text:
A lengthy ride with my cycle club yesterday, up and down the Chilterns till we reached Wendover. Traversing this landscape made me think of someone who haunted it for far, far less innocent reasons back in the 17th century, the intrepid Susan Higges. That's her, dressed as a man, murdering a woman who has seen through her disguise (well, notionally her, it could just be a generic man-stabbing a woman woodcut, as could the scene of her hanging also be from stock).
I suppose Susan Higges might be well known to those scholars who have been interested in cross-dressed women, amazons, women murderesses: the ballad here has the lot.
As you will see, Higges ran a honey trap at home. She must have been a very, very forceful personality, and we get a good insight into contemporary sexual attitudes in the willingness of the young men she 'surprised' with her maids to buy her off from denouncing them to the Church courts.
But away from this domestic scam, Higges was a highwayman/woman, and part of what makes this a particularly good ballad is its lurking assent to her own pride in her audacity in the role, as she showed herself a good woman 'of her hands'.
By slipping back into her gender and its roles when pursuit was hot, Higges had a long career on the road, until her fatal encounter with a woman sharp enough to see through her disguise, and foolish enough to tell her as much. Rather than admit that the game is up, or open herself to blackmail, Higges stabs her victim, who coughs or spits out three drops of blood onto Higges' face.
We have two interpretative possibilities. I can very well imagine that there have been cases where a murderer becomes hysterically convinced along the lines of 'what, will these hands ne'er be clean?' Or the ballad writer, to spice up the confession brought on by Higges' conscience, started thinking of Macbeth himself, with reminiscences of Lady Macbeth and her husband's conviction that 'maggot-pies and choughs and rooks' will bring forth 'the secrest'st man of blood': "Each hour I thought that beasts and birds / this murder would reveale / Or that the ayre so vile a deed, / no longer would conceale." Something in the air would betray the crime … Now, these convictions that
I have heard it told, that once a traveler,
Being in the hands of him that murdered him,
Told him, the fern that then grew in the place,
If nothing else, yet that would sure reveal him:
And seven years after, being safe in London,
There came a sprig of fern borne by the wind,
Into the room where as the murtherer was,
At sight whereof he sodainely start up,
And then revealed the murder.
But blood, and conscience, and a woman of masculine courage: if not Macbeth, what else would you remember, if you were a ballad writer cranking out a piece on the latest murder? Just as the woodcut artist added in the necessary devil to the picture of a murder, the balladeer was inclined to think along supernatural lines, and chose the best guide of all.
Here's my
A true relation of one Susan Higges dwelling in Risborrow a towne in Buckinghamshire, and how shee lived 20. yeeres, by robbing on the high-wayes, yet unsuspected of all that knew her; till at last, comming to Messeldon, there robbing a woman; which woman knew her and called her by her name: now when she saw she was betrayed, she killed her, and standing by her while she gave three groanes, she spat three drops of blood in her face, which never could be washt out; by which whee was knowne and executed for the aforesaid murder at the assises in Lent at Brickhill. To the tune of, The worthy
To murne for my offences
and former passed sinnes
This sad and doleful story
my heavie heart begins:
Most wickedly I spent my time
devoid of godly grace
A lewder woman never liv'd
I think in any place.
Neere Buckingham I dwelled
and Susan Higges my name,
Well thought of by good Gentlemen
and farmers of good fame:
Where thus, for twentie yeeres at least
I liv'd in gallant sort:
Which made the Countrey marvell
to heare of my report.
My state was not maintained
(as you shall understand)
By good and honest dealings
nor labour of my hand
But by deceit and cozening shifts,
the end whereof we see
Hath ever beene repaid with shame,
and ever like to be.
My servants were yong country girles,
brought up unto my mind,
By nature falce and beautifull,
and of a gentle kinde:
Who with their sweet enticing eyes,
did many youngsters move
To come by night unto my house,
in hope of further love.
But still at their close meetings,
(as I the plot had laid)
I stept in still at unawares,
While they the wantons plaid,
And would in question bring their names
except they did agree
To give me mony for this wrong
done to my house and me.
This was but petty cozenage
to things that I have done:
My weapon by the high way side
hath me much money won:
In mens attire I oft have rode,
upon a Gelding stout,
And done great robberies valiantly
the Countries round about.
I had my Scarves and Vizards,
my face for to disguise:
Sometimes a beard upon my chin,
to blind the peoples eyes:
My Turky Blade, and Pistols good
my courage to maintain :
Thus tooke I many a farmers purse
well cram'd with golden gaine.
Great store of London Mercahnts
I boldly have bid stand,
And shewed myself most bravely,
a Woman of my hand:
You ruffling Roysters every one,
in my defence say then
Wee women still for gallant minds
may well compare with men.
The second part, to the same tune.
But if so be it chanced,
the Countries were beset,
With hue, and cryes, and warrants,
into my house I get:
And I so being with my Maids,
would cloake the matter so,
That no man could by any meanes,
the right offender know.
Yet God that still most justly,
doth punish every vice
Did bring unto confusion
my fortunes in a trice:
For by a murder all my sinnes
Were strangely brought to light,
And such desert I had by Law
as Justice claim by right.
Upon the Heath of Misselden,
I met a woman there,
And rob'd her, as from market,
homewards she did repaire,
Which woman cal'd me by my name,
and said that she me knew:
For which even with her lives deare blood,
my hands I did imbrew.
But after I had wounded,
this woman unto death,
And that her bleeding body,
was almost reft of breath,
She gave a groane, and therewithal,
did spit upon my face,
Three drops of blood that never could
be wiped from that place.
For after I returned
unto my house againe,
The more that I it wash'd
it more appeared plaine
Each hour I thought that beasts and birds
this murder would reveale
Or that the ayre so vile a deed,
no longer would conceale.
So heavie at my conscience,
this wofull murther lay,
That I was soone enforced,
the same for to bewray,
And to my servants made it knowne,
as God appointed me:
For blood can never secret rest,
nor long unpunisht be.
My servants to the Justices,
declar'd what I had said;
For which I was attached,
and to the Jayle convey'd,
And at the Sizes was condemn'd,
and had my just desert:
Even such a death let all them have
that beare so false a heart.
So farewell earthly pleasure,
my quaintance all adue,
With whom I spent the treasure,
which causeth me to rue.
Leave off your wanton pastimes
lascivious and ill,
Which without Gods great mercy,
doth soule and body kill.
Be warned by this story,
you ruffling Roysters all:
The higher that you climbe in sinne,
the greater is your fall:
And since the world so wicked s,
let all desire grace,
Grant Lord that I the last may be
that runneth such a race


text:
"I'm not a hipster. I just like knitting."
Also a crocheter, quilter, pony-head, and professor/scientist.
I only speak for myself. Views posted here are not necessarily the views of my workplace, my congregation, or any other group of which I am a part. Blogger is nagging me to remind you that Blogger uses cookies, and if you don't want to accept cookies, don't visit any Blogger blogs (Or probably any websites at all...)
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Spring is here
(No link, because of NSFWness, but some of you are doubtless familiar, and I assume the rest of you know how to search YouTube if you're really curious).
But yeah. The other big activity that starts up here in spring is NOISE.
Yesterday afternoon, driving home, I got in front of someone with boomy bass music. I was sort of tempted to turn the Brahms on Sirius XM up to "11" and roll down my windows just to show him what it's like to have to hear someone else's music that you might not want, but I figured that wouldn't solve anything.
But yeah: do not want boom cars.
Especially not late at night in my neighborhood. But spring tends to bring them out.
And motorcycles. I don't have a problem with MOST of these, but there are one or two people in town who apparently have got muffler cut-outs or some such installed and they are SUPER LOUD. Like, car-wreck loud. One drove by me last afternoon as I was walking into the Green Spray (to buy lettuce for feeding the college students - I had bought sandwich makings but wanted fresh lettuce). My immediate reaction to something that loud is to freeze in fear: What is the immediate danger to me? What do I need to do, where do I need to run? I don't like my fight-or-flight response being triggered that way (which is why I would never, ever live in a big city again: too much of that noise). But it was just some dude doing the "Hey, look at me" on his bike. Ugh.
(Again: this is a specific way in which we have gotten very crazy in 21st century America: we need people to notice us, so we make loud noises or do other outrageous things that impose on other people's brains, in order to get noticed)
But yeah. I don't care if you want to do some....lovin' outdoors (to make the Coulton reference as gentle as possible) as long as you're not doing it on my front lawn, but I'd prefer you not drive your loud motorbike or boom car during my study time or sleep time or in such a way that it scares me when I'm going about my life....
2 comments:
- CGHill said...
Some would-be boom-car owners are now asking for a package called "muffler delete," which seems to be a pipe with no sound-absorption qualities at all, which is installed in place of the muffler. Not all of them are motivated by noise, however; some of them seem to think that this will give them MOAR POWER, because that's what happened when Great-Uncle Henry took the muffler off his '61 Pontiac.
- Lynn said...
I hate loud motorcycles too but there is one legitimate reason for them. They're safer to ride in traffic. Drivers of cars who might not see a motorcycle will be more aware if it's obnoxiously loud.
Boom cars on the other hand... as far as I'm concerned there's no excuse for those.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It's Friday and that means that today is the last day of my Janette Rallison week. I hope you've enjoyed reading about Janette and a few of her books.
In this high-action and romantic futuristic adventure, there is no
escape from the future for two contemporary girls pulled out of their
own time.
When twins Sheridan and Taylor wake up 400 years in the future, they
find a changed world: domed cities, no animals, and a language that's so
different, it barely sounds like English. And the worst news: They
can't go back home.
The twenty-fifth-century government transported the girls to their city
hoping to find a famous scientist to help perfect a devastating new
weapon. The moblike Dakine fights against the government, and somehow
Taylor and Sheridan find themselves in the middle. The only way to elude
them all is to trust Echo, a guy with secrets of his own. The trio must
put their faith in the unknown to make a harrowing escape into the
wilds beyond the city.
Full of adrenaline-injected chases and heartbreaking confessions,
Erasing Time explores the strength of the bonds between twins, the risks
and rewards of trust, and the hard road to finding the courage to fight
for what you believe in.
Janette has posted the first page or so of the book on both her blog and her C.J. Hill blog. You can pre-order Erasing Time on Amazon.
Thanks again Janette for participating this week, and for writing great books. Keep up the good work!


