text:
Friday, April 1, 2011
A is for Attire - for your characters
Can you feel the adrenaline pumping in your blood? The excitement that all 600 of us have to work together to have a ton of fun! I am lucky to be a participant two years in a row and this year a co-host.
What. an. honor.
So what am I waiting for? Let's dive in!
Attire- for your characters.
Is it important while writing to know what your character would wear? Short answer - yes (at least from my point of view).
If your main character is a fairy named Fina (yes I have a fairy named Fina) she'll have different clothing than a normal human. One has to be careful with her wings. Are her wings able to bend and form a sweater or are they soft enough to cover up?
What era do they live in? Is this a contemporary novel or a historical novel. If I dress my character as Marie Antoinette and she's going to the supermarket chances are others will notice and the reaction will not be what it should.
So make yourself a character arc. Properly learn not only about your character's personality but also what they should wear!
So how do you work with your characters?
156 comments:
- Mary Aalgaard said...
How does a fairy put on a shirt? Are there extra wing holes? I'm number 814 on the list. I signed on at Alex's blog. This is an epic challenge!
- Fri Apr 01, 06:34:00 AM
- Vicki Rocho said...
I struggle dressing my characters because I'm not into clothes. I'm tempted to put them all in jeans and a sweater/tshirt and be done with it! hahaha
- Fri Apr 01, 06:35:00 AM
- Sarah said...
Attire is my weak point. I work hard on my worldbuilding, and this is definitely part of it, but probably the part I neglect the most! Great start to the A to Z challenge--it's been fun seeing what people come up with!
- Fri Apr 01, 06:35:00 AM
- Alex J. Cavanaugh said...
Mine's a space pilot, so he has a flight suit. I'm sure Hart would rather her characters were naked though.
- Fri Apr 01, 06:36:00 AM
The protagonist of my last story wore very little, and that in itself was telling :)
Good beginning to the A2Zchallenge :)
- Fri Apr 01, 06:48:00 AM
- Emily White said...
I have to admit clothes are usually one of the first things I think about! Hahaha! I might be a bit of a girly-girl.
- Fri Apr 01, 06:50:00 AM
- Bish Denham said...
My fairies wear flower petals and many of my characters are animals...
- Fri Apr 01, 06:52:00 AM
- Susan Fields said...
Attire is actually pretty important in my current wip. My tomboy mc is forced to wear short skirts and sexy tops, which she hates. But they do catch the eye of her crush.
Have fun with the challenge!
- Fri Apr 01, 07:00:00 AM
I have to admitt - an important stuff - although the characters in my "stories" are mostly invisible... :)
Many thanks for the warm welcome Jen, and for your kind comment. I stumbled upon the A to Z challenge via some other cyber friends and now I'm in....I know it will be fun, the sites like that are an amazing inspiration.
Wishing you a wonderful afternoon
- Fri Apr 01, 07:19:00 AM
- Kirsty said...
What a shame, you've just given me an excuse to go and look at clothes shops and surely you must know what their clothes feel like too - shopping here I come.
- Fri Apr 01, 07:23:00 AM
- Pam Torres said...
I'm notoriously an underwriter when it comes to attire.#lazy On the other hand I tend to be a bit wordy in general.#lovethesoundofmyownvoice
So when I finally joined this blogfest at 721st I knew it was the perfect challenge for me.
- Fri Apr 01, 07:26:00 AM
- Bev Hankins said...
Very good advice for all us budding writers! It is interesting thinking about your fairy and what she might wear (and how)!
I'm number 288 on the list.
- Fri Apr 01, 07:27:00 AM
- Bluestocking Mum said...
Hi Jen
Great to make your acquaintance. Thank you for the warm welcome.
This is a super start to the Challenge. I love working on attire. part of my current WIP is set in the 60's and 70's so I'm having a great time with winklepickers and flares!
Look forward to following your blog and writing.
- Fri Apr 01, 07:28:00 AM
- Linda Fischer said...
Adam and Eve are characters in my story. I don't have to worry too much about that for the first few chapters! But then, oh my! How did they keep those fig leaves on? :)
- Fri Apr 01, 07:28:00 AM
- Marian Allen said...
Good point, Jen! If I write a piece in another time or another world, the last thing I think about is what they wear, but I have to know, so I usually waste time out of writing figuring that out. It would be a lot better if I figured it out first! Thanks for putting a finger on something I try to ignore. :)
Marian Allen
Fantasies, mysteries, comedies, recipes
- Fri Apr 01, 07:29:00 AM
- Tiffani Rose said...
Good advice. I don't write but I would have never thought about clothes before.
- Fri Apr 01, 07:29:00 AM
- Catherine Denton said...
Great thoughts! I have to make lists or I forget little tidbits about them.
My Blog
- Fri Apr 01, 07:32:00 AM
- Ella said...
Great A post! I can see a lot of potential for comedy, if one is not careful! Thanks!
- Fri Apr 01, 07:45:00 AM
Great question ... My character are pretty much all casual. One guy, Bennie, likes to think he's a jet setting hot shot and dresses up for work in suits and power ties. But most of my characters are grad students so they wear jeans, shorts, whatever.
- Fri Apr 01, 07:45:00 AM
- Matt Conlon said...
I find this to be one of the most difficult parts to keep track of.
- Fri Apr 01, 07:49:00 AM
- Mara Nash said...
My faeries use magic to deal with clothing and wings. Isn't magic the answer to everything when you're a faerie?!
I agree that attire is important for your characters. I like to be able to visualize the characters as I read, and knowing what they wear is is essential to understanding them as people!
- Fri Apr 01, 07:49:00 AM
- Laura Pauling said...
Depending on the character and the story I'll pay more or less attention to clothing, but it's important to think about!
- Fri Apr 01, 07:52:00 AM
- Mara Nash said...
and P.S. - thanks for co-hosting!
- Fri Apr 01, 07:58:00 AM
- Teresa said...
I think you make some very good points and I also think this why I am a great reader and not a great fiction writer. I have an imaginative mind but not enough to be able to picture all the things that need to be illustrated through words in a book. So you keep writing I will raed and then I can write about what you write :) I like the name Fina
- Fri Apr 01, 08:02:00 AM
- Better is Possible said...
Stopped by to say hi and read your post. Nice start. See you around!
- Fri Apr 01, 08:04:00 AM
- Mary Vaughn said...
Fun way to teach. Enjoy A-Z!
- Fri Apr 01, 08:06:00 AM
- Lindsay N. Currie said...
Attire is really an easy thing to overlook and can be a big gaping hole when it comes to visualizing characters. Good start to the challenge Jen!
- Fri Apr 01, 08:07:00 AM
- Fourth Grade Teacher said...
Oooh, the first challenge post I'm reading, and it's full of excellent advice! I'm not a visual person (I would be horrible as a police witness), so thanks for the reminder that my characters shouldn't be running around naked unless it's pertinent to the story! So far all anyone's wearing in my Challenge: A is a head scarf! Oops! :-)
- Fri Apr 01, 08:13:00 AM
- Karen Walker said...
Oh, didn't think much about this before. Thanks, Jen.
- Fri Apr 01, 08:21:00 AM
- Sarah Ketley (constance) said...
what else to say. So important to know what they are wearing, it changes everything, attitude, thoughts even the way they would be walking.
GREAT blog!
- Fri Apr 01, 08:23:00 AM
- Karen Amanda Hooper said...
Fina should so flaunt those wings! If you got it, show it! :)
Great A topic.
- Fri Apr 01, 08:28:00 AM
- Melissa Sarno said...
I love dressing my characters! I write contemporary and I'm pretty particular about what my characters wear. That's how people express themselves so I think it's important. Great post! :-)
- Fri Apr 01, 08:31:00 AM
- L. Diane Wolfe said...
Some characters I focused more on their attire than others. Book II's Sarah was a tomboy, so she wore a lot of tshirts and jeans, but it was fun to mess with her and stick her in something girlish.
- Fri Apr 01, 08:33:00 AM
- Gregg said...
Not being a writer I don't have any characters to clothe or to be concerened about their attire. However, this is a good reminder that I have "character." I need to be very concerned about my attire in order to have a good character vs bad character. Great beginning!
Gregg Metcalf
Colossians 1:28-29
Gospel-driven Disciples
- Fri Apr 01, 08:37:00 AM
- Katie Mills said...
I have to remind myself to describe clothing every once in awhile but yes, staying true to character is key.
- Fri Apr 01, 08:38:00 AM
- Joanne said...
