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My world has turned upside down in more than one way, beginning with this silly boring blog. I got a big surprise when I logged in a few days ago and found this new look. Did I ask for this fancy layout? Did I accidentally click the button where the message "Click here to update your blog to a new look" was? There might have been another message about the new look in April. I thought if I continued to ignore it, my blog would still maintain the classic look, the one I am used to and comfortable with the last 6 years. Well, I did not have any choice. Someone at Blogger would not let me stay behind. Does anyone know how to switch back to the "good old look"?
Yes, you heard it right, my beloved Detroit Red Wings were eliminated from the playoffs by the Nashville Predators in game #5 last night. The Wings only won the 2nd game and had been struggling since. I could not stand the pains and had to shut off the television at five minutes left in the third period. The television has not been turned on today and I did not even look at the NHL website. (Normally I would check for update at least three times a day, first thing in the morning, during lunch, after I get home and before going to bed.) My mind could not comprehend that the Wings are the first team to be eliminated. It is terribly wrong and unnatural. What would I be spending my time and energy on after a hard day of work? Perhaps I could start watching the Food Channel and learn how to be a good cook - NOT!!!!!!


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BGI, Bicycling, Bike Repair, Challenge Schwinn, College Park Bikes, Cost, New Guy, North Fulton Cyclesports, Northtowne Cycling and Fitness, Outspokin Clearwater, Service, Value
I did my first bike shop gig in College Park, Maryland back in the spring of 1986. It was short term; having just earned my B.S. in Elementary Education I had a little over two months before I world marry and leave the state, but the owner was happy to have a little extra seasonal, if unseasoned, help. Halfway through my tenure at College Park I turned twenty-five and toward the end of May I said hasta la vista to Maryland, joined my now wife in holy matrimony and headed to Hotlanta, Georgia.
I lived in Atlanta (Alpharetta, for those who care) for a little over eight years and wove some work in a couple Challenge Schwinn bike shops around my teaching job before settling into long term employment at North Fulton Cyclesports. In the autumn of 1994 I moved to Indianapolis where I worked at BGI for a little over three years. Occasionally, I would help out at a second of BGI's three locations so technically I worked at two shops in Indiana. My wife got a slick job in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and I moved to Northtowne Cycling and Fitness where I worked for 18 years before heading to Florida. In Florida I worked at Outspokin Clearwater for a bit over a year and a half before I found a job at a shop a mere five, as opposed to 25, miles away from home.
If we count the shops where I have worked on our fingers we will have a single digit left (assuming you didn't grow up in farm country and lost a finger to the fickleness of fate.) In any case, I have been "The New Guy" nine times in bike shops over thirty-one years and across the eastern half of the United States of America; a position that can be trying. The New Guy is different when one is young and green and knows little as compared to when one is old, mellow and well seasoned but being The New Guy is never easy.
For four-and-one-half months I played my latest New Guy card very close to my chest, being both respectful and deferential to all my coworkers, a demeanor that comes easily to me. The shop where I work is small. We have the owner, three full-time employees and three part-time employees. In addition to being the newest member on staff I am also the eldest, the most experienced and part-time. Fortunately for me, my coworkers, two of whom are younger than my children, are a crackerjack lot whose work and work ethics I applaud. We have fun and we get the job done, but as the new guy a big part of my job is biting my tongue.
I'm Guido Novum and these men and woman don't know me from Adam. I need to be circumspect, diplomatic and open minded, three things I value and strive for. I was doing pretty well until the afternoon of Saturday, July 29th.
A gentleman rolls his Specialized Allez bicycle through our doors and "A," my fellow coworker and the New Guy directly above me in tenure, asks how he can help. The customer, let's call him S.A., has a new bike that isn't shifting very well. The shop where he purchased it promised S.A. a lifetime of free bike adjustments-
and then went out of business two weeks later. (OUCH!)
"A" puts the bike up in the stand, diagnoses the problem as easily remedied cable slack, tweaks the derailleur's barrel adjuster, tries the shifting again and pronounces, "All better!"
S.A. seems a bit miffed that "A" diagnosed and solved the problem in less than sixty seconds and "A" adds, "But I should go ahead and test ride it, just to be sure." With these momentous words "A" heads out the door only to return shaking his head.
"Hey, Keith," "A" says to me, "look at these cranks, will you? I think the left pedal is cross threaded." 'I think the left pedal is cross threaded,' is akin to telling someone that his cat is on the roof when in fact the cat is quite dead. "A" knows the pedal is cross threaded because he felt it squirming beneath his foot as he pedaled and is trying to let S.A. down easy.
I look at the pedal and respond with an eloquent, "Holy crap. This is terrible."
Which "A" responds to with a knowing nod and an interrogative of, "Think we can save it?"
I volley back with, "I really doubt it."
Now, I should tell you that our service area is open and we have a short wall with stools on the other side. Customers can watch us work, hear our conversations and interact with us as we go. I looked at S.A. and said, "I think we're gonna have to get you a crank arm but the good news is that it's the left side and those aren't usually very expensive. "
S.A. grimaces, an understandable reaction, and "A" looks at the right pedal and asks, "Does this look cross threaded as well?"
Poor S.A. has purchased a bike that has a few issues from a bankrupt shop that leaves him in a position of no good recourse. The bike's problems aren't manufacturer's defects, they're set up issues, things that a reputable shop would either have not created or would address after the fact.
Luckily for S.A., my prognosis for recovery was overly pessimistic. We removed both pedals, tapped the threads from the back side out, removed the TWO (Two? Two!) pedal washers that had been between both crank arms and both pedals (No, S.A. did not have an unusually wide Q-Factor requiring a Larry Craig Minnesota Wide Stance on his bicycle.) and when I reinstalled the pedals I snugged them down far more firmly than was required.
Why did I apply extra torque to my wrench? Because if that left crank arm was going to fail I wanted it to fail in my shop, not while S.A. was out riding. I explained what I'd done, "A" flipped S.A.'s stem from the more leisurely seven degree up position to the sportier -7 degree down position, removed the man's rattling spoke protector/"dork disc" (I have a spoke protector on all but my racing bike but then again I am a bit of a dork.) and "A" again test rode the Allez to make sure all was a.o.k. This time "A" returned to the shop with a smile and a nod.
And this is where the trouble began. I am Guido Novum. I am no one's manager, no one's supervisor. I am, as the cliche goes, low man on the totem pole. There I am at the bottom and I'm about to stir up a little trouble.
I have moved on am working on another bike when I hear "A" say, "Yeah, I'm gonna have to charge you for the the work we did on the crank, but I'll go ahead and take care of the derailleur adjustment for free."
I am aghast.
S.A. declares, "Okay. I'll have to go get my wallet from the car," which is my cue to make an ass out of myself.
S.A. is out of the store and I walk up to "A" and ask, "Why are we working on bikes for free?" in a voice that none of my current coworkers has ever heard come from me. It is my indignant manager voice, a voice that is uncalled for and inappropriate for my position.
"A" and I have a short discussion about value, knowledge, making new customers, S.A.'s hard luck deal concerning the bankruptcy of the shop where he bought his Allez and a few other topics in the two to three minutes that it takes S.A. to retrieve his wallet. Just before S.A. comes back into the store I say, "Okay- I shouldn't have said anything. I won't say anything more," in a voice closer to my avenging manager voice than to the mellow, So-Cal tones my fellow co-workers are used to. I say it, but of course I don't mean it.
I am a smart ass. "A" is a smart ass and we smart ass back and forth a bit and once S.A. has gone his merry way we hash out that "A" did charge for the stem install/flip, tapping both crank arms and removal of S.A.'s spoke protector, so the only thing he "gave away" was the rear derailleur cable adjustment. I conceded that, as S.A. was paying for the other services that "A's" actions were more appropriate than he had led me to believe vis a vis his statement to S.A. and "A" conceded that it was understandable that I would hear "free" and wonder what the heck wonder boy was thinking; especially as we had spent over 45 minutes working on the man's bike and saved him from the greater expense of having to replace his crank- a fate that would likely have accompanied continuing use of his bike.
"A" and I are buddies. We have mutual respect and near constant teasing of one another which sits well with me. I don't mind giving advice and adding knowledge at my workplace but it's important that I temper this with circumlocutions and perhaps even mix it with just a tiny spoonful of pablum; after all nobody likes a boat rocker or a know-it-all.
As Kermit The Frog said, "It isn't easy being green."

subset: commoncrawl


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Seems like a long, long time
Remember this? The Barn Raising Quilt from Knitalong? I decided when the book first came out that it was the perfect summer knitting project. Modular and therefore portable. Sock yarn (something I hadn't had an excuse to stockpile, not yet having discovered fingering weight shawls) and therefore posing no risk of lap-full of worsted on a hot July afternoon.
It wasn't that big a project. It still isn't, at the gauge I got. No more than 42 squares. Okay, maybe 48. Or 56. Anyway, given that the squares max out at 43 stitches per side, that once you've got your stitch markers in place (and have remembered to us an odd one to mark the start of the round) the knitting is self-correcting, and that the knitting is simple stockinette in the round, they just don't take that long to knit. A day, a day-an-a-half, tops.
Why then, one might wonder, have I been knitting on this since 2008 and still have only 16 squares finished? That would be because I haven't touched it since 2010, when I jokingly estimated 4 more summers to completion. What happened is, alas, a sad, sad tale of indecision and hand-dyed yarn, not in that order.
The last time I wrote anything about the Barn Raising Quilt, I referred to a serious dyelot issue, but claimed a happy ending. I was unduly optimistic. Had the yarn at issue been any other than the colorway I had chosen to base the blanket on (on which I had chosen to base the blanket?) (A preposition is a perfectly good word . . .), I could have coped. Had the first two dyelots of Claudia Handpainted Fingering in Walk in the Woods been close, I could have coped. When the third dyelot, which I had bought directly from Claudia at the Fine Points booth at Stitches Midwest, and which (I thought) I had minutley compared to a knitted square in the original dyelot, didn't match, I called it three strikes and hid the project deep-deep in frustrated and rejected project-land until this summer.
This summer I am feeling brave. This summer I am feeling capable. This summer I really, really needed something to distract me from the disaster that overtook my home in the name of kitchen renovation. Chaos everywhere meant I needed to impose order somewhere, so the Princess and I tossed the stash with an eye to String Theory's Stash Sale. We didn't make it (although we'll be ready for next year), but I found most of the yarn from the original Barn Raising. I still have some absentees -- the second of the original Walk in the Woods comes to mind, along with the tiny stitch markers I used on the tiny needles -- but by laying out the finished squares and the remaining skeins, I realized that I can make a pretty darn nice looking blanket, even if I can't base it on the Walk in the Woods Dyelot of My Dreams.
I've suffered one slight set-back. I had planned on three squares per 50g/175 yard skein of Claudia Handpaints fingering (now known as Addiction). As it happens, I come up about 9 rows and a bind-off short. That safety pin marks the start of the new skein of yarn.
Make that two slight setbacks - some of the colorways have been discontinued (Claudia Handpainted in Taupe, the Shibui Knits in Pagoda and in Dragonfly), others are lost in the stash (the dark blue, which may be Claudia Handpainted Antique Jeans). Some are both ( the Claudia Handpainted in Jungle).
Poor me. I had to buy more yarn. Since I've learned my lesson from the Walk in the Woods disaster, I'm not even going to attempt to match the absent yarns.
Instead I'm trying three completely new colors: Rubies Playing, Honey and Mushroom Hunting. All Claudia Handpainted Addiction. The plan (I always need a plan, don't I?) is to knit one square of each color, see if any of them work, and go from there.
That, or I'll scout Fine Points booth at Stitches again this year and come away with a fourth Walk in the Woods dyelot.