text:
#EasyHomeFingerPulseOximeter Easy@Home Deluxe Fingertip Pulse Oximeter with OLED Display in 4 Directions and 6 Modes, EHP50D1
#EasyHomeFingerPulseOximeter Easy@Home Deluxe Fingertip Pulse Oximeter with OLED Display in 4 Directions and 6 Modes, EHP50D1
Batteries Included. This amazing product is solid, easy to read, and comes with great accessories. The included cases, strap, batteries, and instructions make this a great product to deploy when and where you need it.
The Easy@Home Fingertip Pulse Oximeter allows you to find your SpO2 and pulse rate in a flash! Operating is easy because you only need to push one button. Furthermore, it is FDA approved for recreational use, but not medical use. With this at your hands, or more specifically, fingertips, you can perform measurements anywhere, and anytime!
Once you place your fingertip into the chamber, your results will display within a few seconds. What you will see are numbers signifying your SpO2 levels and pulse rate with a plethysmograph. Then, underneath, a bar graph will display your heart rate in real time. The bright OLED display can rotate in four directions so that you can easily see the results from any view. By pushing the button, the display will rotate and also show or hide the graph.
Measures SpO2 and Pulse Rate
Luxury Dual-Color OLED display can change in 4 directions and 6 modes
Shows waveform and bar graphs
Last display mode saved after auto power off
FDA Approved for recreational use
Carrying case
Neck/Wrist cord
User manual
Our Guarantee: **We are so confident about the quality of product that we offer a Lifetime Hassle free PRODUCT REPLACEMENT Guarantee**
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text:
When more than one social network has been selected from your Social Profile Picker, your message will be published to all of those social networks.
If one profile is selected but messages are posting multiple times or to multiple accounts, it could be because your Twitter and Facebook accounts are linked. Linked accounts will automatically post to each other.
You can tell if the accounts are linked by looking at the duplicate post in your Hootsuite dashboard. Duplicate tweets will show via Facebook next to the timestamp, and duplicate Facebook posts will show via @Twitterhandle at the end of the post.
To unlink your Facebook account from Twitter
- Log into your Twitter.com account.
- Click your Twitter profile image in the top-right corner, and then select Settings.
- Select Apps from the list on the left.
- Click Disconnect beside Facebook Connect.
To unlink your Twitter account from Facebook
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- Under your name and Linked to Twitter, click Unlink from Twitter.


text:
Page 158
Actually, they arrived yesterday but the package was too large to fit through the door so they had to be picked up from the post office today. My son picked them up for me while I was at work today.
Opening the parcel was such fun! Paging through the book was even more fun. Finding my own contribution was like finding a favourite jumper that had got lost at the back of the cupboard. I immediately looked for the 'truly awful howler' of a typo that Mike mentioned as having crept into my entry:
Where the text says "Three hundred and (*)", you need to add an R, thusly:
"Three hundred Rand (*)"
That was our one truly awful howler. The rest, I can live with.
It wasn't there! Nor were any of the other typos Mike and others picked up. Seems like I don't have a rare first edition with its valuable typos.
As of yesterday at 17:30, 430 copies of 'Shaggy Blog Stories' had been sold, making a £1910.06 contribution to Comic Relief. That's a great contribution but an amount of £2000 would look so much better.


text:
9th Annual Chili Cook-Off
Deadline for entries is October 9th!
Submit this form here, or turn in to Jeremy Keller – Fax: 937.775.5573. If you have questions
email Jeremy at firstname.lastname@example.com
Office of Student Activities – 019 Student Union
General Rules:
• The Chili Cook Off will be held during the Homecoming Festival Saturday, October 10th at Rinzler Student Athletic Complex.
• Chili is defined as any kind of spicy, stew-like dish cooked with chili peppers, meat (optional), and/or beans (optional). Various other spices and ingredients may be added with the exception of rice or pasta.
• Beans may be used in your chili; however you must indicate its inclusion in the name.
• Chili must be cooked before arriving at the event. Check-in and set-up for the event is at 4:30pm, start time 5:00pm, and judging time is around 5:30pm.
• Please provide plenty of chili for judging, friends, and spectators to sample (we suggest 2 Crockpots). Sample cups and spoons will be provided.
• Please decorate your table with WSU pride and in the chili spirit. Decorations will be judged for a prize.
• Participants are responsible for cleaning their area after the event.
"Best Chili" will be judged on the following criteria:
Flavor, texture/consistency, aroma, appearance and presentation of the dish.
"People's Choice" will be awarded by:
Friends, spectators, and people enjoying the chili, who each received a voting ballot to write the name of the organization who, in their opinion, served the best chili. One voting ballot per person.


text:
While wandering the streets of Paris and marvelling at the magnificent architecture I often imagined what lay behind some of the imposing doors of various buildings.
Well, here's a great story about a Parisian flat that lay uninhabited and untouched for 70 years. Belonging to a woman (named as a 'demimonde' in the article) who never returned to Paris after the Second World War the apartment was only recently explored upon her death - at age 91. In it, amongst the cobwebs and dust, a Bodini painting worth a hefty sum was discovered. Ah - dust, treasure, a war and an illicit past - could only be in Paris.


text:
Oh, Fall, how I love thee.
Golden flowers everywhere.
Pumpkin spice lattes.
Crisp mornings.
An established rhythm to our days.
Ha! When will I learn? Every time I say life is starting to settle down, the craziness kicks up a notch or two. Or three. : )
Monday morning started out with me fighting off a mini panic attack. Mondays are our Classical Conversations day and there were a couple of things Ryne didn't complete. Thankfully, I fought off the guilt by repeating one word throughout the morning: grace. I knew that our CC tutor would give us grace, but sometimes I need to give myself grace.
The assignments that didn't get done are from his debate strand, a subject completely new to Ryne (and me), and he needed some coaching. Yet, in order to coach him, I needed to understand it better and I just never found that time to get caught up on it. So I sat in on that session of his CC day and got it figured out.
Now I just need to find time to go over it more with him. I don't know if this is an autism thing or just his learning style, or both, but Ryne can study pretty independently when he has a routine in place and at least some basic understanding of the material, knowledge he can build upon. However, if it's something new like this, he struggles at just digging in and figuring it out on his own or even getting started. Funny, writing out my thoughts on the matter reveals to me how I can be praying for his homeschooling.
Tuesday was a much-needed workday at home. I did, however, get some sad news about a dear friend's father, so my heart was heavy.
Wednesday morning was full of baby bliss -- I was a helper in one of the baby rooms for Bible Study Fellowship. Two hours in a room full of 4-9 month old cutie pies! I'm fully loving my stage as a mom to teenagers, but a morning with snuggly babies was a wonderful change of pace. BSF often uses long-time class members to volunteer in the children's program for the first two weeks of class as newcomers get used to the schedule and program, so next week I will finally get to meet my new small group for the year.
Thursday. I cannot begin to describe how crazy-full this day was. It involved four hours of driving across the state to the St. Louis area for a medical appointment for Anna. Marc was already there for business, so I got to see him for about 5 minutes before I drove another four hours back home to take Grace to ballet class. By the time we returned from ballet, Marc was home too and we talked for about 5 minutes before I collapsed into bed. So I spent 10 minutes total talking with my husband, half on one side of the state, and half on the other side of the state!
Today is the fall carnival/fundraiser for the girls' school and then tomorrow is our biggest cross country meet of the season. Being done with the carnival will help ease our busy schedule a bit, but we have another trip to St. Louis scheduled for next week and another the week after that, so crazy will still stick around a little longer. Thankfully, God's grace is more powerful than the crazy.
If I ever find some free time to sit down and putter, I will be editing a batch of photos from a little photoshoot I did a couple weeks ago with Anna in a field of sunflowers. I still want to have professional senior photos taken, but this was a fun prelude. The hat was an accessory we used for just a few photos, so we set it aside for a moment, and then forgot all about it! An hour later we suddenly remembered the hat and had to retrace our footsteps through thousands of sunflowers. Thankfully, we had left it in a place a little easier to find than on the ground, so we were reunited with the hat. : )
Happy homeschooling, and have a blessed weekend!
Linking up with Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.


text:
This is tangential, at best, to the normal sort of thing you find on this site. But the story is funny and sad and charming and two or three other kinds of emotions too. What's more, this once-rare phenomenon is at some point a reality for many of us. Give it a look:
I HAVE NOW BEEN living with one foot in the past, re-reading traces of a journey that ended on April 28, 2014.
The first line of Jon's obituary read: "Family man, Winnipeg Jets fan and journalist Jonathan Jenkins died after a brutal home invasion—cancer crept in and robbed him of his life in his 50th year." The line first appeared on Facebook, and then on Twitter. A cascade of messages took over my feeds. Then links to the newspaper obit were shared, with kind words ricocheting around the Internet. Jon's name began trending on Twitter.
He was everywhere and nowhere.
At first I was uncomfortable with the online grieving. When people clicked "like" on Jon's obit after it was posted to Facebook, it felt remote and impersonal as if someone was taking something that belonged to the kids and me. But digital death notices and online goodbyes are part of modern love. When I saw the names of people I had never met posting their condolences on a friend's page, I understood it. When I die, I want my friends to be comforted too.


