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Anna Leach looks into the progressive Taiwan gay rights history here. One and only, Taiwan Pride here. Historically, Taiwan is very similar to China, in terms of cultural and traditional references of homosexual behaviors in the ancient times.
Hong Kong LGBT Archive here.
Megan Fitzpatrick looks back on Hong Kong and its gay culture here.
And a very comprehensive timeline of Hong Kong LGBT history by Pink Alliance here.
*RAP's posts on Queer History are expandable. There is so much we can find out hence if you have anything to add, please comment below or e-mail to us. Let the lists go on.


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Seminar on Book of Ezekiel
The book of Ezekiel is one of the more difficult book in the bible to study because it deals with fantastic visions, prophecies, and revelations of God. The Spiritual Formation Institute held a seminar on it on 27 April 2013.
The seminar was taught by Dr. Peter Lua, an Old Testament lecturer from Seminari Theologi Malaysia.
Dr Peter Lau is a trained medical practitioner who holds an MDiv from Sydney Missionary and Bible College and a PhD from the University of Sydney. He has been lecturing at Seminari Theoloji Malaysia since 2010. He has also taught at Sydney Missionary Bible College and the University of Sydney.
Dr Lua's approach to the book for the seminar was to have three lectures and two small group discussions.
The three lectures were
(1) Ezekiel 1: A Vision of the Glory of God
(2) Ezekiel 8-11: Not in my House
(3) Ezekiel 37: Give Us Life

subset: commoncrawl


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Whew! Where has the time gone? I was feeling pretty good about blogging every day, and working on my purples for the color group I'm in, but since I started my new job (in combination with the last two weeks at the old job) I've been too busy for anything!
My schedule has been something like this:Wake up Shower Drive to work Work Drive home from work (or to second job) Sleep
So, bear with me while I do a little catching up on sharing my daily photos with you.
I thought about putting them all in this one post, but I like looking back and remembering what I did each day from each post's content.
My garden has really been taking off lately, with all the warm weather we've been having here in Washington.
One of the other community garden folks even referred to my tomatoes plants as "The Beast."
We've been able to harvest many things so far; potatoes, carrots, beets, peas, and beans mostly.
And this is a glimpse of what we have to look forward to:
I also found this little green guy on a sunflower, and Toby taking in the sunshine.


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I know I'm late jumping on the bandwagon but, oh my gosh, what a sweet contest this is! Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer is hosting this wonderful giveaway of music. She has teamed up with www.WOWonline.com to give away an amazing compilation of music.
Feel free to join before tomorrow. I hope you win!
*Update - I did not win but congrats to those who did!! and thanks again, Shannon.
Friday, June 6, 2008
WOW music
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On our orientation tour, we walked past a brand new mama. Her baby son was born on Saturday and she was there with her parents. My teacher talked with her for a bit and commented that baby boy was just content to be asleep. As we continued on, I quickly told her, "Congratulations! It's okay to be tired. It gets better."
She smiled with a little bit of relief and her mom smiled at me too. And this is why I want to be a nurse. I can offer a brief connection that makes someone feel human again and not just a disease process or a baby dispenser or whatever else everyone is focused on. That's the best part.


text: The government should stop trying to artificially goose new home sales because that will just prolong the housing problem. There are too many homes on most local markets right now and building new homes will increase supply and depress home prices. Prices in the local markets have to decline enough to entice buyers to buy homes. Homeowners underwater — their mortgage is more than the price of their home — will be hurt even more by more home building.


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Zen of Crosshatch
I've been doing this lately. A lot. I used to crosshatch all the time in the old days, when I had nothing but time on my hands. Not so much anymore. It's hard to get enough hours in the day to fill a piece of paper with crosshatching.
But since I have an excuse (that would be The Sketchbook Project) I'm not only making the time, but remembering how much fun it is to make lines over and over and over…. No, really, it is fun. It completely numbs the mind from worrying about how the drawing is turning out and allows the hand to just go on without direction. I can actually read my accounting textbooks while crosshatching—I just have to look down now and then to make sure I'm still on the paper.
Of course, in spite of all this zen I need to send this book off in about a week, and I've still got the covers to do. So maybe it's time for concentration!
Does Subject Matter?
Over at RedBubble and Zazzle, I've been seeing a lot of holiday-themed art. It's one of those things I've never seemed to manage over the years: drawing something for a holiday and selling it. I mean, I do the Christmas cards, of course; but even those usually don't get done until just before the 25th. If you want to get started selling holiday stuff, you need to have it done a few months before.
I guess I don't think much about selling art. The stuff I make is stuff that I think is cool, like snake skins or skulls or dead animals. I draw it for the sake of drawing. Not surprisingly, nobody wants to buy it. I guess it doesn't matter (except for that nagging feeling that I'm wasting my time) but I have to wonder: is it so hard to draw things that other people would buy? I don't really have a thing about being true to myself as far as art subjects go, and I certainly don't want to get into drawing the same things over and over again. So why not draw cats or wolves or beautiful mountain landscapes? Or Christmas scenes? Is it just lack of motivation? And why?
The Joys of Plein-Air
This is the kind of weather that makes me want to be outside. And what better activity to engage in than plein-air sketching, right? Spending a day in the great outdoors, drawing whatever I see, enjoying the balmy air, hearing the birds sing…trying to make the rock I'm sitting on a little softer, shooing away the killer bees, worrying about the possibilities of rabid bobcats and coyotes, checking for approaching rattlesnakes every five minutes or so….
All right, so I'm one of those artists who's more comfortable in the climate controlled and nicely padded studio. The great outdoors is a fine place, but there are a lot of distractions for the natural worrier. Still, it's good to try new things, so I did make an attempt, not too long ago, to draw Golden Gate Mountain. It was within walking distance and easy to find an out-of-the-way place to sit. A sketch was about as far as I could go, given my pokiness in drawing, and even that took a couple of days. Trying to figure out lighting and clouds was just about impossible—by the time I'd make up my mind about something, it would change. But it was fun to see every rock and bush ('cause, yeah, I was using binoculars) instead of squinting at a photograph and wondering what all the blobs were. Did it make a better sketch? Haven't decided yet.
Ideas, Ideas…
Over the last year, I've been rolling this idea around in my head of a series of drawings about the life of St. Christopher. I'm really not a religious person and I've never done much religious art (except one commission from a friend), so it seems weird to me that a) I'd get an idea like this and b) it would actually stay in my head for a year. It was a comment from a former co-worker about getting a tattoo that started it all—he mentioned something about St. Christopher having a dog's head, which I'd never heard of. It led me to this story on Wikipedia, which got the idea slowly churning. I mean, there's something compelling about the story of a seven-and-a-half-foot-tall man with a dog's head going around looking for someone to serve who's more bad-ass than he is. And, of course, the only more bad-ass guy he can find is God. Something in that makes me want to draw it. I don't know what.
But just because I want to draw it doesn't mean it's a good idea. On the other hand, just because it's not a good idea doesn't mean I shouldn't draw it. So there I am, stuck. Well, not really, since I already started it. But it's hard to decide if I should spend real time at it, or just give it the few minutes I give all my other "is this really worth it" ideas. Which is to say, all of them.
Maybe I've already spent more time on it than it deserves.
The Art of Internal Editing
For NaNoWriMo you're supposed to write 2,000 words a day. I wonder if it counts if you keep rewriting the same 2,000 word section. Damn internal editors!
These editors work away at artists, too. When I was in high school I used to draw during lunch and my friends were always amused at how often I would draw a line and erase it, draw another line and erase it. Sometimes I'd do nothing but draw the same line over and over for the whole period. That line had to be perfect, dammit, or there was just no way to go on!
Then one of my friends challenged me to start drawing with a ball-point pen. No more erasing! It was paralyzing. My pen hovered over the paper, twitching, because I knew whatever happened, it was permanent. But it was silly to just sit there, so eventually I made a mark. And, of course, it was all wrong. So I made more marks to try to fix it and then I was drawingwell, making a mess that I called a drawing…of a bush…possibly a rock…. At any rate, it started a period were I worked in nothing but ball-point, which graduated to dip-pen and then to technical pens. And I left the eraser at home.
Things Done While Waiting…
A page from my sketchbook, done while sitting in a waiting room. Well, I guess it was several waiting rooms over the course of a few months, but this was how I passed the time. Waiting rooms are the best places to do mindless things that serve no real purpose other than…well…being mindless. You don't want to get lost in doing anything important because invariably someone will call your name and A) you don't hear it and you miss your appointment, or B) it takes you 15 minutes to get all your stuff put away…and you miss your appointment. Doing something mindless lets part of your brain keep track of what's going on while not totally wasting the time—because at the end of it all you have a page full of little ink lines which is proof that you did something, even if it was just moving your hand in tiny fractional amounts every second. Which, I suppose, could count for a lot of people as time wasted…doing something mindless.
City Streets Again
Here's another painting done from the Great Detroit Photo Shoot With Mom. Now that I've found all those pictures again I'm itching to try new things. Really, though, I need to get other, more mundane things done, like updating the Etsy shop and thinking about Christmas. Yes, Christmas. Do I send out cards to business contacts this year? And which contacts? And shouldn't I start thinking about actually making a Christmas card for said contacts if I decide to send cards to them? Decisions, decisions….