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I am always looking for new and exciting ways to cook chicken. When I saw this recipe I knew it would be a hit. It was so flavourful!
What you need,
For the Satay,
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, chopped (just the white parts)
½ tsp. red-pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste
For the Peanut Sauce,
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
3-4 tbsp. water
½ tsp. red-pepper flakes
1 green onion, chopped (just the green parts)
In a medium bowl whisk together the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, green onion and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss the chicken pieces in the marinade until well coated.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. You could even do overnight.
For the sauce stir together the peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, water and red pepper flakes until smooth. Thin with water more water if needed. Stir in the green onion.
Set aside until time to serve.
Soak some wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes. Then thread each piece of chicken on skewer. Cook over medium heat on the BBQ for 3-4 minutes per side until the chicken is cooked through.
Serve with the peanut sauce.
I also served mine with jasmine rice and spicy roasted broccoli.
This Satay was simply delicious. It was easy and fast. It was such a nice change from the usual chicken dinners.
I will be making it again for sure!
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food


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Eric Cohler is a designer that uses lots of layering in his designs which makes each room interesting without being cluttered.
These rooms by Celerie Kemble show that a neutral colour palate with touches of colour can create a very glamourous look.
These beautiful images are by Sheila Bridges. I love that she is unafraid to use colour in her interiors.


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I'm baaaack! After taking time off to work on other projects, having a baby and settling into a new routine I wanted to get back to drawing just for me using IllustrationFriday.com. For those new to this site, IllustrationFriday.com posts a word every Friday to inspire artists to create a piece of artwork. Now, don't be fooled EVERYONE is encouraged to be apart of the webpage. Experience or age is not a factor! It's all about getting acquainted with other creators and encouraging and challenging each other. One word- FUN!!!
Now, my illustration surprises even me y'all! I am new to the Star Wars craze since I did not grow up watching the movies. Yet, as a mom of three boys I knew I needed to "educate" myself so I could be involved with their (MANY) conversations and watched them all. Who knew I would join their crazy train and find myself getting caught up with the story line and falling in love with different characters. This little guy captured my heart with his little expressions, compassion, and subtle humor. Seriously, I can't take the cuteness!
So, having just seen "The Force Awakens" when I saw that this week's word was "Spin" my new rollie-pollie friend came to mind. I have wanted a Star Wars t-shirt so this may make its way to my wardrobe… who knows! ENJOY and thanks for stopping by!


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Today was also a rare day of a million phone calls arranging and rearranging appointments. DH is doing training at work and he is going in 3 hours early everyday. We also need work done on his truck and I need a new windshield in my car. Punky is also not feeling well and needs a vet appointment. I am also juggling PT/OT visits in with all of it. Yikes! I also spent a few hours on the phone with DH's younger brother today... Being a sounding board as he deals with some heavy issues.
My friend and house cleaning lady came today. She has my house in good shape and we were able to sit and eat lunch together and take our time. I made her come in to the living room and sit and relax with me for the rest of the day and it was so fun. I hope to get stronger so that we can enjoy some of the summer and go places. She is my friend first and my house cleaning lady second. She said she felt as though she need to be doing something.... And I told her she was... She was hanging out with me. Having some rest during the day is important. All the work was done. I wasn't quite up to going out, but soon we will! It's been a good day.
Thanks for reading... Have a blessed day!


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I miss you all.
I miss reading and finding out about your lives . . . how you are making it through your treatments and life after treatments.
I miss thinking about you during the day and saying a prayer as you pop into my mind.
I shall return to blogging soon. So much is happening with me on the inside - good stuff. A new way, a better way, of looking at life. Of setting boundaries. Of standing up for myself. Learning to not judge - myself or others. Learning to not be a victim or listen to others talk in victim-mode.
Don Miguel Ruiz . . . . starting to read his book "The Four Agreements".
Listening on the iPhone to Gary Van Warmerdam while taking a mid-day walk.
28 pounds gone. Yippee!! 15 more for my first goal. Two sizes smaller.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Missing You
Posted by Renee at 1:57 PM
3 comments:
Congratulations on the shrinking you! Aside from walking, what are you doing to effect that?ReplyDelete
yay for you....i'm happy...finding yourself and getting your bearings is lovely....big hugs!!ReplyDelete
I'm doing Weight Watchers and find it fits my personality well. I enjoy the competitiveness within myself on finding the most amount of food I can eat while staying within the points.ReplyDelete
We had "Weight Watchers at Work" and it was great support among the people. One sees these people 8-9 hours a day and it's nice to have the support and encouragement to keep on keepin' on.
Hope you are doing well!
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I have decided that I need to do some "for fun" sculpting.
Most of my sculpting these days is done for the purpose of specific projects that either myself or another party has initiated with particular ideas in mind. This is cool and all but I haven't done an off-the-cuff sculpt really since I started a couple years back.
This new project will be completely from scratch and without concept. Pictured below is the starting point for three sculpts that will be designed as a set along a common design and theme that will develop out of my imagination and without any pre-planning.
Yes, very vague. But that's the point!
Somehow, from this simple beginning, I shall create three new miniatures that will depict a trio of like-themed characters or creatures. It could be a simple grouping of wild alien beasts. Or maybe, they will be the first three poses of a new alien race.
Stay tuned...


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9 comments:
Many happy returns Sigur. Your speed and quality is an inspiration. Keep it up and have a great day mate.ReplyDelete
Man, happy birthday! Alle Gute, Gesundheit und Glück!ReplyDelete
I hope you got some shiny new miniatures for your birthday so that we can witness even more of your painting in the decades to come! You inspire me every time I visit this blog!
Lass dich ordentlich feiern!
Happy birthday matey and keep up the awesome work.ReplyDelete
Happy Birthday Sigur!ReplyDelete
Happy birthday, Sigur!ReplyDelete
Happy Birthday Sigur! Looking forward to see more of your works.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous27/8/12 1:06 am
Happy Birthday, Sigur!ReplyDelete
Happy Birthday!ReplyDelete
Happy birthday! As has been said by others, your stuff always inspires me to keep painting!ReplyDelete
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If you don't know about Quo, it's one of our beloved canadian brands :) They offer a wide range of products and shades and are available exclusively at Shoppers (or Pharmaprix for those of us in Qc).
If you want to see what is in those pretty palettes (Oh you must!), go check out her blog here
Good luck to all!


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When I discovered that the latest meeting of the New England Modern Quilt Guild was going to be held at this marvelous place:
I decided that this would be the perfect excuse for a little getaway. Portsmouth is only an hour (or 45 minutes when Kyle is driving) away, but it's one of the most charming, classically New England towns ever so once you're there, you inevitably want to spend the night. Conveniently, Kyle proposed a week before the guild meeting, so we had yet another excuse to go: our Engagemoon.
What does an Engagemoon involve? Well, after ogling some gorgeous quilts at the guild meeting's show-and-tell, I managed to escape Portsmouth Fabric, which is a literally overflowing with temptation, having only purchased this:
Really, the last thing I need is more fabric, but who can resist such a lovely fat quarter pack of Kaffe Fassett polka dots?
Sigh, I didn't even try to fight it.
Afterwards, Kyle and I met up for an evening on the town, starting off with a bit of bar hopping. In honor of the Kentucky Derby, one bar was offering $5 Mint Julips. This may sound like a light, refreshing summer drink—and don't get me wrong, it's definitely tasty—but as far as I can tell, it's basically just sweet whisky and this made the rest of the night rather entertaining.
We dined at Black Trumpet, a wonderful little hole-in-the-wall restaurant where we enjoyed lots of delicious food, the highlights being duck confit and a cheese sampler:
Hours later, we ended the night with Izzy's ice cream where I got the best possible combination—warm, gooey, chocolate brownie buried beneath coffee heath bar ice cream. I didn't take a picture; I was eating.
The lovely thing about made-up holidays, is you can use them as an excuse to do whatever you like, and to declare every little mundane aspect of the day(s) special. Our Engagemoon, therefore, included much more than just the trip to Portsmouth. It extended all weekend long and included homemade berry muffins (from Jessica's recipe—thank you, they were delicious!):
And turning my fat quarter pack into a swingy, polka dot skirt:
Not to boast or anything, but this was quite the success given that I used no pattern, and really wasn't sure how well it would turn out. It fits beautifully, and isn't it just so joyful? Wearing it puts me in the mood to twirl.
Part of our Engagemoon also involved grungy clothes, the new red bucket that my mother gave me…
And a whole lot of fabric dyeing.
I know have a massive pile of hand-dyed fabric, ready and waiting.
Again, I stuck with solids; I'm drawn to them these days. I also enjoy the low-water immersion method since I get that mottled, imperfect look which gives the fabrics more character. Wait until you see what I have planned for these fabrics—it's a little different than my usual quilting, but it's sort of a once-in- a-lifetime opportunity.
What we didn't expect was that our Engagemoon would involve a massive water contamination problem in the Boston area, and having to boil all of our water before drinking it—not incredibly convenient. But if there's one thing the Eccles family does well, it's turn lemons into lemonade (made with bottled water, of course). So we (my parents, sisters, Kyle and I) used this unpleasant problem as an excuse to get dinner together at the Summer Shack in Cambridge, one of the few non-contaminated towns. What a lovely way to end the weekend—with people I love and a dinner that's just as classically New England as Portsmouth: a big old steamed lobster.