text: Basically, for those who haven't heard, there's a plan in mexico city to enact two year, renewable, marriages. His idea is that it allows an escape route for bad marriages. The counter argument in the article is that it ends in divorce anyway and just makes leaving easier. I've seen too many people get married too soon ("We've known each other a month and now we're getting teh marriedz yoo guyz!") so I think it's a good idea. They don't know each other well and just figure it's something they're suppose to do, like in the game of Life. Marriage doesn't just happen after you spin a certain number of times, it should be a reasoned decision after you believe you could live with the same person for the rest of your life. By putting it on a trial basis, it would introduce married life to couples and hopefully keep couples from setting into rut, as the couples basically have to convince the other to renew the marriage every few years. Plus it might curtail the wedding industrial complex, as who wants to spend 10K+ on a ceremony for a deal that only lasts two years?


text:
In the Time of the Butterflies
What had Fela began to do after the Mirabel sisters died? Why did dede offer fela "two", alternatives?
2 sentence response
2 sentence response
Fela made a shrine with pictures of the girls and the portrait of Trujillo that was in the house before


text:
We are proud to name as this week's Rick and Len Show Weenies of the Week...whomever's been sending anonymous death threats to the 18 Republican senators since they voted to strip public workers of their collective bargaining rights...and whomever has been sending anonymous death threats to the 14 Democratic senators since they fled the state in an effort to stall a vote on the bill. Obviously, it's a really hot button issue with deeply felt emotions on both sides. But death threats? Really? You think that's the answer?
For not understanding that this is not some third world country where political decisions are decided by who has the biggest gun but rather, this is America where political decisions are decided by who has the bigger wallet.
For thinking our problems in Madison can be solved with psychotic behavior when clearly what is needed is anti-psychotic medications.
And for threatening to take the lives of Wisconsin state senators. Seriously? Do you really think if they had lives…they would be Wisconsin State Senators? Have you seen these people? If they weren't Wisconsin state senators they would probably be living in caves, foraging for grubs and learning to scratch their names in the dirt with sticks. Threatening to take a Wisconsin State Senator's life is like threatening to like threatening to take Paris Hilton's virginity, Charlie Sheen's sanity or Vern Troyer's basketball trophies.
We are proud to name whomever has been sending death threats to Wisconsin State Senators as this week's Rick and Len Show...Weenies of the Week.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Posted by The Rick and Len Show at 10:50 AM
Labels: weenie of the week
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Yesterday when I went for a run I heard the skylark for the third time and also saw lapwings for the third time this season, so it must be spring, which some flowers also indicated.
Having nearly finished my morning exercise I simply had to stop at that tree. I was well equipped for the occasion; I was not only wearing (clipped on) my iPod Shuffle with a magical mix of music - James Morrison, Oasis, Seasick Steve, Amy Winehouse, Corinne Bailey Rae and Adele, but I had my camera!
I examined the rim again, more thoroughly this time, and could not find any crack, split or obvious welding. It was just a little buckled at one point. I tried to pull it against the tree to see if there was any hidden opening; I twisted it and pulled, twisted it and pulled, many times. Nothing! I simply could not figure out how the heck it had ended up like that.
There was no corrosion, because it was made of non-corrosive light metal. Had the tree had time to grow so tall from a time when such wheel rims were manufactured? I do not know. I cannot believe it is not a practical joke of some kind, but I cannot figure out how it has been done. To show you how tall the tree is I used my camera, and can now show you a 40-second video clip. See for yourself, what solution is there to this impossibility?


text:
Sunday, 25 August 2013
Personal Style | Chronicles of the disco pants
22 comments:
Really love your style, great outfit.
Chimere Nicole
thanks Chimere.. :-)Delete
Hey Miss Julz, you ready to start school again. I'm so not. Anyways, I have a pair of these pants (thrifted), may have to pull them out real soon. Also, visit my page for your request, the thrift stores I shop at I list, in a post called ... 7 tips or something like that. EnjoyReplyDeleteReplies
yayyyyy awesome!! i'd check it out.Delete
i'm so not either.. i still don't know how you get the best item thrifting.
we need a shopping date.
Yeah, no problem when you are free, let me know. There are some places in Hamilton.Delete
Hello sweethart....I think am d newest 2 ur blog n I do love all am seeing n u r pretty......I see lil of my style in ur tho*lollz* but I most say,u r pretty and got an awesome fashion style...keep it upDelete
Hawt in those pants :) Great lookReplyDelete
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Waiting for those disco pants that will sit as beautiful as they sit on you oh :)ReplyDelete
Superchic looks! :)
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All of my kids (even the fish-haters) all love these salmon patties.
And they are SO easy to make!
They stay moist,
They freeze beautifully,
They make a great Salmon Patty sandwich to pack in a lunch,
so make plenty for left-overs!
I usually serve it with sliced lemons, some Malt vinegar, and my "secret sauce".
Dana's Perfect Salmon Patties
Makes 4-5 patties
- 1 (14 3/4 ounce) canned salmon
- 1/4 cup onion, minced
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 egg
- 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- dash salt
- dash pepper
- 2-3 Tablespoons oil for pan frying.
- drain salmon thoroughly, flake it with a fork in a large bowl.
- add remaining ingredients (except oil) and mix well.
- Form into patties.
- Add oil to a frying pan and heat to med-high heat.
- Fry patties until golden brown, turning once during cooking.
- Serve with Secret Sauce (recipe below)
- Enjoy!!
Dana's Secret Sauce
This sauce is embarrassingly simple to make.
But it works great on everything from burgers, to these salmon patties!
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard (or to taste)
Mix together well and serve as a dipping sauce or spread.
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Coffee and Pregnancy December 18, 2008Posted by Tori in Coffee, Moms, Pregnancy.
Tags: Coffee, Moms, Pregnancy
This blog is obviously titled for a mom that has a serious need for coffee. And I do, trust me. I've also had several search hits on coffee in the third trimester, coffee in the second trimester, and coffee and pregnancy. I thought I might do a post on some of the recent research on coffee consumption during pregnancy.
Let me just say that my caffeine addiction is such that there was no way I was giving up all my coffee. In both of my pregnancies, I cut down on the amount of caffeine I consumed and in my most recent pregnancy, I couldn't drink more than a couple of small cups, even the decaff stuff, because my stomach did not like the acid.
While I was pregnant, a couple of new studies came out regarding caffeine consumption. The first study linked caffeine consumption to miscarriage. In this study there the conclusion that 200mg or more of caffeine a day raises the risk of miscarriage. But there is a dissenting voice in this article that says the evidence just isn't there. A second study links caffeine consumption to fetal growth restriction. This article shows that those who consume more than 200mg of caffeine daily had an increased risk for fetal growth restriction.
Reading both articles, I find the results only semi-conclusive. However, for pregnancy, I follow the moderation method of things. I still consumed my daily coffee, only in lesser amounts. I given birth to two healthy girls, 7lbs 3oz and 7lbs 11oz, respectively. So, the biggest factor is to look at the research, and decide what method works best for you. I knew I couldn't survive the caffeine withdrawal headaches, so I just reduced my consumption and made my own half-caf blend of my favorite coffee.
- 1. Dawn - December 20, 2008
🙂 TJ, Couldn't agree more on the studies being inconclusive. In an odd stroke of irony, that first study came out the DAY I discovered I was pregnant!!
I cut back significantly (from 5 cups a day to one) during pregnancy, with none in the first trimester because it made me feel sick(er.)
I still drink less coffee, mainly becuase i don't have as much of an opportunity to enjoy hot beverages with the little one in my arms. And what I do drink? I've now learned to enjoy my caffeine hit lukewarm. LOL


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Manufacturer Warranty Detail We guarantee this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship 90 days from the date of purchase. Limitations apply.
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Once upon a time for Christmas I got a coat from Kohl's. It was cute, green, and I don't actually own a coat (although I live in Phoenix so that's not a big deal) what it wasn't was the correct size.
So I went to exchange it for the right size today to find there weren't any in the right size. When I decided to return it instead I was told by the cashier that through whatever messed up Kohl's system that I didn't understand I could either take $19 cash or $58 store credit… except the catch about the store credit was that it had to be one item that was exactly $58, not a penny more, not a penny less. The apathetic sales clerk looked at me with her glazed over look and, without stopping the incessant chomping on her gum said "Well, you better take the $19. It's point to be a huge pain to try and find something exactly $58. Too bad."
To which I responded "Really Kohl's?!?! REALLY!?!? Them's fightin' words! You think you can screw me out of damn near $40?!?!?! Oh it's OOOOOON BITCHES!" (Ok, those may not have been my exact words… but it was exactly what I ment.)
I searched through that whole freaking store for almost two hours, and you know what the interesting thing about Kohl's is? They have a whole lotta stuff for $57. They also have a whole lotta stuff for $59. Do you know what they have for $58? Exactly one pair of bootcut jeans and one incredibly ugly sweater. That's it.
So I got me a pair of bootcut jeans. And Kohl's can suck it. Because nobody is screwing me and my borderline OCD level frugality out of damn near $40.
And I mean nobody!


