text:
Sometimes a combination of flavors both suprise and delight and this recipes falls into this category.
4 cups grated parsnip
4 leeks, cut into thin rings then washed
4 eggs
1 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp salt
ground pepper
Combine and fry small pancakes in a small amount of oil.
Horseradish Remoulade
1/2 cup veganaise or mayonaise
1 tsp horseradish, fresh or prepared (the kind in a jar) or to taste
2 Tbls parsley
1 Tbls catsup
Combine in a blender.
Serve the parsnip cakes with a dollop of the sauce.
We served these this week-end with a pea shoot and kumquat salad.


text:
The polish I chose as a background is a super pretty coral. It's bright, but at the same time nudges towards pastel. Perfect for spring, if you ask me! Unfortunately I didn't like the way this applied as much as I love the color. It was bumpy and streaky and I just could not get it nicely evened out. Coverage was good, but it really needed a good layer of top coat to smooth it out.
- Maybelline Color Show 342 Coral Craze
- Random pack of water decals I had laying around

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Udon Reject
It's amazing how much you can hate a piece of art that you were so excited about only a week ago. That's the case with this image right here. It will forever stand as a reminder of my rejection and the long hours I spent to earn it. But the bright side is that since it didn't win the contest and make it into the art book, you get to see it for free.
Several of my friends at work who also entered the contest pooled our artwork together to look at it before the winners were announced. Two of them actually won, but the one I thought was the best didn't make it in either. It shouldn't make me feel better... but knowing that art THAT good is sitting on the cutting room floor next to mine makes me feel like there could be any number of good pictures the judges couldn't include. That will help dull the sting until I buy the book and see what kinds of art the judges deemed better than mine and Adam's.
Posted by Hawk at 1:40 PM 3 comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
(Note: For those who don't understand all the Mormon lingo in this post, here's the shorthand. For a time I was the leader of my congregation's - Brenner Pass - women's group, and this post is deidcated to those women.)
Dear women of the Brenner Pass ward:
Last week I attended my new ward's Relief Society birthday activity. We had an amazing dinner and beautiful music. I had fun chatting with my new friends. But, sitting there and looking around at all of the women, I felt like something was missing. I realized that there were so many women I didn't know and whose lives I knew almost nothing about. And, I missed you, deeply.
For that moment I remembered how close I felt to all of you and the love I had for each one of you. I shared so many moments of joy with you and moments of sadness and pain. I knew your children and your husbands. I knew your worries and I worried with you.
As much as I love our new ward, there is a hole in my heart without you. Thank you for letting me into your lives and for being my friends and my sisters. I miss you terribly. I wanted you to know that. But, most of all, I wanted you to know that I love you.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Love Letter to Brenner Pass
Posted by kimberlina at 12:44 AM
5 comments:
- Lacey said...
I know the feeling. It's hard to move. I hope with time you make great friends in your new ward. xoxo.
- March 29, 2012 at 6:19 AM
- Parker Family said...
We miss you!
- March 29, 2012 at 11:51 AM
WHAT!? You moved again!? Where are you now?
Lorie misses you, too, even though it has been so many, many years!
- March 31, 2012 at 3:01 PM
- Jen Johnson said...
So sweet! I miss you all! We miss you! So much has changed. New RS President, people moving in and out! :) Life is sometimes a revolving door but the longer we stay in one place, I guess we develop a closeness to those around us. You will with your great ward family up there in time! :)
- April 1, 2012 at 6:33 PM
- Aimee said...
I miss Brenner Pass so much too! I miss you and your family and I hope you are happy and doing well!
-Aimee Orr
- April 12, 2012 at 8:23 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
IFoundYourCamera was featured in an article by Brad Stone in the Apr. 8 edition of the New York Times.
A reader commented on my quote that when people are given the opportunity to the right thing, they'll take it. The reader questioned the statistic, and said that although they go out of their way to return lost items, their lost items have never been returned.
What do you think? Do you think people will do the right thing when given the opportunity? And if your lost camera hasn't been returned yet, do you write it off as stolen, or think that it just hasn't been found yet?
Please discuss.
