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There is one inevitable fact about life, it will end.
Death is generally known as the termination of biological functions that sustain a living organism. In Western society we have a confounding factor to confuse this general definition of death; life support. There continues to be debate about what actually constitutes death in a human. Some believe it is when cardiac and pulmonary function cease while others contend that death occurs with brain death. Whatever the definition you choose to accept there remains the fact that one day you will die. You will stop breathing, your heart will stop beating and your brain will stop functioning.
There is something about death that makes me want to live. My life has been touched by death from a young age. Unlike some of my friends, I have been to many wakes and funerals including that of my father who died when I was a child. Having had death in my life from a young age I was able to understand mortality and the fleeting time we have on the earth. Although I had a fear of death, the realization that my life was a story with an ending inspired me to attempt to live a great story. I consider myself fortunate to have been taught by death to live.
Every day I see people merely going through the motions of life. If I refer to the definition of death they very much seem dead to me. There is no light in their eyes and I wonder if there is any brain function. The heart is pumping and the lungs bringing oxygen to the body but it seems like the person is attached to the life support system of the 9-5 job, unhappy marriage and obligations. To further reduce brain function the individual dulls the intellect with mindless hours spent in front of the TV. One day melds into the next much like the life of a person on life support. The routine of a life resembling the rhythmic sound of the ventilator and the constant beeping of the heart monitor.
There are many sayings and proverbs about life and death. Many of these truisms espouse the importance of seizing the day or living each day as if it is our last. The thing is, this day just might be the last. If today was your last day on earth what would you have changed? Who would you have called? Would you have gone to work? Would you have done that workout? Would you have skipped dessert? Have you lived a life that is worthy of death?
Many see death as a bad thing but I happen to disagree to a certain extent. Death is bad for those who are not ready to die and those who are around them. Practically speaking, for obvious reasons, it is a good thing we die. Imagine if every organism that ever landed on this earth never died. It would be very over crowded and kind of gross. Death can also inspire us to live. Death means that we have a life.
Sometimes I find myself getting into a rut and getting close to the ventilator. A touch of mouth to mouth shakes me out of my stupor and I reassess my life with an understanding of my limited time enjoying what the earth has to offer. It is at these moments that I decide to try something new, take a risk and ensure that what I am doing has meaning for me. I have made some changes in my life this summer and I am very content. I am trying to live the proverb. I am inspired by death to live each day as if there is a tomorrow while knowing I am content if today was the last.
I booked a couple extra weeks of vacation today. Time to push this life. What shall I do?
Yesterday I hit the trails of Stanley Park for a run. I obtained an acute understanding of the difficulty of running. I ran a few seconds faster per mile then I usually run and it was tough. Running is a very tough sport! Today I was in the pool for my usual swim workout and I managed 3000 meters with 1000 of IM.
Happy Training!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
On Death and Dying
at 7:44 PM
3 comments:
Good post, J. D., and lots of things to think about. It never hurts to be reminded of them.ReplyDelete
Just one question: What's the significance of the picture of the shirtless dudes in the middle of the post? Not sure what one has to do with the other.
Thanks for sharing.
The photo is me trying to make a great story of this life with some friends!ReplyDelete
Thanks for answering my question. I assume you're the fellow on the far left. Looks like you guys are having a great time, making some great memories for the future.ReplyDelete
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You simply do not wake up one morning and decide you are going to file for bankruptcy. This decision has to be pondered on and properly planned. It must be your only alternative, after having tried out all other possibilities, only then can your bankruptcy be acceptable and successful.
Although this procedure may relieve you from your debts and recuperate your financial impasse, you must consider that the decision to file for bankruptcy will alter your lifestyle for the next seven to ten years. Although your current problems will be solved, you should also plan ahead and consider the consequences on the long term, before taking the step, for you might regret the decision later on.
Bankruptcy Attorneys, Bankruptcy Lawyer San Diego, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Rules,
There are other solutions you may take, other than filing for bankruptcy, and you should review them before you take the final step. While you may feel up to your neck in debt with little to no assets, bankruptcy is not always the best solution, although it may feel like the best way out.
Before you do decide to take the plunge, it is best to ask the advice of a bankruptcy lawyer. He or she will be able to assess your case and determine if it is or not a good idea, and if so which procedures are best actuated. If you file for bankruptcy alone, you may find yourself with more problems and debts than when you first started. So, even if an attorney will no doubt be an extra expense, you will be recuperating these costs from the results of your filing. Try and read any material you can find on bankruptcy, so that you may relate to your attorney more precisely, letting him or her know, why it is you decided to file in the first place.
One of the reasons that may lead you to opt for this solution is when your debts are increasing due to the loss of a job, medical expenses and a divorce. You are faced with endless bills, while your income has decreased.
There are also reasons that should not lead you to file for bankruptcy, and these are not to be considered, for bankruptcy is not a solution you should opt for just to get out of paying bills. Nowadays it is not as easy to file for bankruptcy as it was in the past, so you really do need a good reason for doing so.
If there really is no other alternative than to go for bankruptcy, then it is time to look for a good bankruptcy lawyer. But where does one start? There are many professional companies that will provide you with free consultations, and from there you may decide whether or not it is advisable to proceed with your decision.
Sometimes filing for bankruptcy is simply not a good idea, more so if you do not have much on your bank account and do not own a car or house. The bankruptcy judge will want you to present a plan on how you are going to improve your status and avoid future setbacks. This is why it is advisable to prepare a strategic plan with your bankruptcy attorney before hand, if you want to succeed in obtaining a discharge for your debts.
Bankruptcy Lawyers In Virginia Beach
Is Bankruptcy Right For You? Talk to Bankruptcy Attorneys Free and Confidential. Licensed bankruptcy attorneys are available. Attorneys will call you to discuss your case for free. Find out if bankruptcy is right for your situation.
Rating of Bankruptcy Lawyers In Virginia Beach
Get Online Application at online Bankruptcy Lawyer.

subset: commoncrawl


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TITLE: Legend of the Doll (2006)
ALSO KNOWN AS: Sei Bishojo Figure Den
GENRES: Drama | Pinku
COUNTRY: Japan
LANGUAGE: Japanese
SUBTITLES: English
IMDB LINK: None
DIRECTOR: Toshihiro Goto
STARS: Noriko Kijima, Yuria Hidaka
An action figure aficionado named Ryouta finally completes a rare action figure collection by buying a doll in Akihabara. His joy is short-lived, however, when a group of juvenile delinquents steals it from him on the way home. Totally defeated, Ryouta wanders into a tiny back-alley shop and finds an even rarer model of a girl named Airu for sale. He rushes home to assemble it, and to his astonishment Airu comes to life and instantly falls in love with him.
MKV 270p: Zonk Coeg
MP4 480P: http://sh.st/nTrsQ
3GP 352X288 h263: http://sh.st/nTrjy


text: The staff at The Holistic Mental Health Clinic is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality comprehensive holistic approach to healing your mind, body, and spirit. We address all areas of your life and equally consider these elements when planning your treatment. We provide effective strategies tailored to your needs and advocate in achieving your greatest good and highest potential. We empower you by teaching you not only the knowledge, but the inspired motivation to actively apply what is learned in your own life.


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Evidence continues to mount that the next iPhone will feature support for video chats, as multiple references to the feature have been unearthed in the latest iPhone OS 4.0 beta. Inside what appears to be an iChat app for the iPhone, mentions of one-on-one and group video chats were found. It also appears that Apple already has at least three servers set up for the service, although all of them are only accessible through Apple's intranet. Found elsewhere in the build were references to chat rooms and moderation which 9to5Mac speculates will be put to use in the new Game Center. To be clear, just because something is included in the pre-release software is no guarantee it will ever see the light of day. But, considering the fact that many well informed people have been talking of such a feature for a long time, we'd be willing to wager we'll see something along the lines of an iChat app with video abilities come June. Where there's smoke there's fire, right?
via: Boy Genius Report
Monday, April 12, 2010
Possible iChat and Video Chat For iPhone?
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Weg Magazine - Leopard Front Cover
10th October 2012
The October 2012 edition of the Weg magazine has used one of my Leopard images as their front cover.
This is a stock image that is currently being marketed by Getty.
Its a pity I don't get credited in person but still good to see my images popping up in the market place.
This leopard, Safari was her name, was one of the most amazing leopards legends in the Sabi Sands. She was almost 20 years old when she died earlier this year, already a very old age for a wild leopard. She had raised many cubs, if not the most cubs in that region and was one of the most intelligent and successful hunters I had ever seen... this with only one eye!!
If you look at the image you'll see that the eye in the image is almost greyed out and she was completely blind in that eye, but that didn't stop her at all.
She lost the eye at a very early age of around 6 years old while trying to defend a kill for her cubs from the dominant male of her territory - Mafufanyane. Although Mafufanyane was a very good father, which is in its self a very uncommon behavioural attribute for leopards, he unfortunately took a swipe at Safari and badly injured her eye.
Safari very quickly learnt to adapt to her new disability and I can honestly say she was so successful at everything she did that it I doubt very much that it slowed her down in any way.
Safari was also possibly the most photographed leopard of the Northern sector of the Sabi Sands. She had grown up with vehicles in close proximity and was so habituated to vehicles that she virtually ignored them. She was one of my favorite leopards to work with and I will miss her dearly...!
I have often wondered about the effects of flash and spotlights on animals at night.
There are so many naturalist that insist that this is bad for the animal and would have a permanent negative effect on the animal. If ever there was a subject that proved the opposite of this it would be Safari. With only one eye, she was quite possibly photographed and spotlit every day and night of her life. If ever there was eye that should have been 'burnt and blinded' it would be hers. A nocturnal predator has such a sophisticated eye that it can react faster than we can imagine.
It is for this reason that I strongly doubt the validity of these dooms day naturalist. Further consultation with vets and eye specialist seem to echo my views.
I do however believe that if you are going to spotlight a predator at night it should be done responsibly.
Don't start off by shinning the spotlight straight into the eyes.
Don't spotlight while the predator while it is hunting... or being hunted.
Always give the animal its space and enjoy every leopard sighting for you are in the presence of greatness!!


