text:
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Need a little cheese with my whine...
First of all...it's looking like instead of the rumored large referral batch this month, they may only get through Nov. 7th (that would be 6 days worth of LIDs). According to RQ, some people with a Nov. 8th LID are being told by their agencies that they didn't make the cut. For us to see a referral this year, they would need to make it through the end of November by next month, cover all of December in July & August and all of January in Sept & October. That would be the only way (besides them all of a sudden doing 30 days each month) that we could have our referral in December.
On top of that, the USCIS just decided to allow one free renewal of the I-600A effective July 30, 2007. I'm happy for my friends who WILL benefit from this, but it's about four months too late for us! We mailed in our new I-600A with a hefty check just last month.
Like I've said before, this is a roller coaster ride and some days are up and some days are down...this one is down.
21 comments:
- Shelley said...
I'm so sorry Donna. Hang in there.
- 5:38 PM, May 29, 2007
Hang in there my friend.
That burns about the free I600A. I renewed mine just days before getting my referral. Do they give refunds? ;)
- 5:56 PM, May 29, 2007
- Jacquie said...
Oh Donna. So sorry. I hated these days like this. I had them too. You go ahead and feel as badly as you want. I'll keep sending good thoughts your way.
I was happy when I heard the announcement from CIS but wished they had gotten on the ball LAST SUMMER when I was firing off letters to them! For you to have just mailed your check last month..... ugh. I can only imagine.
Ok, I hesitate to tell you this because I don't want to get your hopes up. I think I believe the crappy rumors this time. However, I was tracking our referral from China to our agency with a tracking number from DHL, was 99.9% sure our referral was in it and our coordinator was still telling us "NO", that package does not contain referrals. I knew better, and oila..... got The Call the next day. Maybe agencies are trying to not get their clients' hopes up???????
- 5:59 PM, May 29, 2007
- Made in China said...
I would advise you to stay away from the rumor sites, but I can't seem to stay away myself!
Enjoy your cheese and wine - I'm into the chocolate ...
- 6:35 PM, May 29, 2007
- Janet said...
Oh, Donna, I'm sorry. I really hope the rumours are wrong!
I'll eat some chocolate for you in sympathy....:-)
- 6:39 PM, May 29, 2007
- M3 said...
Ugh, I'm so sorry. I hope like mad the rumors are wrong. Sending really good thoughts for you.
- 7:10 PM, May 29, 2007
- Christie said...
OK, I'm taking your advice and swinging it back around - you hang in there and I will too...
Hugs friend...miss scrap swapping with you, but who has the stinking time?
- 8:51 PM, May 29, 2007
Gosh Donna, that really stinks. Try to hang in there as best you can. Maybe some more "shopping therapy" is needed? Maybe you can get a matching wallet for your newest coach handbag?
- 9:15 PM, May 29, 2007
- Susan said...
That stinks big time...Wish there was more I could do but only offer up a big hug and say I'll see ya' in October!
Hang in there sister....we're all with you.
- 5:23 AM, May 30, 2007
- Emily said...
Pass the cheese and "whine", I was so hopeful on this batch and I even tried not to be. Then the whole USCIS thing really hit me in the gut, sent mine off 2 weeks ago, oh well just money. Someday our day will come, hopefully sooner, not later. Keep the faith1
- 8:12 AM, May 30, 2007
It does seem a bit unfair, doesn't it? Hang in there - can't say the roller coaster will slow down, but can say that you'll have quite the experience to talk about once you get off. And if your whine turns into a need for wine, give me a call!
- 10:28 AM, May 30, 2007
- redmaryjanes said...
So, that pretty much confirms my instincts that our wait time is about F-O-R-E-V-E-R. Pass me a bottle and some cubed mozarella.
- 11:24 AM, May 30, 2007
- Doris & Dan said...
It is sucky! I prefer wine with my whine.
Keep smilin!
- 12:41 PM, May 30, 2007
- Stacy said...
At least we're not alone on this dang roller coaster.
Hold on! We will get there!
- 2:21 PM, May 30, 2007
- Donna said...
Your frustration is understandable...let's hope the ride gets smoother soon!
- 7:02 PM, May 30, 2007
- C.J. said...
I do believe we were on the same downward spiral there. Dust it off, woman. We'll move on with it ;0)
Yep, I missed the renewal cut off by 10 lousy days on my expiration. Okay, done grousing now.
- 7:21 PM, May 30, 2007
I mailed my stupid check in about 12 days ago!! UGHH!
- 4:37 AM, May 31, 2007
- Roy and Lori said...
Lets keep praying that we will
get some good news soon!
Take care and I hope you have
a great afternoon!
- 11:32 AM, May 31, 2007
- Lisa and Tate said...
It's not over this month until the CCAA sings! Rumors are Rumors, you know?! Still holding out for good news!!!
- 1:35 PM, May 31, 2007
hey...plenty of cheese in my fridge... you bring the wine.. keep the faith, good things will come. love mom
- 5:30 PM, May 31, 2007
- Jewels of My Heart said...
I'm sorry! I know it is so hard but hopefully referrals will start to pick up and one day you will hold your baby girl in your arms and all the heartache will melt away. I promise.
- 7:31 PM, May 31, 2007