You can reading the New York Times article by clicking here
IFoundYourCamera was featured in an article by Brad Stone in the Apr. 8 edition of the New York Times.
15 comments:
- Cath said...
I think, most of the time, people will try to do the right thing. However, I've been shaken in this belief by recent events.
I stupidly left a ziplock bag full of Gameboy cartridges outside of a gate in an airport, and didn't realize it until the plane was already in the air. When we landed, I hustled over to baggage claim, where they called back to my original airport and, miracle of miracles, they had my bag! I left my contact number and etc. so that I could catch my bus, and the lady said I would get a call in about two days about shipment.
That call never happened. When I called back on the fourth day (giving them some leeway), they said they had no record on file, no physical games, and my tracking code that I had been given was too long for the computer's system.
So yeah. I'm not sure what to think now.
- April 8, 2009 at 11:51 PM
- Flor said...
I'm an optimist. I believe MOST people do go out of their way to find the owner (the ones that don't are either thieves or mean) but with cameras there isn't really a good way to find an owner, until now.
Think about it, if you find a camera on the street or something, how do you go about finding the owner? Most people ask around, maybe stand there for a bit to see if the owner comes back, but unless you have some contact number, you won't be able to return it. So, I write mine off as stolen.
Even now, not everyone knows about this site. But, I believe the people who do will try to use this site to return them.
- April 9, 2009 at 1:45 AM
- Nicole said...
As always, it depends on the person. Some people are not bad, but they just can't be bothered (which often applies to recycling and the like).
- April 9, 2009 at 10:32 AM
- David said...
I like to think most people do the right thing. It's the minority that ruin it for us all. We know where we lost our camera, but the person who would have found it won't admit it. Sigh.
- April 9, 2009 at 12:55 PM
- Anonymous said...
I think it is generally true. While visiting a park in the Santa Clara area in 1986 I drove off with my wallet on top of my car. Six months later it was sent back to me in the mail with the cash and all credit cards but no note. So I could not thank the person who found it - I'm not even sure they took any money to pay to send it back to me.
- April 9, 2009 at 1:15 PM
- megan said...
I wrote my camera off as stolen, because it literally was, at gun point. That guy OBVIOUSLY wouldn't "do the right thing." But there's always two sides to a coin and I subscribe to your blog thinking one day someone might come into possession of that stolen camera and at least want to send me the card from it.
So I believe it's 50/50 out there. Half will do the right thing and half will just screw you over.
But then again, if I never do see that card again, I might feel differently. We'll see...
- April 9, 2009 at 1:50 PM
- Lizet said...
I do believe that people will do the right thing in returning lost property to the rightful owner.
3 yrs ago I left my wallet (full of credit cards, lots of cash, my ID AND my social security card!) on a newspaper stand in Phoenix International Airport and while it did take 4 months for someone to contact me about it, I got it back with everything still in it.
since then I have lost smaller things that have been just as important as my wallet and haven't gotten them back, I still believe that people will return lost items to those they belong to - or at least try to get them back to the owner.
- April 9, 2009 at 4:37 PM
- Lyn said...
I dropped my wallet outside my apt. building in New Orleans. Someone did end up using my bank card to buy things, but then about 3 weeks later a woman returned the wallet and everything but my bank card (cancelled by this point of course) and stamps were in it. She claimed here son "found" it. She took a risk in bringing it back to me so I could have all the items in it again.
- April 9, 2009 at 6:54 PM
- katie in virginia said...
i believe that in most cases people will choose to do the right thing. this largely depends on circumstance. with respect to found cameras in particular, there are not many resources (in fact, i know of none other than this blog). therefore, upon finding a camera, lots of people would have no clue that there is a way to reunite an owner with his or her camera. that being said, i am a hopeless optimist...
- April 9, 2009 at 10:59 PM
- Anonymous said...
I definitely agree that most people will make the effort to do the right thing. It's just not always possible. This site at least provides a new avenue to help folks out, and I think that's a great start!
Years ago I found a roll of film, curious about who might have lost it, I had it developed. I'm not sure what I ended up doing with the photos (party at someone's home if I remember correctly), but I would happily return them if I found the owner. I don't even care about the cost (probably wouldn't have even when I had them developed, but at this point - it doesn't matter any more).