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Quality Water Filters 4 You Posting Page
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Do you have bluish green stains in your shower, bath, or under a faucet? If so, you need to read this short article as this water condition can affect the health of your family.
In simple terms, blue-green stains happen when two conditions are met. The first is water that is corrosive is entering the house or being generated by the plumbing inside the house. The second condition is having copper plumbing inside the home or office.
Copper is often found in plumbing and plumbing fittings. When copper comes into contact with corrosive water it forms copper oxide. This copper oxide is what causes the distinctive blue-green color of the stains. If your stains are brownish or orange, the problem is most likely iron oxide.
Not all areas of the country have naturally occurring corrosive water. However, some areas, such in the Northeast, do. For instance, much of the water found in New Hampshire is corrosive.
Corrosive water will also hurt pipes by eating small holes in them which result in leaks.
The best way to treat this type of water is to increase the pH of the water before it enters the home or office or just after it enters. Increasing the pH will lower the corrosive nature of the water. A higher pH will also help to alleviate any iron corrosion problems you may have.
In addition to hurt pipes and staining fixtures, low-pH water can also affect the health of those who drink it or consume it through cooking. Water that is corrosive in nature can also cause lead, copper, rust, cadmium and zinc to leech into your drinking water at higher than safe levels.
You can buy an easy to use pH test kit and test your tap water. If the pH is below 6.0 it is definitely corrosive and should be treated as soon as possible. A pH reading of between 6.0 and 7.0 indicates your water is somewhat corrosive and should be treated as well.
Whole house water filtration units are available to help prevent corrosive water. If you water comes from a municipal water company, you should contact them and have them assist you in getting a higher pH at your home or office. For those who get their water from private wells or other private sources, consulting with a qualified water filter vendor is in order. These professionals can help you understand the problem and offer viable solutions that will take care of this unsightly and dangerous problem.
by: Chris Tracey
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These women are always talking about sex, they are not shy or anything, do not doubt they have something to tell you and how to surprise you.
Join us in the club, and the girl with whom you communicate your photos will throw you in the nude, and most likely you will have something more - Registration!!! >>


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GoFest North
GoFest is the largest and most exciting multi-sport and dance festival in the UK, and it's coming to the Etihad Campus, Manchester on Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th June.
GoFest operates an "All inclusive" ticket, allowing access to the widest range of sports and physical activities imaginable over just one weekend. Early bird prices startat only £5 for children, £10 for adults or £27.50 for a family of four if you book before May 14th. This means that you and your family can "have a Go" at as many sports, dance and fitness classes as you can fit into a day - from a choice of over 40! – each with family friendly 30 -45 minute coaching sessions, all for just £5 - £10 a head!
GreaterSport also have a 20% discount code for all ticket types just enter GreaterSport at the checkout.
This is the first year that GoFest North has taken place and will take advantage of the brilliant facilities that were built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games at the Etihad Campus along with the swimming pool at the East Manchester Leisure Centre.
Badminton legend and former World Champion Gail Emms, and Olympic Silver medallist, Roger Black, are just two of the stars who will be at GoFest North running masterclasses, encouraging families and soaking up the GoFest atmosphere.
GoFest ambassador, Roger Black, MBE commented:
"It's just a brilliant weekend of fun and variety, and I think variety is the key. So many people of all ages playing different sports they have never tried or maybe even seen before. From Archery to Zumba there is literally something for everyone, regardless of age or ability. It's so exciting to be bringing this fantastic family festival to the sports enthusiasts of Manchester in June. I am really looking forward to it! "
To find out more about GoFest North and purchase your tickets visit www.gofest.co.uk/gofest-north or watch the video below.
Some of the events on offer include:
- Football
- Rugby
- Cricket Simulators & inflatable games
- Climbing
- Family Sprints & Relays
- Obstacle Courses
- Family Fun Runs
- Duathlons
- Korfball
- Netball
- Tennis
- Dodgeball
- Bow and Arrow Tag
- Volleyball
- Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Squash & Racquetball
- Scuba Diving
- Canoeing
- Gymnastics
- Basketball
- Badminton
- Martial Arts
- Water Polo
- Athletics


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Yes folks, it's the first of the month and it is time for your trek to Aeris Landing in western Nagrand. Gezhe will hook you up with a loot bag containing random gems, some of which are quite profitable. Of course, being the swindlers that they are, they don't give out something for nothing.
What you get depends partly on chance, and partly on how much they love you. Here's the breakdown:
- At Friendly, you'll be handed a Gem-Stuffed Envelope.
- Once Honored, you get upgraded to an Unmarked Bag of Gems. Unmarked bags never contain stolen goods!
- At Revered, you will be awarded with a Bulging Sack of Gems. This one always reminds me of
Santa'sGreatfather Winter's bag of goodies.
- Once Exalted, you'll receive a Bag of Premium Gems.


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Life has been somewhat busy lately. Learning new things at my job since I moved over to the art department and the moving in of our new trailer on the property in Pa. It's hard to believe a week has past already since our vacation home was installed.
Moving day was rather interesting. After spending the previous night in the old trailer which was getting worse by the minute, (even the microwave gave a final pop and died when we tried to heat up dinner) we had hoped the new unit would have been delivered as promised by 9am, but they showed up four hours late - UGH!!!! We still hadn't showered (hot water tank busted in the old rig) and couldn't wait to move in. Well, the installation took all day. They told us to leave and get something to eat because they wouldn't be done until 5:00. So off to Perkins restaurant for some yummy burgers and K-Mart for essentials we needed for the new place. We got back around 4:30 and they were almost finished. They still hadn't hooked up the air conditioning yet and needed to come back this week to do that. They found a problem in our ground plumbing line and said we shouldn't use the water. What? No way! There is a small problem that will need to be addressed but we had been using the bathroom all morning in the old rig while waiting for them to arrive and I was not going to bed without a hot shower. So they left and Brian hooked up the plumbing himself, it works fine and yes we finally had a hot shower.
The new place is beautiful. The outside landscaping needs lots of TLC so we will try and take care of a bit of it before the cold weather sets in up there, then continue in the Spring.
As for cooking in the new place last weekend we had some basic meals but there is nothing as good as eggs and sausage on a cool late summer morning looking out at wild turkeys and ground critters skampering about.
Spending this weekend back home in NY but headed back up next weekend with Matt and his girlfriend. Highlight photos are posted on my facebook page.


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Beginning at least in the third grade, an overwhelming majority of black students are on a track that leads in the wrong direction — away from college-level work or a career after high school graduation.Accepting this reality makes it possible for us to read closely what King says next:
It helps when students go to school from homes where parental supervision is strong, where respect for teachers and other students is taught, and where getting a good education is valued. It helps, too, if students are exposed at home to correctly spoken English, and where homework must be done and checked for errors.The sad truth is that parents learn from schools as well. Parents can learn good things as well as bad things. In the Philippines, parents are taking home bad lessons on education. When the Department of Education fails to provide quality learning materials, it only demonstrates a lack of thoughtfulness, seriousness and care. A previous post, "The Time to Change Course is Now" illustrates one specific example of DepEd's gross negligence and incompetence. It only shows that education is not really important. Sadly, that message is really getting through explaining why education issues are not even in the periphery of people's attention.
|For a brief period, I worked with parents in an elementary school in the Philippines to introduce the internet.
What schools can do is limited. What parents are capable of is likewise finite. For this reason, King calls for "a community — business, religious and social leaders, including elected officials — bent on providing all that is necessary, both school resources and family support". Without a learning community, any measure taken to solve problems in basic education is just a waste of time for it is bound to fail.


