text:
Suntrust Properties, Inc. celebrates 21st anniversary
Twenty-one years since its establishment, there's no stopping Suntrust Properties, Inc. (SPI) from doing what it does best: building bang-for-the-buck homes. It is also relentless in its pursuit to expand, which allows it to reach more Filipino families dreaming of having a place to call their own.
In late June of this year, the subsidiary of the property behemoth Megaworld Corp. completed the purchase of another developer, Stateland, Inc., which has been in the real estate industry for four decades. As a result of this acquisition, SPI now caters to a broader range of property seekers.
"Stateland will focus on prices below P3 million. That will include what we call socialized housing. While Suntrust will stick with its present dominant markets: the middle and upper middle," said Atty. Harrison M. Paltongan, president of Suntrust Properties, Inc.
SPI, under Mr. Paltongan's hopeful and inspiring leadership, has steadily put together an impressive portfolio of horizontal and vertical properties, particularly in Southern Luzon provinces and Metro Manila.
Among which are the Governor's Hills and Cyberville in Cavite; Sta. Rosa Heights, Sta. Rosa Hills, The Mandara, and Verona in Laguna; Adriatico Gardens and Suntrust Parkview in Manila; and Suntrust Shanata and Capitol Plaza in Quezon City. Units of some of these aforementioned properties have already been turned over to their ecstatic owners.
SPI's portfolio keeps on expanding as the company simultaneously builds different properties in different parts of the country. It has two condominium projects in the works in Davao, One Lakeshore Drive and Two Lakeshore Drive, both located within the Megaworld-Suntrust township, Davao Park District.
In Bacolod, another Megaworld-Suntrust township is being developed called the North Hill Gateway and within it is Suntrust's The Fountain Grove. SPI is also about to develop its next big project in Baguio, The Mist, following Suntrust 88 Gibraltar near the tourist spot Mines View Park.
SPI has also gone into building an industrial park. All the lots made available for purchase in the 111-hectare Suntrust Ecotown Tanza in Cavite, Mr. Paltongan said, are already sold out. He noted that many export-oriented factories are currently being constructed in the Philippine Economic Zone Authority-registered industrial park.
The phase two of Suntrust Ecotown Tanza, which spans 41.5 hectares, is under land development. It will soon be the site of many residential and commercial properties.
"The expansion is purely for industrial though we envision the township development to be comprised of residential, commercial, and government institutions," Mr. Paltongan said.
This industrial park was recently recognized at the 2018 Property and Real Estate Excellence Awards organized by the International Real Estate Federation of the Philippines, bagging a gold award.
Critical to the success of SPI is its people, particularly the very people building the properties it sells. And so the company devoted to them its 21st anniversary celebration at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City last Nov. 15.
"We want them to feel that they're part of the Suntrust group," Mr. Paltongan said. "And we want them to feel the importance of their role."
Hundreds of site workers were treated to a day of fun at the arena. They also took home with them gifts — sacks of rice, groceries, bicycles, cash — that were voluntarily given by the corporate employees and sales agents of Suntrust.
"What we did was give our employees and salespeople the opportunity to share their blessings. We explain that when we talk about family, it includes site construction workers," Atty. Paltongan said.
This is now becoming a tradition for Suntrust. Last year, during the company's 20th anniversary, Suntrust granted the wishes of many site workers, like plane tickets to their home provinces, medical assistance, and home appliances, among others, moving some of the workers to tears.
Looking ahead, Atty. Paltongan said they aim to continue to expand and have adopted a motto that embodies that ambition: Inspire to aspire. "We are urging our employees to aspire for something greater," he said.
And allowing more families to have their own home is certainly a noble aspiration to have.


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Historical Ebola Outbreak Now In Major City, According To Reports
One of the world's deadliest Ebola outbreaks is now ravaging a major metropolitan. The latest Ebola outbreak is the second worst in modern history.
Democratic Republic of Congo officials announced last Thursday that the Ebola outbreak is now spreading in Butembo, a city that has a population of over one million. Officials are reporting 25 confirmed cases in the metropolitan.
The region relies on Butembo as a major trading port. Additionally, the city has a dense population and it is located near the border of Uganda. The city's dense population in a modern setting means that the people are also more likely to travel. All in all, trade and travel are a bad recipe when it comes to Ebola, which is easily transmitted via bodily fluids, including blood, mucus, and saliva.
The Ebola outbreak officially began on August 1st in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri. Utilizing such close proximities to South Sudan, Uganda, and Rwanda, the illness quickly and easily spread throughout the region. Health officials say that 273 people have died as a result of Ebola.
"No other epidemic in the world has been as complex as the one we are currently experiencing," the Democratic Republic of the Congo's health minister, Dr. Oly Ilunga Kalenga, via ABC News.
>> Watch The Video While It's Still Available
Join ReOpen America and Help Raise Awareness for Small Businesses and the Unemployed
The WHO approved a controversial plan to disseminate the use of experimental Ebola vaccines in the affected areas. So far, health officials have vaccinated 40,000 people in the region. Merck is the maker of the vaccine currently in use.
The Ebola outbreak is flanked by regional instability which has the region in the grips of war. This violent environment is taking a toll on Ebola response teams which find it difficult if not impossible to make headway.
Please see my outbreaks and pandemics guide for more information on prevention.
Photo by New York National Guard
Author: Jim Satney
PrepForThat's Editor and lead writer for political, survival, and weather categories.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Developing a responsive regulatory system for Australia s small corporations (transferred to Victoria University)
Clarke, A., Clarke, T., Armstrong, A., Adams, M., LEWIS, P., RICHARDSON, A. & EDDIE, I.
1/10/08 → 31/12/11
Project: Other
BTRDNA: Developing DNA-based non-invasive population monitoring for the threatened Broad-toothed Rat to assist with management outcomes
Sarre, S., Campbell, C. & Ruscoe, W.
15/06/19 → 14/06/20
Project: Research
Developing DNA-based population monitoring for the threatened Broad-toothed Rat
Sarre, S. & Campbell, C.
NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
23/05/18 → 20/06/19
Project: Other
Developing Novel Gene Therapies using Ross River virus Delivery of the Nucline Technology
18/10/04 → …
Project: Other
ELOOK: Developing Physical Literacy in Australian Early Learning Centres: the Early Lifestyle of our Kids (ELOOK) Project
Telford, D., Telford, R. & Olive, L.
7/08/17 → 7/08/20
Project: Other
Developing the capacity of teachers to provide mentoring in the context of national policies and frameworks
Smith, J.
ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI)
15/05/14 → 30/11/16
Project: Other
Developing the generous retail interface: exploration, curation & sharing
Hinchcliffe, G.
12/05/14 → 1/09/14
Project: Other
Development and application of a tool for evaluating a consumer based health literacy program.
DUGDALE, A. & McDermott, V.
Health Care Consumers' Association of the ACT (HCCA)
28/05/12 → 30/06/14
Project: Other
Development and Delivery of Blog writing workshops for the Army
Australian Defence Force Academy
26/06/14 → 31/08/14
Project: Other
Development and Demonstration of Secure High-Speed Long-Distance Quantum Cryptography
EDWARDS, P. & Yamamoto, Y.
1/01/01 → 31/12/03
Project: Other
Development and implementation of a water monitoring sytem for ACT Forests
1/07/05 → 30/06/06
Project: Other
Development of a fisheries stream in a new an innovative online course in environmental statistics offered by the University of Canberra.
Georges, A., Hone, J., Hone, J., Williams, D. & Williams, D.
Fisheries Research Development Corporation
15/11/02 → 28/02/04
Project: Other
Development of a hepatitis D virus-based therapeutic vaccine to treat chronic hepatitis B
1/07/12 → 31/12/14
Project: Other
Development of a methodology for a national visitor satisfaction monitor.
CRC for Sustainable Tourism Pty Ltd
19/10/01 → 9/07/09
Project: Other
Development of an artificial "living" sediment to study the effects of metal contamination in Antarctic marine ecosystems
Maher, B., Eggins, S., Ellwood, M., King, C., Palmer, A., Powell, S., Riddle, M., Snape, I. & Stark, J.
6/08/07 → 30/06/12
Project: Other
Development of a National Pest Animal Genotyping Facility - Project 1 under 2012000355
Sarre, S., Aitken, N., Fitzsimmons, N., Fitzsimmons, N., Macdonald, A. & Macdonald, A.
Invasive Animals CRC, University of Western Australia
1/11/05 → 1/07/11
Project: Other
Development of an evaluation plan and undertaking the evaluation of the Early Childhood (see comments)
Mikhailovich, K., MORRISON, P., Shaddock, T. & Shaddock, T.
4/05/07 → 3/05/10
Project: Other
Development of an ex vivo human primary muscle cell culture model to investigate the mechanisms of musculoskeletal disease triggered by viral infections
MAHALINGAM, S., JOHAL, J. & Smith, P.
Medical Advances Without Animals
1/07/09 → 2/06/10
Project: Other
Development of a Population Model for Northern Great Barrier Reef Green Turtle Stock
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
1/01/10 → 11/06/12
Project: Other
Development of a Professional Learning Module for Science by Doing
1/07/08 → 30/04/09
Project: Other
Development of a set of Sustainable Procurement Practice Notes
Zou, P. & Hardy, R.
Australasian Procurement and Construction Council
24/07/12 → 28/02/13
Project: Other
Development of a vaccine to prevent otitis media.
1/09/97 → 30/11/00
Project: Other
Development of Golden Sun Moth translocation methods: Forde development offset
Downey, P.