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By AMELIA PROUD
The whole Simpson family has decamped to Hawaii for their Christmas vacation.
So younger sister Ashlee is making the most of her beach time as she plays in the sand with her four-year-old son Bronx.
The newly-single actress, who split from boyfriend Vincent Piazza last month, looked like she was reveling in spending time with her family in Oahu. v
On Wednesday, the single mother showed off her fabulous legs in a striped bikini bottom, but covered her top with a black hoodie.
The I Am Me singer has also dated TV presenter Carson Daly, actor Tyler Hoechlin, singer Ryan Cabrera, and actor Wilmer Valderrama.
The Simpson family has been reeling ever since news broke of Papa Joe Simpson's gay sex scandal in October, but the minister-turned-manager tweeted that he was in fact spending the holidays with his family.
Though the 52-year-old has not been photographed in Hawaii, he has written three posts saying otherwise.
Joe wrote after posting: 'Wonderful Christmas. Spending special time and I am going to be a papa again!! Blessing from above. Spending Xmas wish Ashlee. Best if times.'
The reality starlet is currently working on her fourth studio album, which she describes as 'a little soulful, a little electronic' with Grammy-winning producer John Shanks.
Ashlee also recently shot the film Pawn Shop Chronicles in Baton Rouge.
The action-comedy, due out next year, stars Elijah Wood, Paul Walker, Brendan Fraser, and Matt Dillon.
source: dailymail


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Well, what do you know, today I DO have a topic. It's about the nature of a critique. How far is too far? And when someone asks for an opinion, do you give them an honest one, or what they want to hear?
Recently, on an author loop I frequent, an author asked for opinions about her website. This happens regularly, so it's not that big a deal. I checked her site out, as I'm always checking out everyone's website. I love getting new and better ideas for my own. The website in question had a few issues, but it wasn't that bad. The author had a lot of different ideas for each page, so the big problem/issue, as I saw it, was consistency. Not a big deal to change. Most of the websites I admire have a great theme, a terrific, eye-catching banner that announces the author's name in bold lines, specific to that author, that's continued throughout the website.
Well, the comments the author got back were a little surprising. Most agreed that she needed to make the pages look more similar, for consistency, but then a few of her critiquers went nutzo. Heck, she had people telling her her name was wrong. Hello? It's her name. So she spells it differently. So what? It wasn't as if she was promoting herself as Boobalicious McHotPants. (Hmm, that one sounds kind of catchy...)
So my point in all this is how much critique is too much? I've always been taught that you praise in public and critique in private. Now, considering this is the Internet, there's not much that's private unless you consider email. And the author did ask for comments. But I think it's much more appropriate to comment with positives AND negatives. Most of the people who commented pointed out everything they didn't like and nothing they did like.
Just a thought. But I know I like to see comments about things that work and don't work when it comes to my own projects. Not just the glass is half empty, you suck.
For what it's worth, here's my take on a good website:
- Easy to read
- Easy to navigate (clear cut labels)
- No glaring colors or fonts
- NO MUSIC!!! (unless it's a musician's website)
- No glittering or moving parts around text I'm supposed to read
- Timely updates
- Interesting content ( I love reading bio's)


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Hello friends!
Yesterday I was on a roll! Ed and I went duck hunting in the morning, as we have for the last three years, and I finally FINALLY snapped a two year losing streak by bringing home a beautiful (and delicious) drake mallard. Oh, the feeling was overwhelming! Such joy!
And then I participated in a online bible study, where I felt like I was really starting to get a good grip on the material we were working through. I had a couple of points that seemed pretty well received, and started to imagine myself on the stage of the National Youth Workers Conventions telling people how they can be super awesome better youth pastors if they follow my three step program.
That evening, I lit a candle at the dinner table. This may not sound like much, but we typically eat our dinners on the couch while watching Futuarma or something like that, so to me it seemed as though I should receive the husband of the year award or something, as if lighting a candle was some sort of revolutionary idea.
After dinner, Sarah and I went to the gym, where I met Ed to take a spin class. I had decided a few days ago that it was time for off-season training for the summer's cycling events to finally pick up and start going somewhere, and so I thought a spin class would be no problem. I have in the past ridden 150 miles, so what could one spin class do to me?
I should have seen it coming...
To those of you who are regulars in spin classes, my hat is officially off to you. About 10 minutes into this class, I was no longer following the commands of the entirely too cheery instructor. I was just seated on the bike, pedaling a little bit, and trying to find my breath. I chugged water like a fish, and kept an eye on the clock the whole time hoping that the hour would be over soon so I could go home and not make eye contact with any of the in shape people.
I think God does a pretty good job keeping me on a short leash when it comes to pride. There aren't a whole lot of days where I think I'm the boss, I'm usually more than willing to give that title to someone else. And I don't think I let it slip into a kind of self-esteem vacuum either, where I'm getting down on myself because I don't have what it takes. I think more often than not, because of the grace of Jesus Christ, I'm exceptionally happy to admit that I don't have what it takes. I wouldn't want to.
But sometimes I forget. Sometimes I forget that my life is to God's glory, and not my own. Sometimes I forget that the select few times I have a personal winning streak, it's really because either God has provided the opportunity, or God has gifted me with the skills required. Karl Barth said that all sin comes from lack of gratitude. I couldn't agree more after yesterday.
And so we search for a balance. We look for ways to realize we don't have it all together, and ways to truly ultimately come to peace about that. I am a wreck of a human being. But I am the wreck of a human being whom God loves, and pours himself into. I can live with that. Actually, I can rejoice in that. And I hope you can too.


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Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, is a curated brand of provocative, visionary and artfully unusual films new and old from around the world. Following the earnestly simple motto of "sharing the films we love with widest audience possible," Drafthouse Films debuted in 2010 with the theatrical release of Four Lions, which was named one of Time Magazine's "Top 10 Films Of The Year." The company's second release Bullheadwas nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar® in 2012, followed by internationally celebrated Danish comedy Klown, which was slated for a Warner Bros/Todd Phillips produced US remake. The release of groundbreaking documentary The Act Of Killing, produced by Errol Morris and Werner Herzog won top prizes at festivals worldwide and earned the year's strongest box office opening for a documentary in 2013.
The 2014 slate includes the SXSW Midnight Audience Award black comedy/thriller Cheap Thrills, Ben Wheatley's "psychedelic trip into magic and madness" A Field In England, the Netherlands' official 2014 Oscar® entry Borgman, Japanese auteur Sion Sono's Toronto International Film Festival Audience Award-winning Why Don't You Play In Hell?, Cannes 2013 official selection Nothing Bad Can Happen and Ari Folman's epic sci-fi animated/live-action hybrid The Congress starring Robin Wright, Harvey Keitel, and Jon Hamm.
Drafthouse Films distributes films theatrically, through home video, VOD and their direct-to-consumer platforms integrating into the ever-growing Alamo Drafthouse entertainment lifestyle brand, which along with the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas includes: Mondo, the collectible art boutique; Fantastic Fest, the largest international genre film festival in the US; and the pop culture website Badass Digest.
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Please direct all press and publicity inquiries to Brandy Fons of Fons PR: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Thursday, July 31, 2008
Cocktail Classics: Hotel Fremont Bloody Mary
Hotel Fremont Bloody Mary
Hotel Fremont Restaurant & Lounge
218 Wolf River Dr.
Fremont, Wisc.
The Hotel Fremont was built along the Wolf River in Fremont, Wisc., in 1895. It is in a spot that attracts fishermen and boaters. The hotel has a cozy restaurant, simple rooms for sportsmen, a friendly bar and a deck that offers a commanding view of the river. Darv and Joyce Koneman own the place and turn out one of the best Bloody Mary's you will find anywhere.
For $4 you get a classic cocktail in a Shaker pint and a short beer chaser. That's a real Wisconsin deal.
Combine the following ingredients in a cocktail shaker:
Tomato Juice
A1 Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
Frank's Red Hot Sauce
Gordon's Vodka
Shake vigorously to mix well, squeeze a lemon over top. Then sprinkle celery salt over the top. Garnish with a marinated mushroom, garlic pickle, Spanish olive and Brussel sprout.
Posted by Rick Lyke at 8:52 PM
1 comment:
I can't wait to get out to Fremont for a Bloody Mary....I love Wisconsin
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Sharing some great finds from Etsy Support and Promote Team = Teamsp
From missy69 –
This wrap bracelet was creating using lime green and white hemp chord, with diamond shaped peacock colored acrylic beads, and an acrylic crystal look button closure.
Measures 10 inches in total length, and I can comfortably wear it as an anklet.
From SticksNStonesGifts
A kids cloth napkin great as a school lunch napkin or a child lunch mat. The double sided fabric napkin features a bright cats print, lined with an orange print on the reverse side. A fun and eco friendly kids lunch napkin.
size 12 inch square or 30.5 cm. square
Made of pre-washed cotton fabrics. Machine wash and dry.
From MsPDesignsUSA
Octopus PDF applique quilt block pattern
This colorful octopus would love to give you a nice big hug with her eight long tentacles. She'd like to be your favorite cephalopod friend!
You could use this 7″ by 7″ (17.75 cm) square block as part of a baby quilt for boy, wall decoration, mug rug, pillow, "busy book" for a toddler or a cute tote bag. Just use your imagination!
From ShelleysCrochetOle
Halloween Hanging Towel – Crochet Top – Ghost Halloween Towel – Handmade Crochet – Reduced – Clearance – Ready to Ship
Crochet topped hanging towel
Made with full kitchen towel
They are done with stitching and an edging that will minimize any stretching.
I use a large crochet button that folds into the button hole and then opens up when pulled through -this means that the button will never slip through the button hole and your towel will not end up on the floor.


