text:
The Pursuit of Happiness
By Paul Rheaume
for Alice
Character Profiles
Brin : "merchant clever" a little frustrated, ultimately good hearted, observant, idealist. Portly.
Treeman: childlike, very in tune with nature. 7" hairy. Bonds with Brin over food.
Annis: sociopath. Dangerous. Untrustworthy. Schizophrenic. Possessed by a power mad little god. She was raised by the Priests of the Sacred Grove.
Perris: single minded. Neurotic, paranoid. Made up the god that he worshipped. Is needed for his faith to keep the little god at bay.
Old lady/Griala: quick witted, sharp, wise, secretive.
Tarol Undershine: A military tactician who surrounded himself with brute force to keep himself safe. Travels the world with his roving band of brigands and warriors, destroying and looting whatever they turn their eye to. Weak of body but with a mind that has managed to keep his rather large company well fed and safe. Only a select few handmaidens and scouts ever see him, he barks his orders through an intricate system of tubes and horns that come out of his large wooden covered wagon.
The Priests of the Sacred Grove: An ancient brother/sisterhood of priests dedicated to preserving balance in the world. They believe that there are little gods in everything. Each person has a god that lives inside them. They renounce any names they may have had upon swearing the sacred oath believing themselves to be mere vessels for the gods that live inside of them.
The Elder Priest of the Sacred Grove: The oldest of the priests. He is looked to as a vessel for all the gods that have lived in the Elder Priests before him. The little god that inhabited Annis was supposed to transfer to him with the passing of the person he succeeded.
The Little God: The little god that lives in Annis was once the god that inhabited ….what?
Chapter 1 – The Merchant and the Dancer Page 5
Chapter 2 – As the Arrow Flies Page 8
Chapter 3 – Word as law Page 10
Chapter 4 – Of Roots and Prayer Page 13
The Pursuit of Happiness
Chapter one:
The Merchant and the Dancer
The wind held something in it that brought tears to the eyes. The bitter cold that followed froze them. It was difficult to move quietly in the early morning frost. Everything was so crisp, so loud. The forest air could carry a sound, distorted and hollow, from miles away. It could also be coming from just behind the next hill. One could never tell. Fur padding on the shoes helped a little. They looked a bit ridiculous, but helped to muffle the sound of crunching leaves and breaking twigs. Brin knew, at this point, it didn't matter, as he was being followed. He had been since two days ago. He was unsure as to why. He carried nothing of any real value. He was a simple merchant who found himself in the shoes of a messenger. He had half a mind to just stay put and wait for his pursuer. Better to face the devil than to let his mind build up who it may be. Was it a hunter? Any hunter worth his salt would know the tracks he left was not made by a forest animal. But yet, he was still followed. Not a good sign.
He ducked behind a large oak to catch his breath. The tell-tale smell of fire had disappeared with the shifting of the wind. He would have to be more cautious now. He had no weapon save a whittling knife and a crooked walking stick that he had found along the road at the beginning of his journey. It would make a poor spear. The blood pumping in his ears was a constant drumbeat signaling danger. When he paused for a breath or a drink, it created a cacophonous reminder to his current plight. Annis would have shimmied up a tall pine and held her bow silent until the interloper showed himself. It had always amazed him how she could stand, unmoving, for hours. But Annis wasn't here, and age weighed heavily on Brin's considerable body. His days of climbing trees were well past. If it weren't for his current situation, the notion would be humorous.
It was a week since he had left the village of Crydon. It had been more like a group of six farms that butted up against each other with an inn and a statue of a farmer in the middle. But the food had been well spiced and the company was friendly. He spent a few nights over a bowl of hunter's stew consisting of both deer and rabbit in a thick brown sauce served over cubes of bread and mugs of the local ale. He was fairly sure that he had made no enemies in the nights he had rested there. He had done his best to keep any conversations to simple things like the crops and weather. He gave no complaint when he saw that the prices were just slightly higher for outsiders. Who was he to deny them larder for the winter? Coins were just rocks from the ground that someone polished pretty. They came and went like the seasons. You quickly got the idea from the ready smiles and the tavern songs that nothing terrible had ever happened there. Crydon hadn't had any sense of local government, just a group of local people who knew that there was comfort in numbers. So be it.
He hadn't noticed his tail until three days ago. He doubted that anyone from the village had ever travelled so far. That left two answers. That he had recently picked up his follower or that he had been followed for long before Crydon. The latter was unsettling.
Brin unwrapped his roll and took out one of his few remaining loaves of bread that he had purchased in town. The thick brown crust staved off the bread going stale. Thinking always came easier with a full stomach, and he certainly had some thinking to do. Just continuing on to the sacred grove wasn't really an option. He had pledged, long ago, never to reveal its location. The pledge was long and was centered on swearing to many different gods and the letting of blood from his finger. Brin was hardly a superstitious man, but there was something about these priests that he decided would be better not to cross. That he brought an enemy into their camp would not be a conversation that he would like to have with the priests. They were skittish enough as it was. The need for secrecy with this group was paramount although Brian could never figure out why. The priests were a quiet, unassuming people who lived closely attuned to nature. They hid no gold as far as he knew and so had little to fear from outsiders. But still they kept themselves unknown to the world. That was the way they liked it and the world got along just fine without knowing they existed. It did, however, narrow his choices. It was unlikely that he could still lose the person following him, he was too close now, and he could not lead them any closer. If he did that, the priests would never let themselves be found. There was really only one option. Better the devil you know. If he was met with a sword, well, that he could handle, if he had to. His girth hid a quickness that surprised most. He did make for a fairly easy ranged target, however. It was best to lay low until he was in striking range. He figured that he had about two hours, on the outside, before they would meet. Strategy was key here; he put to mind as he surveyed the outlying landscape. The ground was relatively flat, so no adjustments could be made for higher ground. Even the trees had thinned out for the past few miles. This was hardly an ideal place to make ones last stand. Chewing slowly, he weighed his options. Eating always made him think better. He wiped the crumbs from his chin as it came to him. He found a stump, sat down and smiled. It was worth a shot.
By the time the silhouette crested into view Brian had a roaring fire burning and some root vegetables slow roasting. It wasn't a rabbit, by any means, but it still left a comforting aroma on the breeze. He was fortunate enough to find a few ripened roots over the past few days. It was foolhardy to waste resources as such. Root patches don't show up every day, especially in this frost. But, it was most likely a pretty strong signal to whoever was coming that he knew someone was behind him. The pops of the dry wood burning and the ensuing sparks floated on the breeze towards the interloper. If this didn't work, he knew he was in trouble. He pretended not to notice the large man approaching as he poked his stick in the food to test doneness.
Brin waved his cooking utensil at a stone that he had placed at the other end of the fire. The large man slung his pack from over his shoulder and onto the rock. His broad, bearded face showed no emotion as he rummaged through his pack, producing a fair sized parcel made of what appeared to be birch bark. He was a large man, exceptionally so. His beard hung long and the state of his clothing suggested that he slept outside more often than not. His thick fingers struggled with unwrapping the delicately tied package.
"Ho, stranger." Brin announced, as calmly as he could. "What brings you to follow in my path? You are welcome to share my fire. My roots appear to be almost cooked. I am called Brin and am glad for the company."
The hulking mass lifted his head to meet his gaze for but a moment before returning to his task. The grey eyes immediately told Brin that this was not a man that would put up with witty banter. He needed to re-evaluate his plan and quickly. Cleverness would be unlikely to win the day. A quick exchange of a meal and quips would have suited him for most folk. He would at least know where he stood. This man was different, unnerving. This open air meeting would, most certainly, be an error of judgment on his part. He sat and watched silently as the man finally was able to unwrap the package. He pulled out a metal box that, when opened, contained meat packed in salt. The meat had been pre-set in skewers that were carefully lifted, shaken to remove any excess salt, and set above the fire to toast. He then pulled a fur blanket from his pack and set it next to the rock near the fire. As he began to clap his hands together to remove the excess salt, Brian attempted to verbally engage him again.
"I have water…"
He was cut off short as the man spun more quickly than Brin would have ever imagined and put one hand to his mouth; fingers up and palm out in the universal sign for silence. Brin froze mid-word; his eyes open wide in anticipation of attack. He had no idea what to expect next. The man slowly lowered his hand and turned back to his pack. He removed a deerskin pouch, opened it and threw a pinch of the contents into the fire.
Immediately, the cooking fire exploded into a blaze of color. Brin quickly brought up his arm so as not to be blinded. He steeled himself for some sort of attack that never came. When he saw the light at his feet diminish, he peeked up above his forearm and saw the most curious thing. The large man who must have weighed at least seventeen stones was dancing on the rug in a fervor that Brian would never have thought that someone of his size could muster. His arms flung about haphazardly in a rhythm that was unheard but clearly felt. The man's crazed movements depicted (as near as Brin could tell) the flight of some angry bear-bird who wished to give thanks to the mountain god. Or something like that. His dance interpretation skills were far outweighed by the realization that if this man wanted him dead, there would be nothing he could do to stop him. His shaggy frame belied a quickness of motion that was eerie. Brian was watching a human thunderstorm.
And then, as quickly it had begun, it was over. The man gave a final shake of his body; much like a wet dog would, and sat down with a thump that Brin felt in the ground from across the fire. He ham fistedly grabbed the two skewers from the fire, the heat apparently causing him no discomfort, and tore a ragged piece of meat from the stick. Oddly enough, the meat that had been packed in salt now appeared to be juicy and sizzling with crackling fat. It dripped down his beard, though he seemed to pay it no mind. The large man just stared at Brin, chewing slowly, his large jaw working back and forth. Further study of the man in front of him raised far more questions than it answered. He had hair everywhere. His long hair and ample beard hid most of his face, but the parts that it did not hide were the most unsettling. Upon closer inspection his gray eyes seemed almost too large for his head. Even his hands, or what he could see of them poking out of his long sleeves, had tufts of long, shaggy hair. He wore no boots but all he could see of his feet that wasn't completely covered by hair were his enormous toes. The large vest that he wore was made out of woven leaves….
