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I had already mentioned sometime back that doing Grocery Shopping is an Ordeal here in the US.
On a usual work day evening, I had to face the ordeal for the millionth time again albeit due to my own fault. I suddenly had a craving to eat Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani and so I wanted to hit the store to get some chicken for next day. I was all dressed up (which is wearing a T-shirt that would beg washing and a Shorts that would wish it was worn inside out) and checked with my wife if I should get 0.5 or 1 pound of Chicken, as I was the only chicken-eat-tarian in the family.
Wife: "0.5 would be too less, you won't get much for making the 65. 1 pound will be too much, you won't be able to eat it fully. 0.75 pounds! How about that?"
And so w(if)e decided that 0.75 pounds is the right quantity of chicken I would need, if I should minimize the wastage, never mind that the Grocery store itself wastes tons of meat every single day that could not be sold.
The Hitchhiker's guide to Grocery states that, If you know what you are going to buy, you should never turn back and check to see if anything else is needed. Because 100% of the time, you will be asked to get more. As I am someone who hasn't read the guide (heck, the guide doesn't even exist!), I ended up going for the door knob and making a courteous turn around and asked the dreaded question.
Me: "Do you need anything else?"
I could have simply opened the door and walked away merrily with just 1 item to buy, but no I had to be Mr. Nice Guy and turn around and ask. Little did I realize when I asked that question, that I was in for a big list of things to buy.
Wife: "Oh sure, we certainly need milk. I forgot about that!"
It is like Dominoes. You just tip one and the rest of it follows through and falls down. Now, being in US buying milk is not as easy as going to the nearby bakery and getting a half litre Aavin milk packet. It is much more confusing than you think.
Me: "Which ones?"
Wife: "Hmm… half gallon of 1% milk, 1 gallon Fat free and 1 gallon Whole milk" (Good luck trying to understand how the word "Milk" became such a long sentence).
Me: "Ok, I will get them." and I thought I would be spared and that's all I might have to get, but no. We are now going full fledged.
Wife: "Let me see the fridge!"
That is when I realized I would need a paper to write down the list, because my brain cannot hold more than 2 grocery item at a time. I already had 4 (Chicken and 3 kinds of Milk). I quickly grabbed an old receipt lying on the kitchen countertop and tried to look for a pen. After fighting for 2 minutes with the daugther over the only pen I could spot, which she was using to scribble notes on from her previous experiment, I was ready to take down the rest of the list.
Wife: "We need Apples. 4 or 5."
Me: "4 or 5? Please give me one number and no, we can't do 4.5"
Wife: "Ok 5 it is. You and your obsession with accurate numbers. We will also need a bananas. Just get a bunch whatever number you feel like and the usual Bread that we buy"
Choosing a bread itself is a big task. There are thousands of varieties to choose from. In India, it is easy to buy a packet of bread, you just walk to the nearby bakery and ask for a bread packet. That's it your 2 minute bread shopping is done. But here, you have to choose if you need white or wheat or honey wheat or whole grain or multi grain or thin sliced or anorexic sliced and the list goes on. Thankfully, we just like the Sara lee Honey wheat and just stick to it. So no big deal there beyond your first few attempts of trying to choose and like one from the variety. We have already attained nirvana in the kind of bread that we need.
Wife: "And finally a Cabbage. Make sure it is white in color, it shouldn't be green"
For a moment before that I thought the list was over with the bread. One more to the list didn't hurt and so I added cabbage to the list.
As I was ready to shop in the store, working my shopping cart through the multitude of aisles, I realized that Cellphones are necessary evils. I have a separate post on themselves that I am waiting to post. I say this because, with an already confused mindset I get a phone call from home adding 2 more items to the list.
Wife: "Can you get 1 bunch of Cilantro and a bunch of Green onion? I forgot about them"
Me: "What? wait I don't have a pen, I can't write it down, I can't remember the other ones, what did I buy, what else I need to buy, my god my brain is short circuiting, I see sparks."
Wife: "You need those for your Hyderabadi Biryani tomorrow!"
Me: "Oh ok, let me just get it then, hang on!"
Butchers can easily upsell you.
Me: "0.75 pounds of Boneless skinless chicken thighs please!"
Butcher: "Sure!" and puts it on the scale "Oh! it comes to 0.84 pounds"
Me: "Take a little bit out please!"
Butcher: "oh, it is 0.64 now! that will be too far away from 0.75, you want more or you want less?"
Me: "Got me, I want more. Let's do 0.84 pounds"
And so my friends, an average ordinary Indian Man who was quenching to eat a Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani one day, set on a mission to buy 0.75 pounds of Chicken but came back with a big list of items – 0.84 pounds of Chicken, 3 kinds of Milk, 5 Apples, 6 Bananas, 1 Bread packet, 1 Cilantro bunch, 1 Cabbage and 1 Green Onions bunch.
This post should have really been title "The Ordeals of Grocery Shopping – Part II" but I thought it would be cool to make the title rhyme like a movie and hence I titled it "The Indian man who went to buy Chicken but came down with a lot more". Anyone wants to guess the real movie name that sounds like this title?
Edit: And the winner for the Movie guessing contest is Nikhil. The answer is "The Englishman who went up the hill, but came down a mountain", starring Hugh Grant.


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Whether acting as a lawyer, consultant, advocate or public interest lobbyist, Blair Bobier brings a unique set of skills and experiences to the table.
Mr. Bobier has successfully argued cases before judges and juries; he has influenced the legislative and executive branches of government, appeared on many radio and television programs, written for dozens of newspapers, and has been a featured speaker and panelist at numerous conferences.
Campaign Consultant:
Blair Bobier worked as the Media Director for a national presidential campaign and as the Policy Director for a gubernatorial campaign. He has been involved with several campaigns for electoral reform in a number of capacities; he successfully lobbied both the Oregon and California legislatures for political reform, and he helped with the adoption and implementation of Instant Runoff Voting by the cities of Oakland, San Leandro and Berkeley, California.
Public Interest Lobbyist:
As a public interest lobbyist, Blair Bobier has opened up Oregon's democratic process to independent political parties and helped lower the age for voter registration in California. He also prompted former Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts to exercise the first veto of her term; to kill a bill which would have infringed on the rights of new political parties. Mr. Bobier's lobbying work includes working with municipalities in Oregon, Hawaii and California.
Election Reform Advocate:
Blair Bobier is one of Oregon and the nation's leading voices for election reform. He is widely published on the topic and has successfully lobbied both the Oregon and California legislatures for political reform. Mr. Bobier has advised mayors, charter review committees, city council members, elections officials and community leaders about how to make elections more inclusive and democratic.
Blair Bobier was instrumental in initiating the first statewide recount of presidential votes in the history of the United States, in Ohio in 2004, as the Media Director for the presidential campaign which initiated the Recount. Mr. Bobier also lobbied the Hawaii Legislature to adopt Instant Runoff Voting and litigated to close loopholes in Maine's Clean Elections Act. Mr. Bobier engineered the passage of legislation easing Oregon's restrictive ballot access laws, drafted a ballot measure calling for the election of Oregon legislators by proportional representation, and filed suit challenging the use of public media for political debates which arbitrarily excluded qualified candidates. Mr. Bobier co-authored an
brief for the federal court whose landmark decision upheld the constitutionality of Instant Runoff Voting.

