts on a topic without sound experimental evidence can be risky. If all therapists did this there would be a world within which it's impossible to get the same level of treatment anywhere, as everyone won't be on the same page.
After all Seligman Freud would have put any psychological problem of learned helplessness in a woman down to penis envy. Did he have proof? No and his thoughts were also down to speculation and his experiences of his patients.
The view of you're parents are the main cause for learned helplessness, seems to be an extremely narrow view on the subject, with it often coming from schooling, work, families or anything! The article just seemed to be from the point of view that the soul point of view that it is the parents fault, although i'm glad its recognized this isn't the case.
LolaDecember 4th, 2011 at 1:24 AM
Thank you so much for this article. It really inspired some hope in me, and I related to some of your examples. Thanks again.
LynneJanuary 2nd, 2012 at 3:49 PM
Do you have any advice for a parent with an only (adult) son who fits the profile of learned helplessness? He still lives with his dad and seems to be carrying on a learned-helplessness tradition, according to what I've just read. He has two degrees, has never had a job, and has said he can't seem to do what he needs to do to move on with his life. I had never heard of learned helpless until seeing a reference in the newspaper this morning – fascinating! Thanks.
KarinMarch 13th, 2012 at 7:48 AM
This comment is mainly for "Ash" – If you are going to attempt to leave a somewhat intelligent response, by name dropping pioneers in the field, can you please at least show enough respect to get their names correct? Sigmund Freud would appreciate it!
That being said, I would like to know how to support a person with Learned Helplessness. I have a close friend, as well as a student, who suffer from this. It is an interesting parallel as I am afforded the opportunity to see this from both ends of the spectrum. However, the student has now taken on such severe LH that his behavior comes across as lazy and unmotivated. He does not see the value in learning anything and at the ripe old age of 9, believes he knows everything he needs to know in order to be able to take care of himself as an adult.
The adult, on the other hand, has a lead a very successful professional career, but suffers from such low self esteem from always being told (since childhood) that everything he does is always wrong, he is very difficult to console at times and does not believe that someone could possibly have positive, loving feelings for him. His experiences have taught him that he deserves to be ill treated, because that is how he has been treated consistently in the past. He does not feel he is good enough to be treated any other way. He is in counseling,and encouraging that may be the best I can do for him. But I thought I would ask anyway.
So – what suggestions can you give to get my student and hopefully my friend on a path of recovery? I do not want my student to get lost in the system. Yet I am unsure of what strategies I can use in the classroom to even motivate him enough to take the first step. Are there any journal articles you have come across that you would recommend I could read? This is not uncommon territory for me, as I have started my PhD.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
AmyJanuary 7th, 2013 at 12:01 PM
This article describes me to a T. I first heard the term while watching a an excellent lecture on youtube about depression (youtube.com/watch?v=NOAgplgTxfc). I can say that yes, it is truly debilitating. I am dumbfounded by the contradiction of knowing I am smart yet accomplishing so little. Knowing that there is a name for my struggle is such a relief. Are there any books on the subject you can recommend? Thank you again.
sheilaFebruary 9th, 2013 at 11:43 AM
Thanks, this information is very helpful to me!
YvonneApril 29th, 2013 at 4:55 PM
Thank you for this article. I will try to remember to talk to my therapist about this, as you suggested. It is extremely crippling. I can empathize with what Amy said (Jan. 7).
BoraMay 20th, 2013 at 2:28 AM
Ash probably did not attempt to write the first and last name of Freud. Seligman is the first person who coined the term "learnt hopelessness". Ash is maybe a victim of a poorly formed sentence :) Check this out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Seligman
I agree with Ash that it's dangerous to suggest counselling for anyone who feels underachieving in life. Counselling should not be equalized so easily with, for example, taking pain killers. Not that the author attempts to do that necessarily but Ash is probably trying to warn people that seeking for counselling blindly (and passively) will not solve the issue and it might be even more depressing to see that even counselling doesnt work. So one must be careful when considering it.
I also thank the author for igniting the discussion around it. Obviously, there are many people who suffers from this problem given the cruel meritology in which the society established its norms to describe the "successful" and "loser".
SarahNovember 19th, 2013 at 2:13 AM
I recently had an epiphany that I have suffered from learned helplessness, much of my life. A rotten childhood, verbal, physical and sexual abuse all do a number on a kid, and that is carried into adulthood. Learned helplessness IS WITHOUT A DOUBT, CRIPPLING. Years of therapy helped, but I've suffered a major "relapse," due to being ostracized and scapegoated, by my sick siblings, after my mom died. I am the one who refused to keep secrets, any longer and I stood up to my narcissistic/psychopathic elder brother and the evil/psychopathic elder sister, who also breached her fiduciary duties to me in distributing my mom's estate. Taking her to probate court, will help me to overcome this renewed struggle with learned helplessness. I am very smart, have been exceptionally pretty, and should have had all the confidence in the world. I spent so many years just working through the garbage that was heaped upon me by sick people. Knowing why I have felt so helpless, for so many years is very healing. I'm NOT helpless! I am strong and powerful, I SURVIVED! I will continue to be a survivor, and to win back my SELF, my self respect, my self esteem and reach and be who I really am supposed to be, now that I am free, FREE of those abusive, mean, ruthless, people who made my early years a living hell, and tainted so much of my experience of the world. I will help myself, as I am worthy and capable! Thank you for your article.
KarenSeptember 20th, 2014 at 6:12 AM
I am 54 years old and just had that epiphany this morning. Early in life I sought counseling on several occasions and I'm baffled that the topic of learned helplessness was never mentioned. I grew up in a very emotionally and physically abusive home. My mom was the abuser. My two sisters and father all suffered her wrath daily as well. I seem to have found ways to deal with depression but now my battle is to quit smoking. I have health issues directly related but am hard core and have felt helpless to stop. Maybe I'm not so helpless in that area either.
DGNovember 29th, 2013 at 6:12 PM
If the state of being powerless is such an illusion, and there's an escape in therapy … why can't I afford therapy? Is my lack of funds a product of my own imagination, too?
I find this view surprisingly convenient to the profession that espouses it. It's also rather selective about the experimental data … other experiments with canines show that they have a social structure which is hierarchical and at the bottom of the hierarchy is the omega. The omega is excluded from resources and socialization, and becomes a sort of scapegoat for the rest of the pack. Every pack will generate its omega, regardless of the nature of the members; the pack needs an omega and it will have one. This, too, explains a lot about how people become powerless, but it forms no part of therapy … because the rest of the "pack" in human society has no incentive to change and consequently won't spend any money on therapists to do so. But the "omegas" do have an incentive to alter the situation, and are willing to spend to change it.
How convenient that it's all actually their own fault that they continue to be in that position. If it weren't, there would be a terrible loss in sales for the profession.
I noticed too that the conclusions derived from the Seligman and Meier experiment extend way, way beyond anything that was empirically verified by the experiment. The dogs may have failed to try to escape the electric shock, but there's no evidence that there was any transfer of behavioural response to unrelated stimuli, such as cold water. There's absolutely nothing in the empirical evidence from that experiment to suggest that the dogs adopted some sort of globalized helplessness, only that they could be conditioned to a particular stimulus. Pavlov already demonstrates this and Seligman-Meier tells us little we don't already know.
Just in case this lump of coal is seen for what it is, the author includes a caveat emptor to relieve the profession of any responsibility to produce results: you might have to see a bunch of different therapists before you find the "right one". This is like me selling you computer after computer which doesn't work, promising that eventually, one will. You show me your working computer and say, "see? mine works." Forgive me for not being inspired with much confidence in your product here.
But by far the most interesting part about all this, is that the theory directly contradicts itself. It places all the responsibility for change on the victims. Presumably because … we are helpless to change society! We just have to accept the way things are, stop trying to resist, and give alms to the high priests of therapy for our salvation. What a farce.
Medicalize social problems, trivialize the victim's experience, for fun and profit. All based on a cruel and pointless animal experiment. No wonder the Scientologists hate therapists so much … they're competing in the same scam and the Scientologists haven't been nearly as succesful at it.
Well, I'm reminded of an old ditty titled "The Preacher and the Slave" and part of it goes like this:
Long-haired preachers come out every night
Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right
But when you ask how about something to eat
They will tell you in voices so sweet
You will eat bye and bye
In that glorious land above the sky