text:
The First Time Without
By Eric Rasmussen
Mom got on a plane; that much we know. Everything else is speculation, or evidence that may not even matter.
I blame the computer we bought her for Christmas. My sisters Kelly and Paula and I went in on it, a much more extravagant gift than normal, but it was the first Christmas without dad and we wanted to do something special. We sat in mom and dad's living room, now just mom's, and all the cousins helped her unwrap it. She gasped when she saw the picture on front. Kelly's husband tried to be funny, said, "That's not what's in there, that's just the box," and Mom rolled her eyes. "I hope so," she said. "I don't need a computer." We waited for Paula to find a scissors to open it, and sure enough, it was a laptop. Mom said, "You didn't have to do this, this is too much," through tears that seemed deeper than the usual holiday-induced variety, and we all paused because suddenly the room felt empty and incomplete. Then one of Paula's kids asked if she could play Minecraft on it and everyone laughed a little, and we all talked at the same time about how the device would make Mom's life so much better. Email and news and shopping and games and pictures of grandkids.
And since I "work with computers," I got to come over the next day to set the thing up. Jesus.
"Just use one finger, Mom." She sat at the kitchen table while I leaned over her.
"I am."
"When that menu opens, that means your other finger touched the pad."
"So then what do I do?"
"Move the cursor somewhere else and tap."
She sat with impeccable posture and jeweled reading glasses teetering on the end of her nose. "Like this?"
"No… No. Just one finger."
"Sweetheart, I swear that's what I'm doing."
We covered email and the internet, and before I had to leave for lunch we set up her Facebook profile. We friended everyone in the family and a few ladies from church. She scrolled through Kelly's family pictures and I said, "I think the computer is a good thing for all us. Now we'll be able to keep an eye on you."
"You'll still come over, right? You'll still call?"
"Of course, Mom. We'll still come over. Please don't worry."
"It's just that I love seeing you."
"We know, mom. We know."
Mae Bergeson
January 11th at 9:19 am
I enjoyed some oatmeal this morning! I added dried cranberries, which were fantastic. Perhaps tomorrow morning I'll try walnuts. Or maybe both! Looking forward to a great day.
Memorial Day always belonged to Mom and Dad. After they bought the place on the lake when we were kids, it didn't matter what sports or events or parties fell on that weekend, we always went to the cabin for fires and grill-outs and pontoon rides. Except this time, for the first time, the group was smaller than it had been the year before.
Building the Friday night bonfire had always been Dad's job, and I assumed the task without asking, without drawing attention to the first of many weekend responsibilities that would need to be reassigned. I stacked logs on top of sticks on top of newspaper. While I tried to light it everyone found lawn chairs and made a big circle around the fire pit halfway up the yard between the cabin and the water. When all the little wisps of flame sputtered out, the advice started.
"Add lighter fluid," said Kelly's oldest son.
"I think your kindling is too wet," said Paula.
"Just be patient," said Mom. "You're smothering it. It needs air."
I deconstructed the whole thing and tried again, and eventually the flames grew. The little kids roasted marshmallows and swatted mosquitoes and failed to notice the significance of the first Memorial Day summer opener without grandpa. The rest of us sat quietly and thought of little else, until my daughter Haley spoke up to share her news. She'd been waiting for weeks to tell everyone.
"I have an announcement," said Haley, and her aunt Kelly and aunt Paula shushed their kids and they all leaned forward in their chairs. "So, instead of going back to college in Minneapolis this summer, I am going to spend a semester abroad, in Italy."
Everyone clapped and cheered. My wife interrupted so she could play proud mother. "And the whole thing is paid for with an academic grant. Haley maintained her 4.0 all freshman year."
Everyone offered another round of congratulations. Kelly's weirdo husband gave Haley a big hug that lasted longer than I was comfortable with, but we all were genuinely happy for her.
"A whole semester?" said Mom. "That's too long. You can't be away that long."
Three different times that weekend, Mom talked about Dad like he was there. As she did lunch dishes on Saturday, she said, "Tell Rich he has to get the kids' lifejackets before he takes them on the boat," and Kelly and I looked at each other and didn't say anything. Later that afternoon, she and I were in the kitchen again and when I opened the fridge, she told me to double-check if there was enough beer in there for dad. And Sunday morning, as everyone woke and gathered in the big sunroom with their coffee, she sighed and said, "Looks like grandpa is sleeping in again," and everyone got quiet and I said, "Dad's not here." Mom froze, then shook her head. "I know," she said. "I'm just being silly."
Mom and Dad had the sort of relationship everyone wishes for and is terrified of at the same time. After forty-four years of marriage, they lost any discernible "I" in the abyss of "we." One weekend a year, Mom went shopping with her three sisters. Another weekend, Dad went fishing with a buddy from the military. Other than that, they were never apart.
Dad died on Labor Day, at the lake. Paula and her family couldn't make it that weekend. Her husband had a softball tournament, but the rest of us were there when, after a lunch of grilled hotdogs, dad said he needed a quick nap. He had a stroke, we hope while he was asleep.
Mae Bergeson
June 9th at 8:02 am
It looks rainy today, so I'll have to take my slicker to deliver meals! I don't mind the rain. What I do mind is when my car smells like Salisbury steak for three days afterwards! Excited to have a fantastic day!
You can't always trust your memory, of course, but it seems like most of my childhood was spent trying to find Mom. Whenever I needed her, she was nowhere to be found. I followed a route around the house, shouting, "MOM," the whole time. I started in the living room, then entered the kitchen. After checking the downstairs bathroom, I went upstairs, first to her room, then the girls' room, then mine. The front yard, the back yard. Back downstairs to the laundry room, the wood-paneled family room, and finally the dark storage area behind the partition.
About half the time I found her somewhere on this path. If not, I started the loop again. If I made it to a third lap, I started to worry. What if she left us? What if something happened? But sooner or later she would appear somewhere, pulling clothes out of the dryer, washing her hands in the kitchen sink, coming in from outside.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" she would say if I had started to panic and cry. "I've been here the whole time." But I knew that wasn't true. I had checked.
Mom called on a Saturday morning in August.
"Evan," she said. "I need your help. Can you come over right away?"
"Sure," I said. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong," she said. "I'll tell you when you get here."
I drove over to the house, faster than I should have, parked in the street and jogged up the front walk. I knocked as I entered and found an old man standing in the entryway. His thin white hair was combed straight back, and his whitened teeth looked neon bright against his dark orange tanned skin. He wore a gold chain under a sweatshirt zipped halfway down his chest.
He stuck out his hand. "You must be Evan."
"Yeah," I said. "And you are…?"
"Rick," the man said. He held my hand too long and too firm.
Mom came around the corner in old work clothes and a hairnet. "That was fast."
"What's going on?" I asked.
"We're just moving some furniture. We decided this place could use a facelift. You met Rick?"
"Yeah. Yep."
"I'll show you what we're thinking," said Rick. "We can handle it quick and get you on your way."
The living room had looked the same since my parents bought the house when I was ten, but Rick and I moved the couch against the window, switched the arm chairs around, and carried the old coffee table with the marble top into the basement. Rick pretended like he could still handle the heavy lifting, but I could tell otherwise. He needed lots of rests, lots of moments to "find a good grip." Mom stood back and directed.
"You're going to have ugly furniture marks in the carpet," I said.
"Those will come out," said Rick. "I've got a plan."
When we finished, Mom said, "I think that looks nice." She looked around the room again. "Do you two want something to drink?"
"Sure," said Rick.
"I better get going," I said. "But can I talk to you for a minute? Outside?"
"Okay," said Mom.
I walked out to my car, and Mom followed. I stood in the boulevard, and sighed. "Who's Rick?"
"I knew this was going to be a big deal." She crossed her arms. A big pickup truck raced by, then a motorcycle. "He's just a friend."
"But his name is 'Rick'? You don't think that's a little weird?"
"Evan, please…"
"Is he… He's not…" I could smell Mom and Dad's house emanating from my clothes. Every time, even if I only stopped in for a few minutes, the old odor lingered the rest of the day.
"What?" Mom said, suddenly stern, suddenly less welcoming than I could ever remember.
"I don't know. He's not borrowing money or anything, is he? He's not taking advantage of you?"
Mom walked back up to the house without saying anything. Rick waved at me as he opened the door for her.
Mae Bergeson
March 4th at 6:12 am
Today it's been six months since we lost Rich, and the mornings are still very hard. But I know he wants us to be happy, so that's what I try to do, every day. If I can honor his memory a little each day, then I feel like part of him is still here.
Back up. Six months after dad died, my family took a spring break trip to Florida. Haley met us down there, which put my wife in a great mood. The boys each managed to shed their teenage attitudes for a few days and we all ate and swam and had the type of vacation we assumed would never happen again, since Haley had left for school. When we got back, I called Mom. No one answered.
I called three more times that evening. The next morning I tried Kelly and Paula, and neither had spoken with her since the previous week. I went to the house, and it was dark. Her car was gone.
On the ride home I brainstormed what to do next. Call the church and get the names of her friends. Call the police. How do people track credit card purchases? How do people put out Silver Alerts?
Kelly called a few minutes after I arrived home. "We found her," she said.
"She's in Iowa visiting Aunt Lorraine."
"She just left without telling anyone?"
"Exactly. I was scared to death."
My wife stood in front of me and whispered, "Did they find her?" and I gave her a thumbs up.
"Her memory is getting way worse," said Kelly. "Is it time to start talking about assisted living?"
"No," I said. "No way. She's fine. She's a grown woman."
"I think you're wrong," said Kelly over the phone while my wife shook her head.
We've figured out a few of the details about mom's plane departure. On that morning in November, she was on Facebook, because a little before nine she posted, "I don't have many plans today. It's too early to decorate, and the house is all clean. It might be a great day to settle in with a book. Or maybe I should take a trip!" She must have seen what was posted on Haley's wall overnight, and it undoubtedly led to what happened next.
"I'm so scared. I'm on my trip to Europe and I was just robbed. They took my money, passport, everything. Please contact me, I need money. Please."
It was a scam, of course, and the scammers had tacked on a fake email address. Haley was totally fine, but since she was actually in Italy, we think Mom took it seriously. Maybe she sent an email to the fraudulent address, and who knows what the assholes on the other end told her.
We don't know what happened over the next five hours. Maybe Mom thought about how she could fix the situation. Maybe she paced around the house, full of worry over her oldest granddaughter in a foreign country. She didn't call me or Kelly or Paula, and we don't know why. Perhaps she's too independent, or perhaps it just didn't occur to her. Lots of things had stopped occurring to her.
But at two o'clock, she bought a ticket and boarded a plane at our small regional airport. I'm sure she was more than pleasant to the ticket agent. She may have told the security guards about her oldest granddaughter's troubles over in Italy, then explained that she had to go rescue the poor kid. I'm guessing when she found her seat on the plane, she asked the man sitting next to her where he was going, and he responded, then asked her the same.
"Italy, huh?" the man probably said. "Business or pleasure?"
"Oh, this is business," said Mom. "Very serious business."
We didn't learn anything from the police or the airline, of course. Without any documentation of any mental decline or evidence of wrongdoing, they said they couldn't help. But Mrs. Herbert from Mom's church works at the rental car desk at the airport. She watched Mom get on the plane, and she let us know.
Back up again. Three months after dad died, a few weeks before Christmas, Mom called me. It was the middle of the day, so I asked a coworker to cover my tech support calls and I stepped away from my desk and into the concrete stairwell to talk. I knew it was her right away, because her name came up on my phone. But on the other end of the line I heard nothing, only silence.
"Mom? Are you there? Is everything okay?"
Then I heard breathing, heavy and slow.
"Why do you have to be such an asshole?" she said.
It felt like being punched, and I raced to figure out what I might have done wrong. I sat on the stairs.
"Mom, I'm so sorry, but I have no idea…"
"You're not going to talk your way out this. I am not doing this again."
She breathed faster. "I have had it with you, Rich. I have had it. Things are changing, now."
"Mom, hold on," I said, then louder, "hold on." My words echoed up four floors. "I'm not Rich. Do you… do you think I'm dad?"
"You need to shut the hell up right now and listen. Are you listening?"
After a quick pause, Mom commenced a tirade unlike anything I had ever heard. She accused me of not caring, of not taking the garbage out, of looking at other women, of failing to forge a relationship with her parents, of cheating on her, of being selfish: everywhere, always selfish. I tried to interrupt, to break the frenzy. "This is Evan." "Mom, you're confused." "I'm not who you think I am." But nothing stopped the full list of forty-four years' worth of grievances. When she finished, she stayed on the line and breathed heavily. Nothing I said would get her to talk again, so I hung up.
Mae Bergeson
July 17th at 4:45 pm
I'm curious to see who actually reads posts instead of just looking at the pictures! If you are reading this message, leave a comment with a single word that describes how we met. After that, copy this message on your wall and I will also leave you a word. Please, don't leave a word and then not bother to copy the text. You'll ruin the fun!
During May, maybe April, of my senior year of high school, my friend Aaron and I used skip classes all the time to drive around and smoke cigarettes. The freedom felt more intoxicating than the nicotine. We picked different hours of the school day, so we didn't miss too much of any one class. We were good students, ultimately, and would still graduate and head to college in the fall. But the ability to exert a little control felt great. That control consisted of driving around the neighborhoods behind school, miles of ranch homes in a perfect grid with the occasional cul-de-sac for decoration. We didn't want to talk about school, and our futures were too unknown and scary to acknowledge, so we smoked and drove and mostly stayed quiet.
One afternoon, Aaron pointed at the driveway of a blue two-story house coming up on our right and said, "Hey, isn't that your mom's car?"
It was. Gray Oldsmobile station wagon with a bright yellow foam sun on the radio antenna. We half ducked down, then looked behind us when we passed to make sure we were safe. We were. All clear.
When we circled around the next day, her car was parked at the same house again.
"Maybe that's not her," I said. "Pull over."
Aaron stopped a few houses away, and I got out of his car and crept down the sidewalk. When I came even with the station wagon, I ducked behind it. I looked in the windows, and it was for sure Mom's car. Her purse sat in the passenger seat. The books of crossword puzzles and magazines that kept Kelly and Paula and I occupied on long car trips peeked over the edge of the pocket on the back of the driver's seat. A hamburger wrapper from dinner the previous week lay crumpled on the floor.
Aaron pulled forward to pick me up. "Is it her?" he asked.
"What's she doing here?"
"I have no idea. I don't know whose house this is."
That night, as she peeled potatoes for dinner, I asked Mom, "What did you do today?"
"Nothing," she said. "Just pretty much stuck around here."
"Really? You didn't go anywhere?"
"No, sweetie. Why?"
I shrugged a couple times, tried to act casual. "I thought I saw you drive by school today. Through the window. I was just looking out the window."
"Nope," she said. "Wasn't me."
The way I see it, there's three potential explanations for Mom's sudden departure.
Number one. Mom is suffering from early onset dementia. There's a family history, I think, a great aunt who died from Alzheimer's. Her memory is getting worse all the time and we all see it, even if we have no idea what to do about it. She got confused, worse than ever before, then got on the plane.
Number two. Mom's depressed. Dad is gone, this Rick is trying to get close to her, she's upset and doesn't know what to do and suddenly all these dumb ideas suddenly seem smart, like heading to Iowa unannounced. Like rearranging the house, or flying to Europe.
Number three. Mom's a grown woman and she gets to make her own decisions. That's fine. Truly, it's fine, I accept that, but that's no excuse for not telling us. We don't need to know where she is all the time, but getting on a plane is different. She needs to explain why she didn't let us know. She owes us that.
The last two weeks of school before graduation, I started skipping school without Aaron. I don't think he minded. We really didn't talk about it.
I left through the back door by the tennis courts during passing time, but waited to pull out of the lot until the next class started. Instead of weaving through the neighborhood, I headed straight for the blue two-story. Some days Mom's car wasn't there, but a lot of days it was.
I parked on a cross street where I could see the station wagon through someone's yard, between two trees. A few times I stayed for longer than a class period. One time I sat there almost the whole day, skipped lunch even, just watching and smoking until the hunger became too sharp and I left for a quick burger. By the time I got back, Mom's car was gone.
I lived at home the summer after graduation, and Mom stayed around the house every day, like I had always assumed. She did laundry, and cleaned, and read her book. She asked if I wanted to do things with her, like take walks or see movies. Mostly I declined. Maybe when school started in fall she went back to that house. I moved away, so there was no way for me to know. But as I sat in my car for those handful of days in May, I tried to imagine what I would say to her if I saw her coming or going. I could ask her what she was doing, or who lived in the house, or maybe I would inquire about what she had to hide, or if dad knew about the visits. I would tell her, once and for all, that I didn't care if she left. But I wanted to know where she was going.
So, one week, two weeks later, who knows? Mom is wandering around some European airport, lost and alone and unable to ask for help, or Mom is having the time of her life over in Italy, doing a little sightseeing before she goes to check on her granddaughter. Maybe Mom got back and already departed for her next trip, to see aging sisters or stateside tourist sights before it's too late.
Or Mom is still on a plane, flying circles around the globe, confused about when to exit the aircraft, unable to remember the stewardess's instructions.
Or Mom is with dad.
Or Mom and Rick found a little Tuscan villa and will live the rest of their lives enjoying the ocean air. Maybe we'll get a postcard someday, or maybe we'll see it on Facebook.
Or, the next time I come around a corner Mom will show up with an armful of folded towels or hands caked in garden dirt and she'll look confused and say, "Relax, sweetheart, relax. I would never leave without telling you. I swear."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Why is it important to build an Alumni Center?
Not only must we serve our fast-growing alumni family, we must also be prepared to help the next generation of alumni — today's students — succeed in an evolving employment landscape. Embracing these responsibilities, and recognizing that alumni represent the strengths and virtues of our university, CSULB has identified the creation of a new alumni center as an important step forward in the history of this great university.
The Anna W. Ngai Alumni Center:
- Will bring students and alumni together for career development, networking, and mentoring opportunities.
- Will be a venue for learning, engagement, and entrepreneurial activities.
- Will be a one-of-a-kind special event and gathering space for community and campus groups.