subset: commoncrawl


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Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight. Mark 10:46-52
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means "son of Timaeus"), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."
So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Last week there was a documentary on ABC called Life at 7, tracking the lives of young children every few years as they grow up. One particular family stood out from all the rest – not because it was the perfect family with wonderfully behaved children – in fact quite the opposite. This family lost one of their children in a drowning accident, while expecting their third child the marriage broke down. The mother was left to raise a young boy and a newborn baby – a single mum who also happened to be nearly blind. The hardship took its toll on the family's happiness and the young boy's behaviour became quite difficult as a result.
As the story goes on we find out that the mother's eyesight was degenerative – she was losing what eyesight she had and decided to have a risky operation in the hope of restoring it. Thankfully, the operation was successful but only partial eyesight was restored.
When she was interviewed by the documentary film makers she was asked 'what was difficult about raising children' – she said it wasn't that difficult, you've just got to have fun! Such a statement would cause many of us to weep. The other parents who were interviewed complained about the challenge of parenting, especially the freedom they had lost when they became parents. But for this single mum – who only had 10% eyesight in one eye – her hope and positive attitude was her only defence against the hardship of life.
The suffering and difficulties that are caused by those who lose one of their senses represents a loss of freedom – they are no longer able to care for themselves or provide for needs. There are two ways to that people deal such a loss; despair and hope.
Those who have physical disabilities must have some faith and hope that things will get better, somehow. Others have to deal with tragic life circumstances, they lose family or their possessions and it seems there is no hope for the future. This is something that is close to all our hearts, because we all suffer. But such is the life of the blind beggar named Bartimaeus.
Bartimaeus stood out from the crowd, not just because he was a blind beggar sitting in the dirt, but because he refused to believe that there was no hope. He called out to Jesus, despite those around him wanting to silence him. Despite his physical blindness, he could hear that Jesus was coming toward him – and it gave him hope. He calls out in into the crowd:
'Jesus, Son of David – have mercy on me.'
Jesus has so many names and titles. For a Jew, the name Son of David was absolutely loaded with meaning. God chose David to be the King of Israel, they were waiting for a Son of David to succeed him.
But it's not just about family heritage, this was their hope for a better future, God's promise to restore Israel. In Jesus, this restoration was not a physical one, but a spiritual one.
Imagine Bartimaeus yelling into the crowd using Jesus' Royal name, to the Jews he may as well be yelling 'Your majesty, King Jesus, Messiah – the one who came to save us from our sins, help me.' Bartimaeus is proclaiming Jesus as the long-awaited Saviour to the whole crowd. He was causing a bit of a ruckus.
Who was in the crowd anyway, what does the bible tell us about them?
Towards the end of his ministry we know that Jesus had a huge following and by what we read in Mark Ch.10 of the way they protected Jesus from approaching members of the public – even children – Jesus was treated a bit like royalty. There would have been so many thousands of poor and sick people coming to Jesus for healing, they were probably over it!
I remember living in Sydney in the lead up to the 2000 Olympics, there was a concerted effort by Sydney City Council to clear the homeless people off the streets so that visitors would not be put off by the poor living on the pavement. I remember growing up in Sydney I would often walk past homeless people, at a young age it was a very scary and confronting sight. I often wondered why they were in that situation. Was it drugs or alcohol abuse that had caused their problems – what had they done wrong?
When I first experienced God's mercy and forgiveness for myself – my perception of the homeless changed a fair bit. I had a sense of God's compassion for them regardless of what wrong they might have done. But I was tormented by the fact that I couldn't help them and felt guilty for walking straight by. If I gave them money, would it feed their addiction? Why couldn't our charities or social services keep them off the street? I can relate to the crowd who walks by; feeling powerless to help the needy.
There was a belief among the Jews during that time; that those who had serious disabilities had obviously done something wrong to provoke God's anger and they were cursed. A beggar on the street received no mercy.
In Jericho on this day when Jesus and his followers went past; the people in the crowd heard Bartimaeus cry for mercy – they shushed him. They didn't want this man to get Jesus' attention.
Why didn't the crowd help Bartimaeus?
It was well known that Jesus could heal and raise people from death to life – why didn't the crowd pick up Bartimaeus and carry him to Jesus for healing? Was Bartimaeus not good enough to enter Jesus' presence to ask for his sight? Didn't they believe that Jesus could heal him? Or did they feel guilty and ashamed, (as I did), that they could not provide for his needs; and instead wanted to sweep the homeless under the carpet, silence him on the sideline?
This crowd of people leaving Jericho were on their way to Jerusalem for the Passover. Now, Jericho was a bit like a holiday resort in Jesus' time, it even had tropical palm trees – many Jewish Priests spent their time-off there because of its warm climate. So when it was time to go back to work at the temple for Passover, there would have been a huge crowd of religious people taking the journey along with Jesus and his disciples. So, this is the crowd of people that tell Bartimaeus to be quiet; this crowd of religious people did not show him any mercy.
But God is merciful; and he listens to our call for help.
Even though Bartimaeus can't see, he can still see Jesus.
Bartimaeus could hear the whispers in the crowd that Jesus of Nazareth was coming. He calls out again 'Jesus, Son of David – have mercy on me!'
Jesus stops in his tracks and asks the crowd to call him.
They say 'Cheer up, on your feet, he's calling you.'
Nobody helps him up, they don't need to – he jumps to his feet, throws off anything that would weigh him down – he throws off his cloak and goes straight to Jesus. Jesus does a remarkable thing by asking him 'what do you want me to do?'
It is obvious what he wants – but Jesus wants Bartimaeus to ASK, IN FAITH for the miracle of healing. If we look at the account in Luke (18:43) it says 'Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.' If we were to pray in faith for such a thing and we received immediate healing – imagine the impact on our families and friends who witness it, praising God for what he had done. The miracle gives glory to God.
Wouldn't it have been wonderful if that amazing mother raising her children alone and nearly blind could have had her sight fully restored to her; but she was grateful to the surgeons for what they were able to do. It is hard to understand why some people are healed and other continue to suffer.
Bartimaeus is so grateful to Jesus for fully restoring his sight, bringing him out of poverty, and giving him the freedom to live as he chose to. What he chose to do was to follow Jesus all the way to Jerusalem. Bartimaeus asks for mercy; is healed and is then called into God's service. The miracle gives glory to God.
This shows us that it is not enough to come to Christ for healing, but, when we are healed, we must continue to follow him, all the way. I wonder how far did Bartimaeus follow Jesus? To Jerusalem, to the cross, during times of despair and abandonment? After the resurrection, Jesus would rise to heaven. Surely Bartimaeus will follow him there too.
In Isaiah 35:5 it says 'The Son of David, when he should come to save us, would open the eyes of the blind'. Those religious people in the crowd, upon witnessing this miracle would have known this Jewish prophecy. Jesus' purpose as Saviour of the people would have been revealed to them through this miracle. When they reached their destination in Jerusalem, this purpose was fulfilled in a way they could never have imagined. Not freedom from blindness, sickness or oppression; but freedom from sin and death.
In the gospels, Jesus heals both physical and spiritual blindness. You might recall the account of Saul's conversion (Acts 9:18), when he came to know Christ it was described as 'something like scales falling from his eyes, and he could see again.'
Saul was a ruthless person who enjoyed persecuting Christians – during his dramatic conversion he suffered temporary blindness that was healed when he came to Christ. Saul became Paul, the founding father of the early Christian church – proclaiming the gospel to everyone, bringing people in need to Christ.
In this case, it was the crowd in Jericho who were spiritually blind. Many of them would follow Jesus but would not bring the needy to him. Are we like the crowd where we know Jesus, we know what he can do – yet we only bring people to Jesus when they ask.
To be healed of spiritual blindness is to be able to see that people need Jesus and to then bring them to him for healing – not leaving them in despair.
Jesus has compassion for the weak and poor, but he also has grace and mercy for those who are struggling because of the wrong things they have done.
Jesus has mercy for people with physical and spiritual needs. This message gives me hope. It's a wonderful message of hope that is for everybody.
The purpose of the miracle was to proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God, just as he was about to enter Jerusalem and face death on the cross. So that many would turn to him and praise God for what he had done. It was not just to teach us to show compassion or to give to the poor – whatever Jesus did was to give Glory to God. This is the example that Jesus gives us, to obey God in selfless acts of love – to the point that he gave up his life for us.
Isn't it just like Jesus to see past our physical weaknesses, to look at our inward attitude? Just like the single mum who is practically blind, caring for her children in love and finding joy in each day. Hope is a precious thing for those who suffer. Our faith in Jesus – who suffered death on the cross – is what heals us of our spiritual blindness and gives glory to God. Our hope is eternal.
Shouldn't we bring that message of hope, by not silencing the gospel message to those in need; but deliver it with love and compassion? We are able to help people up, on their way to follow Jesus – but only he can heal us.
Lord help us to show your love and compassion to those around us. Help us to see people's need for Jesus to heal them and give them hope for their lives. Help us to follow you with thankful hearts, all the way to eternal life. Amen.