Work and pray, live on hay
You'll get pie in the sky when you die
Holy Rollers and Jumpers come out
And they roll and they jump and they shout
Give your money to Jesus they say
And you will eat on that glorious day
KrishOctober 5th, 2014 at 8:00 AM
Wow! Thank you. That's so clarifying. It's a phenomenon that can as easily be called taught helplessness. Some scientists hurt some dogs and as a result the dogs felt unworthy of change. It's so obvious. That's me! Blessings!
AnnaFebruary 26th, 2015 at 5:36 PM
Much ranting, DG, as in your seizing this site as an opportunity to present your own "Theory of Everything". I imagine you intended to impress others with your intelligence and insight, but I am uncomfortable with your vehemence, randomness, and flawed reasoning. For example, the comparison between computers and therapists was astoundingly inept. And, out of all of this, your contribution on the specific issue of learned helplessness is ???
BillJuly 14th, 2015 at 5:28 PM
I agree! Who can afford therapy??? There have been times when I could afford it and I did go from therapist to therapist hoping to get better but never found any real help. They basically all just explained to me about CBT which I can just read in a book without paying 200 an hour. I come from a background of severe bullying, alienation , ostracism and abuse by my primary caregivers. Surely it should be up to the society that damaged me to fund my repair.
AnonDecember 13th, 2014 at 1:17 AM
I'm in mourning over the years of my life I spent trapped and believing there was no way out. Friends tell me that I should just remind myself that I deserve more, but I don't feel undeserving. I'm very proud of who I am and I feel like I deserve a lot. That was never the problem. The problem was every time I wanted more I felt like I was being ridiculous or unreasonable – life isn't supposed to be fun, personal fulfilment is for rich people etc. All the stuff I was told as a child. I've been in abusive relationships, I spent four years with someone I didn't find physically attractive who didn't treat me well, I've been with gay men, despite being a high achiever in education/career, I don't go for opportunities. The reason isn't that I feel I'm not good enough – I feel very strongly that I am – it's that I believe nothing good will happen or when good things happen I still won't be happy so what's the point? Trying to get out of this mindset by pushing myself into things more – I don't want any more regrets – but I feel like I'm going to need the world to give me some proof before I'll really start to believe that I'm not just a hamster in a wheel.
BillJuly 14th, 2015 at 5:19 PM
I'm exactly the same.
AnonDecember 13th, 2014 at 1:32 AM
@DG Have you tried looking for charities that deliver therapy? Have you absolutely, definitely, checked all resources and all opportunities to have therapy? Before you say yes, just think about it for a second. I will be very surprised if there are no charities that deliver therapy. I'm in the UK where technically I could get free therapy, but the NHS waiting list is too long for my needs so I phoned charities and asked their advice and was signposted to people who could help. Now I have two therapists. For free.
Also, the evidence on dogs (in this case wolves). Wolves have omegas only in certain situations. They react differently in captivity than they do in the wild. Wolf packs aren't that way because 'that's what society is', they are that way depending on the environment they are in – they are adaptive. Society is also adaptive, which is why we no longer need a social hierarchy and there is much greater social mobility (for those who try all options).
The evidence from this experiment may or may not be confined to electric shocks. But if it is, that doesn't disprove anything. Everybody in the world will have some degree of learned helplessness. They will believe there is something they can't have or can't do. For some it might be confined to one particular issue (I'm not good at science so I'm just not going to try, I'll never be able to understand it etc.) – these people had the experience (probably at school) that they didn't understand science despite trying multiple times. Other people have a more generalised learned helplessness – these people are likely to be from homes where core needs were not met (love was not received, support was not given, they were not attended to, some may even have been abused). As a child, you are pretty much powerless so you accept life 'as it is', believing there are no other options. When you get older you carry those beliefs with you. These people will have a more generalised learned helplessness and be more negative all round. Without social support/love we are all unhappy because these are core needs. The person who does not believe they will be supported is constantly unhappy because they are lacking a core need. This person has generalised learned helplessness and will believe that nothing will make them feel better and will find reasons outside of themselves to explain this away.
As for the victim being the one responsible for change. I can honestly say, I've never seen myself as a victim. I see myself as a survivor. I don't care if the world changes to suit me, I'm going to take control of what I have control over. I choose who I want to be around (if I don't get social support, I walk away), I choose my career (I hadn't gone for every opportunity), I choose how I want to look at life (your thoughts are your reality), and I choose not to be the person I was brought up to be. I choose to be my own person and to challenge all the beliefs I was raised with and test whether they are really true.
BillJuly 14th, 2015 at 5:17 PM
But who can afford therapy??? Very few people. There are some free counselling services but they are not very good and they are run by unqualified volunteers. Yet another reason to add that it's all hopeless. In the past I have seen some therapists but I end up leaving because my helplessness is so entrenched that I begin to believe that seeing a therapist is pointless and does not change anything.
steveJanuary 18th, 2016 at 2:26 AM
how do you know if it is a learned helplessness rather than actually being helpless? for instance if the subject is physically and ecconomically disabled and there are real barriers? how big do those barriers have to be before they really are helpless? is there a point at which it stops being psychologically blocked and begomes impossible to achieve things?
VeronicaJuly 7th, 2016 at 1:26 PM
My issues are different than this. My caregivers didn't let me cry, insult me, or make me feel that I didn't do things well enough, they didn't ever LET ME do anything that would require the skills I needed to be an adult! They controlled what friends I saw and what toys I played with ( and my strict Christian upbringing made sure that most of them didn't want to hang out with me anyways.) When I wanted to wash dishes, do chores, babysit (when I got older,) it was, "GO BE A KID!!!!" She read my diary, refused to let me have a room with privacy until I was almost 16. The funny thing was that she was super encouraging, affectionate, giving, and praising. I just never got the chance to learn how to and that I could make it on my own.
FritzAugust 25th, 2016 at 9:39 AM
I'm struggling with my brother who has a a bad run of luck. He was bullied as a kid, was always the last kid picked for a team, if he got picked, an outsider in school, and diidn't date until after college. He's never been in a relationship that lasted more than a month. Married a mail order bride to get our parents off his back and she ran off with another man. Lost his job and his home in 2009 and has not been able to find work because he's overqualified.
When he says he didn't bring this bad fortune on himself, I really can't argue with him. He's never been in trouble and lived life by the rules our parents taught us. He didn't do anything to get himself bullied other than being the shy kid in class. He doesn't get to hire himself. He couldn't force his wife to stay married to him. He had a terrible boss (we both worked for the same place).
He's learned to hate people because they've been the source of his pain . There's nothing I can say other than he got screwed. He's worked hard, kept his nose clean, and he just doesn't seem to reap the rewards. Help.
FritzAugust 25th, 2016 at 10:10 AM
Forgot to add that I personally feel very guilty about this because my parents and I were telling him to suck it up and persist in bad situations and he probably should have cut his losses and walked away. As a result, he feels no connection between his efforts and results and has quit tryiing to improve his situation.
TrishOctober 3rd, 2016 at 6:54 AM
Thank you for your article. I have had an anxiety disorder in varying degrees for the last 14 years – including periods of agoraphobia (including currently). So much of this resonates with me. I was pretty self sufficient growing up, younger than my siblings by many years and having to fend for myself after the dissolution of my parents marriage. Overweight for all my life, I was bullied mercilessly in my early teens. I definitely have issues of self worth – even though I see myself as a good person who is smart. It is such a conundrum knowing the person I was who was so capable and now in some areas of my life I'm so incapable. I've been to several psychologists and this has never come up. They all say I have great insight and I need to overcome my fears but they seem to get ever more paralysing. I will definitely investigate this further and hopefully find the key to getting me back on track.
Leave a Comment
By commenting you acknowledge acceptance of GoodTherapy.org's Terms and Conditions of Use.
Search Our Blog
Recent Comments
- GoodTherapy Admin: Dear Thomas, Thank you for your comment. We wanted to provide links to some resources that may be relevant to you here. We have...
- Alicia S.: You know I still have this problem and im 22 years old, when i was 2 a doctor told my mother that I have aspergers. I grew up with no...
- Rebecca S. R.: could not get out of bed most of the day. crying. lovely outside but me in bed crying. beloved Steve gone 52 weeks and 4 days and 11...
- James S.: I'll be divorced in 9 days. Although my wife is loud, ghetto and disrespectful, I'm feeling guilt and regret also. I really...
- George & Mary: Sima , Just read your post from Sept.28,2016. .The past can't be changed and to blame will only prevent you to start the...