If I can find them, I will definitely upload a few scans.
- April 10, 2009 at 9:28 AM
- Kae said...
katie in virginia: i am intrigued by the seeming paradox of a "hopeless optimist"! =)
- April 11, 2009 at 3:45 PM
- Allison said...
I lost my camera a year and a half ago in Rome, Italy. I immediately wrote it off as gone. To this day, I'm still devistated over the lost images (my first vacation with my boyfriend to Florence, my friends, etc.). Although it's been so long, your site gives me an ounce of hope that someone will do the right thing and try to find me. I know that's naieve, but I'm still crossing my fingers.
But maybe that's just because I would turn in a camera if I found it. Maybe I'm too nice? I'd hate to believe that about the world.
- April 11, 2009 at 11:34 PM
- Anonymous said...
I believe some people WILL do the right thing, but I know some will not. That's just how people are. What goes around comes around, that's my philosophy...
I have a return address label pasted into the inside of my camera case. If I ever lost it, I would hope the finder would return it. If they don't, that's their bad karma, but I know I would return it if I was the finder.
I've found many things, mostly purses, wallets, cell phones and more than once, lost people (a handicapped man who could not speak but got off his class bus by mistake, children, and dogs). The most impressive was a (large) diamond ring in the ladies room at the Pismo Beach Marie Callendar's restuarant. Thank goodness the new bride (she was married the day before) came back within 2 hours.
The woman at the gift shop and I later became friends and she told me they came in to claim it, the husband didn't know how to calm his wife's tears and she told them to go sit together and talk. An hour later, the wife came in and thanked her before they left, saying, basically, "We don't share, thank you for teaching us how to share (as they started their life together).
I've often wondered if they are still married and how the loss and finding changed their lives. :)
You never know whose life you will touch or how, so I strive to do the right thing daily.
Be well...
PS I posted because I am originally FROM Santa Clara, where the above poster lost his wallet. Glad to know my hometown does the right thing ;)
- April 24, 2009 at 8:20 PM
- Anonymous said...
I believe it depends on circumstance. If you are destitute and find a camera, you sell it, you don't see it as a personal item or a favour just survival.
If you are angry and see loving photos you may pull an FU an delete everything and keep the camera.
Lost a camera in the past? do what you wish had been done for you and try your best to return the camera. Completely luck and circumstance.
Having said all of that. It is much eeasier in every circumstance to return a camera and or memory card(purse, wallet or other items) if it is clearly labelled.
- April 24, 2009 at 9:45 PM
- Topher E said...
My former sister-in-law works for the company that runs ferry boats out to Catalina Island. She says they have countless cameras turned in to lost & found that are never reclaimed.
- January 10, 2010 at 5:26 PM


text:
I've often complained about Japan being too bright. I like low brassy light, soft lamps or whatever. In Japan, cafes and bars and restaurants and drugstores and grocery stores are equally super florescent.
Post-earthquake/tsunami, we've been threatened with blackouts, so everyone's trying to save power, and the city's been dimmed. At first I sort of liked it -- and still kind of do, I mean, my eyes are spared the usual florescent assault, and we're saving electricity, and it gives a sense of community, kind of, like we're all working together to get through this.
Then I went to Shinjuku tonight, and here was the neon jungle, switched off, in the dark.
You know where this is. It's where Bill Murray first arrives in Lost In Translation -- one of the most recognized tacky blinking flashing electric vistas in Tokyo. And now the screens and signs are shut off, and you can barely see the faces of the loiterers.
It's spooky. See Kimura Takuya up there atop the ALTA? He's been there for as long as I can remember. He is the holy guardian of the East Exit and his majesty is now cloaked in shadow! You get used to seeing things as they essentially are, and then you see them like this, and it makes you uneasy. You know?