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All indoor molds present potential health threats and may be eliminated as soon as possible. Molds may appear anywhere and, once they take hold in your house, can quickly spread by releasing microscopic spores. The hardest situation about mold is that it can be nearly impossible to detect.
Experience almost any mold may cause symptoms in sensitive individuals. When the type may be the more toxic black mold, it could be even more dangerous. Many of the signs and symptoms of black mold exposure include difficulty concentrating, dizziness, infertility, nausea, and asthma. It is also an eye and skin irritant, and will cause anything from simple rashes to full-blown hypersensitive reactions.
mold testing
A good any mold in a house, it doesn't matter what type it is, should be taken seriously. Allowing mold to carry on growing increases your chance of exposure and raises the chances of you experiencing health problems. If you think the presence of any type of mold in your house, it is recommended that you've got a professional perform mold testing.
A company that are experts in mold remediation will be able to conduct mold testing in your home and detect the presence of any spores. Once detected, they will be able to completely and safely get rid of the mold.
mold symptoms
Don't allow the air at your residence cause you to the family sick. Do something today to prevent mold from growing by controlling the humidity levels in your house, visually inspecting crawlspaces, attics and basements, and by having a professional conduct mold testing.


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Superior Court of Delaware, Kent
May 7, 2014
CLAUDIA STEADMAN, Appellant,v.WALMART, Appellee.
Submitted: March 12, 2014
Upon Consideration of Appellant's Appeal from the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board
Claudia Steadman, Pro se.
Wal-Mart Inc., Pro se. Young, J.
Robert B. Young Justice
This is an appeal from a decision of the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board (the "Board") denying unemployment benefits to former employee of Wal-Mart, Claudia Steadman ("Appellant"), in connection with the termination of her employment from Wal-Mart (herein "Wal-Mart" or "employer"). The issue before the Court is whether Wal-Mart had sufficient just cause to discharge Appellant from her employment. After a month's leave of absence from work, Appellant received warning from her employer that she would be terminated if she did not return to work by the end of January, 2013.
When Appellant did not return to work by Wal-Mart's specified deadline, Appellant violated her employer's expected standard of conduct. Therefore, Wal-Mart had sufficient just cause to terminate Appellant's employment, disqualifying Appellant from receiving unemployment benefits. The Board's decision is supported by substantial evidence, and is free from legal errors. Thus, the decision of the Board is AFFIRMED.
Beginning in November, 2011, Appellant worked for Wal-Mart as a fulltime cashier in the Pharmacy Division, making $8.10 per hour. Appellant's last day working for Wal-Mart was on December 21, 2012. Before Appellant's last day working for Wal-Mart, she had been given two weeks notice to vacate her home. Due to her lack of time to find a new place to live on such short notice, Appellant elected rented a room in the home of a friend. That house was two hours away from the Wal-Mart where she worked. Appellant decided that it was not feasible for her to drive that distance to work.
Subsequently, Appellant asked the manager of Wal-Mart if she could have a leave of absence for the month of January, 2013, which the manager granted. Appellant had hoped that, during her leave of absence, she could transfer to a Wal-Mart location closer to her present residence. Soon after Appellant applied for a transfer to a new Wal-Mart location, Wal-Mart had a job hiring freeze. Appellant asked the first Wal-Mart location for a second month's leave of absence with the hope that the job hiring freeze would cease. The first Wal-Mart location refused to grant her a second leave of absence. In addition, the manager of the first location informed her that she would be terminated at the end of January. By the end of January, Appellant was in fact terminated by the first Wal-Mart location's manager for failing to return from her leave of absence.
On March 7, 2013, the Claims Deputy of the Delaware Department of Labor Unemployment Division found that Appellant voluntarily quit her employment without good cause, and was disqualified from the receipt of unemployment benefits. On March 14, 2013, Appellant sent a request notification and letter, appealing the Claims Deputy's decision. On April 1, 2013, an Administrative Hearing before Appeals Referee, Dina M. Burge, took place. Wal-Mart failed to attend the hearing.
In her decision, the Appeals Referee found that Appellant's failure to return to work from her leave of absence constituted misconduct. Although the Claims Deputy initially found that Appellant had voluntarily given up her employment, the Appeals Referee found that Appellant had been terminated from her employment at Wal-Mart with just cause, disqualifying her from receiving unemployment benefits.
On April 16, 2013, Appellant sent a letter appealing the Appeals Referee's decision to the Board. On June 26, 2013, an Administrative Hearing was held before the Board, in which the Board affirmed the decision of the Appeals Referee. On July 7, 2014, Appellant filed an appeal, challenging the decision of ...
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I'd a very touching time in Ravensbrück. Ravensbrück is not far away from Berlin and you can go there by car in circa 1h30. Ravensbrück is sourrounded by wood, fields and little villages. You would never figure that there happened such cruel things one time.I came a bit late to our meeting-point and got a room for my own. We ate in the small canteen and went over to a little house called "house of reflexion". It was a very warm day. Everytime you moved you felt like your skin was clammy. I think the other had never seen a concentration camp before, because it seemed like they were relaxed and in a good temper. Well, that's okay, but I felt gloomy and was a bit scared of my feelings I would have when we'd visit the camp directly.Our group was the only one in this two days.The "house of reflexion" was dark and cold. I was freezing when we went in to watch a movie about the "women of Ravensbrück". I was sitting in the front row. Everyone was silent when the film began. There were interviews with survivors. Old woman, friendly looking. They started to tell their stories. I won't repeat all of them, because I'm not able to write anything in this mood down, like they transport their feelings and imaginations in the film. It was more fortune than anything else, that they survived. They were guinea pigs for infections soldiers got in war, thy should do some terrible work just of victimization... To hear all these stories made me feel terrible. My heart contrected. How people can be so cruel and inhuman? After the film we went to visit the concentration camp area. The barracks were break down -but the prison is still standig. I went through the gate and saw a wide blackstoned fields with troughs. I had a lump in my throat. The sun was shining but for me this place radiates an atmosphere of darkness and pain.As I went through this camp, I felt like my heart stands still.
The prison was small and on the first sight not different than the prisons you know. But the cells were without any light, they were small and it was nothing in it than a toilett. I read some reports of the woman, who'd to stay there. They were not allowed to sleep, sit or talk. It was so cruel to read all this reports. It was... terrible.I imagne the time I visited the concerntration cap in Auschwitz (Poland). Once I had a concert there -to commemoration day. I sang a REQUIEM in a huge church and lot of former detainees were there. It was a very emotional time.Rest in Peace - You'll be never forget!