Brin gasped.
He was staring across the fire at a treeman.
All thoughts of getting an upper hand in the situation fled his mind. He sat down with a considerable thump of his own on the log he had placed near the fire and let out a long, whistling breath. The treeman copied the sound. Only his whistle seemed to call a small bird to alight on his shoulder and pick a bug out of his ear.
From what he could piece together from childhood stories, the treemen were little seen guardians of the forest. According to his mother, they stole away children who wouldn't wash their clothes in the river. He doubted if that particular piece of folklore held any merit, but the man sitting before him certainly fit the description. Brian could not recall any stories about them being particularly violent but it was best to be safe. Mostly they were known for their reluctance for contact with anyone except for their own kind. This meeting was unprecedented. He became sorely afraid that the reason that there were so few stories about the Treemen was due to so few surviving the encounter. His demeanor did not shout out killer as much as it did child. That man sitting across from him, however, was in no way a child.
Chapter 2: As the Arrow Flies
Annis pressed her back against the stone wall and listened. Three corpses lay at her feet, two with arrows sticking in their torsos, one with his neck at an unusual angle. Once she was sure that the footsteps she heard a few minutes ago were not returning, she squatted down to see if the projectiles were still serviceable. Pulling an arrow out of someone's back is not as simple as one would think.
A well made arrow, at least the kind used against people, should be a difficult thing to remove. She thought back to her mentor, Gilliad, and how he would have her forge her arrowheads wider than any she had ever seen. When asked why, he told her: "When you shoot someone with an arrow, you are gifting him with death. It is not wise to allow your victim to throw away that gift. When you make an arrowhead wide, it will become twisted with their insides when they try to remove it. It will hasten their death, which is only kind, as an arrow is a painful way to die." He then showed her how to make the outside edges very sharp but to leave the back of the head with no edge at all. Little notches along the back would ensure that even if the arrow could be dislodged, it would take important bits with it. Her mentor Gilliad may well have been the most dangerous man she had ever met, but even he did not know the secret of removing a well made arrow, especially, when he didn't see it coming. But how could he have when she was the one holding the bow. One's libido doesn't tend to be as threatening when the only thing stiff down there is an arrow in your groin.
Spitting the hair out of her mouth, she inspected the first arrow. The shaft was cracked. Useless. She pulled the head off and threw the rest into the tall grass. These ruins provided pretty decent cover, but there was no need to force the issue. This close to the encampment was not a safe area to be in the daylight. Roaming patrols, such as the one that lay dead at her feet were a certainty. It was time to hunker down and wait for nightfall. Lifting her head over the ruined stone wall, she saw nothing. She slid back down and began to rifle through the clothing of the three gentlemen that would be keeping her company until nightfall. She named them Gerrod, Benj and King Tem.
She held a war conference with her new friends to find out what the best way in to the encampment would be. Sat up against the wall, they looked like royalty with nary a care in the world. She had tried to make a crown out of leaves and sticks in Tem's hair, but the results were disappointing. His broken neck was poor at holding his head up and the leaves kept tumbling off. The long grasses that she had stuffed in his now stiffening mouth were a noble attempt at, but did not quite mimic, a kingly beard. She had smashed out all of Gerrod and Benj's teeth with a rock in hopes of making them look like a queen and a princess with red, pouty mouths, but was disappointed with the results. The red around their mouth did add to the illusion but she had accidentally caved in Gerrods head in the front. If you have never caved in someone's skull you probably wouldn't know how bad brains smell. Not very princess-like at all.
None of them were very forthcoming with a good route into the camp. She could tell that they were far too afraid to give up anything. Tarol Undershine was not one to forgive betrayal. The stories that crossed the plains were of heads on pikes marking the path that his caravan moved through the world. Undershine did not hide. He left a path of heads for anyone foolish enough to follow. The unlucky ones that did, more likely than not, became part of the path. From what Annis had seen, there did not appear to be a shortage of fools. What stories she had heard, mostly from cowering peasants, told the tale of a wandering tyrant and his tireless army. Undershine was a superstitious king and believed himself to be cursed to never take root in one place. He was also known for looting any town, village, city or fortress he came across. That was what had caught her attention. The stories that were whispered, that of an army that never slept and carrying an ancient treasure, she could dismiss. She had already seen that his army sleeps just fine. In fact, he was pretty sure that the queen in front of her was dozing off.
That was royalty for you.
Chapter 3: Word as law
The marketplace bustled with moving carts, stalls and barkers. The smell of roasted meats mingled, uneasily, with that of horse's shit. Thick smoke from various small blacksmiths in the area combined with the haphazard layout of the market to make visibility low. Parrid was in a particularly foul mood this morning, having had his breakfast unceremoniously thrown out the tavern window by an irate inkeep, demanding payment. The mindless shrieks from this overweight pile of excrement still rang in his ears. "No coin, no room! No coin, no food." Over and over again. He was sure that he was being made an example of. He had promised the keep his payment in three days and was rewarded for his oath by being locked out of his room with a promise that in three days, when the keep was paid, he would see the return of his belongings that were in the room at the time of the incident. Even if he had had the payment for the bloated innkeeper he would never see it now. To think! Charging a warrior priest for lodging? That would never do! Lord Saaban (may his name reign fire down upon the ages) did not create this world so that the people that infest it could profit from what was made to offer freely. Such an offence to a warrior priest of Saaban should not go unpunished, but it was difficult in a city where the Lord of the Red Heavens name was not known. Lashing out in self-righteous anger would not serve the cause. These ignorant sheep must be hand-held to glory. His possessions were of no consequence. A warrior priest of the Red Heavens had no need of worldly items.
As much as he was loathe to do so, Parrid approached, then mounted, the stump of a great old may tree that stood in a clearing of the market. It was used by preachers and overly enthusiastic merchants. He loathed this part of his calling. The jeers, the clumps of dirt thrown at him riled him quickly. These people did not deserve salvation. The endless time spent spreading the word of Saaban to deaf ears grew tiresome. His only audience, an occasional drunk who overheard the closing to prayer "May the taste of my enemies blood be ever in my mouth!" That usually rouses a halfhearted hurrah from boys and people who have never actually seen a battle. It was rare, however, to have someone listen to the whole of his word. He let the red hood fall behind his head and allowed his steely grey eyes to search the crowds unhindered, searching for someone with an ounce of steel to listen to his message.
His countenance did not inspire fellowship, or so he had been told. His nose was long and sharp and his mouth was tied into a constant scowl. It made him look older than his 36 summers. The streaks of grey in his hair didn't help either. He had never claimed to be a beautiful man, nor, did he think, was that something that Lord Saaban would need. His arms were strong enough and his legs would and could carry him many miles. When he first donned the red robe many years ago, he would often have a strong mental image of it flowing around it majestically. This morning it felt listless and damp.
"Raise your ears and your swords!" He bellowed.
"The great Lord Sabban shall reign fire down upon the blood-soaked fields of battle, cleansing pure those who have given to him their lives. Your spirits shall be forged and folded into Lord Sabban's terrible sword SOL which shall, one day be swung against the darkness and we shall all become light."
He hefted a stick above his head. This used to be the point where he raised his sword for dramatic effect, but apparently the King's guards frown upon waving swords about in public areas-especially so, when the crown princess is visiting the market. It took him at least a week before he could open his eye from the beating he took by the hands of the royal guard. He also took no pleasure in the dungeon's cuisine which, due to the king's questionable humor, was a platter of food that could only fit through the slot in the door if all of the food had been previously removed. After three days of that, plus having a cellmate that sang sea chantys incessantly, he decided that it would be in his best interest to just put the sword away in public. All would be well; the day would come when they would beg for him to hold his sword.
"The great cleanser, Sabban the fire bringer, brings you his breath from the RED Heavens! The wind that blows is one of battle. Battle for the lands! Battle for the hearts of the people! Battle for the blood of the ones who have come before!"
"The battle of the ages is coming! Upon his red horse he comes, sword in hand, to devour those too weak to fight. He will crush the bones of the fools that dare oppose him in his teeth and from the resulting spittle-bone mix will create a new empire…An Empire of BLOOD!"
A strange old lady had stopped before him, her sunken eyes shaded by the ratty old hood covering the sparse strings of greasy hair that jutted out haphazardly. She waited, politely, until he was finished talking about the battle bit before she whacked him in the knee with her walking stick.
"Come with me now." She calmly said.
He began again, ignoring the throb in his knee and suppressing the urge to kick the old woman away.
"The walls of all cities who proclaim his name will… OW!"
She had cracked him in the leg again. "Come with me. now."
He reached down to cup his sore leg and immediately saw a group of the king's guards looking around the market. They were easily recognizable by their red tunics with the golden roping around the edges. The front was emblazoned with a golden lightning bolt, the personal symbol of King William. The uniforms may have looked ridiculous, but the men that wore them did not. They looked dangerous. They were dragging behind them a cage of truth. The cage of truth was a globular cage that was made of steel bands banded together jaggedly that were thin enough as to only cause discomfort at first. It has been said, however, that that discomfort would soon grow to pain leading, eventually, to madness. Parrid was surprised to see it as it was a cage usually reserved for the most vile of criminals such as traitors to the crown. The accused would be crudely stuffed in the cage and dragged behind a team of horses along a rocky road until they confessed to whatever it was they did or didn't do. It wouldn't kill you, but your body would wish that it had.
"Here! Boy! Look here!" the old lady said with some urgency. She rapped her cane against the stump to draw his attention. She removed her hood and hissed "Those men are looking for you, and if you don't follow me right now, they will find you. After that you will be of no use to me."