ACT Department of Environment and Sustainable Development-Heritage Council
1/11/11 → 16/11/12
Project: Other
Development of graduated home-based wobble-board strength and balance training
Waddington, G. & Yaxley, J.
27/05/08 → 31/08/09
Project: Other
Development of improved methods for assessing the risks posed by metal-contaminated sediments in NSW
Batley, G. & Maher, B.
28/02/01 → 31/05/04
Project: Other
Development of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Lifetime Health Expenditure Indicator
Brown, L., HARDING, A., HARDING, A., Lymer, S., PAYNE, A. & YAP, M.
Department of Health and Ageing
11/08/06 → 6/10/06
Project: Other
Development of MDBA Northern Basin Community Profiles
5/02/16 → 30/06/16
Project: Research
Development of novel antivirals against flavivirus (dengue) (Revised title for full application)
17/08/06 → 17/08/07
Project: Other
Development of Novel Systems for wireless data communications and radar. (administered by ANU)
24/10/00 → …
Project: Other
Development of research plan for scientific evaluation of health co-benefits of LandCare Projects in Braidwood
Berry, H.
Greater Southern Area Health Service NSW Health
21/06/11 → 31/12/11
Project: Other
Development of techniques in digital imaging for high resolution and security applications
Huang, X., Caccia, G., WAGNER, M., WAGNER, M. & Zhang, X.
18/07/03 → 18/07/04
Project: Other
Diagnosing river health using invertebrate traits and DNA barcodes
Kefford, B., Chessman, B., Goonan, P., Hoffman, A., Mac Nally, R., Metzeling, L., Nichols, S., Ramos, M. J. G. & Warne, M.
Australian Research Council, Environment Protection Authority Victoria, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, E-Water CRC, Department of Land Resource Management, Department of Primary Industries, Department of Water WA, ACT Environment and Planning Directorate, Kosciuszko Thredbo Pty Ltd, Department of Science information Technology and Innovation, Environment Protection Authority, Icon Water
15/12/16 → 15/12/19
Project: Research
Diagnostic Error in Emergency Medicine: the role of critical thinking (see comments)
Macpherson, K., NEVILE, M. & Vinen, J.
10/03/05 → 10/03/06
Project: Other
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) for Emerging Adults Pilot Program
Rickwood, D., Buckmaster, D. & Watsford, C.
28/06/19 → 30/06/21
Project: Other
Digital Cultural Interfaces to Environmental Data
Sanchez Laws, A., Barrass, S., Finucane, B., Hinchcliffe, G., Hinton, E., Hinton, S., O'Connor, S. & Whitelaw, M.
Questacon-The National Science and Technology Centre
1/05/12 → 31/12/13
Project: Other
Digital inclusion and Indigenous Australians-via University of Adelaide - Adelaide Research and Innovation
Radoll, P. & Rigney, L.
10/03/13 → 24/04/13
Project: Other
Digital media and women in West Papuan tribal life
1/11/18 → 31/12/20
Project: Other
Digital Media use in Australian Teenagers: tech-savvy digital natives, or the blind leading the blind?
Macpherson, K.
Australian Computer Society Engagement Board
11/05/12 → 1/10/13
Project: Other
Digital Treasures PhD Flagship Program
Sherratt, T. & Whitelaw, M.
National Archives of Australia, National Library of Australia, State Library of New South Wales
1/07/13 → 1/03/18
Project: Other
Disadvantage in the Australian Capital Territory
Vu, Q., Cassells, R. & Mcnamara, J.
12/10/07 → …
Project: Other


text:
La Biosthetique is an advanced skincare range using active plant extracts and relaxing aromatherapy, resulting in positive improvements in the skin.
We will carry out an in-depth consultation prior to your facial, including a unique skin test. This will detect the condition of your skin and enable us to recommend the exact treatment and products your skin requires
|La Biosthetique Express Facial
A perfect introduction to La Biosthetique includes a unique skin test, for all skin types
|Dermosthetique Express Facial
Specialised anti-ageing facial instantly reduces fine lines and wrinkles
|Angels Touch 'Calm' Facial
Soothing facial, recommended for sensitive skin. Calms and reduces eczema or psoriasis. Includes an ice cold Tibetan Ball massage
|Angels Touch ' Lift' Facial
Anti-Ageing Facial, your skin will be left visibly younger, smooth toned and firmed. Includes a magical 'Peel-Off' Algae Masque
|Cellulite Body Treatment
A stimulating treatment that lifts and forms specific problem areas
|Aromatherapy Body Salt Glow
Perfect pre/post-holiday massage using a blend of earth sea salts and essential oils to remove dead skin cells
|Purifying Back Treatment
Relieve stress, exfoliate and masque
Indulge in a little 'You' time. Includes our foot ritual, firming algae masque for your bump and a soothing mini facial


text:
Arraignment for the man accused of beating a prominent San Diego architect to death is this afternoon. 31-year-old Higinio Soriano Salgado allegedly beat 56-year-old Grahm Downes to death at a house party. Salgado is being held without bail pending his arraignment.
Preliminary hearing begins today for the 7th and 8th grade English teacher accused of brining a loaded gun to work following the Sandy Hook shooting. 41-year-old Ned Carter Walker allegedly brought a 38 caliber pistol and a knife onto school grounds. He is looking at up to 5-years in prison if convicted.
At 10 Am San Diego's City Council will talk about what it's going to spend the new $5.5 million budget surplus on. One is spending $250,000 to keep a shelter for homeless veterans open until July 7th. The 150 bed shelter normally closes this time of year but with a new budget surplus announced Mayor Bob Filner wants to keep it and another shelter open longer. The other big ticket item is a $500,000 payment to end litigation of a parochial schools expansion plans.
Down in Southern San Diego County the Chula Vista City Council is considering a resolution in support of comprehensive immigration reform.
Two final Earth Day events today at noon. First the County of San Diego is collecting recyclables and demonstrating composting at the County Operations Center 5520 Overland Ave. Second the University of San Diego is announcing its plans to become a "Zero Waste" campus at the Student Life Pavilion on campus.
Tonight at 5:00 the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education is thinking about starting a $1.9 million dollar summer school program for at-rick-kids. The proposed four-week program is for kids in first, third, and eighth grade that are in danger of being held back.[youtube:http://youtu.be/UhupT9o-nxk%5D
On this day 50-year-ago President John F Kennedy gave the commencement speech at San Diego State University. The university is memorializing it today with a symposium about the speech at 12:30 PM in the Alumi Center
And tonight at 6:30 the Environmental Health Coalition is hosting its 2013 awards event. This year they are honoring advancements in children's health.
For more on these and other stories please check bowlersdedsk.com
… And please remember to post, re-post, and share.
So you can be kept up to date on what matters.
- YOUTUBE: http://bit.ly/YSNkuL
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- TWITTER: http://bit.ly/XpSkJc
- BLOG: www.BowlersDesk.com


text:
I had another episode on Saturday night that I forgot to blog about. I was watching TV and the Clicks (a chain store here in South Africa) played their Christmas advertisement. Clicks always have huge Mother's Day and Father's Day campaigns and advertisements and I was suddenly reminded of how much I was looking forward to celebrating my first Mother's Day. Rudi and I were sitting on the couch and I just suddenly started bawling. The poor man couldn't understand what on earth was wrong and I can understand his confusion. I <3 Christmas and I had just seen a very Christmassy advertisement.
I explained to him why I was upset and he said that there is no reason why she shouldn't still celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day. He said that there is no reason for us to forget. I know that many, if not all of the mommies on My Parenting Community will agree with him, although somehow it still feels weird.
I still don't consider myself a mother, even though I acknowledge, miss and love the baby that I had. I suppose my definition of a 'mother' is different from other people's. I suppose my definition of a 'parent' is someone with a living child. That is not necessarily correct. The dictionary says:
mother [muhth-er]
–noun 1. a female parent.
2. (often initial capital letter) one's female parent.
3. a mother-in-law, stepmother, or adoptive mother.
4. a term of address for a female parent or a woman having or regarded as having the status, function, or authority of a female parent.
and the dictionary definition of parent:
parent [pair-uhnt, par-]
–noun 1. a father or a mother.
2. an ancestor, precursor, or progenitor.
3. a source, origin, or cause.
4. a protector or guardian.
5. Biology. any organism that produces or generates another.
That doesn't really clear it up. Mother's Day comes before Father's Day usually. Can't wait to see what Rudi will do. I hope it won't be like my birthday…perhaps breakfast in bed and a last minute present after asking me what I want on the day. Pffft.


text:
Driver Thomas Ireland (T/7007689) served in 282 General Transport Company, Royal Army Service Corps during World War Two. Born on 11th December 1900, he was the son of William Ireland and Ellen Ireland of Belfast, Co. Antrim.
Thomas was the husband of Mrs. Margaret Ireland (née McCaughey) of 5 Stanley Lane, Belfast, Co. Antrim. Stanley Lane was a small lane running off from 34 Little York Street in the Sailortown area of the city. While living there, the couple had seven sons and three daughters.
Thomas Ireland served in the Royal Ulster Rifles after enlisting in Belfast. In 1940, he transferred to the Royal Army Service Corps.
On 11th August 1944, during the Battle of Normandy, Ireland died on service in France. He was 44 years old and had served twelve years in the British Army. Posthumously, Ireland received the following awards:
- 1939-1945 Star
- France and Germany Star
- Defence Medal
- 1939-1945 War Medal
Thomas Ireland's grave is in Section 12, Row C, Grave 12 of Bayeux War Cemetery, Normandy, France. His name is on the Mariner's Church War Memorial in Belfast, Co. Antrim.