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Sleepy Hollow 1x10 "The Golem" Promotional Photos | Season 1 Episode 10
Sleepy Hollow 1x10 "The Golem" Promotional Photos | Season 1 Episode 10
Tags: Promotional Photos Season Episode Episode Part
Added: 7 months ago
From: 3RedStudios
Views: 201
From nj.com:
'Sleepy Hollow' recap: 'The Golem'
What do you do when your wife has been imprisoned in Purgatory, and you just found out you had a son that she kept secret? In Ichabod's case, hit something. Hit something really hard. We find him splitting wood at the late Sheriff Corbin's cabin. Abbie is starting to get into the Christmas spirit, but clearly Ichabod isn't into "celebrating yuletide with a titillating display of lumber." He'd rather smash lumber and get some answers about his family.
And he has just the man in mind to get them. Rolling down the driveway in a '94 Lincoln sofa on wheels is the ever frumpy Henry Parrish, also known as the sin eater. Ichabod thinks that because of Parrish's ability to reach other realms, he can communicate with Katrina. But this communication comes at high risk.
"When you reach beyond this existence," Parrish says, "you're tempting fate. I cannot say what consequences will befall you." Consequences be damned, says Ichabod. Abbie is all in as well. Let the weirdness begin.
The only way to communicate with the dead is to get closer to death, Parrish explains. So he gets right to it by putting Ichabod in a choke hold. Unconscious Ichabod has a vision of a church. There, a baby carriage is rolling and nearly teeters off a small flight of stairs. He catches it in time and sees that it doesn't contain a child, but a lumpily shaped, frightening doll. Ichabod then notices Katrina in the church. She's got some explaining to do.
Katrina says their son's name is Jeremy, and that though she didn't realize it at the time, she and Ichabod had a shotgun wedding. Thankfully, she says, the coven didn't know she was pregnant either. Katrina figured that out when she was in Europe, searching for a spell to revive Ichabod. When she returned to the fledgling states, the coven pursued her for trying to intervene in Ichabod's demise. The coven gave Katrina an ultimatum: Tell us where he's buried, or face a fate worse than death. She chose option c) Vanish into thin air and have the child at Lachlan Fredericks' estate.
But Katrina knew she couldn't keep the child with the coven bent on revenge. She left Jeremy with Grace Dixon, who ran Fredericks' estate and was also one of Abbie's ancestors. But before she left, she gave Jeremy a doll - the same one Ichabod saw in the carriage. She promised Jeremy that the doll would protect him in a time of need. After this last bit of information, a demon who closely resembles the D.C. villain, Clayface, and Jeremy's doll, bursts into the church and spoils another all too brief family reunion.
After explaining everything he'd seen to Parrish and Abbie, Parrish says, "It seems your fates were merged before you met." Ichabod begs Parrish to stay and help in their search for answers, but it takes some convincing. Parrish insists that his only role was to destroy Ichabod's sin. But he relents after Abbie begs him to stay. They plan to start at the historical society. In the woods, the demon is seen rising from the soil.
We catch up with Captain Irving, who is on a literal guilt trip to New York City. He stops by a church he used to frequent to compare apocalyptic notes with a priest. All signs point to death, says the priest, but end of days matters are open to interpretation. "If god has a plan, who's it for?" asks Irving. "Me or him?"
At the library, Ichabod, Abbie and Parrish are searching for information on Trinity Church, the place where Katrina handed over Jeremy. The librarian is at first reluctant to help, but then points them in the right direction. They learn that the church caught fire, killing Grace Dixon. There were rumors that Jeremy could start fires just by crying - a sign of Katrina's powers. After the fire, the child was found the next morning unharmed. Jeremy was sent to a home for orphans of the war.
The trail grows cold there, though. And the librarian is not willing to offer additional help. But Parrish says she's holding out. "Lying is a sin," he says. "I can sense a sin a mile away." Abbie spots the librarian running to her car. But they fail to get to her in time before a demon, presumably the Clayface impersonator, rips her and the car to pieces.
Time to regroup. The trio begins to review the evidence, looking over the dead librarian's things. Abbie drops a box onto a table, and it startles Parrish. "Whatever is in there, it reeks of anger and pain," he says. Ichabod notices that a seal on the box is that of Katrina's coven. The librarian must have been a member. Opening it, they find a drawing that resembles Jeremy's doll.
All becomes clear to Parrish in a vision: The drawing was Jeremy's. The priest that ran the orphanage took it upon himself to rid Jeremy of his supernatural powers by beating them out of him. All it took was a drop of Jeremy's blood, and his ardent wish for a protector, for the doll to manifest into his champion, killing the priest. Ichabod surmises that this is the same protector that followed him back into reality, and it is bent on destroying the coven that wanted to harm Jeremy.
Back in New York, Irving and his daughter are taking a stroll through a park. Irving is doing his best to not think of all his supernatural problems back in Sleepy Hollow, but they followed him. A hot chocolate vendor accosts him, his glassy eyes rolling back in his head: "How strong is your daughter?" he asks. "God may have a plan, but we have one too." That plan includes going after her. Irving is about to conjure up a first class beatdown, but the demon leaves the vendor, and takes over a nearby woman. Evil is a wily adversary.
Further investigation into the dead librarian witch reveals that she had a safe full of carnival tickets dating back 100 years. But Ichabod, in a very Daniel Plainview-esque state, is beside himself for abandoning his child to this surrogate father who likes to dismember people. Parrish consoles him, saying that he believes Jeremy must have been a good man. "He was, after all, molded from your clay."
Cue Ichabod, super genius. The mention of clay triggers his memory. He's drawn to a passage in Washington's bible, a source that Katrina left him as a guide. He flips to Psalm 139, which has parallels with the Talmud, and speaks of God giving life to an enchanted being made of mud. This creature is known as a golem, and it possesses the passions of its creators. Jeremy wanted a protector, and the Golem became one. Looking over the carnival materials, Abbie sees a sign for the Four Who Speak as One. Abbie recognizes these witches from her vision in the Fredericks manor. Ichabod realizes that the Golem is after these witches, and if they played a role in imprisoning Katrina, maybe they can bust her out.
Crane goes into the carnival alone and finds them. They're certainly creepy enough, doing their best Christian Bale Batman impersonation while, you guessed it, speaking in unison through bad teeth. They recognize Ichabod and tell him that it was foretold that his arrival would seal their fate. They know they're going to die, and they're untroubled by it.
The witches see themselves as agents of fate. "The ordained path" was disrupted when Katrina brought Ichabod back from the dead, when she ran off to have a son and when Ichabod brought the son's Golem into this world. "I don't believe fate befalls us however we act, only unless we act," says Ichabod. The witches say that Ichabod's death would have spared the child, and that it was their duty to send Katrina to purgatory, and, much to Ichabod's terror, stop Jeremy's heart with a spell and bury him. The witches resign themselves to death, refusing to free Katrina. They offer just one bit of advice: Only Jeremy's blood can stop the Golem.
The Golem's rampage begins. He tears through the carnival, Hulk smashing everything in sight. Ichabod finds Parrish, but gets wounded by an exploding funhouse mirror. He pulls a large shard of mirror from his chest. "Your son's blood is your blood," Parrish says. "Your blood can destroy it." The Golem comes after Abbie, but Ichabod distracts the demon. He tries to talk the Golem out of his rage, and his words appear to calm him, but the beast attacks again, only to fall on Ichabod's blood-soaked shard of the mirror. "You endured enough pain," says Ichabod. "Bear it no more." When the camera cuts back, the Golem is a doll once again.
With the Golem defeated, and Henry Parrish officially a part of the 'Sleepy Hollow' team, he offers some parting words. "One cannot turn from fate," says Ichabod. "And yet," says Parrish, "for the first time, I feel like fate has delivered me a blessing by bringing you both into my life." turning to leave, he says, "We never really bury the dead, son. We take them with us. It's the price of living."
Parrish leaves, and Abbie goes to get something to eat. Ichabod hears a mirror to his right shatter, never a good sign in this show. He's pulled through the mirror and into a forest where he hears Katrina screaming and the voice of Moloch. Your death is assured, Moloch says. And Abbie's as well. "I touched her soul once," Moloch says. "Soon it will be mine forever. And you will give it to me."
Moloch punches Ichabod back into reality. Abbie is there, and he explains just how screwed they are. A supernatural showdown looms in the episodes to come. But we'll have to wait to see how it shakes out until next week.
From blogspot.com:
Remember how Katrina had a baby boy in secret? Crane is kind of fixated on that. And I guess that's fair. But it's like when one of your friends goes through a crush or a breakup - it's all they want to talk about and after a while you get really tired of hearing about it. Even though you want to be supportive and all, you can't help thinking, Geez, isn't there anything else in your life?
Crane calls on our Sin Eater friend Henry Parrish. To, like, nearly kill him. (That is, to have Parrish bring him - Crane - closer to death because that will allow him to communicate with Katrina.)
In a really crooked liminal space, Katrina tells Crane their son is named Jeremy. She tells of having to flee her coven and having to give the baby up to a church, but not before giving him a really creepy doll.
Crane vows to find out what happened to Jeremy. And then must run away before the titular Golem can grab him within whatever limbo they're inhabiting as they chat.
Alas, that Golem then bursts forth from the earth of Sleepy Hollow.
And Irving is showing a distinct decline in his faith in God. This seems like such a cliche but it was handled pretty well here, not too overbearing. And they continue to make Irving a little more interesting with each new episode. Good character building.
Trinity Church is where Katrina left Jeremy. Historical logs show people were afraid of him because he could start fires by crying. He was eventually sent to an orphanage. Meanwhile, the Golem crushes librarian Miss Hudson in her car before Crane & Co can demand more information.
The Golem is the doll, btw. We've all figured that out, right?
(I like looking at Tom Mison, but he gives equal weight and intensity to pretty much everything he says, which makes his dialogue kind of monotonous. Of course, if he keeps looking like that, I probably won't care.)
The stuff going on with Irving is actually way more creepy than anything going on with Crane or Abbie. Maybe because it's more rooted in the natural world, less over the top (relatively).
Golem is looking for the four women from Katrina's old coven, the women who banished Katrina to purgatory. So now Crane, Abbie, and Henry must find these women before the Golem does, and hopefully convince them to release Katrina. But when they find the women participating in a carnival, they tell Crane his arrival foretells their death.
They also tell how Jeremy refused to join their coven so they imprisoned the Golem in purgatory and hexed Jeremy to stop his heart. And because Jeremy's blood gave the Golem life, only Jeremy's blood can stop him. Geez, this show has a thing about blood. And so far we haven't even had any vampires.
Why is this Golem trying to hurt Crane if its job is to defend Jeremy? Crane doesn't want to hurt Jeremy.
It takes Henry a ridiculous amount of time to conclude that Jeremy's blood is also Crane's blood. And why didn't Crane or Abbie think of it either? After trying to reason with the thing, Crane is forced to stab it with a shard from a shattered funhouse mirror - one that is handily tipped with Crane's own blood.
And then Abbie gives Crane a stocking with his name on it. And Crane walks through a mirror into a forest and is threatened by . . . something . . . So what else is new?
I'm starting to get that old feeling that no real progress is being made here. I mean, we found out about the son, and that turned out to be a non-entity. (For now. I'm willing to entertain the possibility that he will return from this hex in some form or fashion.) And now we're back to the usual: Katrina in limbo (yawn, who cares) and lots of weird creatures threatening Crane and Abbie with the apocalypse. Sigh. When is this game going to change?
From imdb.com:
Lt. Abbie Mills: We don't even know if any of your descendants are still alive.
Ichabod Crane: Well, if Jeremy married and had three children, the average at the time, then we compound that number over eight generations, I could have as many as... six thousand offspring.
Lt. Abbie Mills: Six thousand little Ichabods... Crane, I have an idea. The Historical Society library, they have a rare records collection dating back to Revolutionary-era Sleepy Hollow.
Ichabod Crane: That's where we start.
Miss Hudson: From the 18th century? No, I don't think we have any records on Trinity Church.
Ichabod Crane: Madam, this town has existed since Adriaen van der Donck dubbed it Sleepless Haven in 1655. Surely there must be some reference to its many houses of worship in the town's historical society.
Miss Hudson: You speak with such authority on the past.
Ichabod Crane: Without books, we have neither a past nor a future... I would've thought a librarian above all would comprehend that.
Miss Hudson: ... If we have anything on Trinity Church, it would be in that section over there. Feel free to look. I'll be in the back.
[Henry opens a large book]
Henry Parrish: I found it... Grace Martha Dixon. Born 1751, died 1784.
Ichabod Crane: She was a young woman.
Lt. Abbie Mills: Says here, according to eyewitness accounts, there was a fire. They were trapped inside. Local townspeople were afraid of Jeremy. People claimed they haad seen him start fires just by crying.
Ichabod Crane: Katrina's powers... He inherited them.
Lt. Abbie Mills: After the house burned down, they found the boy the next morning... completely unhurt. People came to believe he was some kind of monster. After that, he was sent to a home for orphaned children of the war.
Ichabod Crane: What happened to my child?
Lt. Abbie Mills: It doesn't say.
Ichabod Crane: My son... was responsible for the death of your ancestors.
Lt. Abbie Mills: It's not your fault. There's nothing you could've done.
Ichabod Crane: I could've been there.
Henry Parrish: That is not a choice you were given, my friend... I'm so sorry. To both of you. I feared opening these doors would be painful.
Ichabod Crane: The home to which my son was sent. Does it have a name?
Lt. Abbie Mills: There's nothing here. And don't count on Miss Helpful guiding us in the right direction.
Henry Parrish: Oh, she knows more than she's telling... Lying is a sin. I can sense a sin a mile away.
[Crane goes to check the back room]
Ichabod Crane: Miss Hudson?... She's gone.
[they hear her running to her car]
Lt. Abbie Mills: Outside.
[she gets in her car, but the Golem smashes her side window]
Miss Hudson: Ahhhhhhh!!!
[they go outside and find her car smashed up, with her bloody hand sticking up out of the car door]
Lt. Abbie Mills: Oh my God... What could've done this?
Henry Parrish: I won't be catching that later train, will I?
Lt. Abbie Mills: The librarian's personal effects just came in from impound.
Ichabod Crane: These are all of the archivist's possessions?
Lt. Abbie Mills: Just from her office at work. Apparently, she has a personal safe... You doing crosswords?
Henry Parrish: As I said, it distracts me from my troubles. A good puzzle misleads you, it sends you in one direction but fools you into thinking you know what's going on. But once you've discovered the trick, you see that there's often a hidden meaning. Just as the librarian was trying to conceal something from us... You don't perhaps know an unusual word for "fidgety and restless," do you?
Ichabod Crane: Gumplefick.
Lt. Abbie Mills: Gumplefick?
Henry Parrish: Perfect fit!
Ichabod Crane: Still reconciling today's language and its advancements. For example, in my era, a toilet was a "vanity cabinet." "Intercourse" meant simply social conversation, "awful" meant "awe-inspiring."
Lt. Abbie Mills: So if I went out with a guy and we had awful intercourse, we'd be going on a second date?
Ichabod Crane: Disconcerting, yet accurate.
Lt. Abbie Mills: It's just weird.
[Mills takes a metal box out from among the librarian's possessions, and Parrish winces in pain]
Lt. Abbie Mills: What's wrong?
Henry Parrish: The box... It's filled with pain.
[Crane looks at the mark on the box lid]
Ichabod Crane: This symbol... It's the crest of Katrina's coven. The Sisterhood of the Radiant Heart. Only a member of the Sisterhood would possess such an item.
Lt. Abbie Mills: Seriously, the librarian from the Historical Society... was a witch?
Ichabod Crane: Just as Reverend Knapp was before her. Embedded in Sleepy Hollow for centuries.
Henry Parrish: That explains her expression... Recognition. She knew who you were.