Dragging his gaze away from the large metal ball, Parrid turned and met the eyes of the old woman. His jaw dropped. Her eyes were stunning. He had seen brown and blue eyes, sometimes green…but these were every color. Reds and yellows danced with blues and violets. The colors were moving, as well. The rest of her face just melted away beneath the swirls that radiated from her eyes.
"Come with me now, Parrid. We don't have much time. Throw aside your robe and follow me." She said in a voice far too young to be so old. She pulled her hood back over her head and walked between a group of stalls.
Colors dancing in his vision still, he discarded his robe and did as he was told, following her into the maze of stalls and beyond. His will no longer his own he did not think to turn around and watch as the guard focused their attention on the robe he has discarded moments before.
Chapter 4: Of roots and prayers
The treeman still had not uttered a word after an hour. Brin had attempted to engage him several times without any success. He did help himself to the roasted roots, sniffing them curiously before devouring them in two bites per root. When he ate the first one, his eyes opened wide in surprise and he made some sort of happy growling sound. The other roots disappeared into his maw shortly thereafter. He seemed to enjoy the warmth of the fire on his feet, but had little use for the smoke which the wind would sometimes carry to his face. He would shake his head and make faces, as a child would, to show his displeasure. Brin had no doubt that the treeman was dangerous, but after close scrutiny he doubted that he was a cold blooded assassin. If it had wanted to kill him, it would have had no problem doing so before. Still, he had no idea of what his next move should be.
It was too late to run. Looking at the Treeman's frame, Brin could tell that he would make it all of four steps before he was caught – and hopefully not eaten. Communication seemed to be a wall as well. Either he was not interested in talking or didn't know how to. Searching his surroundings he realized that there was nowhere to hide, either. Desperation seized him. Even if he made it to the Priests of the Sacred Grove, what could they do? Pray that his death was not overly painful?
Brin jumped back to his immediate surroundings as the Treeman stretched his arms out and cracked his back audibly. The reach of his arms was unsettling. The creature easily had twice the reach of a tall man with hands three times the size. After his back stretch, he reached down into the frozen ground in front of where he was sitting and came up with an armload of the mostly frozen soil which he unceremoniously threw over the fire, extinguishing the embers. Standing up, he caught Brin's gaze and said in a low, rumbling voice, reminiscent of an oncoming storm:
"We go."
"Excuse me good sir, but where are we going?" Brin cautioned. "I promise you that I harbor you no ill will and would never tell a soul that I have so much as seen you."
"We go." More thunder rumbled from his mouth, deeper now.
"But you see, I am a merchant on my way, overdue I might add, to pick up wares in a distant town. If I hesitate, even for a day, the seller will sell my goods to another. This is my livelihood, good man, and I cannot afford to…"
The Treeman took two steps forward; faster than Brin could ever imagined that it could move. It reached down with one long arm and swept everything that Brin had with him into one giant hand. His bedroll and provisions were dumped, unceremoniously, at his feet. The Treeman leaned over so as to be eye level with him. Brin could feel the hot breath exhaled from oversized nostrils. So close to his face, his curiosity about the creature faded and quickly became rapt attention mixed with fear.
"We go."
The treeman blinked twice and put one of his enormous, heavy hands on Brin's shoulder.
"We go. We go, see tiny gods."
A giant smile opened up on his face. His eyes shone. He threw his head back and laughed.
It was then and there that Brin knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this thing, this Treeman-in case he had had any doubts before, had the upper hand. Now, with the revelation about the 'Tiny Gods' he would have no choice but to oblige. He seemed to be stuck between a resolute giant and a group of irate hermit-priests.
Half of the day had passed and the trees had become thick again. The sun that was now just past mid-sky warmed the frost off of the ground and made a fine mist that obscured the view. The roots and briars that were constantly tripping Brin seemed not to bother the Treeman at all. His feet just seemed to know where to go without looking. Brin was not so lucky. The giant's pace was unrelenting and whenever his did not match it, he was nudged along by a gentle push and a reminder that "We go."
There was no map to get to the sacred grove; one had to use other means. The first few times the priests allowed him into the grove, he was taught the path of senses. This was a methodology that had nothing to do with maps or logic, but seemed to be the only way to find the grove. He had tried all other ways he could think of. Making maps failed spectacularly. Counting footsteps inevitably led him to the edge of a small cliff. Marking landmarks never worked as he could never find the landmarks again. It was if the terrain was constantly shifting. He had decided long ago to not think too deeply about the landscape here.
His was trained during an entire harvest season by the nameless priests. The training was simply how to locate their outpost. This, alone, was no easy task. He knew that it was an honor of the highest sort-not to mention profitable, to be able to be the merchant selected to bring provisions to the priests. The ancient coin he was paid with was always plentiful and his loads were always light. The priests had very little in the way of material needs. The ones they did have were often a pain to procure but it always ended up in his favor in the end. The only stipulation that the priests imposed upon him was that he never mentioned who he was dealing with or how to locate them. The wages he was paid made that easy. Two trips a year, one to take the order, one to bring in the provisions and he was assured never to go hungry that year.
There were five parts to the path of senses that would lead him to the grove and it was never possible to take the same path twice in a row. His teacher had been a kindly, middle-aged woman who was quite wise in the lay of the land. Like the other priests, she had renounced any name. They would be gone for days in the forest and would subsist on foraged fruits and nuts that never left even his considerable hunger wanting. They would always sleep in the softest of moss beds and no bugs would ever bite their exposed flesh at night. He soon learned how to identify every type of tree and bush in the forest. He knew what plants he could eat, which ones would heal and which would kill. He learned to listen for underground rivers that would slake his thirst. Her daily lessons may have been arduous but he always awoke feeling completely refreshed. It was if the woods had granted them favor. Brin recalled her holding out her hand on his final day of lessons, her fingers spread wide.
"As you know there are many paths to a single destination. The grove, however, is different. There is only one path and that path changes with the whims of the Little Gods of the forest."
She held out her thumb and held it to her nose. First , there is the path of scents. "There will be a time, when you seek the grove" the nameless priestess had told him those many years ago, "that you will smell a redflower in the air. You must immediately stop where you are and slowly move in a circle. When the grove wants you to find it, you shall. This path will show itself to you when the forest is in harmony. When you come to us with an open heart and pure intention this will be your way. "
"When you are hungry, sore and in need of comfort you shall find it in the path of taste." She then held out her palm and showed me a handful of berries she had collected earlier. She let one roll down to the tip of her index finger where it sat there balanced precariously. It was bright red with curious yellow stripes radiating from where the fruit met the stem. "These are known as cat berries. They grow all year from the abundance of spring to the sleep of winter. They will only let themselves be found when you are in need. If you respect the bush and eat only one you will soon find another bush. Another will soon follow. The Little God that lives within the bush will lead you to the grove as long as you do not gorge yourself on the berries. It may seem a simple thing to do… "
She then pushed one of the berries into his mouth. It was the most amazing thing he had ever tasted. One berry filled his mouth with the taste of sweet red wine, and strange, spicy fruit. All fatigue immediately fell from his shoulders. It was one berry but felt as though it was as substantial as a mouthful of hearty stew. He swallowed and immediately reached for another from her hand. She closed her fingers around the berries and quickly snatched away her hand. The craving for another did not pass until an hour later.
"This," She said with a grave stare, "is what you will have to fight to find your way to us. The berries hold a powerful sway over all that eat the fruit. Animals know better than to touch them. Humans have long ago lost such common sense. The berries let you think that you are healed but this is only an illusion. There have been people who have lost their senses and starved due to wanting for nothing else. You must find the strength within yourself to be strong of spirit and calm of mind to find your path."
After giving him a little while to center himself she continued her lesson. She pointed her middle finger to the sky. "The path of the crows, also known as the path of hearing will be opened to you when you follow the caw of the crow to us. This is a very difficult path in that you must never be seen by a crow when you follow him. A crow will remember your face for as long as you live and will tell all of its brothers to lead you into trouble if he sees you. If you know that you have been seen, you will more likely be led to a bear than you will to us. The secret is to follow the caw of the crow from a distance. If you hear it get too close, hide yourself and quickly. Due to the long memories of the crow, most people lose this path first. Crows are never in a hurry, except to eat, so be patient. It may seem like you are being led in circles but if you relax and do not lose patience, you will be brought to our gates."
She ran her ring finger down the side of his face, softly. "The path of skin is deceptive because it is the quickest way in but is quite difficult to follow. If you give yourself over to the wind blowing on your face, it will guide you. This does not sound difficult but the wind is a little god that is difficult to understand. If you do not have complete trust in its gentle pushes, it will recognize your lack of faith and send you in circles. If you can bring yourself to just let go and be led, you will be feasting with us before the sun goes down. "
They had been walking during the lesson and after she had finished he looked up and saw that they were, once again, at the gates of the grove. The arch always took his breath away. It was two giant trees that had grown together about four body lengths high and knotted themselves together in a beautiful, symmetric arch that only could have been nursed into being by the most skillful of botanists. The doors of the gates were alive with green, no matter the season. He turned to enter the gates when a thought struck him.
"Teacher…'" he said whilst furrowing his brow. " You said that this was there were five parts to the path of five senses. You only told me of four."
The priestess looked him squarely in the eye and said "The final path is one we have never found. The Little Gods have whispered to us that in the time of great crisis the forest itself will seek the path to our door for sanctuary. We have never been able to decipher its meaning. The Little Gods are seldom literal. There have been many priests that have spent their lifetimes searching for the answer.