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37 Scary And Creepy Halloween Pick Up Lines That'll Scare You to Death
Halloween is on the way. Celebrate Halloween with these Halloween pick up lines. It's an ideal opportunity to get ready for the coolest occasion in October.
That's a cute witch costume, but you won't be needing the broom anymore because you've already swept me off my feet.
I can't find a costume for Halloween, so can I just go as your boyfriend?
"Want to find out what I turn into at midnight?"
"You're giving me shivers… and not because of that costume."
"Are you a ghost? Because you've been haunting my dreams."
I would totally carve your pumpkin.
If I were a zombie, I'd eat you first.
You must be tired because you've been running through my nightmares all night!
I don't want your candy, what I want is your number.
Do you want to find out how many licks it takes to get to the center of my Tootsie Pop?
"You look dead sexy. Literally."
Are you a ghost for Halloween, or are you just my boo?
I want to bob for your apples.
You're the only treat I want in my sack this Halloween.
Why don't we go somewhere where I can stick a candle in your jack-o-lantern?
I'm no vampire, but I'm okay with getting no sleep and biting your neck all night.
Are you dressed up as a tree? Cause you're giving me wood.
Hey Baby, wanna find out why they call me "Pumpkin-Head"?
Are you dressed up as Beyonce? Cause you look "Boo-ti-licious."
I want to ask you out, but I've got butterflies in my stomach. And worms. And maggots.
Nice pumpkins! And I like your boobs, too.
Why'd you dressed up as a princess, when you could have simply come in plain clothes as "the most beautiful girl at the Halloween party"?
That skeleton over there said he'd get your number for me, but he didn't have the guts, so here I am.
When I saw you walk in, I got so hot, my skin melted. Literally. Around here, it's an "in" look.
I want to put my Tootsie Roll in your basket.
Hello there, boo-tiful!
Trick or treat at my place, and I guarantee you'll get a full-size Snickers bar!
My real costume is at home in a box under my bed.
Do you want to take a ride on my broomstick?
Pardon me for drooling, but without my jaw, I can't help myself!
Please come home with me. You never know what I'll turn into, at midnight!
You look so good; you're making my man-bits rise from the dead.
I want a taste of your Milky Way.
Is that some candy in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
If you think I'm hot now, wait until you know what I turn into at midnight.
Hey, baby, you've captured my eye. Could I have it back? It's the only one I've got, to fall in love with you at first sight.
Hmm baby! You're decomposing in ALL the right places!
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Key Points:
Device data submitted to FDA have unreliable endpoints, little randomization
Discrepancies found in patient numbers and ages
Call for more rigorous scientific standards as basis for approvals
Studies used to support US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of cardiovascular devices often are scientifically inadequate and may be prone to bias, according to a study in the December 23/30, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The review of 123 summaries of safety and effectiveness data found that 65% of implantable or invasive devices were approved based on data from a single study.
Researchers led by Rita F. Redberg, MD, MSc, of the University of California, San Francisco (San Francisco, CA), analyzed the methodology and primary endpoints used in studies submitted to the FDA as supportive evidence for 78 cardiovascular devices that received pre-market approval between January 2000 and December 2007.
Of the 123 studies, 80% reported the number of participants enrolled, 27% were randomized, and 14% were blinded. Some device groups had a higher proportion of randomized and blinded studies. Of 24 studies of cardiac stents, for example, 54% were randomized and 46% were blinded.
No Endpoints for Some, Discrepancies for Others
Overall, 14% of the 123 studies had no primary endpoint stated. Of those with primary endpoints, the vast majority were surrogates, which may not be reliable predictors of actual patient benefit, the authors write.
Seventy-eight percent of studies that included data for which both the number enrolled and analyzed were stated contained some discrepancy between the 2 numbers. The major discrepancy noted was that more patients were enrolled than analyzed. Other discrepancies occurred in relation to mean age and number of patients enrolled by sex and race. Such discrepancies may introduce bias, because patients with less favorable outcomes may be lost to follow-up, which might cause safety concerns to be overlooked.
The researchers also found that 15% of the primary endpoints were noninterpretable. The most common reason was that no target goal for device performance was stated (78%), and in one instance the results themselves were not stated. Follow-up periods varied by type of device with the longest median follow-up time for primary endpoint analysis being 365 days for intracardiac devices and endovascular grafts and the shortest follow-up time being just 1 day for hemostasis devices.
Clinicians Look to FDA for Guidance
Dr. Redberg and colleagues point out that the FDA has much more experience with drug approvals than with device approvals, which only began in 1976 with the FDA Device Amendment. In addition, there has been a significant increase in the number and complexity of devices. Nevertheless, the FDA approval process is crucial to a vast spectrum of players in the health care system from clinicians to insurers.
"The importance of the 'seal of FDA approval' cannot be overstated. Many manufacturers immediately encourage widespread use of their devices based on FDA approval through direct-to-consumer advertising, detailing to physicians, and continuing medical education venues," the authors write. They add that since FDA-reviewed data are the only evidence clinicians can analyze to evaluate the basis for the agency's decision and form the sole basis for systematic reviews and guideline development, the study reinforces the need for improved access to complete FDA reviews for both pharmaceutical and device data.
"To uphold the FDA's mission of ensuring 'safe and effective' medical devices, it is essential that high-quality studies and data are available," they conclude.


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Mirchi Street Escape
MirchiGames - Mirchi Street Escape is another point and click escape game developed by Mirchi Games. In this game, you are in the situation to help a lizard and escape from the street. You have to solve some puzzles to unlock the cage door and find the lizard. Click on the objects to interact. Good luck and have fun!
Play This Game
Play This Game


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I'm not going to lie; this is going to be a tricky race recap to write as sleep deprivation has made it almost impossible to accurately recall all the details of this soggy all night run-a-thon.
Leading up to this race I had gotten in a 'couple' long training runs; it was unplanned but somehow my 2015 training schedule had taken a turn towards triathlons. Going into the race I was hanging my hopes on muscle memory and hoping for unexpected strength I might have gained through my triathlons to get me through the night.
I had no set expectations other than to 'have fun' and not get injured. I would be completing this event with My Ultra Bad Ass Girls Extravaganza (UBAGE) as some of my crazy running friends refer to us. Basically, we're a group of running mommas who set out to have a GNO (girls night out) running for 6 hours. #iknowyouarejealous
About the event, Christmas in July takes place in Lisle, Illinois. It's a certified .97 something paved mile loop with a hill mountain about ¾ of the way through it. My girlfriends and I opted to run the 6 hour event which started at MIDNIGHT and went until 6am. The weather was hot and humid for race day night. Take a look at the temperature reading on my dashboard just hours before the event.
When we arrived at the race we set up camp and took silly pics.
From left to right…Front Row: Kim from Running on the Fly, Karen from Trading in My Heels and then me. Back row: Barb, Maggie, Teri from Reinventitude and Penny.
We checked out the race scene which was SO FUN. There were Christmas lights and music; it was very festive. It was almost like a mini Christmas tent village that we got to run through every mile. There were drink and food tents as well as the cutest award tent too. (Nutcrackers!)
The paths were lined with luminaries and tons of individual "campsites" as there were some serious hardcore people there doing the 12 hour and 24 hour races too. (See, we're not crazy…there are crazier people than us!). While we waited to run we saw the runners from the 12 and 24 hour race running by us…this was really about to happen.
We lined up and off we went into the lightening ridden humid night; we settled into a decent pace mid to upper 10's. I gasped when I saw the hill mountain on my first loop. I thought; "OMG how the frick am I going to run this hill all night?" There were 7 of us in our group total, we ran in "clumps" lol. We didn't want to all stay together because we'd cause a bottleneck on the course. I stayed with Karen and a girl named Sonia that we met on the course for the first 9ish miles. Karen and I have tackled some really cool events together, it only seemed right to have her by my side. I could see all my friends throughout this part of the race, just slightly ahead of us. Karen had devised a plan to stop for drink every 2 miles and food every 5. I'm easy, seemed like a good plan so I went with it.
IT WAS SO HOT. Omg…SO HOT
I had taken my inhaler throughout the night (#asthmatic) but I was still having a hard time as heat is one of my 'triggers'. Karen's schedule was working out great; I really like running the one mile loop as running through the "village" gave me something to look forward to. Somewhere around 9 miles (I could be wrong) Karen started to feel sick. We had stopped for a drink and I took one look at her and I knew she wasn't ok, she looked out of it. I felt her arm and she was FREEZING. Ummmm, it was wicked hot out; no way should she be cold. We talked for a little bit and she told me not to wait to for her because she didn't know if she was even going to rejoin the race.
I went on, but I had a tummy ache about it; I felt bad. It was the middle of the night and did I mention that it was POURING rain by now.
Absolutely down-pouring.
So here I am, running in the rain underneath a bevy of Christmas lights listening to Christmas music while eating a large slice of pizza. I laughed outloud to myself as I saw the rain bouncing off my soggy pizza. #whattheheckamidoing I was trying to wrap my brain around what I was doing…this had to rank up there among the strangest things I had ever done in my entire life.
I stopped at our camp for the next 2 loops to check on Karen who was still there resting. She still looked weakened and sad. I felt awful for her; I gave her a huge smooch (it really was a big old kiss on the cheek) and then I headed back out. I didn't see Karen at camp the next loop; my heart sank as I thought she left the race.
My mile times were starting to rise, but I pushed on. I met a bunch of people on the loop, it's great how you can meet random strangers and become instant friends in an ultra-marathon. This race was full of the nicest people ever. Our group had disbursed by now, with everyone kind of doing their own things, I'd see an occasional gal from the group from time to time which was uplifting.
At one point I saw my friend Teri (who rocked this race BTW along with my new friend Barb!) and I asked her where Penny and Maggie were…I had seen everyone else except them. I knew they'd be running a similar pace to me and I hadn't seen them in what seemed like hours. #missingmygals Teri said something about seeing them a little bit back; and that they were running with Karen. Wait!!?? Karen is still here? My heart lifted, I was so glad she didn't leave. I also met up with Kim from the group sometime around this point and we ran for a bit together. Kim and I had never met until tonight (we've been FB friends forever) so it seemed like we knew one another for ever. Kim has been struggling with hip pain; she showed a lot of grit out there that night by gutting through some tough miles.
Kim and I got separated (potty break?) and I wanted to meet up with my other girlies so I decided to take a walk break in hopes that they would catch up with me as I walked. I walked an entire loop looking around for 2 bobbing headlamps (Penny and Maggie) those girls ran stride for stride with one another and I could easily spot their rhythm, but I didn't see them. That loop took me 20 minutes. When I didn't see them, I crossed over the timing mat again and this time I figured they had to be close so I sat down on a picnic bench to wait. My mile split for this mile ended up being 40 minutes!!! (Eeek) Ultimately I found the girlies and latched on with them. We walked/ran together except when we got to the hill mountain, then we would walk. #becauseitsucked
Every so often I'd see Teri and Barb go by…they were really killing the pace and doing a great job! It's crazy how this race went. I'm so happy I waited (btw…physically this rest was very needed too!!) to catch up with my friends and see them…it made my heart feel good to connect with them in the darkness, but then somehow we separated (fuel stops, water breaks and potty visits). Karen was feeling better so she went ahead to try and make up some miles and I found myself running alone again.
I was half running and walking up the hill mountain when I started making small talk with the guy next to me about the sunrise. As we ran up the hill, we could see the sun rising over the horizon; it was all different hues of pinks and oranges. It was stunning. That sunrise chit chat started a conversation that lasted through the remainder of the race. Paulis and I ran 5 tough loops together, talking about "life"…my husband and daughters, his girlfriend and destination races. (He's run in some really cool places). Somehow a running friendship budded with the sunrise; we pushed each other through those last few miles. I practically stalked him after the race to take a picture and friend him on FB. Afterall, a sunrise ultra-friend can't be forgotten!
I ended up running 27 laps which wasn't too bad considering I had one lap that took me 40 minutes and another that took me 20. I was 4th place overall in the 39 and under age group.
Barb and Teri both placed, check out their cool nutcracker hardware!
As an added bonus our sweet friend Wendy from Taking the Long Way Home on FB met us at the end with donuts!! #awesomesupport
We all went out for breakfast which was yummy…the conversations were funny and cloudy. We were all so tired and walking funny that I'm certain people thought we were drunk. #drunkonexhaustion
We're already planning next year, tents and all. 12 hour race here we come!!
XOXO Mish