text:
Infertility is rough enough without headlines implying your yoga practice is to blame. A recent study found that certain flame-retardant chemicals may make it harder for you to have a baby, but despite the downward-dog stock photos, yoga mats weren't involved in the research.
The Headline: Yoga Mat Chemicals May Mess With Your Fertility (Forbes)
The Story: Things made of squishy polyurethane foam often contain flame retardants, and scientists have found worrying links between these chemicals and fertility problems in animals and perhaps in people. This study is the first to find a link between organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) and human fertility, but it will take more research to prove exactly what's going on.
Researchers looked for trace amounts of PFRs in urine samples from women at the Massachusetts General Hospital's fertility clinic. They had plenty of these chemicals in their bodies, and in fact we all do. PFRs are in tons of different products: furniture cushions and baby products, for example. There's so much of this stuff around us that we can also find flame retardants in our household dust and even in the air we breathe.
The study found that, among couples undergoing fertility treatments, women who had the highest levels of the chemicals were 40 per cent less likely to have a baby than the women who had the lowest levels. This kind of study can't confirm that PFRs cause infertility, and we don't know what the risk is for the population at large, since the study only looked at this group of mostly white, educated, high income women in Boston.
The study's author, Courtney Carignan, points out that the findings are consistent with what we know about flame retardants and fertility from animal studies, so she feels it's a good idea to try to avoid these chemicals.
But how?
Here's where yoga mats don't come in. The study didn't mention yoga mats at all, and Carignan isn't aware of any yoga mats that use PFRs. The chemicals are in thick foam gym mats, though, and the foam blocks that gymnasts use in landing pits. When Harvard sent out a press release about the study, she says it seems they misunderstood "gym mats" and illustrated the story with a photo of a yoga mat. (They have since changed the photo to one of a couch.)
Some yoga mats do contain phthalates, she pointed out, which have been linked to fertility problems in men. So they're not totally off the hook. You can buy phthalate-free yoga mats, though.
If you want to reduce your exposure to PFRs, Carignan says, the first thing you should start doing is washing your hands before meals so you don't accidentally eat PFR-containing house dust. Using less nail polish can also help, since nail polish often contains either phthalates or PFRs. After that, your next steps are a little less clear: PFRs aren't usually listed on product labels, and they're often used as replacements for even worse chemicals, like PDBE flame retardants. That means that even a label saying that a product is "free of harmful flame retardants" doesn't mean you're in the clear.
The Takeaway: PFRs might affect female fertility, but we need more research to be sure. In the meantime, stop worrying about your yoga mat and instead check out this list of furniture makers who sell products without flame retardants. Consider sending samples of your couch foam to Duke University, too. They will test foam samples for free, but it takes six to eight weeks to get results.


text:
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act finally passed in Congress and has been signed by President Donald Trump on Friday.
The mainstream media is in full meltdown mode as monumental tax relief has finally come to America after a generation of burdensome tax policy.
Let's review the facts of the tax cut bill the corporate media doesn't want you to know:
1. The corporate tax rate has been lowered from 35% to 21%, making it competitive with most industrialized nations.
Several companies such as Wells Fargo and AT&T have already announced wage hikes and bonuses for their employees following the bill's passage.
Our big and very popular Tax Cut and Reform Bill has taken on an unexpected new source of "love" – that is big companies and corporations showering their workers with bonuses. This is a phenomenon that nobody even thought of, and now it is the rage. Merry Christmas!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2017
2. Every single income bracket will receive tax relief, with the largest cuts going to the middle class according to the Tax Policy Center, contrary to MSM talking points that insist only the very wealthy will benefit.
3. The disastrous Obamacare Mandate will be repealed, meaning Americans will no longer be required by law to purchase Obamacare health insurance beginning in 2019.
Remember, the most hated part of ObamaCare is the Individual Mandate, which is being terminated under our just signed Tax Cut Bill.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2017
4. Doubling of standard tax deductions, from $6,350 to $12,000 for individuals and $12,000 to $24,000 for married couples, which will also bring much needed tax relief for the middle class.
5. US GDP growth will increase long-term by 1.7% and boost wages by 1.5%, according to the Tax Foundation.
Contrary to the plain facts, the corporate media has been calling the tax cut bill a "tax hike" for the middle class.
The Democrats have echoed the same false narrative, asserting that only the billionaires are celebrating the tax cut bill.
The reality is the globalist establishment is mindlessly against the tax cut bill because Trump is behind it, and a real American economic recovery is likely on the horizon.
Fight against the globalists with one of nature's greatest essentials. Survival Shield X-2 is now back in stock at 60% off!


text:
Water off a duck's back, we say, finding duck's more mouth-friendly than geese's, I suppose. But have a look, in this rainstorm said to be with us all day, at the perfect balls of water sliding from Angel's back.
Let us consider further goose words which, in Doris McCarthy's old Webster's, follow all the good words (offering a chance to play--as in goose-tempered, Goose Samaritan, and that hit tv series The Goose Wife--but not right now).
My question is, what in Angel's behaviour or nature deserves these words:
Goose egg. I can't speak to this one in late October.
Goose as verb. This is common, the sudden chase to the backside. Angel is prone to spells of it. But at other times, such as right now with the rain pouring down, his range of behaviours seems to narrow. No goosing.
Silly goose. A value judgement! Angel and company squawk and fuss at times, but who doesn't.
Goose-neck. A glorious yes to this one. This morning, before the really heavy rains came, Angel at the edge of the pond used his neck as a ladle to throw water over his back for a morning wash, just benefit #55 of this fabulous body part. (Perhaps, dear reader, you'd like to view my video . . .). If there is one legendary goose-- king/queen of all geese, that no one has seen but that everyone fears or suspects is out there, perhaps residing in its watery lair in the greatest of the great lakes--by the neck will the legend endure.
Goosebumps. For sure.
Gooseherd. One who tends geese. This is a new new one on me, but I'll take it. I've had no choice but to watch them. Certainly I've heard them.
Goose step. If we're talking Nazi march, that looks nothing like anything a goose does, except maybe the crudest possible waddle. If this expression derives somehow from uniformity of group behaviour, it would be the way Angel and his family pod of seven or eight circulate casually together about the yard. They'll all be eating apples, they'll all be preening at the edge of the pond, they'll all be ripping at the grass, and so on. They straggle in unison.
Goosey. Foolish or stupid, according to DM's Webster's. Easily upset by a prod to the backside. This is common, as mentioned. But what goes with the quick upset is the quick recovery. Two seconds after the goosing, both gooser and goosee resume whatever they were doing as if the thing had never happened. Sometimes, however, one or both will have to take flight, or the gooser will do it a second time.
At this point, Doris McCarthy's Webster's moves on to gopher . . .
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
More About Angel
Posted by Gerald Hill at 07:39
2 comments:
My grandmother used to disparage a person by saying "oh she doesn't have the brains God gave a goose."
- 7 November 2015 at 20:50
- Gerald Hill said...
The goose might have something better . . .
- 8 November 2015 at 09:08
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Tufts' Athletics Department hired Matt Callahan in October to assume the role of assistant director of recreation and club sports, a position that is new to the university.
Although the position just recently came into being, the idea of adding a full-time employee to focus on club sports and student recreation to the payroll has been percolating across different administrative bodies on campus for years, according to Director of Athletics John Morris and Senior Associate Athletic Director Alexis Mastronardi.
"In the winter of 2017, conversations about adding such a position began in earnest among representatives from the TCU [Tufts Community Union] Senate, the Division of Student Affairs, the Department of Athletics, the Provost's Office and the Office for Campus Life," Morris and Mastronardi told the Daily in an email.
Callahan explained that he came across postings advertising the position on the NCAA website and initiated the application process in early September. At the time, he was in the midst of a five-year stint at his alma mater, Brandeis University, where he served in a position coordinating club sports.
Prior to overseeing Brandeis' club sports program, Callahan explained that he rose through the athletics department at the university during his college career, after a concussion permanently sidelined him from the varsity athletics program. From refereeing games, he moved to the facility front desk and then aiding on the varsity side in operations.
Upon his graduation, Callahan accepted the role of intramural and facilities coordinator while a colleague was on leave — this would eventually parlay him into his club sports position at Brandeis.
Callahan said that he was drawn to Tufts because of the athletic and academic culture of the university.
"Tufts has always been on my radar. When I saw the opening, I jumped on it right away," he said. "I loved to make the switch to another local school with a great athletics and academic background."
Club sports captains have long advocated for the need of a person like Callahan, noting the lack of consistent oversight contributed to problems with forced roster cuts, practice space and other logistics.
Junior Garrett Dickson, co-captain of the men's club volleyball team, voiced his enthusiasm for the addition of Callahan to the athletics department and was pleased that the recreation program would have more direct oversight.
"I am super excited for this change. I feel like it shows that Tufts is trying to put more in club sports as a whole, and I feel it will be a largely beneficial thing for the student body," Dickson said.
Dickson elaborated that last year, the role of overseeing club sports was largely assumed by an assistant coach for the track and field team. Dickson explained that although he was happy with the leadership, he feels that having someone who can dedicate his time entirely to club sports and intramurals would certainly alleviate the workload for the assistant coach.
Since arriving at Tufts, Callahan has largely focused on meeting with leadership in club sports and coming to understand the contexts in which they operate.
He says that over the past week, he has met with representatives from six different teams.
While the role will have some overlap with his position at Brandeis, Callahan notes that the programs are slightly different, and that the breadth of his responsibilities will differ at Tufts.
