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Just got and did a first reading of Initiate's Trial yesterday after Kinokuniya somehow got the book into Singapore earlier than they told me it'd arrive.
But what a ride it is! Physically, the book is as deliciously thick as the others - it looks slightly thicker than my hardcover-sized softcover copy of Stormed Fortress. Pacing wise? I feel as if it were... shorter. In a sense. And the opening... well. 200 over years of literally chained and bound imprisonment, completely alone except for the free wraiths he manages to free even without any idea of who he is and what he can do, barring the occasional 'visits' by a creepy Koriani witch in the pejorative sense... It really does set the mood, with Arithon being put through the wringer like that.
On a funnier sort of note? Considering Arithon and Elaira have apparently been enduring a very unpleasant separation for the past 200 over years, it's just as well that their love is so very transcendant. And literally earth-moving in how it is expressed in marital relations.
Though the tidbits of background lore were incredibly fascinating, as usual. Even more than all the plotting and whatnot, I have rediscovered that what draws me the most to Janny's writing is the lovely, lovely worldbuilding. Each new book just makes Athera more and more interesting and fascinating. If I could find them, I'd grab each and every last book set in this particular universe just so my mental headcanon gets a bit more complete. For instance, right now part of me is itching to know what precisely is Northgate, where it leads, and why it apparently is guarded on the other end by a great drake. And why whatever is on the otherside is apparently inhabited by great drakes with offspring.
And of course, if I could, I'd cheerfully rip Morriel's self out of the puppeteered body and shred it. Speaking of people who cheerfully toss aside every opportunity for redemption. And who seem scarily short-sighted and self-focused. Or maybe I should say, who assume that they can control all the ranging consequences of their actions, despite all the evidence to the contrary.
I would not be so sure Morriel does not have a place to play in things, maybe she has good reason to survive no matter the consequences. She just lost sight of a few important things waiting all that time.
It will be interesting to see where Morriel might end up, and in what form.
'May her black heart char for eternity, and her spirit twist in the lightless pits at the negative pole of creation.'
'From the negative pole of dense-form matter to the exalted realms of pure spirit'
He dared not close with heavy energies while immersed in a transformed state of higher frequency. The smallest, most subtle attempt to engage adverse forces would open the floodgates to disaster. In unbodied form, the altered vibration of his physical being and the unbinding spells of attack would combine in one shattering burst of annihilation.
OK. This may not be a spoiler, but I'll put it here anyway.
What good are the Fellowship Sorcerers? Sethvir has been in a coma for the last 3 books up until this book, so everybody was on their own.
Now, Asandir has sealed an oath to necromancers who he knew BEFORE were body snatchers as well!
Poor Arithon! Nobody ever helps him for one reason or another, yet they all rely on him to cover their shortfalls. And then there's Elaira, don't get me started on her brave heart being left undefended.
i found myself pretty angry with the hair/beard pulling Sorcerers. I mean who keeps oaths to necromancers? And now, there was an inference that Arithon's bloodline may not matter since these same necros now have the power to break the compact!
That's a fine howdy-do!
And is Janny going to write another before 4 years are up and not go larking off with Feist and leave us hanging?
I remember a woman with cancer appealing to Stephen King before she died , she wanted to know how his Dark Tower series finished. She died not knowing. I'm beginning to think I will too with this series.
Criminy, I wish I could reach thru the pages and slap those sorcerers upside the head. Now they've lost Luhaine. I figure Ciladis ran off with the Paravians, so now they're down to 5 again.
What a way to run a railroad!
Forgive me, the book just came out where I am so I just finished it
LOL. While I understand your frustration I feel obligated to point out that the F7 have held Athera together and maintained the compact so far. And I doubt the 'necromancers' will be able to pull off their wild schemes. Also I happen to know Janny's hot at work on Destiny's Conflict.
I agree with you about Elaira!
Luhaine is hibernating with the dragon to leave Davien free, and because he can survive all the years that hibernation might last since he's discorporate. Also, Ciladis is asleep with a unicorn watching over him somewhere and none of us know why... did the Paravians take him captive? Hmmm.
And poor Arithon! I do hope he is able to remember everything soon.
Possible spoilers................................
You keep an oath no matter who it is to, otherwise you are as bad as the other party. Asandir was not the one who chose to be obligated to Selidie, someone else made that decision for the Fellowship, he was just clearing the debt.
Lysaer swore guest oath to Maenalle s'Gannley, he later broke that oath and had her executed. He considered her a criminal so broke his oath.
"To this house, its lady, and her sworn companions, I pledge friendship. Ath's blessing upon family and kin, strength to your
heirs, and honour to the name of s'Gannley.
Beneath this roof and before Ath, I share fortune and sorrow as your brother, my service as steadfast as blood kin."
'Of us all, Ciladis was the least shielded. More than finches found joy in his presence.'
Why not let the darkness unveil its own light, and resurrect its next hope of salvation?'
'Ciladis could not,' Sethvir whispered. Anemone pale in the thin flood of starlight, he kept up his laboured speech. 'After one armageddon and its cost of deliverance in slaughter, I believe he would finally go mad.'
Well, I'm glad Janny's working on the next book.
I must admit it was a shock to open this one and find 250 years had gone by.
Even with the 5 Centuries Fountain, time's getting a bit short, maybe a refresher from the Fountain is about due!..... I do enjoy the books but I can't quote them.
The Initiate's Trial seemed to me to be a really clever way to comment on the zealotry sweeping our own good Earth/Athera.
I can't help but wonder how much of the wonder here on this planet has been shattered.
Wurts makes some interesting analogies and that was my favorite part.
I just had to comment on the Sorceror's as they seemed pretty good for nothing in this book. I guess that's why they cast Dakar on his own, to see if he was ready for more stringent tasks.
I felt really badly about King Gestry and I still am confused about why he was abandoned except for Dakar and also the black stallion left for dead by Asandir after he nearly came apart safeguarding Isfarann's spirit in the grimward and who couldn't possibly know(could he?) that the dragon would make the black horse immortal and a friend Arithon desperately needs.
I have a thing for animals, you see?
I don't understand where this statement is coming from. Mistress of the Empire, the last collaboration with Ray Feist, was published in 1993 the same year as Curse of the Mistwraith. Janny has not gone 'larking' off with any other author in the last two decades.
And is Janny going to write another before 4 years are up and not go larking off with Feist and leave us hanging?
Although Janny is hard at work on the next masterpiece that does not mean it is not going to take 4 years to get it ready though. There was 4 years between the last 2 books and Janny seemed to be working as fast as she could. The books seem to be getting harder to write.
So, I had deferred reading IT, hoping to wait until DC was released to read them together, but I just couldn't hold off any longer. So yay, I finally get to read spoiler topics! Here is a few of my random thoughts having just finished the book.
First up - loved it, just as I love every book in this amazing series. Thankyou Janny for all your hard work, I just love the way you write. After reading a WoLaS book, the next book I read always seems childish and dumbed down in comparison. It takes a while for my brain to shift back to the lower diction.
Regarding Kassandra's question about Isfarran, I believe Asandir laid in the dying horse's aura a request for the dragon to intervene, who did so in gratitude for Asandir's previous efforts to settle the dead drake's spirit in the grimward. While he had no surety that Seshkrozchiel would help, that was certainly his hope/plan. The reason he rode the horse (and himself) so hard was that he had get out of Havish ASAP, before Arithon entered, lest he somehow be seen as aiding Arithon and thereby breaking the non-intervention oath. At least that was my understanding.
Regarding the huge time lapse, I quite like the idea of it, but I'm not sure why such an extended period was necessary, especially when very little has changed either for the major characters or the world in general during that time. I guess there were a LOT of wraiths. It seems like stuff happened for about 10 years after SF, then absolutely nothing until the start of IT. I too am still confused by all the oaths and debts and deals and betrayals that happened, but I understand they have been deliberately withheld and look forward to DC shedding some more light on that missing period.
I am sad we missed seeing the Great Schism though - I was thoroughly proud of Lysaer after finding out he had divorced the True Sect. (though surprised he had taken up residence in Rathain, of all places. I guess he was pretty well known there, moreso than in the southern kingdoms, and its the next major kingdom other than Tysan and Havish...). In fact, I loved Lysaer in this book. His personal torments were pretty heart-wrenching. Near the end I thought the Paravian presence might cleanse him of the curse, only for Arithon to then fall back under the curse from Morriel's snare. That would have been a devastating(ly awesome) reversal.
I loved that it was the F7 who unleashed the wraiths on Athera. Talk about desperate measures, that was one hell of a gamble!! How it must have chafed Morriel that she was forced to let Arithon live! I love seeing that woman's plans fall to ashes, haha.
My one qualm, though, is that the wraiths have now been entirely disarmed, and offscreen! Personally, I derived a lot of anticipation and tension from that constant, looming threat of a wraith incursion, and had been expecting it to happen in the finale of the series, but as usual I can never predict Janny. I guess there are still the wraiths in Rockfell...
Tarens is awesome. I hope he is reunited with his father, whom we glimpsed in that one brief vision. After losing so many family members already it would be nice for him to have one returned. I hope his father didn't die in the Lanshire campaign... that would be devastating.
Daliana - also awesome. She might not have brute muscle but the girl has skills! Would love to see her in action some more, not just applying her talents to darts.
What's the deal with Saroic? I assume that part was included for some future purpose. My understanding is that, being of s'Gannley descent, he will become Tysan's next caithdein after his grandfather. But then, Daliana is also of s'Gannley descent, and it seemed like she was effectively being asked to stand as caithdein pages later. Was that just an unofficial request for help from Asandir to Daliana? Did she simply swear a caithdein's oath but not officially take up the title? Did Sulfin Evend ever actually hold the title? I admit, I've never been able to get my head completely around the bloodlines and their roles, especially when they outbreed and mix and whatnot. If someone could clarify Saroic and Daliana's positions for me that would be great.
I loved that backstory tidbits about Jessian and the pre-Atheran relationship between the Beidar and Koriathain. I have a feeling that relates to one of the short stories, but I haven't yet been able to get my hands on those. Was there any progress about releasing the shorts stories here on the website, Janny?
I hope Verrain gets some more page-time. He seems like an under-utilised resource. Mirthvain never sleeps I suppose. Poor guy must be itching to get out of that swamp though.
Is Morriel not aware of the fact that the F7 will have to destroy mankind before letting the compact break? Or is she plotting her way around that outcome as well?
"...the field Sorceror engaged the Creator's sublime portal and vanished."
Where the heck has Asandir gone??
But the Fellowship hardly unleashed the wraiths on anyone, and Selidie knew that. The Fellowship were doing their best to keep them away from Athera. Way back in one of the other books, as Morriel the Koriani Prime had been told of the problem and the possible solution. By the end of Stormed Fortress the problem was getting worse, so it was hardly surprising the Fellowship intervened to save Arithon, they needed him, and it seems Seledie thought it was a good idea to get rid of the free wraiths, or they got her to agree to it some other way. Arithon could spend centuries confined in horrific circumstances, redeeming all the wraiths, and then Selidie could kill him.
I did wonder why the Biedar needed to split time in order to retrieve Arithon. Did it only take 249 years to redeem the wraiths of two planets, or did it take longer? Sometimes Janny said there had been countless millions of wraiths, sometimes countless thousands. And Arithon had been doing it for thousands upon thousands of days. Arithon was possibly badly injured before being imprisoned, and the wraiths might not have turned up straight away, the Fellowship would need time to organise such an elaborate construct to hold and seperate them.
Dakar saw Arithon playing in darkness for decades (Fugitive Prince pg 135 in the newest pb version), so either Arithon was blind and in pain or he was elsewhere either before his term of imprisonment, or maybe it was later and will turn up in DC. Or maybe it was just Dakar's interpretation that was out and it was the same term of imprisonment, he was just seeing it from a different perspective.
I would think Asandir went where ever he wanted to.
About potential reasons for the extended time lapse, there were a number of changes; two seem especially interesting to me (and really required large amounts of time to come about):
- The clansmen in Rathain have increased their sensitivity to the mysteries quite significantly. The three children seemed to have much clearer awareness of the flux than any ancestor we experienced from before the timeskip (except Jieret). Not sure what this means for the story, but if Arithon regains his full range of abilities and memories, he might have some interesting strategic ideas
- Lysaer has had ~250 years without Arithon's presence. He was very young when he first came through West Gate; how can he battle the curse if he does not know who he is? I think he probably has a much better idea now of how the Curse pulls at his wishes, and where they diverge from his natural autonomous choices.
Other changes over time:
- Arithon's sensitivity to emotion, but that did not require 250 years, if Janny decided otherwise?
- The Koriani organization seems a lot more corrupt than before Selidie's ascent to Prime - what happened to "we do not kill"? And I can't see that trap at Scarpdale being very happily received by Seniors in earlier books. Am I underestimating the behaviour of the Koriathain in the beginning, or has Selidie caused an ongoing loss of morality? Especially without a First Senior, there seems to be no counterbalance within the system to her decisions.
- What's this drake war thing?
Janny's just posted a new short story in the webstore. There are now two there in eformat - Sundering Star and Reins of Destiny.
Check the thread 'Other Short Stories' for the link.
Well the stories are hardly new, although we got a nice painting of the falls of Lind'stair as a cover for new ebook version of Reigns of Destiny, as well as Havish's blazon, which Janny showed us earlier.
Be interesting to see if we get Melhalla's gryphon blazon with Child of Prophecy, or perhaps Shand's chevrons.
And a glossary for them all would be nice,especially Reins of Destiny had some interesting names.
Seeing the stories available for ebooks made me very happy, since I just recently purchased all the WoLaS books on kindle and was wondering where I stuffed those anthologies that had the short stories in them.
I make a horrid librarian and my books are not sorted properly. My Janny books are mostly clumped in one area in what is supposed to be the A's and universes like Star Trek or Forgotten Realms. Totally makes sense if you are lazy and want fast access to them though. *giggles*
To reply about the Koriani - Here's my take:
In the short story. The Sundering Star, when Jessian meets the Biedar they show her how they see the sisterhood's meddling as ugly, blind, arrogance. This was before the worlds were destroyed. So in their view the Koriani were always a corrupt organization.
However, the Prime feels her duty is to humanity and she is doing everything she feels is vital to that end and has even justified stealing Seledie's body to maintain humanity's knowledge locked away in the Waystone which only she can access. If this precious knowledge is threatened then she has no choice but to kill because to lose all that knowledge would be devastating to humanity in her opinion.
The F7 is also a terrible threat to that knowledge and the Prime is doing everything in her power to break the compact to hopefully force the permanent exile of the Parathians and remove the F7's purpose to exist.
So, they have always been corrupt as long as we've known them. But the increased dangers have made it seem like they are more corrupt than normal. Also, they have been in slow decay as far as community relations go as they increase the number of unreasonable trades they make for services rendered.
I never saw the entire Koriani as corrupt, just the head of the order and a few seniors. Morriel was mad even before she possessed Selidie, she just seems to have got worse. Does not matter what the other seniors think of her mad plots and warping of the basic foundations of the order, they are her enslaved puppets and can do nothing. The only one in the order who seems capable of independent action is Elaira. And the only reason I can think of as to why that personal crystal of hers would have insisted on continuing to serve is it knows prime power is eventually going to fall to Elaira.
I am sure Elaira would waste no time cleaning the order and its priorities up. What she does with all those red banded harpies who do not want to reform will be interesting. I never could work out what their original purpose was. But I am sure helping their Prime to destroy Athera was not it. Maybe they and their Prime were meant to be doing something else.
Morriel seemed to have no interest in Athera if she was willing to sacrifice the planet to get her freedom from that compact. If Athera and her high resonance are the source of the increased power the Koriani have, would not destroying the planet destroy most of their power as well? What was Morriel expecting to do if she had her own way? Obviously it is not Athera's humanity the Prime is interested in protecting. Maybe she hopes to restore that star spanning civilisation they lost, and put that knowledge she is protecting to use. But still she seems to be going around it the wrong way. Even if she had the powers of the creator, she has a heart of stone and no compassion what so ever, so like the dragons, whatever she created would go wrong.
And the F7 seems no threat to the knowledge the Prime is protecting, by the Law of the Major Balance they can do nothing. It is the compact that prevents Selidie unleashing that knowledge. The compact only covers what is native to Athera, so even though the Waystone was sitting in Althain tower all those centuries, it was untouched. Sethvir even handed it back when the Koriani eventually got around to asking for it.
The Koriani agreed to the compact when they settled with rest of humanity. There is probably something there we have not seen yet, concerning the balance of power between all the different groups on Athera, but still no one forced the Koriani to stay.
Hmm... did I misinterpret chapter 2, regarding the wraiths arrived on Athera?
"Malice spiked the Prime's anger. The sweet hour of ascendancy heated her blood, all the more rich since the vicious riposte thrust upon her by the Fellowship Sorcerors' underhand tactic: a deadly influx of wraiths unleashed on the world as their ruthless weapon in counter-threat. Unconscionably, they had gambled! The survival of mankind on Athera had been callously tossed on the board as their bargaining chip, with the innocent populace placed at risk under a lethal threat to buy Arithon's chance for reprieve."
It seems as if the Koriani captured Arithon, then the F7 intentionally allowed the wraiths into Athera, forcing Morriel to stay Arithon's execution so he could deal with them. She seems very bitter about the fact - it's not a plan she agreed to willingly. I could be wrong.
I, too, imagine Asandir has gone wherever he intended, but this seems to be different to a "simple" focus circle transfer, especially since that's the last we see of him in this book. Can't wait to find out!
Thanks for the tip about the short story availability, just bought and read them both =) Was shocked to see a certain corpse in Reins of Destiny!
Regarding the Koriani... if they weren't corrupt before Kincaid's weapon and Jessian's betrayal, they certainly were afterwards. Jessian initially believed in the Order's humanitarian nature, and I suspect many of the lower level sisters in current times believe the same. But the Prime and seniors have definitely corrupted those ideals.
The Order now exists only to sustain itself, not to sustain humanity. Any humanitarian work they actually do seems to be a front a) to keep the populace from turning on them, and b) to lure in new recruits to bolster their own power. Morriel's current actions seem to be in line with the order's prior policy of unrestrained ambition, regardless of cost/ethics/etc...
Am I right in thinking that Davien was Kincaid? I can't remember if his identity was ever revealed. I'm basing that assumption purely on Kincaid's description as brilliant in Sundering Star - admittedly not much to go on, but it's a common descriptor for Davien. I had previously thought it was Sethvir but I can't remember why, probably because he seems like the F7's leader, even though they are all equal (but different). It's been way too long since I read the early books...
This is probably getting off track from the thread's topic.. sorry.
Good thoughts Matt! You're right about the wraiths being used to keep Arithon alive. It says fairly early on that Sethvir is Kincaid. I think Asindar refers to him as 'Cal' - Kincaids first name I believe.
Matt, you are looking at the wraith problem from the perspective of a power drunk, mad woman, who will destroy anything and anyone to get what she wants. It was Selidie who was using the underhand tactics to try and get what she wanted, not the F7. You turn everything around that Selidie was thinking and you get closer to the truth.
It was not Asandir who had been lying awake night after night all those years hoping Selidie would change her mind, it was Selidie who had the sleepless nights, and she was the one who demanded a child as a hostage, even though she already had a hostage, again because she thought she could use that child, her planned strategies came to nothing. If Selidie could have, she would have sabotaged the star construct to unleash those wraiths in a bid to break the compact. We have yet to see if she actually did. At least that is one less thing she can use now to get what she wants. But there are still other options she could and has used.
The Koriani purpose was to preserve the knowledge of their former civilisation, this was it seems to supposedly benefit humanity. Knowledge is not always wisely applied, or that beneficial. They had that knowledge once and destroyed themselves, all those who wanted to keep their technology were sent through South Gate, all those who started on the path to such dangerious knowledge and would not give it up, were also sent through South Gate before it was closed with the Mistwraiths arrival. The civilisation on those two worlds eventually destroyed itself, just like it seems every other human civilisation other than the Atheran one has. How the Biedar managed to go a different path has not been explained, and probably will not be till the last book.
The Paravians were trying to protect humanity from itself with that compact, to give humanity a chance to develop enough that they would not need technology or would be wise enough to know how to use it. The Biedar are an example of what humanity could become. They can travel from planet to planet, yet have no technology. Running true to form, knowledge, greed and ignorance seem set to destroy the compact.
And although the Koriani methods and purpose might have left a lot to be desired. They still seem to have had some respect on Athera before Morriel became Prime, so it is Morriels madness that has probably had the most influence on where even what knowledge they could use has lead them, her entire order is tainted by necromancy now. Possibly it was Morriel who introduced the changes to the Koriani oath and practices that made that possible.
When the knowledge the Koriani were fiddling with escaped their clutches and started necromancy off in the first place, their oath was not so strict. It did not seem apparent when exactly that happened. But all the examples we know of on Athera seem to have occurred after Morriel became Prime. And it was the knowledge they stole and those crystals that made all that possible. Probably all those focus stones and crystals are stolen as well, but we have yet to see if their previous owners also followed the Koriani to Athera. But there is one hidden group we have not yet seen.
And Sleo is right, in CotM Asandir calls Sethvir Cal and in the glossary we were told that was his mortal name before the sorcerers swore fellowship.
And you will notice the first time we hear the name Calum Kincaid in Fugitive Prince
Our first Prime Matriarch stood at the right hand of free governance before Calum Kincaid sold out his great weapon and became the destroyer of worlds.
- Fugitive Prince
Annette, I think the F7 did exactly what it said in the book. Released the wraiths on Athera to force Morriel to delay Arithon's execution.
No, think about it, why would they? It would be against everything they believe to deliberately endanger all life on the planet. Even to save Arithon, they would not do it, the Fellowship are not the ones rewriting their moral code each time they are challenged, they will stick to their stance no matter the consequences. Selidie is the only one who would endanger humanity and would have the power to free the wraiths, so if she is blaming the Fellowship for doing it, then she was the guilty party. Look back through everything she has said through the books, especially when swayed by emotion.
Look at what else she says and thinks in that passage, is any of it actually true? If you go through each thing and work it out, Selidie is not going to actually tell the truth about that one thing, she is going to deny the truth and blame the Fellowship (or someone else) for it all. Why would you believe anything Selidie said in the first place, has she ever shown any care for humanity? Has she ever shown she can be trusted to tell the truth? Look back on what she said when complaining about the compact, or her Waystone was any of it true?
What would Selidie have done to keep the Fellowship busy while she was having her enslaved puppets capture Arithon?
I think you're right, Annette, that the truth is skewed through Morriel's twisted perception. The language used clearly shows her opinion of what they did. But I think the factual element of it is accurate. She may be manipulative and ambitious, and she definitely twists peoples' motivations for the things they do, but she is usually quite observant and doesn't just make up events, or misattribute them to other parties.
Remember that the statement was in her own thoughts, not something spoken, so not a direct attempt at manipulation. And while I've no doubt of her abilities for self delusion, to get the factual part so blatantly incorrect, especially if it was herself who caused the wraiths to break through the star wards, seems unlikely. Her madness doesn't seem *that* far gone, or perhaps, not of that variety.
Morriel says "The last invasive free wraith from Marak has been duly banished by Athera's Masterbard. The event occurred yesterday. This dawn, by the covenant carved onto stone in the King's Chamber at Althain Tower, the stay of execution your Fellowship demanded on behalf of Prince Arithon of Rathain is named forfeit."
On what grounds would Morriel have otherwise delayed Arithon's execution, except to save her own skin from invading wraiths? The F7 *had* to let them in, else Arithon would have been killed, the Fellowship would never have been restored, and the compact broken. The only other option would have been to destroy mankind themselves to ensure the compact. Morriel is correct that they had gambled, but it turned out to be a worthwhile risk.
The oath of non-interference was part of the original deal to spare Arithon - now simply confirmed by Asandir. I believe Teylia's role as hostage was to guarantee the F7 wouldn't go against that oath and attempt to retrieve Arithon, as if their word wasn't enough. But I'm not entirely sure about this. Regardless, the fact that the Koriani's distrust caused them ultimately to lose Arithon amuses me greatly.
Good questions about the nature of the Koriani before Athera. It does seem like they had a significant hand in the politics surrounding the war. I knew their intervention on Scathac wasn't purely for the sake of the Biedar, but I had been willing to assume they wanted the Biedar's knowledge so they could save other planets/people as well. But now I'm not so sure.
And it's VERY interesting that Morriel's not aware of the F7's true origins. I can't think of any conceivable way she might find out, but I'd love to see it. Maybe the truth is hidden in the Waystone? If she is clearing the trapped spirits from the stone, maybe one will somehow spill the beans.
Is it possible the weapon still exists, and that the F7 brought it with them on their ship? The Paravians probably wouldn't have approved of that, I suppose.
The F7's ultimate task is to ensure Paravian survival. That is why they were brought to Athera, not for humanity's benefit. So to that end, risking mankind is perfectly reasonable and well within their purview, albeit something they hope to avoid if possible. They're not rewriting their moral code. Remember, they made Arithon swear oath to survive *at all costs,* which very much includes costs to human life. How many people have died already to ensure Arithon's survival? He is the key to everything. He *must* live, at least until he fulfils his purpose.
If forced by their binding directive, that is true. But I'm don't think that Arithon's survival directly triggers that. Arithon and the restoration of the F7 are certainly needed for full restoration of the system of government and rule (part of the Compact), but the Compact is not critical to Paravian survival. If the binding had taken hold, they would have gone in, guns blazing, each time Arithon's life was at risk, and so far in the series, they haven't. At Etarra, at Athir, free will was respected.
Arithon's binding to life was done because of the wraiths, after Kharadmon returned with his news about the two worlds beyond South Gate. The Fellowship did not want the same thing (whole worlds bound in possession and slavery) to happen to Athera.
Actually, the whole situation can be explained if Asandir's blinding trail had failed, and we know it was only expected to last for a few years. That's possibly quite enough to allow a large invasion to reach the star wards. There would be no point in the Fellowship trying to explain that it was a coincidence, Selidie seems quite wilfully blind on matters relating to them, and would not believe them.
Yeah that's definitely possible, that the wards decayed naturally.
My impression was that the F7 were brought to Athera as a group, because that group specifically met the dragons' requirements to save the Paravians. And if that group is broken (as will probably eventually happen if they aren't restored) it will no longer meet those requirements. That's why I thought Arithon's survival was linked to that of the Paravians. But perhaps I'm reading too much into it and making extrapolations that aren't there. Yours does seem a very logical explanation!
Nice discussion! All of the F7 have always said that they would have to destroy mankind if the awful event happened that the compact was in danger of being broken. I have never understood Morriel's constant efforts to break it unless she doesn't know that. And if she doesn't know, why don't they tell her? Or she at least didn't seem to understand it the night she caused the great upset in the flux when she transferred herself into Selidie's body. She does seem to understand the damage that can be caused by grimwards, as I remember her satisfaction with the fact that the F7 would be too busy trying to keep their wards from failing to interfere with her designs.
Matt, there do seem to be hints about something special with the F7 gathered as a whole, but not sure what yet.
A lot of my speculation comes from seeing what events have or have not triggered the drakes' directive in the past, so I don't see Arithon as critical to Paravian survival (or at least that seems to be the current perception of the Fellowship). Saying that, I still wonder why Elaira potentially having a baby of royal descent (in Traitor's Knot) was so serious as to engage that binding. Probably a different discussion to be had there
Sleo, I assume there are going to be some reveals in the next two books I have no answers to your questions; also, when the Fellowship was tied down with rescuing grimwards left, right, and centre, why couldn't Selidie ignore the Compact, and do as she pleased? Why is it so important to her that the Compact be broken rather than ignored? I wonder if it is related to the reason why the Koriathain never went through South Gate (as described in the FAQ, they like the high resonance of Athera, so perhaps Selidie wants it all - control of the planet and its resources, and interstellar travel).
She had no sentimental attachment to Athera; on the contrary, the viability of any one planet became an expendable resource. Break the compact and the covenant of Paravian preservation, and mankind could reclaim its interdicted knowledge and remanifest the technologies of star travel.
- Grand Conspiracy
I always believed the truth about the wraiths was more that the wards were decaying, Athera was indeed in grave peril and the F7 told Morriel that Arithon was required to fix the problem or else everyone would die. Of course she would believe the F7 threatened to release wraiths on the world on purpose to thwart her desire to kill Arithon because that's how she thinks.
I don't think anyone knows about the destroy all humanity consequence of breaking the compact and it's not something the F7 would tell anyone because that would probably go against the Law of Major Balance.
OK what happened here? what did I miss?? I realized that IT wasout and I had to get it but found it on my shelf and it had to have been there at least a year. I understand how Dakar would have been seen as a betrayer but I relly don't understand what Eiragal did. I read this book twice and then read the book before but then rearead the whole series and that last 250 years has me stumped. [smilin at ya]
You had IT on your shelf for a year and forgot to read it?
Eriegal was the one who arranged for Arithon to be captured. Since he had sworn fealty to Arithon, that betrayal ended up getting him executed for treason and brought shame on the clan.
I really doubt Eriegal knew the Koriani were going to end up with Arithon though. I suspect it was more to do with what happened at Alestron and the s'Brydion losing their ancestral home that Eriegal thought Arithon owed restitution for, as well as a bit of misguided revenge. I thought Eriegal might have handed Arithon over to the s'Brydion, and Seledie controlled things from then on. Bransian might have blamed Arithon for what happened and thought Arithon could have intervened to get Alestron back, with a bit of persuasion.
And they would have all turned up for Jeynsa and Sevrand's wedding.
�Eriegal has never found trust in his Grace. That�s why he was not sent to Vastmark, by Caolle. No Companion among us has not hated, for loss. But some nurse the wound like a canker.�
pg 297 Stormed Fortress
Because, tangled by a misguided revenge, Arithon understood the motive behind his betrayal.� Here, Dakar quoted the prince verbatim from history. �Grief suffered in childhood broke the man�s spirit. If Eriegal dies, if he�s cast out, he might never outgrow his child�s rage for the family reft from him. Alive to accept the result of his choice, he might heal the wound of his losses. As I have, one day he might find his forgiveness for the human short-falls which led the clans to stand their doomed ground for my sake at Tal Quorin.�
Initiate's Trial
Eriegal had been breeding his hatred since Tal Quorin. I don't think it had anything to do with Alestron.
I agree with Sleo- although Eriegal may have viewed Arithon's refusal to stand with Alestron in the same vein he views Tal Quorin.
Annette- why would Bransian have attended Jeynsa's wedding?