Here in Tokyo, we're just reading the news, hoping for the best, mourning for those up north. Some have left for other countries or for the south. Some of us still have emergency bags packed. Most of us are fielding scary emails from abroad, pleas to get away from here. It's a strange time to be here, but me and mine are okay, and I hope the same for everyone else. Best wishes, best luck.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Don Quixote
If you buy a per-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-rsonal item at Don Quixote, it is lovingly wrapped in very discreet cloud-patterned paper. Then it goes into an opaque black bag. Duh. I guess ran into some apathetic cashiers in Shibuya on this particular day. Thanks, Donki. Let's have no shame. Surely my reputation was only mildly affected among salarymen-in-the-know as I wandered home.
Posted by Beth Roeser at 10:46 AM 5 comments:
Labels: tips
Anytime Anywhere
Where I come from, you can't buy booze after 2AM. In Japan, I sometimes head for the station at 6 in the morning past bars full of grisly owls still throwing back beers -- and hard liquor is sold alongside instant noodles and potato chips in convenience stores.
Posted by Beth Roeser at 10:38 AM 1 comment:
Labels: tips
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Be a part of something Big. Start something.
It pays Big dividends.
Research shows that our mentoring works. Children with a Big Brother or Big Sister show real differences in their personal and academic lives. They are more confident in their schoolwork performance, they get along better with their families and they're 52% less likely to skip school.1
Your support goes far.
Your financial support helps us provide our programs and services in our community—so we can develop more college grads, community leaders and entrepreneurs.
Roughly 90% of every dollar goes directly to making and supporting matches between Littles and Bigs.
Your financial support Starts Something..
• Recruiting new Big Brothers and Big Sisters
• Safety: Background checks, ensuring trained professionals match Littles to responsible and likeminded Bigs
• Enabling ongoing supervision, training, and relationship support for every Big, Little and Little's family
• Providing cultural and social activities to enrich the lives of our youth


text:
It's time for another product review and giveaway!
You will love this new body wash from Dial.
Introducing the newest body wash from Dial...Coconut Water Refreshing Mango!! I loved this body wash! It has a nice, refreshing scent and it leaves your body squeaky clean without any soap residue. Coconut water seems to be the leading trend right now with it being full of antioxidants and electrolytes that provide replenishing hydration. Add a touch of mango fragrance and you have a body wash that make you feel like you're on a tropical vacation!
To be entered into the giveaway, please leave a comment of your favorite current body wash. Winner will be chosen on Friday, August 8th and will receive TWO FREE PRODUCT coupons for Dial Coconut Water Refreshing Mango Body Wash.
**The Dial brand provided me with a sample of Dial Coconut Water Refreshing Mango
body wash in exchange for a product review.
However, all the opinions expressed here are my own.


text:
Today is day 1 of our 10 day whole food challenge! Basically that means nothing processed (unless it has 5 ingredients or under) and no sugar. So far so good...I cooked so much today but I have a ton of leftovers to use for the next couple of days. Here is what we had. If you didn't catch the post about our ten day challenge it's here.
Breakfast: Whole Wheat Banana pancakes and strawberries-These pancakes were so yummy and so filling. I have a bunch left over for tomorrow!
Snack: fruit leather
|Daiya rolling out a tortilla
Snack: sprouted pretzels
Dinner: Fajitas on homemade tortillas- Woah...these things are an undertaking. The recipe makes a ton though and the kids loved helping, but the whole process took about an hour and we hadn't even started the other parts of the dinner. My tortillas in no way came out round, but they did taste delicious and I can't wait to use the leftovers to have wraps for lunch and snacks!
Dessert: pureed fruit popsicle
|Finished pile of tortillas


text:
As far as my son knows, there was a dragon in his head.
This dragon was big and scary and made him feel sick.
But as far as my son knows, we stomped that dragon out.
The idea of Xavier's cancerous tumour being a dragon in his head came from a movie that had been given to me by another mom of childhood cancer. Paul and The Dragon is a powerful 20-minute video of a young boy with cancer. Although it is generic (not about brain tumours), and there are no words, it is incredibly telling. For any family who has been through a similar experience, you will instantly connect with this boy and his family.
And for my kids, who are very young and don't exactly understand medical terminology, the story is easy to understand and has provided a great foundation for how to talk to them about Xavier's journey with cancer.
The movie was so popular among my kids that it became part of our regular Friday night movie rotation. My son even requested it while he was in the hospital again in June.