"In this role, Matt will directly manage all aspects of our student recreation programming, including our 22 club sports, intramural programming, recreation classes and the FIT Pre-Orientation program," Morris and Mastronardi said.
Morris and Mastronardi indicated that the new position is seen as a positive change by many people in the program.
They elaborated that the role was created because key campus players, such as TCU Senate and the athletics department, felt confident that the quality of the student experience would be enhanced by assigning someone to prioritize these programs.
Morris and Mastronardi emphasized that TCU Senate acted as an important catalyst in getting the position up and running.
"Led by former TCU President Gauri Seth, the TCU Senate Executive [Board] advocated strongly and thoughtfully in support of the new position through the spring. And after considering the recommendations of the Student Life Review Committee in June, the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, the provost's office and the department of athletics all worked together to prioritize funding for the position," they said.
They explained that Callahan is to act as a resource and advocate for the club sports programs whenever they need guidance or aid.
Dickson sees space and timing as potential areas of improvement.
"I think the biggest problem is something that is uncontrollable for Tufts for volleyball at least. [We] … lack the space on campus to actually do things, so we need to split times with the girls' club team, intramurals and varsity teams as well. So the biggest problem just comes down to a lack of space for us," Dickson said.
Dickson also explained that from his perspective, a long-term goal for the club sports program would be improving funding.
"As it currently stands, [our funding is] fairly limited to just entry fees for tournaments and some years, we have some leftover money, but it is not always the most amount of money to get more equipment, jerseys, etc," Dickson said.
As for the coming year, Dickson emphasized his desire to maintain a constant line of communication between the sports team captains and Callahan to ensure that all parties are on the same page.
Communication is a standard Callahan appears keen to foster as well. Callahan has highlighted enhancing the student recreational experience and providing more lines of access as high on his agenda for the year to come — but first, he hopes to become acclimated to the hill.
"My first goal is to learn how they operate within the university's policies and then expand if possible, in terms of if teams want to add more competitions or if we are able to add any club sports here," Callahan said.


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Hi Sweets!
We all know the dress code required for the most popular music festival on the west coast. Most attendees channel their inner flower child. Destructed shorts, fringe, ponchos, and leather; are just a few givens. This year, there was one trend that I had to call out! I've actually been seeing this trend as I do my own online shopping. Remember all the sheer gowns we saw on the red carpet last year? Well, body is back baby! In a feminine and ethereal way for summer. The everyday maxi has taken a walk on the wild side. Don't fret because there are many dimensions to this trend. The amount of sheerness can vary from all over requiring a boyshort and bandeau style undergarment, or just as a continuation from the thigh or knee. Whatever makes you feel comfortable and confident! Check out some examples below and info on where you can find this easy to wear look.
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Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer
Book description:
"An impetuous young lady and a fugitive nobleman...When spirited Eustacie stumbles into a band of smugglers, she is delighted to be having an adventure at last. Their leader, young heir Ludovic Lavenham, is in hiding, falsely accused of murder. Pursued by the law, Eustacie and Ludovic find refuge at an unassuming country inn.
And the delightfully sensible couple who try to keep them out of trouble...The resourceful Miss Sarah Thane and the clear-thinking Sir Tristram Shield gamely endeavor to prevent Ludovic's arrest and Eustacie's ruin as the four conspire to recover the missing talisman ring that will clear Ludovic's name."
My thoughts:
The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer, (known as the Queen
of Regency Romances) is a fun, rollicking read that is part romance, part mystery, and part detective/adventure story. If you enjoy Regency period details, as I do, Heyer is a treat. (You'll especially enjoy her meticulous research on foppish fashions.) If you can get past some of Eustacie's inane comments and impetuous behavior, you will find an enjoyable double romance with a few laughs along the way. You will also enjoy picking up Regency era slang in Georgette Heyer's books; I found this reference guide to Regency slang that might prove to be useful if you want to read more of Heyer's books. Check out the site here.
On a related note, the book was originally printed in 1936. The new paperback editions of Georgette Heyer's work by Sourcebook, Inc. are absolutely beautiful. I am guilty of judging a book by its cover, and I was drawn to the gorgeous covers in the bookstore. I am looking forward to having an opportunity to read more of Heyer's Regency romances, historical fiction, and mysteries now in new editions.
Posted by Joanne at 7:51 AM
Labels: Georgette Heyer, Read in 2009, The Talisman Ring
2 comments:
I love old books. I like to see how they relate to today, and I love the beauty of the written word... no matter what age.
- July 11, 2009 at 10:17 PM
- Joanne said...
I agree -- I'm so happy that there is a trend to bring back in reprint authors such as Georgette Heyer, Daphne DuMaurier, Victoria Holt/Jean Plaidy, and others so a new generation of readers can discover them.
- July 12, 2009 at 10:17 AM
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Ironman Texas 2013
So having done my first Ironman, an Ironman with a seemingly perfect build up, and Ironman overtrained, one backed up within a few weeks, one with extreme fatigue and one with a few broken bones, it was time to tick another scenario off the list – one extremely undertrained. As the complete lack of any blogging may have shown I have been struggling massively with motivation over the last year or so. After the end of last season I kept things ticking over fairly well with some running and swimming and cycling into work. Long rides at the weekends always seemed to get squeezed out for something else but I managed to keep up some sort of fitness. That was, until I moved house. The complete upheaval really didn't do me any good, I still managed to cycle into work (with now the added 'fun' of several large bumps along the way which killed my legs on my single speed), but swimming, running and long rides went out of the window. Running almost wasn't my fault, but sporadic training ended up in flaring an old shin injury that pretty much stopped me doing any serious running until a couple of weeks before I flew out to Texas. Swimming had less of an excuse, I'm not short of facilities living down the road from the National Sports Centre with a 50m pool in Crystal Palace but the thought of dragging myself up the hill to it after getting home from work never really enthralled me. Coupled with all of this, I finally managed to get myself into a position at work where I was finally enjoying my job, which meant longer hours, more focus etc etc. But enough whinging, tough shit.
So a week before race day me and Weeksy headed out to Texas on a flight that just seemed to go on forever! When we eventually arrived we upgraded our hire car (you can't drive around in Texas in anything less than an SUV!) and found our motel just off the freeway in a town called Tomball. A trip to Walmart to stock up on food for the week and we felt like we fitted in rather well! We even managed a run that evening, and despite it being 'only' 80 degrees, I was suffering big time in the humidity! But a week to go and I should acclimatise fairly well.
The days consisted of hanging out at the mall, wandering around the race village and the odd bit of training. Though, this was cut pretty short as Weeksy's knee was causing issues in the lead up so he didn't want to push it and after our first ride around the Woodlands (where we got horrendously lost, never trusting his sense of direction again!) we found out he had a leaky tub so it was off to the bike shop to get it replaced – bike out of action for most of the week. We did however find a decent pool at one of the local high schools where it cost $2 dollars each, and was either a 25 yard or 50m pool… we could definitely learn a thing or two about facilities over here. It did give me a chance to test out my new Huub swimskin, which felt awesome in the water!
Thursday night was the pasta party and briefing where, after travelling a couple of thousand miles, we ended up sitting next to a British couple, Stuart a first-timer and his wife! The next day we finally got a chance to swim in the lake. I opted for the swimskin – we knew that it would most likely be a wetsuit-optional swim, but I wanted to see how it felt and I didn't want to overheat. Whilst I felt good in the water (although still hot!), the lack of any OW training since my last race was desperately showing and my lower back started to tighten up after 15 mins, I was in for a fun day. The weather had also turned, despite being a bearable 80 degrees all week, which I had just about gotten used to, the day before it shot up to 100 degrees and we both got burnt in our 30 min/15 min brick! Bikes racked, we rested up in Starbucks before Pizza Hut and an early night.
Race Day
Up early and I had some cereal and a croissant with nutella, though I wasn't particularly hungry. We both put on our second layer of sun cream after the first layer the night before and drove down. We got our bikes sorted out and then wandered down to the swim start and it was HOT! I was sweating just walking down to the swim start and the sun hadn't even come up yet. It did not bode well. Swim skins on and we said our good lucks and went our separate ways. I wanted to delay getting into the water as long as possible, with no wetsuit to float, I didn't want to be wasting energy treading water. When I couldn't put it off any longer I got in, but found a life raft to hang onto for the national anthem. I might have even felt some nerves for the first time in about 2 years! With 30 seconds to go, I pushed off and found myself some space, in the middleish and to the left.
The Swim
Once the gun went off it was chaos. I was completely out of position and should have been about 10 rows forward and ended up stuck behind seemingly hundreds of slower swimmers with people swimming over me trying to get past. I was being far too polite. After about 5 minutes I finally spotted a gap and thought 'Screw this', put a kick in and got out of the pack into some clear water and could finally settle down and swim with only the odd person swimming diagonally across me, no idea where he was going! I was feeling strong in the water, but it took me about 26 minutes to hit the first buoy and I remember thinking 'God I am bored!' We had another 100m to the next buoy and once I turned past that my back started to tighten up. I managed another few hundreds metres before I had to stop. I had a quick glance behind me and thankfully had some space so I could curl myself up into a ball the stretch my back out and not worry about getting drowned. The next 1500m to the entrance to the canal were fairly uneventful with another stop to stretch the back. The boredom seemed to go, and I finally remembered how to swim long distance and the arms started to play ball. Once I entered the canal I knew I only had 800m left, but it just seemed to drag and I felt as it I was swimming in jelly! People seemed to be passing me left, right and centre and I had to stand up a couple of times to stretch the back out. Finally, after what seemed like an age I saw the final turn buoy and hit the swim exit. 1:20 – about where I expected in non-wetsuit with my swim fitness. I was just glad to have it over with.