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Table of Contents
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Trending Topics Mars NASA Supermassive Black Hole Opportunity rover mental health
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, is one of the most diverse and well-studied ecosystems in the world, and yet there is still much more to learn about the behavior and lifestyle of the species that call it home. Now, thanks to crowdsourcing and the largest-ever scientific camera trapping survey, unique snapshots are revealing the secret life of Serengeti's most elusive animals.
A 333-million year old fossil recently uncovered in Australia is shedding light on the evolution of land-dwelling vertebrate animals, suggesting that they transitioned to land earlier than thought.
Robots can apparently adapt like animals, new research finds, a trait that could provide tremendous benefits to society such as in search-and-rescue missions and putting out forest fires.
The Serengeti National Park has long been one of the world's most iconic ecosystems, home to giraffes and many other animals, and now new research shows that it is disappearing.
When it comes to chimpanzees, it seems that the "new girl" may have the upper hand in former stronger female bonds, new research says.
Chronic disease can wreak havoc on a pack of wild animals living together, but new research shows that if carnivores simply cooperate, they can lessen their impact and increase their chances of survival.
It seems that even baboons form their own cliques, but new research shows that this can limit learning among the group.
Conservationists are "on the fence" about using barriers to protect wildlife populations living in dryland ecosystems, according to a new study.
Dolphins are known for being highly social animals, so much so that new research shows they are even capable of having friends.
The international wildlife trade is a major threat to various endangered animals across the world, but as western conservation groups seek stricter law enforcement over this practice, new research finds that tough laws are "not enough" to stomp out the trade.
Scientists fear that the decline of the world's largest herbivores, especially in Africa and parts of Asia, could lead to an "empty landscape" in some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, according to a new study.
Scientists have long been curious as to why it's common for animals to fight with members of other species, and now a new study has found the answer, blaming it on females, of course.
A complete camel skeleton has recently been discovered by archaeologists near the river Danube in Austria, and it turns out it's a unique hybrid that is rare for Central Europe, according to a new study.
It's no secret that animals occasionally get high and drunk off the many vices nature has to offer. However, intentionally doing so has always seemed a strictly human affair. Now more and more evidence is piling up that suggests wild animals enjoy a good buzz as much as the next guy, and may even have their fair share of junkies - an idea that experts are now fiercely debating.