text:
Filters: Keyword is onset detection [Clear All Filters]
PhD Thesis
A Data-driven Bayesian Approach to Automatic Rhythm Analysis of Indian Art Music. Department of Information and Communication Technologies. 332. Abstract(2016).
Journal Article
Model cortical responses for the detection of perceptual onsets and beat tracking in singing. Connection Science. 21(2-3), 193-205. Abstract(2009).


text:
The Professional Objective: Getting Started Developing Your HEJS Plan
One of the first tasks you'll tackle when creating your Pierson's Highly Effective Job Search (HEJS) plan will be to compose your Professional Objective (PO). You can view creating your Professional Objective as a starting point to create your HEJS project plan.
A Professional Objective answers the question: What Kind of work do you want to do?
Your Professional Objective typically names a profession ("Architect") and defines the kind of work that encompasses the profession. Your PO states the goal of your HEJS job search project.
A Professional Objective must be short, clear, and concise. When you're talking to people about your job-- hiring managers, colleagues, friends and recruiters, you need to effectively communicate exactly what kind of opportunity you are looking for.
Decision Makers (DM's: hiring managers) expect you to state your Professional Objective in less than 30 seconds. A five minute answer to: "What kind of work are you looking for?" simply won't cut it.
The trick in writing a good Professional Objective is to focus on not too narrow or broad a PO.
Common examples of too broad of an PO include; "I'm looking for a management job," or "I want to work in the Healthcare industry caring for sick people". Too narrow a PO might describe an area of specialization that pertains to a unique role fulfilled by a previous employer, like "I want to find another Java Enthusiast position".
Some job roles, like Programmer, Business Analyst, Executive Administrative Assistant, and Registered Nurse, are well known and generally understood by professionals and lay people alike.
Remember, if you don't clearly say what kind of job you want in your PO, you're asking employers to figure it out for you. That's not their job, it's yours-- so invest some time and decide the kind of work that you would like to engage in.
When you have a well-crafted Professional Objective, you become a more attractive candidate . You stand out as a professional who knows what s/he wants, who is actually pursing a certain kind of work. Employers will take note.
Find a Better Job Using Pierson's Highly Effective Job Search Method. (Jim Intriglia's Education blog, 2018)
The Unwritten Rules of the Highly Effective Job Search (Orville Pierson, 2006)
Plan My Job Search? Why?? Orville Pierson's Highly Effective Job Search blog, 2018)


text:
If warm weather has you considering putting down your knitting, this project is for you. So light and airy that you'll stay cool while you knit, the Featherweight Cowl is a fun accessory that's perfect for adding a dash of color to your wardrobe. Join us for class Saturday, April 11th from 11-1pm.
Make sure to give us a call at (916) 714-7719 to reserve your seat. There's limited space available.


text:
Underbank Rangers will look to maintain their lead at the top of Division One in the National Conference on Saturday with a familiar face making his 'second debut' for the club.
That's the 39-year-old John Birt, who will play No9 off the bench against third-placed Milford Marlins at The Cross (2.30), seven years after last wearing the club shirt.
It's a crunch clash for coach Richard Knight and his men, who lead from Hunslet Parkside only by one point on points difference.
And with Huddersfield Giants in Friday-night action against Wakefield Trinity , Fartowners can take the chance to back the Holmfirth-based club in what is a key fixture.
Knight will give a debut on the wing to former Giants Academy and St Joseph's player Jacob Garside, while Underbank are boosted by the return of props Craig Williams, Dan Farrand and Jordan Williams.
Also back are left centre Owen Restall and wingman Courtney Allette, who has been out injured for three weeks.
"Because of the state of the table, this is like a Grand Final for us," said Knight.
"If we can get over the line, it will put us seven points clear of Milford in third and, with two to go up automatically and only five more games to play after this one, we'd be in a really strong position.
"And with the character the lads have been showing all season and, particularly in the last two games, when we've been pretty beaten up, they deserve to go on and win promotion."
Underbank are looking for their 16th win of the season, after collecting their 15th last weekend, 21-14 away to Hull Dockers.
Knight's side are plus 308 and remain level on 30 points with second-in-the-table Hunslet Parkside – who kept up the pressure with a 28-0 home over Hunslet Warriors to be on a postive points difference of 307.
Parkside are away at fourth-placed Normanton Knights (both them and Underbank have six games left to play).
"Having been pretty busted up, it's great to have some men back and about 25 to select from for a change," added Knight, who is not intending to play on Saturday.
"John (Birt) has been back training with us for about six weeks and looks pretty sharp.
"He was previously at Siddal and has been working away for the last four years, but he's back home now and we'll give him a spin off the bench.
"This is a big game for us and the next two or three will make or break our season.
"A win over Milford would put us in a really strong situation, needing to win two of the last five to guarantee promotion, so we know what's at stake.".
National Conference, Division One (all 2.30pm): Hunslet Warriors v Hull Dockers, Normanton Knights v Hunslet Club Parkside, Underbank Rangers v Milford Marlins, York Acorn v Shaw Cross Sharks


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Medium: Oil on canvas, 89 x 180
In feeling this sense of being overwhelmed, I also felt a strong connection with the other onlookers and observers in the room, each of us dwarfed by the looming figures of greatness that towered above us; each of us immersed into the swimming pool of history that the huge space giddily spun around us.
My challenge was to reproduce the essence of the feeling of this total immersion and in no way attempt to replicate the detail of the work of Dufy. The reflection of the painting on the floor gave an even greater feeling of depth and vastness to the space and allowed an even greater ability to feel that one stood in the very centre of the history of the piece. Oil, to me, was the only choice of medium that could portray what I wanted to create. By building up layer upon layer of thin glazes I felt a sense of the transparency of light and colour I had experienced whilst standing in awe of Dufy's great work.


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Queer Straight Alliance
Wednesday, January 31, 2018 - 7:00pm - 9:00pmBranch: Main Branch
Venue: Main Branch: Community Meeting Room
The library hosts a monthly Queer Straight Alliance with help from The MAT and OUTreach. It's open to anyone ages 16-21 and meets the fourth Wednesday evening of every month.
- October 24 - Scary Movies! (Crossings)
- November 28 - Music and Movies (Main)
And a big shoutout to our sweet snack sponsor, The Hot Wire Panini!
Library Program: Teen Programs
Every month, we run a bunch of fun, free teen programs at the library. We do all sorts of crazy stuff: movie marathons, crafting afternoons, Wii games on the big screen, board game challenges, magnetic poetry haiku death matches, drama workshops and more!
If you're in grades 7 - 12, you should join us for our awesome events.
Bring friends! Eat snacks! Win prizes!