Same as pretty much all my IMs, I've got this down to a T. No arm warmers as it was roasting, but race belt on, helmet and sunglasses on, couple of cliff blocks in the back pocket, big dollop of chamois cream to protect my future children and head out, stopping off at the sunscreen station. The only mistake I made was putting my bike shoes in my transition bag, so I had to clip-clop my way to my bike and onto the mount line. Numptie
The Bike
We had been warned that we would most likely have a bit of a tailwind on the way out, but even still I was starting to get worried about cruising at 45kph! My legs felt completely fresh (finally!) and I was overtaking a lot of people. The first 45k were pretty uneventful until I start hearing a clicking sounds from my back wheel. I had hit a bump along the course and it had nudged my bike computer so the magnet would knock it every revolution. Brilliant. I stopped at the top of the next hill, nudged it back into position and set off again. When I next looked at my computer it hadn't moved – evidently I had moved the computer too far so it couldn't pick up the magnet. Oh well, 3/4 of the bike course with no computer – glad I always train on feel! I worked out I was hitting every aid station/10 mile marker every half an hour or so. This kept the mind ticking over and focussed and I just put my head down and got on with it. The first couple of hours I didn't feel 'right' on the bike, guess that was the complete lack of any time on my TT bike but after that I felt really good to the point where I was able to get into the TT position for most of the race when my lungs allowed. After about 50 miles I saw Chris standing on the side of the road. I slowed down to find out his knee had gone on the bike which was a serious bummer as he swam strongly and was placed well on the bike. Around this time it also started to get hot – and I mean seriously hot. Drinks were refreshingly cold from the aid stations and pouring them over yourself provided some short relief. 10 minutes later you were roasting again and the drinks were warm – really not pleasant. After the disaster of Roth a couple of years ago, I made sure I just kept drinking but the humidity was just crazy. Usually when you are ticking along at a decent pace the breeze helps cool you down, but out there it just heated you up even more. They call it 'air you can wear'. My chest was starting to get a little constricted from the heat, especially in the TT position so I alternated between sitting up and down on the bars. My dodgy wrist also wanted in on the action, so I spent more time in the TT position to take the weight off it. I had a good cycle of eating a drinking past each aid station, mainly eating gels and gu chews/clif blocks with a couple of bars. I was surprised how well I was going at 90 miles, but the last 12 dragged on. With no bike computer, and lots of winding turns I had no idea how far away T2 was, but I eventually saw it, rolling in in about 6:10. Pretty pleased with that considering!
Once I gave my bike to a volunteer I suddenly realised I was spent. My legs were strong, all the years of IMs don't disappear that quickly but the heat had wiped me out. I couldn't even manage a run to pick my bag up, but had a relaxed T2, taking my time to make sure my shoes were on properly, I knew this would be a long marathon.
The Run
Once I headed out, I slowly managed a bit of a shuffle, but I wasn't exactly running the 4:30 ks of old. I basically ran (read shuffled) between aid stations and walked through taking my time to get fluids and some fuel on board. I had a few things of coke and energy drink, but by this point was running so slowly I just needed to get my temperature down and get some salt on board. Bananas and crisps were the food of choice and taking a cap instead of a visor was probably the best decision I had made all race. I could soak it in the ice water, shove some ice in it and put it on my head to cool me down. It lasted about 2 minutes before the heat had evaporated everything. Other methods included the sponges and ice down the shorts which worked well. Thankfully with an aid station every mile I didn't have to wait too long to restock the ice. The first lap went fairly well considering, and I finally had my first pee stop at about mile 2 which was pure relief, purely for the fact that I at least some fluids going through me and I wasn't about to end up in hospital. Having said that, having shoved so much ice down my shorts, I did have a slight issue in trying to get things to work as I had no feeling! Ha!
Lap 2 provided the first opportunity to run through the awesome crowds around the Woodlands, and it was absolutely packed! High fives everywhere, and a massive lift to the spirits, but by this point the damage was done and I was still trying to get my core temp down. At mile 9 I walked my first full mile, and then it went downhill from there. I had a stop at the aid station at mile 13 to get my feet taped up. I can run for hours quite happily with no problems, and always have, but as soon as you throw walking in there, especially with all the water I was throwing over myself to keep myself cool, my feet were not amused! I was still managing to shuffle a little bit, but my breathing was getting worse and worse. At the start of the third lap I saw Chris, and had a quick chat before he sent me on my way. I soon as I hit the little hill (about 10m) it was game over. I tried running once I was through the aid station after this, but I just could not get any oxygen in and my heart rate refused point blank to rise. So I was left with a 7 mile walk. If I put my head down and could walk the miles in just over 15 minutes with stops at the aid stations so just got on with it. Not once did it ever occur to me to stop, pull out or wonder why I was doing this! I can be a stubborn bastard when I need to be. The only highlight was the aid station at mile 20 where an angel appeared to me in the form of a lovely old lady who had baked a ton of cookies for us at one of the aid stations! Heaven!
At long last, at 7 hours (an hour longer than my bike split!!) I hit the junction for more laps/finish line. I was still in stubborn-power walk mode, but when I hit the (extremely long) finishing chute I finally broke into something resembling a job, which prompted a huge cheer from the crowd. I even allowed myself a smile as I was high-fiving the hands stuck out and finally felt joy/satisfaction/pride for the first time in a long time at the end of an Ironman. Once round the corner to the actual finish straight it was relief and seven fingers in the air as my final celebration, before I was promptly carted off to the med tent. Job done, number seven done and a Texan-sized medal around my neck.
The Aftermath
We were told about the med tent in the briefing, and the weren't half kidding when they mentioned the size! I was checked in, and it took me falling asleep in the waiting queue for a doctor to come over and finally grant me my wish of a bed to lie down in. There must have been 200 beds in the main tent, with bodies everywhere, wires coming out and drips going in. It looked like a war zone, and almost sounded like one with people retching and medical equipment beeping away. I was treated to blood salt tests, blood pressure, and three doctors coming over to check my lungs out which had apparently decided to start filling up with fluid. Might explain the lack of oxygen and problems breathing… I was allowed out after about an hour when they decided I wasn't going to get any worse and I actually became a little more coherent.
I had long planned for some time off Ironman, and if it weren't for Chris Weeks being such a bad influence(!!) I doubt I would have been on a start line this year. But I must admit I really did enjoy it in a weird way, and it certainly stoked the fire that I thought had long gone out. I still feel like I need 12-18 months off long distance stuff – but this still leaves the possibility of a return to the States next year at Arizona. I feel that the main battle will be actually getting a place in November, but I will make my decision around then to see if I want to race next year. The rest of this year may see nothing, it may see something. I definitely feel fit again cycling into work! I am entered into Liverpool as a World qualifier, and if I feel like training again, I may try for that, or I may just take the rest of the year off. For once it is nice to just be able to do what I want without the overhanging guilt of training in the back of my mind. But I will be back on a start line at some point in the future, be it in a year or many.
Ending The Off-Season
So the off-season is over and it is time to get ready for 2013. Despite deciding to have a year off Ironman, I seem to have entered Ironman Texas in May! It should be good fun though (I hope) and I am getting my plan together for the next few months so I can start in much better shape than the previous one!
It is cross-country season at the moment and I am racing the North West Cross Country League at the moment which I will cover in a later post, but I have missed getting caked in mud and racing hard!
For now, here's a picture which I was sent from IMUK, complete with heavily strapped and splinted arm! What's even more surprising is I actually look like I'm running well with both feet off the ground! Must have been the first lap….ha!
The Last Few Weeks
So over the last few weeks, I have been mainly recovering from my Ironman, and rediscovering what it's like to have a social life again! I have also been getting my elbow and wrist back to normal. First involved me off to see a physio, who laughed at my movement and said "there really isn't anything I can do for you until your Doctor has confirmed the fractures have fully healed and I can really get in there. It's already basically fixed!" So off I went to the Doctors, and the conversation went along the lines of:
"Hi Tim, how is it?"
"Well…I did my Ironman a couple of weeks ago"
"Right….reckon I actually need to x-ray your arm then?"
"Nah it's fine"
"Ok, well good luck"
Over the last few weeks, I have started to get back into some training, partly to build the muscle back up in my arm, partly because I started going a bit mad doing nothing, and partly because I was going skint using the tube the whole time! I am now into a good swing, and after a week of cycling everywhere, am knackered! Certainly got some work to do, to get back on it. But, not content with finishing my season on a write-off, I have a few more races lined up.
First up, I am racing the National Club Relays this weekend, which should be a lot of fun! Racing the mixed category, with a team of Chairman Howard, Nina, Me and Kat, a friend from work who I did the London-Brighton Night Ride with. It should be a lot of fun, and will definitely be nice to be back in the scene with so many people to catch up with. I am probably going to race the Maidenhead Half Marathon again, after a nice little blast last year, if I feel I can PB there, and then finally I am racing London Triathlon after managing to bag a spot courrtesy of Timex Sports and Toby Radcliffe (cheers guys!). It will be interesting to see how I get on, and hopefully I can hammer around and get close to my Liverpool 5150 performance. Finally, after all of that I am off to Cyprus for 9 days with friends from work for my first ever 'normal' friends holiday! No bikes allowed (though I will probably sneak my running shoes in my bag!). I am really looking forward to a proper break to recover, mainly mentally. It will also be fun rocking up to the airport with just a rucksack as carry-on and no bike or big suitcase in tow!