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.... about things that have ticked me off today.
To Apple; I realise that you are the makers of all things cool. You are the pinnacle of cool geekdom. More power to you. BUT - if I get just one more call from an otherwise intelligent person asking me to help them get music onto their iPod, I am going to smash every Apple appliance I see, and send you the bill for my bail, and legal costs. I have better things to do than do battle with your user-unfriendly software. Especially since I don't own anything you have made. I have my reasons.
To local businesses; 12.10 is NOT 12.30. I am aware that it is cold, wet and yucky, and that you would rather be home in front of the fire - or anywhere but work. Trust me, I understand. But I also understand that if your sign says you will close at 12.30, and I rock up at 12.10, to find the doors locked and the lights off, I am not going to be impressed. If you want customers, you need to provide service. By all means, leave at noon on Saturday, but let us know, before we arrive to find you closed, and your Hours of Business sign saying 12.30 is closing time.
To Channel 10; for the love of footy, send that female commentator for speech lessons!! I am all for female commentators (why did Kristy Malthouse have to get a life, she was fabulous!), but I want them to speak correctly. I want all commentators to speak correctly. I am all for them getting excited, and mising metaphors, that's half the fun. But I do not want them sounding like the feral bogan across the street. I know this is harsh, especially coming from me, a Master Mangler of the English language. I am not on TV. I am not causing people to turn off, or write letters to the newspaper complaining.
And finally, to Collingwood Football Club - WAKE UP!!! You are currently 2 points down against the Brisbane Lions, and I do NOT want to spend this week hearing the lament. 1 week was enough. Now get on with it!!! You have 7.5 minutes.
That is all.
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Good morning lovelies!
And since I love the back-story behind items, I asked Julie for a quick little bio so we all could get to know her a little better:
(leave a comment here letting me know)
Winner will be chosen at random on Sunday evening.
I follow you!
I like the Receipt/Coupon Holder - Erin McMorris.
I've been thinking about getting one, so thanks for introducing me to her etsy site!
I'm following Julie's blog :) thanks for hosting the giveaway!
I'm loving this Amy Butler notepad book! Too cute! And handy :)
I am following Julie's blog :)
I also put you giveaway up on my blog sidebar!
Im following you and i love the pink ruffled stationary on the first page...soooo cute!
Im now following Julie's blog!
Blogging about your giveaway right now!!!
What an adorable giveaway. You know I'm a follower girly!
It's all so cute, but I'd say my fave is the notepad/chekbook holders.
This is going on my sidebar sweetie! Pick me, pick me. :)
so cute! :)
I love her ruffled gift tags! And the mini card holders!
My favorite item : Mini Card Wallet - Amy Butler
I'm following her blog (:
Ooohh...pretty!! My favorite is the Erin McMorris coupon holder! Love it!
I'm following her blog now, too!
I follow you, of course :-)
I like the mini card holder - I always have so many gift cards and things like that so it would be perfect!
Im following you
I'm now following Julie and I love the pink ruffle stationary!
I love the fabric ruffled gift tags!!!
I am a follower of Julie!!
My favorite piece from her shop is the coupon holder!
I'm a follower of her blog!
and i blogged about your giveaway here...


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A few months ago I was asked to test out the Sharp Crochet Hook. For those of you who have no idea what that is, it's this really neat TINY hook that has a sharpened head to get through fabric.
Technically that means NO prepoking holes, which I thought was AWESOME!! Who wouldn't jump at the chance to skip a step when working something like an edging? I was super excited to get the hook in the mail and even more excited to try it out.
I pulled out some different fabrics to work my edging magic on and it was pretty clear that the business end of the hook, while smaller and sharper than any of the rest of my hooks, was still not sharp enough to get through some of them–like denim–without a fight. Actually, it was more like a full on battle (and I'm sad to say that the hook won cause I couldn't use it at all with denim. Maybe you're thinking that the denim I have laying around is Kevlar reinforced motorcycle denim…but I assure you it's your plain everyday wear jean stuff.)
I had the most success with the thin and lightweight fabrics, which really do love this hook.
After some more experimenting, I realized that the hook itself works well when using cotton thread–I have a bunch of size 10 so that's what I used–but you can use regular yarn with it if you have a vice-like grip and basically strangle it to stay on the hook when pulling back through the hole. The thickest yarn I managed to successfully use it with was Red Heart Shimmer. Anything larger than that and you can forget grabbing it to pull back through the hole it makes. It will just split your yarn and make a mess.
I also found that the hook works at its absolute BEST when you machine stitch your fabric first and use cotton thread. It's a snap to use if you sandwich two layers of fleece together and zig zag stitch around the border, using the holes that your sewing machine left behind to act as a guide.
Doing things this way makes pushing the hook through the layers easier because the hole is already started. Without that jumpstart, getting the hook through the fabric is downright painful. BUT…I think machine sewing first is sort of cheating, since the hook's claim to fame is that you can use it straight from the package on fabric without prepoking holes, so I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that finding.
Once I'd finished fooling around with the hook and had a feel for what it could reasonably pull off, I decided to make something a little different than your ordinary crochet edging or zipper attachment. Those options, while useful to know how to do, aren't very exciting to blog about. (By the way, you can probably find most bloggers who've tested this same hook blogging about how to crochet an edging on something like a pillowcase or tea towel or how to add a zipper to your crochet purse with this hook. If you really want to know how that works head on over to Google and a quick search will pull up bunches of those posts.) Instead, I pulled out some thick paper (the sort you would use to paint with acrylics on) and a Sharpie and drew and elephant standing on the beach.
What?? You saw me going there with this project…right?!!?
Once I was happy with my drawing, I grabbed some colorful yarn and my brand new sharp crochet hook and got to work!
About an hour into my project, I'd finished the wavy lines for the water but my hands were sore…I'd poked my thumb enough times that it was bruised and swollen…and I realized that there was NO way I would be able to finish using the hook and still be able to run a crochet business that depended on my hands to be able to crochet.
So I did what any of us would–I improvised! I grabbed my yarn needle and prepoked the rest of the holes and then used the same needle to finish crocheting. I didn't really get to complete the whole scene (his face and the sun still need to get covered) but I did manage to get the majority of my drawing covered in yarn. In retrospect, I should have drawn something smaller because this little project ended up costing me the use of my hands for an entire week.
I loved the idea of a hook that made it simpler to crochet into fabric, but the idea that I wouldn't be able to use my hands made me put this hook down for a while until I could try it once again. I never like to give up until I exhaust all the possibilities!!
My next project was decidedly smaller in scale but used the same surface stitching technique as in the elephant yarn painting. This time, instead of using paper, I used two layers of felt and some brushed acrylic yarn.
The end result is pretty adorable and would make the cutest teacher gifts, co-worker gifts, tree ornaments–really, this one is only limited to your imagination!
This time I managed to get through the entire project without poking my thumb once, but getting the hook through both layers of felt was impossible. It seems that the hook can only handle on layer at a time so it took a little longer because (you guessed it) I had to prepoke holes.
I think it's adorable though and filling it with some really cute crochet hooks and stitch markers makes me want to make a whole army of these stockings!!
By the way, if you want to make one of these stockings yourself, head on over to Martha Stewart for all of the details and a printable template for these Mini Stockings.
Overall, this Sharp Crochet Hook is something I'd use in a heartbeat if using thin crochet thread to put an edging on a single layer of really thin fabric. It will put a really cute edging on socks, t-shirts, felt, curtain sheers, nightgowns, or even store-bought knit hats.
Final thoughts about the hook for me personally are that if it were sharper, able to poke through a double layer of fabric (or denim!) and able to better handle a wider range of yarn, I think I'd be a little more versatile for the average crocheter.
I also think that the hook itself is too small and thin for me to be able to use comfortably. Like most crocheters, I suffer from mild carpel tunnel and have to be very careful with how hard I push my hands. Using this hook took me out of the game for a week–which I really can't afford. A sharper head to this hook would make pushing it through fabric a lot easier on my hands but since I'm not a blacksmith (I work with yarn–not metal), I have plans to cover the hook with polymer clay and try another project with it to see if a thicker handle makes pushing it through fabric easier.
If you're interested in finding out more about this hook, or in picking one up to try for yourself, head on over to http://www.sharpcrochethook.com/ where you'll not only be able to purchase and see a hook in action, you'll also be able to find some free patterns to use with it!
Tagged: Crochet, Crochet hook, Knitting and Crochet, Sharp Crochet Hook, Yarn


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Microsoft Phone Data Manager Beta
Microsoft India has released a beta version of a synchronisation software for your mobile phone. It will backup your contacts to Windows Live Contacts online so you can access your contacts anywhere. It works with a range of phone models from Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.
Microsoft® Phone Data Manager Beta is an application that is designed to take away the worry of losing data on your phone - specifically contacts, music, pictures and videos. It does that by synchronizing your phone contacts with Microsoft's Windows Live Contacts store in the cloud, or by helping you download files from the phone to your local computer.
Personally I would rather store my stuff on my PC instead of the cloud since you are literally trapping yourself.
Download the software from Microsoft Phone Data Manager Beta website.