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The Tulip Manifesto
The mood in the garden was tense as many of the tulips were engaged in heated sidebar conversations. The general consensus was that they were slowly losing their portion of prominence in the garden and something had to be done before things got out of hand.
Standing to his full height, the Chairman addressed the crowd as he fluttered his leaves and in his baritone voice stated; "This meeting will now come to order."
"We have assembled our attention today to address a prominent problem that we are all facing. Simply put, we are losing ground in the garden that we all love. The roses in their innate majesty along with the carnations are beginning to understand their prominence in the garden and in time it will become impossible to convince them that we are the superior flowers. Even the lowly daffodils have begun to meet with the iris contention to challenge our supremacy. Before long, even the carnations will begin to think that they also are significant."
After a pause the Chairman continued:
"We stand now as the front line and the last line against this insurgence. We are charged with the responsibility of establishing our rightful and most holy prominence as our parents and even their parents before them have established for us. It is our very birthright to be adored above all others and for that reason we must now begin the process of intervening before it is too late. We may now begin our deliberations before the sun sets and yet another day eludes us."
"The Chair recognizes the older gentleman in the back. I yield the floor at this time."
Clearing his throat one of the older tulips whose leaves spoke of his years in the garden began to speak:
"Mr. Chairman, may I suggest the following intervention that has worked from my earliest of days to now. I have considered the matter and I am of the opinion that we have abandoned our heritage and we need to revisit the old paths that have worked for generations. Let's separate the older flowers from the younger flowers and create dissension within them that will make them far easier to control."
With concern beginning to show across the brow of the chairman: "With all due respect, I do appreciate your comments my dear brother but the times have changed and we must change with the times. Is there another suggestion?"
Another tulip who rarely spoke began to ruffle his leaves.
"The Chair recognizes the gentleman in the front."
"Brother Chairman, have you considered the following; if we cannot divide the various floral families why not unite them; we can create an environment where they will gather in communities and through their separation they will never be able to combine meaningfully in any meaningful way other than socially. They carnations and the marigolds can share poetry, music and so on but beyond that they will never become a united force against us. We will be able to control the smaller factions by merely reinforcing their cultural uniqueness keeping them forever fractured and decimated."
The Chairman seemingly not wanting to offend responded gently:
"I do appreciate that comment and since it comes from a worthy man, it demands a worthy answer. By separating them into communities it may actually have the exact effect that we do not want. I do fear the carnations, marigolds and so on establishing supportive networks, positive role models and so on within their communities. Although in the short run we gain a measure of control, I do fear that some day a leader may arise from that supportive network and we would have yet another challenge to face."
With a sense of urgency, the Chair raised his leaves and asked "any fresh ideas?"
One of the younger tulips requested the floor and the chairmen responded with a smile "Yes, a fresh idea from one of our young leaders?"
"Brother Chairman, We must consider a more insidious approach which if adopted will enable us to maintain our dominion for generations to come. This is a battle that will be won or lost by our ability to force our adversaries to think differently about themselves."
With that comment, every ear perked up and there was a silence that came over the deliberations.
The young thinker continued "Let's get them to overlook their own beauty. Better yet, let's get them to view their beauty through our eyes. We can then challenge them to see themselves as fundamentally flawed by our standards. They will become so focused on their self image that we can then get them to all overlook the resources within their communities by forcing them to function within ours. They then will come to us for not just for self affirmation but also for just about everything relating to their standard of living. We will then control even their standard of living by having them come to us not as equals but as a dependent population. If we are lucky, we can even have them begging from us for the very things that are well within their reach. Who knows, we may even be able to one day create a permanent underclass where this current insurrection will never again raise its horrid head"
With that there was an uproar in the garden; the applause was thunderous as all of the tulips rustled their leaves in the wind.
Obviously pleased, the Chairman raised his leaves and addressed the body:
"Wonderful; we need not waste time with formalities. Let's get that young man to record those thoughts into a manifesto that we can begin to share with one another. In time we will share this manifesto with our children and they will do the same with their offspring. Let's reestablish our prominence, our very birthright!"
Writing furiously, the young man penned the following:
The Tulip Manifesto
Remember that the tulip is the majestic standard of beauty. Always carry yourself with an air of superiority forcing every flower in the garden to overlook their beauty and begin the impossible task of striving to become more tulip like. Once they begin to weigh their beauty against our standard they will become by definition inferior.
Once they begin to see themselves as inferior, they will turn their attention to us for our acceptance which we will grant grudgingly to a few. By allowing a select few to acquire our acceptance we will actually be able to dispense hope on our terms which will for generations to come establish our control within the garden.
We then will be free to further any schemes that we desire for they will forever be our spectators rather than our competitors. We will keep and never yield this essential initiative. In time the other flowers will then spend so much time striving to become accepted into our culture that they will overlook the many opportunities in this garden that were placed here for them.
We will then be free to live each day awaiting the next blessing that will come to us in a garden where we are the only ones living with hope.
The Chairman was elated as he commented; "So elegant and so cunning. I like it! Can we have a motion to adopt this cunning manifesto?"
Seemingly before he could even finish his sentence there was roaring vote of assent as every leaf now rustled in the wind.
"I will accept that as a unanimous voice vote, The Manifesto is now Tulip Law. I now consider this meeting adjourned."
As the sun began to set there was considerable joy in the tulip corner of the garden as their manifesto was shared from row to row.


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This kid is out of a red doe and a black buck. Neither had blue eyes, but it was obviously in the buck's background. This kid's eyes and a few others are staying blue. A very different look!
My new Merino's came from Mendenhall Farm in California. A friend was showing his goats and sheep in California and brought them back for me. I am really pleased with them and they are not stressing with the heat. Best of all, they are significantly smaller than the Rambouillets!
This elastic yarn was supposed to match the skein below. There is some of it spun up in the single, but the overall look is too different for me to use them together, so I am going to list it on etsy.
This skein has the southwestern charms in it. I will probably list it on etsy with a photo showing the charms a little better. You can see the horseshoe and the hat, if you look closely.
The last necklace is done and in the wash. I have been carding almost all day and I am accumulating some really cool rovings.
The last necklace is done and in the wash. I have been carding almost all day and I am accumulating some really cool rovings.
In other doings - I have been experimenting with Navajo plying and discovered that it is pretty easy, since I have had so much practice doing funky yarns.


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Brain dopamine linked to increased social status
Washington, Feb 4 (ANI): Scientists have found a unique correlation between brain chemical dopamine and social status.
Lead researcher Dr. Martinez and colleagues found that increased social status and increased social support correlated with the density of dopamine D2/D3 receptors in the striatum, a region of the brain that plays a central role in reward and motivation, where dopamine plays a critical role in both of these behavioural processes.
The study suggests that people who achieve greater social status are more likely to be able to experience life as rewarding and stimulating because they have more targets for dopamine to act upon within the striatum.
"We showed that low levels of dopamine receptors were associated with low social status and that high levels of dopamine receptors were associated with higher social status," said Martinez.
"The same type of association was seen with the volunteer's reports of social support they experience from their friends, family, or significant other," Martinez added.
Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry said, "These data shed interesting light into the drive to achieve social status, a basic social process.
"It would make sense that people who had higher levels of D2 receptors, i.e., were more highly motivated and engaged by social situations, would be high achievers and would have higher levels of social support."
The study is published in Biological Psychiatry, published by Elsevier. (ANI)


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Inmobiliaria Alosi has been working over 30 years as real estate agency at the Costa Brava
Based in the medieval town of Pals, Inmobiliaria Alosi combines over 30 years of real estate experience with exacting standards for design, build and location. This means we only bring you the finest properties for sale in the Costa Brava.
Only matched by the exquisite cuisine and rich local culture, the scenery combines hidden coves, stunning views with modern facilities including golf courses, hotels and world class restaurants. The flawless beaches and year round sunshine mean the Costa Brava is the perfect destination for a holiday home or permanent relocation.
We also provide expert services in the sale of property in the Costa Brava.
Contact us for any questions regarding the the sale of property in the Costa Brava. We will gladly assist you.
Phone: 0034 972 667 200
Email: email@example.com


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$ 450.00
In Taoism, the moon is referred to as the "eye that shines through the darkness." Associated with clairvoyance and knowing without conscious thought. It is said, that wearing the symbol of the moon states your universal intention to follow your intuition and to know doing so is for your greater good. May our Tiny Gold Luna Earring with its shimmering glow illuminate your way.
18k Gold Charm with Cubic Zirconia floats on a 14k Gold Endless Hoop
Approximately 3/4" in length (including hoop)
Design comes in 2 sizes, this is the smaller version
For additional stone options, please contact the studio
Hand-crafted in Los Angeles, California
Designed to mix or match. How will you wear yours?


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Famous for our 'Hometown Service'
We promise to serve with honesty and integrity
About our Company
Music City Design, LLC. was founded in 1999 as a full service Information Technology consultancy. Originally founded to serve clients in the Nashville Tennessee area, we quickly grew to serve customers throughout the United States.
Our employees consist of highly trained, certified, and dedicated technicians, network engineers, developers, analysts, designers, and business managers.
Our clients have included: Music Artists, Architectural, Finance, Retail companies, Government Agencies, Churches, and more.