text:
I have not found time to see "Avatar." Or "Invictus," "It's Complicated," "The Road" or most "adult" films of recent vintage.
A matinee of "The Princess and the Frog," however? I'm there.
Disney's animated musical fantasy set in jazz-era New Orleans is yet another rite of passage for my 2-year-old daughter Sophie — her first foray to a movie theater.
Would the film hold her interest? Would she grasp the plot? Would the theater seat swallow her like a Venus flytrap?
Mostly, not really and yes.
Sophie is a tough critic. Fifteen minutes into a Christmas week screening of "The Polar Express," she rose up, marched to the DVD player, and turned it off.
"No more," she declared to a roomful of adults, an unambiguous thumbs-down from a pint-size Roger Ebert.
Perhaps "The Princess and the Frog" would fare better.
At 10 a.m. on a cold morning, we rendezvous with Sophie's buddy Serena at the Elmwood Palace. Lines at the box office are light; Sophie and Serena weave in and out of the empty queue, screeching with delight. They could have skipped the movie, spent 90 minutes chasing each other and been just as happy.
We had sold Sophie on "The Princess and the Frog" by emphasizing the princess angle. She is genetically drawn to them, already recognizing the major figures in the Disney canon: Aurora, Jasmine, Ariel. Any day, we expect to find a pea under her mattress.
"Dreams Come True," the Walt Disney Studio exhibit at the New Orleans Museum of Art, enchanted my wife far more than my daughter. Animation stills and drawings, however fascinating to adults, prove less so to 2-year-olds. The museum visit ended badly, with Sophie collapsed on the floor, crying, before my wife carted her out under an arm.
And yet we are optimistic about the movie.
With show time fast approaching, we steer Sophie and Serena past the quagmire that is the concession stand and toward screen No. 5.
Sophie weighs as much as a box of Jujubes. As she settles into her seat, the bottom folds up and compresses her into a V. Her bewildered expression says: This is supposed to be fun?
Thus, she will watch most of the movie from my lap. At one point, we wedge her into a seat alongside Serena. Combined, they are sufficient ballast to hold the seat bottom at bay.
The movie rolls and a fantasy French Quarter lights up the largest screen Sophie has ever seen.
"Daddy, what's that?" she says, a bit too loudly. Her first lesson in movie theater etiquette follows.
The voodoo-dealing villain Dr. Facilier and his shadow demons do not scare her. But she, like Princess Tiana, is startled by the first "ribbit" from Prince Naveen in amphibian form. "I don't like that frog," Sophie decides.
That shouldn't be a problem, since frogs are featured throughout the entire movie.
She doesn't like snapping alligators, either, at least until a jolly gator named Louis shows up and blows "Dippermouth Blues" on a trumpet. "Dippermouth Blues," she digs.
"The Princess and the Frog" celebrates the sights and sounds, the flamboyance and flavors, that make New Orleans New Orleans. It has rightly been praised as one of the best commercials ever for the city.
All of which is lost on Sophie. She does not connect the cartoon realm on the screen with the city she inhabits. She fails to notice the floor tiles inside the animated St. Louis Cathedral are black and white, just like the real thing. Or that the tombs in the cemetery are ornate and above ground. Or that the streetcars are the exact shade of olive green as on the St. Charles Avenue line. Or that Tabasco is indeed a fine gumbo additive.
I point out that Big Daddy LaBouff, the character voiced by John Goodman, reads The Times-Picayune, the same newspaper for which her own daddy works.
She is not impressed.
Given the chance, she would have opted for a little less frog and a little more princess. "Where's the princess?" she asks as Tiana, in frog form, sings "Almost There."
The human princess, of course, magically reappears in the end, by which time Sophie and Serena are ready to do something other than sit. In the Palace lobby they suck down cherry Icees and mug a Simon the Chipmunk mannequin that is taller than they are.
With any luck, their first movie imparted important lessons:
Hard work, not shortcuts, is the key to success.
Anyone, regardless of complexion, can be a princess.
At least some alligators are fine trumpet players.
And New Orleans, especially in cartoon form, is magical.
To read more from "The Paternity Test," click here.