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Thanks for all the loveliness, guys. Not much to update here: in a shock twist ending, my employers have not, in fact, seen the errors of their ways and offered to double my salary if I come back.
On my last post, Sherry said something very wise, I think – that because I'm sober, I can deal with all the emotional crap of being laid off now, rather than postponing it. That's true, I think. Certainly it's true that I have been having All The Emotions, from euphoria to fury and back again. Did I mention I've also been solo parenting for two weeks? Fun times. I cannot tell you how glad I am that I am doing this sober. I still notice, every day, how much easier it makes my life. Little Girl has been waking at dawn this week, for some inexplicable reason, which translates to 'around 5 am' for those of you not sharing my part of the world. 5 am sober is a whole different world from 5 am hungover, guys, and I'm not saying that it's a good world, or anything – let's not get crazy here – but it's one I can live in until Lovely Husband comes back and spots me.
That's the practical stuff. That's nothing, compared to the emotional stuff. If I were drinking, this redundancy would have destroyed me. DESTROYED.
Let me tell you a story. Let me tell myself a story. Settle in: this will be long.
Four years ago, and I may have talked about this before, I was asked to leave a job because I was under performing. I was a lawyer. I had a young baby, a horrendous commute, very high expectations of myself, and I wasn't coping. Because I wasn't coping, I was under performing more, and then hating myself more, and then drinking more. I lived in a miasma of self-hatred and terror; terror that the letter I'd forgotten to draft the day before would land on my desk like a time bomb in the morning. Terror that I would find myself in court with no preparation and get slammed with costs. I used to read the Professional Discipline Board hearings like they were prophetic. Every day was awful, and it was all my own fault because I just couldn't, no matter how much I screamed at myself, make myself pull together and just do the fucking work. So I lived in a state of heightened anxiety every day, and every evening once Big Girl was in bed, I drank the terror away.
It was a relief when the partners finally suggested that I would be happier elsewhere. I found a new job. Part time hours, lower expectations, leveraging my legal experience but in a quasi-legal role. I could no longer call myself a lawyer, and I missed the cut and thrust of court and the excitement of a new file and I knew I was lucky to have the job. I referred to myself, ruefully, as 'mummy tracked', and if nothing else I felt grateful that I had that excuse for my downward career trajectory.
But I hated it. And I hated myself.
In that job, too, I procrastinated. My boss left me alone for days at a time, and I never had enough to do, so I took things very easily. Sometimes I gave myself a pep talk; they'll never give you more responsibility if you don't show initiative! But mostly, I showed up, did the things asked of me, spent a lot of time on Facebook, and went home again. And drank.
The thing was that although the job was a stopgap, I was too scared to try and get into Law again. I had been lucky that the last job ended as discreetly as it did, but if I took another job and failed at it, that was it for me in this small city. So I didn't. A friend invited me to submit my CV to his firm, a firm I'd have loved to work for once, one that shared my politics and needed my speciality. But I didn't. Once, I had the opportunity to go into a small partnership with another friend, but what if I screwed up my own files, with no boss to chase me and cover for me? So I didn't.
And things went on. I had Little Girl, and I don't even want to tell you how soon after she was born it was that I went back to drinking. I went back to work after maternity leave, and was thankful for it being easy work while I adjusted, but I was bored.
So I drank.
I drank for other reasons, of course. I drank before my career failed, and I would have drunk even if the dream job fell into my lap. But at the time I'm talking about, my lack of career, and my lack of self esteem, and my drinking, were inextricable. Losing my position as a lawyer was the most crippling thing that has ever happened to my self esteem. Four years later, I'm typing this in a cafe, and I can feel the emotions well up.
As Small Girl got bigger, and started sleeping through the night, my old energy and brain started to return, and I could see how stuck I was in a job that would never amount to anything. But I still had no idea what to do next, what my exit plan was.
And then I got sober. And, as you know, I started to write, and realised that writing was what I wanted to do. And it became clear that sometimes, other people wanted me to do it too, for their sites, and that was relevatory.
But it wasn't the writing itself that was transformative. It was the realisation that I could write regularly, and set myself deadlines, and stick to them. It might sound ridiculous, to you, that such a mundane thing was the thing holding me back. But it was. Every time I thought about becoming self-employed, I remembered my inattentive, procrastinating ways, and all the times I'd failed to do something, and I'd squash the dream back down.
This time feels different. It's different because I'm sober, but I'm sober largely because it's different. When I wanted so badly to drink a week or two ago, I kept telling myself that I couldn't drink and write: I want to write more than I want to drink. It's my mantra.
What is transformative is that for the first time, I believe in myself.
I believe that if I can't do something well the first time, I can and will take another course, find another mentor, just do some damn practice, until I get it right.
I believe that my habit of procrastination is not necessarily a moral failing, but just the way my brain works, and there are ways to combat that, and to harness it. In fact, the ability to think about several things at once, and always be excited by the next challenge, is proving an excellent asset in journalistic writing, which requires one to spread one's attention very thin and retain all sorts of facts in the process.
I believe that even if I fail, I'm not a failure.
If I was still drinking, and I had been laid off, I would probably not be in a cafe, typing this post. I would be in a therapist's office, or a rehab, or somewhere worse. Because a redundancy, in my old state of mind, would have been confirmation of my own self-hatred, of my conviction that I was a failure and a fraud. I would have blamed myself for my underperformance, and I would have laughed at myself for ever thinking that I could hold down a job. I have, of course, held down jobs successfully for twenty years, but the drinking brain is mean and abusive and grinds you down until you don't recognise the person you used to be.
But I'm sober. And this was not my fault, and I was worth more than that job.
I've never done anything scary in my life. I have always meant to, and always found excuses not to. I once started to learn to ride a motorbike, but changed my mind after one lesson. I almost moved back to England, completely alone, when I was twenty, but I met Lovely Husband and decided he was worth staying for. When I inherited a small lump sum in my early twenties, I stuck it straight into the mortgage instead of travelling overseas like any self-respecting child free young woman should have done. Safely married in my mid-twenties, I had children at exactly the median average age for my generation. You get the picture. I'm a middle-income middle class woman, mired in the suburbs, and my idea of taking a risk is putting a red tea towel in with the whites to see if it's colourfast.
But here I am, doing something terrifying. I'm going to try and make it on my own, off the back of my words. I'm no longer going to be a writer. I am a writer.


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The Investor's View: Is The App Boom Over?
You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
Lately, in the entrepreneurial and tech-centric media, there's been some discussion on whether the app boom days are over, especially in light of the ever-climbing CAC costs reported by tech startups. We asked investors based in the Middle East, from angels to VCs, to talk back and give us their views on whether startups in the app space still have a chance to make it (and get looked at seriously for capital).
THE Q What is your opinion on the idea that the app boom has already gone through a life and death cycle, and that it's now an overly optimistic (and unlikely) area for entrepreneurs to succeed in?
"It has not gone through a life and death cycle. The market is closer to maturity than it was in the past few years, but there will always be room for innovation in apps, albeit in a more crowded market with exponentially decreased barriers to entry. Mary Meeker's 2012 Internet Trends report gave a huge boost in the credibility of mobile app investment, and I would say the investment frenzy spurred by that report is nearing a close with more informed investors reducing allocation in that direction. On the upside, investors now have more user data for apps and can isolate apps that have higher chances of success and thus allocate funds more wisely."
Related: What Investors Look For When Evaluating Your Pitch: Chantalle Dumonceaux


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Anxiety treatment
Anxiety is among the most common, most treatable mental disorders. Currently, effective therapies for anxiety disorders are available to help treat anxiety problems. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, 90 percent of people with emotional illnesses will improve or recover if they receive treatment. With proper treatment, many people experiencing anxiety disorders can lead normal, fulfilling lives.
Frequently, anxiety disorders are complex and difficult to treat because they are accompanied by depression, substance abuse and suicidal thoughts. But when the anxiety disorder is effectively dealt with, drug abuse and secondary depression will also usually decline.
In general, anxiety disorders are treated with medication, specific types of psychotherapy, or both. Treatment choices for anxiety will depend on the cause and type of problem to address as well as personal preference. Sometimes people try several different treatments or combinations of treatment before they find method(s) that works for them.
Medication will not cure anxiety disorders, but drugs can help manage anxiety while the person receives psychotherapy. Medication must be prescribed by physicians, usually psychiatrists, who can either offer psychotherapy themselves or work as a team with psychologists, social workers, or counselors. The principal medications used for anxiety disorders include:
Psychotherapy involves talking with a trained mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or counselor, to discover the cause of an anxiety disorder and to learn how to deal with its symptoms. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is particularly useful in treating anxiety disorders. This therapy model helps people change both the thinking patterns that support irrational fears and the reaction to anxiety-provoking situations. Learning relaxation techniques and biofeedback can also help treat anxiety.
Alternative therapies
Stress management techniques and meditation can help people with anxiety disorders calm themselves and may enhance the effects of therapy. There also is preliminary evidence that aerobic exercise may have a calming effect for those suffering from anxiety. Avoiding caffeine, illicit drugs, and even some over-the-counter cold medications can help prevent aggravation of the symptoms of anxiety disorders.
Many people with anxiety disorders benefit from joining a self-help or support group and sharing their problems and achievements with others. Talking with a trusted friend or member of the clergy can also provide support, but is not a substitute for care from a mental health professional. The family is also a very important in the recovery process for a person diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Ideally, the family should be supportive but not help perpetuate their loved one's symptoms.
Once you find a mental health professional you trust, you will work as a team to treat your anxiety disorder together. If you do not feel comfortable talking with the psychologist or psychiatrist you choose, you should seek help elsewhere. Research is uncovering new treatments that can help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive, fulfilling lives. By learning more about how the brain creates fear and anxiety, scientists may be able to devise better treatments for anxiety disorders.


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Power forward Julius Randle made a strong impression Friday night, helping the No. 8-seeded Kentucky Wildcats get past the No. 4-seeded Louisville Cardinals to advance to the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight.
Along with forward Aaron Gordon of top-seeded Arizona, Randle is one of two top NBA draft prospects to advance deep into the tournament.
Scoring 15 points with 12 rebounds, Randle made a number of key plays to help Kentucky survive Louisville, including his lone assist that led to an Aaron Harrison three-pointer to give the Wildcats a 70-68 lead with 40 seconds left.
Randle also sank a pair of free throws with 13 seconds on the clock, to push Kentucky up by three -- the Wildcats ultimately winning, 74-69.
The 6-foot-9, 19-year-old Randle could go the top five in June's NBA draft.
Other prospects, including Kansas' Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid, Duke's Jabari Parker, Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart and Creighton's Doug McDermott, have already been eliminated.
Randle's teammate Willie Cauley-Stein left in the first half with an ankle injury. His status was unclear. The center, assuming he didn't suffer anything serious on Friday, could also be a lottery pick (top 14) in June.
Kentucky swingman James Young, projected to be a first-round pick, struggled with foul trouble against Louisville, fouling out after scoring nine points in 22 minutes.
Louisville's Montrezl Harrell, possibly a top-20 pick, also fouled out after scoring 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds.
Gordon will lead Arizona against second-seeded Wisconsin in the West Regional final in Anaheim on Saturday. Kentucky draws second-seeded Michigan in the Midwest Regional final in Indianapolis on Sunday.
Email Eric Pincus at firstname.lastname@example.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.