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... One life" - U2
First ultrasound? Check. Babies? One. Do I want a picture? Absolutely.
The next ultrasound is schedule one week apart from the first, Thursday 5/19. Doc says we should be able to hear the heartbeat. So cool!
Monday, May 16, 2011
"One love...
Labels: 5 weeks, ultrasound
5 comments:
oh yeah! One lovely and beautiful sac!!! Keep us posted, OK! Cheers!ReplyDelete
Beautiful! Congrats!ReplyDelete
Thanks for the encouragement on my blog! It is exciting to 'meet' someone who is at the same point in this as I am. Congratulations!ReplyDelete
That is brilliant. Congratulations. Does it feel like everything is snowballing really fast now?ReplyDelete
How are you doing?? I am checking on all the cyclesistas. I hope all is still going well!ReplyDelete
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We have been here and there, seen some stuff and heard some things. We thought we should write some of it down before we forget.
Monday, 15 August 2011
A very big house in the country.
We got a call from the lovely Jo at freud communications on Tuesday, it was a classic "Is this crazy idea even possible with such a short turnaround time? Only you guys can help!" type of call.
Naturally, everything is possible ;-)
Alex James has been a cheesemaker for over 10 years (I felt a dope when it seems everyone knew this but me). He's launching a range of new cheese products at ASDA in the next few weeks and they need some UGC style promos for the ASDA consumer site, plus an interview & B-roll for broadcast on the Gino & Mel TV show next week.
We rolled to Alex's farm in the Cotswolds and spent the day chatting about melting cubes & bread-shaped ketchup-flavoured slices, epic cheese made by silent monks & Alex's crazy tomato plants. It was a cool day, we had fun messing about with Alex and his kids and the shoot was smooth as a nice piece of Gruyere.
We shot the interview & B-roll on a Sony EX3 XD-CAM, and we took the 5D for the online stuff, it looks pretty. Delivery is today & tomorrow so we're slaving over a hot edit suite right now.
I'll hook up a link when we have a draft approved.
Posted by Paul at 11:11 No comments:
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Hot Cross Bun
the, 'When God Was A Rabbit' trailer is now number 7 in the most viewed chart on Amazon! We're very pleased.
Posted by Jim at 13:01 No comments:
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There's a lot to be said for the genteelness of days gone by.
Imagine someone running for president today whose wife was large AND cross-eyed?
1. Grant's real name was Hiram Ulysses Grant, but he so hated his initials -H.U.G.- that he began using Ulysses as his first name.
2. Ulysses S. Grant's father bestowed the nickname "Useless" on him. Nothing like a little negative reinforcement to set a kid off on the right path, eh?
3. While president, Grant was once arrested for speeding in his horse-drawn carriage. He insisted on paying the fine and wrote a letter to the cop's boss complimenting the officer on his respect for the law- regardless of who the lawbreaker was.
4. Canaries were supposed to sing at Grant's inauguration. However, it was so cold that day they all froze to death before singing a note.
5. He was a hard-drinker, a cigar-smoker and a war hero, but Grant did not like profanity or off-color stories.
6. Grant ate his meat cooked black.
7. Grant never let anyone see him naked. Except maybe his own wife. On the battlefield, soldiers bathed by stripping down and having their comrades-in-arms pour water over them. Not Grant. He hid in a sealed tent so no one could see him.
8. After a successful Civil War battle, appreciative American citizens sent Grant ten thousand boxes of cigars. If each box held twenty-five cigars, that comes to a staggering quarter of a million cigars Grant would ultimately smoke. (No wonder he died of throat cancer!)
9. Grant's wife, Julia, was cross-eyed from birth and would sometimes walk sideways to avoid crashing into people. Or furniture. Or walls. Julia Grant almost always was photographed in profile instead of full-faced because of her condition.
10. The sight of blood made Grant nauseous.
11. Grant's favorite breakfast was cucumbers in vinegar.
12. We all know the riddle, "Who is buried in Grant's tomb?" Groucho Marx came up with this for his game show You Bet Your Life so that everyone could win at least something on the show. He'd always accept "Grant" as the correct answer, but the truth is Grant was not buried in Grant's tomb. He is entombed there.
13. Grant smoked up to twenty cigars a day, every day of his life, from a young age.
14. Grant's habit of smoking caused the throat and tongue cancer that eventually killed him. in his final days, the retired president became addicted to the cocaine that doctors were using to swab his throat and he needed regular morphine injections for the intractable pain.
15. Grant's last word was "water."


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Red furniture, especially a large piece like a couch, is a statement piece in any living room. Choosing paint colours for the walls, accent furniture pieces, and a rug to compliment a red couch is a difficult prospect for novice decorators. Since red is a strong, dynamic colour, it works best when paired with softer, warmer accents. Filling the room with natural accent pieces also helps soften the rooms look, making it feel lived in and cosy, rather than a room that's simply a show piece.
Tape off the edges of moulding and baseboard with painter's tape. Open the taupe coloured paint with a paint can opening tool or a flathead screwdriver. Stir with a painting stir stick. Cover the floor with a plastic dust sheet.
Pour a small amount of taupe coloured paint into a paint tray. Roll a paint roller through the tray and paint the walls taupe. Allow the paint to dry and apply another coat if necessary. The warm, soft brown provides a compliment to the red sofa.
Allow paint to dry for at least 48 hours. Cover the edges of the painted walls with painter's tape. Open and stir the cream-coloured paint. Dip a wide angle sash brush into the paint can. Paint all of the trim, mouldings, doors, and window frames in a cream tone. Cream will brighten the space but is softer than a bright white trim.
Place a sisal rug on the floor. The rug can cover the majority of the floor space or can be small enough to cover the couch and coffee table area.
Place an oil-rubbed bronze and glass coffee table in front of the red sofa. This adds a modern look, with a reflective surface without being jarring against the sofa or competing with the relaxed design of the room.
Anchor the space with walnut side tables on either side of the couch. Place an oil-rubbed lamp on one table. Place a tall glass cylindrical vase on the either. Fill the vase with a collection of large, sculptural branches.
Place several walnut bookshelves against the wall opposite of the red couch. Fill the shelves with a collection of old books. Stack some books horizontally rather than vertically. Add large shells or small, oil-bronzed sculptures to the stacks.
Add a shorter, stockier glass vase to the coffee table. Fill the table with an arrangement of cream and red flowers. A piece of driftwood set on the coffee table makes a nice accessory.
Use a walnut armoire to hide the TV, stereo equipment, games, DVDs and music collections. Choosing one with a distressed finish compliments the style of this living room.
Search thrift stores and discount book stores for hardcover books with dust jackets. These will add visual interest in the space. Consider providing light brown, taupe or cream arm chairs in the room for additional seating that will not compete with the red sofa.


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Sometimes I have a tendency to go overboard when it comes to buying vegetables. I'll buy whatever looks delightful, and then next thing I know, it's gone bad in my fridge. And there is nothing I hate worse than letting food go to waste.
So to help combat the lemons, limes, and tomatoes that were about turn go mushy on me, I found a recipe for a Moroccan Bean Salad from Oxygen. I made a few changes to help utilize what I already had in my cupboards (ex: chickpeas instead of black soybeans, added celery).
It was an insane punch to the taste buds. And it made enough for a couple meals. I love keeping a healthy go-to in my fridge for a couple days to snack on!
Here's my variation of a Moroccan Bean Salad:
1 Can Chickpeas
1 Lemon, cut into pieces
1 Lime, cut into pieces
1 Stalk of celery, chopped
10 cherry tomatoes, quatared
1 Green onion, chopped on top
Red Pepper Flakes
Salt & Pepper to taste