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|Steamboat Peerless on the Alabama River.
What follows are 100-year-old news excerpts from the Aug. 30, 1917 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era newspaper in Camden, Ala.
Ruthven is a new post office, established near Usery Lumber Co. about 11-1/2 miles from Pine Apple and Schuster.
The teachers at the Wilcox County High School the ensuing session will be Prof. Claude Hardy, principal; Miss Carlotta Stuart, first assistant; Miss Lady Portis, second assistant; Miss Minna Palfrey, home economics; Mrs. Hardy, music.
The bridge over Strait Creek on the Camden and Pine Apple Road, which is one of the main thoroughfares of the county, has been down for some time. The attention of our worthy County Commissioners is called to this matter. The bridge should be rebuilt.
The Alabama River is again getting very low. The damage done by the recent river floods was very light. The steamers Peerless and Burke are now engaged in the Alabama River trade.
The County Commissioners' court will meet in special session next Friday for the purpose of arranging means and methods to complete that portion of the Jackson Highway that's in Wilcox.
Mrs. Henry Miller of Camden has sold over 200 chickens that were raised in her yard in town. Poultry raising is a nice side line proposition for our country ladies.
Mr. K. Henry of Atlanta, and with the reliable shoe firm of J.K. Orr & Co. of that city, visited Camden recently. Mr. Henry is a grandson of the late Osborne Henry, who resided in Blacks Bend.
Dr. Clarence Jones of Mobile is visiting his wife and daughter, who are visiting in the home of Hon. and Mrs. W.C. Jones at Camden.
FURMAN: Our citizens are taking a great deal of interest in the Red Cross work. An auxiliary has been organized for the purpose of doing real, helpful work. The women are sewing and knitting for the soldiers, while the men show they are willing to do their "bit" by aiding financially.
McWILLIAMS: Mr. Arthur L. Nettles, who is an operator for the Illinois Central Railroad at Lambert, Miss., is with home folks.
OAK HILL: Mr. Archie F. Jones, who has been taking a business course in Montgomery, has enlisted in the army. He was a recent visitor to Camden.
LAMISON: It grieves us very much to see all of our young men leaving, but we are sure with such a noble, brave people, the cause will be won. Messrs. Pittman and Grover Dickson, Evans and Leslie Autrey, Flavie Harris, Carson Kratzer and Lucy Dunn are among the first to leave for France.
PINE HILL: Lt. W.P. Bledsoe, who is at home on a visit to his parents, the Rev. and Mrs. J.O. Bledsoe, is now commissioned a first lieutenant, passing the examination successfully at Fort McPherson.
On Wednesday evening, the B.Y.P.U. entertained at the home of Mrs. W.D. Autrey in honor of Julius Miller, one of the First Alabama Regiment, who is visiting his mother, Mrs. A.A. Miller and other relatives.