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The Mt. Baker Housing funding model leverages public and private money with real estate expertise to create affordable homes in an efficient, cost-effective manner. Mt. Baker Housing partners become catalysts for change in southeast Seattle through the preservation and development of affordable housing.
For more information or to learn about opportunities to partner with Mt. Baker Housing, contact us.


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ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears Hockey Team is proud to announce that they have welcomed a new partner to their sponsorship family, The Original Protein Shot™, www.theproteinshot.com. On five different games throughout the season (Dec. 8, 2013, Jan. 2, 2014, Feb. 11, 2014, March 26, 2014, andApril 10, 2014) fans will be able to exchange proof of purchase of four (4) bottles of the The Original Protein Shot™ purchased at Walgreens for two complementary Solar Bears tickets (while supplies last). For details visit orlandosolarbearshockey.com/
"We are pleased to welcome The Original Protein Shot to the Solar Bears family of partners and we are excited to have them team up with Walgreens to offer our fans this promotional opportunity," said Jason Siegel, Solar Bears Managing Partner and CEO/President.
"We are proud to be a sponsor of the Solar Bears and look forward to working with them and their fans to support the team and raise awareness through their great brand for our unique protein product and delivery system," said Pro Balance EVP Doug Stuart. About The Original Protein Shot™ and Pro Balance, Inc.
It is widely known that most people don't get enough protein in their diets to promote lean muscle growth, fat loss and to be properly energized for their active lifestyles. But that's about to change with today's announcement of the availability of The Original Protein Shot™, www.theproteinshot.com,which just made its debut at the southern Women's Show in the Walgreens exhibitor Pavilion. Formulated by nutrition leader Pro Balance, Inc., with more than 20 years in the fitness, health and nutritional supplements sectors, The Original Protein Shot™ is a superior way to get the most, and most easily metabolized, protein in a great tasting, convenient, nutritionally packed 3oz. package. The Original Protein Shot™ is loaded with 28 grams of specially formulated hydrolyzed protein using the proprietary HydroMaxx™ protein blend created by Pro Balance, Inc. The HydroMaxx™ blend requires the use of the highest grade of pharmaceutical protein providing for 100 percent protein absorption meaning more protein is delivered to the body more efficiently. The result is The Original Protein Shot™ delivers the highest concentration of easily metabolized protein of any product on the market, a full 200 percent more than protein category leader Muscle Milk. It also means that with only 10 ingredients The Original Protein Shot™ delivers more of the top-grade amino acids and nutrients the active body needs for growth and recovery versus the competition who uses 48 natural and artificial flavors. Combined with its unique protein delivery system, The Original Protein Shot™ boasts a composition that's better than virtually every other protein supplement and protein powder available. It is lower in calories, carbs and sodium than the competition. It is also Gluten, lactose and caffeine free. For those who want additional energy, there's a version with natural caffeine added and The Original Protein Shot's™ 4 flavors, Tropical Mango, Wild Berry, Berry Frost and Strawberry Banana, are all natural. Each shot is expected to sell at a suggest retail price of $2.99 per bottle.
"We have taken years and gone to great lengths to perfect the protein and the way it is delivered in The Original Protein Shot™," said CEO Tom Carlin of parent Pro Balance, Inc. "We know we're creating an entirely new category of protein products that consumers who want to be healthier and more fit will be attracted to."
"The response to The Original Protein Shot™ at the Southern Women's Show was outstanding and so is consumer response as we bring the product to market. Retailers should be excited about this category-creating product because the margins are strong and it's easy to carry and display," said John Carlin, Pro Balance, Inc. COO.
The Original Protein Shot™ is already available in close to 35,000 leading retail outlets such as Walgreens and Duane Reade and availability continues to expand rapidly. For more information contact the Pro Balance, Inc. headquarters at 727-531-8506 and visit the web site at www.theproteinshot.com. For samples, press, news information and product photography, please contact Shep Doniger at 561-637-5750 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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It's not like I should be surprised by dinner. It does, after all, occur every day. But some days it sort of sneaks up on me. I will be doing what I do and all of a sudden it's six, or seven, or eight o'clock at night and I have to consider some sort of meal.
Meals have been difficult lately. Not in the sense that…no, scratch that. They've been difficult in every sense. I have very little appetite, so nothing sounds appealing. I am too tired (and often depressed) to put together a full meal that actually looks like a meal. Some meals lately have been bizarre mish-mashes of what I've got in the snack box. And, of course, my eating disorder is screaming at me that a meal is completely unnecessary, why not just a nice salad (hold the dressing and everything else) or a piece of fruit?
I haven't updated in weeks, mainly because there's nothing to say. I haven't even really been trying to recover for the past two weeks. I've just been coasting. Oh, not really hungry and don't want to eat that snack? Eh. Why bother fighting it, just go with the eating disorder.
Furthermore, when I do think of things to post, I quickly reconsider when I take into account my readership. I don't want to be triggering to anyone, so hearing about how I'm engaging in x or y behaviour or have lost z pounds is not helpful to any of us. It triggers those who are vulnerable, and it allows me to bitch and whine without actually doing anything about it. It allows it to appear as if I'm concerned about these behaviours when, in fact, if I were actually concerned, I'd be doing something about it.
Treatment is always a possibility. One of my friends was shocked to hear that my therapist didn't insist on sending me to residential again after another week of weight loss. My dietitian said I need to start fighting or I'll be back at CFC in the near future.
Let's be clear: I like treatment. It's easy. I thrive there (well, after a few stays on Caution, anyway). I don't have to deal with real life. And while I'm dealing with tough stuff in therapy, my therapist in Utah never pushed me the way my therapist at home does.
My therapist here at home is also very good at reminding me the role God has to play if I ever expect to be fully recovered. Do I believe that a full recovery is possible without God? Sure. But at my core, I am a spiritual being and I am desperate for Jesus and trying to ignore that while recovering from my eating disorder is a joke. I feel like shit and hate myself and hate walking through shame and I've got the cushiest landing anybody could ever ask for in Christ and I ignore it. I refuse to talk to Him about it, refuse to take Him up on His offer to walk with me and comfort me.
What kind of idiot must I be?
But that kind of self-defeating thought isn't helpful either.
My therapist held a mirror up to me this week (not literally — God let us never do that sort of body work please!) and basically repeated back all the bullshit I've been telling her for a month. That I'm fine. That my eating disorder is not that bad. That my set point is huge and fat. That it is totally okay to keep losing weight. That I don't need to work on my recovery, I just need to work on those parts of my life that I'm unhappy with. Hearing her say all that, play devil's advocate, pissed me off, quite frankly. And when I told her how frustrated I was, she intimated just how frustrated and angry she was.
All this to say, I'm fighting again. I'm sitting on my ass instead of going to the gym. I'm drinking a supplement (sometimes two) every day. I'm cooking food and eating it, even though sometimes it feels like I'm choking as I try to get it down.
And I'm wrestling it out with God. Telling Him how pissed I am. Telling Him how much I need Him. Coming to Him broken and hurting and hoping He'll show up.