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Haifa Wehbe is a Lebanese model, actress, and singer born to a Lebanese father and Egyptian mother who rose to fame in the Arab world as runner up for Miss Lebanon and later through the release of her debut album Houwa El-Zaman in 2002 and is best known through her music for her sex appeal, provocative mannerisms and image, Wehbe is also widely considered a sex symbol in the Middle East. She has so far released four studio albums and made her acting debut in 2008 Pepsi-produced film "Sea of Stars". Wehbe is one of the most well-known female singers in the Arab World and is considered one of the most successful Lebanese singers. In 2006, she was on People Magazine's 50 most beautiful people list.
Haifa Wehbe May 19, 2011


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Religion is quite often seen as a point of controversy within the realm of mass media, specifically news and journalism. However religion and spirituality manifest in various ways within news and journalism and as a result can lead to various outcomes within this field. This paper will discuss articles from, Stewart Hoover, John Schmalzbauer and Jay Rosen to display the ways in which religion is present within the news media and journalism and how said media is affected as a result.
Stewart Hoover's article "Media and Religion in Transition" demonstrates the relationship between religion and the media and how the changing perception of religion as well as the evolution of the mass media influence and interact with each other. The article argues that although media isn't as homogenised as it once was, it's 'public-ness' continues to make it a prominent and relevant cornerstone of society. The separation of the media has enabled faith based programming to be aired and to reach certain "niche" audiences. Although the reach of such programs/ channels is not as vast in comparison to previous trends in the mass media, they are still able to operate successfully within the current mass media model. This is also shaped by the changes in faith throughout greater society. The article states that an increasing number of people don't identify themselves with a traditional religion but rather see themselves as 'spiritual' or believing in god and/or perhaps a significant life force.
It continues on to describe the four main avenues religion and spirituality are covered in within the mass media (news, religious broadcasting, religious publishing and entertainment) and the ways in which they are covered. In regards to how religion is portrayed within the news, the article states that classically religion based stories are quite often avoided. Hoover offers four reasons why this is the case. Because of its strong experiential aspect, religion is hard to "source". Religion based stories also go "under reported" as they can't necessarily be based on fact and can quite often be too complex and intricate to sufficiently cover. Finally such stories are avoided because they are often considered too controversial.
"Journalism and the Religious Imagination" by John Schmalzbauer focuses more on how one's religious orientation influences one's perspective of the news. Schmalzbauer covered the work of ten Catholic and ten Protestant journalists to determine major recurring themes within the stories of each group. In his study he found the religious perspective of the journalists he studied influenced the nature of what stories they covered as well as how they covered them. He notes that the relationship with God differs between the two religions and this difference in relationship determines the angle from which stories were covered. He states Protestants preferred to cover stories from a "culture wars" angle, almost an 'us versus them' between the" religious conservatives and the secular liberals". Catholics preferred to cover stories from more of an analogical angle, focusing on "points of agreement" between the opposing parties.
Quite different to the concepts of Hoover and Schmalzbauer is that of Jay Rosen who theorises that journalism itself can be and is regarded as a religion. In his article "Journalism Is Itself a Religion", he outlines eight different points of argument that support this notion. He confirms the similarities between religion and journalism by drawing attention to the practices and theories within the school of journalism. Rosen compares the hierarchy of the newsroom, journalism's code of conduct (the Journalist's Creed) as well as the various practices and behaviours that are characteristic of the profession with those aspects of similarity within the church. He argues that the profession of journalism is held in such high regard by those in the field of journalism that it's practices and values are deemed sacred.
The works of Rosen and Schmalzbauer have almost directly contrasting concepts. Where one sees religion as a cause for certain journalistic practices, the other perceives journalism as a religious practice. Hoover also makes a pointed argument in reference to the relationship between religion and media that is relevant to the discussion. Rosen's journo-religio theory supports Hoover's observation of the news media's general avoidance of faith based stories. Given that journalists are trained and encouraged to maintain integrity by factually and accurately covering stories as per their 'religion', they will, as a result, neglect to cover religion based stories that are heavily reliant on the experience of believers rather than by substantial evidence.
Media and religion are fundamental cornerstones of society. Both function in ways that influence and perhaps at times determine the beliefs, values and behaviour of the greater community. This review has examined three very significant and very different ways in which religion and news media interact and intertwine with one another. It can be seen that the relationship between these two entities can be both beneficial but also, at times, detrimental.
List of Works Consulted
Badaracco, Claire Hoertz (Ed.), Quoting God: How media shapes ideas about religion and culture, Waco, TX, Baylor University Press, : 2005 / ch.1, pp.21-36
Hoover, Stewart M., Religion in the media age, London, Routledge : 2006 / ch.3, pp.45-83.
Rosen, Jay. "Journalism Is Itself a Religion: Special Essay on Launch of the Revealer". 2004.