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Question about Refrigerators
I have replaced the defrost t-stat . I am thinking it is low on freon but wanted more advice.
Posted by jbullen1 on
If it gets cold as you say its getting about 2" then it disappears only to returns after a short period of time its low on refrigerant,but if theres an ice ball build up in this area it can also be an expansion valve restriction if this is your case try lightly tapping the expansion valve body to see if you can loosen this restriction otherwise replace the valve and evacuate and recharge the system per the manufacturers specs
Posted on Jan 07, 2013
SOURCE: I have freestanding Series 8 dishwasher. Lately during the filling cycle water hammer is occurring. How can this be resolved
Hi there,
Save hours of searching online or wasting money on unnecessary repairs by talking to a 6YA Expert who can help you resolve this issue over the phone in a minute or two.
Best thing about this new service is that you are never placed on hold and get to talk to real repairmen in the US.
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Good luck!
Posted on Jan 02, 2017
SOURCE: Frozen Freezer Coils
all of the above the heater is on the coil you will seethe wires the therm. is on the top of coils timer could be at lower back of refrig.
Posted on Dec 14, 2007
SOURCE: my refrigerator/freezer isnt getting cold enough
The problem usually isnt in the freon it usually is in the defrost system located in the freezer.I guess you have got this fixed by now and Im sorry for taking so long to get back to you but I havent used the computer in about four months because of family emerg. if you have any more problems let me know.
Posted on Nov 14, 2008
SOURCE: cold freezer/warm refrigerator
Same problem with Frigidaire Gallery model#GLRT182SAW5 (dated 2002 on back of case)
Vents were blocked with ice. Vents (from top compartment to lower) located behind light. You can check by poking a chopstick up the (2) holes; be careful not to hit fan blades.
- took freezer coil cover off in back; checked that defrost heater element was working (marked and rotated the timer in the hole next to light); checked that fan working. Found ice in the vents and defrost drip area. Got it out with hair dryer.
- cleaned compressor coils in back (check fan is rotating; also tweaked some of the compressor tubing bends to make them more smooth - read somewhere about a manufacturing defect ...); blew out drip tube from defroster while down there.
- Set the freezer control to WARM and the refrig control to COLD (THIS SHOULD IMPROVE AIR FLOW FROM TOP TO BOTTOM).
- Put thermometers in top and bottom. Checked that refrigerator cycles (not running continuously). Checked that cold air is coming down from (2) vents behind light.
OK: so far, so good. Lower compartment is 40 or under. Top is under 18.
CONCLUSION: Suspect marginal design. Had problems with another similar model where defroster ice doesn't drain correctly, pools and refreezes. Leading to blocked vents as well as blocked defroster drain and similar problem including dripping water from top to bottom and warm bottom.
Posted on Dec 13, 2008
SOURCE: freezer is cold but refrigerator isn't
Number one when you can always provide model number and make...it helps
enormously in troubleshooting otherwise you get these long detailed
threads...from an anal tech like myself.
Cold is a relative term....how cold...use a thermometer...and determine if the freezer...is at least..10-20 degrees or colder if not it is not cold enough...and here are some generic answers for that problem....I will list at the bottom of this thread...if it is
A. You will need to determine if you are getting air flow into the refrigerator side compartment..there is usually a baffle...that controls...the amount of air-flow into the frig side...it can be adjusted...if not it could be broken or have come loose...it is rare...
B. Is something blocking the baffle...as in food ...groceries...
C. The thermostat could be out of adjustment...and or going bad...(how old is the frig)..
D. Some newer units have a dual fan system..(but rare)..if the frig side fan is out...this could be the problem...
There are several reasons this can be happening...
1. The seal on the door may have a tear or may not be seating properly...this allows excess warm air into the freezer compartment and in its effort to remove the same ...frost appears.
2. There is something call a thermistor (which senses temp and ice build up) that is cycled on and off as needed to remove excess frost accumulation and or ice buildup on the evaporator (freezer) coils...it is a heat strip which actually defrost the frost/ice. If this is not working frost will accumulate and eventually it will become Ice......now the remarkable thing about Ice accumulation is that you would think everything would remain cold or get colder ..however in this case the opposite occurs...it insulates the coils and thereby increasing the temperature...put a thermometer...one that is calibrated properly...(calibration can be set by placing a thermometer into a glass of ice water...the temp of a glass of ice water..after a few minutes setting will be exactly 32 degrees)..if the temperature of your refrigerator is gradually rising over the period of a week...you will need to call a tech or replace the thermistor and or trouble shoot other problems that may have occur such as..
3. The evaporator fan may be going out although they usually make a high pitched whining noise of a whirring noise before they go out...not always and if they are intermittently cycling off then frost would build up...do you always here a fan running when you open the freezer and hold the button in above the door..(fan switch)...if so that is good...fan is working...but it may be cycling off at times when no one is aware.
P.S. the odds of it being due to overfilling are slim...I have been in the industry for 35 years and that is what freezers do...which a lot of people don't realize is that freezers don't actually cool anything ..they just remove heat and when you remove all the heat all that is left is cold (like in space) and when heat is removed quickly frost can appear like when you blow your breath on a freezing cold window..then right your name....but I digress...any way..if there was an excess of heat due to a lot of new food in the freezer it would correct itself by one of the processes i mentioned above..and it would never result in Ice..you probably have one or more of the problems I mentioned...evaluate how long its been going on...
4. Thermostat could be out of adjustment..and or not functioning
properly..which would delay or inhibit a defrost cycle..from occurring..unfortunately almost all of these problems require a tech...or a good handyman.
This should lead you in the right direction...if you need help in finding a reputable service company in your area let us know..I hope this has been helpful..if so PLEASE rate me....thank you... .......The Fang
Posted on Apr 22, 2009
SOURCE: Freezer not freezing
your defrost timer or defrost heater could be bad,
Posted on May 21, 2009
Tips for a great answer:
Jun 12, 2014 | Frigidaire Refrigerators
Apr 07, 2014 | LG LSC27921ST Stainless Steel Side by Side...
Many times a freezer and/or refrigerator do not work right because of a dirty condenser coil...there are also many other things that can go wrong.
you are hearing a clicking or buzzing then check out the last two
If your refrigerator is running but warm, then...
Check out these tips that I wrote about that... it is a great place to start trouble shooting your unit...and something that you can do rather then calling a repair person to do a simple thing for you...
Refrigerator Condenser Coil Cleaning Refrigerator Repair
Refrigerator Troubleshooting Refrigerator Compressor
Refrigerator Compressor Start Capacitor and Start Relay
Refrigerator or Freezer not Cooling or Getting Cold
Dec 25, 2010 | Frigidaire FRS3R5EMB Side by Side...
Jun 06, 2010 | Frigidaire Heating & Cooling
Sep 24, 2009 | Frigidaire FRS3R5EMB Side by Side...
Aug 28, 2009 | Frigidaire FRS3R5EMB Side by Side...
Jul 11, 2017 | Frigidaire FRS26H5AS Side by Side...
Jun 21, 2008 | Refrigerators
Apr 10, 2008 | Frigidaire PLHS267ZA Side by Side...
Jan 28, 2008 | Frigidaire GLRS264ZA Side by Side...
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Banax SX Series
Banax SX
A high quality spinning reel which features aluminium spool and housing. Treated with black anodising for keeping that new look longer. Also has 3 stainless steel ball-bearings for smoother winding, brass pinion and drive gear for longevity, convertible sound/silent system, multi-disc drag system to tame frisky fish and one touch folding handle with comfortable wooden knob.
* Aluminum housing with black anodized finishing for corrosion resistance.
*3 stainless steel ball bearings.
*Brass pinion and brass drive gear.
*Convertible sound / silent system.
*Multi-disc drag system.
*One touch folding handle with wooden knob
Banax SX 5000 - RM125.00
Banax SX 4000 - RM120.00
Banax SX 3000 - RM112.00
Banax SX 2000 - RM107.00