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Their other two kids hung out with us while they waited for the new little guy. The kids had a lot of fun, but unfortunately, they all decided it would be good to get a stomach bug too. They're dropping like flies, one at a time. I'm washing and bleaching and Lysoling and wishing we had two washing machines. At any rate, we're just hoping the new baby doesn't catch anything, and that his parents steer clear of it too. Adults seem safe so far.
We were supposed to take dinner to share with the new parents on Thursday evening, but just as we were turning the corner to their house, Justin got sick. Evan was in the car seat next to him saying, "Get me out of the car, Mommy, get me out of the car right now." Anyway, so much for our pleasant "meet the baby" time. As you can see, Justin is missing from the picture. He's standing in their bathroom getting hosed down. We left as soon as we could.
The two older boys were next (Carsten had his turn earlier in the week.) They were up during the night, so we just sort of sacked out in front of TV and watched The Love Bug today. They love Herbie, especially Nathan, our car fanatic.
I think we may be past all of this, although Megan hasn't caught anything yet. We're definitely staying home from church tomorrow in an attempt to keep all of these germs safely to ourselves.
At any rate, we're hoping to get to welcome baby Leeland properly once all of this settles down. The kids fell in love with him in just the few minutes we were over there. They couldn't believe how little he was. They're already angling for another sister (or brother). Evan says he will ask God in a "smallish voice, because God listens to a still, smallish voice." :-)


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The difference between a pet and a familiar is in the connection you have with that creature. You just kind of know. I've had five cats throughout my lifetime and only one of them I would consider a familiar. Why? Every time I am setting up ritual, lighting a stick of offering incense, even doing a little space clearing, she runs up and wants to "help." Eventually she settles and sits quietly and observes. Why? One theory is that these animals are more sensitive to subtile shifts in energy and are drawn to investigate and learn. To me this makes sense because my familiar also becomes extremely tense during thunderstorms. While cats are the traditional animal of choice, any animal can be a familiar.
If you have other animals, don't treat your familiar differently than you do the other animals in your life. You just have to acknowledge that your familiar has a place in your spiritual life as well as your mundane one.
© Ariadne Woods


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Hey guys so today I am going to be doing the colours of the rainbow tag. If you haven't heard of the colours of the rainbow tag its basically you take the colours of the rainbow and find one product that matches of the colour. I didn't think it would be hard to find a products for each colour but it really was! I seen this on TalkBeckyTalk youtube and thought it was a good idea so had to do it myself.
RED- The product I picked for red is this body shop cranberry joy body polish. This smells just like christmas to me, most people like the cinnamon smell at christmas, I don't I prefer cranberry. I have only used this one but it is very much like a body scrub.
YELLOW- For yellow I picked the avon argan oil. I use this every time I wash my hair. I am not going into too much detail as I know this will be hard to read. Review coming soon!
PINK- For pink I have my pink grapefruit and lime candle by sainsburys. This has quickly become my favorite candle. I love the strong scent of the pink grapefruit. I love lighting this when I have my bath.
GREEN- For green I borrowed this off my mum as I don't own anything green! This is the body shop cucumber cleansing milk. She received this in a gift set off a friend at christmas.
ORANGE- For orange I chose this avon shower gel that was currently in my shower. Now I am not good with smells but I think the smells like mango, shoot me if I am wrong!
PURPLE- For purple I picked my bubble bath. This has to be the best bubble I have ever tried. It is really cheap and I wasn't expecting it to be that good but it really is, the smallest amount gives you lots of bubbles. The scent isn't that nice but I don't really care.
BLUE- For blue I picked this BarryM Gelly hi-shine polish in blueberry. I love the gelly hi-shine polishes. I will be doing a nail polish collection on my blog very soon so keep your eyes peeled for that.
Hope you all enjoyed this. I will just give a quick apology about the yellow writing. I didn't write much as I knew it would be hard to read but I basically just said what it was and that I will be reviewing it soon.
Thanks guys


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This is a continuation of yesterday's post analyzing the NFL's 32 head coaches.
NFC East
Fatty Arbuckle (Dal)- Every time Jason Garret walks by the head coach's office he mentally measures for new curtains.
Tom Coughlin (NYG)- He could become the first coach to be unceremoniously fired after winning the Super Bowl…nah, they aren't winning the Super Bowl.
Joe Gibbs (Was)- Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.
Andy "The Pin" Reid (Phi)- Roger Goodell will intervene to fire Reid on Philly's behalf.
NFC North
Mike McCarthy (GB)- As long as he keeps Brett full of opiates it's all good.
Rod Marinelli (Det)- You mean to tell me that Mike Martz isn't the Lions coach?
Brad Childress (Min)- Staking his future on Chester Taylor.
Lovie Smith (Chi)- He took the Sex Cannon to the Super Bowl. Big time grace period.
NFC South
Jon Gruden (TB)- They tried to burn him in the fire place but he managed to escape.
John Fox (Car)- On the verge of becoming the biggest scapegoat since German Jews
Sean Payton (NO)- He could blow up the levee's and still be untouchable.
Bobby Petrino (Atl)- Even Home Depot managers get more respect from their underlings. Mutiny is all but assured.
NFC West
Mike Holmgren (Sea)- They're already collecting the necessary tonnage of smelt to buy out his contract.
Ken Whisenhunt (Ari)- Cushiest job in the NFL. Nobody expects too much and there's no chance he's getting fired before his contract expires.
Mike Nolan (SF)- They're already stocking the fuhrerbunker with cyanide pills.
Scott Linehan (StL)- Injuries happen, and so does seppuku.
NFC Far East
Coming September 2012!


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Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands…." 1 Peter 3:3-5
For years I have read that Scripture with awe. It is truly my goal to be that kind of a woman. Gentle. Quiet. Beautiful. It has nothing to do with outward appearance….my hairstyle, my clothing, or whether or not I wear makeup. It is all about inward grace and beauty. When I read those verses, I actually sigh out loud. Ahhh….to have a gentle and quiet spirit….
Why is it so hard for me – for so many of us -- to live that way? I think we live in a world that is so busy that we constantly feel rushed. We hurry our kids through breakfast so we can start school. We rush through school so we can get lunch in before PE starts. We run from PE so we can get home in time to start dinner. We live in such a hurry. It's a shame, really.
I have a friend who stays home with her three children. I always admired her dedication to stay at home. She would call and arrange someone to take her two older children to co-op or parties if her youngest was napping. Now it would be like me to just snatch Anne Claire right out of her bed and drag her along. Not Sandra. She epitomizes a gentle, quiet spirit. She places great value in quiet times at home. She never seems to be in a rush. She is well put together, as are her children. And they also never seem to run late. How does she do it?
If you ask her, it begins in the wee hours of the morning, when she rises with her husband to have coffee and prayer together. Then they go their separate ways and have their individual quiet time. It never changes. She is not swayed by popular culture or by well meaning friends trying to get her to sign up for one more Bible study or one more extracurricular activity for her children.
In today's world, women are not encouraged to be gentle, quiet, or submissive. I heard a song on the radio the other day called "In My Daughter's Eyes" --- and I realized that now that I have a daughter, it is up to me to teach her what being a woman is all about. That it isn't about looking like Barbie, or being the first woman president….it's about teaching her what is really beautiful in God's eyes. It is nurturing in her a gentle, quiet spirit. It's about knowing who God is and what He has done for her. It's about living a life that is truly beautiful by pointing others toward Heaven.
This week I am going to spend less time doing and more time just being. Being with my kids and my husband. Gently, quietly….and beautifully.


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Someone asked about my Swagbucks widget on my sidebar & signing up. If you click on that link in my sidebar (or the one just above) it will direct you to the site to sign up. It automatically will put you as a referral under me once you have finished your sign up/email verification & start searching with them.
Once you do that you can email & as long as I see you there I can send you something :)


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Click HERE to read my warnings about the swine flu vaccine. The article, titled 'From Rousseau to the swine flu vaccine', considers the danger that the vaccine poses and how it might actually lead to the sterilization of a large percentage of the next generation.
To join my mailing list, send a blank email to phillips7440 (at sign) roadrunner.com with "Blog Me" in the subject heading.


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For the first time ever fans were able to choose who they wanted out on the cover of Madden 11 out of 3 worthy candidates. Viking DE Jared Allen, Colts WR Reggie Wayne and Super Bowl Champs Saints QB Drew Brees. So who did the fans choose?
The fans have spoken.. and in Brees they trust for the Madden 2011 cover!
Filed under: Football, Sports Video Games | Leave a comment »


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"Is Rick Perry Dumb?"
That's the title of this article.
Unfortunately, a more relevant question would be:
"Does it matter?"
And speaking of dumb, Michele Bachmann keeps on regurgitating America's favorite urban legend: America could achieve energy independence TODAY if only those damn treehuggers would get out of the way and let America drill her way to Freedom. She said:
"The radical environmentalists have demanded that we lock up all our energy resources. President Bachmann will take that key out of the door. I will unlock it."
Oh Boy!!! This is gonna be GREAT!!! Giant gas guzzlers will come rolling off of Detroit's assembly lines once again and gas will be 32 cents a gallon as God intended.
Then again, whatever Michele Bachmann says, take it with a grain of salt. After all, keep in mind that Michele Bachmann dropped out of school in the fourth grade, got knocked up at thirteen, and has been convicted twelve times of selling heroin to kindergarten children.
NOTE: The previous sentence was written In Jest.
Labels: is Rick Perry dumb, Michele Bachmann energy resources, Michele Bachmann environmentalists