In the last month, I have also had a fair amount of time of work, not through injury, but to enjoy the spectacle that was the London 2012 Olympics! I spent more time at the Olympic Park than I did at home! They have really done a fantastic job of the place and I managed to get to see:
- two handball sessions (seriously high paced game!)
- track cycling – just simply phenonminal
- swimming – the noise was incredible, I saw the mens IM relay heats, and by the sounds of the cheers when Liam Tancock touch first on his first length of his leg (which was the first), anyone would have thought we had won gold medal!
- athletics – awesome stadium, 80,000 people cheering for Team GB was pretty special
- women's road race – soggy! But it was absolutely packed for most of the course
- men's and women's triathlons – again, 10 deep all around the course, we got there 4 hours before the start and still didn't get to the front, but I think my ear's are still ringing from watching the Brownlees both win a medal!
- water polo – this looked brutal! We were right at the front, which made it feel a bit empty until the roars erupted behind us!
- women's mountain biking – what a brilliant venue! I certainly can't wait to try it out!
The support for Team GB throughout was just incredible, for any and every sport. My highlight has got to be the Velodrome though. The highest recorded noise level of any venue, and with one of the smaller crowds, it makes it even more special. I got to see both Vicky Pendelton's Kieren gold and the Men's Team Pursuit gold medal. Here's the video I shot of the Team Pursuit Final, I hope the sound comes across, I counldn't hear for a good few hours afterwards!
If you want to have a look at the pictures I shot (on my phone, think some look pretty good!), they can be found on my facebook page:
Finally, my blogging on here will be a little quiet for the next couple of weeks, as I've been selected to take part in the Inov-8 8 Weeks To Natural competition. Basically there are a group of runners, who will get running coaching to help us run more 'naturally'. For me this means becoming more efficient = quicker. So if you fancy winning yourself some free Inov-8 swag, (and helping me!), go to the facebook app and vote for me! Every like and comment also counts as a vote, and they are having weekly draws, so keep at it! You will also be able to follow the progress of me, and the other runners, if this is something that interests you as we pass along any tips and what we are being taught. So check it out here!
Ironman UK 2012
After some initial nerves at the expo, it took until I went to bed for me to get remotely nervous. I was staying with Howard and Nina for the night, and we had a nice evening meal, and Nina kept commenting how blasé I was about the whole thing. I got to bed pretty early and only then did I have trouble falling to sleep, though I think this was more to do with excitement of being back in the game again. Once asleep, however, I didn't have any issues and slept solidly through to half 3, waking up feeling fresh just before my alarm (I wish I could do that during the working week!). I wolfed down a couple of bowls of cereal, though I wasn't particularly hungry, mixed my drinks and left for Bolton.
The coach from the Reebok to T1 was a sea of nervous first timers looking like they were about to go to the Gallows. This only got worse once we arrived; of the 1500 starts, 900 were first-timers! Lots of worried faces and questions, but good to see. I slowly went through the routine of setting up the bike, which quickly came back to me, with the exception that I had put my cycling shoes in my bag to put on in T1 instead of having them on the bike – with my dodgy elbow and weak wrist, I wanted to put these on sat down, rather than struggling whilst on the bike. The wetsuit went on over the layers of tubigrip I had put on my arm and I lined up for the start, after having to get 2 people to zip my suit up…should probably get back down to 'full-time' weight, or get a bigger wetsuit! We were rushed into the water, and I got in gingerly and swam to the start line. No, grumbles for the arm – so far, so good. I put myself quite near the back, with the aim of clear water to protect my arm and waited for the start.
The Swim
With seemingly no warning, I heard the start horn and set off. Within about 30s I hit a problem. I felt good and was swimming strongly, and despite trying to hold back as much as possible in the hopes of keeping the arm for the whole swim, almost immediately hit the swimmers I had been behind. I moved over to the left and slowly overtook the pack I was stuck behind. After about 10 minutes, we hit the first buoy. As I was trying to protect my left arm from the fights, and the course was anti-clockwise, it meant I was swimming on the inside, so when we hit the buoy, it was time to suck it up and accept my punishment. Thankfully the beating wasn't too bad, and I emerged unscathed and then had a fairly good swim for the rest of the lap. I came out of the first lap in 38 minutes, rather pleased with myself, and had to stop myself getting carried away one the 2nd. This was the longest I had swum since my crash, and certainly the longest I had swum continuously since my last IM nearly a year ago. However, it felt good and held up well. By now the pack had thinned, and I only got one or two bashes on the turns and all on the right side. Coming towards the halfway point of the 2nd lap and my elbow let out its first few grumbles as it got tired. I found that if I dropped my elbow (going against every technique lesson I've ever had) I could take the strain with my tricep and remove the pressure off my elbow, so that's how I swam for the rest of the swim! At the last buoy I decided to pick up the pace to my normal IM pace and see how I held up and I felt really good, which made me think that I probably could have pushed a bit harder, but nevermind, out of the swim in one piece with my arm still intact in 1:18. Job done.
T1 was a fairly leisurely affair for me, as I had no time goals. Wetsuit off, bike socks on, bike shoes on, chamois cream, helmet, sunglasses, race belt. Stuff arm warmers down the side of my trishorts in case I got cold and replace wet tubigrip with dry one. With a quick detour to use the toilet, I jogged over to my bike and set off. Felt very odd running in bike shoes!
The Bike
Once I was through the swim, the bike was the next thing I was apprehensive about. For the first 10k me and another guy swapped turns leading out of Pennington before I let him go. I was feeling very weird on the bike: first off, outside and riding, a bit different to the turbo! Also, as my turbo is slightly at an angle, my I was a lot further down that used to, and had to crane my neck to be able to see! It's a lot easier to just put your head down for a minute on the turbo! However, despite the unfamiliarity I felt pretty good. By the first time up sheep house, I had made up a good few placings and finally dropped the chain into the smaller chainring for the ascent. Having spent the last few months on the turbo and riding around London, the climb came as a bit of a shock! It wasn't quite the 'oh, is that it' that last year's daily rides around the Peak District produced. The wrist felt weak, but I could climb out of the saddle pretty well, though did think I probably pushed it a little too hard. 6 IMs and I still get carried away…
By the time the end of the first lap had come around, my fortunes took a turn for the worse. I was on good pace, and hit 60k in a little over 2 hours, but my lack of strength was beginning to show. My wrist was now extremely weak by this point, and holding myself up on my bike was becoming a challenge, so I spent most of the time in the aero position. However, having only had one ride outside on the bike in the new position, I was not used to it, and my core strength was rubbish, so my back soon followed the wrist, followed by my neck from craning up to see the road in front of me. For now the pain was bearable but over the next 40k, it only got worse. The 2nd ascent of sheephouse really put my lower back out for a while, and the bumpy descents did nothing to help my wrist.
By 100k, I was in trouble. Trying to lighten the load on my fractured wrist as much as possible, meant taking most of my weight on the right wrist, which is bad enough at the best of times, having fractured that a few years ago. I could take the weight off both and sit on the aerobars, but my back was not happy, and neck was burning from looking up constantly. Add to this the vibrations of the road sending pains up my fractured elbow and it was not looking good! I couldn't sit comfortably in any position on the bike, and I also couldn't eat or drink anything as I couldn't hold myself up on the bike with one hand.
The final 80k of the bike went as follows: Get off bike at aid station, (possible loo break), grab food and drink from aid station and wolf down, stretch back, drink more, stretch neck, drink more, flex wrists, eat and drink more, get back on bike, feel really good for 5 mins, wait for back and neck to go again, sit up, wait for wrist to go, swear at road and body until the next aid station and repeat. It's difficult to describe how much pain I was in for the last 80k of the bike, everything hurt, and it wasn't your average dull ache, this was severe eye-watering pain that I could do nothing about with shard shooting pains every bump and vibration. I have never been in so much pain in my life. It hurt less to roll my shoulder back into place when I had fractured my collar bone and I would wake up with it sticking out and I would have to manoeuver it back into position. I have never had tears in my eyes during a race til now, but both wrists were screaming in pain. I usually zone out after the 100k mark of an IM and just get on with it, but I had a constant reminder of what I was doing to my body as my computer clicked down agonizingly slowly. Annoyingly, when my back and neck wanted to play ball, my legs felt pretty good! But my average speed soon dropped off and I rolled to the 7 hour mark. After a crash course in dealing with pain, I somehow I made it to T2 and after a bit of shuffling managed to get off my bike.
I think getting off my bike for T2 ranks up there as one of my happiest moments of my life! My mood lifted instantly and I made the most of it. I fell into the chair and emptied my bag. Thankfully a kind volunteer asked if I wanted some sun cream, having gotten off the bike I suddenly became aware of the burning on my shoulders – probably a bit late for cream but would certainly help! Blister plaster on, shoes on, fuel belt on (annoyingly missing one bottle I soon realised) and visor on. I stopped for some coke, even queued for the toilet, before putting my splint and sling on and set off.
The Run
As my muscles began to relax I felt pretty good. My elbow had stopped hurting almost immediately so I took the sling off and just tucked it into my race belt. The crowd were incredible on the run, lining all the streets to the start of the laps and it provided a much needed pick-me-up. After half an hour my legs started to return and I actually managed to pick the pace off and run pretty well! I knew it was a matter of time before my lack of eating or drinking anything, and my lack of any long runs hit me, so I wanted to make the most of it.