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Adventure Gnome Gameplay Video
Posted on May 16th, 2017 / Arthur
Amonkhet finally arrives in Magic: the Gathering – Puzzle Quest!
Featuring 155 new cards, this new expansion is filled with new card combinations and abilities to try out.
The set features three new card abilities: Embalm, Exert and Cycling. We are also introducing the concept of the Exile stack and Exiling cards to provide more strategic elements to the game.
When a card has the Embalm keyword, it is always accompanied with a number (ie. Embalm 2). Embalm is only available on creatures.
When a creature with Embalm is destroyed, gems are activated (like activated abilities). The number of activated gems is equal to the number next to the Embalm keyword (Embalm 2 will activate 2 gems). When you match one of these activated gems, the creature with Embalm is Exiled then a token copy of the creature with Embalm is placed on the battlefield, with two modifications: it loses its Embalm ability and gains the Zombie subtype. There are multiple cards that synergize well with both Zombies and Tokens in the set, so this ability is very strong. It also essentially gives you two copies of these cards for the price of one.
The Exert keyword is always associated with a number (ie. Exert 3).
A creature with Exert will activate a gem that counts down by 1 at the start of each of your turns. When the gem's countdown hits zero, it automatically activated. You can manually activate the gem by matching it at any moment, however.
When the gem activates, the ability listed next to the keyword executes. For example, "Exert 3: This creature gains Double Strike until the end of your turn" will give Double Strike to the creature until the end of your turn either when you match the gem or it will automatically trigger every 3 rounds.
The Cycling keyword is also always associated with a number (ie. Cycling 2)
Cycling is a unique ability that only applies to cards in your hand. To use the ability, you must manually Exile the card with the keyword by dragging it to the trash icon. The ability will only trigger if you have the listed number's worth of mana in your cards – if you do, that much mana is drained from your cards, from top to bottom in your hand, then the card is Exiled and you draw 1 card. The drained mana does not need to be from a single card – for example, if your top card has 1 mana and your 2nd card has 2 mana, 1 will be drained from your top and 2 from your 2nd.
Cycling is very useful as it lets you get rid of certain cards quickly to refresh your hand. There are also several cards that trigger off Cycling other cards, and certain cards with Cycling also have an additional effect when you Cycle them.
Some cards now have the ability to Exile other cards. When a card is Exiled, it is removed from the battlefield and put in a special stack that cannot be accessed. Exiled cards are not considered Destroyed and any effects from Destroyed cards will not trigger.
Exiling a card is a great way to bypass many immunities and to remove creatures from the battlefield without triggering their "When this creature is Destroyed" effects.
A new Planeswalker is introduced with the release of Amonkhet: Gideon of the Trials!
This version of Gideon is especially well-suited to the Amonkhet set. He has the following abilities:
His mana gains are +5 White and +4 Green at level 60, giving him very high mana gains! The other colors are at +0, so concentrating on White and Green is a great idea.
As for his deck restrictions, he starts at 4 creatures, 3 spells and 3 supports at level 1 and ends with 5 in each at level 60, giving you a lot of leeway in how to build your decks.
Starting with the release of Amonkhet, all the events in the game will now have new rules in effect that limit the card sets available to participate in the event.
PvP Events from Kaladesh, Aether Revolt and Amonkhet can now only use cards from Origins, Kaladesh, Aether Revolt and Amonkhet combined. This means that Fate is Rarely Fair, for example, can now only be played with cards from Origins as well as the Kaladesh and Amonkhet blocks.
Note that events from prior sets as well as current PvE events have no restrictions on card sets, and you can build decks using any card in your collection.
While we realize that this change can be somewhat controversial, we also believe it is crucial to the game's health going forward, for several reasons:
1- Card Balancing Issues: Since there are some very powerful cards residing in certain sets, this precedent forces the team to constantly attempt to balance against those cards. Cards like Deploy the Gatewatch, Olivia, Mobilized for War, Mirrorpool, etc. are incredibly strong, and we want to be able to make more cards like these in the future. They are fun, and a great definition of a power card, which encourages you to build decks around them. At the same time though, they limit the game's design space and cause balancing problems. There are cards we would have loved to print, but were unable to, due to their interactions with some of the more powerful cards available in the game. There are multiple ways to address this, and we chose the one that allowed us to leave these extremely powerful cards in the game (though in more limited game modes), rather than constantly rebalancing them. We know you all love playing with those cards, so we wanted to preserve that opportunity for players, but in controlled environments instead, rather than in the wild where it impacts everything else.
2- Game Accessibility: Limiting the new, current events to the current blocks also gives new players a much better place to start from, as they do not have to gather cards from old blocks to be competitive. This will let them get acquainted with the game much quicker. There is also a (natural) proliferation of mechanics in the game with every new set, and this makes the game more and more complicated to understand for new players (someone who was previously new to the game would have had to learn and understand every mechanic from Origins, Battle for Zendikar, Shadows over Innistrad and Kaladesh, which is quite daunting!). With this change, they have a lot less they need to learn from initially, and they'll be able to climb up the ranks much faster.
3- Event Balancing: Coalition challenges in particular are getting more and more difficult to balance, due to the fact that the team has to assume certain cards are in the most powerful decks, and as such, they have to balance the encounters against specific card combinations that are incredibly strong. We want to ensure that the competition is fair for everyone, so restricting the Coalition Challenges will help balance the events, as well as give everyone a more equal footing to start from.
This release also brings new events!
Two new weekend events have been added:
A new weekday PvP event has also been added – the Trial of Ambition. This new PvP event is centered around the Amonkhet set, and has Amonkhet-based objectives. It also features a Coalition leaderboard with Coalition rewards, so make sure you participate to prove your Coalition is the strongest!
Here is the list of objectives/rewards for the events for the first month:
Trial of Strength: Runs for 72 hours.
Restricted Planeswalker: Gideon of the Trials
Top end rewards: Climb the leaderboards to win great prizes! The top five players in Platinum will win 300 Mana Jewels, 150 Mana Crystals and a Rare Amonkhet Card. In addition, each member in the top two coalitions will win 80 Mana Jewels, 120 Mana Crystals and a Rare Amonkhet Card. Check out the rewards in-game for full details!
Trial of Ambition: Runs for 48 hours.
Restricted Colors: White, Black, Green, Blue
Top end rewards: Win an Amonkhet Booster and up to 55 Mana Crystals by collecting Event Ribbons. In addition, the most ambitious players can win 60 Mana Crystals, an extra Amonkhet Booster and an Amonkhet Rare Card on the leaderboard. Fight with your coalition for bonus rewards, including Mana Jewels!
In addition, each member in the top two coalitions will win 25 Mana Jewels, 1 Rare Amonkhet Card, and an Amonkhet Booster. Check out the rewards in-game for full details! *New Update*
Trial of Zeal: Runs until the boss is defeated.
Top end rewards: Members of the top coalitions can win 50 Mana Jewels, 120 Mana Crystals and an Amonkhet Rare.
(This event is an exception to the PvE rule, and will follow PVP event deck restrictions.)
Fate is Rarely Fair and Emergency Ordinances will now cycle every weekend on Monday and Tuesday. The events runs for 48 hours instead of 24. Each event also now has a 4th node.
Fate is Rarely Fair: Runs for 48 hours.
Restricted colors: White (new!), Blue, Green, Red
Updated Rewards: We've increased the number of Mana Crystals you can win in progression rewards. Win up to 55 Mana Crystals in Platinum.
Emergency Ordinances: Runs for 48 hours.
Restricted colors: Red (new!), White, Black, Blue
Updated Rewards: We've increased the number of Mana Crystals you can win in progression rewards. Win up to 55 Mana Crystals in Platinum.
We have also added a new rule when determining event winners: ties will now award the highest possible reward, as opposed to splitting players into a time-based ranking.
For example, starting now, if 4 players are tied for first place, all 4 of them will receive the first place prize. The 5th player will receive the fifth place prize.
This change was made due to the fact that the time-based ranking felt unfair to players in multiple timezones and those who were unable to finish earlier. There is no longer a time constraint when it comes to attaining the highest score first, so we hope that this will slightly reduce pressure and let players play at their own pace.
With this release, we are also upping the amount of events that run, as well as making slight modifications to the current events.
There are now always concurrent PvP and PvE events running at all times during the week.
Weekday PvP events now run for 2 days instead of 1, and have had their rewards adjusted accordingly.
Now there is also a PvE event running from Monday to Thursday – we are starting with retooled versions of Revolt against the Consulate and Fateful Showdown. Every Monday to Thursday, one of the two events will be available to play. The events have been reworked so they no longer are coalition challenges, but instead are in a similar vein to the Oath of the Gatewatch event.
Rewards have also been reallocated. The goal is to make PvP events more competitive and to contain the bulk of Mana Crystals and Mana Jewels, while weekly PvE events focus on Mana Runes and card packs. Our goal with this change is to ensure that newer players can focus on the PvE events to get Mana Runes and boosters, while our more competitive players focus on PvP, where the rewards are more substantial.
We have made several changes to how cards are played, as well as their sequencing. These changes are mostly under the hood, but there are many small adjustments that were made to improve the consistency and the predictability of cards and effects. Look for a detailed forum post once the patch releases for the details regarding this change.
We will offer a brand new selection of special offers, such as new Planeswalkers, exclusive cards and new offers for Mana Crystals. On day one of the Amonkhet release, be ready to welcome Gideon of the Trials in the very first Planeswalker bundle we're releasing for you to master. Check in every week for new limited-time offers!
We plan to release two expansions of new Amonkhet cards into the Vault at a later date, so that the game remains fresh for both PVP and your collection. Stay tuned!
– Updated Customer Support functionality to latest version
– The Planeswalker list, in the pre-fight screen, now links to the Vault.
Adventure Gnome Gameplay Video


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Montezuma Castle National Monument
Montezuma Castle National Monument Travel Blog› entry 16 of 56 › view all entries
April 27th, 2006 – by: mahoney
Driving down I-17 was a very beautiful drive and an exciting one. As I descended the mountains, I could put the rental SUV in neutral and watch the speedometer hit 110! OK, I know this was wrong in so many ways, but how often do I get to do this? I'm from Ohio, land of no hills.
I opted to bypass Montezuma Well, I've seen enough big holes in the ground. I did not want to pass up the chance to see Montezuma Castle. This monument is conveniently located near I-17 Exit 289, those Sinagua Indians knew how to pick a location.
This five-story, 20 room cliff dwelling nestled into a limestone recess high above Beaver Creek served as a "high-rise apartment building" for prehistoric Sinagua Indians over 600 years ago. It is one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America.
It's not a castle and Montezuma was never here. It was mistakingly named after what the (re)discoverers thought was an Aztec ruin. There is more to see then the main Castle, several lesser ruins are nearby. This monument is well visited and the welcome center and trail is nicely documented.
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Kacey Spivey
Photos with Kacey Spivey
Born and raised in Dallas, TX, Kacey had her first role as "Solo #2" in a summer drama camp at 10 years old. Kacey pursued theater until college, when she started acting for film and commercials while studying at the University of Oklahoma. Kacey graduated with a degree in Broadcast and Film in 2013, and moved to Los Angeles a week later. Kacey is repped by Cohen Entertainment and Daily Talent. Read more... <


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Voyage Collaborative
Boxed Edition of fifty, 2014
A box set containing bookworks, prints and sculptures by artists responding to sea journeys, island hopping and trans-oceanic concepts.
Contributing artists; Peter Bennett, Nancy Campbell with Roni Gross, John Cumming, David Faithfull, Andrew Friend, Lutz Fritsch, Matthew Herring, Gunnar Jonsson, Simon Le Ruez, David Lilburn, Imi Maufe, Rona Rangsch, Ding Ren, Aslak Gurholt Rønsen, Ian Stephen with Christine Morrison, Jeff Talman, Sally Waterman and Philippa Wood.
Acquired by the Yale Center for British Art.
In stock