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Wellness With Courtnie Goes To Oregon
Wow, Oregon is a really amazing place. The food options, the nature, the people, everything was wonderful! We stayed a total of 4 days but I could have easily spent another week there. We tried to see as much as we possibly could. Not a single one of the places we visited disappointed us. Below you'll find a list of everywhere we went.
We stayed one night in Portland, if we could do it again I would definitely want to stay at least two nights. There's so much to do and see in the area. We tried to pack in as much as we could, but I feel like we didn't even scratch the surface when it comes to trying all the healthy cafes and cute coffee shops. We chose to stay in an Airbnb and I'm so glad we did. The one we chose was cute, clean, cozy and in a great location. Check it out here if you are interested.
Salishan Resort
Salishan is located right at the heart of the Oregon Coast, just off of the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway in Gleneden Beach. They offer a huge list of different activities you can experience during your stay including yoga classes, meditations, guided hikes, a wellness program, kayaking and so much more. I got an amazing facial at their spa during our stay. We also took advantage of the morning yoga classes and the hiking trails on the resort grounds. Salishan offers 3 on-site restaurants, we thoroughly enjoyed The Attic Bar & Lounge, the fish tacos were some of the best I've had and their craft cocktails were all super unique and tasty. All of the rooms at Salishan come with fire places making it super cozy in the colder months.
Eat & Drink
POA Cafe- Great for brunch! We came here twice because there were so many things we wanted to try. The first time I got the overnight oats and the second time Nate and I shared the gluten free waffle and a matcha. It was all delicious.
Por Que No- The best tacos in town. They also serve margaritas made from fresh fruit juice. Right up my alley!
Milk Glass Mrkt- Super cute neighborhood restaurant serving food made from locally sourced ingredients.
Pip's Original- Delicious, made to order mini donuts, lattes, matcha and chai.
Tusk- This was at the top of my list of places to try, and for good reason. Everything they serve is locally sourced and seasonal. The restaurant itself is beautiful and our whole experience was a 10/10.
The Hoxton- Super hip hotel with a large open lobby where cocktails and coffee are served all day. We stopped here for a drink one night before dinner.
Maurice- French inspired cuisine. We got the toast of the day and the most delicious quiche I've ever had.
Coava Coffee Roasters- Best coffee we had during our trip. I got an almond milk latte
Presso Coffee Bar- Cute and trendy coffee bar.
Eb & Bean- Vegan soft serve with incredible topping options. The almond brittle was the best thing I've had in a long time.
Harlow- Best matcha I've ever had at a restaurant. For food I got the Betty Bowl which was a combo of steamed greens, roasted veggies, beans, brown rice, kimchi, sea vegetables and a poached egg. It was just what I needed after all the sweets I ate the day before.
Sea Level Bakery + Coffee- We stopped here on our way to Cannon Beach. The peanut butter praline cookie was incredible! We enjoyed it with almond milk cappuccinos. SO good!
Solabee Flowers & Botanicals- Cute little plant/flower shop. They had beautiful pottery for sale too. I wanted to buy everything.
Portland Japanese Garden- A must see while in Portland. I think we got lucky coming here at the time we did because all of the trees were beautiful fall colors.
Cannon Beach- No trip to the Oregon Coast is complete without a stop at the famous Cannon Beach.
Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area- The most fun I had on our trip hands down was visiting Cape Kiwanda. I thought we would just go there, take a few pictures and leave but we ended up spending a few hours there. You can climb to the top of a huge sand dune to see a beautiful coastal view. The best part?! Running down the hill! I felt like I way flying. SO fun!!


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Please join me at the Art League of Daytona Beach for our annual exhibit. We are very excited to be showing in a new venue and would love to have you join us for our opening reception on Sunday, February 11th, 1 - 4PM.
Opening Reception
Sunday February 11th, 1-4PM
Art League of Daytona Beach


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approaching the scene: the core course
This 30-video course covers all the essential building blocks in becoming a better photographer. Produced over a year in Bears Ears and Moab, this course is broken up into 4 parts; The Scene, The Exposure, The Camera and The Image.
Introductory offer.
A $149.99 value, Just $79.99
Available for Lightroom or ON1
30 lessons
Over 4 hours of content
RAW files for every edit
Course outline PDF and cheatsheet
Gear lists
Over a year in production on location in Bears Ears and Moab
Direct download for viewing anywhere
These lessons cover what to do before you ever pull your camera out of the bag. It's about scouting and connecting with the scene you're going to photograph. I'll cover my creative approach to framing up scenes and then talk about how to set up your editing software before you start actually processing images.
I'll delve into the variables that affect exposure in these lessons. We'll master using aperture, shutter speed and ISO more creatively. I will also cover the basics of RAW processing your images.
Download the "Exposure Triangle" video free!
From tripods and filters to camera bodies and lenses, we'll talk about using your equipment to capture the best quality images possible. In post production I'll walk you through sharpening, noise reduction and correcting poor exposures.
This chapter is all where we put all the lessons from the first three chapters together to actually craft better images in a variety of circumstances like landscapes, portraits and action. I'll also walk you through some of my own start to finish photo editing.
Weekly YouTube Videos
Each week I post a new ATS video where I cover everything from techniques to gear. While the course is the best way to get in-depth training, these videos serve as a great way to keep up on trends in the industry. All the videos to date are below and I'd love it if you'd subscribe to my channel.


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Here is my dogs paw print in the sand from our day at the beach the other day.
Tagged with: background beach paw paw print sand sand texture
About myfreetextures
Hi, Welcome to my site. My name is Phil. About me - Husband, father, geographer, traveller, photographer and all round nice guy :) I have love of the oddities, doors, windows, textures etc and am used to the strange looks I get when taking a photo of a wall, the grass, a road or a something I find interesting. Some of those images end up here and I hope you find them useful. Please remember the licence!


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Launching Brunch at l'ÊtreAnge
For the launch of our new brand Quinoa Paris, a month ago, we've chosen our friend's Concept Store l'ÊtreAnge at 8 rue d'Ormesson in Saint-Paul. There could not be a better place than there in the heart of Paris, to have our little seed planted and to gather in curious and art lifestyle lovers.
We had the chance to meet MILK Magazine, Les Petits Frenchies and the blogger Vanessa Pouzet, around a breakfast based on quinoa's courses (quinoa cake, quinoa muesli and yoghurt ...).
The journalists were then able to familiarize themselves with the products during a playful assembly workshop.
To check out the memories captured you can look at the events album named "Petit-dejeuner de Quinoa Paris" and also view different products in the album called "Bouton de col"
Good discovery !


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Friday, June 22, 2018 (PW) — "One outstanding point that needs to be clarified to the people of South Sudan is that President Salva Kiir is not ready—he is not ready in anyway—to work with Riek Machar in the next transitional period. This is simply because we have had enough of him since 91, 2013, 2016. All these are problems caused by Dr Riek Machar to the people of South Sudan. So many people lost their lives, so many people are refugees, so many people are displaced, and we don't want that scenario to repeat itself again. We don't want Juba to be deserted. We want our people to live in peace and harmony. Riek Machar should wait for elections and that is our position. Riek Machar is welcomed, he is a South Sudanese citizen, he can come to South Sudan but [President Salva Kiir] will not be working with him in the would-be transitional government of national unity. When President Salva Kiir agreed that Riek Machar should come here, the agreement between him and Ethiopia's Prime Minister is that as soon as they finish the meeting, Riek Machar goes back to South Africa. But as of now his status seems to be under discussion now by the summit, so we will know what the final position of the summit is. But our position has been that if he is not going to South Africa, then the decision of IGAD heads of states and governments should be implemented. And that is if he is not going to South Africa then he should be in one of those states that is not a member of IGAD and not neighbouring South Sudan. You should understand that there is a difference between face-to-face talks and between greeting one another. Politically, we don't want Riek Machar, but he is a South Sudanese, so socially we interact with him."
Courtesy of The National Courier