It has now become a trigger for me... I know he is worrying or feeling some strong emotion connected to his traumatic experience when he asks to watch Paul and The Dragon. It's his way of opening the dialogue between us and an opportunity for me to calm his fears.
My son doesn't understand what incurable means. And to him, the dragon in his head is gone... for now. We explained to him that doctors needed to go in and take the dragon out. When surgery did not go as well as expected (only part of the tumour could safely be removed) we told him they got most of the dragon except his tail. During radiation, we used the dragon again. An special invisible beam of light was going to be shone into his head and break the dragon's tail up into tiny little pieces so it couldn't bother him.
These explanations seemed to satisfy his inquiring mind and made it not so scary for myself as well. He knows the dragon could come back. But we don't talk about that. Right now, we tell him we stomped on that dragon!


text:
Robert Griffin III continues to make shoe headlines this offseason, as he partook in yesterday's Easter Egg Roll at the White House in a festive pair of his signature adidas cleats.
Griffin's teammate Pierre Garcon, who captured the moment on his Instagram account, pointed out that the Redskins quarterback is probably the first person to wear cleats inside the White House. It's been a busy few weeks for RGIII, as he recently unveiled a brand new logo for his signature line with adidas, as well as a brand new "Carmoflauge" colorway of his signature cleat.
RELATED: Everything You Need To Know About the adidas RGIII Cleats
RELATED: Breaking Down RGIII's Stats According To Cleat So Far This Season


text:
1/1/09 $2.97 Starbucks Hot Chocolate
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
2010 Beginning Challenge!
1/1/09 $2.97 Starbucks Hot Chocolate
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Here Comes The New Year!
Friday, December 18, 2009
$10 Coupon For Tinker Bell & The Lost Treasure Blu-ray DVD Combo Pack...
Just click HERE to sign up and get instructions on how to print your coupon. Apply the coupon somewhere where it is on sale, and save even more! Coupon expires Dec 24th, 2009. :)
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Danger Week!
These feelings can wreck havoc on your wallet. When you start to feel this way, take a deep breath, and step away from the store! You have had this planned for 5 weeks now. You will not be paying off credit debt in the new year. You will not have a drained bank account because you have been smart. Find some cheap or free activities to do with the family to take your mind off of shopping and get in to the true spirit of the season. Bake, be festive, and have a very Merry Christmas. :)
Friday, December 11, 2009
Barnes & Noble Coupon... 25% off one item...
Click HERE to get a coupon for 25% of one item at your local Barnes & Noble store. Coupon expires 12/17/09. Read the fine print for any exclusions. :)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Bath & Body Works Coupon... now with a working link :)
Yikes, sorry about the link people! Please click HERE for the coupon for a free item (up to a $13 value) with any $10 purchase at Bath & Body Works. (Excludes 3-wick candles, Scentbug and Gift Sets.) Coupon is good through Dec 24th. :)
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Kohls EXTRA 15% or 20% off coupon... 3 days only...
Monday, December 7, 2009
Free Wall Calendar... Just pay shipping!
Thanks Lisa for sharing, and welcome to Frugalityville! :)
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Close To My Heart Scrapbooking...
However, if you DO scrapbook, you need to check out the Holiday Heyday Clearance Sale going on at my friend Brandie's site. You can get items for as low as a dollar, but you better not wait, it is while supplies last through Dec 17th. Just click HERE to check it out.
Kohls EXTRA 15% off coupon... 3 days only...
FREE Christmas Music From Amazon...
This Week at Smiths...