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I have returned from my Blog Interruptus with a tale of autumn adventures on the island of Crete, along with a recipe for all those tomatoes in the pantry. Enjoy!
In my travels about Greece, I have been to Crete twice. The first time I touched foot on the legendary isle of King Minos, I spent a day there as one leg of an Aegean culture cruise; we visited Knossos and the Herakleion Museum. I was so inspired by my visit to the former that I was left with a burning desire to return someday and see more of that famous isle. As I sailed away that first time from the Cretan shoreline, I half-expected Talos to appear along the coast to see me off...
Years later, I landed on Cretan soil again. This time, I spent a couple months exploring the island by foot, motorbike, and boat. It would not be an exaggeration to say that my sojourn there had the character of a sacred pilgrimage, or perhaps it was something akin to an initiatory walkabout or rite of passage. In every way that mattered, I was committed to seeing Crete's wild places and exploring her backcountry, and to learning about her people and their folkways. In short, I was intent on immersing myself into the geist of the place. Yes, my purpose was to commune with the very spirit of Crete herself. With that in mind, I threw myself upon the tender mercies of the Fates.
I arrived in Herakleion in mid-September and stayed on Crete till mid-November. The weather was generally good, the tourist season was over, and the seas were at their warmest having been heated by the sun all summer long. During my visit, I camped on shorelines, slept in hostels and hotels, was a guest in private homes, and once, I even spent a frigid night in a desolate shepherd's redoubt on the upper slopes of Mount Ida (Psiloritis). Suffice it to say, I gained an intimate knowledge of Cretan topography; from the island's northern shoreline to its southern beaches and meandering coastlines, I immersed myself in the landscape. I traversed Crete's mountainous backbone on foot, starting from the mythical Idaeon Andron and the Nidha Plateau, and ending up in the great Messara Plain on her southern flank.
This course brought me into contact with Crete's people and history in a manner that few tourists get to experience anymore. Best of all, I kept a careful journal of my Cretan travels which allows me to relive most aspects of that trip. I am grateful for the experiences themselves, as well as the opportunity to share them with others.
Interestingly enough, I was aided in my efforts to discover the Cretan way of life by an Englishman and his half-Greek wife. If Steve, or Tina Pryor, ever read these words, I want them to know that our meeting remains an inspirational highlight of my life. I thank them for introducing me to Crete, and to their little village of Axos, which lies in the afternoon shadow of Mount Ida (Psilotiris). The two of them welcomed and shepherded me into the bosom of that most ancient land. I shall never forget their generosity.
Crete is a universe unto itself. From her bustling port cities on the northern shore, to the timeless isolation of hamlets in out of the way inlets along her southern coast, there is something for everyone on Crete. In a popular Greek song, Nikos Xilouris refers to Crete as "the key to Paradise", and I am convinced that he was correct. Which brings me to another salient point.
The Cretans are natural poets. To this day, they maintain a wonderful facility with a syntactical arrangement that forms the basis of Greek folk poetry and verse: decapentesyllabic (fifteen syllable) rhyming couplets. Try saying that ten times fast! In any given situation, a Cretan is able and quite willing to produce a ditty-on-the-spot, if you will. At such moments, they will be able to cleverly rhyme off something playfully erotic or satirical. These couplets are called mantinades and they are usually accompanied by the plaintive strains of the Cretan lyra. It really is marvellous to observe, most especially after a few glasses of tsikoudia, a grape marc spirit (Cretan 'moonshine').
Along with all her physical beauty, her mythology, history, poetry and music, Crete offers one more bounty for restless spirits: the Cretan diet. Much has been said or written about the cuisine of Crete and I will not exhaust the topic in this post. Suffice it to say, the Cretan diet in all its simplicity and salubrity is the original inspiration for what is today known as the "Mediterranean" diet.
As we are blessed with a surfeit of tomatoes from this year's kitchen garden, I have been using them up as quickly as possible. One of my favourite ways to enjoy an unconventional tomato salad is the Cretan Dakos, or as it is also called, Koukouvayia (Owl), pronounced as "koo-koo-VAH-yee-ah". My understanding is that it takes this name from its resemblance to the eye of an owl when viewed from above. This owl-eye effect is even more pronounced when two Dakos are placed side by side on a plate.
Cretan barley rusks
Fresh tomatoes, diced
Real Greek Feta cheese, crumbled
Greek extra virgin olive oil (try Kolympari, an excellent Cretan olive oil)
Fresh mint. finely chopped
Dried Greek oregano
Red wine (optional)
- Soak the Cretan barley rusk slightly w/water or a splash or two of red wine and set aside for a couple minutes.
- Drizzle the rusk with olive oil and let it sit for another couple minutes until the oil is absorbed, then drizzle another tablespoon or so over top of it.
- Combine the diced tomato with the chopped mint and top the rusk with the mixture, then add the crumbled feta cheese, a pinch of oregano, and another touch of olive oil.
- Finish by placing an olive on top of it all.
Pánta Kalá! (Always Be Well)
Sam Sotiropoulos
Greek Gourmand™
Greek Food Recipes and Reflections
Copyright © 2008, Sam Sotiropoulos. All Rights Reserved.


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When you have out of date pulses and odd bits of pasta threatening to take over your kitchen, there's only really one option. Break out the PVA and let the children loose. So I present to you, Mark's take on a lifeboat.
What do you mean you didn't know what it was?!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
RNLI Italiano
Posted by Ali at 1:14 pm 6 comments: Links to this post
Labels: family stuff, making stuff
Monday, February 26, 2007
Thanks for all the cat cupcake love. The photo of them got featured on the Flickr 'explore interestingness' page. Is it sad to be so excited?! Even if it is, I am.
The other thing that has got me all excited is planning a trip to the County Living Spring Fair. Samantha of Plump Pudding fame is going to be exhibiting - I'm looking forward to saying hello in the flesh. Anyone else likely to be visiting on Sunday 18th?
Posted by Ali at 6:00 pm 8 comments: Links to this post
Labels: everyday stuff
Sunday, February 25, 2007
The week that was
Busy busy, so busy that I haven't yet had a chance to settle down and enjoy an unexpected treat from Caroline.
Or a lovely surprise Valentines package from Amy. Although I did manage to find time to eat the chocolates which she thoughtfully included - funny that.
Party preparations were in full swing. Making 'litlit lellow cats' for Johnny to go on his cupcakes cake for his party.
Or a lovely surprise Valentines package from Amy. Although I did manage to find time to eat the chocolates which she thoughtfully included - funny that.
Party preparations were in full swing. Making 'litlit lellow cats' for Johnny to go on his cupcakes cake for his party.
The birthday party was perfect for him - low key, not too much fuss, a select few chums. He is a child who fully embraces the simple pleasures. Long may it last.
Posted by Ali at 11:43 am 11 comments: Links to this post
Labels: family stuff, postman stuff, yummy stuff
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Miniswap, maximum joy
Thanks for all Johnny's birthday good wishes - it was so sweet of you to comment. He sends you all a large slice of virtual cake (it comes in egg, dairy and gluten free varieties too).
Actually thanking is high on my list of to-dos today, because we received an incredibly thoughtful miniswap 2 swap package. Our partners were Louise's beautiful girls, Chloe and Lucinda (even their names are lovely) in Melbourne.
Look - chefs outfits! And the most amazing assortment of goodies which I haven't managed to round up and photograph - yummies, cookie cutters, badges, buttons, road signs, stickers, books and maps, stationary and my own personal favourite, a stuffed wombat.
He has been christened (somewhat unimaginatively) Wombie and has set up home next to a radiator because the boys know it's chillier here than in Australia. Mark is also fascinated by the idea of time difference and it tickles him that Chloe and Lucinda are getting ready for bed as he's getting up to start the day.
I love these child centred swaps - seeing the boys trying to figure out the logic of how someone, often in another country, who they have never met, cares enough to send them wonderful treats which amazingly co-incide with their current passions. That's blog-magic children.
Now, please will you join me in yelling "Louise, hurry up and get a blog!". She's procrastinating, but take a look at the wonderful things she makes over at Flickr. I view it as a personal crusade, to convert all non-blogging but wavering swap partners to the dark side. Right Tasha? Right Sarah? Could this make a perfect hat trick?
Posted by Ali at 9:41 pm 7 comments: Links to this post
Labels: postman stuff
Sunday, February 18, 2007
It's strange to think of Johnny so grown up so soon. I feel a little sad for all that we're moving away from. Chubby arms locked around my neck, little voice calling 'me neeeed roo mamma', the giggling and wiggling when I pretend to eat him up. It passes too quickly.
Happy Birthday baby boy. Some malteaser cake should cheer us all up - that and your party on Thursday.
Posted by Ali at 5:55 pm 25 comments: Links to this post
Labels: family stuff
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Valentines calamity
We tried to make a special something for Valentines Day. Shaved crayons, warm iron, eager children. If only someone had told me that waxed paper and greaseproof paper are NOT the same thing. We don't get waxed paper in the UK (correct me if I'm wrong brit-bloggers) and greaseproof paper does not work.
Posted by Ali at 12:44 pm 18 comments: Links to this post
Labels: family stuff, making stuff
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Frankly speaking
We've been away for a few days visiting my folks in Whitstable. It's a funny little seaside town - very old fashioned in certain respects but quite cutting edge in others, especially the boutique shopping. One of my favourite places was featured in Living Etc recently as 'shop of the week' and I have to agree.
I didn't know Frank had a website, so pop over and take a look at the lovely goodies. Quite how I managed to resist buying anything, I'll never know. Well, maybe it had something to do with Johnny simultaneously clinging limpet-like to my left leg and touching everything in sight. My boys just aren't built for shopping - it saves me a fortune.
Posted by Ali at 5:30 pm 8 comments: Links to this post
Labels: everyday stuff
Friday, February 09, 2007
Extreme baking
When Johnny got too chilly playing in the snow, I felt some cinnamon-y baking therapy was in order. The bread maker had a recipe for hot cross buns. Approximately seasonal - check, ingredients in the larder - check, assistant on board - not so sure.
The problem, you see, lay in the buns' name. He just didn't want them to be cross. Hot happy buns? Yes, those would do nicely. Although slightly demonic buns may be a slightly more appropriate description. He insisted on doing the faces, and re-shaping the buns. But they did love them, and I think 'hot happy buns' has a certain ring to it.....
Can't believe I posted that picture. My culinary credibility just dropped off the scale.
Posted by Ali at 10:05 pm 18 comments: Links to this post
Labels: yummy stuff
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Reasons to be cheerful...
There's been nothing crafty going on around here recently. I used up some child-free brownie points by escaping on Saturday to meet up with Monica and Caroline.
I could spend a week with those guys and it would feel like five minutes. And they came bearing gifts, as if time spent with them wasn't enough! A goodie bag from Caroline:
and a hard-to-find magazine and heart shaped pastry tin from Monica - dreaming of Valentines treats to bake in that one!
And as if that wasn't enough, I won a little give away over at paper and string recently and the sweetest, most gorgeously wrapped parcel arrived today.
Bloglife is so much nicer than real life sometimes.
Posted by Ali at 1:27 pm 6 comments: Links to this post
Labels: everyday stuff, postman stuff
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Despite the 5,000 mile distance between the California coastline and Japan, our coastal community was affected by the March 2011 tsunami (and subsequent disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power facility.)
Between debris that washed up on the U.S. Western coastlines — and our worries of radiation contaminated items reaching our shores — to the bathtub effect that caused millions of dollars of damage to boats and property at the Santa Cruz harbor, the disaster originating thousands of miles away directly impacted us. It was another reminder of how small our world really is, and our interconnectedness …
My post 2 years ago (Is Monterey County ready for a Tsunami) listed Monterey County – along with the California counties of San Francisco, San Mateo and Orange as TsunamiReady™ — under a program administered by the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS).
The California counties designated as TsunamiReady™ met NWS criteria, including developing a safety plan, setting up alert systems and promoting tsunami safety through public outreach.
The addition of the counties of Marin, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara and San Diego means there are now 8 counties listed as TsunamiReady™ in California.
The state of California is divided into 58 counties. The California coast covers 840 miles (1,350 km), and 15 of California's 58 counties directly face the Pacific Ocean. These counties are:
- Del Norte County
- Humboldt County
- Los Angeles County
- Marin County
- Mendocino County
- Monterey County
- Orange County
- San Diego County
- San Francisco County
- San Luis Obispo County
- San Mateo County
- Santa Barbara County
- Santa Cruz County
- Sonoma County
- Ventura County
Counties in bold are listed as TsunamiReady™. We will follow-up again next year to see if all of California's coastal counties receive the TsunamiReady™ designation.
Do you live in one of California's coastal communities? With this month marking the 3rd anniversary of the Japanese tsunami disaster, do you know — or care — if your community has a TsunamiReady™ designation?
Related LolaKo.com posts:
- Tsunami's behavior: Waves grew in Monterey Bay due to bathtub effect
- Is Monterey County, California ready for a tsunami?
- Japan tsunami – 5,000 miles later