text:
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Nursery Plans
19 comments:
here's what I will say...don't get a diaper genie! they are a waste of money and they don't work nor do they control oders. we ended up getting a white metal trash can from Ikea and making sure there was an oder absorbing air freshener next to it to control the oders. you'll be changing it so often anyway, it shouldn't get to bad.ReplyDelete
utilize storage space under the bed, get some totes that are long and will fit store extra clothing/diapers, etc. Use storage on your changing table too.
here's what I will say, don't get a diaper genie. they are a waste of money and don't control oders well. we had one and i hated it, i finally just got a metal trash can from Ikea and just got an oder controling air freshener and set next to it. since you're taking out the trash a lot anyway you hardly notice it.ReplyDelete
Get a crib that turns into a toddler bed and then a FULL size adult bed. Make sure to get the matching double dresser and 5 drawer dresser too. Also, wait until you're further along to pick out a glider and get the ottoman with it! Make sure it is really soft for after you have her because you will be EXTREMELY sore if you deliver vaginally. I disagree with Andrea, we have a diaper genie in our nursery and my daughter has RANK and I mean RANK smelling number two and neither my husband nor I can ever smell it. Also get a white noise machine. We got one that sounds like the ocean, it helps her sleep longer and not hear the trash men or children on their way to school (or my husband when he forgets the gate right in front of her room and stubs his toe). We also use our double dresser and a changing table which is very convenient.ReplyDelete
Love it Jessica! I can't wait to see it come together. My only advice is that there's A LOT of stuff people say you need but really aren't necessary. Hell, a changing table is only good for a few years - go for a dresser instead.ReplyDelete
And tell Brandon gnomes are a requirement for all baby rooms!
I love it, Jess! I am so excited to see the progress!! I FINALLY blogged a little about our nursery tonight~a totally different route than you are going, but equally as sweet, I think! lol You are so much further ahead than I was at 18 weeks, I am just now getting my complete vision of where I am headed...but now that I have it, I can't wait to get it all done!ReplyDelete
Find a dresser that will last you a very long time and buy a changing pad to put on top. I'm right behind you at 17 weeks pregnant, and all the research I've done & chatting from other moms say changing tables are a waste of money. Since a dresser is a must, and if you are limited on space, then you are better off to get a dresser that will grow with your child. Good luck! Love the updates! :)ReplyDelete
I LOVE your nursery plans! I'm getting ready to paint our nursery this weekend, and I'm still going back and forth on colors- a light grey is one of my top picks though! And that's the same glider I'm getting (hopefully)! :)ReplyDelete
I would def say buy the matching dressers to go with your crib! Also the glider was a great choice. I literally live in mine still and my daughter is 15 months. Love the design!ReplyDelete
Get a boppy. You can buy one or get the pillow and make your own cover. They are a life saver! We used it to help prop the baby up when he couldn't sleep. And also when he started holding his own bottle we layed him on it and it elevated him just enough. Now he carries it to where he wants to take nap and uses it as his pillow. I also agree with the girls about getting a dresser with a changing pad. It will save you money in the long run and some of the changing tables only hold up to a certain weight.ReplyDelete
Congrats on your baby girl!
The one thing I can say is make your babies room, a room that will grow with her. It looks like you are already going that route though! Both of my girls have very modern and slightly more grown up rooms, but they will grow with them, that is for sure. The theme for my oldest daughter's is "if the shoe fits...", the element we started with is a wall of 16 frames with pictures of different high end designer shoes in them...so cute - and then went from there. My younger daughters is European chic. I have had friends go too babyish in their nurseries and find themselves redecorating after only a year. Love what you have so far!!
Chelsea of jameson monroe
- AnonymousSeptember 30, 2011 at 5:31 PM
Your blog is too cute. It looks like you have the big important things decided on. Another fun, not really necessary item, would be a growth chart.ReplyDelete
Beautiful choices!! My recommendation is definitely a white noise machine (we use a small table top fan) and black out curtains. The curtains definitely help little one sleep a little better during the day! There are so many colors and varieties....surely there's some to match your decor! Also, waterproof lap pads/changing pads are a MUST! We used them everywhere!! Saved sooo many sheets, blankets, clothes, etc.!! Not all that fashionable, but super functional! BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS...read to your baby girl!!!! Oh, and the diaper genie......works fine for us! We've used ours for 13 months now and no problems. I just keep a small air freshener at the bottom of it just for a little added freshness. :)ReplyDelete
- Maddie ReedOctober 1, 2011 at 9:13 PM
The best piece of advice is to buy a long dresser with plenty of room on top for a changing pad and a basket for all her diapering needs!! We had a changing table for my daughter and found that after about two months we were mostly changing her on the floor or on our bed. We never used it!ReplyDelete
Also, if you are planning on using a baby monitor, the best one on the market is an AngleCare! It has a pad that lays under the mattress that detects movement. Our daughter stopped breathing one night and the alarm went off and we were able to get to her in time. Saved her life!! Totally worth the price! :)
I have no tips : but I love the room!! im getting to excited I can't believe how fast its all going! (at least for me it is :)ReplyDelete
Miss you!
GUESS FREAKING WHAT!! I splurged for that glider too!!!! It's awesommmmmmmme. You will lovvvve it! Loving your plans for the room!!ReplyDelete
I'd suggest getting a lamp with a dimmer or a night light for the first few weeks of middle of the night feedings. Breastfeeding starts out as an aim and shoot right at first and requires being able to slightly see. Also, I loved having a blanket for me on the rocker for middle of the night winter feedings...although maybe it doesn't get as cold down there as it does in Iowa. And totally not necessary, but Jack has the minky crib sheets from Pottery Barn and LOVES them! I think they have them in white. Check them out. Everything looks so cute!ReplyDelete
Ah, all of the suggestions are pouring in. Looks like you guys are well ahead of the game.ReplyDelete
Honestly, we had 5.5 weeks to put together a nursery (last minute adoption that was not in the plans, originally) and I've been extremely happy with all of the stuff we DON'T have.
We don't have a Diaper Genie and I love that our normal garbage bags fit into the garbage can we use. It's just fine and the color choices are far better when you avoid the Diaper Genie. We don't have a white noise machine and as a result, I believe our daughter is a great sleeper! She is used to noises that interrupt...but she has managed to adapt to that. No matter where we go - vacation, friends, etc. - she sleeps well. We don't have a changing table and it's awesome. We have a tall dresser and we use the top part as a changing table. It's perfect! Finally, we don't have black out shades and I believe it's the same as the white noise machine. Because Katherine doesn't have them in her room, she manages to sleep just fine with a little bit of light streaming in. It makes for a very adaptable baby.
So, don't feel like you have to go out and make some crazy purchases. LIke my mom always says to me "None of this fancy stuff was around when I had you guys (there are 3 of us kids) and you guys all turned out just fine."
:) The nursery looks great so far...love your ideas and the paint color. So fun!
- AnonymousJanuary 13, 2012 at 5:19 PM
where did you get your crib? im looking for the same style, but the ones i see all have wheels...also how are you making your pictures w/ several images in them for here on the blog....ReplyDelete
Just found out I'm pregnant and stumbled across your blog. Instant fan! Love the weekly chalkboard updates, and that "world is your oyster" sign is amazing - where did you find it?ReplyDelete