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| Follow .
Focus: Books Twilight, Since: 05-28-09
Founder: swwblackhawk - Stories: 228 - Followers: 16 - Staff: 1 - id: 70452
This is a collection of stories of what happens after Edward left Bella in New Moon or when they have been split up for one reason or another. Any rating, any pairings. Note I only include stories at least 5000 long but I will add the sequels to the stories I find. On a side note am looking for staff members


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Brevan Howard (israel) Limited
Brevan Howard (israel) Limited (CRD# 161291) is a financial advisory firm headquartered in Ramat Gan, . They serve the financial needs of clients across 0 states (or territories).
Current Firm Details
Brevan Howard (israel) Limited
Beit Gibor Sport, 7 Menachem Begin Street, Ramat Gan, 52521 972-3576-8400 http://www.brevanhoward.com
By the Numbers
Total Assets Under Management0MILLION
Total Number of Accounts0ACCOUNTS
Average Account Value$0
Compensation Options
Advisory Services Offered
Types of Clients
Registered States
Registered Investment Advisor
Advisors affiliated with a RIA are permitted to work with up to five clients in nearly-all states* without explicit registration. The map below shows states where this firm has explicit registration only.
Financial Advisors at Brevan Howard (israel) Limited
No Advisor Found.
Ready to hire a financial advisor? Get competitive proposals from multiple advisors.