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Product ID Number: uk2830
Product Features
XCM 360 HDMI Cable
Easy connection; simplifies sound and picture connection procedures into a Turn Key solution, plug and play.
Can change the analog signal into digital signal input, effectively decreasing signal loss rate,upgrade the picture quality and the hardware performance.
Auto identify the console signal, no need for manual setting
Built in optical and analog sound output, adaptable to various multimedia devices.
High quality cable materials used. Uses golden plate plugs for superior contact, guaranteed picture quality and stability.
Does not require external electrical power supply
Suitable for the old Xbox 360 models (without HDMI port)
What's in the box
1 x XCM 360 HDMI Cable


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Toolsdiamond.com - Diamond Tools B2B marketplace
Website: http://www.toolsdiamond.com
ToolsDiamond.com is the most professional B2B website of diamond tools, Diamond tools B2B marketplace. find quality diamond tools manufacturers, suppliers, exporters, importers, buyers, wholesalers, products and trade leads from ToolsDiamond.com.
Related Category:
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Trade leads
About Toolsdiamond.com - Diamond Tools B2B marketplace's recommend,only on behalf of the views and opinions about B2B Directory, if you have any suggestions , please feel free to contact with us, we will amend and correct them in the first time according your suggestions. More better B2B Websites recomend, Please click here.
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Hi I'm 25 I've been taking solpadeine since I started getting bad headakes at 15 (so 10 years)
I've found they are the only thing that helps! I've been prescribed over medications for migraines but they always make me very ill and I throw them up!
I've been getting symptoms of always being tired and restless even with lots of sleep and rest, wavy lines on my vision constantly, feeling sick, nausea, constant urination and pain and becoming depressed and exhausted with it all!
I wanted to know if other people where having these symptoms and if anyone has been able to give them up? I managed to come off them once for 2 weeks but my headakes got to much again and I started them off again, and continue taking them.
What do people with similar problems recommend? Thanks in advance.
Hi I'm 25 I've been taking solpadeine since I started getting bad headakes at 15 (so 10 years)
Hi SL,
Hope you're doing ok. I noticed your post didn't have any replies on it, so thought I'd check to see how you're getting on with Solpadeine.
Your story sounds a lot like mine. I started taking 'fizzies' for really bad migraines, and they felt like a miracle, finally something to take the pain away! I have short periods of not taking them, but always ended up back on them when the headaches just got too much.
Regarding your symptoms: tiredness, nausea, restlessness and urination can all be from Solpadeine. I've had those symptoms too. The caffeine and opiates cause a lot of the frequent urination and restlessness followed by exhaustion. I mean, our brains are constantly going up and down when we take them regularly, so it makes sense that we go from restless to tired and depressed…and back again!. Opiates are renowned for causing nausea too.
All those symptoms are our bodies way of trying to tell us it's had enough. This stuff is really hard on the liver, and the brain chemistry too. Paracetamol is really harsh on the system and along with the nature of codeine, which basically mimics endorphins in our body, means we keep going from high to low and never really have a natural balance.
I've been working pretty hard on giving them up, and so far the following has (kind of) worked for me:
Buying smaller packets of Solpadeine.
Putting them somewhere hard for me to get to, so I have more time to think before I reach for them, like climbing two flights of stairs, or having to take them out from a stack of boxes etc. This has worked a few times for me, where I have stopped and asked myself 'Is your headache really that bad? Try drinking some water'
One thing I try ( and it's a bit cringey) is to write notes to myself, and leave them around, and next to the 'fizzies' so when I reach for one, I read the note first. I write all kinds of things like 'You're stronger than this, you don't need this etc) whatever works for you personally.
One last thing I have been trying lately is self hypnosis. Just random videos on Youtube for getting rid of headaches, giving up 'vices', finding more self control etc. I had a REALLY bad migraine two days ago, and I was crying with the pain, but couldn't take any Solpadeine (Meds I was on wouldn't allow the mix) so I listened to a hypnosis recording for getting rid of headaches, and surprisingly, it relaxed me enough that the pain faded and after listening to it a second time, my migraine went down to like 10% and I drifted into a deep sleep.
Not sure if any of this helps at all!


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News & Events
Alliance Community Hospital Auxiliary to Sponsor Jewelry Sale
February 7, 2007
Just in time for Valentine's Day, the Alliance Community Hospital Auxiliary will be sponsoring a jewelry sale Monday.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
The sale will go "around the clock,†beginning at 7 a.m. and will conclude on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Featured items include a large selection of gold and silver watches, necklaces, bracelets, charms, earrings, rings, plus much more– all sold at $5 per piece.
The sale is open to the public and will be held at the hospital in conference room 1-A, located off of the Café on the first floor of the building.
For more information, contact the Volunteer Services Department at 330-596-7821 or 330-596-7822.


text:
Janelle Martin
for Eclectic Closet Knitting Designs 2014
29 Fossetta Cowl
Wrap your neck is cushiony warmth! The dimpled fabric of the cowl, combined with the insulating properties of the camel and yak fibers used in the samples, ensure you will stay toasty warm during even the coldest of days.
Although the look of this stitch pattern is quite different on each side, both the "right side" and the "wrong side" are very attractive. In the photo of the blue cowl worn with the matching hat, the reverse side of the fabric is shown.
P.S. Fossetta means "dimple" in Italian.
Pattern for the hat is available at
Fossetta Hat
Both hat and cowl patterns are available as an e-book at
Fossetta Collection
- In Mondegreen by Verdant Gryphon
- In Yak by Lang
Pattern Detail
- All lace patterns are charted
- schematics included
- no sewing
- all season
- no sewing, circular
- 54"/137.16 cm circumference by 8"/20.32 cm wide
- digital PDF has 5 pages (letter size)
- 4 x 4 in
- 5.5 mm
- 16.0 over pattern
For support questions, please email email@example.com instead for faster response.
New Review:
New reviews will be available soon.


text:
Function Analysis Systems Technique
A communication technique for accelerating
common understanding by multi-functional teams.
Function Analysis challenges the assumptions most people make about how a product or service satisfies a need. Asking How and Why a function accomplishes the need. Only then can you begin to understand what is necessary to accomplish the function.
Function is the intent or purpose that the product, process or service is expected to perform in its normal state. Function is the end result desired by the customer. It is what the customer pays for!
(Described using an active verb and a measurable noun).
Activity is the approach taken to achieve that function. Many times describing the "hardware" - open value, file paper, audit receivables