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Go the Distance
Chet and Faith joined the running club at school. This is big news for Chet. After all these years, here is a competitive sport that requires strength, training, discipline, and a will to give it all, a
and he can actually participate. Faith has been planning on joining the track team as soon as she is old enough. Having this chance to be part of this cross-country club was a golden opportunity for her. Over the last few weeks, they and their team have been training when the weather has relented enough to allow them to do so. They thought they were ready for their first meet.
On Wednesday, we drove to Rogers where a bunch of other middle schoolers were ready to compete in this meet. Most of them train everyday. The majority of them were teams in uniforms. Their parents had signs with their schools and teams on them. They warmed up with well-polished drills. I knew that with only a few actual practices under their belts that our kids weren't going to win. Yet I couldn't wait to see what they would do.
At last all the kids were directed to line up, mark, set, and go!
Tyler set out to win this race. He sped past the other runners, and for a while held a first place position. But cross-country meets aren't won by sprinters. All of our kids need to learn to pace themselves and build some endurance. Tyler's take-off dash to the front was impressive to see, though!
There were two laps in the run, totalling 1.5 miles. Chet had me worried as he came around the first lap. I could hear him breathing, his face was flushed and pale at the same time, and he kept stopping to walk. He told me later he wanted to pass out at this point. All the other parents were on the sidelines cheering their kids on and urging them to speed. My mama bear came out and I could be heard hollering, "Are you okay???" Besides, his legs were blinding me.
Faith made it around the second part of the run before she started the final lap, and thought she was done. I was trying to encourage her. I said, "Good job, Faith! You're almost there! (she thought I meant "almost to the finish line") You only have one more lap to go!" At this point she looked at me and said, "whaaaat?" as best she could muster.
She buckled back down, though, and pressed onward. Along with pacing, we need to work on some breathing techniques. I am pretty sure they are supposed to breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth. I am positive they aren't supposed to gasp and gulp for air.
By the time Chet made it around the second part before the final lap, he had fallen somewhere, bruised his knee, was walking because his energy was sapped, and could barely muster the breath to say "gonna throw up." I really didn't know if he would make it the rest of the way. He was paler than he was the first round, and I could see he was exhausted. The mom part of me that doesn't want him hospitalized or worn out for two weeks wanted to pull him out right then and there. The mom part of me that just wants to see my son's dreams for himself come to fruition couldn't bear the idea of that. In the end, I kept silent except to say, "You're almost there, Chet! Don't worry about anyone else, just do what you can do!"
The kids finally heaved their way around the last lap, and I saw Faith coming with these two girls. They are from the highschool CC team, and were there to help guide the kids around the paths. These two basically adopted Faith, and through the rest of the lap kept her going when she wanted to stop and walk. Later she told me that anytime she slowed down again, they cheered her on and literally helped push her forward to keep her going. They were awesome.
I missed seeing Chet come in, and for a minute before I found him, I felt an internal panic bubbling up as I wondered if he had passed out during that last lap. But he had made it ---- safe, sound, and sweaty.
In the end, Chet came in last place, and Faith was 2nd to last. I thought it was a glowing victory for both of them. They could have stopped. They could have given up. Instead, they pushed on and they both finished the race.
I do love to see my kids win in sports, but sometimes I think there are much better things to be experienced in losing. Not only does Chet want to train harder and longer now, he is actually asking me to make him salad to eat. He has never eaten salad. Somebody stole myveggie hater, and replaced him with tall gangly teenager! EEK!


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Big Cartel Wordpress Plugin Wordpress Plugin is used by 1 websites. Among 1, 0 site is within top 10,000 and 0 site is within top 100,000 websites.
Wordpress Plugin Information of
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Pulls info from your Big Cartel Account into Pages on your WordPress site. The Plugin allows you to create a few of the Main Big Cartel pages easily.
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thissongslaps.com - Electronic Dance Music & Hip-Hop Media


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Luckily, my bravery was rewarded and I am happy to announce that all that awaited me was this:
So now... all that remains is figuring out what our phantom pooper really is, where it's living, how it's getting into our lawn and how to make it stop pooping. In our lawn. At least. Back to the used syringes and broken-glass mulch we go! mmmm. Sanitary.


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Sorry, you may need to unpack your Walmart bags if you thought you were gonna git there on Southwest.
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Depends on what dates you are flying.
Check the website.
that depends on alot of things.
1) do you want to fly coach or first/business class? coach is obviously way cheaper, and is the most common. don


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Note: Registrar of the Glory Polyfilms Ltd IPO is responsible for allotment of IPO stocks and refund processing. Please contact the registrar with any quires related to stock allocation or refund related problems. To understand the allocation of shares for Glory Polyfilms Ltd IPO, check the 'basis of allotment' document.Compare Top Stock Broker (Brokerage, Services, Ratings and Reviews):
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Take time to enjoy quiet moments with yourself for inner reflection.~Author Unknown
Thursday, July 29, 2010
It is NOT Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Seashell Art
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Pictures of Pictures
Photography serves at least two important functions: it not only preserves our memories, but it also provides a visual documentation of our history.
A few days ago, members of my photo group spent a couple of hours at the County Archives, poring over old photographs for our exciting new project, Main Streets of Montgomery County.
Image #75 depicts the NW corner of Main and Center Streets in Fonda, circa 1926.
Friday, July 9, 2010
In photography, bokeh is the blur, or the aesthetic quality of the blur, in out-of-focus areas of an image, or "the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh)
This was my first attempt at bokeh, and I found it to be incredibly difficult and challenging. Nevertheless, I gave it a shot!
Thanks for the assignment, Linda. It was certainly a learning experience I won't soon forget! "If at first you don't succeed…try, try again!"
And I will.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Are we truly independent? Or are we irrevocably tied to these small, electronic devices?
Happy 4th of July!


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Warning: More Skimmers Found At Gas StationsAurora police are warning about more skimmers at two gas stations.
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Event Dates
18 November 2017 , 10:00 AM until 02:00 PM
|Business Details
|Earthly Wealth
|Ashland MA
Small but select Holiday fair. Crafts, food, pies, etc. in newly renovated space. Free admission.
November 18, 10 AM - 2 PM. 39 East Central St., Natick MA
The Ashland Business Association (ABA) is a group of business owners, executives, managers, and employees working together to foster ties between business and community. The ABA is dedicated to increasing profitability and visibility for its members, and to advocating for a positive business environment within the Town of Ashland.


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The weather man promised me 8" last night, but I didn't get it.
Eight inches of snow, you perve. We have only a trace sticking to the ground though. It's warm and most of it melted, pervert.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Posted by SarcastiCarrie at 1:15 PM
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text: Joliet Public Library The purpose of this form is to help library staff find books they will recommend to you, based on your tastes and interests. Your request will be handled by an Adult Services staff member. Please fill out the fields below. * 1. First and Last Name * 2. email address * 3. phone number * 4. How would you like us to contact you? Phone E-Mail Either is fine * 5. What is your library card number? * 6. Chose a pick up location Main Library (Downtown) Black Road Other (please specify) * 7. What format are you looking for today? Books Prefer Large Type Audio books on CD Audio books on playaway E-books E-audio books Other (please specify) * 8. Are you looking for fiction or non-fiction books? Fiction Non-Fiction I am open to both Other (please specify) * 9. What fiction book genres do you enjoy reading? (Pick as many as you like. Skip if you are looking for a non-fiction book) Mystery/Suspense Romance Erotica Science Fiction/Fantasy Horror Urban Fiction Chick Lit GLBT Lit African American Fiction Graphic Novels Inspirational Fiction Other (please specify) * 10. What types of non-fiction subjects are you interested in ? (Pick as many as you want. Skip if you are looking for a fiction title today). Computer Books Philosophy Religious/Spirituality Self Help Fine Art Craft/Sewing/Knitting Cooking Literature Science Health Poetry Biography/Memoirs History Learning a Language Other (please specify) * 11. If you can, please list 3 authors or 3 titles that you enjoyed reading in the past. * 12. What did do you like about these books or authors? * 13. We want to make sure the content we are suggesting is in line with your tastes. Please let us know if we should avoid any of these elements when making our suggestions. Profanity Sexual Themes GLBT Themes Explicit Sex Violence Politics Religious Themes Dark/Depressing Themes Paranormal Other (please specify) * 14. Is there anything else we should know to help you find a book today? * 15. (optional)Gender Male Female * 16. (Optional)Age under 18 18-25 26-34 35-44 44-54 54-64 65 and up Thank you, we'll be in touch soon with some suggested titles. Done