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Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Crohn's Disease Flare Up
Maybe it is my diet, maybe it is stress, but I sure feel like I am entering into a flare up. Not as much stomach pain, but I feel like I spend so much time in the bathroom. Usually by now I've pulled out of it, and I haven't been on any medicine for the past couple of years, but it is starting to look like I need to find a good gastro in South Florida. Anyone have any recommendations on either pulling out of a Crohn's Disease Flare up or a good gastroenterologist in the Boca Raton area?
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The following announcement of a public lecture on the corporate clique behind the upcoming Vancouver/Whistler Winter Olympics comes originally from the Whistler Watch website. It came Molly's way via the Olympic Resistance Network (see also the No2010 website. ).
Inside the Olympics Industry" with Dr. Helen Lenskyj:
Sat. Sept 12 @ 6:30 pm Whistler Public Library]
You're Invited,
You're Invited,
Whistler Watch and the Council of Canadians present:
What the Olympics are really all about, and what Whistler can expect post2010
Dr. Helen Lenskyj, Professor of Sociology (Sports Studies) University of Toronto
Saturday, Sept 12, 2009
6:30 pm
@ Whistler Public Library
Admission by Donation
This event is for Olympic Supporters and Critics, Volunteers and Staff of VANOC, Athletes, and those of you who are just curious....please forward this event widely. Thanks.
Dr. Lenskyj is a Professor of Sociology, at the University of Toronto and has focused much of her career on the study of gender, sport and sexuality. She will be discussing her latest book, Olympic Industry Resistance: Challenging Olympic Power and Propaganda (2008).
She has written books on women and sport, along with two other critical books, Inside the Olympic Industry: Power, Politics, and Activism, and, The Best Olympics Ever? Social Impacts of Sydney 2000. Lenskyj has written over 70 articles to journals and periodicals, including the Journal of Sport and Social Issues, Sociology of Sport Journal, Sporting Traditions, World Leisure and Recreation Association Journal, Journal of Australian Studies, and the International Review for the Sociology of Sport.
For more info, please contact (604) 932-2664
Hope to see many of you there!
Sara Jennings
Whistler Watch


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I didn't know much about Tromso except that it was quite far north. Having now been, I know that it is far enough north to be very much like Scotland, at least the kind of Scotland you get in spring or autumn. The other thing I knew, or at least had heard, was that the Skyrace put on by Emelie Forsberg and Kilian Jornet was something special. Talk last year was of a soaring ridge to rival, in terms of technical racing terrain, any other. Having now run the race I can confirm that despite the long journey it is well worth the effort.
The Tromso series of Skyraces included a vertical kilometre (Blamann Vertical), a shorter Skyrace (Tromsdalstind), and the opening race in the 2016 'Extreme Skyracing' series, Hamperokken, which is the race Konrad and I had come to run. The Hamperokken Skyrace consisted of 53km and 4600m of a 'V technical level', taking in 2 summits (Tromsdalstinden 1238m and Hamperokken 1404m), the latter being located at the end of the technical ridge that the race has come to be associated with.
Race day dawned rather cloudy, but dry. At the time, I was under the impression that we could have been luckier (i.e. some sunshine and better views), but if the weather we experienced over the entirety of our stay was representative of Tromso in August, I now appreciate that conditions were really rather pleasant.
The race started from the centre of Tromso, so the first (and last) 3 kilometres were on tarmac, crossing the bridge to the mainland and passing through the outskirts of town until we reached the base of the first climb. As the gradient increased I felt my legs start to protest, reminding me of my efforts at the Buff Epic Trail race two weeks earlier. I tried not to worry as I watched Konrad and Jim disappear into the distance, and I let runners pass me until I'd dropped back to a group whose pace I could just about match. We passed the first of the two food stations (5km into the race), and entered into thick cloud. The fog was so dense that we struggled to follow the frequent yellow flags marking the route. Thankfully we suffered no major mishaps in reaching the summit of the first climb, Tromsdalstinden, where we were greeted with cheers of support and ringing of cowbells. The terrain up to this point had been very runnable, mainly short grass with occasional rocks, but nothing technical. Things got more interesting on the descent of Tromsdalstinden, which was not only steep and stoney, but also rather loose, making me appreciate the fact that I didn't have anyone directly behind me. Emelie was strategically placed at the base of this section, and gave us an encouraging shout as we ran past her and onto the steep snowfields, which Killian had mentioned to us in the race briefing. I ran onto the first of these fully intending to glissade gracefully to the base, but instead I slipped immediately, and made a very rapid descent on my bottom, desperately trying to slow the speed with which I was approaching the oncoming boulders. With bum cheeks still stinging, I stepped onto the second snow field determined to remain upright, but once again fell over immediately, and slid down in much the same way as before, although at least I didn't go head first, unlike a certain person I know .
After a gentle grassy traverse we descended a steep narrow path between bushes and small trees, which is where I passed Jim, who wasn't having a great day. After two kilometers of easy flat running in the valley we came to the second food station, manned by volunteers as well as Mr Yogi Tea with his portable stove. I started the climb of Hamperokken, and managed to latch onto the back of a Japanese runner. Conversation was pretty limited, but it was good to have company, and as we gained in height I realised we were also gaining on the runners in front. Feeling good, I pushed on, and by the time I'd reached the ridge I'd gained 4 or 5 places, and had spotted Konrad on the skyline in front of me. The Hamperokken ridge was great, technical scrambling with a bit of exposure, but nothing so serious as to detract from the delight. Exhilarated, I made rapid progress to the summit, where Killian was waiting with his camera, scampering up and down the steep final section like a mountain goat.
The descent of Hamperokken was probably the trickiest part of the race, with a mixture of steep slabs, scree and larger loose rocks forcing careful foot placement. There followed a few kilometres of boulder hopping down a gentle valley, and then a descent back to the second food station. At this point I asked how far in front of the next lady I'd been on the way out (I'd seen no one, so had no idea), and the reply was '10 minutes to second, 20 minutes to third', which was good for my morale as I started the return journey, retracing the outward route to the summit of Tromsdalstind. From that point we descended via a rocky trail (different to the route on the outward leg), and started to pass runners on the shorter Tromsdalstind Skyrace (which had started a few hours later). For the remainder of the race, the terrain was straightforward and beautifully runnable, in particular the gently sloping springy trods through the blueberries. I felt reasonably good, and was able to run most of the final easy 300m climb along tracks to the first food station, which I passed through without stopping, knowing I didn't have far to go. After running alone for much of the day it was bizarre to be escorted by a motorcycle through the final sections in town, which left me to sprint (or not) for the finishing line when the final banner came into view.
The race overall was won by Tom Owens in a fantastic time of 6:45:15, after what had clearly been a great battle with two other British runners, Jonathan Albon (6:53:25) and Finlay Wild (6:55:03). I finished 18th overall and first lady, in a time of 8:43:53, and was delighted to receive a selection of prizes that included a special Alpina watch, and a box of the famous Yogi Tea. We celebrated that night with juice (we discovered that, licencing laws mean one can't buy beer after 6pm in Norway!), and Jim's excellent fish risotto
Thus we spent 3 days ambling through the Norwegian mountains, sleeping for 12 hours a night (in spite of it never getting dark!), swimming in freezing lakes, and picking blueberries to supplement our provisions.
Emelie had told us when we arrived 'Coming to Tromso will touch your soul'. She was right. I can't wait to go back and do it all again.
Thus we spent 3 days ambling through the Norwegian mountains, sleeping for 12 hours a night (in spite of it never getting dark!), swimming in freezing lakes, and picking blueberries to supplement our provisions.
Emelie had told us when we arrived 'Coming to Tromso will touch your soul'. She was right. I can't wait to go back and do it all again.


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Toddler Inflatable Rentals
Smaller fun for your littler one!
While they may be more appropiately sized for your littlest one, there is no shortage on fun in these inflatables! As your toddlers crawl inside, they encounter fun colors, pictures, activities, and obstacles. Click on a picture below to find more pictures and information.
Prices below are for 6-8 hour rentals. Additional information on rental times, as well as, other policies can be found on our FAQ's page.
Delivery rates may apply. Check our Service Areas page for a list of cities and delivery fees.
© Bella's Bouncies, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Bribes Versus Political Campaign Donations : Who Decides When Money Corrupts The Healthcare System Of New York State ?
Healthcare activists, who are fighting for a restoration of a new Level 1 Trauma Center and full-servi e hospital to replace St. Vincent's, are discovering that the larger healthcare system across New York State is broken. Here's how.
Activists are beginning to demand a single-payer healthcare system in New York to put an end to the constant healthcare cuts, layoffs, hospital closings, and corruption that is endemic in the state's broken healthcare system. Just this year alone, witness the bribery cases against MediSys chief executive David P. Rosen and New York State Senator Carl Kruger, each of whom were involved in hospital-related corruption. Two other state assemblymen, William F. Boyland, Jr., of Brooklyn and Anthony S. Seminerio of Queens, are also implicated, according to The New York Times.
The Rudin family head a lobbying group that calls itself the Association for a Better New York. They use it as political cover to portray their billion-dollar real estate deals as "civic-minded" projects. There's nothing "civic" about closing a hospital in order to convert it to luxury condos. Bill Rudin is just another modern-day "Robber Baron."
In respect of the shady closing of St. Vincent's Hospital, our politicians have failed to restore a full-service hospital. Instead, politicians want to replace St. Vincent's with an urgent care center. This is a Band-Aid approach to healthcare, and it is unacceptable !
In spite of the corruption that exists in the state funding of hospitals, operatives for Billionaire Bill Rudin claim that Mr. Rudin owes the public nothing in terms of private support, to make up for lack of public funding to support a replacement hospital for St. Vincent's. There are resources available : Go to Wikipedia, and look up the Hill-Burton Act, which provides federal grants and guaranteed loans to improve the nation's hospital system. Money was designated to states to achieve 4.5 beds per 1,000 people.
Did Christine Quinn Give Up On Saving St. Vincent's In Exchange for Campaign Donations From The Rudin Family ?
In an apparent conflict of interest, Beth R. DeWoody, Madeleine R. Johnson, Eric C. Rudin, Jack Rudin, Katherine Rudin, and William C. Rudin each donated $4,950 to Christine Quinn's presumed 2013 mayoral campaign. During this time, the Rudin family has been trying to salvage a multi-million dollar real estate purchase of the buildings that belong to the bankruptcy estate of St. Vincent's Hospital. Since the Rudin family wants to build luxury high-rise condos on the site of St. Vincent's, do these large campaign donations explain why Speaker Quinn has done nothing to restore a hospital to the former St. Vincent's site ?
At what point do bribes mix-and-match with political campaign contributions ?
Quid Pro Quo : After City Council Speaker Christine Quinn renames the Queensboro Bridge after former Mayor Ed Koch, the former mayor all of a sudden turns up as the temp-to-hire chairman of an astroturf-front group being paid for by the Rudin family, not unlike evil Wisconsin front groups that are union-busters.
In a brilliant YouTube video, the artist and political commentator Suzannah B. Troy compares former mayor Ed Koch to Snooki, seeing as how each celebrity can be hired to show up at night club parties -- or at luxury condo conversions of St. Vincent's Hospital -- if the price is right.
If you haven't yet checked it out, look at how the Rudin family has already managed to rent Christine Quinn.