In honor of the A-Z theme, let me synchronize my Comment ... AWESOME post :)
- Fri Apr 01, 08:42:00 AM
- busy91 said...
There are only a few times I concentrate on attire for my character, other times I just let it go by the wayside. Interesting thoughts though. :)
- Fri Apr 01, 08:55:00 AM
- Carrie said...
Good one. I'm always worried that I shouldn't be telling readers what my characters wear and that I only do this cause I'm a wardrobe girl. It's good to know its important.
- Fri Apr 01, 08:59:00 AM
- Jessica Bell said...
This is a crazy challenge. I can't believe how big it has gotten! I met you during last year's challenge. Remember? :o)
- Fri Apr 01, 09:04:00 AM
- Cindy said...
My characters, since I am not a writer, are only my own girls. Though in a way, with my photography I form characters... but it can be very expensive to attire them on my own so I hardly ever get quite what I am going for because I am making do and on a budget...
- Fri Apr 01, 09:18:00 AM
- Matthew MacNish said...
I think it all depends on what you're writing about. Some writers never describe their characters, or what they're wearing, and make it work. I'm not good enough to pull that off.
- Fri Apr 01, 09:19:00 AM
- Tamara McRill said...
I visualize my characters in scenes fairly well, so clothing (or lack thereof) is easy. As a reader, I've been totally pulled out of otherwise great books by what a character is wearing. Not just the mechanics (mainly in fantasy) but when the choice seems 'off.'
- Fri Apr 01, 09:19:00 AM
- Teenage Bride said...
I think this is probably one of the reasons I love stories set in diffent time periods so much. The attire is so fascinating and fun to imagine!
- Fri Apr 01, 09:22:00 AM
- Carolyn V said...
Attire? Awesome! I think what a character wears says a lot about them. Great post!
- Fri Apr 01, 09:25:00 AM
For some genres, Attire is definitely a must. A+ for this post!
- Fri Apr 01, 09:30:00 AM
I've only just started writing so I've lots to learn but I never, ever think about what my characters wear. Great post. It's given me lots to think about.
- Fri Apr 01, 09:32:00 AM
- Laura Marcella said...
It's so important to know what your characters wear. Clothing can say a lot about a person!
- Fri Apr 01, 09:36:00 AM
- Ann said...
Dressing like Maire Antoinette to go grocery shopping… hemmm. Now there is an idea. I once saw a woman who thought to dress like Anne Boleyn to attend the Other Boleyn Girl. It did look odd, will rethink that one.
- Fri Apr 01, 09:36:00 AM
I LOVE the comment from the person who said they wanted to put all their characters in jeans and sweatshirts and be done with it. Heheheheheh! That works for me!
Thanks so much for your comment on my blog; I'm happy to be following you.
(I think I was 964 on the list.)
- Fri Apr 01, 09:43:00 AM
- Melanie Schulz said...
I can see your point. It adds alot more to the picture you are creating for your readers
- Fri Apr 01, 09:44:00 AM
- Becky Wallace said...
Ooh! I love dressing characters. My male MC is so EASY. Flip flops and a baseball cap...but it's all him.
- Fri Apr 01, 09:48:00 AM
- Laura Josephsen said...
I've been thinking about clothing of my characters a lot recently. I don't like to do a lot of description on clothes (especially constantly), but because I created an alternate world, I had to know how different people would dress. (I also, too, had to figure out how shirts would go on around/over wings.) And different clothes can say so much not only about the culture, but about the character.
- Fri Apr 01, 09:52:00 AM
- Jaydee Morgan said...
I should remember this. I hardly pay attention to what my characters are wearing. Must change this attitude.
- Fri Apr 01, 09:55:00 AM
- Jessica Hill said...
Great post! I sometimes forget about attire, as I do with most description, so it's something I have to constantly remind myself of and go back and add later if need be.
Have fun with your blogfest!
- Fri Apr 01, 09:56:00 AM
- Jen said...
Attire is my favorite part!! Great post and thanks for stopping by my blog.
- Fri Apr 01, 10:02:00 AM
- Trevor Peck said...
For real - that was some solid advice! I know for most writers that may be "um, yeah, no duh", but for people like me - who enjoy writing but kinda (it's a word in my book!) suck at it - that would have completely slipped my mind. Wow, long way to say thanks!
PS - you're now being "stalked" by me! Thanks for co-hosting!
- Fri Apr 01, 10:10:00 AM
- Bethe77 said...
Jen thank you for popping over and saying hello and introducing yoruself for the A-Z blog Challenge. Im so very excited to see where this will take me in my writing.
I was up late alst evening writing my first one A.
Then went to bed dreaming what each letter would be.
Im very excited to read others and learn and grow.
Again thanks for coming by.
- Fri Apr 01, 10:11:00 AM
- Lenny Lee* said...
hi miss jen! cool post. hmmmm for my fish story they all wore scales cept for shak the shark and he work shark skin. ha ha. in my dragon fly story gunther the goat and rowdy raccoon wore fur and fletch the grellowbird wore feathers. wow how easy is that! ha ha.
...hugs from lenny
- Fri Apr 01, 10:18:00 AM
- Rosalind Adam said...
I have to say I often fail to dress my characters - I don't mean they're nude. They just have generic coverings. But I'll start thinking about it from now on... I want a fairy called Fina.
- Fri Apr 01, 10:19:00 AM
- Thomasina said...
Whenever I read a book, I get joy from imagining what the characters are wearing. I like it when the author describes the clothing because it makes the characters more real. Make sure you stop by to see what I'm coming up with for the challenge.
- Fri Apr 01, 10:33:00 AM
- Brigid said...
Interesting thought, yes, I am big on detail with my characters, says a lot about a person what they wear.
- Fri Apr 01, 10:37:00 AM
- Sylvia van Bruggen said...
I have to admit clothes are the last thing I think of, and I am a woman!
In the first discarded draft of the book I work on now, the main character wore overalls. Yellow ones, I decided that my world needed characters to dress according to their gifts.
Then I saw yellow coverals and thought they were the ugliest things around.
So I started again and now she has jeans and a t-shirt with a gorilla on it. At least it's better than yellow coveralls.
Great challenging first post!
- Fri Apr 01, 10:41:00 AM
- walk2write said...
You're right! Clothes are very important to the story, and I usually don't pay enough attention to details like that. Your post has given me a great idea for a story. Thanks for the idea and for co-hosting.
- Fri Apr 01, 10:54:00 AM
- Tea said...
Enjoyed reading about the "attire" of the characters. I'm not really a writer. When I do write a short story or novel, I will remember your advice. This is so good.
- Fri Apr 01, 11:00:00 AM
- Stephanie said...
Clothes play a HUGE part in A Bitch Named Karma...Lexi is a total fashionista...gotta have awesome clothes!!
- Fri Apr 01, 11:09:00 AM
- Elizabeth Mueller said...
Oh, I love this post! What they wear does say a lot about them. I try not to weigh my work down with too much detail. What's your secret?
♥.•*¨ Elizabeth Mueller ¨*•.♥
- Fri Apr 01, 11:17:00 AM
- Tracy said...
Actually in my first book, sinhce my character was a dog, attire was NOT an issue...luckily one less thing to worry about :)
- Fri Apr 01, 11:17:00 AM
- jabblog said...
The characters and the setting decide the clothes. Of course, if it's a period piece much research must be done to avoid anomalies ;-)
- Fri Apr 01, 11:31:00 AM
- Paula Martin said...
I have to make a conscious effort to include some references to clothes (in my contemporary romances). I don't like too much description unless it's really relevant to the story.
Look forward to more of your A-Z blogs - and good luck with the challenge.
- Fri Apr 01, 11:40:00 AM
- Jennifer Shirk said...
Great post! I think what your character wears can really say a lot about them and their confidence.
(Unless they're a fairy, of course) Then they might not have a choice. LOL
- Fri Apr 01, 11:46:00 AM
- Debora Dennis said...
Clothing my characters is so much more fun that shopping for myself - no need to worry about things on sale or going over budget! I love this part of the characters creation :)
- Fri Apr 01, 11:46:00 AM
- Tracey Neithercott said...
Great post! Mine has a scar from heart surgery running down her chest. She's self-conscious about it so she never wears low-cut shirts.
- Fri Apr 01, 11:51:00 AM
- Krispy said...
Wings are always hard to work with when it comes to clothes! Love this topic because it speaks to both character personality and like the logistics of the physical world. Haha.
Congrats on the co-hosting gig! I thought about trying out the challenge, but it seems too intense for me!