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Before heading to the fair, we went to First Colony Mall in Sugarland --- I bought a new iPod and daughter-in-law Carrie took my photo while I sketched for possible use in Cathy 'Kate' Johnson's upcoming book, tentatively titled "Sketching on the Go". I hate having my picture taken and seldom end up with a good one, but Carrie has a very good "eye" for photos.
Kate's new book is on sketching "on the spot" and, like her last published book, "Artists' Journal Workshop" (which my sketches are also in), she has invited several sketchers to contribute art.
|me sketching at the First Colony Mall, Sugarland

subset: commoncrawl


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Edited and uploaded by alex-jones-show.blogspot.com
a href="http://www.ajpfiles.com/December2013/20131218_Alex_Jones.mp3″ target="_blank">
On this Wednesday, December 18 edition of the Alex Jones Show, Alex covers the latest effort by corporate medicine and the establishment media to discredit and disparage the efficacy of vitamin supplements as the war on the health of the American people continues. Alex takes a look at comments by a former top NSA official who recently declared the United States is now effectively a police state and said the Stasi surveillance grid is not only for political crimes of those opposed to the bankster regime in control of government, but is also designed to facilitate the wholesale prosecution of petty crimes related to drugs and taxes. Guests today include anarcho-capitalist author and editor, Lew Rockwell, who is the founder of the founder and chairman of the Ludwig von Mises Institute. Alex also talks with Pennsylvania resident Ricardo Nieves, who went before the Reading city council to complain about the constitutional abuse conducted by local cops in collaboration with a private firm financed by a number of federal agencies stopping motorists and attempting to intimidate them into surrendering a DNA swab.
alex-jones-show.blogspot.com – The un-official Archive of the Alex Jones Show – Archiving the Alex Jones Show and The Nightly News
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The 33rd state annual senate of Kerala Catholic Youth Movement will begin on 6th January 2011 at Trivandrum. The annual senate which will conclude on 9th January 2011 will be held at Animation Center, Vellayambalam in Trivandrum.
Youth representatives from the 30 catholic dioceses in Kerala will participate in the three day senate, which will be hosted by KCYM, Trivandrum Latin Arch Diocese. The senate is scheduled to start at 6 PM on January 6, 2011.
The senate which spans for four days will discuss various activities of the KCYM state committee in the last one year. The new office bearers for the year 2011 will be elected in the Annual senate. Activity reports from the 30 dioceses will also be presented in the senate.
The senate will conclude on January 9, 2011 with the election of new office bearers.


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A blog about a woman living in a small town in Michigan who has a lot to say about a lot of things.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
I would like to publicly thank . . .
I don't know if this morning was so fan-friggin'-tastic because it just was or if it made me tear up because I knew tomorrow and the days to follow were going to suck the big one.
The light was amazing, the shadows were soft and the reflections on the water took my breath away. Ok, too much? I don't care.
I'm only sorry that I didn't get a picture of the lonely goose that swam by and the funky kingfisher that skimmed the water's surface.
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Awesome pics!ReplyDeleteReplies
Hey, everybody! That's my cousin, Ter, there. Woohoo! He actually read my blog and then actually commented on it. I'm sure it had nothing to do with me harassing him last Sat. Right, Ter?Delete
Great pics, Ellen! I sure dislike what lies ahead. I am not a winter person :(ReplyDeleteReplies
Nor am I, Harriet. I hate the white stuff. I feel trapped by it. We don't have a good relationship.Delete
- AnonymousOctober 31, 2013 at 10:29 AM
Beautiful pictures, Ellen. Linda K.ReplyDelete
Augie did his job well!! Slowed you down enough to appreciate what you are surrounded by at that moment! We are all lucky enough to be your friends and be gifted with such beauty, both in the photos you took, and the person your are!!! Keep blogging my friend!ReplyDeleteReplies
Aw, Dill, ya got me blushing.Delete
Beautiful pictures. We see that lonely goose, think it has a broken wing :( Kingfishers are fascinating to hear and watchReplyDeleteReplies
Jannie - I didn't know kingfishers had a distinctive call. I hope to hear it one day.Delete
- AnonymousNovember 4, 2013 at 4:41 PM
Nicely done! Your pictures are gorgeous. : )ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks, neighbor.Delete
Yes, I remembered that morning, too! The view from our deck was gorgeous and the reflections on the river seemed especially clear. Ed may have taken some shots, but they surely aren't as beautiful as yours!ReplyDelete