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Monday, November 29, 2010
Cyber Monday Sale at Shabby Cottage Shops!!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sassy Beach Jewelry Designs Holiday Giveaway!!!
Sassy Beach Jewelry designs is having a FREE Celebration of the Holidays Giveaway on her blog! Here's the post Gail has just added to her blog, be sure to stop by and enter for a chance to win this sweet bud vase. It'll end on December 5th at midnight, PST! Read more about it below!
Hi, all my sweet friends! I wanted to share my joy with you of the beginning of my favorite time of year!
How sweet is the bud vase that I made? Yes, I know I am known for the Beautiful Classy and Sassy jewelry that I design, although I have many talents as most artists do!
I was thinking about adding some jewels to these bud vases and selling them on my site, therefore, I wanted to engage you and your opinion, I thought what would be a better way to get your advice then to have a GIVEAWAY and ask you for your opinion. Therefore, I win and you win! I make these for family and friends. I have made these bud vases with vintage brooches glued to the front for sparkles and the diamond effect, as special orders for weddings and different Balls to be an accent to the centerpiece on each table and a gift for the guests to take home. They are so much fun to make and I thought that maybe it was time to spread my wings and share with my online customers. I will be doing a line of these bud vases for Valentine's Day.
All you need to do to enter is leave me a comment here on if you like or dislike them, and sign up for my newsletter that will inform you of my sales and new items, I do not send out a ton of newsletters only one a month. In addition, a quick small update if I decide to have a special sale.
Thanks for your time and joining in! Contest ends at midnight PST on December 5th, 2010. The winner will be drawn using RANDOM.ORG
Help Gail complete the look of this wonderful bud vase created just for you, but you have to enter here to win!!
Good Luck and don't forget to enter our Pink Present Holiday Giveaway here, it's valued at over $500 and the lucky winner will receive it just in time for Christmas!!
Happy Holidays,
Shabby Cottage Shops
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Huge Savings ~"Pre Black Friday Blow Out Sale" Now!!
The Ruffled Rose
20% OFF in the Christmas Shoppe
At The Ruffled Rose
The French Elements
use code "Give Thanks" during checkout
ends November 30 at The French Elements!!
Debi Coules
20% OFF EVERYTHING AT at Debi Coules!!
French Charmed
25 ~ 35% OFF in The Christmas Shoppe, plus
free shipping to Continental US
at French Charmed!!
Saving Grace Bible Bookstore
Bible Explorer Limited Edition PC / MAC Compatible
Regular $89.95 ON SALE $12.95
at Saving Grace Bible Bookstore!
Shabby Cottage Designs
in the Christmas Shoppe
at Shabby Cottage Designs!!
Sassy Beach Jewelry Designs
25% OFF EVERYTHING, FREE gift with purchase,
Free Gift Wrapping, ship directly to Gift recipient with a Christmas Card
at Sassy Beach Jewelry Designs
Ribbons Roses and More
use code "Pink Christmas"
at Ribbons Roses and More!
Katie Newman Gifts and Home
USE CODE "Pink" DURING CHECKOUT!
At Katie Newman Gifts and Home!
Rose Cottage Chic
Use Code "BF1126" during checkout at
Rose Cottage Chic!
Bella Lucille ~ 20% OFF
in The Christmas Shoppe at Bella Lucille!!
Lil Bit Old Lil Bit New
20% OFF EVERYTHING, FREE Gift wrapping,
ship directly to Gift recipient
at Lil Bit Old Lil Bit New!!
Verdigris and Ambergris
25% OFF in The Christmas Shoppe
at Verdigris and Ambergris!
Vintage Paris Market
at Vintage Paris Market!!
Little Luxuries of Va
at Little Luxuries of Va.!!
Sweetheart's Nest
25% OFF in the Christmas Shoppe
at Sweetheart's Nest!!
Antica Treasures
RECEIVE ADDITIONAL 10% OFF USE CODE "Shabby"
Enjoy total savings of 30% at Antica Treasures!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Name That Ornament Contest Winner!
You can purchase this ornament here, it's perfect for a Grinchy Christmas and will arrive in time to add a fun, festive touch to your holiday decor! It'll come gift boxed and ready to give, if you wish to give a very unique handcrafted, handquilted ornament to someone special on your list this year, this is it, they'll cherish it for years to come!!
New Rose Sachets at The Ruffled Rose!
Jil from "In The Armoire", at The Ruffled Rose, has created these beautiful Rose Sachets and has just added them to her store, they are gorgeous and you'll want to add these to your holiday list for sure!
Three yummy sachets full of the finest most fragrant lavender in America....from Montana!
Beautiful handmade ribbon roses and vintage posies on a frame of white Venise lace framing quaint raspberry pink roses...
MMMmmm ~ Scrumptious with eyelash fringe, a vintage piece of bling and posies both olde and new
Soft, sagey green with roses....a bit of vintage bling and narrow ribbon to hang from dresser knobs, or fold the ribbon behind the sachet and display on the bedside table, the dresser...just anywhere your heart desires!
Three sweet and fragrant lavender sachets to romance your home or give as gifts. You'll find many new beautiful creations, all exquisitely handmade at The Ruffled Rose!
Shabby Cottage Shops
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Enjoy Free Shipping, Free Gifts and more at Shabby Cottage Shops
Many shops offer free gift wrapping, shipping directly for those loved one who aren't able to spend the holiday with you, and even free gifts with a purchase. Don't have time to stand in the long lines to ship your gifts, we can do it for you, just let our members know and they will take care of it for you!
Visit all these shops and enjoy special savings, new gifts and so much more this week at our "Christmas Shoppe"!
Enjoy "Secret Santa" discounts at these boutiques!
Bella Lucille!!
Lil Bit Old Lil Bit New
Shabby Cottage Designs!
Verdigris and Ambergris!
Click on the links above to
to find out the discount amount you'll enjoy at these shops..
Use these Discount Codes During Checkout at the following shops to enjoy additional special savings!
Antica Treasures ~ use "Shabby" ~ 10% Off
Rose Cottage Chic ~ use "SSChristmas" ~ 10% Off
Katie Newman Gifts and Home ~ use "Pink" ~ 15% Off
Debi Coules ~ "Free Print Selection" ~ free print of equal or lesser value ~ enter your choice in "note box"
Sassy Beach Jewelry Designs ~ use "Shabby Pink" ~ 10% Off entire purchase
Saving Grace Bible Bookstore ~ use "Shabby" ~ additional 5% Off selected seasonal products
The French Elements ~ use "Shabby 15" ~ 15% off until Nov 30.
A Sale at Vintage Paris Market!
Marie is also having a Sale on selected items in her Etsy shop on Anna Griffin Photo Albums, Candles, Hand stamped Vintage Bridal Sets and more. Be sure to browse their sale category while you're visiting Vintage Paris Market and enjoy more great savings!
Vintage Santa Carte Postale Gift Tag ~ Set of 6 ~ $6.00
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Looking for the Perfect Gift? Visit Shabby Cottage Shops!
It certainly is that time of the year, Christmas is only 43 days away! If you're looking for the perfect gift, look no further, visit our Christmas Shoppe this week, our shops are continually adding new products to help you find the "Perfect Gift" to place under your tree this year!
Special "Secret Santa" Discounts code links are listed below to help with your Christmas budget this year! Just click on each one to see the discount amount, they range from 10% to 40% off your entire purchase! Great savings to keep your holiday shopping budget in check this year!
Here's a list of all the participating shops who are offering discount codes to use when you check out on their site. Be sure to enter the correct code in the "box" to receive your discount!
- Antica Teasures ~ use "Shabby" ~ 10% Off
- Debi Coules ~ "Free Print Selection" ~ free print of equal or lesser value ~ enter your choice in "note box"
- Katie Newman Gifts and Home ~ use "Pink" ~ 15% Off
- Rose Cottage Chic ~ use "SSChristmas" ~ 10% Off
- Sassy Beach Jewelry Designs ~ 10% Off, use code "Shabby Pink"
- Saving Grace Bible Book Store ~ use "Shabby" ~ additional 5% Off selected seasonal products
- The French Elements ~ use "SCS" ~ 10% off
All of our boutiques have added new products this week for our "Pinkalicious Christmas Shoppe" and party! You'll find a wide assortment of holiday ornaments, both hand painted with roses and hand quilted, beautiful chic french style pillows, gorgeous teapots and teacups; beautiful handcrafted, handmade lead free jewelry; hand painted home decor with roses; vintage hand painted cakesavers; diamonds are a girl's best friend gift boxes; Ho, Ho Ho signs; luxurious bath and body products and so much more! You'll sure to find the "Perfect Gift" in our Christmas Shoppe, at Shabby Cottage Shops! Don't forget to take advantage of all the special discounts our shops are offering to help with your holiday shopping!
Just one more thing, you've got to stop by and enter our "Pink Present" Holiday Giveaway, right here on the blog!! Our Pink Present is filled to the top with gorgeous products from the participating shops for our annual giveaway!! It's valued at over $500 and includes two $50 Gift Certificates for you to use at any of the TWO participating shops! Enter here for a chance to win the "Pink Present", it's our gift from us to you this holiday season!
Happy Holidays from all of us at Shabby Cottage Shops!
Announcing two New Boutiques at Shabby Cottage Shops!!
Pat's Treasures is a new member on the front page and features "Embroidered Heirlooms" of tomorrow. She bought her first embroidery machine 11 years ago and as she says, "it was love at first stitch"! There are gorgeous linen guest towels, napkins, a luncheon set consisting of a tablecloth and napkins, all embroidered with teacups. This is the perfect gift for those who love enjoy hosting a tea party and so reasonably priced! You'll also find gorgeous napkin rings with roses, boudoir pillows, and a wonderful selection of precious pretties for your baby, in her "Sugar and Spice" Collection! There's a fabulous diaper cover with a ring of roses embroidered with the words "Bundle of Joy" for just $9.98, burp cloths with roses, created from diapers, lined with beautiful fabric of all over roses for $5.98 and so much more. If you're looking for something unique and personalized, be sure to stop by and visit Pat's Treasures. Every item is gorgeous and Pat personally creates each one, all very affordable and absolutely beautiful!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Enter The Pink Present ~ Holiday Giveaway at Shabby Cottage Shops
Here's the perfect gift from Shabby Cottage Shops to you! Our annual "Pink Present" Holiday Giveaway, has started! It's valued at almost $500 and also includes two $50.00 Gift Certificates from Shabby Cottage Shops!! Here's your chance to win this treasure trove of beautiful items our shops have donated for this year's "Pink Present" Holiday Giveaway at Shabby CottageShops!
The Pink Present Holiday Giveaway will end on December 11 at midnight, EST and the winner will be announced on Sunday, December 12. You'll have two days to respond to our email or we'll pick another winner by random draw! We want to make sure you receive it before Christmas!! Good Luck!!
Here's how to enter and have a chance to win:
1. Sign up for our Newsletter
2. Drop us an email letting us know you joined our mailing list
3. Visit each of the participating shops listed below, Come back to the "Pink Present" Holiday Giveaway post and leave one comment, telling us which shop is your favorite and why, along with your first name, last initial and state of residence
Here's the Rules of "The Pink Present" Holiday Giveaway at Shabby Cottage Shops:
1. You must reside in the Continental USA or Canada
2. Visit each participating shop, come back to this post, leave a comment telling us your favorite shop, your favorite item in this shop and of course, why!
3."The Pink Present" Holiday blog giveaway is free of charge and there is no purchase necessary to participate.
4. We cannot be held responsible for damages once the "The Pink Present" has left our hands for shipping. Any damaged items will not be replaced or reimbursed to the winner. You will receive notification when "The Pink Present" once it's shipped, along with a tracking number and delivery confirmation. Delivery time will vary to due holiday shipping times. "The Pink Present" will ship the most economical way via USPS or UPS.
5. Once it's received, please come back and let us know you received it, by leaving a comment on the blog.
Below are the participating shops who so graciously donated these prizes for this year's "Pink Present" Holiday Blog Giveaway:
Wooden Block Letters "Paris"
Each letter block measure 3 1/2 wide by 4 inches.
Retail Value: $16.00/Set
Lady in Red Couture Canvas Print
Measures 10-1/2W x 13-1/2 T
Retail Value: $19.95
Gingerbread House Timer
Keep Perfect Time For All Those Holiday Goodies With Our Gingerbread House Timer... Our simply irresistible timer is accented with frosting, peppermint candies & colored skittles like candy. Keeps an hour's time & also makes an adorable Christmas accessory. Makes a sweet hostess gift! Hand painted timers. 31/2" H x 4"D
Retail Value: $14.99
Sweetheart's Nest
$25 Gift Certificate Redeemable at Sweetheart's Nest
Retail Value: $25.00
This exquisite canvas print was created from Debi's original painting. A beautiful French woman from the 18th century, dressed in her finery and standing in her rose garden is certain to add that touch of romance and Parisian Chic to your home! Comes gallery stretched and signed.
Retail Value: $55.00
One of a kind, hand painted pink starfish, lightly dusted with ultra fine glitter, and topped with a vintage jeweled earring.
Retail Value: $30.00
French Charmed
Your fragrance choice of one French Charmed Signature Candle. Choose from 5 delightfully delicious fragrances! Rich aromatic soy candles handcrafted from the finest ingredients available ~ 8oz glass candle comes Gift Boxed! ~ 50 hour burn time ~ 100% soy, essential oils, cotton wicks!
Retail Value - $ 28.00
Bella Rosa Designs
This is a lovely little birdhouse which has been handmade by my husband. It is solid wood and measures 10" tall by 5.5" wide and is 3" from front to back.
This is a one-of-a-kind, original design, signed and dated by artist Cherie Perry. Perfect for your shabby chic, cottage, Victorian, romantic, or rose decor.
Retail Value $24.95
Little Luxuries of Va
A great way to exfoliate dry skin is to use Little Luxuries Sugar Scrub. We make it with Sugar, Sweet Almond Oil, Aloe Vera Gel and Vitamin E Oil.
A great exlfoliant for dry skin!Comes in two different fragrances: Almond and lemongrass
Retail Value $9.75
"In The Armoire" at The Ruffled Rose
Two delicate lavender sachet boots to hang or sit. These are fashioned from a vintage eyelet dresser scarf and embellished with my ribbon embroidery roses and rosebuds and leaves and have over one third cup of deliciously fragrant lavender in each. Just give each a little squeeze to refresh the scent. These are charming on the Christmas tree, in a swag and hanging from a hook or door knob just about anywhere in the house....they make lovely gifts for someone special, too.
Retail Value $33.00
Ribbons Roses and More
A sweet Victorian, Shabby, Cottage Chic Lighted house. Perfect for your Rose Cottage Decor. Use as a night light. Perfect for the coming Christmas Holiday's. Painted a soft Paris Pink and accented with pink roses, rose buds and sage greenery. The roof has been dusted with fine German glass glitter and finished off with clear Swarovski rhinestones.
Measurements ~ 5 3/4" tall with a 5" long X 4" wide base
Retail Value $29.99
Beautiful Handpainted Cottage Signs
Retail Value: $40.00
Vintage to Vogue Shop
Pair of Pug Dog Bookends, as featured in the December issue of Romantic Homes!
Retail Value: $29.95
Here's a list of the wonderful participating shops who have donated these gorgeous gifts for our "Pink Present" Holiday Giveaway! Remember to visit each one and come back and leave your comment about them here!
We would like to extend our warmest wishes for a wonderful Holiday season to you, from all of us at Shabby Cottage Shops!
Shabby Cottage Shops
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Time to "Decorate Your Home" for the Holidays!
Our boutiques have added new products for this week's Pinkalicious Christmas Party, take a peek! This year it's all about decorating with the things you love to surround yourself with and you're sure to find them at Shabby Cottage Shops!
Below is just a sample of exciting treasures you can use to decorate your home for the holidays, whether it be Christmas or Thanksgiving, we have something for everyone! Some of our shops have "Secret Santa" discounts, while many of our shops are offering specials today, be sure to stop by and visit each shop for great deals! Visit our Christmas Shoppe for more fabulous ideas to complete your look, whether is be shabby and chic, vintage, traditional or eclectic, our boutiques offer a style for everyone!
Our "Pink Present" Holiday Giveaway will start on Saturday evening, November 6 at 6:00 PM, EST., be sure to stop back by and see the fabulous items you will have a chance to win this year at Shabby Cottage Shops, it is...where the finest boutiques gather! Here's what our shops donated for last year's Giveaway, take a peek!
Thanks for stopping by today, whether you're looking for that crowning jewel to complete your home decor or shopping for the perfect gift for someone special on your holiday list, make us one your stop one shop for all of your holiday gift giving and decorating needs at Shabby Cottage Shops!


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This year, Open Doors of Milford expanded to include windows. I decided to again do a door, but I limited my painting to two scenes, one on each side. The side that you see here is of the duck pond in Milford, which is known for the swans, ducks, and geese that gather there all spring and summer long. The other side of the door is a twilight view of a pond covered with lily pads and flowers - kind of a zen moment. I will post a photo later of that. The door will be delivered on Friday.
The event includes an evening when all of the shops are open and all of the artists display their doors and windows outside on the sidewalk. It is a fun night. I enjoy meeting everyone and being in Milford. This is on Friday, August 19th. The auction is in September.


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This cute little fuck is Oliver Coogan, and I'd give my left nut for a chance at getting that big dick of his spurting cum in my mouth! I mean, can you believe the fucking cock on this kid? Dayum! I'll be posting more pics of Oliver in January. I hope you will come back here to see them, Thanks! This photo set is one of the Kinky Angels Archives available to all Freshmen.net customers.
KinkyAngels is now Freshmen.net! All of the beautiful Kinky Angels content you know and love is still available for Freshmen.net customers. Join Today!