- Sara Lee Homestyle Pies & Breyers Ice Cream $2.29/each when you buy a combo of THREE
- Coca Cola 2 liter Products $0.79/each
- Bananas $0.39/pound
- Fresh Selection or Dole Garden Salad $1/each
- 24 pack Kroger Water (16.9oz bottles) $2.50
- Hot, Lean or Croissant Pockets $1.89/each
- Kroger Orange Juice, gallon $1.99/each
- Ritz Crackers $1.99
- Kroger 8oz cream cheese or 16 oz cottage cheese, sour cream and dips $0.88/each
- Cross rib roast $1.89/pound
- London broil $2.49/pound
- Boneless pork chops $1.99/pound
- Pork loin roast $1.79/pound
- Fresh boneless, skinless chicken breast $1.99/pound
- Betty Crocker Cake Mix $0.79/each
- Kroger Flour 5lb bags 4/$5.00
- Kroger Granulated Sugar 4lb bags $1.99/each
- Betty Crocker Brownie Mix $0.99/each
- Hershey's Baking Chips 3/$5.00
SATURDAY DEC 5th ONLY 7am-midnight: 50% off Kellogs, Keebler, Kashi or Sunshine regular retail. Combine this with coupons and you could be taking home some stash!
Choose From... * Keebler Chips Deluxe Cookies, 14.5 - 18 oz. * Keebler Club Crackers, 9 - 16 oz. * Keebler Fudge Shoppe Cookies, 8.5 - 12 oz. * Keebler Graham Crackers, 14 - 32 oz. * Keebler Multi-Pack Tray Cookies, 11.5 - 16.8 oz. * Keebler Sandies Cookies, 9.5 - 16 oz. * Keebler Vanilla Wafers, 12 oz. * Keebler Zesta Saltine Crackers, 15 - 16 oz., * Keebler Town House Crackers, 9.9 - 16 oz. * Kellogg's Cereals, 20 oz. Raisin Bran, 11.4 - 14 oz. Special K, Select Varieties, 17 oz. Frosted Flakes, 12 - 12.5 oz. Froot Loops, Corn Pops, Apple Jacks, Rice Krispies, Crispix, 16 oz. Frosted Mini Wheats or 24 oz. Bite-Size Mini Wheats * Kashi Heart to Heart Cereal, 12 - 13.4 oz., * Kashi TLC or Heart to Heart Crackers, 8 oz. * Kellogg's Fruit Snacks or Yogos, 4.2 - 9 oz. * Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Bars, 10.4 oz. * Kellogg's Pop Tarts, 22 oz. * Kellogg's Rice Krispie Treats, 5.9 - 12.2 oz. * Kellogg's Special K Bars, 3.8 - 4.7 oz., Select Varieties * Sunshine Cheez-It or Party Mix, 9 - 21 oz., Select Varieties(*Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any misprints by the grocery store chains OR by me. Check your mailers to confirm prices, or go here to the Smiths website to look at your local AD's for yourself.)


text:
Well. Hmm... Nearly 4 months late. And there is really no excuse (that isn't cliche). Everyday I check my email, everyday I see the MULTIPLE month reminders to write this letter and everyday I can't figure out how to start. And today I am starting.
We are VERY quickly approaching your third Christmas! And this year you are starting to get it. Every morning you wake up and look at the still lit Christmas tree and say quietly, "Oooohh... it's Kwistmas Day!" with awe in your voice. And I always say not yet. And you smile and happily go about your day. We haven't emphasized the whole gift part of Christmas this year. Seeing Santa was about visiting and getting candy, not about what gifts you wanted. So the REAL Christmas morning is gonna blow your mind. We spoiled you just a little. Baba and Dido may have gone a bit more overboard... they probably did. We'll see in a week.
Santa 2012!
This year, though, you helped us decorate the tree. Every time you put an ornament on the tree you proudly exclaimed "I DID IT!" and then came in for a high-five. You also were pro at handing ornaments to baba and dido, then telling them where to hang everything. So much personality, Maddy. So much joy at life and smiles for everyone.
Putting up the tree
I re-read the last post, and you have grown up so very much since then my love. You are now developmentally ready for pre-school (you'll be starting in the new year) and you can follow simple instructions and are starting to get time sequences (we'll do this, then that, then a third thing). You take your socks off, and put them on. Take your coat off and put it on. Although still you are reluctant to make transitions if you are not told what to expect. Go with the flow, you are not. But let the idea sit in your head and moments (sometimes literally moments) later you are good to go.
Two and a half on the left and one and a half on the right.