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The BMP Handbook is provided below as a complete download and as individual sections. This handbook evaluates numerous Best Management Practices (BMPs) by detailing BMP usage, installation, inspection, maintenance, and design specifications. The handbook also provides design aids that give guidance on how to determine trapping efficiencies of various Sediment Control BMPs.
The proper use of BMPs is essential to effectively handle stormwater runoff from construction activities. These practices should be implemented in site-specific SWPPPs to identify and promote stormwater pollution prevention.
Update: The Department will be revising sections of the BMP Handbook on a section-by-section basis,
and due to these revisions the full version of the manual has been taken down. All sections of the handbook are
still available through the links provided below.
Click here to download the most recent documents that will help you obtain, maintain, or terminate coverage under the General Permits.
Click here to download any of the applications or forms that will help you obtain or terminate coverage under the General Permits.
Click here to learn more about how to reach final stabilization during land disturbing activities.


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I know everybody always says this month flew by, but I genuinely felt that with July. I found myself pretty busy this month trying to balance work, appointments, and hanging out with as many people as I can before I leave for college. Even so, I still found time to acquire some make up along the way and stumbled along some great finds. However, I also rediscovered some old favorites. Since I had so many products to show, I decided to write a cumulative beauty favorites.
Milani Baked Blush in 'Luminoso'
This well-known drugstore blush has been on my wishlist for a long time. I ended up purchasing this at CVS for around $10. Well known as being a dupe for Nars' Orgasm Blush, Milani's Luminoso didn't disappoint in color or quality. Most of my blushes are more on the pink side so to finally have one on the peachier/corally side was so satisfying. One swatch of this gorgeous peachy color easily proves it to be the most pigmented blush I own. There is a slight satin sheen to it but nothing on the shimmery end. It is such a perfect color for all skin tones--especially during the summer. This definitely makes me want to try more of the colors from this line.
Elf Eyebrow Kit in 'Dark'
I don't want to delve too much into this product as I raved about it in my E.l.f. haul. But basically, I've never filled in my eyebrows before due to the stark difference between my naked brows and my filled in ones. Yet, this palette doesn't give an exorbitant amount of color in each application. It is easy to use and does the job perfectly, an A+ in my book. If you haven't tried this product yet, I recommend purchasing this...not like you'll be losing too much---it's only $3!
Wet n' Wild's Icon Trio Eyeshadow in 'Walking on Eggshells'
Wet n' Wild's Icon Trio Eyeshadows are nothing new to the beauty world. They've been raved about practically since their inception, especially 'Walking on Eggshells'. I was lucky enough to be gifted this from an awesome friend (thanks if you're reading this :])and I practically screamed when I saw it. I haven't had much time to use them too much but I'm already in love with these shadows. Like most Wet n' Wild's powder products, they're extremely pigmented and so easy to use. Even if you're new to makeup, they label each shadow with the corresponding suggested location. The shimmery white is for the brow bone (and inner corners), the dark brown one is for the crease, and the shimmery champagne color is for the eyelid. For an eyeshadow novice like me, this palette was so easy to use. Putting this on immediately boosted my self-confidence 90%. Long story short, you MUST have this product!
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
I bought this mascara a while ago to keep my furry, unyielding brows in check. Though it did a good job combing and setting my brows, I neglected any brow grooming in my daily routine and hardly ever used it. I've only recently begun using it on a more frequent basis and I fell in love with it once again. This clear mascara truly sets your brows in place, which is so necessary for those who wake up and their brow hairs are going in different directions. It also darkens your lashes to make them look a tad more filled. With just a couple swipes of this product on my brows, I already feel more put together.
What were some of your July beauty favorites?


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What options are there and what can you do?
Use your digital camera at the start as a note book rather than the equipment that you produce your interim and final images on.
Across any unit that requires the use of MTP's aim to use as many different types of camera in the production of your project to demonstrate control and use of a range of camera (You are aiming to be a photographer after all)! The options include...
Disposable cameras
The use of these cameras will get you using a very basic method of shooting that produces 24 colour prints. The film inside the camera differs from camera to camera giving you the opportunity to then research the films characteristics and properties via the films. Once you know what the film is inside the camera, search using the name of the film in Google followed by "Product data sheet"...
Fuji Reala Product data sheet
Then click on one of the PDF files that you're presented with. Print this off, read through it and use the general information about the films properties and characteristics. (Write up in your own language). Similarly do the same for the camera as the camera will have limitations that you need to be aware of before using. See here
So for instance around Feb/Mar time our students have to shoot a brief where they produce a Typology of small buildings and structures. Ideally this is one of the easier methods to use to start the project and whilst shooting on this camera they can potentially shoot the images on their Mobile Phone cameras and do a very similar things side by side. At this stage these are just test shoots that they use to explore the idea and develop the approach that they might use towards the end of the project when they then need to print the images in a digital photobook.
What you should do...
1. Plan and propose...
Explain what you're going to do, usually it's a good idea to be flexible with your initial idea. You know you're going to shoot for instance bus stops, corner shops, pubs or similar, but once you start you may change your idea realising that another option might be more realistic or better. In your plan say when you're going to do it, what type of light your hoping to shoot in (you could include weather reports), what problems you envisage, how you might compose the images (use a diagram), what camera you're going to use and why, how you might use it, what you're going to be taking pictures of and how quickly you hope to turn this part of the project around. Personally I'd advise shooting the images in one day and get it processed the next and then get in your sketchbook the same day - again this can be a part of your plan.
2. Shoot the images...
Go out and shoot the images - experiment with the idea, shoot some upright, some horizontal, some close up, some further away, remember at this stage you're just experimenting and coming up with ideas, it doesn't have to be right, this is just a test. The important thing is you're trying things out and experiencing different ways of making images and looking at the potential of this method. Try and get all of the images shot - don't waste the film and if necessary shoot a different theme or idea if you run out of subject matter.
3. Process the film
Get it back to the *shop or lab you bought it from and have it processed as soon as you can. If they ask if you want it digitized say no, you just want the prints and the negatives. *Boots is probably the best and most efficient at this.
4. Put the images in your sketchbook folder.
As soon as you can get the images stick them in your book. Don't necessarily stick every single image in the book, just those that allow you to show what you've done and have been successful. Include those that haven't been successful, but don't dwell on failures too much. Annotate the images if you feel compelled to do so, but keep annotations brief because the important part is yet to be done. It's useful if you number the images too.
5. Reflect on your work using the Gibbs method.
This is the important bit, this is where you need to look at the Unit criteria and start to write up your Gibbs reflection looking to address the criteria. The first sections of the Gibbs cycle see below...
Description, feelings and evaluation can be written up with just 2 or 3 paragraphs each, but the bit you need to focus on and write up in detail is the analysis section. Suggestions as to what you might write definitely need to include discussing expectations based on the camera and the films product data. The manufacturers say the camera and film will do x, y and z, but what is your experience now having used it?
Observations relating to Parallax error - is your thumb over the images - why?
Upright or horizontal - what worked best why?
Could the images be cropped square - consider Photobook format?
How did the camera cope with the light - exposure?
How did the light effect the image - what might you need to consider during subsequent shoots?
Do the prints show the characteristics as described in the product data sheets?
Do your images or the approach you've used look anything like the images/photographers you've researched, what aspect of their work/approach have you tried to include?
Discuss the context of your research and your images that you're now making - why might these images be interesting as a final product, what's the potential of your project?
Are you images affected by converging verticals - does it matter - what might you do to alleviate this issue?
What is the print quality like of the prints - could they be enlarged?
What do you reckon to these cameras - do they have any potential - explain?
Conclusion - Keep this simple or omit if you've drawn conclusions in your analysis.
Plan the next shoot using a different camera and repeat the process again.