text:
"It's not good enough for anything Scottish to be just an option that pupils or teachers can choose if they like or if they have time. In what other country of Europe would you find such a state of affairs?" #ScotsLanguagehttps://t.co/8MgV9cbA3g
— Àdhamh Ó Broin (@Gaeliconsultant) November 27, 2017
Tag Archives: accent
The Paps of Jura
As part of our somewhat impromptu, personalized tour of Argyll, we got to see boobs–big ones. The Paps of Jura to be precise. Jura is an island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland, north of Islay and south of Skye, its southern half on a line west of Glasgow. These prominent breasts on Jura make for a nice focal point in a photograph across the sound on a sunny day.
Paps is a Scots term, and the Gaelic is ciochan, pronounced something like KEE uh khen. The singular form is cioch. See the following resources for more about the term and its accurate spelling (with accent mark on the i) and pronunciation (for the fricative ch):
Am Faclair Beag (The Wee Dictionary, which is anything but) – ciochan
The Unofficial Guide to Pronouncing Scottish Gaelic – a down-to-earth bit of fun that breaks things down helpfully. See the explanation for "ch" pronunciation under "Broad Consonants."
Scotland has other ciochan as well, such as the Paps of Glencoe. Lots of paps in Scotland.
If you prefer American breasts, ogle these: Backyard Brief, January 2017


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No words needed for how much I love these drawings.
No words needed for how much I love these drawings.
Thank you.
the male characters look almost similar to the characters from Stone Trek back in the day
I see the resemblance. No wonder, because a big influence in my drawings are The Flintstones and other Hanna-Barbera shows/artists who made them. I'll check out Stone Trek, seems like a fun show.
*gets frontpaged*
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Mountain Gift Tags
Mountain Gift Tags
Mountains with a side of whimsy! These colorful tags add a pop of bright color and fun to any gift.
Item description:
☆ Includes 12 tags
☆ Original illustration was made by hand with collaged layers of paper watercolor mountains
☆ Printed on 110 lb. cardstock
☆ Comes with turquoise and white striped baker's twine