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21 January 2011, Kuala Lumpur – Found on chessgames.com website is IM Mas Hafizulhelmi's chess game against Jan Emmanuel Garcia at Subic Bay Free Port in the 8th Asian Continental Chess Championship 2009. IM Mas Hafizulhelmi won this game against the Pirc Defense.
For the record, Jan Emmanuel Garcia was a 14 year old Filipino boy during the said tournament.
To replay you may go to chessgames.com or click here. Or use the game viewer below to replay the game between IM Mas Hafizulhelmi and Jan Emmanuel Garcia during the 8th Asian Continental Chess Championship 2009, Subic Bay, Philippines.
(source: recommended by Zullghafari of Johor)


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I am a proud Canadian living south of the border in Cancun, Mexico. I left the snow behind for the sand, and am learning to love my new life!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
The home we are living in is just that "the home". It is not "my home". It usually does not take me long to adapt to new homes, my parents moved around a LOT when I was growing up. This is different - we are still waiting for our furniture to arrive as it's over 3 months late. It's been a real challenge for me trying to live in a place without any of my things, and we don't want to buy too much as we know its' coming...we hope anyways. Also, with having visitors coming and going we feel awful that we dont' have the basics set up for them as of yet.
I don't want to complain too much as I know I have it better than a lot of people. but I am just hitting that point where I miss my freedom. I miss being able to be self-sufficient. I have never had to rely on anyone for anything for as long as I've been an adult. I was very independent and did not mind doing things by myself. Heck, I enjoyed running errands on my own. Now, I am so dependent on my husband as we live in a fairly large city, and I don't feel comfortable enough to drive around by myself yet. I mean I will drive myself to Costco, or to my inlaws, but no more than that.
I'm also missing the ease of things from back home. I kid you not when I say our plumbing goes every other day, and it's always a new issue on top of an old one. The sink leaks, the toilet leaks, the hydro pump breaks, etc... We fix it and a week later they start going again.... WHY? Why can't plumbing just work? Why do I have to take a 2 minute shower everyday in fear that the hydro will go? Oh and our neighbour was stealing our water so I had little to no hot water. I know, shower in the cold - I'm in Cancun, right?
I'm hoping I get over this mood of mine fairly quickly, and I don't blame anyone if you dont' want to read about me getting these things off my chest, but I just need to say some things... Probably a lot more than I have. I don't want to talk to my husband about this too much as I think he is getting sick of me complaining about our furniture, and the house. Not even getting sick of it, but he takes it to heart and I don't want to stress him out. Ahh...life in Mexico... I love it, but why can't things be just a little bit easier? Oh well...in time.
On a plus note - the weather has been amazing, and my best friend is still here for another day.
10 comments:
- Leah Flinn said...
I have those days too. It's been 5 months and we still don't have our vehicle fixed from an oil change gone bad and going on 2 months past due for the carpenter to finish the dining room furniture and bed frame...I can think of countless examples of having to redo projects and fix things all the time. I ask myself the same question - Why can't things just WORK?! But, things will never live up to expectations that are shaped in a different environment. I find myself letting go of a lot of those expectations here, but it's a gradual process. I also use my blog as a sounding board when I need to blow some steam. :-)
- April 8, 2010 at 9:43 AM
We've had 3 plumbers come to our house because the boiler heats up great, but the water doesn't manage to make it to the shower without a lot of work.
I have to walk 2 blocks to my fiance's house to shower whenever I need to wash my hair.
We're moving in 3 months and I can't wait! I'm hoping the water situation is better.
Are you still waiting on customs for your stuff? Hope it gets here soon!
- April 8, 2010 at 10:46 AM
- acjaime said...
I know first hand that Mexican plumbing sucks. BUT it is snowing in Calgary right now. Enough said.
- April 8, 2010 at 5:11 PM
- Amanda said...
girl you know I feel you on the independance thing. And it will come back even if it is very slowly. Im feeling it coming back a little more every month at this point. For sure you should sound off all this stuff in your blog. I feel like you do about not wanting to complain to your husband. Mine still feels a lot of guilt about us having to live here and I hate that. So I keep my gurmping to him at a minimum and usually use my blog or other friends to sound off to.
- April 8, 2010 at 6:45 PM
- Ashlie said...
I understand how frustrated you must feel. Plumbing is a joke here! It seems every week I have to fix a bathroom, a sink, etc. We have been lucky to finally find a great plumber. If you would like his number let me know. Hang in there your stuff will arrive and soon "the home" will feel like your home.
- April 9, 2010 at 12:56 PM
- On Mexican Time said...
Leah - I think we all have those days, don't we? I know that you are right, I have to let go of my expectations, and shape them to this new life and appreciate what is.
Gringation - That is exactly what is wrong with our boiler!!! The water is there, and then it's GONE!!! Wow, walking everyday eh??!! We have an electricity run house...no gas! It's ridiculous trying to fix things here... no one has the parts!!!!
Yes, we are totally waiting on our shipment and it has NOTHING to do with customs!!! Just the TERRIBLE company we used from Canada.
Acjaime - I heard it was snowing there!!! More to come from what I keep hearing too!!!
Amanda - I guess until we learn to speak Spanish fluently we will lose that little bit of independence we don't have right now, right? Well...that's how I see it for me. You SO get it about the "guilt" part on our husbands. I just don't want to complain too much< but at the same time I want to complain enough that the issues get dealt with - PLUMBING!!!!
Ashlie - Welcome, and thank you! It seems like we have our plumber here every other day!!! We do like him, but it's just this house was not maintained AT ALL and things just keep going wrong, and we have to fix it! I wish there were laws here that held the landlord responsible for taking care of certain things. It's far too lax, and really we are now counting down the months left in our lease!!!
- April 10, 2010 at 10:17 AM
- Miss Footloose said...
I feel your pain! Living in foreign countries is an adventure with both the good and the bad. It can be really frustrating, but try and cultivate a sense of humor -- it's the best defense!
- April 10, 2010 at 8:29 PM
- Miss Footloose said...
I forgot, I have a plumbing story for you here. Maybe it will give you a laugh; I know you need one:
- April 10, 2010 at 8:33 PM
- Gringa-n-Mexico said...
Girl blog about this as MUCH as you want because I've been going through the same thing and really understand :) I still feel like "Home" is my parents house so far away even though I DO have my things here.
And gosh, I feel like a broken record with my husband and don't want to bring him down so I've stopped complaining as well. It shouldn't be called complaining though, it's just sharing how we feel and people need to do that.
As for learning your way around? I learned by getting my ass lost a few times :D But a much better way would be for you to go out with hubby once in a while and just DRIVE places :) And make sure that YOU'RE the one driving so you'll for reall pay attention. :) You could make a date out of it! Drive somewhere new, learning territory and try out a new restaraunt each time :)
Hope you feel better soon :)
- April 13, 2010 at 12:08 AM
- On Mexican Time said...
Miss Footloose - welcome, and thanks!! I will have to check out your blog!! You're right, I do need a laugh!!! Humour is the best defense, and usually I do a good job, but too much at once.... You know??!!!
Gringa - Girl miss you long long time!! LOL!!! I SO agree with you about ME needing to drive my ass around town with hubby in the passenger side. He has this wierd thing about me driving his car though, and I don't want a car yet... However, I will explain to him why I need to drive. Heck, I even missed my pilates class two days in a row cuz I didn't know how to get there and back myself!!! This city has grown too fast. I used to have a car here and drive my own ass around!!! OH and we so NEED some alone date nights!!! So that would be GREAT!! You so get it !!!!
- April 13, 2010 at 6:56 AM


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It snowed this weekend in Delaware and once we finished shoveling, we all curled up inside with cocoa to watch football. Schnapps was extra busy knitting this weekend and he came up with a couple of new patterns. The first one is Helicoid. This was a big hit on our Facebook page.......Schnapps hopes you like it too.
Schnapps thinks this might be his new favorite pattern.....there are so many color combinations......next time he is planning on doing the brim in a contrasting color too and using 3 different colors. This pattern is a great stash buster too. A bonus? It's super simple - just stockinette in alternating colors to make the spirals. Of course, he included instructions for all yarn weights because we know every stash has different yarn!
This version was knit using Knit Picks Brava bulky, which is a terrific yarn.....soft and cuddly and machine washable with no wool to aggravate anyone's allergies or delicate skin.
This version was knit with Lion Brand Hometown USA, another washable, non-wool yarn that we love to use for chemo caps.
Scrimmage Stitches is now for sale as well! This e-book is a compilation of 15 hat patterns designed for Delaware Head Huggers. Along with 3 never before published patterns, there are 12 patterns found on the blog, Knitting with Schnapps. Patterns vary in complexity, so there is something for everyone. All patterns include information for knitting them in super-bulky, chunky, worsted and sport weight yarn. 100% of all sales go into supporting Delaware Head Huggers and helping to pay for shipping and supply costs. The book can be purchased at our Ravelry and Craftsy stores or by using the link on the right hand side of this page.
|Scrimmage Stitches patterns!
If you're not a fan of Delaware Head Huggers yet, stop by and "Like" our Facebook page. Help us name the patterns and see all the beautiful hats that are donated. Stop by Kozy Kovers for Kids Facebook page too! We welcome everyone to join us. Stop by and say hello. You can always reach Schnapps or me at email@example.com too!
|Even though the deck is cleared of snow for him, he manages to find some flakes to stick to his face!
HelicoidYou will need 2 colors of 5-weight yarn and size US 10.5 circular needles or some other combination listed below.
k2tog: knit 2 stitches together
Using Color A, cast on 64 stitches, place marker and join, taking care not to twist stitches.
Work Brim: Using Color A
Row 1: knit all stitches
Row 2: purl all stitches
Repeat Rows 1 & 2 until your work measures 1.5 to 2 inches in length, ending with a Row 1.
Work Body of Hat: Using Colors A & B
All stitches are knit stitches.
Row 1: *2a, 2b*; repeat around
Row 2: *1a, 2b, 1a*; repeat
Row 3: *2b, 2a*; repeat around
Row 4: *1b, 2a, 1b*; repeat around
Repeat Rows 1 -4 until piece is about 6 to 6.5 inches in length.
Work Crown: Using Only Color A
Row 1: knit all stitches
Repeat Row 1 until piece is about 7 inches in length.
Crown Decrease: use dpn's when needed
Row 1: *k6, k2tog *; repeat around
Row 2: *k5, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 3: *k4, k2tog *; repeat around
Row 4: *k3, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 5: *k2, k2tog *; repeat around
Row 6: *k1, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 7: *k2tog*; repeat around
Finish: Cut working yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail. Draw the tail through the remaining stitches, cinch closed and secure. Weave in ends and share.
If using 6-weight yarn, use size 13 needles and cast on 48.
If using 4-weight yarn, use size 7 needles and cast on 88.
If using 3-weight yarn, use size 5 needles and cast on 104 stitches.
The pattern is worked over 4 stitches, but the crown decrease is worked over 8 stitches.
Feel free to use a third color and make the brim a contrast to the body.
Experiment and enjoy!
If using 4-weight yarn, use size 7 needles and cast on 88.
If using 3-weight yarn, use size 5 needles and cast on 104 stitches.
The pattern is worked over 4 stitches, but the crown decrease is worked over 8 stitches.
Feel free to use a third color and make the brim a contrast to the body.
Experiment and enjoy!