I played little games with myself, promising myself a walk once I hit the laps, then pushing this to an hour, then an hour and a half, and then two hours. This soon turned into walking through aid stations to allow myself to get some food on board but running the rest, and I lasted a pretty long time! Coming through town on the 2nd lap I saw Howard and the rents, and the crowds were incredible. On the way out of town, up the hill that I (and I'm sure many others) had nicknamed the ****, I saw another friend from uni who doused me in water which helped with the cooling.
At the aid stations, I generally grabbed a couple of cups of water to dunk over myself, some coke and a banana. It was starting to get seriously hot out there, and with no ice or sponges at the aid stations, the families that lived on the course that had set up a hose were gratefully received and helped cool us all down. At the end of the 2nd lap I had my first stop for a loo break and to change my socks as my blisters were starting to flare up with my shuffling style and lack of time in the shoes. After over 2 hours of running pretty well, the exhaustion began to set in and the pace dropped off. Finally on the penultimate leg into town, I allowed myself a walk up the long draggy hill from the far end. Coming back out was mentally pretty tough, as I kept telling myself 'just one more hour'. It went slowly and for the first time I was reduced to walk that didn't involve an incline or aid station. After what seemed like an age, I was trying to jog down the **** and back into town and I finally hit the finish chute:
I didn't feel anything as I ran down, though I managed to summon up the strength the high five the crowd. The overwhelming sense of relief as I crossed the finish line did nothing to set off the fatigue. I was spent and out of it, but I had finished against the odds, and ticked off Ironman number 6.
The Aftermath
Ironman is what defines me and my life centres around the challenge and has done for the last 4 years. I am yet to fully understand why I do it to myself, but I am always searching for my limits and seeing how far I can push myself, wether it be trying to perform the best than I can, or attempting stupid challenges like 3 in 10 weeks or racing with 3 fractured bones. I have to agree with one comment, that it was lunacy for me to even be on the start line, but I had something to prove and was determined to show it was possible. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the best idea, but I wouldn't go back and change it. I do, however, think I have found my limit for what I am prepared to put my body through in an Ironman. At no point in the race did it ever cross my mind that maybe I should stop or give up. Not once. It may come back to haunt me at some point in the future, when I do myself some serious damage, but it never even occurred to me. I never doubted my ability to finish the race, even from the moment I crashed to be honest. I was just missing the will to finish, which was given to me when my doctor told me I wouldn't be able to. I have a complete belief in my body; I know what I can do, and what I am capable of. Sure, I don't know if I will ever qualify for Kona, or if I can ever knock on the doors of sub-9, but finishing – my body will probably give up on me before my mind does, quitting is never even a thought. I suspect this is why I didn't get nervous once I had no time goals as it was never in doubt. It may also be why I didn't get any satisfaction from the race or any sense of achievement. Even now, when speaking to people (my physio's jaw dropping on the floor when I casually mentioned I did an Ironman at the weekend when having my fractures assessed for example), I still think "Meh, no big deal".
For the first time ever in a race, however, the thought of 'Never Again' crossed my mind. I believe I have found the limits of what I am prepared to suffer, and don't think I am prepared to put my body through another Ironman untrained like this one, fractures aside. As the pain has subsided, I still want to compete at Ironman but need to achieve something, which I can't do without the training. So I am going to take (most of) next year off and race middle-distance and below, something I can race without having to worry about life getting in the way. I am currently planning on racing Ironman Arizona in November, but if this doesn't happen then I am happy not to race Ironman at all in 2013. I believe I know now what I need to do to achieve the level I will be satisfied with, and the one thing this race has done for me is to get my hunger back to train properly and get motivated again, something that has been missing since before Henley last year.
In other news, my fractures are slowly on the mend and if anything, actually did a lot of good for my wrist as it was effectively a 7 hour strengthening session! Not recommended though! My elbow fracture is taking a long time to heal (admittedly not helped by this…) but is slowly straightening out, but the winter will see a lot of time in the gym getting my strength back and working on my flexibility and the core.
Ironman UK Plan – Rediscovering My Dark Place
I go into my 6th Ironman in probably my worst ever shape and with 3 fractured bones…so not good! At Henley, I was extremely fatigued but had a massive base and was extremely fit. This time, I had a fairly good base, mainly due to 2 big training camps and as much training as I could as I adjusted to full-time work. But my plan of having a nice 6 week build were trashed with my crash and replaced by a week of nothing, 5 weeks of mind-numbing shorter turbo sessions, 2 weeks of running and 5 swim sessions… I haven't ridden more than 120k since Malaga in April, and don't think I've run more than an hour and a half since Challenge Henley!
My entire motivation for racing is to prove a point. When I first saw my specialist, and told him I had an Ironman in 5 weeks, he said "No you don't" and that was the lightbulb off in my head to complete it. But for the first time I don't know if I can physically complete it. Whilst I know I can drag my body through any amount of pain due to lack of fitness, if I cannot physically hold myself up on my bike, I can't finish. I'm hoping that somewhere under my stubbornness is a sensible voice before I do myself any serious damage!
I had a swim this morning and it was quite promising, I actually felt pretty good in the water! My arm is slowing getting stronger, and there is a hope it might last the whole swim! Along those lines, I played a visit to the Rocktape stand, and they have taped my wrist and elbow up to give it a bit of support tomorrow, so a big thanks to them! I also got out on my race bike for the first time in 7 weeks today, and I've forgotten how different it is! I've only ridden on the ISM saddle and in my new position once out of the turbo, so hardly ideal preparation! But hopefully all of those hours on the turbo will have helped somewhat. My wrist was a little painful when sat up, but I think I've found a position to hold the bars where it doesn't hurt, though I doubt I'll be thinking that 160k in!
The Plan
So the plan for tomorrow – well, there isn't one really! With no time pressures, I am determined to try and enjoy my race, so if you're out supporting and see me looking miserable, remind me that I am actually doing what I love! In an ideal world, I would like to be close to the hour for the swim, but I doubt my elbow will allow me, so if I make the cutoff, I'll be happy! I guess the bike will probably be similar to last years 6:15, though I suspect at 120k in, things are going to go downhill! The run is anyones guess! I'm hoping that somewhere in my legs is the memory of 35 hour training weeks and years of endurance, and they come through, but I am mentally prepared to hit a rough patch and visit some dark places. If the crowds are anything like last year, that will provide a much needed lift! Speaking of spectators, if you see me, I'm number 123, but will be easy to spot with my colourful tape, double tubigrips and blue cast on in the run! You can also track me at http://www.ironmanuk.com or http://www.ironmanlive.com
Finally a quote, which has become something of a motto for me:
Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.


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Roman Catholic
By Rev. Charles T. Rubey Director, LOSS Program, Administration/Program Development
The most recent publication of the new catechism of the Roman Catholic Church states that "it is wrong for a person to take their life." The catechism does go on to clarify that in many instances there are extenuating circumstances that will mitigate the responsibility of the person's actions. It is unfortunate that the catechism states this in such a way. It is open to misunderstanding on the part of many of the members of the Church. Such a statement continues the misconception of the whole area of suicide and the ultimate destiny of people who complete suicide. Without going down the slippery slope of the issue, it should be treated with a little more sensitivity and understanding of the issues that plague survivors of a completed suicide. Survivors have enough struggles in surviving the death of a loved one from suicide. They should not have to worry about the final destiny of a loved one. If someone were to ask me if it is permissible to take their life, I would not hesitate to say that it is not right to do so. After the fact, I would have a completely different response.
My belief is that God judges us negatively when we act out of malice. A person who completes suicide is not acting out of malice but is acting out of desperation. Their death is a clear statement that they can no longer tolerate the pain that has engulfed them. The pain has become more than they can handle and they are looking for a way out of their pain. They are not malicious but desperate. They do not want to "hurt God." They want peace from their internal torture that has become unbearable. I would find it hard to believe in a God who would deny peace and tranquility to a person whose life was devoid of such peace and tranquility. The reason that a person engages in such an act is to find peace and to escape from the torture that has made their life so unbearable.
Michael Byrne
Sorry but a friend killed herself 5/30/2018.I am permanently disabled with bran injury chronic pain this woman had options I knew her and her husband twenty years I gave her numbers of agencies and groups that would help her but know she jumped. You see she said I don't want to go and fill out forms and this I said but you will be fine your problems not all gone but the big ones will be. It she jumped. I'm the one who should jump but I can't I love God I am his temple. You liberals cause this. If I were you in would end it she was told. She had no reason to she had hope she had God now no one. Not a tear was shed I thought that was sad. It's still a life. I'm sick over this death is final hope is eternal.
Angela Hancock
In a very serious life situation. Loss of my partner, having to find living situations on $1300/month. When overwhelmed, I self harm. I know this is a sin, but I cant find alternative.I need God and Jesus Christ to come back into my life. And I don'tknow how to make that happen. I read my Bible, but I need services/ RICA in my life. Can you please help? I'm desperate and don't have much time.


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Students in hospital
Academic information
If you find you are in hospital - or expect to be in the near future, let the University know by informing Student Services. They will guide you as to who you need to tell in your academic school and in your residence.
Your health must be your priority and it is hoped that your situation improves and you are able to return to your studies quickly. This page contains the relevant information for working out how best to continue your studies.