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**This is a write-up I found in another forum. The OP is "Ron@JJCustomInterior " I think he did a great job, and rather than just posting a link to the page, I'm copying it over here for our quick reference and use on this forum.
Here is the link to the original: http://www.pro-touri...-Resource-Guide
Most older Recaros have a basic model number such as LX, LS, SRD. For most of the older models the first 2 letters stand for the back of the seat and the last digit stands for the base of the seat. For example an LX will stand for the back of the seat with its trademark pointy triangular bolsters but an LX-A will be the same back mounted to a flat base. Here is an example of a 3rd gen LX (top picture) and a 3rd gen LX-A (bottom)
Here is an original brochure showing model names for ref. and pdf link if interested in higher res
Most of the common recaro seats can be traced through 4+ generations, each with their own specific details and differences. For example the first few generations of LS's (also known as the idealseat) have the trademark large rolling D shaped upper bolsters with lower bolsters that are very large and slope very close to the back of the lower frame. The original idealseat also had an upper adjustment knob. Later generations have a very similar back at first glance but the lower bolster foam is much smaller with the slope of the bolster midway back on the frame as seen here. The first 3 generations all had different back adjustment knobs and covers as well.
Early vs later foam
The construction of the early recaros was very primitive compared to the later generations. Honestly the biggest improvement i have found through the generations is the advancement in the construction of the seats. The gen 1/2 seats are fairly difficult to assemble where as the later 3rd and 4th generations are about as simple as you can imagine. The newer seats such as the sportster cs, trend, sport, and so on have actually become a completely different monster, recaro pretty much redesigned the basic construction of the model line in the 2000's.
How to spot a FAKE
Its not always easy to spot a fake but there are a few simple steps you can follow to increase your chances of purchasing a genuine recaro. My best advice is just to do your research ahead of time. If you are going to check out a set of seats on craigslist look up pictures of real seats or maybe even print out pictures to bring with you for reference. In most case if its too good to be true it normally is. This is also mainly only a problem with a handful of models including the srd/speed and the line of fixed back recaros. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for..
- Is the 'RECARO' lettered correctly? If the letters are spaced from each other? Is the lettering crooked? If it generally looks off chances are you are not dealing with a genuine Recaro.
- If it is a fixed back does it have a valid FIA tag? All Recaro fixed back seats will have a real FIA visible on the side of the seat.
- What style diaphragm does the seat use? You will only find 3 style of supports on genuine Recaro seats. The first design was a support strap. They were made of a nylon style material and each seat would have had around 3 of them going horizontally across the base attaching with a U style hook. The second generation used a support diaphragm. It was a single support made with 1-2 large rubber pcs bonded to a burlap style material and attached using a dowel and hook method on each side of the support. ALL srds used a 1pc diaphragm. The newest Recaro seats use a molded plastic but that is pretty self explanatory. Here are a few examples..
Gen 1 straps (New jjcustominterior strap on top, original in middle)
- Gen 2 diaphragm
FAKE speed as found on eBay (you can also see the material is hog ringed onto the frame, something Recaro hasn't done since the 70's.) Honestly there are about 100 things i could pick apart on these seats to show they are fake, but this is the easiest to spot. They don't always look like this but this is the most obvious to spot.
Here is another speed that at first glance looked 100% legit short of some "off" Recaro stitching but once I removed the insert found this:
- Model C (classic c / ortho / classic c / cse)
(Est. $400 - $2500 per set depending on specific model / options / condition)
Available in power and manual variations as an aftermarket seat and dealer option for various european cars. Most featured 8 way adjustable bolsters, heated inserts, power air controlled lumbar support, and some also had a blatpunk speaker headrest. The Model c was Recaros top of the line luxory seat offered in the 80's and through the 90's. Variations of this seat were optional in e30 bmw's (6k dealer option) Mercedes 190 cosworths, Audi URQuattors (non power), Various Porches, and a few other vehicles that escape me at this time. Variations of this seat are still available from Recaro as the Ortho line.
These seats were also available in a few manual versions that used the B style base.
(est. $300-$2000 depending on specific model and condition)
The LS is one of the most popular seats Recaro made through the late 70's/80's/90's. Variations of the LS were found in but not limited to cars made by Ferrari, BMW, Alfa, Volkswagen, Porsche, Ford, and more.. They are most commonly found in mk2 volkswagens and Alfa Romeo milano verdes within the US.
The later ls was available with an a,b,c, or d base, but most commonly found with a b or c base. There are also a few rare power version that i do not have a ton of information on. (pictured below in black with control panel on bolster)
- Speed / SRD
(est. $300-2000+ depending on model and condition)
By far the most copied Recaro of all time. Be very cautious when buying these seats as prob 80% of the seats on the market are fake chinese replicas. I would not feel safe putting the replicas in a car as the build quality and materials used are fairly poor (i have litterally seen people shred the metal on the base just removing sliders (can post pics of carnage). The Recaro SRD is prob. the most well known Recaro as it has been available since the 80's and is still in production to this day as the speed. They have came in everything from e30 bmw's to Toyota supras along with hondas, nissans, fords, and so on..
Also here is an easy way to tell the difference between a speed and an srd. Take a close look at the curves of the upper bolster foam.. The SRD has a larger more triangular "shoulder" foam where the speed is smaller and more smooth. Also you can see the speed has a larger headrest section but the ITR versions of the seat were actually a hybrid of the two and tech a speed. Also NO TRUE SRD ever came with the small recaro logo, only the speeds.
- LX/SE/Specialist
(est. $300-$1500 depending on specific model and condition)
The recaro LX is one of the oldest recaro variations available along with the LS. The Recaro lx still has a variation in production to this day(specialist). It is commonly found in early to late 80's cars such as the TransAm, Mustang, 300zx, and various other models. The Gen 1 lx has the larger lower bolsters but maintains the same triangular back that is the trademark of the LX.
Another member of the LX/LS/etc family that's often seen, the SE. These were Recaro's "budget" sport seat in the late '90s and early '00s, they also had a decent period-correct look for '70s and '80s cars since they were mostly based on the LX.
- A8 (gen 1/2)
(est. $600-$3k depending on specific gen, condition, and trim)
The A8 is by far one of the most highly desired recaros available at this time. They are one of the first recaro sport seats to feature a new frame design for passenger vehicles. There were 2 variations of the A8 to be released and they were available as factory options in a select group of exotics. The majority of A8's you will find are of the aftermarket variety.
Gen 1
Gen 2


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Invisible Gym
Hiking in Arizona! Well, it was really hot. Really. Hot. But a lot of fun. Just a few pictures from my trip. Click on them to see a larger picture.
Cathedral Rock in Senora
Made it to the summit!
Cholla Trail at Camelback
It was crazy hot... 97 degrees F!
Made it. Drank so much water.
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Welcome to my Food, Fitness & Fiction blog! You can subscribe to my blog via RSS feed. If you're interested in being a guest blogger or would like me to take a look at your book or product for a possible review/feature on the blog, please email me at firstname.lastname@example.com. Enjoy!
New App Gets Kids Excited About Nutritious Foods
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Do you, like many parents, find it a challenge to turn your kids on to good-for-you foods? If so, there's a new gaming app called FoodLeap that just may help. Created by registered dietitian and mom, Melissa Halas-Liang in collaboration with the National Restaurant Association,* the free app is designed to help kids get excited about choosing—and eating—nutritious foods.
Read on to learn more about Halas-Liang, the founder of SuperKidsNutrition.com and creative mind behind the Super CrewÒ kids, and the new app to help kids make more nutritious food selections.
EZ: What is FoodLeap and how can it help kids get interested in healthy eating?
MHL: It's a free new gaming app for iphone and ipad that gets kids excited about healthy colorful foods (including white–cauliflower, black–black berries and brown–brown rice). Gamers play as Super Crew® kid, Super Baby Abigail who leaps and bounds through colorful levels of Rainbow Road, outsmarting hostile kitchenware while collecting healthy foods to boost her speed and powers. Along the way she unlocks fun and tasty facts about the foods she's captured. The game increases awareness about the National Restaurant Association's Kids LiveWell program and their free app, which allows parents to find healthy menu choices at over 42,000 restaurants nation wide. I tell parents to play FoodLeap with their kids, and to then discuss their favorite ways to eat and enjoy the healthy foods featured in the game. Kids love technology so the game offers another opportunity for parents to discuss good nutrition with them. Plus we need more games with healthy foods instead of candy and cupcakes!
EZ: Why is it important for parents to play a key role in helping their kids choose healthy options when dining out?
MHL: In today's world, everything is so fast-paced. Because of this, it's really important to arm kids with the skill-set to make smart eating choices on their own, whether they're hanging out at a friend's home or dining out at restaurants. Kids need the right nutrients, because their brain, bones and other organs are still developing. Many kids are also taking in too much sodium. By helping them make healthier choices when dining out, parents can help their kids' hearts stays healthy now and for life.
EZ: Why is important to get kids in the kitchen and what tools do you recommend they use to help create nutritious meals?
MHL: Getting kids involved in the kitchen is an effective way to get them interested in healthy eating and trying more foods! Young kids can pick out their own fruit and veggie scrub brush–so while you're cooking they have an easy task. Kids like blenders because they're loud (and we know most kids love to make noise). They can make a smoothie by simply pushing a button (just always make sure to keep an eye on them to avoid injury!). Spiralizers are inexpensive tools you can use to make "spaghetti" from things like squash, and there are some really awesome kid friendly knives that you can use to teach children safe cutting skills. Having kids slice soft foods like avocados and bananas is fun. By getting your kids involved in cooking, you open the door to so many possibilities! You never know—you may have a future chef on your hands! Check out this age appropriate cooking guide with the Super Crew to making cooking with kids easier.
EZ: What are some of your top tips to help kids have fun while learning about nutrition?
MHL: There are so many! But here are a few:
Create a placemat. Grab some magazines and a large piece of paper. Have them cut out their favorite pictures of fruits and veggies and glue them onto the paper. You can get inexpensive laminating sheets from an office-supply store or Target to seal the placemats, so your kids can use their creations whenever they eat! You can also add in some text on good table manners!
Read fun books with healthy themes. Books are a great tool to teach about healthy eating. Reading provides visuals and creates a good vehicle to help you bond with your kids. I recommend I will not ever NEVER eat a tomato to encourage kids to try new foods and the Bernstein Bears books for balance—like The Bernstein Bears and Too Much Junk Food or Too Much TV! The Super Crew Kids also have their own books: Super Baby Abigail's Lunchtime Adventure and Havoc at the Hillside Market with the Super Crew.
Watch videos. I love the USDA core nutrition message videos, and often recommend them to parents. They cover everything from child feeding tips to whole grains, fruits and vegetables, etc. and are concise and applicable to everyday food struggles parents face.
Check out the Fooducate App. It scans food and gives it an overall rating. It also offers alternative foods that have higher ratings for those that don't score too well. Kids can use this app to scan their own food! They can use it at the supermarket and choose the item with the highest grade out of three options. My daughter was scanning our cereals in the house and found out her dad's cereal choice got a B and hers was an A. I tell families who struggle with food shopping to choose items with a B- or better.
*The National Restaurant Association collaborated with SuperKids Nutrition to create a new gaming app called FoodLeap to bring attention to the Kids LiveWell program, which offers healthful children's menu items at 150 restaurant brands representing 42,000 restaurant locations across the nation. The aim of FoodLeap is to grow awareness about Kids LiveWell, while increasing children's knowledge about the benefits of eating healthy, whole foods.
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My upstairs neighbour has been home all this week (I've seen her twice since I moved in; now that the owner's gone on vacation, she's around).
Yesterday, she was doing laundry (I think it was laundry) from about 8 am to 5 pm. That's a lot of clothes.
Last night there was a guy just standing on her doorstep, talking on a cell phone. It was about 11 at night. There were no cars there except mine, and he doesn't live there. He was just there.
Today, she's moving furniture out of her house.
I kinda hope there isn't police tape around this place when I come back on Monday.