text:
The morning started much like yesterday, the sky overcast and the air damp, a mist had rolled in during the night and now blanketed the fields surrounding the little house we were staying in. Undeterred by the morning we loaded the car and after a quick breakfast and saying our farewells we embarked on the last leg of our French journey, leaving Fougeres and heading to Cherbourg and the ferry that will carry us back to the UK. On a spur of the moment decision we opted to retrace our steps from yesterday, so instead of heading directly to Avranches via the inland route, we headed back via Mont-Saint-Michel, the memory still strong in our minds of such an impressive place. Now, there's a world of difference between being the driver and being a passenger, not just the 'who's controlling the steering wheel' aspect, but the simple ability to note where exactly you're going, to take some mental plotting points, a little bit of Hansel and Gretel in the woods if you like, making note of landmarks should you ever need to find your way again, like we did today. Fortunately we could remember enough of the road with it's tight twists and turns, its blind corners and yet more 'deviations', they only had us lost momentarily this time! But without too much delay we found ourselves back in the car park, at the very front one too! From there we bustled back onto the courtesy bus and headed into the mist and light rain that was now falling softly on the Abbey.
Even slower than our ascent was our descent, again because of the slippery cobbled paths, we'd already seen a couple of young children take a tumble and didn't fancy being the next. We stopped outside one of the creperies and decided to indulge in a treat – finding it hard to believe we'd been in France for a week and still not having eaten one! – of Crepes de Normandie, which essentially was a standard sweet crepe which had a rich caramel sauce inside it, absolutely decadent! Lingering there over a 'rustic' baguette pizza (yes, it was as odd as it sounds, but delicious as well!), the caramel crepe and two latte's we contemplated our next move, which entailed braving the elements and making a break towards Avranches and on to Cherbourg… or almost. Unfortunately for us on the way out we discovered a small Cidre/Calvados stall, needless to say some time and a few Euros later we emerged grinning from ear-to-ear with our arms ladened with goodies, for the record the Creme Calvados is extraordinary.The walk from the bus terminus to the mount was hastened this time, not because of the tourists or hordes of school children (they'd come later!) but by that soft and gentle rain that was rapidly becoming less friendly! Quickly climbing the forecourt we followed behind some other visitors through a small doorway into part of one of the towers, crossing our fingers AND holding our breath that we were in fact going into the mount's lower streets… it was that or we could have just let ourselves into the staffroom? On through a dim passageway we popped out into the middle of the main street that then nestled us nicely between all of the gimmicky gift-shops. Being some of the first visitors for the day has its advantages, only half of the shops were open, and those still racing to get setup for the day, which means no pushy selling! I'd like to say we strolled up the steep and winding cobbled footpaths, but in reality between the misty rain, the slippery stones and the pitch of the climb it was more of a trudge against the odds, a bit like trying to pushy a slimy brown substance uphill, if you catch my meaning. Slowly we did manage to climb to the foot of the Abbey and what a sight was waiting for us, the view is magnificent and I'd eagerly recommend it to anyone who's thinking about making it to Mont-Saint-Michel, it may look daunting but it is most definitely worth the effort! We explored all around the ramparts and wandered along a few lesser walkways, we peered out across the slate-rooftops to the salt-marshes where they fatten the local speciality of mouton (mutton for us English speakers). On our way back down we paused outside the statue of Jeanne D'Arc and visited inside the chapel of Saint Pierre. I can't say as it was an overly spiritual experience, I suspect after the years of tourists flooding the doors it may have lost some of the 'spirit' that lingered there, but it was still humbling to stand where others had for many hundreds of years, to be where pilgrims had made the enormous effort to cross the causeway and climb the mount to offer some benediction and hope to gain their God's favour or forgiveness.
Having had a light brunch and shopped almost until we dropped we were now in all haste making for the ferry at Cherbourg, we had plenty of time, but you never know. I know years ago, five to be precise, I made comments on our emails back home about French drivers and their motorways, about the speeds they do and aggressive nature of said driving. After this trip I have come to the conclusion that France must be the birthplace of road-rage. Not because we specifically encountered any, but we certain witnessed an awful lot of near misses and horns being honked enthusiastically. It seems most French drivers are absolutely convinced they personally own the roads and all other users must yield to their presence. *cough cough* no wonder some of them lost their heads *cough cough*
We eventually reached Cherbourg, the road was relatively easy to follow – no major deviations or wrong turns – however once in Cherbourg the fiasco that was getting to the ferry terminal after dropping the car off would have made a prime Three Stooges or Abbot and Costello skit. We spent the better part of an hour inadvertently seeing the sight that is Cherbourg, missing turns, going down narrow one-way streets (thankfully the right way this time!) and once again being caught up in deviations that led nowhere. Oi vey! Eventually we found the office and after a brief discussion with them it was revealed that instead of leaving the car in the city centre at the office, we in fact had to take it to the ferry terminal. Sigh. Back into the car and off we go, another deviation, two wrong turns, one right one and we were within sight of the blasted terminal. Not an awful way to spend an hour, but certainly a stressful one, at least we were prepared for just such an incident and had allowed more than enough time to counter its effect. Car parked, keys and paperwork returned and we were finally saying farewell to France… or at least we would have been if we'd been allowed to check-in. Upon approaching the ticket desk we were informed that we were early, which we knew, and our check-in time was an hour before boarding and to come back then. Fair enough we say and go to make ourselves comfortable in the bar/lounge, order some Jambon and frites (which was really nice after not having had anything to eat since 11am, and get settled to wait. The time flies and come 17.30 back we go, and guess what… there was no 'come back' it was instead a 'why are you here? Go through for boarding'. Sigh, sigh and double sigh. Walking quickly back down to where we'd been seated we quickly then made our way through the ticketing/border security. Well, it was shall we say, informal? One guy who checked our passports, another who issued our tickets and that's it. No baggage X-rays, no customs, no immigration, no… anything. We then sat in another waiting room until the courtesy bus ran us out to the ferry.
Brittany Ferries really do offer a very nice service, the staff were a little confusing, asking if we wanted to leave our bags in a storage room, then announcing that all passengers must remain with their baggage, offering us access to the various lounges, but then implying where you were to go, but they did it all with a smile and it did give us a few laughs. The crossing itself was thankfully quiet and uneventful, much better than flying! Upon reaching Poole we clambered off the ferry and found the next available taxi and headed for our hotel. At 21:45 it's been an incredibly long day and we're thoroughly exhausted. France has been a lot of fun, full of surprises, both good and not-so-good, we've seen a lot of amazing sights and met some lovely people. If nothing else we'll remember walking along the Rive Seine in Paris, of standing in Monet's garden, of walking the halls of Chateaux Falaise and climbing the mount of Mont-Saint-Michel. France is always a place that challenges us, literally and metaphorically, with the language differences to say the least, and whilst I'm thankful for the experience of spending time in a foreign country I'm looking forward now to rambling along quiet country lanes, of visiting family and exploring the various regions of my forebears. Salute and Au revoir France!


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My daughter's been sick. For months, it seems. She has been to school about four days in the last two weeks, only to pick up some new infectious disease that has caused her to, quite literally, toss her cookies, more times than I care to count.
You know that as a parent, you would do ANYTHING to make your child feel better. Anything to bring that smile back to their face.
My oldest is pretty fancy. She likes dresses, and hair clips, and anything that sparkles. I refer to her as my ferret.
I started by planning a tea party. I have these three great cookbooks, geared towards kids like her, "Pink Princess Cookbook", "Fairies Cookbook", and something about horses cookbook. Possibly "My Little Pony Cookbook"? But I'm just speculating.
I started going through my books. I found some cute ideas, and then told Paige, that just as soon as she was feeling better, and tea party would be had.
She got excited about the idea. I told her I just needed some help to go through the books and pick out a drink recipe for the occasion.
She found a "Snow Queen Punch" that she requested, and while the snow idea doesn't really fit into the idea of my spring party, I just let it slide.
Once we had our menu, I did a light grocery run to make sure we had everything.
Then I got really into it. I printed out one of these for each of the girls. Only the name at the top was changed for my little one.
In case you're having trouble reading it, it says, "You've been invited to a Princess Tea Party, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. Tea will be served outside, weather permitting. Please wear your best dress, and a smile. The lunch menu will consist of:
Fancy Cucumber Sandwiches
Raspberry Tea Sandwiches
Snow Queen Punch
Ponytail Dippers for dessert
We hope to see you there!"
I hand delivered the invitation to Paige, upstairs in her room, under her mound of pillows and blankets. While she was reading, I could see a smile playing with the corners of her mouth. Her desperate attempt to bite her cheeks to hide her excitement and enthusiasm.
"Why did you print this up?" she questioned. She looked at me with what could only be a question of whether to be impressed I put in the effort, or if I had finally gone off the deep end and help should be called in immediately.
"EVERYONE needs invitations to a fancy princess tea!" I told her. Aghast that she didn't already know princess protocol.
"Well, I'll DEFINATELY be there!" she finally shouted, letting enthusiasm reign over coolness.
"Maybe you want to mark it on your calendar to save the date," I said, motioning to her Hawaii calendar that she thought was oh so cool when I gave it to her a few weeks ago.
I'm sure we'll have fun at our tea party. I know I'll take pictures. And I know, for a brief minute, I got to see that smile light up a room again.


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Today the G7s held a poetry reading as the final day of our poetry unit. Here's a poem I wrote about this event:
From Zombies to Pomatoes to Billy Collins
A single stool
No mic
Plenty of seating on
The wooden floor
A projector beaming
The setlist of
33 seventh graders onto
A Screen behind the performers–
The minimalist stage for
An hour of reading
Favorite Poems
Recently scrawled (or the keyboarded equivalent of scrawled) poems
"Inspired by" poems
Encouraging laughter in response to
That Zombie apocalypse poem
"EWW!!! green colored undead!"
Song Lyric poem read out by
A girl who may know nothing of
The intended meaning of
Birds held high
The pomatato shape poem maybe about
Genetically engineered vegetables
Brought down the house when read by
The boy whose beloved thermos was found in
A poopy toilet
Only a couple weeks ago.
Similes and
Metaphors join the party with
Introduction to Poetry by Billy Collins.
Each performer applauded onto the stage by friends
Saranghe ("I love you" in Korean) 사랑합
Interludes of St. German
We snap instead of clap because
Mr. Jeremy told us that's what happens at
Poetry Readings.
Did everyone memorize their poem? No.
Did everyone read their poem dramatically? No.
Did we have fun? Yes.
Snap Snap Snap
Don't forget about this one from 9gag:


text:
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If an airbag is deployed, Intelligent Emergency Call automatically contacts – according to locally available mobile services – the BMW Call Centre via an accident-proof telephone unit permanently installed in your vehicle. Independently of your own mobile phone, both at home and abroad. Specially trained personnel will then establish contact with you, inform the emergency services and give you support by telephone – in your mother tongue if possible.
BMW Emergency Call.
To enable rescue services to promptly prepare the required care for those involved in the accident, a data transfer is performed and includes the precise position of the vehicle to the nearest metre in addition to other data relevant for the rescue services, such as risk of injury, number of passengers, model and colour of the vehicle. The emergency call can also be triggered manually, such as if you need to summon assistance for other road users.
• only in combination with the Navigation system Professional, Navigation system Business, Radio Professional
Faster, simpler, more convenient: The innovative BMW Accident Call offers professional support for accidents at low speed. Sensors allow your BMW to detect accidents in the lower range of speeds, automatically display a warning notice in the iDrive monitor and offer the driver a direct connection with BMW Accident Assistance. One click with the iDrive Controller connects the driver directly with the specialists at BMW Accident Assistance, who then provide professional support with the aid of information relevant to the accident transmitted by the vehicle.
The benefits at a glance
- Automatic accident detection
- One click to get assistance
- Automatic location transmission
- Immediate support from BMW
- Free towing service
- Appointment with an authorised/approved BMW Service Partner
- SA6AE, SA6AK, SA6AC with SOP 07/2017. Option can be different by market & vehicle level.
- Not every accident is automatically detected due to technical reasons. In such exceptional cases, BMW Accident Call can be manually activated.


text: How to See Deleted Whatsapp Messages? Introduction Are you worried about a loved one? Have he or she become secretive and suspiciously alert or tensed? The best solution that comes to mind is to check that person's phone. However, no one is stupid enough to leave their secrets lying around like junk for anyone to read. The Whatsapp messages would be deleted if you try to search for them. How can you recover them? There is one very simple solution and the name of that solution is "Trackers". Trackers Let's give a disclaimer: trackers are not illegal, if used properly. Be sure to read the legal notices accompanying the applications to get an idea of what is legal and what is not. Tracking applications are hard to find on the target device, and yet they transfer every little activity to your computer or mobile, wherever you want them to. The features of phone and iPhone trackers include tracking every message on every communication application, including the text and the media messages, and the retrieval of all deleted messages with the date and the recipient contact as well. Furthermore, every tracker comes with a GPS tracker system that automatically monitors and informs your computer/mobile of the movements of the target mobile. Using them When you install the application and launch it, open it on your computer or mobile and you will see a left hand column with the names of the communication applications that are functional on the mobile you are tracking. One of them will be Whatsapp. Click on that and all messages will appear. At one side, an option of deleted messages will be present. Click on it to see which messages were deleted and when they were deleted. That is way too simple, isn't it? Well, after all, all good things are. Written by admin on April 7, 2015. Posted in See Others Whatsapp Trackback from your site.