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Category: International Makeup
October 23, 2013
Skincare – Review – Melvita Nectar de Roses Hydratant
Melvita Nectar de Roses hydratant - travel size (online UK site & shipping to US) Since 1983, Melvita has been a French beauty brand that specializes in organic skincare and they sell couple types of organic food products such as honey ...
- face | facial moisturizer | french | international | lotion | melvita | nectar de roses | roses | skincare | travel size
- Leave a comment
May 10, 2012
I love the Post! – Australian Makeup Swap
This is my oh so wonderful swap package from the lovely blogger Michelle from www.eatpaintsniff.glue.com. As a beauty blogger, I love trying new things but what I love more is trying things I can't buy in the States. Yes it's quite the ...
- australian makeup | Australian swap | australis | Australis Lipstick Flamenco | Australis Paparazzi Perfect Blusher in Screen Screen | Australis Paparazzi Perfect Eyeshadow Quad Snap Attack | bourjois | Bourjois Blush Lilas D'oro | Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation Serum | bys | BYS animal instricts eyeshadow | BYS blush coral | eyeshadow quads | face of australia | Face of Australia 3 in 1 Primer | Face of Australia Lip Quench in Lychee Crush | international makeup swap | makeup swap
- 1 Comment
March 5, 2012
UK Cosmetics – Sleek Makeup! Haul
Today I'm bringing to you some lovely presents I got from my boyfriend after his visit to England. I was really thrilled as Sleek Cosmetics and Makeup Academy (MUA) are really hard to come by! * I love Kinder Surprises! ...


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Dentures are removable replacements for missing teeth and adjacent tissues. A denture improves chewing ability and provides support for facial muscles. It will greatly enhance the facial appearance and smile. It is made of acrylic resin, sometimes in combination with various metals. Complete dentures replace all the teeth, while a partial denture fills in the spaces created by missing teeth and prevents other teeth from changing position. Complete dentures are either "conventional" or "immediate." An immediate denture is placed as soon as the teeth are removed. The drawback with an immediate denture is that it may require more adjustments after the healing has taken place. A conventional denture is placed in the mouth about six months after all the teeth are removed to allow for proper healing.
The denture process takes about one month and five appointments: the initial diagnosis is made; an impression and a wax bite are made to determine vertical dimensions and a proper jaw position; a "tryin" is place to assure proper color, shape and fit; and the patient's final denture is placed, following any minor adjustments.
Layton Hills Dental believes and teaches that we should keep one eye on the customer/patient and one eye on cost. We want to provide maximum value for our dental services. Our goal is to build a long-term relationship between our staff and patients and provide high quality, consumer friendly dental services for the entire family. Contact us today for dentures at (801) 543-2273.


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The map below shows our general service area. We cover all of Newmarket, Aurora and Sharon. The south end of Holland Landing, and the north end of Oak Ridges. However, please feel free to contact us if you are outside the boundaries. It is possible that we will be able to fit you into our schedule. An additional surcharge may apply
(Mount Albert Road, Woodbine, King Side Road , Bathurst.)


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Modern Italian 4-Door Glass Vitrine Rex by LC Mobili
Made in Italy by LC Mobili
Rex by LC Mobili is a new ultra-modern Italian dining and living room furniture line. Rex is a modular line, providing almost limitless opportunities of organizing your home interior. Individual units withing Rex collection can be combined, creating sideboards, buffets, glass vitrines, curios and TV Stands according your space and storage requirements. All the units are available in either White or Anthracite Matt colors and can stand on plinth or lacquered metal legs.
The Rex glass vitrine, shown in the main picture, features 4 front glass doors, providing abundance of exposed storage space. The interior is organized with glass shelves making the curio super spacious and functional, so you have lots of space for displaying your collectibles and glassware. Being modular, you can order two more doors (wooden or glass) or a set of 2 or 4 drawers, customizing this display cabinet according to your specific needs. It is available either on plinth base or legs.
Click here to browse the entire collection of Rex storage cabinets and pick one you like!
OR Contact Us to get necessary help with customization of any unit within Rex collection.
The starting price is for the 4-Door Glass Vitrine Rex on legs. Lights are not included in the price and are sold separately.
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Brooklyn, NY 11223.
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Personal Effectiveness Program to UPGRADE your CAREER, BUSINESS SALES
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I hope you are in good health and Happiness in this festive time.
You upgrade your computer software, what about upgrading self?
The future belongs to the Leaders whose actions are built on emotional intelligence (EQ) with core values. Conventional tools based on rationality only are ill suited to meet current challenges.
Root cause of all problems in this world is mind. Toxic mind is causing turmoil in the family, organisation, society, country, community and in yourself. If you want to conquer the world first you have to conquer yourself. We are seeing the problem outside and searching the solution also outside; therefore spending all the energy and resources to control outside than own self. We are reducing our horizon and creating enemy all around. At the end we are living in fear and trying to guard our self against self.
Cleaning our body and mind is very important to lead a balanced, happy and successful life. A person's success is determined by the state of one's mind. If there is dirt in your room, what you do? You must be cleaning the room and throw away the rubbish. If there is dirt on your body, what you do? You must be going for a shower. But if there is a dirt in your mind, how do you clean?
While you are at the workplace, especially as a sales professional, you may get lots of rejection. Sometime these objections and rejections depress you and stop you to act again with the same positive mental attitude; as our mind reminds us of the bad experiences rather than the good experiences. Therefore you need to clean your mind on a regular basis to remain positive and enthusiastic; so that you can perform at your workplace with greater effectiveness.
We invite you to attend a Free Personal Effectiveness Program to Upgrade CAREER, BUSINESS, SALES and Leadership Skills
We can have great ideas but they are no good to our organisation and our career, if we can't express them clearly, confidently and persuasively.
Public speaking is a common source of stress for everyone, but the best way to develop oneself.
To enhance your public speaking & presentation skills we have created a right environment & platform for this special purpose to practice again & again till it becomes a satisfying experience for you.
We will be grateful to you if you can nominate yourself and invite your professionals friends


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Goal setting is an annual exercise as we try to whip our home and other fiscal assets into better shape. And so we crunch numbers and try to tone up our financial abs.
But like a new diet or workout resolutions, goal-setting efforts can be exercises in futility. That's because improper or poorly planned budgets can leave us feeling winded and strained. So I've spent some time trying to think about the shortfalls and possible solutions.
Here are my lists of pitfalls:
• Failure to look back. We need to check in before pushing forward. How much was saved last year? Where did the money go? How did we waste money? What speed bumps and roadblocks appeared in the past 12 months? What home expenses are likely to appear in the future?
• Ignoring weaknesses. I hate doing sit-ups, I'm scared of free weights and I detest push-ups. But if I want a jiggle-free body, those exercises must be included in the fitness program. Likewise, financially I need to accurately assess spending weaknesses and find a plan that will address those sore spots.
• Unrealistic targets. Why train for a marathon when it's hard to run a mile? A good fitness program begins with baby steps. We should use that same philosophy with fiscal goals and aim for modest, but doable savings targets. Otherwise, financial resolutions can crumble under the weight of trying to do too much too soon.
• Comparison tests. I have wasted time and energy by watching the training progress of others. Comparisons are draining exercises that throw me off track and lower the resources in my personal account. I have to learn to track my own numbers.
That pace is enough to keep me busy for the next 12 months.
Here's how to buy my new book:


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Lava Tubes of Snow Canyon
These deep, cramped holes in the surrounding lava fields are difficult to enter, to exit and are extremely dark. Be warned. Follow the safety rules to be sure you survive the encounter with a minimum of scratches and bruises. Snow Canyon is a state park located in St. George Utah, with extensive lava fields and […]Read More →


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Gwen Stefani: Gavin Rossdale Is An Amazing Cook!
Gwen Stefani and husband Gavin Rossdale head to a Japanese restaurant with their two sons, Kingston and Zuma, on Friday (December 16) in Studio City, Calif.
Before grabbing lunch, the 42-year-old No Doubt rocker and fashion designer picked up Kingston from school.
"I'm conscious of what I eat, but some days I cave and have cookies. On fun nights with the family, my husband cooks amazing things and there will be carbs," Gwen told the November issue of InStyle.
10+ pictures inside of Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, and their boys going to lunch…