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Yma Sumac
Yma Sumac demystified. That's the story behind Mambo! in a nutshell. What sounds worrisome and lackluster via the pixels of your reading device makes a wondrous U-turn in sound form. This album is magnificent! Released in eight-track versions by Capitol Records in 1954 and an even better eleven-track twelve-inch LP in 1955 – which is the base of this review –, Peru's superstar and vocal seductress Yma Sumac (1922–2008) returns to the scene, aided by her then-husband, the skilled composer Moises Vivanco who comes up with the entire material of this album, as well as the Rico Mambo Orchestra led by Jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger Billy May. Until 1954, Yma Sumac's music is far ahead of its time and enormously eclectic, convoluted and labyrinthine. One could also say: esoteric. Or worse: strange.
Fully cinematic and orchestral, with yearning, pride and anger packed in every of the eight octaves the chantress is comfortably at home in, her debut Voice Of The Xtabay (1950) is the foundation stone of her career which is as keen on Exotica as on Space-Age flavors. Legend Of The Sun Virgin (1952) and Inca Taqui (1953) continue her journey through the Peruvian groves, mountain ranges and alcoves. Mambo! breaks with this formula, for better or worse (I think: for the better). It contains the ingredients which make Exotica the genre it becomes in the latter part of that decade. Gleaming horns, thickets of bongos and congas and Yma Sumac's vocals blend and create a superb cocktail which – gasp! – leads to Sumac's first fiesta album. The exclamation mark in the title does not lie. This is Yma Sumac at her finest, exchanging the mystified moods for high voltage Mambo critters that are anything but unique and colorful. Read more about a fascinating album and its three columns of success below.
Bo Mambo fittingly opens the joyful album with huge amounts of brass eruptions, even stabs, but all of them are sun-dappled, euphonious and jocular, not exactly the kinds of moods you would link to Moises Vivanco's arrangements for his then-wife. The horn helixes by Billy May's Rico Mambo Orchestra are so enormously gleaming and spiky that they resemble the Hollywood formula of fighting Romans or gladiators… in space. Once Mrs. Sumac enters the scenery, the impetus of the marimba cascades and trumpet infusions does not decrease, probably the biggest surprise to take away. Certainly deliberately so, the Queen of the Andes does not tower above the scenery, is not keen on outshining the instruments, the limelight is farther away than ever. Here, in this rare case, it is the textures that reign and make Bo Mambo a delightful hybrid that is torn between Latinisms and a no man's land somewhere out there. Rhizomatic Space-Age. Taki Rari is next and fuels the Latin taste with a lamenting, downwards spiraling polyphony on both the xylophone and the brass instruments. The bongos and congas are beaten energetically, Yma Sumac's "Mambo" chants and falsetto chirps add plasticity and otherworldly star dust to the location. Vivanco's composition is delicately bucolic, its rusticity is draped in dun colors, depicting an evening in a cavern somewhere in South America. Again, the presentation remains bound to earth.
The following Gopher is a sanguine critter hued in sunset, thus seeing its aural color range intensified. The male "ugh" screams as well as the interplay between the hollow percussion bubbles and the multilayered trumpets, trombones and saxophones make this an archetypical Latin tune. The seven-note leitmotif is played in a staccato way, each tone hits like a severe punch. In this situation, the voice of the Sun Goddess fits perfectly, displaying the full galactic range of her voice. The orchestra remains in brutish spheres, for Chicken Talk follows, a genuinely joyful tune awash with light. The tone sequences are mostly in major, Yma Sumac decides to go all-in on the onomatopoeic side of the vocals, the horns glow in a saturated hue, the marimba riverbeds are refreshingly aqueous, and most importantly, Billy May's Rico Mambo Orchestra is given a lot of time to play unperturbed by any kind of vocals. The clinging shakers and bamboo rods round off the album's animal section.
Side A closes with Goomba Boomba, and its anacrusis differs entirely, evoking hints of the mountainous airflow of the Andes. A bass guitar, earthen acoustic guitar layers and short conga vesicles then lead to a proper Mambo that is kindled by an enormously multiplex performance by the temptress, first residing in darkly acroamatic alcoves before rising into the air. Even the composition is multifaceted and lightens up over its course due to the inclusion of a virtually Caribbean guitar aorta which, regardless of its thinness, illumines the darkness with its golden aura, although it later changes to a Latin timbre. On top of this, quite literally so, is Yma Sumac. Here the orchestra is inferior and purposefully quieter. A melodramatic and comparatively long corker.
Side B opens with another stomper, Moises Vivanco's Malambo No. 1, known and loved forevermore for its effervescent-punchy rising theme with the immediate spiraling-tumbling downfall. Every tone literally hits. Named after the volcano and resembling the Space-Age effulgence of the opener Bo Mambo, the grandiloquence of Malambo No. 1 is even greater. Droning timpani and a percussion underbrush par excellence underpin the brightly sparkling voice of Yma Sumac. A curious ducking effect takes place during the verses: whenever the queen starts singing, the orchestra's volume level decreases. Malambo No. 1 is not embracing per se, but simply cool, dazzling and, I believe, a timeless artifact that immediately lets the old phrase "they don't produce music like this anymore" come to mind. Already inebriated, the album continues with Five Bottles Mambo and carves out the iridescence of triangles, cowbells and chimes in order to link to the glassy title. The translucent aura is not the only signature element in here; the second one is a downwards spiraling trumpet coil with glitzy xylophone arabesques as additional ornaments. The shapeshifting gestalt of the Sun Virgin augments the plasticity further.
Indian Carnival follows, and even though it is a slightly too comical and overloaded piece with one too many textures and implied rhythm shifts, the surface structures succeed big time, be it the technicolor marimba billows, the maraca-mimicking fricatives of Yma Sumac or the celebratory flourish of the brazen instruments. Cha Cha Gitano outshines the former piece by a wide margin with its love-lost melodrama that is so over the top that it links back to the first three albums of Yma Sumac. The first 60 seconds are supercharged with the glissando and staccato of klaxon horns and a feisty Flamenco guitar; not even one single beat is dropped. The mood is as crepuscular and shady as the front cover, the reverberation of Yma Sumac's voice conflates with the backdrop's pitch-black null space before a red-tinted Cha Cha fundament is erected with the aid of typical male chants. The falling four-note motif is absolutely catchy, each tone is ameliorated with the respective "cha" exclamation. This would be a camouflaged torero fanfare, especially so in the revved up second phase, but a female torero? Not in the 50's!
The penultimate Jungla returns to the savage rain forests of yore by the means of its cocktail of timpani, bongos and congas, but the darkness of the prelude is glaringly illuminated only a few seconds later by fresh cowbell-accentuated horn splinters. A superb, uplifting tune that leads to the midtempo closer Carnavalito Boliviano which could have been envisioned by Xavier Cugat. It is that bright, but not exclusively so. Loaded with sunbursts, euphonious parts and shadier foils, the shouting male choir and Yma Sumac become hopelessly entangled. The constant changes and maraca- as well as marimba-expanded plateaus are awe-inspiring, making Carnavalito Boliviano an eclectic yet accessible final joyride.
One thing is for sure: the colorful style of Mambo has never before been interpreted in such a colorful way… and ever since. Three factors make Mambo! an eminently delightful album. Firstly, the voice of Yma Sumac has to be mentioned at first, of course. Regardless of whether the material is interpreted cheerfully, with a tongue-in-cheek attitude or needs to emanate an aura of innocence, Peru's famous singer knows how to handle both the stylistic and the vocal range with ease. Secondly, the involvement of Moises Vivanco makes sure that his wife does not merely perform renditions or interpretations of well-known material. The opposite is the case: each and every one of the eleven cuts is terrifically unique and lives up to the hype around Vivanco. He was indeed a highly skilled composer. And thirdly, the material is splendidly instrumented by Billy May's Rico Mambo Orchestra, with Space-Age horns aplenty and par excellence.
Whether sun-soaked, arcane or dangerously energetic, the players know how to transform Vivanco's compositions into hyper-electrifying Mambos. From the blazingly bright get-togethers in the superb Bo Mambo and supremely catchy Malambo No. 1 over the fleeting visit to a partial mystique with Goomba Boomba to the heavy drum sections in Jungla, the album is Yma Sumac's most accessible work of the early till mid–50's. Sound-related accessibility comes with a price: gone are the days of exotic enigmas, of aeriform outlooks over the Andes and crusades through magic forests. Mambo! is as close to a party and that Latin feeling as Yma Sumac ever got. But it is a delight and highly enthralling. It sounds fresh and immensely meaningful to this day. Recommended even to those listeners who find Yma Sumac too obscure and otherworldly. Give the lady a chance, this album really rocks!
Exotica Review 232: Yma Sumac – Mambo! (1954). Originally published on Jun. 29, 2013 at AmbientExotica.com.


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Retail Mart|Online Shopping portal|Compare Prices|Retail Shopping|Compare & Shop
Retail Mart is India's online shopping portal where you can compare shopping, shopping prices,you can buy gifts, send gifts, flowers, chocolates, gifts for all occasions, gifts according to the category, age , gender, family, friends, business. At Retail Mart we provide services of a variety of choice from merchants as well as from the shopping products to both sellers & shoppers.
Retail Mart is a one stop online solution for all your daily needs starting from Home Decor, Electronics, Flowers, Buy Gifts, Send Gifts, Send Gifts to India, Apparels, Jewellery Shop, Buy Jewellery, Educational Gifts online, Books, Online fashion Shopping, Clothes Online.
Find the latest updated prices and discounts available from the respective sellers and decide for yourself products from a wide range of the retailing services we provide. The thing which makes as different form others is our ability & capability to serve the specific needs of the sellers who are looking for a place where they can have interaction with the direct buyers of their products.
The products at Retail Mart is categorized in a very easy & friendly way so as it can be helpful for anyone who wants to search any products from a wide range of categories.Different categories at Retail Mart with the different products availability:
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We'd love to have you Join us!
Our doors are wide open to people from all backgrounds, regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey. Our hope is to provide an atmosphere where everyone can have a life-changing experience with God.
Each service lasts around 65 minutes.
Thought-provoking and engaging messages based on the Bible.
Passionate worship.
A fun and safe learning environment for your kids.
Free coffee!
If it's your first-time, we have a gift just for you!
Together, we're striving to become the kind of church described in the Bible, where there's relevant teaching, authentic worship, honest friendships, constant prayer, and compassionate care for people in need. In short, we'd like to have the kind of contagious Christianity that can influence and encourage the entire community, one life at a time.
So whether you're just starting to ask questions about God, or a committed Christian who wants to deepen your faith, you can find a home here at RockCreek Church. We would love to see you and your family this Sunday!
What about kids?
We have some of the best volunteers around and they would love to help guide you along. You can ask them to point you to the auditorium or toward the kids area! We want to make sure your child is safe and secure while making your first visit as stress free as possible.
Our Kids Team believes in an active, hands-on approach to learning. We know children learn more when they are having fun. Biblical truth will always be taught in context to the joy that God intends for us to experience when we are in relationship with Him. Special events and fun activities both in the classroom and after services keep kids wanting to come back to RockCreek.


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On January 16th, 2017 the Engineering Management Class of 2015-2017 had the opportunity to attend an evening lecture at the Esterhazy palace, seat of the Capital Bank-Grawe Gruppe AG. The students were welcomed by Mrs. Sibylle Dolecek-Anselment, who explained the services provided by the bank, particularly regarding private equity and venture capital investments.
Capital Bank offers private investment banking products, advising its client's in corporate finance based on their asset classes and risk profile. By working with private-equity and venture capital investors, as well as owners and managing directors of small and medium-sized companies, Capital Bank has managed to achieve continuous growth.
Besides providing an overview of the Capital Bank the reasons to invest on private equity, the lecture motivated the entrepreneurial spirit of the class. By learning about the different sectors and funding cycles that can be provided for SMEs, some of us might have found the financing solutions for our own present or future projects.
The lecture closed with a guided tour by Mrs. Sibylle Dolecek-Anselment to the magnificent rooms of the palace of the Esterhazys and the opulent art collection gathered by this prominent family.