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Right- the yarn for my weaving is all finished. My inspiration for the garment was from Sarah Lamb's Spin to Weave.
So in my head and also I the dye pan, the shades I chose were slightly more subdued than the shades I ended up with! Still I'm happy with the and looking forward to seeing them as a piece of cloth.
So I've kept a sample of each of the singles to see how they would work together, as before Sarah's is somewhat more subtle. But there's nothing wrong with a bit of slap in the face shading now and again!
Now that my yarn is all prepared I can move onto something completely different. Boucle.


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Opinions needed, how old is "too old" to cook an entire Thanksgiving meal alone?
Hi all, Mom, 73, degenerative disk disease in neck, lower back, mild heart valve leak, colitis, expected to cook Thanksgiving meal, (by herself, no other cooks to help), for my Stepfather, his brother, his nephew, and the nephew's new girlfriend.
She had a TIA a few years ago when my niece, her kid, and her boyfriend came for their birthdays. Guess several days of cooking, baking separate cakes, wrapping was too much. Lady up the street died making Easter dinner for her grandkids a few years ago, so I am kind of nervous about this.
They used to go out for buffet for Thanksgiving, when I lived way out of state. Then Stepfather decided he wanted left overs, got her to make him turkey breast, potatoes and gravy, pie, for him to take to work for a few days every year after guests left.
I moved here a few years ago, 3 years ago I told him I thought it was too much on her and we should go back to the buffet tradition. No go, but said just one last one. I agreed. Last year, reneged on his agreement, said he wouldn't get any left overs if we went out. I told him he knew full well she was too old, he said he'd cater it, which he did. Mom begged me to come help, and bring other things too, (I had other plans elsewhere), said she plain couldn't do it, so I caved. She was right in that they didn't have enough food from the cater purchase, was surprised how small the portions were for the cost, and I also was surprised how much work it still was for her to get all the stuff ready. I took bird, giblet gravy, potatoes, stuffing that I made at home. THAT was supposed to be the last year. This year he announced once again he'd invited everyone to their house for the dinner. I flat said NO, and I'll have no part of it, my husband and myself are going out to a buffet, (which we never have done, but I've got it by myself for 32 years when we lived in a different state and I'd like a break myself).
Have stuck to my guns hoping they'd change their mind and go out with us. No go. As a matter of fact, he went from going to cater her part again, to now she's getting it from scratch since I'm not participating, he's afraid there won't be enough left overs for him to gore for 3 days. Ugh. I am worried. I don't want her to have another stroke, or worse. Most days that I go see her for an hour in the afternoon she's on no sleep, (chronic pain keeps her awake), she's often confused and has a lot of trouble just getting a cup of coffee made from their little single serving deal they've had for years. Am I wrong? How old is "too old" for this?
I'm 61. I'm DONE doing all the cooking, prep and cleanup. My hubby was upset one year b/c I didn't haul out the china and crystal. The next year I DID and made the men clean up. Since then, I have had no complaints about high quality plastic or paperware.
NO ONE should put the "expectations" of such a meal on anyone else. ONE TIME my DH commented that I had not made the best pumpkin pie that year (he was right, forgot the sugar) but I blew up at him. Really, told him it takes 3 days to prep for a meal for 30 people, our house is tiny, he doesn't help at all....sleeps until 2 pm and is often jumping in the shower when the first guests arrive...since then he has been much more grateful for what I do. Or, rather, did. I am going to my daughter's this year, and if I have my way, won't be hosting the whole shebang ever again.
Your mom needs some backup....seriously? Her husband has to have his leftovers? I don't know the guy and I wanna smack him.
It is not too late to plan to go out, or have the meal catered.
I don't remember ever having a holiday meal prepared by one person, at least since I've had adult children, and before that my husband did half of the work. This year my sister is hosting a Thanksgiving feast. She has been prepping for weeks. Part of that was assigning dishes to bring. I'm bringing an awesome wild rice/mushroom side dish and a chocolate roulade. The non-cooks have been assigned wine, etc. Everyone brings something. Sis is a fabulous cook and she loves doing this, but even she wouldn't tackle this single-handed. Just hosting is a huge job, let alone preparing all the food. One person hosting and preparing all the food? I just can't comprehend that expectation.
The catered meal is too skimpy? Order two. Find a more generous source. Or, best of all, go out to eat where the prep and cleanup is done for you! Order and pay for some take-out for leftovers.
Me, I decided after preparing many a family meal that I would not do one more unless the men got off their backsides and did all the clean up. Boy were they surprised when I followed through and told them all to get up and clean up.
But for your mother, why is she agreeing to this? Step-dad wants left overs, I want a basement reno, doesn't mean I will get one. Safeway has lovely pumpkin pies, so does Costco if he needs lots of left over pie. The deli at my local store has real roast turkey.
Why does your mum feel she must do as he wants when it is not good for her? Why is he so selfish?
Grrrr! This makes my blood boil!
Your poor mother is struggling while she's literally too physically challenged to even think about cooking a dinner. I support your efforts to change, but it sounds like you're up against a practiced controller and dominator.
Could you get her to come with you on Thanksgiving, and perhaps spend some time with you while the volcano erupts and finally extinguishes over anger that he's not being served as he wishes to be?
I suspect your mother would be afraid to do this. So the focal point is their relationship, and her subordination. And figuring out a way to stop this now before she suffers even more.
Something else you could try is enlist the new GF; if she's going to eat, she can help prepare it. You could also advise everyone that there will be no leftovers unless they all pitch in, one way or the other, and contribute. But I suspect that won't work either.
I think the insistence on leftovers by your father is an obvious manipulative tactic to control his wife. The fact that she reaches otu to you to help with the dinner suggests that she realizes the men in the family won't help.
How old is your father, and he's still working? Couldn't a caterer just be requested to provide double the portions for the leftovers?
This issue of leftovers is such an ill disguised manipulative one.
There's another way, but it's sneaky, and your mother would have to cooperate: she could collapse the day before and ask you (not your father) to take her to the ER. Even if they don't keep her for observation, you might be able to keep her out of the house on Thanksgiving Day.
If you pick her up and take her home, you can always fudge the advice given, i.e., that her medical condition prevents her from cooking a massive meal and that she needs to spend the next several days resting.
Further, the ER doctors advise that she should NOT prepare any large meals again if she wishes to avoid further spinal deterioration.
It wouldn't hurt to also speak with her regular doctors even if you aren't HIPAA authorized. Her back issues concern me as much as the anxiety and stress.
I've seen a similar situation in my extended family. It only stopped when the wife was too ill to cook, and by then her health was severely compromised.
You've gotten some really good suggestions. Maybe you just need to take the bull by the horns and order a catered meal if your mother just isn't up to challenging of going through arguments at this time of the year, a few days away from Thanksgiving.
Or just take the whole bunch out and ask for separate checks so you don't end up paying for the new GF.
I still get annoyed at these men every time I read one of the responses; that is such inconsiderate treatment for your mother.
Me, being a smart derriere that I can be, I might just rebel and embarrass the men by putting out a few loaves of bread and some hormone free packages of meat, condiments, lettuce, and a few pumpkin pies and tell them to fix what they want (paper plates of course), and go at it while I go sit down and read or watch something like one of the parades on tv.
Each person was assigned a dish to bring, commensurate with their skill levels. (I brought an amazing wild-rice/mushroom side dish with Gruyere cheese topping, and a decadent chocolate roulade from Jacques Pepin's recipe.) My nephew's dressing with apples and cranberries was awesome. The buttered, roll-up lefse disappeared moments after it was set on the buffet. There was horseradish sauce for the smoked beef, apricot sauce for the pork tenderloin roast, and, of course, gravy for the turkey. Another nephew brought a huge quantity of garlic mashed potatoes -- his annual specialty. A few of my sister's older grandchildren brought appetizers they had made. All of the food was amazing, and was made with love by people who love making it.
There were no shots (or any guns in sight), but the venison sausage gave testimony to some shooting in the past.
There are always tons of planned-over food. One of my sons bought several packages of food containers of various sizes, washed them the night before, and contributed them. We built two complete meals for persons who couldn't attend, and then packed take-out packages. (I'm working on turkey, pork, and mashed potatoes here at home. Plus a slice of pumpkin pie.)
We ate on a vintage set of stoneware dishes. My two sons washed the dishes, and silverware, and pots and pans, displacing my brother-in-law who usually does that. The younger folks brought the full platters down the stairs to the party room and back up the stairs not-so-full for the food packers and then to the dishwashers.
Two of my nephews were really interested in the pan I brought my rice in. They hefted it for weight and decided it was enameled cast aluminum. They asked what else I made in it. (Did I mention that the entire family is into food in all of its aspects?)
The most contentious discussion all day was whether cream of mushroom soup was a basic ingredient, qualifying a recipe for a "from scratch" designation.
I had a WONDERFUL holiday. I hope (and expect) that as the older generation slows down on these kinds of activities some of the next generation will take over.
Pass the gravy, please.
Every event has some snafu inevitably. But when everyone allowed in the kitchen disappeared, I went in there for some cola, and there sat a huge pot of mashed potatoes upside down on the kitchen floor. No one was in the kitchen! The dysfunctional family's rule of 'the food is okay if you get it off the floor within 5 minutes' lol, was broken, but the potatoes were served anyway. An elderly aunt had unsafely transported her ham contribution for several hours, and some people got sick.
It may be pride that keeps a hostess going way beyond her ability to serve THE BIG MEAL. Or, illness, alcoholism, just not knowing when to stop. Or, like Barb mentions, abuse.
Maybe when someone no longer enjoys the preparation, is fraught with resentment, or is just too ill (not old), other plans could be made.
A hostess should alway consider the guests, are they going to enjoy your family's chaos?
I get that nothing is perfect. But leave me out of it. I have no plans whatsoever, and am fine with being spared.
Otherwise, catered is a great way. Still hard on the hostess without help.
I think that I would get that man who wants leftovers, a fresh cooked turkey delivered the next day, with all the trimmings. Then go out on Thanksgiving. Last year, smaller portions of every item were found at trader joes just before the day.
My take on Thanksgiving.....make sure there is something to be thankful for.
And given that thanksgiving is only days away, isn't it a little late to be making this an issue? The time to make any meaningful changes passed weeks ago.