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from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. Plural form of anecdote.
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Saying that you can overrule their decades of rigorous research by looking out your window and telling anecdotes is foolish.
Here are a couple of eyebrow-raising anecdotes from the article:
Companies Accuse Yelp Of Review Extortion, Yelp Says No Way - The Consumerist
"Where Good Ideas Come From" is filled with fascinating, if sometimes tangential, anecdotes from the history of entrepreneurship and scientific discovery.
While traditional mainstream games have focused on action, sports and increasingly casual genres, Fate of the World features data from real-world climate models, anecdotes from the polar explorer Pen Hadow and input from a team of scientists and economists in the US and UK.
Is that one of the anecdotes from the book, I ask her?
The Autobiography of Mister Litlove « Tales from the Reading Room
CNN is calling smartphones America's "national obsession," citing anecdotes from the lives of ordinary users who can't seem to part with their gadgets.
Pennies deserved better. posted by Christopher Walken in anecdotes, memory, movies, pop culture | * | 1 comment
Next Halloween Jessie and I are going to the RV park costume party dressed as Todd & Holland. posted by Cooper Renner in anecdotes | * | 2 comments comments
I just walked on water. posted by Christopher Walken in anecdotes | * | 3 comments comments
I hope she never stops. posted by Christopher Walken in anecdotes, family | * | 6 comments


text: Monitoring and evaluation is an important management tool to track your progress and facilitate decision making with regards to the achievement of your project objectives as goals. Whether it is your mid-term or end-term evaluation, we are committed to help your organization achieve your desired project outcomes by providing timely, professional and objective information on your performance viz a viz your logframe. We can also help your organization to develop monitoring and evaluation tools as well as training your M&E staff.


text:
Loot Crate is a monthly subscription box that caters to the gamers and geeks of the world. They fill the crates with toys, games, collectibles and more!
COST: $13.37 + $6 S/H per month
($40+ Value in every box!)
Subscribe HERE
^Referral Link^
January's Theme: REWIND
Check out my unboxing of this AWESOME subscription box below!
Every crate also has a decorated interior that you can use for displaying your awesome new goodies! This month's turned inside out to make a Nintendo! (Controller included on the back page of the Magazine)
This month's box included:
♥ Black Tie Geek - Retro Arcade Skinny Tie
♥ Exclusive 10-Doh! Figurine (1 of 6)
♥ Exclusive Star Wars Comic Book Issue 001 (Marvel)
♥ Exclusive Voltron Blueprint T-Shirt
♥ Comic Notebook
♥ Exclusive 8-Bit Sunglasses
Overall Impression: This box wasn't my favorite because it was more geared toward the male sex. However, I did like all the items and think the curation of this month's box was fantastic! A!
Check out my unboxing video below!


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(CBS) — Small business owners can't afford to lose any customers. Scammers know this and are using that fear to rip people off.
2 Investigator Pam Zekman reports.
It was a busy day at The Halal Guys restaurant when the assistant manager got a call about an overdue power bill.
"We needed to pay immediately or they would have shut the power off," assistant manager Benjamin Kamp recalls of the conversation.
The caller said they had to pay $1,300 right away, using gift cards.
"I didn't get a chance to stop and think it through," Kamp says.
After paying the money and later checking with Com Ed, Kamp realized the whole thing was a scam.
"It was not good," Kamp says. "I felt terrible, I felt responsible."
Adds owner Vincent Tan: "They are basically to get businesses to pay up sort of in an extortion type of manner or blackmail type of manner.
After the scammers got the money, they tried again a few weeks later.
This time they wanted $900, but Tan knew is was a scam. He concedes his restaurant is probably a target now because they paid the first time.
It's part of a fraudulent trend, ComEd officials says.
"Small business owners, certainly residential customers, certainly, we have seen those as the primary targets for these scam artists," utility Senior Vice President Fidel Marquez says.
According to ComEd, there were 142 reports of scams in 2015; this year, there have been 1,500. That's ten times more complaints.
"We never call and say, 'You've got to pay us right now or we're going to disconnect you right now,'" Marquez says.
Just a couple of days ago, the scammers left another message for Tan. He called them back during the interview with Zekman.
They once again told Tan that he owed money and that the power to the restaurant would be disconnected if he didn't pay within hours.
When Zekman got on the line, the caller hung up.
Tan says he was able to absorb the cost of the scam but worries that other businesses might not be as lucky.
"Just be careful, never pay somebody over the phone with a gift card," Tan cautions.
ComEd says if you are the victim of this type of scam you should let them know and contact the police and the Federal Trade Commission. These types of scams are difficult to track down because many are operated from foreign countries. Best advice: Hang up.


text:
Caretaker Steve Kean will be in charge at Blackburn until the end of the season, but Venky's chairwoman Anuradha Desai said: "We thought about Maradona as a coach after we took over. Talks were at the initial stage then, but there is no development on that front yet.
"For now, the current coach will be the manager until the end of the season. There is no question of signing anyone for such a short time."
Former Argentina manager Maradona is keen to take a Premier League job, but he may be offered a technical director or ambasaddorial role at Blackburn as the new owners seek to implement a new structure with a figurehead manager, a first team coach and director of football.
Current caretaker Kean is respected by the new regime and is a client of Kentaro, the agents who advise Venky's.
"Kean is well connected with the game and the players as well," said Desai.
"We have full faith that he will do the best job and keep the team motivated. He works long hours and is talented at his job. He also works well with our very skillful young players - and that is important."
Desai has also played down rumours about Blackburn chairman John Williams' future, saying: "John Williams is close to Allardyce but he is very much with us and he has not expressed any willingness to quit. His position in the team is safe."


text:
The first part of my theoretical key ingredients to recovery is motivation, and part of that is having something I read every day that keeps me focussed on why I want to quit porn. It is surprisingly easy to lose sight of these reasons, and to trick myself into thinking that watching porn won't matter, but obviously this is the inner addict speaking and so reading my "mission statement" every day helps remind me of the impact of my addiction.
Continue reading My Current Mission Statement


text:
Top Cosmetic Surgery Tips You Need To Know
Be aware that there many risks and complications associated with any surgery, including cosmetic. Be sure that you won't regret having surgery later. Keep reading in order to maximize your experience. marketing plastic surgery practice
marketing ideas plastic surgeon
You should discuss post-surgery antibiotics with your doctor. Typically you need to take antibiotics for a few weeks prior to a surgery to limit any risks of complications, particularly infections. Get another opinion if your doctor does not normally prescribe anitbiotics.
There are some things that might be able to help you with the cost of plastic surgery. For example, you may be able to get quality work done at a lower cost in another country. While this might not always be doable, it is definitely an option to consider.
See if the doctor you want to use has a revision policy. Surgeons can make mistakes and botch a procedure. This will require you to undergo corrective surgery. Some surgeons will correct their own procedures for free.
Always understand that anesthesia carries its own risks. For instance, it is possible for patients to develop abnormal heartbeats during a procedure. In particular, general anesthesia can lead to an irregular heartbeat. You may not get sufficient blood flow through your body while under the influence of anesthesia, causing this problem. The result is irregular heart rhythms, otherwise known as arrhythmia.
Talk to your surgeon and ask them about past procedures they have been involved with. See how many times they have performed your particular procedure and ask to see photos of prior patient's results. There are no absolute guarantees when it comes to surgery, however careful screening potential doctors can greatly reduce the risks.
Always ask about risks related to your surgery; discover how your doctor plans to address them. Research the topic by yourself to ensure your doctor's honesty; think about your surgery even more carefully when you know risks involved.
more info You need to be aware that scars and pain often accompany cosmetic surgery. Some people do not understand that they will be in pain from their procedure. Your healing will feel faster if you take time to mentally prepare for both pain and physical scarring.
Education of the procedure is paramount before having surgery. Before you talk to your surgeon, you should have a working knowledge of what to expect. You will also be more able to spot potential problems or inconsistencies that could warn you to look for a different doctor.
If you are going through a rough stage in your life, hold off on surgery. When you have emotional stress factors to worry about, it can be extremely difficult to get through surgery and the recovery process in a healthy, timely manner. As well, your emotional well-being could be worse if you have a slow recovery.
Your life could forever change when you decide to alter your appearance. It is crucial that you make intelligent decisions regarding your own personal cosmetic surgery procedure. This information can help you reach your goal.


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Author: lexie_b
Prompt: annabelloni's: "kick ass 'tude", bubblegum purple and a stapler.
Word Count: 100 words.
Notes: So even though I still have 26 fics to write and have two due by tomorrow and haven't started them, I wrote this. Aww. It's not even remotely humourous.
She needed a weapon. She hunched behind the packing crates in the corner of the lavishly decorated office, and cursed her bubble-gum purple hair; it glowed like a beacon.
She grabbed the stapler off the desk, slammed her shoulder into the door and tumbled into the hallway. Before the guards could pull out their guns, the stapler met their temples with a sickening crunch.
With a smile, she picked up the handgun. "You won't mind if I borrow this, will you?" she cooed, tossing the stapler over her shoulder, where it landed in the fish-tank with a loud crash.