text:
Who doesn't love a reunion?
The Puerto Rico Tipoff field was finalized today, and guess who will be one of the seven teams to join the Minutemen for their November sojourn in San Juan — Travis Ford and Oklahoma State.
North Carolina State, Penn State, Providence and Tennessee are the other teams from BCS conferences, while Akron and North Carolina-Asheville round out the field.
"We are excited to go to such a special tournament with a high level of competition and to play against some of the top schools in the country," coach Derek Kellogg said in a release. "And to travel to a place like Puerto Rico in November will be a special opportunity for our players, coaches, fans and alumni."
He forgot the media, but I'll forgive him for that one.
The bracket has yet to be released, but wouldn't the tournament's schedule makers be smart to set up a Oklahoma State-UMass game in the first round?
Ford left UMass for Oklahoma State in 2008 after posting a 62-35 record in three seasons at the helm. He was replaced by Kellogg.
The tournament gets started Nov. 15, with semifinals on Nov. 16 and the final on Nov. 18.


text:
Amanda Seyfried may join Charlize Theron in Seth MacFarlane's comedy-western
Amanda Seyfried may be going for yuks (yucks?) in her next film.
The "Les Mis" actress is in talks for "A Million Ways to Die in the West," a new comedy-western written and directed by Seth MacFarlane that will star MacFarlane as a cowardly farmer who decides to take shooting lessons from the wife of an outlaw (the previously-cast Charlize Theron) after his girlfriend leaves him for backing down from a gunfight. Unfortunately, the return of the former woman's husband creates more problems than he'd bargained for.
Seyfried is negotiating to play the role of the girlfriend, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and it wouldn't be a bad move for the actress: MacFarlane's "Ted" was the comedy blockbuster of 2012 with more than $520 million in worldwide box-office.
Production on "West" is expected to begin in May.
Seyfried just came off her role as Cosette in Universal's "Les Miserables" and will follow that up with porn biopic "Lovelace" and the star-studded comedy "The Big Wedding" co-starring Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton and Katherine Heigl. The films are slated for release on March 15 and April 26, respectively.
Are you looking forward to "A Million Ways to Die in the West"? Think Seyfried is a good addition? Let us know what you think in the comments.


text:
Spider solitaire is a popular cards game. There are two game modes – one color cards or cards of two colors. You can place cards of lower rank onto the cards of higher rank and shift several cards at the same time in case they are of the same color and placed in one stack.
Freecell is a cards solitaire game. Play this solitaire in such a way that all the cards were placed according to suits and seniority in the right upper corner. You can shift three cards maximum at the same time. You can place the cards one onto another (decreasing seniority) alternating colors. You must consider every move very carefully before you shift a card.
Highroller Casino does not offer gorgeous graphics, different needless details, but it is a real poker game! Five in one: hold'em, Texas hold'em, poker, video poker and black jack. Such game collection makes this casino game a worthy one.
Play as a poker king! Poker card pair is a quick game in which you need to combine cards. You will require a sharp eye, quick hands and logic thinking! You will observe big coins in this game, different effects and dynamic animation of the game.
FreeCell - is another solitaire game. This game is simple in regards of graphics, but is difficult in regards of logic. It will gladden all the fans of this kind of pastime. From now this most popular classic cards game is available here! Cards game has never been so easy and relaxing before.
UNO Challenge – is a rather fascinating game, which is very popular in the West. The rules of this game are very simple: you need to get rid of your cards before other three players do this. You will get points during the game. The amount of points depends on cards remained when one of the players have no cards anymore. And do not forget to say "UNO"!
Here you will find not a regular poker game. In fact, in this game you will need to make a word of cards, where you will see letters. The more difficult the word is, the better and the more money you earn. You can play against a computer opponent as well as against your friends. Compete, improve your skills with every new day and enjoy your game.
Burkozel is a variation of bura game. You can play together with your friend, with two friends or in pairs. The rules of the game: all cards are played. The players get four cards each, the card is open when a player makes a move. Four cards of the same suit allow to make another move, four trumps make "bura" (immediate win), four aces ("Moscow") give emmidiate triple win. The winner is the one who got more points. You can find detailed rules in the game menu. Game Burkozel is rather difficult and requires calculations.
Jewel Quest Solitaire offers a unique combination of solitaire and collecting of precious stones! All this is made in the shape of solitaire, you will need to play. In case everything is correct – you will get a prize!
This is a 3D backgammon. In fact, only the cubes are 3D in this game. There is a chance to play with other mobiles through Bluetooth, in case this game is installed in them. But there is also a single player mode, where you can choose a difficulty level. The rules of the game are easy: you must move all your pieces from your field to the field of your opponent


text:
Making More Than Mud
To most people, the basic act of adding water to soil makes mud. But in the hands of gifted artisans, these simple elements can be transformed into stunning works of art, inspired by a long and rich tradition and infused with beauty and grace.
Two sites in the Southwest are now focal points for what has been described as "Elegance From Earth." That's the catchphrase for a new Heard Museum exhibit in Phoenix that tells the story of the centuries-old Hopi pottery tradition, while further south at the Arizona State Museum in Tucson, home of the world's largest Southwest Indian pottery collection, new additions have been added to the more than 20,000 samples already housed there.
Of the Heard's specialized display, a press release by curator Diana Pardue notes: "There's nothing else quite like Hopi pottery with its intricate painting" of the Elegance From Earth showing of historic and contemporary work that illustrates the range and scope of the tribal tradition. "Pottery traditions, like those of other American Indian art forms, change and become reinvented through time. Imaginative potters continue to work in centuries-old techniques of clay, paint, and firing methods learned from ancestors while creating new shapes and painting unique designs."
The Elegance From Earth exhibit explores the intertwined matriarchal artistic legacies of three families starting with historic examples of work by Nampeyo (1860-1942), a Hopi-Tewa and the first American Indian potter known and recognized by name. She revived a style of low-shouldered spherical jars based on those made at the village of Sikyatki in the 1600s, creations that took detail and design inspired by Sikyatki pottery.
This exhibit also showcases work by Frog Woman, Hopi pottery matriarch Paqua Naha, who developed a distinctive style of white-slipped pottery with black and deep red designs, artistry that has been passed along for three generations.
Arizona State Museum is showcase to a display of 2,000 years of Native pottery-making traditions in the Southwest in a collection that has been the beneficiary of statewide urban expansion. ASM issues an average of 140 archaeological permits a year due to this growth and is the official repository for the objects uncovered in the process. Two thirds of the pottery collection is of an archaeological nature and the museum's holdings grow on a daily basis.
With millions of pot shards and thousands of whole vessels in the vault, are they always looking for more? "We get a lot of pottery because we're mandated by the state to receive it," says Ethnological Collections Curator Diane Dittemore. "And when collections come to us, we accept them also, especially donations of style that we don't have a lot of. Our public trust is to curate into perpetuity -- and perpetuity is a very long time."
So the new exhibit cases revolving around five themes were welcome additions that display: "Form & Function," "Imagery," "Eccentric Types," "Curio Trade," and "Vanguard Potters."
"The 'Form and Function' exhibit runs true to title in that different types of pots were created for a reason and their use dictates their form. We have ancient pottery samples from the Anasazi and Hohokam as well as Hopi pottery canteens, ancient cooking pots, tortilla griddles, and a Tarahamara beer fermentation jar."
The imagery display focuses on symbolism, whether designs are merely decorative or represent historical or cultural elements. The designs range from animals to humans to deities including Mimbres pottery, one of the most representational and the Mexican Casa Grande ananyu or plumed serpent on pottery dating back to 1400.
"With the 'Eccentric types,' archeologists can only speculate their use or spiritual connection," says Dittemore. "We have lots of pots with bird motifs and shapes, perhaps representative of the bird/fertility connection. We also have a ceramic axe head that falls under the category of 'what do you think this might be'?"
In the 'Curio Trade' category are the kinds of pots created specifically for the tourist trade that developed with the arrival of the railroads in the 1880s, when potters would sell their wares at rail stops. 'Vanguard' potters are those who, for whatever reason, choose to go beyond traditional strictures -- works that may have native tradition but make contemporary statements.
The Heard Museum Elegance From Earth exhibit will run through Spring 2013 while ASM's The Pottery Project exhibit is on-going.
You need to be logged in in order to post comments
Please use the log in option at the bottom of this page