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Tuesday, April 15, 2008
J'adore Dior
You aren't yet aware, but I am a makeup fanatic. A makeup freak. A makeupaholic. You get the picture. Anyway, I wanted to give you a tip on my ultimate favorite mascara, the DiorShow Mascara. I usually buy mine at Sephora, but today I noticed that it's cheaper on Amazon! (By $2, but that covers shipping!) It is seriously the best mascara ever, if you, like me, love dramatic eyelashes! It is really a way to make your eyes pop, so if you haven't tried it, pick yourself up a tube of Dior Diorshow Mascara for $24. I just know you'll love it!
posted at 4:53 PM
Labels: beauty, Just for mom
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"I just love summer." Exclaimed the Midget's teacher this morning on this first warm day of summer like temperatures. Oh do you? Well sister, I can tell you right now that I will not be joining your perky twig-like ass in that sentiment. Much like I will not join you frolicking on the beach, prancing about in a bikini or wearing any thigh baring attire. "I just love summer" is not a statement one would ever hear passing from the lips of a chubby girl. And most certainly not something a pregnant chubby girl like myself would even dream of uttering. While the rest of the world here in my city has been lamenting the horror of a winter that seemed to hold on for eternity, I was secretly sending prayers of thanks through my online portal to St. Jude. Another week of furry clogs, jeans and flab concealing sweaters? Sign me up.
For about 35 of the 41 years of my life, I have dreaded summer. Part of it is due to my paper-white Irish skin that, if not glowing like a night-light, is a red beacon warning of impending skin cancer sometime later in life. Regardless of my varying degrees of chub – and trust me, in 41 years there have been a lot of varying degrees of chub, I have always dreaded summer. I haven't donned a two-piece since I was 4 and I haven't gone sleeveless since 1989. Yes, I know, I've seen plenty of those women who have no shame, pour their sizable asses into tiny bikinis and leave their ham-like arms exposed to flap like flabby flags in the breeze and each time I think – "You go girl." I wish, hidden deeply within my soul there was one of those women who didn't give a damn that the world could hear the rubbing together of her thighs from 12 feet away. But alas, she does not exist and the older I get, the more fabric I seem to require to make a public appearance. My shorts now must be at least knee length and my sleeves must graze the elbow. I'm assuming by the age of 60, I'll be rocking the Bea Arthur caftan.
It's not just my own body issues that cause me to dread the summer months, it's my issues with other's bodies as well. In the winter, the majority of humanity has the decency to cover their hammer toes and fungused nails with boots and closed toe shoes, yet somehow when the thermometer hits 70 degrees, all bets are off. You can't even walk through a decent Target without being assaulted by hairy pits and neglected toenails –and God bless those poor souls that might venture into a Walmart during summer months- I hear it's like a freak show wrapped in cheap fabrics and body hair. It's simplyt indecent I say. If Barak would just get back to me on the position I requested within his administration as Czar of Public Decency, my first proclamation would be to make it a law that if you want to expose your metatarsals, they must be pristine - clean, well manicured and neatly filed into uniform size and shape. This of course would be followed by no cheap flip-flops, no sandpaper heels and of course manicured body hair in all exposed regions. And don't even get me started on the BO.
One would think having survived 3 years of harsh summers with four months of temps in the 100's in a country filled with BO and generally void of central air such as Turkey, I might be better acclimated to the milder summers of America, but alas, no. In Turkey I viewed summer as a torture akin to water-boarding that I simply had to endure to come out on the other side. I hid under umbrellas, laid before fans and held my nose on all forms of public transportation. To be honest, the Turks aren't big fans of summer either, they just adapt better. They flee to the sea, life slows to a snail's pace and they drink hot beverages to trick their bodies into believing they aren't as hot as they could be. The minute it gets into the 80's here my Turk shuts down and reverts to his genetics. And the Midget? With his gene pool, he's just a mess in the warm temps- surly, snarky, whiny, slow and ½ sunburned.
As it's only the first of May and considering a significant portion of the country is getting snow, I rest assured that I may have a few more days of fashion safety within me before I too am forced to bare arms. But with that in mind America, let me urge you to take this time to take care of yourselves. Fix your hammer toes, shave those legs and by all means, if you feel the need to expose your cellulite to the rest of us, use a little self-tanner. As my mother always said, "Tan fat is far more attractive than pale fat." Amen Mom.


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I never did a Thanksgiving recap, so this post will kind of be that. The day ended up being a success and the food was heavily praised. I love being able to make a Thanksgiving dinner that's healthy and enjoyable all at the same time. Who says you need to have too much food or heavy items to make the day great? Certainly not me.
Two of the items I made were the favorites. 1) Rosemary bread (recipe here) and 2) The roasted vegetables
What you need:
- Baby carrots
- Red onion, sliced into chunks
- Green beans
- Eggplant (or some other vegetable), sliced
- Sweet potatoes, the real ones, not yams, cut into thick chunks
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Garlic or garlic powder
- Olive oil
How to:
Heat oven to 400F. When I roasted these veggies I had to do them in sets because of the different cooking times for each. First I cut the sweet potato into chunks and put them into a baking dish. I poured a little olive oil or top and sprinkled on some basil and then mixed in some garlic. In another dish I put the baby carrots and thick sliced onions, topped with some olive oil, a couple pinches of rosemary and some chopped garlic; mix everything around so it's coated. I then baked these two dishes for about 30 minutes. In another smaller dish I put in the greens and eggplant topped the same way as the carrots with a bit of olive oil and rosemary. Add this dish to the oven and bake for 15 or 20 minutes more. You may want to periodically check the veggies for tenderness and then take them out when they reach what you desire.
As for the rest of Thanksgiving:
Homemade rolls, from scratch (I'll try to remember how I made them)
Cannellini bean dip (recipe here)
Low sugar apple pie (recipe here)


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The Netherlands relies heavily on foreign trade - in 2012, the value of merchandise trade was equivalent to 160% of its GDP, the fifth-highest ratio in the world. Accordingly, the Netherlands has established a conducive framework for foreign exchange, with no currency controls or restrictions on international money transfers. The Netherlands was one of the founding members of the single European currency, the euro (EUR), which has become the second most traded currency in the world after the US dollar.
Money can be freely sent to the Netherlands or transferred out of the Netherlands, as in other EU countries, the only restrictions being certain restrictions on foreign investment in shipping and airlines. Sending money within Europe has been greatly simplified by the creation of a single payments system. This single payment system includes all 18 eurozone member countries, as well as non-eurozone members Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Under EU Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CFT) guidelines, travellers who enter or exit the country carrying cash worth EUR10,000 or more must declare the amount to customs authorities.
Monetary policy is set at the regional level by the European Central Bank (ECB) and applied by all members of the monetary union. The Netherlands is one of the seven founding members of the EU, dating back to initial economic integration efforts in the early 1950s. It became a member of the Schengen free-movement area in 1985 and adopted the euro in 1999.
The country's central bank, the Netherlands Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) monitors the health of the domestic financial system and the institutions within it, including the supervision of domestic payment systems and foreign exchange platforms. As in most European countries, the Netherlands has a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) under the purview of the central bank, which works with financial service providers to ensure that suspicious money transfers are investigated under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act.
The Netherlands has a long history as a trading nation, and it remains firmly open to foreign trade, investment and currency exchange. The Netherlands is one of the most dynamic trade centres in the EU today, with a focus on agriculture, cut flowers, manufacturing and petroleum refining. The Dutch port of Rotterdam is the busiest in Europe.
The international focus that shaped early Dutch trade and economic policy is now firmly ingrained in the Netherlands' strong financial, legal and administrative infrastructure, making it a frequent destination for investment and migration. This exposure to international financial markets has hurt the Dutch economy since the onset of the global economic downturn in 2008 and the subsequent eurozone crisis. However, instead of closing off the domestic economy in order to reduce risk, the government has worked to increase export credit facilities, hiring incentives and other measures meant to boost trade.
Given its position as a trade hub, the country's foreign exchange transactions are diverse. The USD was involved in 41% of all transactions on Dutch trading platforms according to the most recent Bank for International Settlements survey in April 2013. After the USD, the most frequently traded currencies are the euro, which was involved in roughly 24% of total forex transfers, the pound sterling (7.4%), Japanese yen (5.6%), Swiss franc (3.7%) and the Australian dollar (3.6%).
As a key destination and source of foreign direct investment (FDI), the Netherlands has implemented a favourable tax regime. The country has signed a wide array of bilateral investment treaties and has one of the world's most extensive networks of double taxation agreements.
Authorities apply a relatively low corporate tax rate of 20% for profits up to EUR200,000 and 25% beyond that threshold. For foreign-owned companies, the Netherlands does not apply withholding taxes on interest or royalties, and offers a reduction or exemption from dividends in many cases.
In addition, the Netherlands offers special "extra-territorial costs" tax breaks, which help to facilitate skilled migration to the country. Foreign employees who are relocated to the Netherlands may be reimbursed tax-free for costs related to their migration, which include double housing payments, residence permit fees and language courses. In select cases where foreign employees have expertise that is scarce or unavailable on the Dutch labour market, individuals can apply to have 30% of their income considered tax-free for an eight-year period.
The euro is made up of 100 cents. Euro banknotes are printed in denominations of EUR5, EUR10, EUR20, EUR50, EUR100, EUR200 and EUR500. Coins are available in values of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and EUR1 and EUR2. Each member country's central bank issues its own banknotes and coins; the latter have national designs on one side and common designs on the other. All euro currency from any country is accepted within the currency zone.
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In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the engineer from Amtrak who was responsible for the derailment of the train that crashed on May 12, 2015, gets relief from the court on this Tuesday, as the court decides to withdrawn all the criminal charges, as per a district attorney said.
The crash of 2015 was deadly which took eight lives and injured at least 200 people, which includes many suffering severely after the incident took place.
The accusing lawyer couldn't prove any charges against the Amtrak engineer Brandon Bostian, and even they weren't able to provide any sufficient proof that shows the involvement of the person in the case. Thus, the inefficiency of the prosecutors to provide any sorts of evidence in the case against Bostian leads to the court's order to dismiss the entire allegation on Bostian.
On the other hand, the FBI concluded that they were not able to found any evidence that Bostian was under the influence of any drugs or alcohol while he was driving the train. It was also accused that the train supposed to run on the curves on a 50 mph, but Bostian was driving it over 105 mph, which is more than double what was regulated, though it was not proven in the court. But, at last, it was concluded by the federal investigators that the engineer was lost of his train's location, and crashed after it was struck with a rock.
In recent times, train derailment or other accidents related to trains were becoming less per year, say officials.