- Fri Apr 01, 11:55:00 AM
- welcome to my world of poetry said...
Excellent start to the challenge, enjoyed the post very much.
look foward to the rest of the month.
- Fri Apr 01, 11:56:00 AM
- paper said...
This is an (A)awesome start, Jen! :)
I wanted to drop by as promised, and thank you for the warm welcome to the fold of the A to Z April 2011 challenge.
You were my first commentor in connection with the blogfest,and I thought I'll dedicate the month to visiting your blog, and finding an adjective for each post, the first letter of which corresponds with the letter of the day! :)
To answer your question: I have not been writing fiction for a while, but when I do, I would like the clothes to also tell the story of the personality of my character in a subtle manner that adds up at the end of the story.
- Fri Apr 01, 12:05:00 PM
- Jennifer Hoffine said...
Before I forget, thanks for helping to host this. What fun!
I agree about attire being important, esp for YA. It also gives you an easy way to have your first person narrator talk about her own appearance (always tricky).
- Fri Apr 01, 12:25:00 PM
- Laura Howard said...
This is a good point.. Sometimes books give too much clothing detail, and other times there isn't any. I thin finding the right balance is important. I plan to add these kind of details in my revisions, since it's not setting that comes naturally to me.
- Fri Apr 01, 12:26:00 PM
- Hilary Melton-Butcher said...
Hi Jen .. the A for attention to detail that's needed to 'put' a novel into print .. and so right about attire ... it has got to match the character and the age. Thanks cheers Hilary
- Fri Apr 01, 12:34:00 PM
- Hannah Kincade said...
I don't actively think about what my characters are wearing, I just follow my instincts and let it happen while I'm writing.
- Fri Apr 01, 12:45:00 PM
- Michael Di Gesu said...
I alway mention attire with my characters... They can't walk around nude... Can they? lol.
- Fri Apr 01, 12:47:00 PM
- Myne Whitman said...
I really don't pay much attention to attire in books, and when a lot of detail is used, I skip when reading. But I will notice though if the time periods don't match, LOL..
- Fri Apr 01, 12:47:00 PM
- Crystal Pistol said...
Great topic! I'm actively concerned with the dress of my characters.
We are all judged immediatly on our appearances, like it or not. I wouldn't want my homeless man to be confused with my wall street banker! :)
- Fri Apr 01, 12:48:00 PM
- RosieC said...
I love thinking about my characters' clothing. My biggest problem is describing those clothes too much in my prose. :)
East for Green Eyes
- Fri Apr 01, 12:48:00 PM
- natz said...
Thanks for the welcome and the comments (and tweet)!
I usually don't think about what the my characters are wearing. I kind of assume that as most of them tend to be teens/college, they're most probably in jeans. So I'll only mention something about clothes if they decide to dress up or are going to some event or something.
- Fri Apr 01, 12:49:00 PM
- Marjorie said...
You don't necessarily have to write the clothing in much either. Just to know it gives you the power to write accurately.
- Fri Apr 01, 01:01:00 PM
- Christina Lee said...
Yes- this is a GREAT one, J!
- Fri Apr 01, 01:01:00 PM
- The Book Gatherer said...
What a magical post to start the challenge. I'm off in search of a fairy.
Here's my start to the A-Z challenge. I'm really looking forward to the month ahead!
- Fri Apr 01, 01:03:00 PM
- Susan Kaye Quinn said...
I always forget to dress my characters. It's embarrassing when I realize they are nekkid. :)
- Fri Apr 01, 01:11:00 PM
- ~Nicole Ducleroir~ said...
Clothing and other details that define a character's personal style are super important to my development stage. They are some of my favorite things to think about!
- Fri Apr 01, 01:13:00 PM
- Roza M said...
I usually go with their names, like if it sounds more like a great punk rocker name then the people will be wearing some punk attire.
Love this post! Thanks for the comment on mine and yes, getting your book published is ambition if you will do anything possible to get it there. =) Cheers.
- Fri Apr 01, 01:14:00 PM
- Jo Schaffer said...
What they wear says so much about them and about what they think of themselves. I like dressing them. (;
- Fri Apr 01, 01:20:00 PM
- Tyrean Martinson said...
Love the idea of a character dressed as Marie Antoinette at the supermarket - had an instant visual affect for me. Thank you for pointing out this very important characterization method - I think most of my poor characters have been walking around unclothed because I've forgotten to clothe them. Oops.
- Fri Apr 01, 01:22:00 PM
- Rachel Giesel said...
This is a good thought that I think is often overlooked. Nice post! Congrats on successful day one! 26 more to go! (:
- Fri Apr 01, 01:27:00 PM
- Aubree said...
my problem is describing the clothes without sounding like a straight up description. "she was wearing a shirt and jeans" that just sounds lame!
- Fri Apr 01, 01:35:00 PM
- Penned Pebbles said...
Thank you, I'll be sure to dress my characters. Would hate to leave them exposed all over blog ville. :-)
Thank you for the visit and encouragement!
Penned Pebbles
- Fri Apr 01, 01:44:00 PM
- Whitney Boyd said...
I LOVE describing the clothes my characters wear. I think it makes everything so much more interesting! Love it!
- Fri Apr 01, 02:00:00 PM
- TS Hendrik said...
That hits right at one of my biggest problems with writing. I am horrible at remembering to describe what people are wearing.
- Fri Apr 01, 02:19:00 PM
- Debra Ann Elliott said...
Stopping by fronm the A-Z challenge. Great A word!
- Fri Apr 01, 02:23:00 PM
- Monti said...
When my characters get caught up in the action of the story, it doesn't seem to matter what they are wearing. Or, maybe I just forget to tell or show!
- Fri Apr 01, 02:25:00 PM
- Rhonda@laugh-quotes said...
Attire is an awesome A, and a good thing to think about when we write. Following from A-Z challenge.
- Fri Apr 01, 02:27:00 PM
- Erin Hartshorn said...
I now have to write a short story where someone dressed as Marie Antoinette goes to the supermarket. :-)
- Fri Apr 01, 02:48:00 PM
- Laura M. Campbell said...
After choosing my character's age, I develop their personality then decide what type of attire they would wear. A characters appearance can say a lot about them, and I think it's very important.
- Fri Apr 01, 02:50:00 PM
- Jan Morrison said...
I know what they'd wear but I don't neccesarily write about it - not unless it has something to do with the plot anyway.
good idea - see you around the fest!
Jan Morrison
- Fri Apr 01, 03:02:00 PM
- Madeleine said...
Great A post.
I get pics of how my characters should look and that way I can imagine what they wear. :O)
- Fri Apr 01, 03:03:00 PM
- Jennifer Hillier said...
I definitely do include references to clothing because what a character wears says a lot about them. Just snippets, like a vintage t-shirt or custom suit can say a lot!
- Fri Apr 01, 03:08:00 PM
- Lynnette Labelle said...
I have a questionnaire that they must fill out, then I work on their GMCs.
Lynnette Labelle
- Fri Apr 01, 03:14:00 PM
- nutschell said...
Jeans! They're kids after all. Plus jeans are great for roughing and tumbling and all that jazz!
- Fri Apr 01, 03:26:00 PM
- Tundiel said...
My MC mentions clothes a LOT, it's just part of who she is. There's a lot of costume changes throughout too...
Good luck with this whole thing! I missed it last year, but talked myself into doing it this year. It's fun scrolling through all the blogs. :)
- Fri Apr 01, 03:28:00 PM
- J. D. Brown said...
Hi, nice to meet you. I'm going down the list commenting for the challenge. I love your blog, you seem like such a fun person. Love your post too. I have vampire characters and they like to dress old fashion - long skirts, conservative blouses, except for Jesu, he doesn't really care what he wears and likes jeans and t-shirts.
- Fri Apr 01, 03:33:00 PM
- Lindsay said...
I do love clothes, but the characters I tend to write seem to have some 'I'm not really into fashion' attitude. LOL. I'm going to give this more though now though :)
- Fri Apr 01, 03:52:00 PM
- K.C. Woolf said...
Yes, guilty as charged. My characters have a documented wardrobe.
Only the 1st day of the Blogging Challenge and already I'm making confessions. Where will this end?
- Fri Apr 01, 03:53:00 PM
- Elaine AM Smith said...
I had so much trouble deciding on a uniform for the magical school in my wip. I needed it to help me world building as well as having them reasonably attired in something that could deal with a little rough treatment.