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Photo by Michael Ochs
Whitney Houston's official cause of death was revealed last week, concluding that the singer died of accidental drowning, with complications stemming from heart disease and drug use. And although she was buried in her hometown Newark, New Jersey in February, fans are still paying tribute to the late star. Die hard Whitney fans took to the streets in San Francisco this past weekend to put some of their best dance moves on display, during a flash mob.
No Further Investigation Into Whitney Houston's Cause Of Death
On Friday evening, participants suddenly stormed The Castro neighborhood of San Francisco, dancing to the tune of Houston's hit "I Want to Dance With Somebody."
The L.A. County coroner has revealed that accidental drowning was the official cause of Houston's death, adding that cocaine use and heart disease were also contributing factors. According to the report, traces of cocaine were found in Houston's system at the time of death along with Xanax, Flexeril, marijuana and Benadryl, which officials said played no role in her death.
No cocaine was found in the singer's room when she died, but coroner spokesman Craig Harvey noted that cocaine metabolites were found in her system, leading them to conclude that Houston was a chronic user of the drug. A number of prescription pills were recovered in the Beverly Hills hotel room, but officials from the coroner's office said there wasn't an unusual amount of medication.
Houston, who died at age 48, was laid to rest in her hometown of Newark, New Jersey, during an invite-only funeral service at the New Hope Baptist Church on February 18.


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Whichever avenue you chose to meet your dental needs, remember that an abscessed tooth is no laughing matter. Seek out care because your life may depend on it.
Image via Wikipedia What you don't know about abscessed tooth can kill you. Left untreated some of the complications can range from Ludwig's angina or facial cellulitis to septicemia, and from brain abscess to endocarditis. All of these are serious infections that can be fatal. An abscessed tooth is considered a medical emergency and can be treated at your local emergency room. If you are disabled, elderly, or medically compromised and can not afford proper dental care and do not qualify for state aid then you may qualify for Donated Dental Services provided by NFDH. The NFDH is a charitable affiliate of the American Dental Association and they have a network of 13,000 volunteer dentist and 3,000 volunteer laboratories. They also offer house call services to those that can't get to a dentist office for whatever reason. There is also another service that provides dental coverage known as CHIP for children under the age of 19, and in some states their parents, who are low-income but do not qualify for medicaid. This is a resource for any medical condition that will sometimes provide free prescriptions and care that is often overlooked and that is clinical trials. Check their website often to see if you or experiencing symptoms for a disease that they are researching. Clinical trials that are specifically geared toward dental problems are provided by the NIDCR. You can also obtain care at your local health department. And lastly, you can find quality dental care at a discounted price at your local dental college. Some dental schools and dentist for that matter will sponsor and event certain times of the year where they will provide free services for the low income. Another place that you can check is at Free Medical Clinics/Camps All Over the USA for a clinic in your state.


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The verse that has been in my head all day is John 15:13, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
I don't know that this scripture completely applies to soldiers, but Memorial Day always makes me reflective of the sacrifice that so many have given to preserve our nation's freedom and protect us from harm. Politics aside, there is evil in the world. I am grateful for the brave men and women who give up their comforts, conveniences, safety and sometimes so much more to keep some of those evils as far from me and my family as possible.


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... where it's not about the camera.
Aerial view of New York City, circa 2100 a.d. . . . .
We have a similar eye! Love this shot...the closer the better I always say! Nice shot. I would love it if you would look through my archives and let me know what you think!
Post a Comment


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Meet Me in Venice MovieMovie Meet Me in Venice Movie HD with duration 90 Min and released on 2015-07-02 and MPAA rating is 1.
- Original Title : Meet Me in Venice
- Movie title in your country : Meet Me in Venice
- Year of movie : 2015
- Genres of movie : Drama,
- Status of movie : Released
- Release date of movie : 2015-07-02
- Companies of movie : Fu Works, Submarine, OneBigAgency,
- Countries of movie : Netherlands,
- Language of movie : English,
- Durationof movie : 90 Min
- Average vote of movie : 8
- Youtube ID of movie : -kyPYf8Mlok
- Translation of movie : EN,
- Cast of movie :
- Beppe Costa ( )
- Roberta Petzoldt ( )
- Nikola Rakočević ( )
- Meral Polat ( )
Meet Me in Venice Synopsis:
Watch Streaming Meet Me in Venice Liza is a young Dutch woman who travels to Venice to meet her Italian father Mauro. Mauro has not seen Liza since she was three years old, when he and Liza's mother decided to split up. Mauro has traveled the world since as a musician. When Liza is in Venice it turns out there is more in store than just a couple of days in Venice. He takes Liza on a musical voyage along the route of the Orient Express. A trip that will eventually take them to Istanbul. Full Meet Me in Venice For Free
! Enjoy free Meet Me in Venice online movie without downloading. You can watch online movie streaming in HD 90 Min length. Watch streaming movies online free trailer below and also watch full length Meet Me in Venice Megavideo streaming movie on HD without investigation. You can watch the film with or without downloading here
Director : Eddy Terstall, Writer : Eddy Terstall, Writer : Erik Wünsch, Producer : Peggy Stein, Producer : San Fu Maltha, Producer : Bruno Felix, Producer : Femke Wolting
Yes, now you can Watch Movie Meet Me in Venice Full Movie Streaming and get the link to Meet Me in Venice In HD


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"No, no. This is not sushi! This, is Kimbap!"
Well, they told me. They were a great group of guys and gave us a wonderful lil' baby gift that we still have hanging above our son's doorway...and he is 8! So, here's to you boys of the Korean bachelor pad. My recipe for KIMBAP!
Truly, it's not much of a recipe as it is a procedure. You can really put whatever the heck you want in it.
Some things that are traditionally found are:
fried egg
pickled radish (takuan)
imitation crab meat
The list could go on forever. You could even do BBQ beef and coleslaw or chicken, spinach and bacon!!
Some items that you most definitely will need are:
- Kim (roasted seaweed) - you can find this at any Asian market or I have even seen it at WalMart...if you are desperate.
- 4 cups cooked rice, short grain. Make sure the temp is warm. Not hot, not cold...warm.
- sesame oil
- toasted sesame seeds, ok this is optional...but if sure makes it taste and look good!
- bamboo rolling mat


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This is our version of this lovely "Easter Garden" that I have been admiring
for the last couple years on the internet.
I love that my children can be involved collecting the items needed for this project,
can help planting the seeds, and the wonderful visual that it is in reminding us
of the great sacrifice that Christ made for us that we remember at this time of year!
For some wonderful tutorials on this project:
For some wonderful add - ons:


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Jamie Lewis Quotes
Today's enterprise IT architecture is about integrating systems to meet business needs. Consequently, IT architects can't - and don't - live in a vacuum. To address that reality, Catalyst Conference 2006 will delve into strategic infrastructure technologies with the depth to which our clients have grown accustomed. With the larger number of Cross-Cutting Concerns sessions, we'll also clearly illustrate how these technologies relate to each other, and how roles, geographies, and business processes intersect within an enterprise.
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Sunday, June 23, 2013
Nature's Sleep FREE Slippers!
Posted by Our 365 Days at 2:12 PM
What says "I'm ready for a good night's sleep!" more than a soft pillow and a good pair of slippers? Nature's Sleep memory foam pillows offer the ultimate comfort for your head and neck. Imagine resting your head in the cloud of luxury a nature's sleep memory foam pillow provides, while giving your feet a treat with our memory foam slippers. Right now when you buy a Nature's Sleep pillow at full price, you will get a pair of our slippers FREE . We will ship your purchase for free too! Use coupon code FREESLIP and it will add a pair of slippers to your order. Then just email email@example.com with your order number to get your free pair! This sale runs from June 23 to June 29, and is offered for the U.S. Only.
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Microsoft announced General Availability of PowerBI, and brings many of its cloud features to the desktop.
Jen Underwood reveals the splendor in PowerBI Desktop. PowerBI Desktop can be published to a Pyramid Analytics server for on-prem solutions. PowerBI isn't just in the cloud anymore.
Microsoft acquires Datazen, and some multidimensional dashboards come out of a DataZen server in SQL 2016.
SQL 2016 with R & JSON integration. Hold up, Revolution Analytics is coming to SQL? JSON in SQL? No more FOR XML madness?
New JSON support in T-SQL, the SQL Server query language, includes OPENJSON to parse JSON text and return tabular data, JSON_VALUE and JSON_QUERY for querying JSON data, and ISJSON for validating JSON-formatted text.The syntax for the R external functions seems suspiciously familiar to what Apache Hive provides..
PIP INSTALL JUPYTERML Blog Team talks about Jupyter Notebooks for Azure ML Studio and Nitin Mehotra gets us started with Zeppelin Notebooks and Apache Spark on Azure HDInsight.
Michael Erasmus gives us an interesting mashup of Python and SQL running in a Jupyter notebook.
What's nice about this is the inline SQL statement, effectively removing the need for quoting & appending multi-line SQL together. What else is useful is the ability to capture the results of the SQL query as a data frame for analysis and visualization.
A similar method might be used with MDX queries and Analysis Services OLAP cubes.
Perhaps if you have some web services connected to Excel Services or PowerPivot, this method could get really useful for exposing your data. I would imagine writing some DAX queries nicely formatted in Jupyter python and returning data frames to R would be of interest for a couple people... well maybe just me. ;)
Speaking of DAX...
Kasper de Jonge writes about SQL 2016 includes over 50 new DAX functions
Some of the cool ones are Natural Inner Join,
CONCATENATEX(Employees, [FirstName] & " " & [LastName], ",")
Returns "Alan Brewer, Michael Blythe"
SUBSTITUTEWITHINDEX (Left Semi Join in PowerPivot?)
ADDMISSINGITEMS (What do you mean we have no sales for March in Tuvalu? We need to see a March column for Tuvalu on the report!)
Only 46 functions left to check out...