text:
Police say they caught three men stealing copper from a Mount Pleasant hotel early Wednesday.
Dwayne Brown Cochran, 45, of Charleston, and Robert Lee Weston, 61, and Leonard Wolcott, 52, both of North Charleston, were arrested at around 4 a.m. at the Masters Inn hotel on Wingo Way.
A Mount Pleasant police officer noticed a white dust cloud coming from the hotel and went in for a closer look, according to an incident report. The hotel had been under extra patrols by police because of previous copper thefts in recent weeks, the report stated.
As the officer approached the back of the hotel, he saw two men standing outside a room, police said. The officer saw a third man walk out of a black sports utility vehicle that was parked in front of the room and saw a fourth man walking out of the room with a copper pipe in his hands, the officer stated in the report.
As the officer approached the men, two of them fled. The other two, Cochran and Weston, were arrested, police said. Police later found Wolcott hiding under a table in one of the hotel rooms and arrested him. The fourth man has not been identified, according to the report.
Police found copper pipes lying on the floor of one of the hotel rooms, along with a bag that contained hand tools, and a black crow bar was found on the bed, the report stated.
Weston, Cochran and Wolcott were charged with second-degree burglary, obtaining nonferrous metals unlawfully and possession of burglary tools.


text:
The Light Project
Denver Public Library, CO
Innovation SummaryThe Colorado Ballet approached the Denver Public Library as a potential community partner in Light: The Holocaust and Humanity Project. While they would be hosting the performance of Light, they hoped that other community organizations would present supplemental programming about the Holocaust, Jewish history, and modern genocide.
Innovation Leader: Jenny LaPerriere , Senior Librarian, firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
AMHERST - It came as a surprise when Megan Proctor heard her name being called for third place.
Now, the corporal with the 154 Amherst Anson Air Cadet Squadron is heading to Prince Edward Island as part of the provincial cadet biathlon team.
At the age of 13, Megan is going into her third year with cadets and had never competed in a biathlon before. Neither had the rest of the squadron.
But the squadron decided to enter six of its members in a biathlon event in Truro recently where Megan came home with a bronze medal.
"We were going to just check out the biathlon and then we decided to compete," she said, noting the cadets practiced only a handful of times before competition.
"The girls ended up doing well, with myself and our senior member coming back with medals," he said.
During the biathlon, participants had to run circuits and fire at targets.
"Depending on the weather, we would have run and either roller or cross-country ski, then shoot at a target five times, then run again," Megan said, adding they ran a total of three times and shot twice.
"We were timed when running and if we missed a target, 40 seconds would be added to our run time," she said.
All run times were totaled together for their final time.
With her placing, Megan was named to the provincial team, which will compete Feb. 5 to 7 in Prince Edward Island.
"I'm very excited, but it's going to be tough on me because I'm the only one from here going."
Megan said that many of the other cadet teams that had entered the previous event were serious about the sport.
"A lot of them trained about three times a week and were all wearing bodysuits or Under Armour," she said, "so when they called my name for third place in the junior category, I was really surprised."
With a pair of skies and poles at her house, Megan has yet to begin practicing for the provincial competition, but plans to start soon.
She said she'll be practicing in her backyard, and possibly around the armouries as well.


text:
Just started watching The Walking Dead this past weekend. For normal people, a show about zombies and survivors would not incite thoughts of fantasy football.
Not normal people.
At the midway point of the fantasy football season, fantasy rosters are filled with survivors
and zombies. Distinguishing between the two is fairly easy to do, but it is important to know which survivors
to avoid and which zombies might be saved going forward.
Five Surprises
1. Fred Jackson, RB, Bills
The 30-year-old running back has thrived as the lead runner for the resurgent Buffalo Bills. C.J. Spiller recently was moved to wide receiver, so there is no threat of lost playing time for Jackson going forward. His age is a little bothersome, but Jackson has been a fairly healthy back in recent years and does not have too much wear on the tires.
2. Beanie Wells, RB, Cardinals
The loss of rookie Ryan Williams to a season-ending injury in the preseason really opened the door for Wells. He has put up RB1 numbers in all the games in which he has played this season. But a nagging hamstring injury kept him out of one game already this season and could crop up again down the road. Wells does carry the injury-prone label.
3. Jimmy Graham, TE, Saints
Saints fans do not need me to tell them how good Graham has been so far this season. The stats speak for themselves: 39 catches, 620 yards and three tight ends. He is the No. 1 tight end in fantasy football and it is not even close. As long as he stays healthy, Graham will continue to be Drew Brees' top target.
4. Cam Newton, QB, Panthers
No one expected Newton to be this good this soon. The first week could have been an anomaly, but he then started piling up the stats against good teams (Green Bay, New Orleans). Unfortunately for Saints fans, Newton has staying power.
5. A.J. Green, WR, Bengals
Ocho who? T.O. who? Carson Palmer who? Out with the old, in with the new in Cincinnati. Green has been spectacular as a rookie receiver with a rookie quarterback (Andy Dalton) at the helm. He looks poised to have a long, lucrative fantasy football career.
Just missed: Darren Sproles, RB, Saints; Steve Smith, WR, Panthers
Five Flops
1. JerMichael Finley, TE, Packers
Finley's stats are deceiving. One three-touchdown week can do that to fantasy numbers. The truth is that Finley has underwhelmed considerably in all but one game. Still, Finley is too talented, and the Packers' passing game is too good for him not to turn it around soon.
2. Chris Johnson, RB, Titans
He just has not been the same this season after the lengthy preseason hold out. Perhaps the bye week and the return of his fullback to the starting lineup will reinvigorate CJ2K for the stretch run, but something seems off about his game this season.
3. Mike Williams, WR, Buccaneers
Tampa Bay has not seen a disappearing act like this from a wide receiver since Michael Clayton. Williams is following a similar career path at this point, being passed up by the likes of Preston Parker and Arrelious Benn on his own team. Not even a buy low right now, he is drop-able in smaller leagues.
4. Peyton Hillis, RB, Browns
Call it the Madden Curse. Hillis took a beating last year as the only offensive threat for the Browns and it looks to be catching up with him in 2011. Strep throat, a contract dispute, a trade request and now a pulled hamstring have made this an interesting season so far for Hillis. Not sure that it is going to get any better.
5. Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers
Rivers is outside the top-20 of fantasy quarterbacks in standard scoring leagues. That for a guy generally ranked near the top-five heading into 2011. The Chargers are notoriously slow-starters, Rivers included, but usually finish strong.
Just missed: DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers; Knowshon Moreno, RB, Broncos
Felix Jones suffered a high-ankle sprain and is expected to miss two to four weeks, although he still is listed as doubtful on the injury report. Rookie DeMarco Murray could draw his first career start against the Rams. ... Despite suffering a high-ankle sprain against the Cowboys, Sam Bradford is expected to start against Dallas this weekend. Would be nice to see Bradford and Brandon Lloyd, who was recently acquired in a trade from Denver, together on the field for the first time. ... Veteran running back Maurice Morris likely will get the start for Detroit if Jahvid Best (concussion) is unable to play. ... Andre Johnson likely will miss another game this weekend and said it could take up to six weeks to return from his hamstring injury a few weeks ago. That could keep him out through the Texans' bye week (Week 11). ... Antonio Gates is practicing this week and should return to the field for the first time since Week 2.