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Clear Wood Trinity Rosary Search
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String-A-Rosary Making Kit, WoodStore: Trinity Road
Kids will love creating a rosary from scratch with this fun-filled rosary-making activity. Perfect for faith formation classes, retreat groups, and those days where a good inspirational activity is needed. Kit contains all pieces necessary for assembling one rosary. Detailed instructions included in packet. Rosary activity kit Inspirational fun for kids Great for home and church groups Instructions included How to pray the rosary on reverse side of card The kit includes: wood beads, wood cross, centerpiece bead, and cord for stringing. Read more »


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My sound system fades out on any channel, for a few seconds at a time. It happens on the CD player too. What do you think is causing this?
Had the same exact issue on my Toyota and it turned out to be an internal radio problem. I replaced the radio with another one and it fixed the problem. If you need further assistance with this, have a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, inspect your car's radio issue and make the necessary repairs for you.
Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


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KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - Police confiscated bath salts from a smoke shop in Kannapolis on Tuesday.
It's the same place a local mother took Eyewitness News last week, where she claimed she's bought bath salts to get high.
Officers walked out of Smokers Depot on Tuesday with bags of bath salts and incense.
An investigation into whether the store is selling illegal bath salts has been brewing for months, according to an undercover officer.
"We've observed people come out of there with synthetic marijuana and bath salts," the officer said. "We've gotten complaints on the telephone from families concerned about that."
Last week, Channel 9 talked to a local mother who said she bought bath salts there, snorted them and became addicted.
Eyewitness News took those packets to police.
On Tuesday, as police took products from the store, the manager talked to Channel 9.
"I know that the products that we have are not illegal," Rosie Homen said.
Homen said she's upset because she makes sure her products do not include chemicals in the North Carolina ban.
"I work really hard at making sure we stay in compliant with all the laws," she said. "I work really hard at making sure I deal with vendors I can trust."
She defended her right to sell bath salts, even though many abuse them.
"They're not to be used for human consumption or snorted. They're basically to be used in your bath," Homen said. "I would hope that people are using them in the right way."
Police want to make clear that no arrests have been made because they don't know if the products are illegal. They're sending them to the SBI to be tested.
More information: NC bath salts ban
Previous Stories: November 8, 2011: Woman says bath salts addiction tearing up family


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Rizzy Home Swing Collection Hand Made Flatweave Julian Geometric Rug
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Skip to comments.And WND's 2009 'Person of the Year' is ...
Posted on 12/31/2009 12:00:12 PM PST by EBH
The tea-party participant the individual who is frustrated America's leaders don't seem to want to "preserve and protect" the republic and gives up his or her own time, talents and money to warn elected leaders to choose the straight and narrow has been selected by WorldNetDaily editors as WND's 2009 "Person of the Year."
On the WND Forums pages where readers were asked to contribute their suggestions and comments, "Warsong" noted the impressive quality of nominees ranging from the hackers who uncovered what apparently was a scheme to cook global warming evidence to longtime conservative stalwart Rush Limbaugh and the dramatic leadership of former Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin.
"I vote for the tea parties," Warsong wrote. "Unless we all become tea partiers and pull together, this Golden Age is doomed."
(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...
but I cried a little in reading this and playing the videos at the site.
God Bless America and Happy New Year
Group of the year?
He's been slugging it out for YEARS.
He is consistent and definitely moves people to action and changes hearts.
Indeed I would vote them group of the year.
He has, but so has the likes of Glenn Beck who started this whole tea party/912/meet-up thing.
Say it loud!
since your DC Chapter was (and still is) in the forefront of confronting our congress critters, thought you'd like a ping.
Oh...there is only one of those...
Jim Thompson is his name!
LOL!!.....Well, stune my beeber!....This is hugh and series!..............
But I would bet that if you ask Glenn or Rush ... BOTH would say unanimously ... "the Tea Party Participants should receive the award." Because that's the kind of men they are.
But I would bet that if you ask Glenn or Rush ... BOTH would say unanimously ... "the Tea Party Participants should receive the award." Because that's the kind of men they are.
I believe you are correct.
Two thumbs up!
Congrats to all my fellow Tea Partiers in FRee Republic land!!
And here I thought you were going to nominate the DC Chapter. :-(( [Mr] T
Recognized and now on the DHS watch list!!! LOL!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Man jailed for stealing €85k from State by claiming social welfare under false name 463 times loses appeal
A man jailed for stealing €85,000 from the State by claiming social welfare under a false name 463 times, has lost an appeal against the severity of this three year prison sentence.
Stefan Onofrei (35), with an address at Bremore, Castlegate, Balbriggan, had pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six sample counts of theft of job seeker's benefit, job seeker's allowance, supplementary welfare allowance, emergency means payment, rent property supplement allowance and family income supplement between January 9, 2009 and February 10, 2015.
He was sentenced to three years imprisonment by Judge Martin Nolan on July 15, 2015.
Onofrei lost an appeal against the severity of his sentence today.
The Court of Appeal heard that he had originally been charged with 436 counts on the indictment because each time he went to claim a payment using a bogus name, he was committing a different offence on each occasion.
Giving judgment, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the Circuit Court judge approached sentencing on the basis that the loss to the State fell within the range of €85,000 to €90,000
Mr Justice Birmingham said Onofrei was a Romanian national who came to the State before the Accession Treaty between the EU and his home country had taken full effect.
The result was that while he was able to travel to Ireland he was not entitled to work legally.
On his arrival he engaged in forms of casual work such as gardening, power washing and cutting trees. Then he equipped himself with a false ID and false PPS number by acquiring a Lithuanian passport and driving license, Mr Justice Birmingham said.
With the false ID and PPS number he was in a position to obtain work in the construction industry and during that time he paid taxes appropriately, the judge said.
In 2009, he lost his job and at that stage proceeded to claim jobseekers allowance then other forms of social welfare.
The bulk of the monies involved were obtained through the use of the false ID, Mr Justice Birmingham said, but the family income supplement, to which he was not entitled because his wife was working at the time, was claimed in his own name.
Onofrei's barrister, Michael Bowman SC, submitted that the judge should have considered a partial suspension of his client's three year sentence having regard to the manner in which he approached the case.
Onefrei was a married father of two at the time of sentencing, had no previous convictions and had cooperated with the gardaí, Mr Justice Birmingham said.
The point had been made, Mr Justice Birmingham said, that the debt to the State remains and steps will be taken to recover it.
However, the effect to which any such effort would be successful remained to be seen and must be in doubt, the judge said.
It was prolonged, persistent offending and had to be regarded as serious, Mr Justice Birmingham said.
He said the court could only intervene if an error in principle was identified and only if the sentence imposed was not one that was available to the sentencing judge.
The sentence selected by the judge was one that was open to him, Mr Justice Birmingham said. It fell within the range of available sentences and the approach he took was not one that disclosed any error in principle.
Accordingly, Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, dismissed the appeal.
Online Editors


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DOVER, Del. – Junior Lauren Hoffman and freshman James Cella were named Wesley Wolverines of the Week for March 13-20.
Hoffman hit .333 on the week with her first collegiate home run coming against Widener on Sunday. Hoffman also notched three stolen bases, three runs scored and three runs batted in.
Cella tallied 26 saves in two games for the Wolverines. Cella leads the Capital Athletic Conference in saves (113) and has the fourth-best save percentage (54.1) in the conference.
The Wesley men's lacrosse team will be back in action on Wednesday when they host the Mary Washington Eagles starting at 4 p.m.
The Wesley softball team will begin conference play on Saturday when they host the No. 10 Christopher Newport Captains in a doubleheader. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.


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Hey everyone,
I am heading over to Riyadh soon and was wondering if anyone could give me some advice or experience with tattoos and swimming pools. I am able to cover my tattoos while in public with long sleeves and long pants, but am worried when I go for a swim. Any recommendations of swimming pools to swim laps in would be awesome. Any other thoughts on tattoos in the KSA also welcome. Thanks.


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DW decided to surprise me with tickets to the Royal Canadian Air Farce today. It was very different than seeing them on stage or on TV. It took time to set up each skit and they had to find ways to keep the audience entertained. I thought it was really cool when the sang the hot dog song. They also had a stage manager who just always had a look on his face like he had not laughed in 150 years. To quite down the audience he would make announcement like "prepare to laugh this is funny" & "I laughed at this skit this morning" A good time was had by all and we get to go back in a few weeks.
In the last few weeks my interest in politics and political satire has been re-sparked. With all of the political controversies in the last few weeks it has been realy easy to sit back and enjoy. Here are my thoughts on some big news stories.
Foreign Affairs minister Peter McKay has been accused of referring to his ex-girlfriend Belinda Stronach as a dog. The comment was not recorded on the official record and McKay has denied making the comment. Demands for an apology by the opposition and women's rights groups have gone unanswered. In the mean time the opposition was too distracted to worry about other minor world events like North Korea setting off a nuclear bomb.
Just as Canadians are starting to get sick of our politician not devoting enough time to real work along comes the Conservative advisor and former Ambassador to Israel a "bitch". Now there are opposition calls for his resignation as well.
The whole controversy is blown so completely out of proportion. I am just amused that so much time is being devoted to such a little thing. I am sure Tie Domi's wife had much worse names to call her when she accused Stronach in court documents as the women who destroyed her marriage.
Just before the last federal election the Liberals were in a lot of hot water when they made announcement about changes to the Income Trust Accounts. Unusual trading occurred a few hours before the announcement. An RCMP investigation determined their was a leak but it was not the Finance Minister's fault.
Yesterday, it was time for the Conservative announce on Income Trust Accounts. The government completely broke an election promise not to tax Income Trust Accounts. The tax loophole was growing out of control and had to be dealt with. The decision has been met with what appears to be a severe backlash from all Canadians. The TSX dropped over 300 points today and shares effected by the moved dropped between 12 -30% today.
When you dig into the issue deeper the backlash is not as universal as the media has been reporting. A number of tax breaks are being granted to the elderly who potential stand to be hit the hardest by this move. The NDP has come out and openly supported the move as it gives a fair balance between personal and corporate taxes. The Liberals are outraged that the Conservatives broke a campaign promise. Under the same circumstances the Liberals probably would have made the same decision. It just wasn't one of their campaign promises.
The Quebec Finance Minister said that he supported the change as it will mean more money from the provinces. Liberal Ontario Finance Minister sympathized with being forced to break campaign promises. (Something he is accustomed to). He also feels that it was a decision made on sound economic principles.
I think it will take some time for the markets to adjust to the new rules. It is a decision that had to be made sooner or later to deal with an out of control tax loophole. The markets will take some time before they correct themselves. The average Canadian taxpayer will be better off in the long run.