text:
This was something mentioned to me and my running buddy at the running club last night. We were feeling a bit self conscious at how slow we were compared with the rest of the group given our time away from the club. And this guy said "however slow you are, you're still faster than the fat people who didn't go running tonight". I thought that was a great way to look at it. Even if you're having a bad run you're still miles ahead of everyone watching TV at home. Happy Thursday!
p.s. It was 400m reps, repeated 8 times with recovery in between. There were times where I wasn't sure I would ever get enough oxygen to catch my breath! Good session, and I remembered my bug spray too.


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Yoga Can Lead to a Healthier Relationship with Food
Yoga is a lifestyle, not just a workout. It is physical, emotional, and mental training to evolve into your best self. When people undertake a yoga practice, they often become healthier in ways they never expected. One of those ways for me was developing a healthier relationship with food. Whether you are trying to establish and maintain a healthy weight or just be at peace with your body as it is, yoga can help.
Our culture is so body-obsessed, focused on celebrities with perfect (or not so perfect) physical attributes. We probably all know celebrities' "perfection" isn't even real, though the critical messages can still be difficult to hear. Young girls in particular receive constant messages that can distort their body image. I saw it in myself and so many others; I see it in the 9-year-old girl in my life. Sometimes this distorted self-image leads to eating disorders and health problems. Yoga can help. It cultivates a loving relationship with oneself (and therefore one's body and what is put into it). It leads to moment-to-moment awareness, allowing us to really enjoy food (and other pleasures) without judgment.
As a young woman I briefly struggled with disordered eating. I binged, I starved; I gained weight and then lost it. I never felt satisfied. I obsessed over food and my "imperfect" body. I was focused solely on being thin and definitely not getting the nutrients I needed. I would not be surprised if this led to my hypothyroidism and not menstruating for a full year and a half. Not to mention the emotional damage from being so obsessed and self-critical. It was a nasty cycle! I never even spoke to another person about it until very recently. I was ashamed and I'm pretty sure no one in my life would have guessed I was doing this to myself. So many people have trouble with body image and eating disorders, though. Whether it's seemingly innocuous self-denigration in the form of humor or full-blown bulimia or anorexia, many of us have a troubled relationship with food and our bodies from time to time. This is why I'm sharing my experience now. I am so grateful that yoga helped put things in perspective for me. I hope that others struggling with eating disorders or body dysmorphic disorder will discover all that yoga can offer!
Getting into the yoga habit, creating a daily home practice (supplemented by occasional classes) helped me appreciate my body. I realized how strong it could be, how flexible. I learned to cherish the body I had, to treat it kindly. I learned that some of the things I had been telling myself were simply untrue! (I am actually flexible enough to do a wheel pose. I am strong enough to have made it through 200-hour yoga teacher training. I am disciplined enough to maintain a healthy diet, and actually really enjoy it!) I rediscovered the joy of cooking and eating and learned to listen to my body's cravings more intelligently. Yoga led me to this healthier mindset in many ways. Centering myself during practice and tuning in to my body's needs overflowed off the mat. Now in daily life I notice I am more mindful. I've come to really enjoy eating without any guilt. I tend to eat very healthy because a whole foods plant-based diet is what makes me feel and perform my best. But I definitely enjoy the occasional piece of cake or pizza without guilt! And I am passionate about finding and creating ridiculously delicious recipes that are healthy, too. So cooking and eating are a joy and not a source of stress anymore. Yoga and meditation allow me to be more "in the moment" — and only when you are truly in the moment can you fully enjoy it!
The discipline of the yoga practice centers me. I know it is always there to support me and that I will always feel better when I step off the yoga mat. Even if it is just a gentle movement meditation, my body knows what it needs. When I honor my body's needs, I find I am most content, balanced, and serene. Yoga brings me inward. Focusing on my breath and an intention, even in a class surrounded by many others I gaze internally and learn about myself. In a challenging pose I come directly into the moment. I am truly experiencing life as it is, NOW. The present is the only time we can act, and yoga helps us to really be present. In a challenging or even a more relaxed pose I find balance and feel the nuances of muscles I hadn't realized were there! Yoga makes me much more aware of my physical, mental, and emotional fluctuations. Therefore, I am more aware of the foods that support my health and those that deplete it. I know that over- or under-eating is self-defeating both physically and emotionally. I have learned to be moderate and enjoy great health without depriving myself of anything.
Looking back, I understand why I struggled. I had been (and am still) receiving many messages about "beauty." Some were from the media, some from immediate family members or peers at school. These messages led to the belief that I wasn't good enough. I scrutinized my face, my body. Was I ugly? Was I too fat? Too skinny? I fluctuated from feeling totally confident to completely self-conscious. It is much easier now to maintain a positive self-image. My eating and exercise habits are consistent and healthy, and I know how to take better care of myself. And yuck. No one likes to be around anyone who is so self-obsessed! You can't enjoy life that way and no one spending time with you wants to hear it! Including yourself! Ego, please, stay in check. Life is to be enjoyed! There's no need to make it difficult for ourselves.
So put away your mirror! Throw away your scale! Focus on what makes you happy. Get to know your body intimately and begin to see the effects that various foods have on it. Enjoy discovering fun new cuisines. Take care of yourself and be your own biggest fan. Notice when you tell yourself you aren't good enough. You are perfect as you are! Remember that. And every day, do yoga. Meditate. Even if you practice just one pose. Even if you sit for just one minute of silence. As you get to know yourself better, over time, peeling back the layers of your perception you will find a beautiful self underneath. And you will understand how to nourish that self, body, mind, and spirit. Yoga can help!
- Posted in: A Happier Life ♦ Diet ♦ Lifestyle
- Tagged: body dysmorphic disorder, eating disorders, healthy eating, meditation, self-care, wellness, yoga


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One the bestest friends I have, Laurel, has nominated me for this award. I'm honored. If only I could remember those Academy Award acceptance speeches I rehearsed in my mind back in high school. Don't laugh – you know you did it too!
So, here are the rules:
1) I have to pick 7 of my favorite blogs
2) The winner can put the logo on their blog
3) Link the person you received your award from
4) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
5) Put links of those blogs on yours.
6) Leave a message on the blogs of the ones you've nominated.
Aaack. Rule number 1 is a hard one to follow. As of today, I have 101 blogs listed in Google Reader. And I have admit I read them all on a regular basis. Oy – that is another issue in itself!
Drumroll, please! Please remember I love you all – and they are in no particular order J
My life...just not on the road I expected (but it's still dang good) – Karen
I am such a lurker here – I love seeing that she's posted. Beautiful photographs, and a adorable little pig-tailed girl known as "Yannie".
Silly Hamsters: A Big Brother Blog
I love, love, love Big Brother – and HamsterDame keeps us all up to date. Tonight is season finale night!
Sprague Lab: A Little Studio of Scrapbook Alchemy – Jessica Sprague
I took a class from JessicaSprague.com after hooking into her blog. I think my favorite thing about her and her family – they are just a tiny bit "geeky" and not ashamed to shout it to the world. I love it, since I think we are geeky in one way or another!
Our Labor of Love – Whitney and Jesse
Stunning wedding photography! And they are based out of
The Art of Choosing Joy - Kolette Hall
This is a pretty new blog, but after taking a class at Creative Escape with Kolette and her husband Jason, I love their attitude and message!
I Am Not Left Handed – Another Karen
I think this was the very first blog I started reading on a regular basis. Sometimes Karen goes a long time between posts – but when she does….freakin' hilarious! She makes me laugh out loud!
I Like My Typography Bold - Kelly
Whew! That's it for now. I guess I have to actually post a comment on their blogs. This is a big step. I am such a lurker, I don't think I've ever commented on any of these blogs except maybe 1. Here I go!