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Belgium, Brussels
TripAdvisor Traveller rating:
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This charming hotel can be found in Brussels. Travellers will enjoy a peaceful and calm stay at Albergo as it counts with a total of 14 units. Customers may keep updated with the internet and Wi-Fi access in public areas, while the latter is available also in the bedrooms. Albergo provides 24-hour reception. Cots are not available at Albergo. Pets are not allowed at this property.
Wifi / Internet access
Air Conditioning
Satelite TV


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This tut was written for those with a basic knowledge of psp.
I am using the awesome artwork of Alicia Mujica.
You need a license to use this art work. Please do not use without a license.
You can find this art at her Store HERE
Supplies Needed
Font of Choice, I used Chocolate Box
Drop Shadow usually V2 H2 50 black
Use whatever drop shadow you prefer
*Remember to add your drop shadow as you go along*
Open a new image 800 x 800 or one you prefer.
Resize paper 12 to 23%, paste, apply your mask, delete and merge group.
Then resize paper 8 the same, apply your mask, delete, merge group.
Resize ramka1 to 70%, duplicate, resize to 90%, click inside with your magic wand, expand by 5, resize paper of choice to 22%, paste invert, delete.
Paste your close up, delete, select none.
Resize your tube to 45%, paste on the right side on the top frame.
Resize element 9 to 15%, apply Mura Meister Copies-Encircle, move below the paper layer of the frame.
Resize element 11 to 15%, apply Mura Meister Copies-Encircle.
Resize wordart 5 to 40%, paste twice, move one below the paper layer of the frame and up toward the top more, paste the other one above the tube layer and down some, use your free hand tool or erase the words above LOVE.
Resize element 14 to 25%, place on the left side on the frame, duplicate, resize to
75%, paste on the right side below the tube layer.
Resize element 15 to 25%, mirror and place behind your tube at the top.
Erase the stem part on element 33, then resize to 22%, paste on the upper left side on top of the threads of the hearts, free rotate to the left at 10 degrees.
Resize element 18 to 15%, paste at the lower left below the wordart, duplicate, mirror.
Resize element 63 to 15%, paste above the layers you just pasted.
Resize element 60 to 15%, paste on the right bottom below the frame layers.
Resize element 1 to 25%, paste on the top layer where you like, duplicate, flip, move below the tube layer at the top.
Resize element 47 to 25%, free rotate to the right at 90, paste below the tube layer on the right, duplicate, mirror, move between the frame layers on the left.
Add any other elements you would like, make it your own.
Crop your tag to be sure no stray shadows are on the edges of your tag.
Once happy with it all, close off any backgrounds, merge visible.
Resize first, then add your copyrights and name.
Resize first, then add your copyrights and name.
That's it
Hope you enjoyed doing my tut.


text: While the holidays are a time to eat, drink, and be merry, those who are in training or regularly exercise may be more likely to steer clear of the festive foods. Why? It's not always so much that those who exercise are more conscious about not allowing themselves treats (though that is unfortunately the case often enough). Many times it's the fear that that consuming something "different" from their norm may throw off their digestion, energy levels, and performance.


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Join Brookfield area residents and Elmbrook Rotarians this Saturday as we support this year's German Holiday Market at Brookfield Civic Plaza on December 2nd from 1 pm to 7 pm. Take the family on a hayride, enjoy authentic German food and music, plus visit a number of vendors selling holiday gifts!
For those who've never attended this special annual event, the German Holiday Market features a nice variety of vendors providing everything from German food to holiday crafts along with the fun and entertainment for kids and families. A number of Elmbrook Rotarians will be on hand to oversee the hayride wagon that our club will be sponsoring as it makes its way around the Civic Plaza. Past Rotarians who attended include Mayor Steve Ponto, Past President Mark Zalewski, and visiting Rotarian Thorsten Bonifer from Seligenstadt!


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Ep. 164 – Jeff Eiseman (President, Agon Sports)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Going from a sales staff position to minor league owner in twenty years isn't easy, but Jeff Eiseman has done that by forming Agon Sports, which oversees operations for the Augusta GreenJackets minor league baseball club. Eiseman talks about his experiences with Mandalay and Ripken Baseball, of why the sports industry is really a sales industry above all else, and what those who want to break in need to do in order to survive long term. Twitter: @Jeff_Eiseman


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Nataly Epstein | Israel Mortgages
Israeli Residential Lending Department, UMTB London
At the Israeli Residential lending department in London we offer an English style service for loans against Israeli properties.
This means that the service is dedicated and personal, documents are in English and you have a dedicated Relationship Manager you can contact directly anytime by email or phone.
This also means that we will do everything we can to help you with the process. We know that buying a property in Israel may seem complicated if you do not reside there or speak the language.
As a fluent English and Hebrew speaker with experience of living and working in both Israel and the UK, I am able to assist with all factors of the process: liaising with lawyers, valuers, insurance agents and the branches in Israel in order to ensure that your loan transaction runs as smoothly as possible.
Other services we provide at the London branch are free money transfers to UMTB branches in Israel and our dealing room provides competitive foreign exchange rates.
I can assist you wherever you are in the world. Please do not hesitate to contact me.
I look forward to hearing from you! I can be contacted at: firstname.lastname@example.com or by telephone on 0044 207 448 0660.


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Editor's note: With the election right around the corner, former city council candidate Jason Brady has some salient thoughts on the future of the greater Fayetteville area. Publisher Bill Bowman yields this space to Brady this week due to the relevance and timeliness of the topic.
Since I'm no longer a candidate for Fayetteville City Council, I can write about this topic without breaking an agreement I had with Bill Bowman. We agreed that I not bring my candidacy into my column.
So, today I want to write about my campaign issues that obviously didn't resonate with voters, but which I think are still relevant.
I didn't pull them out of the air. Instead, months before I filed for office, I started a conversation with people. It was an informal conversation at first. I simply asked people what they disliked about living in Fayetteville.
Let me emphasize again – it was an unscientific survey. I used social media, direct mail, hand-delivered surveys and just pure conversations with people who would listen and answer. Heck, I even jotted notes on paper napkins and paper place settings from the Greek Pancake Breakfast.
The most telling thoughts people had about Fayetteville came from my first two questions:
1. What three things don't you like about living in Fayetteville?
2. What three things do you like about living in Fayetteville?
I included other questions to gauge opinions about local government. I asked if they believed Fayetteville and Cumberland County spent tax dollars wisely. I asked for their take on the bond referendum for parks and recreation amenities, and I asked what they thought about spending $33 million on a baseball stadium and if downtown was the best place to build it. I received interesting answers and more fodder for future columns.
But first, about the first two questions and answers – on which I based my campaign message.
While I asked for three reasons someone might dislike living in Fayetteville, the responses seemed to center mostly on four dislikes. They may have been worded differently, but the core thread about our city was obvious. They are listed below in no particular order:
• Lack of professional-level jobs, the kind of full-time jobs that pay a salary that can entice a family to live in Fayetteville. We have plenty of low-paying, part-time jobs. We don't have jobs that keep young people in Fayetteville. The only young people coming back are those whose families own businesses and can employ them.
• A trashy appearance, especially along the gateways into the city. It's not just trash, but the appearance of property. Despite efforts of people like Councilman Bobby Hurst, who spearheads the Fayetteville Beautiful efforts, we have more people who don't care how we present our community to visitors who could be potential employers.
• Violent crime. People hear about gunfights in crowded parking lots or dead bodies floating down the Cape Fear River. Violent crime has risen nationwide for two consecutive years, and Fayetteville is no exception.
• Finally, people dislike the traffic. The responses about traffic varied. For some, it's those "damned" center medians the highway department is putting on every street, making it nearly impossible to get where you're going. For others, it's the sheer volume of traffic coupled with crazy aggressive drivers who'll change a lane and cut you off like it's the right thing to do. The reasons people like living in Fayetteville, sadly, have nothing to do with our city. Rather, it's because of Fayetteville's position in relation to other amenities: family who live nearby, military-affiliated services and proximity to the beach and mountains.
Our soon-to-be elected council has a lot of work ahead to address these types of issues. I hope voters are smart enough to elect representatives who can work toward solutions and not for candidates based on superficial motives.


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Bro-country is such a big thing that in now has it's own Wikipedia page. But there is hope for those that are growing weary of songs about taking your girl with the cut-off jeans on a Friday night to the creek on your flat-bed truck with guns, tobacco and God by your side.
The good news is there our slight cracks in the bro-country formula from the likes of Maddie & Tae's #1 hit "Girl In A Country Song", Brad Paisley has spoken out on the genre saying " There are phrases that are totally cliché that we as songwriters owe it to ourselves to not use again"
And now Kacey Musgraves has a new album out called "Pageant Material". And while the album won't change Nashville, she does look at the world with such a fresh perspective that it can give you hope for the future of country music. Welcome back!
Lately Jeff Tweedy has been a a winning producer streak. He help shape Mavis Staples last two records, he produced his own Tweedy project with his son Spencer and now he's taken on Folk Music legend Richard Thompson. Until you see Richard Thompson play live you don't realize what a truly gifted guitarist he is. What you hear when you listen to his music is how amazing he is as a lyricist.
Beaknik Walking has both the deft guitar playing with a simple jaunting beat that seems light weight at first but when you dig into the lyrics there's something ominous going on. I don't think the "pot" he's referring to in Amersterdam is the food pantry.
Amsterdam, where good things come in threes
Ease your troubled mind and shoot the breeze
Take the path down to the mill
I'm going to get my fill
I'm going to eat till the pot runs dry
Tweedy and Thompson come together to make "Still" and prove that good things do come in threes.


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Conservative Treatment for Dupuytren's Disease/
Massage therapy combined with active and passive stretching has been proposed as a potential adjunctive treatment for attenuating Dupuytren's disease (DD) progression and recurrence. Dupuytren's disease is a progressive disorder of the hand that eventually can cause contractures of the affected fingers.
Image Credit - By Frank C. Müller, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=647743Read More


text: When Setra Motorsport was racing their ultra-modified BMW M3 R, they weren't expecting the unforgiving Nüburgring test track in Germany to literally take a part of their car away. Barreling down a straight away at speeds in excess of 180 miles per hour, the passenger side door–which must not have been properly secured–ripped clean off and flew into the grass. Hopefully they were able to make the appropriate repairs some time later, but the driver's hilarious befuddlement says it all.