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The summer of S.I. (Social Intelligence)
Awareness is delicate. Information constantly floods our sensory systems, even as we sleep. To over-indulge in awareness is to drown in a myriad of emotions, thoughts, and circumstances; but to ignore one's awareness is to live a life of numbness and empty occurrences.
Wrapped in sensitivity, awareness is a foundational cog of Social Intelligence (let's call it S.I.), which I learned about through Robert Greene's bestseller, Mastery. By Greene's definition, social intelligence is seeing people and situations for what they truly are, challenging us to remain objective and to think outside of our own circumstances. Those with social intelligence can navigate their environment in the most realistic light possible.
They will also get into fewer arguments, suffer fewer hours of peevish distress, and generally feel better about themselves. This magic happens because S.I. allows you to understand where the other person is coming from – so their lack of a hello when they passed you isn't so much about ignoring you or slighting you, but the fact that they were distracted by something worrying, as an example.
Social Intelligence operates under a host of principles and values, but patience, dedication and empathy ruled my summer with a malleable filter.
Fresh out of university, with a degree firmly in my clutches, this was the first summer that I'd face the world without a charted course, and it ended up being the summer that reintroduced me to self-awareness and its many associates. Unbridled from expectation or formula, and detached from everyone I'd associated with, I found my way to what the rest of my life could become.
With an eReader full of books for direction, I set about a learning curve to achieve the goals I set for myself.
1. Patience
This may sound cliché, but patience is indeed a virtue. Here I was, a newly minted intern at a cool company (Kobo), just trying to get a shoulder in the door after my foot. The conditions of the summer didn't make it easy. See, in Toronto, the summer is when young adults bask in all of their sun-powered glory. Every day is a competition, every night is a boast-- getting caught in this rush can sidetrack goals in a heartbeat.
Every day, I had to fight distractions: The lure of the patio, the beach, the great party at the cottage. After all, I'd just gotten my degree, I deserve to enjoy my time, right? Wrong. When it relates to patience, "deserve" doesn't exist. I had to accept there were certain moments I'd have to miss. To sharpen awareness, patience requires you to focus on yourself.
2. Dedication
Dedication requires a single-minded focus, a bird's eye view of your life's task, and not letting life's fast pace speed up your process up to its detriment.
Dedication is only challenged by distraction, and existing in the social media era exposes us to a mirage over human life. Here, everyone is happy, everyone is their best self. So, every time we open an app, there is a three-pronged reminder: the life I want to live, the life I could be living, and the life I should be living.
Social status quo, financial obligations, family matters can all serve as distractions in our daily lives, while discipline disappears.
While my friends and the rest of the city burned with summer's supremacy, I remained in a time chamber, exploring my learning curve.
3. Empathy
Empathy, or better yet, emotional intelligence, is understanding what makes others tick, their motivations, and their perspectives. By learning to understand others, we come to a better understanding of ourselves.
Having empathy is the ultimate sign of self-awareness and social intelligence. Empathy rejects judgement and observes circumstances with objectivity. Without empathy, ego overruns our interactions with others. While I had spent most of the summer focused internally, empathy asked me to look out onto others and leave my ego out of it.
Awareness, ego, and social intelligence affect us all to different degrees. There is no typical path to take. There are only skills to be learned and principles to commit to, and although I have a ways to go, the books of my journey have guided me to a new, heightened understanding.
As you embark on your own personal journey of S.I., here are a few reads to get you started:
Mastery by Robert Greene
Ego is The Enemy by Ryan Holiday
The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
The Seat of The Soul by Gary Zuvkav
The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle


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She was in trouble as soon as I opened my bedroom door.
"Hi Daddy!" she exclaimed and opened her arms for a big hug.
I stood in brooding silence and watched her face drop as she read my expression. She looked up at me from the floor where she had been coloring.
I tightly held her wrists and said, "Babygirl, we need to talk." She tensed up as I pulled her into the next room, ignoring her attempts to brush her ass up against my cock in a vain attempt to distract me.
I pushed her down on the bed, beside her laptop.
"Log in."
She looked up at me instead, with a worried expression on her face. I slapped the expression away.
She quickly typed her password. I literally breathed down her neck and I could smell the fear on her.
Which her computer up, I opened My Documents –> My Pictures –> Summer Camp
And then I paused as she sat there utterly silent and still.
Below was a directory of various folders. Folders of her. Young and naked. With boys. And she
knew it.
I clicked on the first folder. "Derek". It was filled with candid photos of her and a teen boy with no chest hair whom I assume is named Derek. Photos of her bare legs wrapped around him. Photos of her having her first adventures at summer camp.
I flipped through the photos rapidly on Honeyview photoviewer so we could see each photo full size.
Then I opened another photo. Her on her cabin bunk. A younger her– spreading her her cunt in one…her ass in another.
The next album was her stripping in the woods with youthful
She sat there quietly…unmoving.
I opened another called 'Jake': she was naked on a dock. Tanned, a couple random mosquito bites showing. And her having a lot of fun exploring her new cell phone camera. Jake taking her ass on the dock, one she obviously took of him licking out her hairless pussy.
Next album was called 'Last Day of Camp' and she inside a cabin and she was surrounded by eager
boys with hard young cocks. This album showed her younger self in all manner of compromising position.
I paused on a photo of her on her knees, with a boy in pussy, a boy in her ass and another cock in her mouth. Even her hands were full. I just left the photo up…letting it seep in.
She could barely look at it and kept looking down at her lap — her eyes the only part of her that was moving at all.
"Was this your first airtight?" I asked.
She seemed thrown and confused by the question but eventually managed to choke out, "Air tight??"
"Air tight," I explained, "is when you have all your holes filled."
She just sat there, motionless. Embarrassed and blushing with shame.
I pulled her ponytail so her eyes met mine, "WAS it your first air tight?"
She looked like she was about to burst into tears. "No" she said as the tears welled up and her mouth bunched up like a cheerleader's scrunchie and she pulled away so she could look down: unable to hold my gaze.
The next album was her on her parents back porch, wearing a tight fitting white tank top and
engaging the both of neighbors boys cocks with her mouth.
"So this behavior wasn't just for summer camp?" I queried.
She simply, and slowly shook her head. More photos revealed her shoving fingers up her ass on the porch and later a boy licking her tight little hairless hole.
She softly spoke, "I'm so very sorry, Daddy…" I could barely hear her.
"Don't be."
She opened her mouth to question me, then shut it, still confused.
"You are a slut. You don't have to explain it or try to justify your actions to me. I know you love sex. You love to get fucked and have a good time. I admire you for it. Most girls are too ashamed to act on their true desires, but you are brave. You seize the moment and take all pleasures that life has to offer. And that…is why I like you. Don't you forget it. I am proud of you for being such a slut. More so that you have always been a slut too."
And with that, I leaned over and ripped her shirt in two, destroying it to reveal her lovely flat stomach
and pink, lacy bra. I kissed her hard and passionately while enjoying the feel of girly lace in the palm of my hands. I forced her back and down, till she was laying under my weight, pinning her in place.
"Most girls aren't sluts. But you're a nasty slut." I reached around back and snapped her bra open with my left hand in one fluid snap. "Mmmmmmmmmmm….My little girl is a nasty little whore," I whispered in her ear. I held her throat as a pulled her panties off, revealing her tiny little hairless pussy, and I noted that the back of my hand was moist just from pressing up near her pussy.
I was hard as a rock now, thinking of my young little girl at summer camp, exploring her sexuality and blowing all those guys…it was so hot. I used her moistness to wet the pads of my fingers before playing with her swollen clit.
"So it's ok that I was a slut?" she asked, still not fully believing me.
"I wouldn't have you be any other way. But it's not ok for you not to be a slut." I bit down on her shoulder…then more bites to the base of her neck as I pleasured her with my fingers — enjoying the feeling of her entire warm body pressed against me.
"You can fuck any guy you want, just so long as you fuck me once for every time you fuck someone. Ok?"
She thrust her hips forward. "Yes daddy. oOooooh!" she moaned at the thought of her liberation.
"A little slut like you needs lots of cock, don't you?" I teased.
"Yes Daddy. Ohhhhhhhhh–" I thust my cock into her wet pussy. It glided deep inside of her, thanks to her wet, flowing juices.
Then I began to punish her with my cock, thrusting deep into her, over and over as I made her tell me about her exploits as the photographic evidence of her slutty youth paraded in front of us from the screen of her laptop. I threw her to her knees and found her hole again quickly to keep my momentum going strong. I began slapping her and insult her as I enjoyed her youthful body -both currently and on screen. I took her hard, and fucked her to possess her — and as far as I could tell, she was loving every second of it..
"I'm your filthy little girl, daddy."
"Yeah, I bet a whore like you is just dying to have something in your ass" I responded.
"Ohhhh yes! I do Daddy. My ass is small but I am big enough to take you Daddy." she begged.
I massaged my thumb into her puckered anus and began playing with her slutty little asshole…knowing that she'd had many boys before me.
"Who is that?" I pointed at the screen to a particularly handsome young lad pummeling her ass in the photo on screen.
"I can't remember, Daddy" she pouted.
"You are such a slut you can't even remember the name of a guy who ass-fucked you?
"But daddy, I was young and not to worried about names or –" I smacked her to cut her off as I began to penetrate her ass.
"You can't remember because you are such a big slut that you only cared that he was hot and hard for
"Yes Daddy."
Her simple addmission of sluthood drove me over the edge. I came with a hard, electric orgasm as I sent gallons of sperm into her horny asshole. Oh god yes, she was a real sex-crazed whore and I was fucking her. I shuddered and tried to hang on to her as I lost sense of time and space.
"Oh God yes! Daddy loves his whore!!"