I mapped out the whole school curriculum, rankings for the Masters and the grading system as well as the the time table. My school was attired weeks before the kids were ;)
- Fri Apr 01, 04:15:00 PM
- Fa L'Americana said...
Characters are always my stumbling block. I can think of a thousand great plots, but my characters tend to be limited to the second dimension. If you continue the "character" theme I'm sure I learn quite a bit though :-)
- Fri Apr 01, 04:21:00 PM
- Karen Lange said...
Great idea! :)
- Fri Apr 01, 04:28:00 PM
- Shelley said...
Comfy fleece pj pants and a hoody watching movies with a fire.
- Fri Apr 01, 04:32:00 PM
- LibbyLayla1984 said...
That's what I do when I write lol i even sometimes write it into the story. So glad i'm not the only one
Love the blog.
Now following
- Fri Apr 01, 04:56:00 PM
- Dafeenah said...
I so never thought about that. I think because I can see it in my mind I assume people can too.
Thanks for stopping by. I think I just found me another dealer.
- Fri Apr 01, 04:59:00 PM
- Read my books; lose ten pounds! said...
Love the name of your blog! :)
- Fri Apr 01, 05:04:00 PM
- Amy Wood said...
You make a great point! I don't give my character's attire enough thought.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Looking forward to what you'll have up tomorrow!
- Fri Apr 01, 05:12:00 PM
- Siv Maria said...
Attire...hmmmm....My character would go naked if she wouldn't get arrested, she doesn't much care for fashion :) Thanks for stopping by my blog. What is tweeter anyways? I hear tweeter this tweeter that, maybe Norway is a little behind the times. Then again it could just be me :)
- Fri Apr 01, 05:14:00 PM
- MM the Queen of English said...
Jen, thanks for your welcome comment yesterday on my blog, The Queen of English's Blog at queenofenglish.wordpress.com.
Blogspot took a lot of persuading to let me comment, but I think we are bfs now.
I love your blog, crisp and clean. Your blog brings back memories of research, but let's not talk about that now.
MM the Queen of English
- Fri Apr 01, 06:07:00 PM
- Su said...
Sigh... this is a hard one. I wear whatever is at the front of my closet, but at least one of my characters has to care about clothes, right?
- Fri Apr 01, 06:08:00 PM
- Cheree said...
I find dressing my characters the easiest. They usually end up in jeans, but that suits the sort of but-kicking characters I create.
- Fri Apr 01, 06:10:00 PM
- Charmaine Clancy said...
I only mention clothing if it's relevant. I have read novels where it seems like a fashion catalogue and I prefer to create the character I'm reading as much as possible in my own head. So for me, just a few key points, that's all. Great post :)
- Fri Apr 01, 06:11:00 PM
- Alison Miller said...
My characters either wear football or soccer jerseys or cheerleading uniforms. Easy.
Haha - mine are pretty normal, but I do make notes on their styles and what they typically wear.
Great post!
- Fri Apr 01, 06:21:00 PM
- J.L. Campbell said...
Hi, Jen,
I try to visualize my characters and setting so that when I'm in scene, I have things nicely set up already. This is why I admire people who write Fantasy and Historical Fiction. There has to be soooo much more attention to detail.
- Fri Apr 01, 06:50:00 PM
- Erin Kane Spock said...
I have to be careful not to overdo the attire. My interest in Elizabethan England started with the costumes so I know more than you average bear and tend to get too specific. I write, then edit myself down to something readable. :)
My critique partner does the opposite and it's my job to ask the question "What is she wearing?" Attire is as important to setting the scene as the environment.
Good post.
- Fri Apr 01, 07:16:00 PM
- Jan said...
- Fri Apr 01, 07:19:00 PM
- Jeanne said...
It is so important to know everything about your character. Paula Danziger, who was a prolific children's author did a workshop a few years back that I attended (just before she died). She talked about filling out a long questionnaire about your character, so that you know them inside and out. Not all the information would be shared in the story but you would know how they would react. Great post.
- Fri Apr 01, 07:21:00 PM
- The Words Crafter said...
Girrrrrrl! I have a whole wardrobe for my favorite MC, Tangi. Yep, jewelry, too!
Love you topic!!!
- Fri Apr 01, 07:28:00 PM
- Claire Goverts said...
Nice post. I tend to focus so much on my character's personality, thoughts, and feelings that I sometimes overlook their physical appearance/what they are wearing.
It's amazing how many people signed up for the challenge.
- Fri Apr 01, 07:55:00 PM
- Lynda R Young said...
Maybe it's coz I'm a visual person, I'm always thinking about the clothes.
- Fri Apr 01, 07:58:00 PM
- Duncan D. Horne said...
I've been writing a novel for the past four years which has sprung from both my experiences living in England and Malaysia. I focus a lot on the little actions they do in every situation, like tapping their fingers on their leg whilst waiting agonisingly for a fax.
It's a good idea to write about the type of clothing they wear too - I'll look into that!
I'm also doing the A-Z challenge; take a peek...
Duncan In Kuantan
- Fri Apr 01, 08:04:00 PM
- Prem Rao said...
Interesting post, Jen. You have covered a point that many of us don't pay too much attention to. Thanks.
- Fri Apr 01, 08:34:00 PM
- Melissa Kline said...
Love this post! I am very passionate about my characters. I collect props and costumes for all of my main characters. Having a visual reference is fun and useful! Helps keep the creative juices flowing. Thanks for the awesome post. I look forward to reading more!
Reflections on Writing
- Fri Apr 01, 08:49:00 PM
- Samantha Sotto-Yambao said...
I always struggle with how to dress my characters. Art imitating real life. ;-)
- Fri Apr 01, 08:51:00 PM
- Arlee Bird said...
Oh dear, I tend to neglect clothes when I write characters. Of course I don't pay that much attention to fashion and clothes in real life either. If it's clean and it fits that works for me.
Contrary to my usual practice of subscribing to comments, to save time during challenge I will not be doing so during April. If you want to respond to my comment , please email me directly from your email notification for the comment.
Tossing It Out
Twitter hashtag: #atozchallenge
- Fri Apr 01, 09:03:00 PM
- terri.forehand said...
Thanks for this challenge, hoping to make the most of it. I am not nearly as techie as I need to be but I love writing so this will be a wonderful way to post more cool stuff.
Thanks again, on to letter B.
- Fri Apr 01, 09:22:00 PM
- Jemi Fraser said...
Perfect timing - I have a SNI floating around in my head and I haven't thought of clothing yet!
- Fri Apr 01, 09:38:00 PM
- Rae said...
Hi, fellow Houstonian! *waves*
Funny you should mention attire. My main character competes on a dance reality show, so attires kind of important. I'm still trying to figure out how to describe it without saying too much.
Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Publication
- Fri Apr 01, 10:17:00 PM
- Hold my hand: a social worker's blog said...
Oh...I don't pay a lot of attention to this aspect.
Great post!
Thanks, Jen.
- Fri Apr 01, 10:28:00 PM
- Nicole said...
Thanks for reminding me to pay more attention to the attire of my characters. I don't write many books but work on different screenplays and often neglect that important aspect of the story when developing my characters.
- Fri Apr 01, 11:11:00 PM
- Nicole Zoltack said...
Great post. It's the small details, like clothes, that make the characters really come alive.
- Fri Apr 01, 11:17:00 PM
- Craig Edwards said...
I can definitely see where the attire of a character would be a major detail to work out and build from. I don't write much prose fiction - I stick to screenplays - and there I also do give basics for wardrobe - but not in blistering detail because that would infringe on the costume designer's bailiwick - but that said I certainly try to point them in the right direction. Great post!
- Sat Apr 02, 12:36:00 AM
- Poddys said...
As of right now, the number of blogs registered is 1,150! Isn't that amazing.
- Sat Apr 02, 04:12:00 AM
- Manzanita said...
Day one behind us and beginning day 2. We're off to a great start. Clothes do make a character.
Wanna buy a duck
- Sat Apr 02, 04:38:00 AM
- Juliet Boyd said...
Most of my stories are so short that I don't have time to dress the characters. Hmm, does that sound wrong? No, they're not naked!
- Sat Apr 02, 05:11:00 AM
- Talli Roland said...
I love love LOVE dressing up my characters! :)
- Sat Apr 02, 05:44:00 AM
- Clare C. Greenstreet said...
I love dressing my characters! I have list of clothes I've been that each character would wear. Lots of them come from the shop I work in cause I'm there everyday. I have to stop myself from going into Costume Porn when I write though.
- Sat Apr 02, 08:08:00 AM
- Annikka Woods said...