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So today I got a message from home that infuriated me.
Waaaaay back a long time ago when I moved to California (yes I know it was only October, but stick with me and you will realize it was a long time ago) I went to Sea World as soon as I moved here. I got some presents/souvenirs for the kids I love back home, including my recent ex's son, to whom I was a part time mother (he lived with us 50% of the time and I took an active role in his life). Well, two of the children got them right away and put them up in their room, things like posters and postcards and stuff. My ex however, informed me today, that he still has not made it to the post office. It has been there since OCTOBER! If he doesn't pick it up tomorrow it gets sent back to me.
That pisses me off already, but I am also really sad for his son. I know he has played in the rooms of the other boys and I'm sure they told him where they got them. Does he think I don't love him as much as the other boys?
What a lousy thing for my ex to do. I still love him with all my heart, but I'm pretty pissed off about it right now. He didn't do it intentionally, but jesus. I would understand if it was for him, he is forgetful, but for his son?
Damn it
So today I got a message from home that infuriated me.


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Long time, eh? Sorry about that! I've been pretty busy the past two weeks…getting the things I still needed for the house (LOVE craigslist!!), planning and hosting Natalie's 5th birthday party, having a blast with a high school friend who came to visit..the list goes on and on! I sat down several times to blog, but couldn't come up with anything to say! I'm still waiting on my sister to email the pictures from Natalie's party, but suffice to say it was a blast. She had such a good time, and I think the only thing that would have made it better would have been cooler weather. I'm not much for hot, humid days!
So, I totally love craigslist! I was able to get the kids a set of bunkbeds with mattresses (twin on top, full on bottom) for $150, a 4 year old (and in perfect condition!) washer for $50, and an older but still perfectly functional dryer for $35. You can't beat that! I am SO in love with being able to wash clothes at home again. My washing has been going along faster than I'm able to fold, so I've got quite a towering basket of clean laundry in my room…but it's all good! :o)
Has anyone had a chance to see the new Harry Potter movie yet? I'm DYING to go, but I'm not quite sure it would be appropriate for my new 5 year old. Natalie likes HP, but this is a "darker" movie than the rest, and I just don't want to freak her out.


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Monday, December 22, 2008
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Another post it post.
Lettin' loose on some post-it notes. Caution, some scary stuff here.
I call him Cappy.
I might add they definetly seemed a little more interesting in the dark light of the Local pub.
I call him Cappy.
I might add they definetly seemed a little more interesting in the dark light of the Local pub.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Flower girl
Just a quick sketchbook scrawl. I like how she turned out, so I threw some colour at her. She didn't look up, but I knew she was grateful.
Napkin ink
Monday, July 07, 2008
A very fast drawing of me getting fired by my boss, for leaving his space monkey outside, in the future, on a spaceship.
A few weeks ago I was asked by a good old Friend (Erica Douglas,a teacher at Havenwood public school, whom I've known since Kindergarden) to participate in an after school reading class for an installment on illustration and cartoons. For about 40 minutes I was entertained by the most imaginative questions that only 8-10 year old kids could muster. I did my best to maintain an air of maturity as I answered there questions and share my reading interests. Eventually I ran out of time and had to conjure up this wonder of a drawing. The concept is a collaboration of about 18 kids yelling ideas at me. I wish I had kids for a boss more often. They are very forgiving, I find...here is the result-
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Death on my doorstep
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Loosen up
Hey all, I find I have a bit of free time of late, and I should really be keeping up with sharing my doodles with all you, my friends..Here are some various sketchbook pages some of which I like and some I'm not sure what to think..
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
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text: A deep state operates submerged from public view. The US deep state had to emerge in its effort to topple Trump, an emergence that screams weakness (see "Plot Holes"). The ineptitude of the effort made the weakness that much more apparent. A claim that Russia had hacked the Democratic Nation Committee (DNC) last summer and then used Wikileaks to disseminate what it had hacked, all in collusion with Donald Trump's campaign, was the cornerstone of this maladroit coup. It should have raised more eyebrows than it did that the DNC refused to turn over its servers to the FBI for analysis, and that the only confirmation of the hacking claim came from a contractor, Crowdstrike, which had numerous conflicts of interest, including that it was paid by the DNC.


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Kymco Agility 50 — Starting Up How To Save Money And Do It Yourself!
People Who Liked This Also Liked
Did this help you?
micoman1: video was when it was new and I had the lights on by I have done about now and it has had a new battery and a new starter switch in the 18 months. Thats not great but it with a 2 year warranty so had to pay for a battery. Yes, there are scooters but they cost new ( mine ВЈ1000) and for me only it for a 10mile round trip to each day its not worth me getting a one. ( I drive a car everywhere
cerj1010: is this scooter for going up hills?
daand12: service is done yesterday+a vario so it will do about
daand12: @micoman1 i believe it. I when i have this i don't have any issues starting.
daand12: @micoman1 amp battery u had or have in it? i bought scooter, but need wait few days to ride it. Mine has a in it
EnergyDog23: @micoman1 I've with 50cc over at one strech.
SJBANGER: @micoman1 i the same problem, sometimes it others times it won't never used the kick yet.
DownhillNick2007: @micoman1 31mph. I'll be looking for a bike next year something restricted to 33bhp but more than likely my little agility for comuting ect As long as the insurance goes lol!
batlordman: Its really quality for 360. Nice
SJBANGER: @micoman1 if you change to the chinese rubbish you could be for trouble down the line, is why they are cheap. they are to fall apart/breakdown no matter the salesman says. tip: if bike fails to start. you be flooding the engine. try this off. open the throttle up on leave for a few minutes,then switch on. and up. not try it my self but search youtube for on this.
Elliot Evans: what is the top speed of this
Vincent Snoeren: jaa mooi licht
Mautaz: @micoman1 Put main jet 82 in it and adjust the valves correct and it always start. Best scooter you can get. At my work delivery) we have one that did 67,000 km's on the clock.
I have been having problems with the starting one day last week it took me 10 starts and 4 electric starts to get it I took it too my dealer who had it for two days and had no I go to collect it and it wont start. the guy at the dealer had trouble and said us the all the time.
I'm a bit pissed off the bike now an am considering changing to a chinese 125cc for ВЈ800 ( is made in china as well) is starting ok now??
micoman1: has been ok lately. Its quite at going up hills, for a 50cc
Mixalis Demetriou: @micoman1 i am greece.I have a same and it is good.it has 19.600kms and it had not any problem.Kymco for
micoman1: micoman1 Yeh, I now. Still I do put my lights on all the for safety. I am finding it wont with the electric start all the now. Only do 10 miles a day too and work so do you think the battery is not enough charge?
Is definately a 50cc and I have about 600Km now.
@kidmeister Its a good bike for the ( I paid ВЈ1000 on the road) but I recommend getting a 125cc if you travel more that miles on it and can afford to take a
micoman1: I have now had a new battery (about ВЈ30) and electric button works 90% of the time time, and have found on start if I hold left and not right, it starts better.
Finally i ordered this in agility fat version in the colour blue/silver
MrBorderghost: I had the same problem with my peugeot scooter which has the same engine the dealer changed the from a 4amp to a 6amp and it now has of power to start the engine and of my journeys are less than 2 a day and then it can be left for a week but now has of battery life, you should not be problems with battery and certainly not leave it runnung on the for 20 mins that is just a of fuel and engine life.
DownhillNick2007: @micoman1 Nah, only done around but it's still going Cant say the batterys caused problems, It's mostly distances I travel, not very lol. Ehm cant say I have, It sound good though to those daft 2 Strokes I've been chatting to around my area saying its a little first bike, 16 btw, and no it hasn't been had a mate who's was stoped and for doing 45mph on a 70mph but it should have only
Mautaz: @SJBANGER this is not this is Taiwanese. same as sym.
EnergyDog23: When you use start(?) you need to put the lights off at when the scooter is on. then put the on.
micoman1: @DownhillNick2007 Hi — about 1200kms now and still well. Next service in I did bump in to the guy who sold me the scooter and he the battery is very small and not have a lot of power in it.
I have it sounds a bit rattley at full (31 mph), hows yours? you had it de-restricted?
DownhillNick2007: Turn the off mate I had that problem mines was new lol, with it not as the lights were on, also it helps too Kick starts too! Is this not a 125 though? Or if its a 50 indicators are sweet man! only has silly little atatched to the handle bars
Mines in a 59 plate too!
90km. I dont fancy as its enough at 5 miles to worm for me. — Its been said I know, I forgot!
DownhillNick2007: Yea, I have the lights on I just ment when you it up your lights were on, causes it to cough a little, so if you sure you switch them off you come off it! And Yea I periodicly use the kick just to make sure its all working, there is a knack to starting it though lol! I think it will, ehm I often let my bike run for 20 — 30 mins on the just to charge it up.
Hope your enjoying it!
Kymco Agility 50 — Up 4 out of 5
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text:
Former Senator and Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum's new work American Patriots: Answering the Call to Freedom is a brief, readable and well-organized volume that introduces readers to the stories of relatively unknown American heroes from the Revolutionary Era. Santorum sketches the lives of individuals from a wide variety of circumstances, but all singularly united in the defense of liberty and the founding of the United States. Santorum organizes the book around the formulation of natural rights that is found in the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Each of the biographies then is written to demonstrate how the subject lived and sacrificed in order to further the cause of live, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness.
The book is very easy to read, and certainly shares stories that are certainly important and often inspirational. It isn't deep, but provides interesting details about the lives of each subject as well as Santorum's brief comments on moral and social issues that are more proximate to us, obviously intended to inspire the same character in modern readers that he relates in the sketches of the men and women whose lives are treated in his book. This book won't appeal to all readers, even those interested in the subject. It may be most appropriate for children, even though that isn't the intended audience because it is short, simple, and deals with subjects who are from all walks of life, including children.
I received this book free from the publisher through the Tyndale book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.