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Drama poster of new drama "Baker Kim Tak-ku" [KBS2]
New KBS drama "Bread, Love and Dreams" proved to be major competition on Wednesday and Thursday nights, making its debut at No. 1 on TV ratings charts.
Figures from TNmS (Total National Multimedia Statistics) on Friday revealed that "Bread," which premiered on June 9, brought in viewership ratings of 15.7 percent on Wednesday and 16.9 percent the following night.
Statistics released by AGB Nielsen Media Research showed that the series scored slightly lower ratings of 14.4 percent on both nights.
"Bread," starring Yoon Si-yoon and Kim Eugene, is about the success story of baker Kim Tak-koo (played by Yoon).
The premiere episode of "Bread" focused on the early beginnings of Kim Tak-koo and how he went to baking master Oh Doo-yong (played by Jang Hang-sun) to become his apprentice and learn about the skills of baking.
SBS' drama "Bad Boy," starring Kim Nam-gil and Han Ga-in, remained the second most-watched show with an average viewership rating of 15 percent on TNmS' survey and 14.2 percent on AGB's chart.
Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@
Source: Asiae
Credits: http://theksource.blogspot.com/
(Please do not remove any credits when taking out news from theksource.)


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Sunday, June 19, 2011
Acorn Cookies
I think these acorn 'cookies' from design dazzle are pretty clever. Chocolate kiss + nilla wafer + peanut butter chip (all glued together with peanut butter). Genius! And a perfect treat for a woodland or forest-themed birthday.
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As computers become more a part of today's lifestyle and habits, new diseases are developing for their use. The most common date is computer vision syndrome (CVS), with symptoms include double vision, itchy eyes, headaches, blurred vision, eye pain and irritation, fatigue and burning eyes, liquid or dry eyes, eye fatigue, eye strain and soreness. One would never imagine that such a useful and innovative tool could cause so much physical discomfort! As a result of CVS, science specialists seized the opportunity to create computer eyeglasses to reduce these common conditions and make the computer less painful and safer.
Characteristics CVS affects adults and children. Although children usually have different requirements for near and distance vision glasses, computer eyeglasses can be used widely in both groups. Please note that the near and distance vision glasses should not be used as a replacement for computer glasses. They serve the same purpose, and in some cases will cause more harm than good. If you are experiencing any vision problems not related to computer use, please see a specialist to get your eyes tested.
Computer eyeglasses can be purchased in most pharmacies and drug and are usually inexpensive. However, beware! Some manufacturers use cheap colored lenses and market them as computer glasses, so your best bet would be to get a pair of prescription glasses from the doctor. So you can get a pair of glasses suited for computer use, and other secondary need, such as reading or driving.
Get computer eyeglasses with a light tint would also prove beneficial for the eyes. Although the main reason for the symptoms of CVS is the fact that your eyes are constantly re-focus, to spend much time in the declared offices also produces some of the same symptoms. By using light colored computer glasses, your eyes will be better able to concentrate, but the lighting in the room is adjusted to the correct level.
Not every computer user needs a computer glasses, but most people who use the computer frequently during the day will stand a chance to experience negative symptoms. We recommend that you still need to invest in a pair if you fall into that category! In addition, computer eyeglasses can be beneficial in the long run by reducing excessive focus demands on the eyes. They can also be useful in preventing or delaying some eye diseases that may result from the use of computers.
Investing in a good pair of eyeglasses computer using a proactive approach. While the problem may not yet begun to show ugly head, glasses will fix them before they start actually. After all, everyone will be able to witness the continuous development of one of the most impressive technological advances of modern man to date.


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Thanks for all of the kind birthday wishes, even if they were a touch on the late side:-) It's like my birthday lasted three days!!! Not one comment on the Tinkerbelle window decal though, which I thought was just the cutest thing ever. And now if you see someone driving around Boston with a tan Jeep and a Tinkerbelle decal, you will know to stop and say 'Hi'. Although I never drive, so I wouldn't spend a of time working on that.
On to Big Sis' wedding! I am officially excited beyond belief. And for many reasons. One, I am gonna look super hot:-) We all have great black dresses, and I am just gonna be the sexiest little kitten you have ever seen (but won't, since none of you will see:-P) It is hard to look too hot standing next to Smoking Hot Roommate, but I will do my best. I will likely cry when I see Munchkin looking all grown up with her hair done and everything, but that is ok...I will make sure to have makeup done afterwards:-)
Two, it is gonna be a really fun wedding. The crowd won't be huge (I think about 175...so not small, but not enormous) and is mostly family and close friends. Since I think of a lot of these people as kinda "family", it will be a lot of fun to see them all. And I know some of the Brain Surgeon's family, too...but now I get to meet the rest:-) Hopefully The Boy won't be jealous if I get a super hot doctor to walk down the aisle with:-)
Three, it means another long weekend...lol. The wedding is going to be at the oft-mentioned beach house (which is a great place for a wedding!!!) which means there will be very little running around necessary. Assorted family and friends have been arriving all week, which has given Big Sis the chance to really see some people outside of the hubbub of a wedding. Munchkin, too:-)
Four, I am just really happy for Big Sis. She is smart and fantastic and she is my hero and she deserves to be really, really happy. She has become an incredibly important part of my life as a sister, mentor, friend, advisor and sometime Mom and I couldn't be happier for anyone else in the world to have found her Prince Charming. And for him, too...he is also smart and funny and extremely nice and tremendously giving and, most importantly, he treats my Big Sis like a total princess. He deserves everything she can give to him:-)
So that is my brief rundown of the wedding:-) I am headed down Thursday night after work...hopefully with The Boy. If he can't take Friday off, then he will have to come down on his own, and will miss the rehearsal dinner:-P Any questions?
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Wedding plans (no, not mine!)
Thanks for all of the kind birthday wishes, even if they were a touch on the late side:-) It's like my birthday lasted three days!!! Not one comment on the Tinkerbelle window decal though, which I thought was just the cutest thing ever. And now if you see someone driving around Boston with a tan Jeep and a Tinkerbelle decal, you will know to stop and say 'Hi'. Although I never drive, so I wouldn't spend a of time working on that.
So says Accidentally Me at 9:11 AM
In this episode... Real and Pretend Sisters
7 comments:
- e.b. said...
oh so fun. i don't know what it is but i just love weddings.
- Accidentally Me said...
e.b. - I am gonna go with "Everyone is in a good mood. Everyone looks their best. Free booze" as the answer
- 2xA+r0n said...
As a guy, I really don't know a damn thing about weddings... but black dresses??
- Accidentally Me said...
2x - Well, the bride's dress is white;-) Black for the bridesmaids, which is an excellent choice and should be used MUCH more often. Everyone looks good in black, it looks great in pictures, and you can re-wear it.
- Ally said...
I totally agree about the black dresses...plus there's a chance you could wear that again (and not just for Halloween).
Sounds like a fun wedding....why can't you post photos with the heads just cut off? We want pictures!!
I totally agree about black dresses AM. It looks very classy. I was at a wedding a couple of weeks ago with black bridesmaid dresses with a pink ribbon accent. Matched to the very simple elegant cake. I want to suggest, since you are going to look so hot and since we won't be able to see...that maybe you should crop a pic of the beach house, your dress, Big Sis's dress,eliminating the identifying features, you know, just so we can get a better visual...lol... although your descriptions are always great ;). You can still keep the mystery going by only showing a glimpse...
- Still just me said...
I really, really, want your life. Great kids, wonderful sisters and loads of time off from work. Not to mention the beach house!
Have fun at the wedding!