What my characters wear is an integral part of their culture and society as well as something to cover their nekkidness. It's been fun designing the clothes worn by my different cultures. I borrow heavily from our own world but give things my own spin.
- Sat Apr 02, 01:14:00 PM
- Sherri said...
I am hopeless when it comes to dreaming up attire and for that reason I have a lot of fantasy clothing websites I visit for inspiration. Once I see it, I can describe it in my story.
- Sat Apr 02, 04:41:00 PM
- Corinne O'Flynn said...
I agree with you, clothing when described in a natural way can enhance so much about the character in a story. I struggle with this.
SO AWESOME to be hopping through the posts!!
On to B.
- Sun Apr 03, 12:15:00 AM
- Cally Jackson said...
Describing clothing is always a challenge for me. I agree it's an important part of characterisation, but only to a point. I mean, we don't need to know what the MC is wearing in every single scene, only those where it helps paint the picture. Knowing when to explain the clothes can be tricky. I think I've probably got too many in my current draft.
- Sun Apr 03, 01:00:00 AM
- Sari Webb said...
Good point, Jen! I think also, if you're writing to a YA audience, it's important to know what is in fashion these days. I read so many YA books where scrunchies are still mentioned, or midrif tops. It's a sure sign that the writer has clicked on to the change in fashion.
- Sun Apr 03, 08:07:00 PM
- Tina said...
I'm a visual learner, so I definitely have a picture in my head of my characters. However, how much of that picture I share with the reader varies. For various reasons ;-) I'm sure I'm not the only one who is sometimes aghast when the book is made into the movie and the main character is COMPLETELY wrong. Tom Cruise in The Firm, for example. He'd been more Ryan Reynolds in my head. This is probably also a big reason why the movie is NEVER as good as the book.
Nice to meet you, and thanks for the sensible tips. Hope to be seeing you "around". Loving this challenge already!
Tina @ Life is Good
- Mon Apr 04, 06:22:00 AM
- Kittie Howard said...
Loved the clothing suggestions for fairies. I learned in a course once that wings came about because the Greeks needed to pull actors off stage so constructed a pulley device under their 'wings'...had to be so-shaped to give balance when uplifted.
- Tue Apr 05, 03:48:00 PM


text:
A risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of getting a disease or condition.
It is possible to have a heart attack with or without the risk factors listed below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your likelihood of having a heart attack. If you have a number of risk factors, ask your doctor what you can do to reduce your risk.
Factors That Can Be Modified or Managed
Smoking is a major contributing factor to cardiovascular disorders that can lead to a heart attack. Smoking irritates and narrows blood vessels, contributes to the build up of arterial plaque, and raises heart rate and blood pressure. As a result, cigarette smokers are twice as likely as nonsmokers to have a heart attack, and are more likely to die from a heart attack than nonsmokers. People who continue to smoke in the presence of established cardiovascular disease are at increased risk for repeated heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrest.
Nonsmokers who are exposed to smoking are at risk as well.
Physical inactivity doubles your risk for a heart attack or stroke. People who are usually inactive and then suddenly increase their physical activity are also at risk for having a heart attack. Talk to your doctor before you start any exercise program and gradually increase your intensity.
Regular moderate to intense exercise improves heart function and promotes healthy arteries. It also helps reduce the chance of other heart attack risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
Drinking too much alcohol can increase blood pressure, blood triglycerides that contribute to plaque build-up, and increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). Drinking too much alcohol can increase blood pressure and lead to other heart problems.
There is some evidence supporting that moderate drinking lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease. Moderate means a maximum of 1 drink per day for women or 2 drinks per day for men.
It is important to remember however, that moderate ingestion of alcohol can affect your overall health. Based on currently available data, taking up regular consumption of alcohol is not encouraged for people who do not drink or drink sporadically.
Illicit drug use, especially cocaine, can cause heart damage from abnormal heart rhythms, infection, or heart failure. Heart attacks are more likely in people with cardiovascular damage. Drug users also have an increased risk of dying from sudden cardiac arrest.
Men aged 65 years and older who are taking testosterone therapy are more likely to have a heart attack. Testosterone therapy has been used to treat conditions like erectile dysfunction. Talk to your doctor about your risk of heart attack if you are taking testosterone therapy medications.
Chronic Health Conditions
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is crucial to many body processes. The body produces and uses what it needs, but cholesterol also comes from your diet. High levels of cholesterol in your blood can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries, a major contributor to heart attacks.
If you have high blood pressure, your heart is working harder than normal to pump blood throughout your body. Blood pressure is the force of blood on arterial walls. Over time, this excess force causes blood vessel damage, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. If you have high blood pressure and are not keeping your blood pressure in a specific target range, you have an increased risk of having a heart attack.
Even if you have no other risk factors, being obese or overweight will increase your risk of a heart attack. It also adds to your chances of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. These are all risk factors for cardiovascular disease and heart attack.
Glucose intolerance and diabetes are metabolic disorders in which the body does not produce or effectively use insulin. Diabetes is associated with an increased risk a heart attack and early death.
Metabolic syndrome is a condition is marked by elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, and body weight. Excess weight centered on the midsection is of particular concern. Having metabolic syndrome increases your risk of a heart attack as well as other disorders.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder characterized by repeated episodes of complete or partial airway obstruction during sleep. The disorder is associated with disrupted sleep patterns and decreased oxygen saturation (the amount of oxygen carried in the bloodstream). OSA has been linked to several disorders, including cardiovascular disease and early death. Complications of OSA include high blood pressure, heart failure, diabetes, stroke, and heart attack.
Factors That Cannot Be Changed
The heart has a normal decrease in function as we age. This decrease is generally not enough to cause problems, but can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Some changes include an increase in heart size, slower heart rate, and stiffer blood vessels and valves.
Men have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease over all, but women's risk increases dramatically after menopause. It is thought that the natural decrease in estrogen levels plays a role in this increase. As a result, heart attacks are more likely to occur in men over the age of 45, and in women over the age of 55.
Having family members that have had heart attacks increases your risk as well.
In general, African Americans have a higher incidence of high blood pressure than Caucasians and therefore, a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease risk is also higher among Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians, and some Asian Americans. Cardiovascular disease increases your risk of having a heart attack.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: Michael J. Fucci, DO, FACC
- Review Date: 03/2017 -
- Update Date: 03/15/2015 -

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Eligibility Definitions
1. A competitor is eligible to dance in the "Syllabus", "Novice" and/or "Pre-Championship" proficiency classifications until they accumulate three proficiency points. There is no limit to the number of proficiency points that may be accumulated in the "Open Amateur" level.
2. A competitor receives one point when they either a) place first in their current classification when a semi-final was danced, or b) dance in the final of a higher proficiency event where a semi-final was danced.
3. In the "Syllabus" categories proficiency points should be accumulated independently for each dance.
4. The eligibility to compete in a classification is applied to individual amateur competitors and not the couple as an entity.
5. An amateur couple is only eligible to compete in a classification if both members of the couple are eligible.
6. An amateur competitor's eligibility is based on his/her accomplishments regardless of the number or length of partnerships they have had.
7. It is the responsibility of all amateur competitors to ensure that they are eligible for the category in which they desire to dance.
8. An amateur competitor may enter at most two consecutive proficiency classifications in any particular style and age group at a particular competition.
9. An amateur competitor's ineligibility begins at the conclusion of the competition in which his/her third point was acquired. In this case the word "competition" refers to the entire event (generally a "weekend").
10. An amateur competitor's proficiency level as a Pro/Am shall not be used in determining his/her amateur proficiency level.


text:
New Relic has announced general availability of its service to provide advanced code-level monitoring for Node.js, the framework for interactive real-time applications.
The New Relic service for Node.js framework is available from the firm and through key partnerships with CloudBees, Engine Yard, and Joyent, all which are said to have "strong ties" with the Node.js developer community, says the company.
With this release, New Relic delivers an APM solution for Node.js where the user can view the overall health of their applications from an aggregate response time dashboard and also drill down into code-level data.
Node.js uses include chat applications that run across distributed devices, data streaming (i.e., real-time audio or video, real-time game playing with tens of thousands of concurrent users), and powering API services for both web and mobile applications.
According to New Relic, everything that makes Node.js a powerful coding framework through its event-driven, asynchronous, and non-blocking I/O features also presents challenges in performance monitoring. New Relic says it has risen to those challenges by creating a customized agent from the ground up with advanced capabilities such as end-to-end transaction traces, alerts and notifications, application maps, code-level diagnostics, database transactions, and error tracking to quickly identify problem areas.