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The electric Cars from Silverstone : Delta E-4 Coupe
Delta E-4 Coupé is the result of the development of electric cars Delta Motorsport - based at Silverstone circuit. E-4 can accelerate from 0-96 kpj less than 5 seconds. And so wonderful you just need to browse the contents of batteries up to 320 km.
Advantage E-4 could not be separated from a few steps. First use of carbon composite on the chassis - designed and contrived KS Motorport Delta Composites - so the car weighs only 85 kg. The weight is 2 / 3 lighter than steel chassis structure, yet still pass the test of a hit in Europe.
The next key is cooperation with Oxford University and Oxford YASA Motors - produces a torque of 600 Nm and power motor 120 hp and weighs only 23 kg.
Third, the position was made to sit low and battery buried beneath the floor in order improving handling and reducing aerodynamic constraints.
Delta Motorsport was founded by Simon Dowson and Nick Carpente in 2005. Both are experienced in the world of motorsport and automotive. Development of the Regional Development Agency financed a car for the area East Midlands, EMDA
Labels: new cars


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Thus began my search for a play makeup set.
Toys R Us has a Disney Princess makeup kit that looked promising, but after further research I found out that it was REAL nail polish (quite flimsy according to one review) and pasty lipstick; so... no thanks.
Toys R Us also had some vanities... but that's not what I really wanted.
I was oh so tempted by this Mini-Play Makeup set... but $34 it a tad pricey in my opinion.
I HAVE purchased a $12 plastic vanity set from Target but it's not exactly what I was looking for. It also has a (plastic) hair dryer, straightener, and some clips. Also, I don't like giving my kids toys and presents for no reason because then they'll want everything NOW... so I am holding onto it until Christmas (if ever).
So in the meantime, I have decided to make her her own make-up set. Searching through my makeup box I found a shattered blush compact from a drug store, so I emptied the contents in the trash and wiped it out. Then I used a pinkish nail polish and brushed the inside of the compact. Voila.... pinkish blush.
Add in some
Here was this morning at the big reveal:
|Trying the blush
Next I am going to give this eye shadow that I saw this morning a shot from Parenthacks.com and from Smashed Peas and Carrots AND at Polka Dot Daisy (clearly I was not the first to come up with using nailpolish as fake makeup, lol).
I'll let you know what else I find!
Linking up: Tatertots and Jello, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Bacon Time, Delicate Construction, Ladybird Ln, Faith Trust and Pixie, Young & Crafty, Lamb Around, Nifty Thrifty Things, CRAFT, Creating my Way to Success, Marvelously Messy, Keeping it Simple, Making the World Cuter, Running with Glitter, Girl Creative, Sarahndipities ,crafty moms share, Vintage Wanna Bee, Chef n Training, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Not Just a Housewife, Homework, Blackberry Vine, Gingersnap Crafts, My Girlish Whims, Sew Much Ado, Southern Lovely


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- happyheidi1984
- 5 years ago
- Wedding: June 2014
Hi Bees!
While I speak in front of people for a living, I have never emceed a wedding. I've seen some emcee's flop pretty bad and I don't want to be one of those. I've got the basics – keep it short, simple and on time. I will need to fill a bit of time with some advice/jokes/whatever. Any suggestions of great things to say that aren't over done??


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Thursday, July 21, 2011
in a book of fiction, is it acceptable to use real blogs or website addresses?
Posted by stevenallenmay at 3:45 AM
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My obsession with books is herein pronounced. In addition to seeking and collecting books; I also publish, write, alter, blog about, and occasionally pulp them as well. Fortunately, my wife is terribly understanding. Thanks Katy


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Mediocre: Of moderate or low quality, value, ability, or performance; ordinary, so-so (Mirriam-Webster dictionary).
We die a slow but nearly painless death when we cease striving for excellence and instead settle for mediocrity. Our passion is reduced to passivity, and we unknowingly begin to allow ourselves to think that what we do no longer matters. Our intimacy in relationships is replaced with isolation, and we slowly begin to feel loneliness despite the fact that we may be surrounded by others. We allow ourselves to become complacent, experiencing neither gut-wrenching pain nor profound joy. We simply exist.
I don't think this is the life God designed for us. I believe that Colossians 3:23 moves us to work at our tasks heartily – from the soul – as something we do for God and not for others; our Creator knows that we are less than fulfilled when we settle for mediocrity. As heirs to the Kingdom of Christ, we were created for so much more and feel inadequate when we stop striving to be our very best in ALL aspects of our lives.
As for me, I don't want to leave this earth knowing that what I did was mediocre. I'm not satisfied to have average relationships with my husband, my children, my family, or my friends. I don't want to simply exist – I want to experience all the joy, pain, exhilaration, and heartache that this world throws my way because experiencing these things means I am ALIVE – and if I am ALIVE God must still have a purpose for my existence.
What do you do when the people around you settle for mediocre and you strive for something more – for something extraordinary and excellent? Particularly, how does one cope with the frustration that accompanies the desire for passion and intimacy versus passivity and aloofness? How does one reconcile the "what could be" with the "what is?" Frustration becomes imminent and, before one knows it, distance creeps in and begins to separate individuals because they no longer desire the same outcome. Relationships become strained, silence becomes common, and shallow conversations are the best one can hope for.
Uh oh…
For those dissatisfied with mediocre, how does one balance desire for more with a desire to keep a relationship intact? Can two dissimilar approaches – the contentment with mediocrity and the pursuit of excellence – coexist for the long haul without significant friction or dissolution? Can friendships and other intimate relationships survive dissimilar approaches from the individuals involved?
What do YOU think?
Colossians 3:23 – "Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men." (Amplified Bible).


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Orca wrote:I am so scared about my pet and how it will look! LOL. I morphed a fairy with a defense pig. This should be very interesting :]
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FRANKLIN - For a team not used to playing at a breakneck pace, the Franklin boys basketball team looked awfully comfortable at one last night. Coming off two home losses last week, the Panthers pulled away down the stretch to top Mansfield 82-73.
For a team not used to playing at a breakneck pace, the Franklin boys basketball team looked awfully comfortable at one last night.
Coming off two home losses last week, the Panthers proved they can be equally adept at running and gunning, as opposed to its more conventional halfcourt style. Franklin scored nearly as many points last night as it did in its previous two games combined, pulling away down the stretch to top Mansfield 82-73.
"I wanted to compete, and we competed very hard," Panthers coach Dean O'Connor said.
That competitive spirit was most evident in the face of adversity. The Panthers led by as many as 14 midway through the third quarter, but the Hornets, just as they did in the first half, chipped away at the huge deficit.
Mansfield, which had cut the lead to 58-51 at the end of the third quarter, took the lead with 4:55 to play on a strong drive to the hoop by Rodney Chance (16 points).
Unfortunately for the Hornets, O'Connor called timeout, and seemed to light a fire under his club - Franklin scored on its next three possessions to go up 68-63. Mansfield did its best to hang around, until Ryan Spencer hit a dagger of a 3-pointer to put the Panthers up 75-69, and Matt Palazini connected on a long jumper to go up eight with 1:55 left.
"They really played like they had just lost two games at home," Mansfield coach Mike Vaughan said. "I knew coming in that they weren't going to roll over and die."
Panthers sophomore guard Matt Dean led the way with 21 points, although Spencer may have been the most pivotal player down the stretch. Spencer scored all 13 of his points in the second half as the taller Panthers were effective in slowing the pace down and pounding the ball inside.
"He's our best 3-point shooter, but also developed taking the ball to the basket, and taking advantage of the fact that people will go out on him," O'Connor said of Spencer.
Forward Palazini added 17 points for Franklin (9-5, 7-4 Hockomock), which used a starting lineup of players all standing at least 6 feet, 2 inches.
It was a much-needed win for the Panthers, who scored just 40 points in their loss to Sharon on Friday. Franklin eclipsed that total by halftime, taking a 46-37 lead at the break.
"We really needed this win to boost our confidence and get back in the hunt for states," Spencer said. "It was a lot more up-tempo than we were used to, but we adjusted well."
Franklin couldn't have asked for a better start, jumping out to a 21-8 lead before even five minutes had elapsed. But as friendly as the baskets were in the opening moments, they turned sour long enough for the Hornets to respond. Mansfield used a 16-0 run into the second quarter, taking the lead on Jameson Dingle's 3-pointer on the quarter's first possession.
The lead was traded for most of the period, until the Panthers scored the final eight points of the half, going into the locker room up nine on Sean Hassell's fast-break layup at the buzzer.
"That just tells you that you have two quality teams," Vaughan said. "You have a team that can get up on a run, and a team that can battle back."
"They're going to have a run on you - you just have to try to respond and get good shots," O'Connor said.
O'Connor spotlighted the play of senior Drew Leenhouts. Normally not a starter, the coach inserted him into the starting lineup last night. And Leenhouts shook off early foul trouble - he collected his third before the first quarter had ended - to have a solid game with eight points and nine rebounds.