Whilst in Hospital
We understand that communication isn't easy when in hospital, and especially when you are unwell. If you are currently in hospital, it is likely that you will have been given a copy of this page by the University Chaplain (firstname.lastname@example.com, 01334 462866). The Chaplain will discuss your situation with you and report this back to Student Services (firstname.lastname@example.com, 01334 462020). Student Services will then notify the appropriate people in the rest of the University:
Your school/s
If you are in hospital, you will be absent from classes and also possibly assessments or exams. You may also have assessment deadlines which will be affected. Normally, a student would fill in the Self-Certificate of Absence and contact the school themselves about arranging any changes to assessments and deadlines. When a student is unable to do this, Student Services can let the school know. If you do have access to the internet, you may be able to complete the Self-Certificate of Absence.
Depending on your level of study, and the seriousness of your illness, you may need to take a Change of Circumstances for the rest of the semester. If you are absent towards the end of a semester, the school may be able to offer deferred/alternative assessment.
To contact your school, please phone the University switchboard on 01334 476161.
Associate Deans Students and Pro Dean Research Postgraduate
You can apply to take a Change of Circumstances if you feel that your health problems will be of significant detriment to your studies. If your illness results in your absence from studies for more than 2 consecutive weeks, you must apply for a Change of Circumstances. You should contact the relevant Prodean as soon as possible.
If you are an undergraduate or taught postgraduate student, email email@example.com
If you are a reserach postgraduate, email email@example.com
Residence Staff (if you are living in a Halls of Residence)
If you live in a Halls of Residence, Student Services will have let the Wardens and Residence Team know that you are in hospital. This is in case you require any special arrangements when you return, and also for Fire Safety regulations.
The University will not discuss your personal details with anyone outside of the University due to Data Protection regulations.
Once you have left hospital (to return either to St Andrews or elsewhere)
Contact Student Services. They will already be aware of your situation. If you haven't done so already, you will need to self certify and contact the school/s. You may have already been contacted by email by the schools and Associate Dean Students with some options for your consider. You can discuss these options with Student Services.
You can also look at information about absence reporting and taking time out.


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Kyrgyz police disperse anti-Chinese rally
BISHKEK: Kyrgyz police detained more than a dozen people on Thursday as they dispersed a hundreds-strong anti-Chinese rally in the capital, Bishkek, the biggest public protest to date in Central Asia against Beijing's growing influence in the region.
Protesters who gathered on the central square demanded curbs on work permits for Chinese citizens as well as a reduction of Kyrgyz debt to China and called for other measures to reduce the Chinese presence, including a ban on Kyrgyz-Chinese marriages.
After the rally ran beyond its allotted time, dozens of protesters started moving towards a building which houses the president and parliament, at which point police started detaining some people and squeezing others out of the square. Police declined to say how many people they had detained. A reporter at the scene saw them lead away more than a dozen.
Anti-Chinese sentiment has grown in the former Soviet republic of six million people since an incident at Bishkek's main power plant a year ago caused a five-day blackout following its upgrade carried out by a Chinese firm. The firm has not been officially charged with any wrongdoing.
Hostility towards Beijing has also been fuelled by reports of mass detentions of ethnic Kyrgyz — alongside fellow Turkic Muslims such as Uighurs and Kazakhs — in China's western province of Xinjiang.
Beijing has defended its so-called "vocational education training centres", which it says are part of a de-radicalisation programme in Xinjiang.
In 2016, three Chinese embassy staff were injured when a suicide bomber rammed the gates of the building in his car which then exploded.
Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2019


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Dame Judy Bench Boosts 'Regis'
By Ben Grossman
The first week of May sweeps did not bring much good news for syndication. Just two of 30 first-run strips posted week-to-week gains, according to the live-plus-same-day household ratings for the week ended May 7.
People Using Television (PUT) levels fell for the sixth straight week, not uncommon for this time of year, when the days grow longer. PUT levels dropped by an average of 573,000 viewers for the week and have plummeted an average of 6.4 million, or 12%, over the six weeks of decline.
But two of syndication's biggest names, Regis Philbin and Oprah Winfrey, helped stem the tide with modest gains week-over-week. Live With Regis and Kelly had the biggest weekly gain, jumping 6% to average a 3.3. The show was buoyed by a May 4 appearance by Judge Judy Scheindlin.
However, Live was actually down 8% from last year at this time, when an appearance by booted American Idol hopeful Constantine Maroulis paced it to a big week.
Talk leader The Oprah Winfrey Show gained 1% on the week to a genre-winning 7.0, which was off 13% year-over-year. Elsewhere in talk, the news was not as good, with Dr. Phil down 6% on the week and 7% on the year to a 5.1. For Maury, in its first week after news broke of a lawsuit filed against host Maury Povich, average ratings were off 4% on the week and 14% on the year to a 2.5. Ellen averaged a 2.2, flat on both the week and the year, while Montel was flat for the week and down 13% for the year with a 2.0. Jerry Springer was also flat for the week but off 23% to a 1.7.
The newsmagazine genre was mostly down year-over-year. The comparison is a bit distorted, however: This time last year, the entertainment world was abuzz about the ABC special detailing American Idol contestant Corey Clark's allegations about a relationship with Paula Abdul. Entertainment Tonight led the way with a 4.9, down 2% on the week and year, while Inside Edition was off 3% on the week but up 3% on the year to a 3.4. The Insider was next with a 2.5, flat on the week but off 11% on the year; Access Hollywood was off 8% on the week and 15% on the year to a 2.3. Extra, meanwhile,was even on the week but down 9% on the year to a 2.1.
No court show posted weekly or yearly gains. Despite its star's helping Regis and Kelly, Judge Judy fell 2% on the week and 4% on the year to a 4.5. Judge Joe Brown was flat on the week but off 6% on the year to a 3.0, People's Court was down 4% for both the week and the year to a 2.6, Divorce Court fell 4% on the week and 7% on the year (2.5), and Judge Mathis held steady on the week but lost 4% on the year (2.3).
The news was no better for game shows. Wheel of Fortune averaged a 7.8, down 3% for the week and 6% for the year, while Jeopardy! averaged a 6.4; that was flat for the week but a 1% dip year-over-year. Who Wants To Be a Millionaire declined 3% for both the week and year to a 3.1, while Family Feud was flat on the week but dropped 5% on the year to a 2.0.
In off-net sitcoms, Everybody Loves Raymond led with a 5.4 but was off 5% on the week and 16% on the year. Seinfeld averaged a 5.0, up 2% on the week but down 11% year-to-year, while Friends was flat on the week and down 13% on the year to a 4.5. And although King of Queens will have another season on CBS, it was the only strip in syndication to hit a new season low, dropping 4% on the week and 8% on the year to a 2.3.
The television industry's top news stories, analysis and blogs of the day.


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So the last week has been interesting. I started work – and things are very different here than they are in Canada. Everyone is really nice (which is not different from Canada =P) and it's been interesting trying to figure everything out, but no one seems to really know what's going on…As in "plan the curriculum and how you're going to teach everything for the year…but no, we're not going to tell you what classes you're teaching."
Umm…let's see…work started Wednesday, that was alright, just meeting people and stuff, and Thursday we started unpacking boxes and planning some math stuff, and we did the same on Friday. I have my own laptop, and each classroom has a projector and speakers, which is nice. I also have my own desk, which is weird, because I'm used to sharing with my lovely co-student teachers (which I guess I no longer am).
My department head has been here since the school started, and is also Canadian. He has been a huge help! And he had the whole department (which consists of 4 people) over for dinner on Friday. He has the cutest kid, and his house has pear, apple and plum trees! and he grows all kinds of berries – which apparently, in Sweden you can just pick if you see growing. In fact, you can stay anywhere in Sweden, just pop up a tent for 3 days before you have to move on, provided you're not too close to someone else's house. Which means if you're a farmer, people could just stay in your fields for a few days before moving on…
Umm..SCHOOL! here I think is going to be really interesting for the first few days. We've had to line up, alphabetically, and no leaning against the lockers! before we're allowed into a classroom, and the assistant principal greets each of us, by name, and shakes our hands. Once in the classroom, we all wait standing until he comes in and gives us permission to sit. …I can already see myself waiting in my classroom wondering why my class hasn't arrived yet >.<
There was church today – I went to one church (my parents found it) but there was no one there…apparently even the churches are on vacation in Sweden! So I walked to another one, and it was all in Swedish – no idea what the message was about…We talked about Love, Zacchaeus, and then the Samaritan Woman…
But! There was this really nice lady called Sarah who comes from Uganda who kinda showed me around the church for a bit, and then there was this really nice old chinese lady who came to talk to me…in Mandarin. Which was very interesting…she asked me if I wanted something to eat, and I thought she meant after church with the rest of the congregation 'cause I thought they had snacks or something after (which they might, who knows?) but she meant at her house…so I ended up at her house…eating dumplings (yay!). But really really awkward…seeing as she spoke mandarin…and I didn't.
Regardless, we managed to communicate-ish….she's 71, has 2 sons, and 1 daughter. One of her sons is here, the other is in M'sia and the daughter is in San Fran. She is Vietnamese, and came over in 1979, and her children were 16, 8 and 4 at the time.
AND! I got a whole bunch of rhubarb – her friend gave her some, and she doesn't eat it, and she showed me like 1 stalk…and then asked if I ate it, and I said yeah, 'cause I figured I could make a pie…and then she gave me a whole bag of them…so if anyone knows what to to do with Rhubarb, let me know =) via email =)
OH! and the admin office has a sign in swedish that reads "rektorsexpedition" and I definitely did not know that they meant administration….it was a good thing to learn =)
Again! Sorry for the chaoticness of the post – once I get internet at my place (which might be in a few weeks unless I cave and get one of those usb internet stick thingies, which I probably will once I find out where to get it).
IN THE MEANTIME: email me =) I don't have fb at school, and I don't check this there either =P