text:
I haven't made very much progress since my last update in March. To be honest I have been concentrating on using the National Burial Index I bought at a family history fair in April and concentrating my efforts in that area for my main family history research.
Anyway I got back to the one name study this morning and took stock. I am nearly half way through indexing the England 1891 census – I completed the 1881 census sometime in April. My goal is to finish the 1891 census by the middle of June and then start on 1901. I'm not going to set myself a target for that just yet.
I can see an end in sight for the transcribing and indexing work. After that I want to try to identify each individual, track them on the different spreadsheets and build family tree records.


text:
Piano Lessons Near Me Geneva MN 56035
Learning to play the piano is one of those things which typically we must have help with for certain, and our first thought might possibly be to locate a local piano teacher. This is a superb idea nonetheless it of course brings us issues we had not considered. For example, if perhaps we are located in a country region away from a metropolitan area then it could very well be very tricky to find precisely the style of coaching required. The piano teacher could quite possibly be remarkably accomplished, but will he or she be expert in the kind of tunes that in fact you are considering, that is actually the question.
Piano Lessons Near Me Geneva MN 56035
You can't disregard the issue of payment and professional tutors are not cheap, up to 50 dollars per hour in some areas, which actually is a lot of money in anybody's language. The best internet based packages include a vast systemof lessons in their software, in most cases split into the musical classes of conventional, jazz, blues and popular. For younger people wanting to get familiar with the hottest hits, this is surely perfect. Many times, local piano instructors are more senior school teachers giving private lessons to make make a little extra money and really don't actually know the hottesttunes at all, unless of course you are pretty lucky.
A further concern is valuable time and convenience. If by chance you have a job then you have to find a time period that fits each of you and furthermore include the commute time into the equation (aside from the cost of travel!) It's easy to see that employing a local piano tutor just isn't all that it's cracked up to be, unless you are a emerging Mozart or child genius, in which case you would positively require professional individual coaching. For everyone else, that wish to learn the piano music welove relatively swiftly, so we might have some enjoyment, on-line lessons can certainly fit the bill.
Piano–A World Of History And Class
The first piano's had 5 octaves but by 1810 they had become 6 and by 1890 7. In the 19th century, it was to the piano's were tougher to operate. They required muscle power to depress the keys to produce good quality sounds. However, as time went on, softer strings were made that reduced this tension. Today, Electronic keyboards are simple to operate and give you the option of a piano with out its bulk and weight.
Today, piano's come in 2 versions: the grand piano and the upright piano. In the grand piano, the strings go away from the keys making them large. For these piano's, big and spacious rooms with high roofs are required. Only then can they be enjoyed to the full.
The upright piano are more compact and sleek. The strings extend up and down allowing for space conservation. The company Yamaha produces some of the best products in this line.
A modern day piano has 88 keys and miner. This key set represents all 7 octaves and the miners as well.
All modern musicians face a problem however. Due to the large evolution of the piano, the compositions of greats like Mozart and Chopin are no longer meant for these instruments. The instruments that these composers used no longer exist. So a long and arduous task of interpretation is required before they can be played on the modern pianos.
Not withstanding the above problem, pianos have still got that beautiful sense of music about them. Today musicians like Yanni control your emotions using this instrument. Some even believe that piano music can help cure health problems. Indian classical music has such measures in its music.
Pianos have always been attractive to people who like beauty and romance. They have been appealing to classical tastes as well. Producing haunting, cheerful and beautiful music, the piano can never be forgotten. That is why so many people own them in their home and why even more wish they had one of their very own to sit at and play. There are not many things as relaxing as sitting down at your piano after a long hard days work.
Article Source: http://www.i-love-piano.com/articles.php?001
Unequal Music and the Dominance of ET
As well as indicating frame of mind, temper means to adjust the frequency differences between the notes of a scale to allow modulation into other keys, from the Latin temperare: to mix. Why are the notes of a scale tempered, and is it still possible to play in any key if they are not? The conventional way of answering the question of temperament usually requires considerable mathematical ability which can be daunting, so I'll try to demonstrate it another way.
Imagine that The Octave is a container, a shoebox into which we must fit the notes within an octave. An octave is so called because it contains the eight notes which make up the scale. In Western music this is further divided into twelve semitones or thirteen if you count the fundamental twice, thus; C,C#,D,D#,E,F,F#,G,G#,A,A#,B,C. As this is a theoretical scale, we can make it perfect, that is without any tempering (or tampering) at all. Here's the problem – the thirteen semitones won't fit in the box. Something is wrong, either The Octave is the wrong size or there are too many notes. Pythagoras was supposed to have noticed this anomaly and in his era there was a strict hierarchy to most things in life, including musical intervals. The Octave was considered the most pure interval and it works beautifully in terms of musical satisfaction and mathematics. Double the frequency of A440 and you get A880, a perfect octave. Next in the hierarchy is the fifth, arguably the most musically pleasing interval; in its pure, untempered form both notes of the fifth share many of the same overtones.
Pythagoras also discovered that if you play a cycle of twelve perfect fifths (start at bottom A on the piano ascending in fifths until you reach another A which will be top A) and compare that mathematical frequency (the number of cycles per second) with the same seven perfect octaves, bottom A to top A, there is a discrepancy of about a quarter of a semitone! To be precise, it's 23 cents where a cent is one hundredth of a semitone in equal temperament. In every other aspect of Nature, there is a flawless symmetry which appears to lacking here. This small but crucial discrepancy is called the Pythagorean Comma and that is the amount by which the thirteen notes of our scale are too big for the The Octave shoebox.
The solution to this problem is somehow to squeeze or temper the notes of the scale to accommodate the comma which will mean compromising the purity of some of the intervals. Obviously, we cannot alter the octave itself and the fifth is too sacred, too precious to alter, or so it would seem. Pythagoras devised a simple temperament where the fifths are tuned pure and the comma is loaded onto the final fifth turning it into a wolf note which is virtually unusable. Other systems of temperament dissect the comma and distribute the little packets of disharmony around the intervals of the octave so that the compromise is shared among several or many notes; the more notes are compromised, the less the impact or ferocity of the wolf notes. These wolves may not be that unpleasant; in the right place and context they can add rather than detract from the harmony of the music.
Equal Temperament, the one we all know and have grown accustomed to, the temperament to which I will tune your piano unless you request otherwise, is the biggest compromise of all. With the exception of the octaves, all notes within the scale are not where they should be but slightly de-tuned so that successive notes going up in semitones are exactly equal in distance from each other, making all the keys equally discordant.
Within these two extremes of dividing the comma between one note and twelve notes are many temperament variants which can offer a far more interesting listening experience than equal temperament. In striving for equality in all possible key signatures, equal temperament sacrifices any differences there may be between the keys in terms of key character. One could question the point of writing a piece of piano music in C# major when it sounds exactly the same as it would in C major, merely transposed up a semitone. It is also wrong to think that the ability to play in any key is the sole reserve of equal temperament. Most historic temperaments, for these were used right up to the 1900's, are perfectly capable of being used in any key; wolf notes are generally tamed by being spread over several intervals and the resultant mild discordance can be used to great effect in adding colour and interest.
Equal temperament has no pure fifths, no pure fourths, thirds or sixths. All are compromised for the sake of equality. All other temperaments have purity in some intervals balanced by tension in others which can lead to wonderful conflict and resolution in music, made all the more satisfying because they are more dramatic. Equal temperament is not a new discovery – it was known to the ancients, certainly Pythagoras, but firmly rejected because of its blandness. There is a common misapprehension that JS Bach wrote The Well-Tempered Clavier ( two sets of preludes and fugues, one in each major and minor key, known as The Forty-Eight) to illustrate the flexibility of equal temperament. Actually, he wrote them to illustrate the beauty and flexibility of well temperament which is very different from equal temperament in that the twelve notes of the scale are distributed unevenly to allow for differences in the character of each individual key whilst retaining the ability to play in the various keys. When we listen to a recording of The Forty-Eight in equal temperament, we are rather missing the point – the subtleties of Bach's choice of intervals and other musical decisions remain inaudible. Most editions of this music carry a facsimile of the original title page – a closer look at the set of squiggles at the top of this page will reveal, with a little deciphering, Bach's temperament, the well-temperament he used and devised for his Well-Tempered Clavier.