text:
We hope everyone managed to stay dry like Brett Eldredge did during Day 2 of CMA Fest 2013.
For CMTT, Day 2 was spent with our good friends at Chevrolet where we were able to sit down with some great country men! Brett Eldredge, Greg Bates and Tate Stevens all rocked out the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage on Friday and quickly came back stage to meet and greet with fans. Make sure to stay tuned to CMTT for the interviews from CMA Fest.
If you are in Nashville DON'T FORGET to stop by the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage for FREE music through Sunday starting at 9am. Make sure to follow @Chevrolet (and @CMTT) on Twitter for your chance to win meet and greets with the Riverfront Stage artists.
Other ways to interact with Chevrolet at CMA Fest 2013:
- Chevrolet Roadhouse – located in Fan Alley.
- Chevy's Mobile Recording Studio at Music City Center
- Ride and Drive with Chevrolet
- Don't forget to enter the #pathtofandom Scavenger Hunt
Day 3 of CMA Fest will bring more fun with CMTT and Chevrolet. We will be interviewing Jerrod Niemann and Eric Pasley!
Country Music Tattle Tale's Trip to the 2013 CMA Music Festival is Sponsored by Chevrolet, the Official Ride of Country Music.


text:
Tell a friend about this book...
Friend's Email:
Subject: I have found a book that I think you would enjoy
William Penn Curriculum Guide - Heroes of History Unit Study
Readers of all ages love the Heroes of History biographies. This unit study turns great adventure reading into an even greater learning experience. With historical and thematic depth, the Heroes of History Unit Study Curriculum Guides provide the schoolteacher and homeschooling parent with countless ways to teach and reinforce diverse curriculum... more »


text:
This deal has ended.
This Toshiba 42" 3D 1080p 240 Hz LED-LCD HDTV with Net TV drops from $1,199,99 to $649.98, plus it ships for free. This is the lowest price we could find on this TV with shipping - Walmart has it for the same price, but charges $29.97 to ship. The TV features Ethernet and WiFi connectivity, Net TV (with Netflix, VUDU, Blockbuster on Demand, and more), four HDMI inputs and more...There is no sales tax (except in KS, KY, ND, NY, and WA).No longer available


text:
Tigard-Tualatin School District officials hope to finalize a plan this week to get their two high schools in line with the state's 130-hour requirement before the 2014-15 school year, district spokeswoman Susan Stark Haydon said Monday.
"By the end of the week, we might have it figured out," Stark Haydon said.
Earlier this month, the Oregon Department of Education ruled that high-school courses in Portland Public Schools did not last long enough – 130 hours must be devoted to class time. State schools chief Rob Saxton then said many other Oregon districts were also out of compliance with the rule and mandated that they adjust their schedules starting next school year.
Saxton also admitted that courses at Tigard and Tualatin high schools did not meet the 130-hour requirement while he was superintendent of the Tigard-Tualatin School District. He mistakenly believed that they did, The Oregonian's Betsy Hammond reported. Now, Saxton says, the state will render high-school credits "invalid" if schools don't get to 130 hours per course.
Stark Haydon said current Superintendent Ernie Brown is meeting with principals and assistant principals at the district's high schools on Thursday. District officials are waiting for guidance from the state about what counts toward class time and what doesn't – for instance, does the time the schools take to give their students the ACT exam count?
Class periods could be extended, and there might be less time for assemblies, Stark Haydon added.
"Right now, I think there's just a bunch of unknowns," Stark Haydon said.
-- Luke Hammill


text:
SAGINAW, MI — Saginaw city residents will no longer receive a weekend-long grace period for payments made at the Saginaw City Hall payment drop box.
The practice is being discontinued, according to city staff, because of complaints that the drop box was being filled to the brim with water bills, income tax checks and other last-minute payments made over the weekend.
"It was too full to use," Public Information Officer Debbie Buck said. "We had noticed a pattern developing."
The drop box is located in the parking lot behind Saginaw City Hall, 1315 S. Washington.
Joe Finazzi, administrator of utility accounts for the city, said payments made on Fridays after 4 p.m. and over the weekend were, in the past, backdated to Friday.
"That practice will end this weekend," Finazzi said. "I just didn't think it was fair to people that do pay on time and make an effort to get their payment here."
He said the new policy will consider any payments received after 4 p.m. as if they were received on the next regular business day. That new policy will take effect on Friday, June 13.
"Some customers used the weekend as a grace period for paying their utility bills, which created a larger volume of deposits after 4 p.m. Friday and over the weekend, which resulted in complaints from customers that the box was too full to use," Finazzi said. "That's not what the drop box was meant for."
Buck said the payment drop box can be used to pay income tax, property tax, utility bills and rubbish bills.
"Any payment owed to the city can be paid there," she said.
Payments are accepted in the form of a check or money order; not cash.
Finazzi pointed out that payments on parking tickets, which are handled by an outside payment processing center, can not be submitted in the dropbox. Those payments must be mailed to the address included with city parking tickets.
The city's new drop box policy is expected to allow for improved record keeping and increased efficiency for processing payments to the city's water department, Finazzi said. From now on, he said, drop box payments will be collected and recorded at 4 p.m. each day.
Water bills and income tax payments can also be paid online at the city's website, www.saginaw-mi.com.
Citizens seeking more information may contact the city of Saginaw's water billing department at 989-759-1450.
Mark Tower covers local government for MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact him at 989-284-4807, by email at email@example.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.