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Every day, a deck of cards, a doll or a stuffed animal puts a smile on the face of a child who hasn't smiled in quite some time. Zach's Toy Chest donates toys, games, books and other items that help boost the spirits of patients of all ages.
We are a non-profit organization designed to help pediatric patients at local NC hospitals. The days of receiving treatments for cancer and other critical illnesses are long and hard on kids (and parents!).
Our biggest needs are toys and gifts, monetary donations, and volunteers. For your convenience, we have put together a list of our patients' favorite toys and have highlighted our most frequently requested items.
Our family started this organization after our oldest son, Zachary, went through cancer in 2008. Zach had a form of childhood cancer called Neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a solid tumor cancer that begins in the nerve tissue of the neck, chest, abdomen, or pelvis but usually originates in the abdomen in the tissue of the adrenal gland. It usually affects children under 5 years old. We were very fortunate to catch Zach's during a sick visit to his pediatrician. He had not had any symptoms of pain, but merely the sniffles.
September brings new school routines and hopefully more nice Fall weather – I'm really loving these sunny days with a high of 76 or so. Soon we'll be changing time back an hour, so now seems to be the beginning of Fall and the holiday season. This month is also Childhood Cancer Awareness month and we […]


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My name is Syndy Sweeney. I am a writer, artist, and the creator and instructor of the workshop series, Who the Hell Am I…Honestly?® (www.whothehellamihonestly.com)
The people closest to me will find it unbelievable–almost a harbinger of the apocalypse–that I have set up a blog. It's not that I'm opposed to technology or social networking, it's just that years ago, before the internet made it so easy to discover someone's whereabouts, I was stalked. I gave a man interested in a job my business card. Because he worked at the electric company, he used its computers to find out where I lived. He showed up at my house several times; once, forcing himself in my door. It was one of the scarier episodes of my life. Because of this, I have taken great pains not to reveal too much personal information on my website.
Perhaps, this is a problem. I have been writing a book (the last 8 years with large gaps of writer's block) called Three Sides to A Circle: A Memoir which chronicles much of my life, including the 6 years I spent as a military wife. Writing this book has meant reliving parts of my life I would like to forget. But I faced them–felt them, as if they were fresh wounds. And in the weird wiring of the human brain, I wrote them down as an objective storyteller would. At every moment, once the pain or embarrassment subsided, I held myself accountable. I admitted when I overreacted, when I was a complete ass, when I was mean, when I was kicked down and when I was glorious. Because of the way I've gone about writing this memoir, it's not something I've been able to easily sustain: how can I be who I am in the present and yet, be compelled to dip my whole body into the past? So, in one of my many writer's blocks, I created a workshop series based on my own self-therapeutic journey. My website tells pretty much this story.
But maybe it doesn't tell enough. I've also been afraid of revealing myself too much because when a person signs up for the workshop, I want it to be about her or him. I don't want to be too much of an influence. I know what questions to ask, how to get to the meat of the matter, but I also don't want a participant to feel as if his or her journey must echo my own. But maybe that's what I need to do: reveal myself more, show that what I require of a participant is exactly what I require of myself. That requirement is Honesty. Sometimes ugly, sometimes depressing, sometimes beautiful and transcendent. And maybe if I don't share more of my journey or how it continues to this day, my credibility as a teacher, a writer, a human, in the end will mean nothing.
So, who the hell am I honestly? Today, I'm okay. Not great, but okay. In the last five weeks, my cat was diagnosed with mouth cancer; my husband lost his job; a retreat in which I was supposed to teach was dissolved by the individual sponsoring it; the class I was scheduled to teach this month was canceled; and then, two days before the canceled retreat was supposed to happen, I discovered the sponsor was going ahead with it using a workshop, including the same format, concept, techniques and marketing materials, that was a derivative of my own. Basically, the last 5 weeks have challenged me and my family with one dramatic thing per week.
And yet, things around me–not for me, necessarily, but around me–are falling into place:
I found a product called ES Clear for cat cancer. It's not meant as a cure but it helps the immune system. Three weeks ago, our cat didn't eat and he threw up a lot. Now, his appetite has returned, he plays with his toys, defends himself against our kitten and the heartbreaking smell that surrounds a dying animal or human as its body decays is totally gone. So for how ever long I have him in my life, I have him–not some sickly, cut open and chemoed version. Blessings there.
My husband has also taken this job loss in stride. He is happier than he has been in years, excited about life and starting his own business. He is no longer the old codger he was in jeopardy of becoming at 33 years old but the crazy jokester who smiles with his whole body that I fell in love with. I am proud of him. Relieved. Grateful.
Cat? Okay. Husband? Golden.
And that leaves me. I am not depressed by any means. I wake up and write in my journal, dance to one of my Bollywood workouts or do Pilates or yoga. I eat really well (seriously, my mamma is Italian and Polish and I learned how to cook!). I read, watch one of the British mystery series I love so much or dream up new, gross and horrific ways to honor Halloween (I bleed orange and black, I think).
So, not depressed…but adrift. Wondering. Everything I have worked hard for is in limbo. I haven't worked on my book in over a year. With my workshop series, I got the DBA, developed the website, registered the trademark and had three gigs lined up within a month. Two of those gigs fell through. But even before taking my workshop series to the next level, I tried to live creatively. I researched and put together a proposal to do the marketing for a local museum. The museum board was interested but did not want to take the risk. I wrote the newsletter, contracts and flyers for a local massage therapist. That was only a temporary thing but it taught me that I could be creative on someone else's behalf. I've designed rooms for a haunted house, but the sketches stay in my binder. I just tried to get a job at a haunted house in their mask making department but haven't heard back. And last year was the doozy for us: in May, my husband was laid off (yes, he's a great worker, we've just lived in a few depressed areas in one of the most depressed States) and the house that I physically renovated (when the writer's block hit, I repaired plaster walls or stripped doors or hung moldings) sold for less than a new car. We started again only to fast forward 16 months, finding ourselves rebuilding one more time.
No wonder I'm floating. Adrift. I have failed more often than not. And sometimes, I think that's really cool. Because I've allowed myself to learn how to hang drywall; to draw the face of Louis Armstrong; to make masks or dolls; to write words that mean the world and words that are too clever by half; to belly dance and feel sexy even if I'm wearing my favorite pair of underwear with the rip in it while I'm doing so. To look at myself honestly and acknowledge that I have spent 5 weeks feeling a bit sorry for myself, a bit like a victim, a bit like a ball of anger that wants to punch my fist through the drywall and the only thing stopping me is knowing what a pain in the ass it would be to repair the hole. And yet, that's what I'm doing, right now: repairing the hole.
Maybe the only way to fill that hole is to let others in. And today, that's who the hell I am.
Thank you for reading my blog. Wishing you blessings, joy, hope and always, good health.
In gratitude and love, Syndy


text: Muslim scum that did this to Tommy will rot in hell. Muhammad was a pedophile, Islam is an ideology not a Religion. Islam is an ideology of hatred that attracts those who speak the truth about its evil practices. The Quran is evil, it teaches Muslims to hate us infidels. Sharia Law is evil, it doesn't allow for the freedom of speech. Get well soon Tommy, were all pulling for you.


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All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett
About This Show
Show Info: From Main Street to Wall Street, global business celebrity and former Fortune 100 C-Suite executive, Jeffrey Hayzlett, brings you insights from today's biggest headline makers. Listen in as Jeffrey Hayzlett, goes inside the good, bad and the ugly of recent business. It's ALL BUSINESS with Jeffrey Hayzlett featured on C-Suite Radio the web's premier destination for business podcasts.


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Yesterday I rambled a bit about my history and the topic of Creating a Niche for your Blog.
Today a quick list of suggestions based on what I have learned.
- Invest in yourself by buying your domain.
- To really invest in yourself, also set up your site with a hosting provider that you pay instead of relying on free services that you have no control over.
- Post updates consistently. I recommend daily. I know that sounds like a lot, but the reasons are multiple. Readers like daily updates. We tend to forget you if you skip days or weeks. Search Engines like updates. Google is always looking for the best fresh content. This is one of the easiest ways to establish yourself, by being found on Google. But this also presents a problem with time management. But I have an answer.
- Write updates ahead of time. There was no way I could have posted 3 to 5 times a day on my blogs and worked 50+ hours a week at my paying job if I had to work in real time. Even now with one update at 9am every day, I am not always available to do this 7 days a week. And so I don't. Unlike Facebook which only allows you to write and post in real time, you can write and schedule updates with most website/blog platforms. I am usually 5 to 8 days ahead when I write which also removes the pressure to write. * Guess what…Facebook is now allowing post scheduling in certain circumstances.
- Promote your website with other social media. Every day my updates are promoted on Twitter automatically. Every week I update my LinkedIn profile with a link to something on my website. Same thing with Facebook.
- Promote again. We live in a fast paced world. I don't catch all of the updates and posts that others do on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter and I know they don't catch all of mine either. I will promote with links, updates on Twitter more than once. Sometimes later in the week, or later in the month. Sometimes later in the day. People are busy but they want to have the opportunity to read what you write, so give it to them.
- Create a community by Promoting others. If you only promote yourself, you become a self-serving me-monster that comes off as being spammy. Add comments to other peoples blogs. Retweet. Press the Share Button on Facebook. Thank others publicly. Write recommendations for others on LinkedIn.
- Use tools you are already using, differently. My email signature includes a link to my website. Does yours? Do your business cards include your online contact info? I had cards made up specifically for that purpose so when I give someone one of my radio station cards, I also give them a personal card.
- Get Involved in face to face activities. Hiding in a room with your laptop, or being so involved with work that no one gets to see you and form face to face relationships rarely works. I touched on this subject recently.
- Be genuine. You are your niche. Be honest. Be opinionated about your passions. Be Real.