The mood or temper you would like to invoke in a composition will influence your choice of key; dramatic effects can be achieved when the music modulates from one key signature to another. Equal temperament on a fixed keyboard instrument such as a piano has no key character because it merely transposes when modulating. Equal temperament on an instrument where the pitch of a note is determined at the time of playing, such as a violin, is a modified form of ET – intervals can be slightly adjusted to suit the key signature and the temperament becomes unequal.
Equal temperament has only been in general use for the last hundred years or so yet it has dominated so much that any other temperament now sounds strange and exotic to our modern ears. If you have the opportunity, listen to music recorded using other temperaments such as Vallotti, 1/6th Comma Meantone, Kirnberger, Werckmeister III, or any of the alternatives; you may never hear music in quite the same way again.
Should you live in a sparsely populated region, then it could not be easy to obtain the piano teacher you'll need that matches your kind of learning. In this case, web piano lessons can help. The utmost effective online piano classes use their assets and different teaching strategies are definitely massive, so there's no shortage of lessons for many kinds of music.


text:
The moment you've created an original photo, poem, video, book, game, blog or other content it is automatically protected by copyright. But that doesn't mean others will automatically respect your rights.
To help others be more aware and respectful of your right to determine how your content is used, here are some steps to consider before sharing original content online:
The advantage of placing a layer of copyright over the image is that viewers can see the picture clearly but cannot remove the watermark by cropping. Be sure to consider the resolution of the image you want displayed online as well. The lower the resolutions, the less interesting the pic is to steal, so consider the tradeoff between image quality and where it will be posted.
The advantage of a simple drawing program is that you don't need any special software to add a watermark to your image. Additionally, pasting your image into one of these programs will usually reduce the image resolution without any further work on your part.
Watermarks in documents are easy to create but having a diagonal watermark across your page may at times be more intrusive than you want. Using the footer functionality allows you to enter copyright information that will be added to every page of your document in a less intrusive manner when this is the better alternative.
While these steps will not stop someone from taking your content, it will help remind everyone that the material is protected and that using it without your permission is theft.


text:
Stanczyk noticed that genealogist, Ceil Wendt Jensen has been letting all genealogists know about a new website to help with the 1940 US Census (which arrives in April 2012). Here is the website: http://www.1940census.net/ .
Have you prepared for the 1940 Census yet? If not, my prior article or Ceil's link ,which has many resources, is a whole website that can help you prepare. Also, do not forget the Steve Morse.org website.


text:
What do you get when you mix a stuffed animal, pillow, and a blanket? You get a Zoobies Blanket Pet!
I was lucky to get to review Zula the Zebra. And was very excited when he came by UPS to my door. My kids instantly fell in love with him. As a mom, I know children get alot of stuffed animals, and most of them are useless and just take up space. But with a Zoobie, you have 3 different uses.
My girls are really enjoying their new found friend, they tote him everywhere. And haven't put him down since. I found the girls like to snuggle up with him while they are watching t.v and when they are laying down for a nap.
The parts I love about Zula the Zebra are: He's so soft to the touch, his soft cuddly blanket, the inside zipper to attach the blanket, and his squishy nose. How ever, the one thing I kind of didn't (well my girls) quite like was the tag, but after a little snip, snip, it was perfect! (They actually had him upside down.)
A little about my:
♥~Microbead stuffed head for ultimate squishability™
♥~Large, super-soft coral fleece blanket zipped inside: 44" x 34"
♥~L: 22" x W: 7" x H: 13"
♥~100% polyester (additional materials)
♥~Washing-Blanket: Machine wash, tumble dry. Blanket zips off for easy washing.
♥~Washing-Outer pouch: Spot wash (if machine washed, using a laundry bag designed for delicates is recommended).
♥~Two bottom hook-and-loop Velcro tabs gather Blanket Pet™ into animal shape.
♥~Recommended for ages 3 and up, but safely tested for all ages
These would make the perfect gifts for children, tweens and even teens. They also offer Blankie Babies, that would be great for baby showers or newborns (0-2yrs).
And also offer Slumber pets, that would be great for your child to take with them to a visit to grandmas house, or a sleep over at their friends house.
I would definitely recommend this product!
*stock photos are Zoobies.
*others are mine.
Win it or buy it:
Buy it: You can purchase these cute little blanket pets for $35.00 at zoobies website.
Win it: Thanks to Zoobies,One lucky reader will win their choice of one blanket pet of their own.
Winners will be chosen by Random.org
♥~Must leave a valid email address with each entry, so I may contact you if you win.
♥~You must complete the manditory enrty(s) before doing any extra entries. If you fail to do manditory entry(s) extra entries wont count.
♥~Extra entries are not manditory, they are to give you more chances to win.
♥~All comments will be verified.
♥~You must leave a comment for each entry.
♥~ +1= 1 comment, +2= 2 comments. ect...
♥~Winner will be notified by email, and has 48 hours to respond, or another winner will chosen.
♥~Giveaway ends 8/21 @ 11:59pm EST
♥~Visit the Zoobies website and tell me which one you would love to win.(If this isn't done, all extra entries will be deleted.)(+2)
♥~Like Zoobies on Facebook, and let them know J's reviews sent you.(+4)
♥~Follow me on gfc (right side bar) and leave gfc name in comment (+2)
♥~Follow Zoobies on Twitter. Leave Twitter name n comment. (+2)
♥~Follow me on Twitter. Leave Twitter name in comment. (+1)
♥~Follow me on Facebook(+1)
♥~Tweet about this giveaway, use @jennishelton, @zoobiepets #giveaway In tweet, with this post link. Can be done twice a day atlease an hour apart. Leave link of tweet in comment. (+2 each time)
♥~Share giveaway on Facebook. Can be done once daily. Leave link in comment (+2)
♥~Blog about this giveaway, Leave link in comment. (+5)
♥~Leave link on linky/giveaway. Leave link to where i can find it. This can be done daily (+2)
*Disclaimer - Zoobies provided me with a blanket pet for review purposes, and sponsored my giveaway. In no way did this alter my opinion of their products. All of my opinions are one hundred percent honest and true.*


text:
Dr. Grumpy: "What's up? You've been with Dr. Moonray for years?"
Mrs. Bos: "He went to some seminar on 'natural health' and now he tells me that my epilepsy is from drinking milk. He said that if I stop all dairy products, my epilepsy will cure itself, and I can quit taking Depakote."
Dr. Grumpy: "You've had epilepsy since you were a kid, haven't you?"
Mrs. Bos: "Yeah, and it runs in my family. My sister actually died a few years ago when she stopped her medications, and he says I should sue her doctor because he never discussed stopping milk with her."
Dr. Grumpy: "Wow."
Mrs. Bos: "Yeah, and when I told him that I liked and trusted you, he told me you were secretly being paid by the pharmacy and dairy companies to hide the truth about medications and milk from your patients."
Dr. Grumpy: "WHAT?!!!"
Mrs. Bos: "Yeah, that's exactly what I said."
Dr. Grumpy: "Let me give you some names..."


text:
An old neighborhood that established its prominence in the earlier half of the 19th century, its buildings and rowhouses maintain the aesthetic of bygone eras in expressions of Federal Style, Greek Revival, and Gothic Revival architecture. To be sure, much of it is covered by the Brooklyn...
Explore Brooklyn Heights
© 2010-2018 Elegran Real Estate
• 5 Bryant Park, New York, NY 10018
• (212) 729-5712
• Internships
• Careers
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Agent Login
Elegran LLC may or may not be the exclusive listing agent of the properties being displayed on Elegran.com. All data displayed on Elegran.com is presented for informational purposes only and should be independently confirmed by all customers. All Information is compiled from both public and private sources including, but not limited to the RLS, MLS and ACRIS; each of which is assumed to be reliable. All information displayed is subject to errors and omissions regarding apartment specifications and final sale prices, and further, any unit listed may have had its listing withdrawn without notice subsequent to such information being compiled. No representation is made as to the accuracy of any description (ie: listing, close sale data, and/or building description) of any building or individual unit. All measurements and square footage are approximate and all information herein should be confirmed by customer and/or their attorney. Elegran LLC, its members, affiliates, and contributors adhere to New Your City, New York State, and United States Fair Housing Laws.


text:
You have no items in your shopping cart.
Luxe Lust
The Mykonos Edit
Lilac Luxe
Edition IV
New In
Similar Products
Arianna Diamanté Heels in Silve...
Regular Price:
Sale Price:
Arianna Diamanté Heels in Rose ...
Nastya Diamanté Perspex Heels i...
Nastya Silver Diamanté Perspex ...