text:
Former NFL Player Charged With Beating Boyfriend Over Soy Sauce And Underwear
So much for Super Bowl festivities for one former standout member of the San Francisco 49ers football team.
Kwame Harris, who played tackle for the 49ers and Oakland Raiders in five professional seasons, is charged with assaulting his former boyfriend, Dimitri Geier, at a restaurant in Menlo Park, CA, last August. San Mateo prosecutors say that the two once lived together as a couple but had gone through a breakup. Harris plead not guilty.
"Basically they're having dinner together and they get into a verbal dispute and it gets violent from there," county prosecutor Al Serrato told the San Francisco Chronicle on January 28. "One of them had poured soy sauce onto the rice and the verbal dispute had escalated."
The story gets weirder from there. Serrato said that Harris, 30, a first round draft pick in 2003 out of Stanford University, accused Geier, 36, of stealing his underwear and then attempted to pull down his pants in full view of the restaurant crowd. When that failed, Harris pinned Geier against a wall and slugged him several times. Geier required surgery to recover.
The incident has become public now as part of a lawsuit seeking damages from Harris by Geier. Harris has been retired from football since 2008, and has never publicly commented on his sexual orientation.
Photo by San Mateo County Sheriff
@PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID:
What does him being out have to do with this article?
Who gives a shit how old the boyfriend is?
I added the information you requested, relevant or not. As for his age, yes, do the math. Harris was drafted out of Stanford early, typical of standout football players who want to cash in on an NFL contract as early as possible. (First rounders like Harris are guaranteed millions.) As for his sexual orientation, it has apparently caught Bay Area football writers and gay activists by surprise. We'll keep an eye out for more details. Thanks.
@M: Ya don't think the fact that he was closeted throughout hid whole career only to be spectacularly outed via condiment contretemps would've added a bit of colour the article? Especially in light of the Manti teo shitstorm and the need for players to come out?
They chose to include perpetrators age (is that relevant?) ;but not the victims? And who gives a shit? i do, even if you're contrarian know nothing ass doesn't. I'll bet any money the original article mentions his age. Wanna know why? It's basic fucking journalism. So stand down, c-nt.
@Chris Bull: Thank you for for the fiddle, You've earned my undying appreciation.
People who live in closets are always dangerous.
You know, come to think of it, whenever some of my friends pour salt all over the bowl of chips and salsa without asking kinda makes me want to punch 'em in the throat, too.
Why does Kwame have to come out of the closet? So he can go back into another one called the "gay scene"??? Give me a break.
Just because a man has a relationship with a man, it doesn't mean he has to identify as gay. He might view his relationship with men as a tiny part of his life and, heck, he may not even confine his relationships to men. He may form genuine relationships with men AND women at different times in his life. He may also be of the view that his sex life is his business, not yours.
A man who forms genuine sexual relationships with men and women at different times in his life is no more gay than he is straight. He is also no more straight than he is gay. Stop trying to own Kwame without knowing anything about his whole life.
Of course, this should all be secondary to the alleged assault. If he's guilty of the assault, he should pay the price. He shouldn't be left off the hook.
@Brian: said…""
Just because a man has a relationship with a man, it doesn't mean he has to identify as gay. He might view his relationship with men as a tiny part of his life and, heck, he may not even confine his relationships to men."
Yes, that is what all the bigots and EX-gay folks out there keep saying. "Gee, just because he has lived with the guy for 25 years slept with him and exchanged rings, adopted children, gotten officially married, and own everything jointly doesn't mean they're REALLY in a relationship!
Oh, and also, about these two……
What a couple of drama queens.
To me whether he's out or not before this isn't really the issue. A lot of straight ex-football players beat up on their wives or girlfriends. Violence is never okay. I enjoy watching football, but what it does to a lot of the players is scary. A lot of them end up messed after it because of all the head trauma and also because they based their whole life around football and they aren't qualified to do anything else. Those are the issues that need to be addressed not whether he's gay, bisexual, out, not out etc.
Something I've never understood: Why do journalists find it necessary to state subjects' ages? Age is not pertinent to about 99% of stories, so why include it? After all, journalists have, for the most part, stopped stating someone's race when that is not pertinent to the story. As with stating race, the only possible reason for stating someone's age is to manipulate the reader into feeling more or less empathy with the subject of the story, and that seems wrong.
In the interests of balance he does also have a sensitive side: he's an accomplished pianist, majoring in music at Stanford; and a professionally trained chef — which might go some way in excusing extreme foodie-rage LOL
@viveutvivas: Especially now in the internet era, it makes sense to include people's ages in a news story. This differentiates them from others with the same name. I bet if someone with your name is ever accused of a bizarre crime, you'll probably appreciate the differentiation!
Similarly, Death Row inmates tend to be identified in news stories with their middle names. I used to think this was strange – especially since their middle name seems to almost always be "WAYNE," lol – but I'm guessing that law-abiding folks with similar names (minus the Wayne) appreciate this AP style practice.
Oh Dear. And right before the Super Bowl! *CLUTCHES PEARLS*


text:
Migraine Questionnaire
- Have you been having recurring headaches for several months? Migraines are chronic headaches that often occur periodically for many years. If you have a new headache or new headache symptoms, be sure to see your doctor.
- Have you been having other health problems besides your headaches? Headache is a common symptom of many medical conditions. If you're having other symptoms besides your headache, be sure to talk to your doctor.
- Did your headaches start after an illness or surgery, or within 1 week of a head injury? Headache may occur after illness or injury. Headaches commonly occur after head injuries with concussions. These post-trauma headaches can mimic migraines and should be evaluated by your doctor.
- How often do you take pain medications for your headaches? Excessive use of over-the-counter and prescription painkillers can cause headaches to become more frequent, more severe, and more difficult to treat. Headaches that occur when you're regularly using pain medications 3 or more days each week are called analgesic overuse headaches or medication overuse headaches, and they need to be treated first by restricting pain medications. Migraine treatments typically won't work if you're also overusing pain medications.
- What do you prefer to do when you get a headache? People with migraine often like to avoid stimulation-retreating to a dark, quiet room, for example. You might also notice that you're especially sensitive to odors and perfumes, and that your skin is sensitive to touch.
- Do your headaches limit your activities? Migraine is a disabling headache, generally causing interference or disruption of your daily routine. While you may need to stay at work when you have a migraine, you might find that you are less efficient, or you might prefer to cut back on evening activities after work because of a migraine.
- Over the last 3 months, have you limited your activities on at least 1 day because of your headaches?
- Do lights bother you when you have a headache?
- Do you get sick to your stomach or nauseated with your headache?
Find out more about this book:The Woman's Migraine Toolkit: Managing Your Headaches from Puberty to Menopause (A DiaMedica Guide to Optimum Wellness)
Buy book