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Here are Fischer's Easter/15 month portraits...I know I put too many on here, but I couldn't choose b/c he's just so cute! He posed, smiled, and did everything the photographers asked him to do! Enjoy!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Easter Portraits - 15 Months
Posted by Minda Henry at 7:29 AM
1 comment:
These are really adorable!! Where did you get them done?
- April 10, 2009 at 9:42 AM
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Friday, December 12, 2008
6 comments:
- Lisa said...
Wow! That's a lot of stuff. I love the cards, especially.
- December 12, 2008 at 6:41 PM
- Tonia said...
Thanks, I loved making them. I carved the stamps (except for the letters on some of them.) So much fun!!! The cards and candles sold well.
- December 12, 2008 at 7:09 PM
- Jenn said...
Stuff looks great! You CARVED the stamps!!! How? That's totally cool.
- December 12, 2008 at 10:50 PM
- Tonia said...
there is this stuff called Safety Kut or some lame spelling. It is like a very firm thick pencil eraser. i have a thing for birds and mushrooms so i sketched some images-keeping things on the simple side. Once I decided I liked one. I outlined the image and details in pencil and then put a piece of tracing paper over it and burnished it. Which basically means I took a popsicle stick and smoothed it over the tracing paper causing the pencil marks to transfer onto tracing paper, then took the tracing paper and placed on top of safety cut (with penicl marks face down) and burnished again. This tranfers the marks on to safety cut. Then taking an exacto knife I outline the image. This is where it can get tricky. You have to decide what details or aspects you want. If you carve away something it won't get any ink so you will have a white space. If you leave something it will get ink and print onto the paper. It is like woodblock printing or linoleum block printing. The safety cut is much easier to carve though.
- December 13, 2008 at 5:45 AM
- Lisa said...
We used this technique for carving letterboxing stamps and it was very fun!
- December 17, 2008 at 12:27 PM
- Tonia said...
My friend Aly letterboxes. I haven't but it sounds fun.
- December 17, 2008 at 2:45 PM


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|There is no exaggeration to this image.(Via Wikimedia Commons)
I find it ironic that during my Retro Ska Librarian Lifestyle (aka Sedentary, Binge Eating Unhealthy Diet Life of Dan), this never happened. But a few years into Streamlined, Leafy Green, Daily Workout Ska Librarian Life of Dan .... hot poker glass shard demons jam into my bunion joint.
I'm hoping this was a one time event and not a chronic condition. And forcing myself to spend several days immobile with my foot up has once again made me realize how much I really need and want to move on a daily basis.
(What's also fascinating is finding out how many of my friends are gout sufferers. Who knew this persnickety affliction affected so many? I guess I know a better class of people than I thought!)
I tried to avoid too many fitness and nutrition websites during my recovery, lest I get too antsy, but I did start falling back to the Nutrition Blog Network, figuring my RD "colleagues of another terminal degree" might give me some interesting recipe ideas. And from that website, I came across this recent post from Dietitian Without Borders on "How to Walk 10,000 Steps a Day".
And here I can only walk zero! *sob*
But it did give me an idea for a blog post. All those steps...
I see a lot of friends and colleagues with the FitBit bracelet nowadays. Interestingly enough, many of these were gifts to these people from loved ones. Nothing like passive-aggressively telling someone to move more...
Don't get me wrong. I think it's great if you want to keep track of moving. And, as that aforementioned link shows, it's something we should probably all be doing in simple easy ways. I see it in the same vein as calorie-tracking, which I'm sure will get me in trouble, as that seems no longer a supportable choice for weight loss and maintenance.
But I look at it as a template. I can see calorie levels and get a better understanding of portion control, even if not I'm not following calorie counting to the exact digit. And knowing that 10,000 steps is equivalent to 5 miles, well that can give you a better sense of how much you should really be moving. And when these FitBit and similar apps show you how much you actually move ... I'm sure it's an eye opener.
But many of my NYC pals using these apps (gouty or no) find it funny that they tend to go way past the limit of steps per day pretty early on each morning. That's because we live in a city where walking is just something you do, even during motorized commutes:
|It really hasn't changed all that much via NYPL Digital Gallery
We are a walkable city. It's been measured. Evidently, and not surprisingly, my NYC neighborhood has a walkability score of 100. Of, course, you can look at it from the other side: 3 or out 4 gas stations in the neighborhood closed in the past few years and there's no parking without a huge cost. And not that walkability always signifies a good thing to urban planners. You can look at the research that shows financial status can play a much bigger role in walkability as opposed to all other markers. (i.e. If you can't afford to drive, you won't). This report that shows a correlation between high walkability and higher crime rates.
But that's not taking into account a place like NYC. We just move more.We sort of have to.
So, lot's of walking, better diet ... was I a candidate for this dreaded "disease of kings?" Could I have done everything to prevent this issue? Slept more and eat even better? This study showed that while those people who slept less tended to eat for a longer period throughout the day, they did not intake more calories than those who slept longer. That doesn't quite take into account those of us binge eaters. Longer hours awake may mean more opportunities to binge. And this one showed that a low glycemic diet (in a controlled test) did show a lowering of weight, but did not really decrease inflammation, as it was thought it might. Although I'm pretty much already in the low GI fruit eating group anyway.
No, it may have just been fate that did me in.It was also pointed out that stress could have been a factor. So even with extra walking and good eating, I'm not sure I could have escaped this pain.
If it does come back (and man, I certainly do hope it does NOT), I just need to be more aware of the situations and how it might be better controlled. And I think that means being more aware, but also getting back to taking of advantage of this oh so walkable, moveable city of mine. It may not have made me the healthiest young adult, but it always has the potential to get you moving more:
|Believe it or not, I even played this when I was a Retro fella. Via The Center for Jewish History on Flickr
Carr, Lucas J., Shira I. Dunsiger, and Bess H. Marcus. "Walk ScoreTM As a Global Estimate of Neighborhood Walkability." American Journal of Preventive Medicine 39, no. 5 (November 2010): 460–63. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2010.07.007.
"How to Walk 10000 Steps a Day." Dietitian without Borders. Accessed August 4, 2014. http://dietitianwithoutborders.com/walk-10000-steps-a-day/.
Juanola-Falgarona, Martí, Jordi Salas-Salvadó, Núria Ibarrola-Jurado, Antoni Rabassa-Soler, Andrés Díaz-López, Marta Guasch-Ferré, Pablo Hernández-Alonso, Rafael Balanza, and Mònica Bulló. "Effect of the Glycemic Index of the Diet on Weight Loss, Modulation of Satiety, Inflammation, and Other Metabolic Risk Factors: A Randomized Controlled Trial." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 100, no. 1 (July 1, 2014): 27–35. doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.081216.
Kant, Ashima K., and Barry I. Graubard. "Association of Self-Reported Sleep Duration with Eating Behaviors of American Adults: NHANES 2005–2010." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, September 1, 2014, ajcn.085191. doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.085191.
Manaugh, Kevin, and Ahmed El-Geneidy. "Validating Walkability Indices: How Do Different Households Respond to the Walkability of Their Neighborhood?" Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 16, no. 4 (June 2011): 309–15. doi:10.1016/j.trd.2011.01.009.