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It's almost Fall and I can feel it in the air. I love this time of year, especially now that we celebrate Deci's birthday in the Fall! I'm finally finished with my Summer Vacations. I am slowing down now, relaxing, reading, enjoying life, spending time with my family, thinking about cleaning the house... I am really, really enjoying Deci. She is so funny. Every night we say our prayers before bed and ask her who she wants to pray for. She always says Mommy, Daddy, and Kyle.... every now and then she will throw in another family member but mostly just us and Kyle. (oh and she likes to pray for Matt. Which is so funny to me!) She once asked me to pray for her stuffed animal Dog and then I forgot. After I said "amen" she reminded me that I forgot to pray for her Dog so we had to pray again!
I went to visit the soccer field that I mentioned before in the backyard of my grandads house. We are having a sermon series at church called City on a Hill. We are going to try to reach out to the community and show them that we care. So, Saturday me, Kerrie, Q and Deci went to the soccer field and passed out water to the guys playing. They didn't take a long break so we really didn't get to talk much but we are planning to go back soon.
Also, I went on a girls trip to Destin. These are some of the girls that have known me longer than my Husband, and that's a long time. I met Rachel and Sarah the Summer before Third grade on the Swim team. The rest of the girls follow after...
It's usually months in between times we see each other but every time we get together it's like we have never been apart. I love these girls and enjoyed getting to hang out with them on the beach!!


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Ty D.I.Y. Edition Recyclable Shower Curtain
Ty is a simple #2 plastic shower curtain. Unlike other shower curtains made of vinyl, Ty will not off-gas in your home. Also unlike vinyl, Ty breathes – making it less likely to grow gross mold and mildew. Ty is stronger than vinyl and will last a very long time, then it can be recycled.
Discovered by Juliet Appiah-nyanta in Now that's crafty!
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A new species of large cave-dwelling spider, the Sierra Cacachilas wandering spider, has been discovered in Mexico. (Now hurry up build that wall!)
The Sierra Cacachilas, related to the notoriously venomous Brazilian wandering spider, was found in a small mountain range outside of La Paz in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Researchers first found the unusual arachnid's huge exoskeleton and returned at night to capture the very first glimpse of the new spider species.
"The exoskeleton was abnormally big and I could tell by the eye pattern that it was in a group of spiders, wandering spiders from the Family Ctenidae, with very few species in Baja California Sur."


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Right, I haven't been blogging for a long time. In summary of what I have been doing. 18 Dec night, touched down in Singapore with my family. Met up with Phelicia and Wanxin before I left for KL on the 22 Dec morning. Went up with Chewpeng and had the train ride together with her sister Chew Ting.
Spent hot and romantic Christmas in Penang with him, spend most of my time with his family all in different shopping malls. Hee... And no I didn't shop a lot. Firstly, I didn't bring a lot of money, so bought a pair of shoes for new year and his mom gave me 2 tops as gifts.
Spend New Year's eve with his friends at his friend's new house. I would say it's a nice clean gathering lar. Not something very weird. I like it. Came back on 3 Jan and attend Kam's wedding, who is now in honey moon at Cairns, on the 4th.
The first thing I did when I came home was to pack my house. It's in a mess. To make things worse, my brother had crashed the computer system. Seems like cannot really fix the problem. Sighz.. My computers just won't listen to what I what it to do. So sian sian sian... :(
My house has no furnitures now. I'm almost done with my room. Can start meeting up with more friends. hee...
Have to send my resume to companies soon also. NO money! Sad..................
Anyway, the up side is DEARie is coming to Singapore! I'm happy happy happy! haha... :P
Ok lar, I want to wash up and watch TV. Will try to blog soon.


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I can highly recommend this one by Ozeri. It's been through a lot with me, over the past 21 months.
I bought mine from Amazon, but you can probably find it elsewhere.
HERE is the link to my pedometer on Amazon, if you're interested in checking it out.
It's very affordable and reliable. I picked up the spare battery pack when I purchased mine.
All that being said, last weekend I went a step further. I was ready for an upgrade.
I bought a Fitbit Charge. I'm am REALLY liking it! You'll pay quite a bit more for a Fitbit, but if you're looking for something that will track more info (much more) this will do it. I'm glad I made the investment. But, of course, buy what suits your needs. It's a personal choice.
Next, let's talk water.
We've all read how important it is to drink plenty of water. There is an 8 x 8 rule...eight, 8 ounce glasses a day (1.9 liters). Or...other experts say 9 cups, which equals 2.2 liters. Hey, not much difference there. Whatever is easiest to remember, the important thing is to stay hydrated.
It REALLY does make a difference. I've learned that by experience.
One Saturday recently, I was on the go all day (as usual) and wondered why I was so tired. I shouldn't have been that tired. Then it dawned on me. I hadn't drank any water since breakfast. Yes, even mild dehydration will drain your energy. Without a doubt...it makes that much difference! Once I re-hydrated my energy level came back up. Water is also important to help your digestion. Helping your digestion function properly is so important if you're losing weight, too.
You can read more info about the importance of staying hydrated HERE on the Mayo Clinic website.
Next steps ~
Now I was walking every day...and I DO mean everyday. I decided that for me, I had to have a structured routine of walking every day. It had to become a habit for me. A regular part of each day. If I skipped days, here and there, it would be too easy to skip just a few more days. And a few more.
You get the picture.
On the weekends I walk (either on the treadmill or outdoors) first thing in the morning. I'm a morning person anyway. But getting that workout done early feels like such an accomplishment! Check that off my to do list! If I have time later in the day for another walk, it's a bonus. Doing more "good" for me and my body. My body will thank me when I step on the scale.
Oh yes, the scale. I used to drive myself nuts by weighing myself every day, during the time I was losing weight. It didn't take long for me to realize that this was crazy. Your weight can vary every day just because of fluid retention. I decided once a week made a lot more sense for me and that's what I continue to do.
I know that this routine may not be for everyone. It's a personal decision. Only you know what will work for you.
I walk, others run. Many others work out at gyms or go to zumba classes. There are so many ways to get your body moving and burning calories. Just find what you enjoy and if you enjoy it, you're more likely to stay with it. Getting your body moving, getting your heart rate up and your muscles working will do more than help you lose weight. It's good for your health, in general. I guess we all know that fact, but can sometimes forget and just focus on weight loss.
By combining my powerwalking with healthy food choices and portions, I improved my blood pressure, cholesterol levels and thyroid function. That resulted in my doctor taking me off 2 medications. That made me SO happy. I was finally making choices that made a positive impact on my health. My doctor is happy and so am I!
Before I finish this post, I'll share one of the recipes I've using since nearly the beginning of my weight loss journey. Apple-Cranberry Oatmeal Bake from the website Fabtastic Eats.
|Source: fabtasticeats.com
I LOVE this for breakfast! I tweak the recipe a little, by cutting back on the brown sugar by half.
When I'm ready to heat a bowl of it in the microwave, I add a little non-fat milk and a srpinkle of whole ground flax seed. After heating I add a dollup of plain greek yogurt and about a teaspoon of chia seeds. Oh...and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon. Heavenly!
Ok, I've gotta' go. I hope some of this info has been helpful. I'll be back soon with another oat recipe. Steel cut oats cooked in the crock pot. Mmmm. :)


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My 16 year old celebrated his 16th birthday with his friends. I caught myself. I ALMOST licked the frosting off of my fingers when I set out the donuts for them to enjoy. ALMOST. It was close! It is a habit - I. need. to. change.
Saturday I walked with my teenager and just talked and most importantly listened. Then my friend wanted to go fishing. It was a terrible day for fishing if you wanted to catch one LOL! Water was too hot! I caught a little bitty fish - the only catch of the day mind you - and we decided to walk Hurshtown reservoir. Tack up another 2.2 miles :)
Sunday I was baking all day and caught myself again! It seemed like such a waste to rinse off my hands but I know that new habits must be established! The kids did enjoy taking care of the crumbs for me out of the pan though lol.
While baking - I needed eggs. Of course I ran out of eggs! So why drive down the street - I decided to walk to town to buy my eggs. That is how they did it in the old days LOL!
What a great weekend!