* Required Fields
Size guide
Dont worry... If the shoe doesnt fit - return it! We'll send the next one out for FREE (UK Customers Only)
Please note that we are a UK based retailer, so our products are listed in standard UK sizes, if you are ordering from around the world then you will need to use our size guide to work out the size you need!
(Shoes, Sneakers & Pumps)
If you have any other enquiries regarding sizing or another issue please get in touch with us at [email protected] for help.
Regular Fitting - For specific product measurements please e-mail [email protected]
*Please note due to Easter weekend we will be closed from 30th March to 2nd April so all orders placed during that time will be despatched when we reopen on Tuesday 3rd April. There will also be no courier deliveries on Friday 30th so any express orders placed on Thursday 29th (at appropriate times before cut off) will be delivered on Tuesday 3rd*
Royal Mail Tracked (2-3 Working Days) - £2.95
Next Working Day (Order before 5PM) - £4.95
Next Working Day By 12PM (Order before 3PM) - £9.90
Saturday Delivery (Order by 5PM Friday) - £9.95
Premier (Manchester Only*, Same Day, Any Day) - £24.95 - More Details*
Fedex Economy (2-3 Working Days) - £9.95 (+ £4.95 for each additional item)
Fedex Express (1-2 Working Days) - £14.95 (+ £4.95 for each additional item)
Standard (5-7 Working Days) - £12.95 (+ £4.95 for each additional item)
Express (2-3 Working Days) - £19.95 (+ £3.95 for each additional item)
EUROPE - Please see Shipping Page for specific European rates
DPD Standard Tracked (2-3 Working Days) - £6.95 or £9.95
Next Day (Order By 4pm GMT) - £12.95 or £14.95 (+ £2.95 for each additional item)
REST OF THE WORLD - Please see Shipping Page for all other specific country rates
For any further information or queries on delivery email [email protected]
We guarantee to refund any item you are not completely happy with when you return it to us in an unused and saleable condition within 14 days of receipt. Refunds will be at the original purchase price excluding the initial delivery charge and will be made to your original method of payment. If replacement goods are required, you need to arrange this via e-mail and/or specify so on your returns form.
**Please note all SALE and CLEARANCE purchases are final and cannot be accepted as a return**
Please note swimwear and underwear items are non-returnable due to hygiene reasons, this does not affect your statutory rights.
Items must be returned in the original and re-sellable condition otherwise we cannot refund them as new.
For further instructions and information, please visit our returns page by clicking here.


text:
I've used milk chocolate and I tempered it with the seeding method. But that's optional, if you don't want to temper it, just keep it in the fridge after unmolding. Poor the chocolate into the mould and when it's all covered tap it gently on the table to prevent any air bubbles.
Refrigerate until set. It's ready to unmold when it looks kind of foggy. Just invert the mould onto a table and it should release pretty easily. If it doesn't release it's not ready, so keep it in the fridge for a while longer.
So you see? You CAN have chocolate with fried eggs! Tiny tiny fries eggs, that is!
Eat eggs, eat chocolate, eat your eggs WITH chocolate… and have a happy Easter!


text:
Pittsburgh delays evening parking fees until July
Pittsburgh delays evening parking fees until July
Pittsburgh City Council is giving visitors a gift that may not last forever, but is good for at least the next six months.
The council voted Thursday to delay plans to charge for on-street parking in the evening.
The vote comes as town officials debate the need for parking revenue versus their desire to attract shoppers and diners at night.
The city had planned to extend meter parking hours from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. in seven neighborhoods starting next week.
Councilman Ricky Burgess believes the added enforcement would generate $200,000 in meter revenue and $1 million in fines each year.
The council vote delays the plan until July 1, and urges the city parking authority to use that time to revamp its rate structure and boost enforcement.


text:
OMAHA – Jace Peters admits he's having the time of his life playing college soccer for the team he idolized as a youngster growing up in Glenwood.
"I guess you could say it has always been a dream to play at Creighton," Peters said during an interview last weekend. "I watched plenty of Creighton soccer games before I was ever on the team. Being around this area and playing club soccer in Omaha, you get to know the program."
Peters, a 2008 Glenwood Community High School graduate, is a senior defender on a Creighton team that finds itself just one win away from earning a berth in the College Cup, Division I mens soccer version of the "Final Four." A win at home Saturday afternoon against South Florida in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals would send the Bluejays to the College Cup in Hoover, Ala., Dec. 9-11.
"I'm really enjoying the run we're going on right now," Peters said.
Peters would like nothing more than to finish his collegiate soccer career in the College Cup. Competing for a Division I national championship would be special to every Bluejay player, but maybe even more so to Peters who began his college career at Doane College, an NAIA school in Crete, Neb.
Peters enrolled at Doane in 2008 because Creighton didn't show interest in his services until late in the recruiting process after he had already committed to the Tigers.
"I was kind of recruited at the very end. I was already committed to Doane," he said. They wanted me to walk on to Creighton, but financially that didn't really make sense for my family."
Peters spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at Doane, starting 32-of-34 games and scoring three goals. He earned All-Great Plains Athletic Conference honors his sophomore season. It was connections Peters had with former Creighton players and coaches through his participation in the U.S. Open Cup that kept him visible to the Bluejay program.
Peters started 8-of-12 games his first season at Creighton in 2010, but saw his playing time limited midway through the season by a sports hernia and groin injury.
"My junior year, we were successful. We lost to SMU in the second round on a pretty crazy ending" Peters recalls. "We knew we had the talent and I knew when I got here that we were good enough. It was just putting the pieces together."
The pieces started coming together last winter when Creighton athletic director Bruce Rasmussen announced the surprise hiring of Elmar Bolowich as the Bluejays' new head coach. Bolowich was lured to Creighton from North Carolina where he had just completed a 22-year run with the Tar Heels that included 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, four College Cups and a national championship in 2001. Bolowich came to Omaha with the reputation of producing championship teams and developing his talent into international and professional players.
Bolowich is the third head coach to be at the helm of the Bluejay program since Peters made the decision to transfer from Doane. He was initially recruited by Jay Mims and Bob Warming.
"They left for Penn State before I even got here," Peters said. "Jamie Clark came in last year and it was a great season. I loved the coaching staff. Then you kind of go through the whole process again. I guess nobody anticipated getting a coach like Elmar. It kind of came as a shock to all of us, but we're definitely happy to have him.
"It's been great playing for Elmar. He definitely knows exactly what he's talking about. He has everybody's attention, obviously, at all times. Everybody on the team knows he's been there before. He's won a national championship, he's been to three consecutive final fours with North Carolina. He's very respected by everybody in the college soccer world. I have the utmost respect for him."
Peters said the Bluejays have a unique style of play under Bolowich.
"We play really, really high pressure offense and defense, so he always says if we're not attacking the goal when we have the ball, then we're attacking the ball to get it back," Peters said. "It's up-tempo and everybody has to be pretty fit."
Under Bolowich's leadership in 2011, the Bluejays have soared to a 20-2 record and No. 2 national ranking. Creighton ranks No. 1 nationally in team defense.
Peters is a defensive specialist, but scored the third goal in the Bluejays' 3-0 win over Central Arkansas earlier this season. The shot in the net came off a corner kick.
Peters has been playing soccer since the first grade, the year his family moved to Glenwood from Wisconsin. He played several years of rec soccer in Glenwood before he and longtime friend Brady Blankenship began playing club soccer in Omaha.
In high school, Peters played for coach Mike Artist and was an instrumental member of the Rams' state-ranked soccer program. Peters started four years at GCHS, serving as a captain for three years and earning all-conference and all-state honors during his junior and senior seasons. Peters tallied 18 goals and nine assists for 45 points during his high school career. The Rams achieved a No. 1 state ranking during Peters' freshman and senior seasons.
Finishing out his collegiate career in Omaha, Peters has a strong fan base of friends and family members from Glenwood who attend Bluejay games on a regular basis.
"It's great to play in front of my family," he said. "Every single home game, I have my whole immediate family, grandparents, aunts, uncles and then even the Glenwood faces. Mike and Jennie Artist always sit in the same location. When we go to the locker room, I hear somebody say my name and I look up and see it's a face from Glenwood. That's pretty cool."
Peters is majoring in biology with a 3.61 grade point average. He plans to attend chiropractic school after he earns his bachelor's degree from Creighton. Last week, Peters was named an honorable mention member of the Missouri Valley Conference's Mens Soccer Scholar-Athlete Team and was previously recognized on the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) All-Region First-Team.
Add new comment
Read and share your thoughts on this story