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Join WHARR and Indivisible Nation BK to start 2018 with a bang! We'll be hearing from grassroots activist leader, longtime women's empowerment and health advocate, and candidate for congress Liuba Grechen Shirley about her campaign and organizing efforts on Long Island. We'll also have more information on ways to get involved with us for the month ahead, and get ready for a strong WHARRior presence at the NYC Women's March. Also, pizza!
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: January 15WHARRior Night Out: Drunken Civics Show and Libations
Later Event: January 202018 Women's March on NYC


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For those of you still uninitiated with Interstellar, the new shrouded-in-secrecy film by genius and innovator Christopher Nolan, stop reading here. It is the personification of discovery, an eyes-wide-open love song that dares to ask what if and to open doors to places both new and unexpected. As Christopher Nolan himself has said to the press, this film, perhaps more than any other of his, relishes in its untold story. There are the expected Nolan twists and turns, but so much of the meat and bones of the story has been lovingly withheld that spoiling seems rude. Interstellar is in a constant state of evolution and metamorphosis, with distinct phases that differ in look, structure, and theme. Although Nolan recycles core sci-fi tropes, the context and presentation deepens and expands them past familiarity, using them as thematic devices that uplift and still surprise. The more familiar you are with the genre, the more you might see things coming (though there are some nobody will), but Nolan's stellar triumph is in how he synthesizes his film's many moving parts into a clear, absorbing gospel of time, life, and love. It's an unfortunate mark of timing that Boyhood, an amazing film that mourns the uncanny delicacy of time's passing, came out only a few months prior, since Interstellar chases a similar ambition less effectively but still with resonance. Nolan uses time like a Death Star, and it is terrifying.
Interstellar is a profound evolution for Nolan not just as a filmmaker but as an artist. He plays with new forms of cinematic expression, has never been more confident or as audacious, and asks big questions while he finds increasingly stunning ways to wow. No film in 2014 is as joyously cinematic: Interstellar is worth celebrating.
What I can say -- or rather what I will -- is this: Interstellar is a science fiction film taking place in a not too distant future. It's science fiction in the classical sense, taking existing speculative science and spinning it into narrative orbit. Earth has become a planet-wide dust bowl with crops failing and the population on the brink of ruin. It's a fatalistic vision of Earth's future that, in the hands of a filmmaker known for his over-seriousness, shockingly becomes a fable of optimism and hope. Using the last resources on Earth, an expedition is set to travel through a newly discovered wormhole, with detailed plans to 'test out' multiple planets that can possibly sustain life. Grounding Nolan's voyage between galaxies is a gorgeous father-daughter story that's a metaphor for all human connection and love -- a huge statement that might seem like folly if it wasn't brought to life by two amazing performances by Matthew McConaughey and Mackenzie Foy. I expected McConaughey to wow, and he's better here than his Oscar-winning turn in Dallas Buyers Club, but I was pleasantly surprised at the nuanced and heartfelt performance by Foy-a rarity amongst child actors. The cast is excellent, namely Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway along with many others. They are the human heart in a film that could have been intellectually paralyzing, and they pump blood into Interstellar's icy veins.
The striking production design rejects the sleek futurism of Minority Report and has the live-in grit of Star Wars or Alien. It's a textured world, and everything Nolan and his elite team of artists (production designer Nathan Crowley, cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema) do is to make the future feel as real as the present. Function over form is the film's mantra, although the designs are destined to be iconic. This is perhaps best shown in the film's sarcastic robot TARS, which is best described by saying the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey joined Cirque du Soleil, which is somehow both funny and cool. Nolan's portrayal of a wormhole visualizes space and time with the splendor of gods, making it, along with a few other set pieces, instantaneously stand tall with the best moments of sci-fi spectacle in the history of the cinema. They're the sort of metaphysical sights that would spark Stanley Kubrick back to life and give a standing ovation. It's as important to see Interstellar in IMAX as it is to see Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm. It sings on the big screen.
In a stroke of aesthetic genius, instead of zooming the camera in, out, and around mind-melting vistas of space, water, and ice, Nolan places his camera onto the wings, roofs, and decks of space ships. There are three main types of shots in these big sequences: a wide shot far back enough to show a breathtaking scale, shots that feature parts of the ship at various angles, or shots from the point of view of the cockpit. No matter how otherworldly or abstract space becomes, and it at times does resemble the drooling visions of a surrealist, the human element – us -- is always in view. The purpose behind Nolan's first-person camera perspective goes even beyond a human context and into the realm of pure visceral thrill. By anchoring the action through human eyes, Interstellar becomes less like Gravity's deadly space ballet and instead simulates the feeling of barreling down a cosmic rollercoaster. The effect is often exhilarating, although a minor quibble is that editor Lee Smith does let these shots linger to the point of distraction. Hoyte Van Hoytema's earthy cinematography and measured framing enhance the textured feel of Interstellar, and it is a frighteningly felt two hours and forty-nine minutes. Hans Zimmer's organ, religious-like score elevates scenes that otherwise wouldn't hit as hard as they do, which isn't a flaw as much as a sign of skilled collaboration.
As plot-driven as Interstellar seems on its surface -- and accusations the film is an extended science lesson are obnoxiously overblown -- the broad story is only a gateway to the subconscious. Why the film works is its devotion to activating an elemental, primal response, and it uses the same stylistic tricks as Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life), Nicolas Roeg (Walkabout), and Andrei Tarkovsky (Solaris) to do it. Fire and ice are played off each other in a stunning use of crosscutting between Earth and a distant planet, an artistic masterstroke that supports one of Interstellar's most immense and important moments. Nolan wrangles with man's basic nature, arguing our survival instinct as a species is at once a liberating virtue as well as a fierce limitation, and for the first time in his career, he assembles his film according to symbolic association rather than escalating plot. Even if the audience didn't consciously register the implications of Nolan's visual lyricism, they certainly felt it. It's a stunning moment of pure cinema that left my theater, as well as myself, breathless. The scale is both shrunken and limitless, able to engage the weightiest of ideas on an intimate, felt level. Rather than just being a film, Interstellar is an experience, and exploiting primordial impulse is a powerful reason why.
This sequence unlocks the inner workings of Interstellar as a whole, revealing a film with a poetic logic that washes over you as it fires off every neuron in your head and tugs at every heart string. Humankind becomes a metaphor for science as science becomes a metaphor for humankind, like turning Newton's third law of motion (for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction) into poetry: you have to leave something behind to go forward. In Interstellar, Nolan made a film that looks backwards and forwards, that's about time, that's about humanity at its best and at its worst, that's about God, and that's about the expanse of mankind from our birth to our far eventual future. Nolan seems aware of the many risks his latest film takes -- especially as it barrels forward into a third act that's at constant risk of alienating the mass audience -- but he has the courage to take leaps of faith even if he might stumble. Nolan does stumble. It's a film destined to divide. There are flaws, and they are noticeable. But, largely, Interstellar escapes them- it's an experience that gloriously transcends traditional criteria like few films can. Just like the characters in his movies, Nolan nobly invites audiences to take that the leap with him. Interstellar launched my heart and mind into space at a gravity-defying velocity, overwhelming as much as moving, and it wasn't hours after seeing it did I realize I had just experienced a reckless, mad masterpiece.
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From the Azura Selous Team - March 2018
'We really are the leopard capital of the Selous', commented Joseph our Head Guide. And no wonder, as just that morning in our open Land Rover with a family visiting from the UK, we had watched one resting in perfect photographic range in a natural cove in the dry riverbank that is known as hyena stream. Eventually she slowly sauntered off, with cameras clicking and videos rolling.
I had seen the brother and sister duo just the day before, also posing dutifully for our cameras, and they are now a regular sighting and highlight for all of our guests. Leopard capital of the Selous – yep that's us. Loved by the 5 families that were in camp for February half term – absolutely!
But it wasn't just leopard we saw that morning, as the day started with wild dog up by our airstrip out on the hunt, the female haunched ready to charge down an impala. We chased them at speed through the bush and rough terrain for an hour or so, watching them go about their day. Nenga our guide somehow found his way through the bush and ravines to keep them in sight, and when he couldn't find a way his trusty panga emerged and he cut his way through. Even the off-road driving at Azura Selous is an adventure for families, let alone the wildlife! We all agreed that wild dog have to be one of the most exciting animals to watch, but we became distracted by the myriad giraffe, an elephant tearing a bush apart for his breakfast, and then the eternal debate so loved by children of which came first: the termite mound or the tree? That necessitated a trip out of the vehicle, always a highlight for children in camp, before a spectacular bush breakfast at the edge of the Ruaha river.
After breakfast it was the turn of the lions. We have been seeing them daily close to camp and hearing their roars at night. The recent battle for territory that we thought had been resolved seems to be continuing apace, with an injured female separated from her pride and lying alone beneath a tree. She had been fine the day before, and is a female my son first spotted as a small cub, so we hope that she has the strength to recover. The rest of the pride were lolling in the shade, while the children on the vehicle whispered about the length of their manes – in the Selous they are much shorter than elsewhere – a genetic development thought to be due to the warm conditions year round.
After lunch in camp, where a refreshing swim, a massage for grown ups and bow and arrow making lessons for kids ensued, we set off for the afternoon drive up to the plains of 'Little Serengeti'. The buffalo of the days before had moved on, leaving the throngs of wildebeest and zebra, yet more giraffe, and shier eland and hartebeest. We discovered 4 hippos have become resident at our new waterhole up on the plains, recently built to enhance our game viewing in that area in the dry season, which must be having an effect because there were plains game simply everywhere.
Then off to the final highlight for that day, the vehicle 'stumbling' upon the surprise scene of lanterns in the bush, a blazing fire, and the team assembled for a very special BBQ bush dinner. Marshmallows on sticks in the fire for children, champagne for adults, stargazing in the clear night sky, and everyone excitedly sharing their safari stories with talk of 'the best family holiday ever' and promises to return. With hot chocolate orders in for the morning wake-up, it was time to head back to camp, and exhilarating short drive in the dark, with 3 spotted hyena in the headlights on the way home. A bumper day of game viewing on safari at Azura Selous, and the perfect half term holiday for families.


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Latest News
Midsummer Night's Run set to course through downtown again
A Midsummer Night's Run will mark its 25th anniversary Saturday night.
Festivities include a 1-mile walk/run at 6 p.m., a "Fastest Kid in Town" sprint competition at 6:35 p.m., and the featured 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) race at 8:30 p.m.
Central Baptist Hospital sponsors the event "to promote healthy lifestyles and fitness in families and communities around the Bluegrass."
Beginning at noon, there will be activity centers near Vine and Mill streets, where the start and finish lines are located and where late registrations ($25) will be accepted outside the Lexington Downtown Hotel.
The 1-mile kickoff is considered a casual event and is open to all ages, including babies in strollers.
The Fastest Kid in Town, for ages 1 through 12, consists of sprints of 20 yards to 60 yards.
The 5-kilometer race is competitive, although joggers and walkers also turn out.
Jacob Korir, a former Eastern Kentucky University standout from Kenya, won last year's 5K in 14 minutes, 34 seconds. University of Kentucky twins Jenna and Jessica Ortman placed first and second in the women's division, with Jenna winning by one second in 17:20.