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Thursday, September 9, 2010
The KL Trip
The time that I have spent recently in Kuala Lumpur proved to be a rather interesting, tiring but ultimately fun experience. Instead of a usual week of relaxation, I decided to challenge myself by having a shoot every day. Although that didn't really happened, I completed six shoots in total... each presenting a unique set of challenges that I tried to tackle as best as I could.
Here are the results of the week long 'marathon'. I would like to thank Misao, Victor, Razrig, Lavena, Kikyo, Ayase, Mbek, Teri, Bunny, James, Reno, Mieko, Byou, Huko Yee, and Cappy for their assistance and willingness to take part in any of the shoots shown below.
Also, a special thanks to Solomon Freeman who have kindly loaned me his D3S, lenses and SB-900 during the two night shoots that I had. The day shoots were done using my usual gears.
DGM Lavi: Here
Post-Mortem: The old train station has its own fair share of photoshoots, but the main attraction of the place (the Heritage Hotel) was closed a few months back, so I utilised the dark corridors to get the 'Bookman' effect. :P
In addition, we somehow created a Korean drama feel for Reno... this is what happened when Lavi's without his hammer, haha.
Macross Frontier: (To be updated)
Post-Mortem: A last minute change that turned the evening shoot into a night one, we still had it at Putrajaya due to its amazing night lighting that gave the city a character of its own. Victor was nice enough to pick up Kikyo and Ayase from the Mines Wonderland, while Misao drove me, Solomon and Mbek to Lavena's house to pick her up. We reached the location on time, although additional preparation delayed the shoot a bit.
I really like the D3S, it is a very capable camera if a bit too heavy for my liking. Noise level's pretty clean even until ISO3200, there's a lot of details that can be extracted during post-processing. Sadly, the zoom mechanics for the playback seem to be a bit archaic for my taste, but overall it is still good.
One thing that I learnt from the shoot was the fact that the humble reflector can do magic sometimes. Heh.
Note: The photos are not ready yet due to a delay in editing, apologies for that.
Pandora Hearts - II: Here
Post-Mortem: More laughs than seriousness, we spent quite a long period of time catching up on things after getting the necessary shots. There's a lot of random stuff that happened during the shoot as well.
Bukit Jalil Park is a very quiet place, seems like nobody goes there except for cosplayers. :P
Town Lolita - Mieko: Here
Post-Mortem: Gotta love Melaka... for the food, the historic architecture, and the relaxing riverside. Mieko was fun to work with, and the place really suits the lolita feel... we even went into a church to take some shots!
I missed out on the epic chicken rice balls though. There will be a next time!
Chang An Huan Ye - II: Here
Post-Mortem: We went to the Thean Hou temple for the shoot. It seems like the place's a regular for photoshoots as there is a marriage registry there, and a regular stream of tourists. Unfortunately I forgot to bring my flash, but we carried on and I am glad Byou like the shots. :)
Durarara!! Here
Post-Mortem: Having a night shoot for DRRR, especially in Kuala Lumpur, seems like a daunting thing because of the recent spat of crimes in the city. I took a gamble in using a rather quiet car park to do the shoot because it was my first time going to that place.
As this shoot took place on the same day as the Chang An shoot, Byou was pretty tired but she soldiered on till the end. Huko Yee is pretty friendly too, it was my first time working with them actually.
One of the local cosplay photographers, Razrig was kind enough to ferry us around the city, as well as bringing everyone back to their respective homes after the end of the shoot. Good job, dude. :)
And finally, before I head back to Singapore I decided to drop by a local ACG event organised by the students of the International Medical University (IMU), which was located pretty close to my house. It was a really small events, but it looks like everyone had a good time there.
GAMP 2010: Here
Ended the whole epic trip by watching Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince on the bus trip back. The movie felt a bit boring though, so I am curious if the Deathly Hallows will be an improvement.
Hope you enjoy reading this entry and looking at the photos, as I wrote this while waiting for my plane to Sydney tonight. I will be at there for the entire weekend (plus a day or two) to attend Main Animania, so till next time folks. :)
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Ian Bennett
Ian Bennett MA (RCA) Is an independent milliner who creates headpieces and hats, often referred to as 'wearable sculpture'. Ian started his journey in millinery at the Royal College of Art, during which he won the coveted Karl Lagerfeld scholarship .Over his 20 year hat making history, he has created pieces for Thierry Mugler, Burberry and one of the most innovative english design duos - Boudicca. His work has also been seen on television, on the BBC's 'The Lost Prince" (where he won an Outstanding Contribution to film costume award from the American Emmys ). Ian is currently involved in millinery for The English National Opera on a 'Pilgrims Progress' and the Leicester curve's Interpretation Of 'Hello Dolly'.
As well as film and theatre, he has worked on many different projects, the most recent being The Grazia Magazine /HATWALK Project working as one of Englands top 21 milliners to create a headpiece for an iconic London statue - his contribution being 'The Duke of Wellington Outside the Bank of England'. Ian also creates bespoke headwear for individual clients, which have included Alison Goldfrapp and Madonna. In 2011 Ian was invited by Miss Angela Kelly M.V.O to help create millinery for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Working within Buckingham Palace, with Her Majesty, Ian helped create the feather piece for the opening of the London 2012 Olympic games as well as contributing to many other feather pieces and hats as part of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee Tour.


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Every once in a while, something disastrous happens in the world of books. No, I'm not being melodramatic, at least, not really. It might not be completely disastrous, but there is no doubt that it can be very devastating and certainly disappointing.
Every once in a while, books are not stocked in bookstores.
I know I'm not the only reader out there who finds it upsetting to walk into a bookstore and not be able to find a favorite book. It means that other readers may not be able to access a story that I really cared about. It means that potential readers are less likely to stumble upon this book purely by accident. Ultimately, it means that this book may not be getting into the hands of some people who will love this story.
As I feel that this is not a topic that many readers know much about, I will do my best in my post to address how this sort of situation arises, how this affects authors and readers, and what we as book lovers can do to change things or at least make them better.
Why Books Are Not Stocked in Store
It is quite obvious that bookstores, even the smaller ones, carry a large quantity and variety of books. Yet, at the same time, no bookstore can carry every book; that would be economically unrealistic and physically impossible. So, how do bookstores figure out which books to stock out of the multitudes of books that are published each year?
The key is that every bookstore has a buyer whose job is to select which books to stock in the store. Now, what are the criteria for selecting books? Obviously, this varies by store, but here are a few of the factors that booksellers may consider:
2. Publishing trends
3. Potential audience
What's important to remember is that selling books is a business. Booksellers may not find it worth investing time, money, and space in stocking a book if they think it won't sell in their store. For example, someone strolling through a bookstore is unlikely to pick up a book with an aesthetically unpleasant cover because people do judge books by their covers. Likewise, this person is not very likely to pick up a book with a strange title. Booksellers may stock more books because of the popularity of a specific trend (think vampires and other paranormal creatures in YA) because these books are likely to sell well. Basically, if a bookstore thinks lots of people are going to buy a certain book, they are much more likely to stock it.
However, there is another side to this equation. Since so many books are published each year, it seems unlikely that a buyer has time to sort through all of these to determine which books are the best fit for which bookstore. This is where the sales and marketing people of the publishing houses come in. It's their job to convince the buyer that he or she should stock their new titles. The success of the sales and marketing reps hinges upon the following:
Some publishing houses are so large that they produce hundreds of books every year. How are sales and marketing reps supposed to familiarize themselves enough with each of these books in order to convince buyers to stock them? The answer is a little ugly, because oftentimes, they can't. And to be honest, it's unrealistic to expect them to intimately know each and every one of the books they're trying to sell.
There isn't a specific party to blame in these situations, but these causes lead to the unfortunate effect where certain books are not stocked in bookstores.
How This Affects Authors
Not having books stocked in bookstores can have profound repercussions for authors. Perhaps the more obvious effect is on a psychological level. It can't be easy for any author, especially debut authors, to find out that a bookstore, especially one as large as Barnes & Noble, will not be carrying their book. When you take into account the amount of work, love, and dedication that each author pours into his or her books, this situation is upsetting to say the least.
What makes this even worse is that many authors whose books are not carried by Barnes & Noble, in particular, never find out the reason why. They are left wondering which party in this chain didn't have faith in their book or what little detail made someone think that readers would be less likely to pick up this book in stores.
Another way to look at this situation is from an economic standpoint. It's pretty obvious that when books are not carried in stores, people cannot buy those books in those stores. This directly affects the sales of the books, which reflect, of course, back on the author. And when an author's books sell poorly, they are less likely to have more books published. So, on top of the psychological disappointment and stress of not having one's book stocked in bookstores, authors have to deal with the economic fallout.
Why We Should Care
Well, this is all good and well, but why should we as readers care? Why does it matter whether so-and-so's book is stocked in our local Barnes & Noble or not?
A good starting place to answer these questions is probably our love for books. We like reading books. We like knowing that there will be more books that we will like. We like being able to walk through a bookstore, browse the shelves, and pick a book to read.
What we probably don't normally take into account is what it takes for us to access these books. If we're picking books out at a bookstore, we are limited by the selection of books that have been laid out for us. What if there's another book that we might like better? Or, maybe we may have a favorite author. Maybe this person's books weren't stocked and didn't sell well, and as a result, we won't get that sequel we desperately wanted. And these are only the selfish reasons.
We should care because we care about books period, and we care about other readers getting to love the same books that we did.
What We Can Do
So what can we, as mere individual readers, do? Here are a few suggestions:
This list is by no means exhaustive or even proven to be effective. I am neither suggesting nor condoning making a huge fuss in order to sell a few books. Instead, I'm hoping that these options will provide a few alternatives to not buying a book merely because it can't be found in Barnes & Noble.
Most of all, I greatly hope that this post has been informative and hopefully has enlightened a few more readers on an unfamiliar topic. Though I had help as I researched this topic, I take full responsibility for any and all of the information in this post that is in any way misleading or incorrect.
I want to give a big hug and many thanks to A.S. King, who was kind enough to share her story of when her second and Printz honor book, Please Ignore Vera Dietz, was not stocked by Barnes & Noble when it first released. I want to give a shout out to Kirsten Hubbard who was brave enough to blog about her experience when her debut novel, Like Mandarin, also wasn't stocked in Barnes & Noble; though I have yet to read her first book, her second, Wanderlove, is a thing of utmost beauty. Lastly, I want to thank an author and friend for inspiring me to write this post in the first place (I owe you a cupcake).
For those authors out there who are unfortunately familiar with this situation: we care.