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A peaceful and serene setting...the mirror image of mountains and trees reflected in a pond in the White Mountains of New Hampshire forms an abstract pattern of black, white and gray. This is a simple and elegant fine art photography travel poster.
Easily customize or remove the text on this iPhone 7 Plus case which features a black and white image of a solitary fisherman standing on a rock ledge at Seneca Lake in Geneva, New York. The text, by the Trancendentalist author, naturalist and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau, reads: Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. It is taken from Thoreau's famous book, Walden, which he wrote in Concord, Massachusetts about his life in the woods surrounding Walden Pond. It was published in 1854.
Cookie, an adorable black and white cat and Olivia, an cute tabby cat pose together under a pink heart while holding hands on this cute shirt! The text says, "My sister is my best friend", but you can change it to fit your needs!
These great leggings feature a repeating pattern of a black and white Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) perched on a bare branch high in a tree. This bird is actually a kind of small, gray and white sparrow. Easily customize the white background to the color of your choice.
Cute and funny Black Labrador Scarf. Lovely dog cartoon design with pretty flower pots. A mischievous Black Labrador is looking back at his/her Mom after doing some silly actions to entertain all! Created by Naomi Ochiai from Japan. Great fun gifts for dog lovers who love Labrador Retriever dogs. You can add text.
This body pillow features a repeating abstract pattern of adorable African Penguins standing on a rocky ledge. They are aquatic, flightless birds whose wings have become flippers. Each has a black stripe and black spots on the chest. The pattern of spots is unique for every penguin, just like human fingerprints. They have pink glands above their eyes and pink and black feet.
This tote bag features a Chinese poet and his sidekick in black and white. Han Shan, also known as Cold Mountain, stands with Pickup as they contemplate the universe.
This glam, modern flask features an elegant black marble look background with faux rose gold confetti scattered across, and a spot for your name.
Cardinal Poster by Bebops
Colors thrill my soul and enrich my life! I decided to create a blog featuring a different color every day. Using my original photographs and designs I have created so many colorful products for my online store, Bebop's Place, and want to share them here. I am also constantly amazed at the fantastic rainbow of products available from the rest of the Zazzle community and plan to showcase some of them as well. I am hoping viewers, in discovering this blog, will enjoy and possibly purchase some of these lovely items.
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
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When traveling or relocating with your pet it is a good idea to have an emergency plan in place for your pet's care. What would happen if you needed to get your pet out of the area in a hurry or if something happened to you? Who would care for your pet? Dogs and Cats of Antigua Animal Foundation offer a great idea and solution known as an emergency card for your pet. Basically the card alerts someone that if you are sick or injured in an Emergency Situation, please contact the individual listed on the back of this card to care for your pet at home.
All you have to do is download the PDF document and print it on some thick paper, then cut it out and fold it. This will fit in your purse or wallet perfectly.


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Good evening, this is Damian Jones, Argenta-Oreana Superintendent, calling with a district announcement.
Due to the dangerous wind chill factors that are forecast for tomorrow, Argenta-Oreana will NOT have school on Monday, January 27th.
All activities, events, and practices are also cancelled for tomorrow.
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LOVELAND SKI AREA, Colo. — After long delays because of an abnormally warm and dry fall, Loveland Ski Area announced Monday that it will open Thursday for the 2016-17 ski season.
It will mark the latest opening for ski area. Its previous latest opening day was Nov. 6. It opened on Oct. 29 last year.
"The waiting game is finally over," said Rob Goodell, director of business operations. "The persistent warm weather made things difficult this fall, but our snowmaking team has done an amazing job getting the mountain ready for opening day."
Lift 1 will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with access to one top-to-bottom run on an 18-inch base.
Catwalk, Mambo and Home Run trails will be open.
"We already have great coverage on most of the run and just have to put the finishing touches on the lower portion of Home Run," Goodell said. "While we are opening later than we had hoped, our opening day run will provide our guests with the exceptional early season snow they have come to expect at Loveland."
The ski area will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and designated holidays. Early-season tickets are $59 for adults and $27 for children 6-14.
Only Arapahoe Basin in Summit County has opened its slopes for the 2016-17 ski season. Keystone Resort was scheduled to open Friday, but it announced last week it had pushed back its opening day to Nov. 11.
Loveland Ski Area annually battles with Arapahoe Basin to be the first in Colorado to open.
Most of the resorts can make snow at night, but the warm conditions during the day make it go away.
"We started making snow in early October," Dustin Schaefer with Loveland Ski Area said last week. "Then we got that warm streak that made us stop snowmaking operations."
Besides Keystone, Breckenridge Ski Resort and Copper Mountain are scheduled to open Friday. Winter Park is targeting Nov. 16, Vail is scheduled to open Nov. 18 and Beaver Creek is shooting for Nov. 23.
October 2016 was the fourth-warmest October in Denver on record, according to the National Weather Service. Temperature records go back to 1873. Denver recorded no snow in October for the third consecutive year.
The latest first snow in Denver was Nov. 21, 1934.AlertMe


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This post first appeared on the blog for Dr. Linda Garcia's course "Networks and the Creative Process" at Georgetown University. We discussed the relationship between society and creativity in consideration of Weimar Germany.
In the first pages of Peter Gay's book "Weimar Culture: Outsiders as Insiders" I was most struck by this descriptive phrase: "exiles… did their greatest work in enforced residence on alien soil." The names of these exiles are not so foreign to us: Albert Einstein, Erich Fromm, and the sociologists of the Frankfurt School. This prompted me to think about what it means to be a social outsider, and how that often fuels creativity.
Last night, my office hosted a study abroad blog showcase. Students spent the semester in Italy and Turkey, wrote online about their experiences, and met to share them with others. It's a common thing people say, that students "find themselves" while traveling. That is not a matter of what is there to find, but what is not there to validate. We don't know much of our cultural identity until we are out of our context, and the creativity that results from that discomfort is often a beautiful statement of the common human condition, rather than the frustration of differences. One of my favorite Native American authors writes of being compelled by his identity as outsider:
"There's this idea that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. And what I've always thought isn't that monsters don't have reflections in a mirror. It's that if you want to make a human being into a monster, deny them, at the cultural level, any reflection of themselves. And growing up, I felt like a monster in some ways. I didn't see myself reflected at all. I was like, "Yo, is something wrong with me? That the whole society seems to think that people like me don't exist? And part of what inspired me, was this deep desire that before I died, I would make a couple of mirrors. That I would make some mirrors so that kids like me might see themselves reflected back and might not feel so monstrous for it." – Junot Diaz
In this, we see a resilient quality to the creative spirit. It is something that desires to be heard in spite of (and often because of) restrictive cultural circumstances. This holds true outside of Germany between the Wars.
Gay goes on to explain that in this post-WWI boom in German creativity, "the excitement was… part exuberant creativity and experimentation… and part anxiety, fear, a rising sense of doom." From this, I understood that the Weimar movement was largely about rebuilding not just Germany's financial or political strength, but the richness of its identity. Yet, as Gay points out, "Imperial Germany was hostile to the modern movement." In the push for power that later defined WWII, the zeitgeist of Weimar Culture died.
But we remember it. My professor, Linda Garcia, asks the critical question of how society might deteriorate creativity. She writes, "with the advent of a dispersed networked economy, the free market mechanisms that previously fostered innovation and creativity will now serve to constrain them." But can a society really constrain its geniuses? Or can it only force work-arounds? The constraints that Garcia speaks of involve a more subtle, structural stifling of innovation. Perhaps that subtlety will give creative people room to adapt and learn "which attributes will be important for their success."
Yet in the most extreme cases, where creativity is directly and violently targeted, we see its resilience. I think that resilience will prove true in the face of any type of resistance.
I can think of no better example of this than what Amitav Ghosh describes in one of my favorite books, "Dancing in Cambodia." In the aftermath of the Pol-Pot regime's years of mass killing, one of the first things that the new, fragile Cambodian government set out to do was to revive traditional Cambodian dance. And they succeeded.


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Wonderous wyrds and poetic ramblings of a Galactic Rebel
Klaatu Barada Nikto
K l a a t u B a r a d a N i k t o
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
The Freedom Movie 2 [Full Length]
I have to ask you to bare with the part near the beginning that deals with reverse speech. This may be new to you and it could throw you off, possibly deciding not to continue with this movie. That is only a miniscule part so PLEASE stay with it because this film has the potential for changing your life. It is important in so many ways and can help those you love that are seeking answers. It's long and so all you have to do is watch when you can - keep it open and come back to it as it is a journey and you will find that you are on it whether you like it or not. A reminder that we ARE on a JOURNEY whether we like it or not!
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Across the street from the bar I work at, lies a vacant storefront that someone has rented out to a some douche bag Wicker Park hipsters (which will henceforth be referred to as the Hipster Biker Brigade). At the night drew to a close I noticed, with mild concern of the group of dudes gathering near my car, which was parked in front of said storefront.
It goes without saying that I'm kinda a bitch when it comes to my car; so when I looked out the window and say some dude FUCKING PISSING ON/NEAR MY CAR I did not hesitate to cross the street and confront the asshole. Shit went down like this:
ME: "Hi there. Excuse me, but would you mind NOT pissing on my fucking car?"
HIPSTER WITH TINY PENIS IN HAND: "Oh, um...is this really your car?"
ME: "Would I give a flying fuck if it wasn't?"
HIPSTER WITH TINY PENIS IN HAND: "Oh. Right. Well, for what it's worth I was pissing on the ground near your car. See (pointing at piss puddle on the ground) I only maybe splashed your undercarriage."
ME: [exhibiting remarkable restraint]: "Why the fuck can't you piss in the alley like a proper man?"
HIPSTER WITH TINY PENIS IN HAND: "Oh, well, I....um....sorry man, really, I, um..."
I swear to GAWD I was going to beat the living shit out of this asshole in front of his friends. Really. I'm not a fighter, but this guy was begging to get his teeth kicked in. To his or perhaps my credit, we instead engaged in a surprisingly fruitful conversation. However, I was certain that I would drive home with "DIE CAPITALIST PIG" written on my passenger side door. Thankfully, I did not. Crisis averted!


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