You know all letters and their sounds, for the most part. Sometime you miss that some letters have 2 sounds, but will still get one of the two sounds. You spell out words you see, on TV, in books, as we're driving. You LOVE counting things now. "Mommy only TWO hands!", "Mommy, dere are TREE dogs". Along with counting comes holding your fingers up, to indicate the number of items you see. Adorable! You can count the 29, but sometimes get caught on thirty (calling it twenty-ten). Counting to 29 was easy for you, I was going 21, 22, 23... and you recognized the pattern and finished for me - which is the reason for the twenty-ten.
We aren't into the "why" as much yet. When we ask why you seem unsure what to say:
"Mommy! I am VEWY upset!"
"Why are you upset Maddy?"
"Because.. the basket... didn't go... to outer space... on an egg..."
"Oh... right. Of course?"
My girl.
Although you do know when you are upset or scared and tell us how you are feeling. The last few nights you have had nightmares, which have upset you greatly. Again, not able to tell us what they were about, it was just so apparent that you were heartbreakingly sad.
You still love to snuggle next to me and watch videos on youtube. And you still love elephant movie. Although there are others we watch now, like French (aka Shrek 2) and Madagascar. But now you play with us. You love to get us to "shit the ball" (aka shoot, aka throw/roll in random directions). You love to make daddy play cooking with you, on your tiny little play kitchen. And you are still content to play off, by yourself. Making up games and stories and "reading" books.
Along with the fun, I am also trying to instill in you some chores. When you get home you are asked to take your coat to the front door. Most of the time you just bring back the coat and the hanger to me, when I am still at the back door. But it's a start! You also turn the light on in the living room. And daddy taught you how to use a flashlight to turn the overhead light on in your room (although off is still a challenge). You insist on going into the fridge to your your own snacks and milk (and opening the milk jug, then often licking the lid. We don't give your milk to guests...). You will only wear white socks now. Colours and patterns are forbidden. And you will only wear your daycare shoes and one pair of boots. Which you actually had a fit when we put on, but the sneakers in the snow? Not gonna cut it.
All this to say, your independent streak is really starting! Although it's not SO bad that we can't often distract, distract, distract (and get our way). For now. Only for now. I know it will not last. And? I am really ok with that. I have a girl who isn't yet a pushover, who isn't yet told by society what she can and cannot do. What she can be. I need to hold on that, on to her stubborn independence, and nurture it. Everything else will be busy trying to break it...
Maddy, my girl. I love you endlessly. Always know that you will always be loved.


text:
We wanted to update with a wonderful praise. God has saw fit to sell our home in three weeks. Needless to say with the economy and housing market this is not something that was likely to happen. However, we know who is control:) As you can see God is apparently wanting us in Kenya.
Please pray that we find a place to rent in the next week. Also for all the packing and moving that is going to occur in April. Our closing date is April 21 which is also the first day of the mission conference at our church. So many exciting things are happening!!!! Pray also for Aaron's mom, who lives with us, and is also finding a place and moving at the same time. So much going on but leaning on the Lord each step of the way. Please keep praying for our family as we continue this trek to get to Kenya.


text:
Thursday, 6 April 2017
11 comments:
So beautiful. Loved 2nd pic.Awesome.ReplyDelete
Just gorgeous reflections! I guess that little path in the first picture is for walking and staying off the plants.ReplyDelete
Love the reflections - and those lush gardens.ReplyDelete
Hello, pretty fence scenes. I love the reflection on the water and the pretty flowers.ReplyDelete
Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!
Is that early morning light? Lovely spot.ReplyDelete
Fabulous reflection photos!ReplyDelete
Love the reflections you found. Looks like you had a fine walk.ReplyDelete
Love the reflections, Margaret... Beautiful....ReplyDelete
Have an awesome day and weekend.
Lovely shots, especially the reflections.ReplyDelete
Lovely to be so close to this place Margaret, I would be there at every opportunity. Photos are fabulous, and I especially liked the reflections.ReplyDelete
Such lovely scenery for your walk.ReplyDelete


text:
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Shooting Himself in the Foot
(Must admit to being glad my kids aren't in classes like this. )
HT: Key Words
3 comments:
Thanks for the link! I agree, that it is easy to make a fool of yourself in front of a large audience, but in this case, there were a FEW things he could have avoided doing that would have averted this mess:
he used a loaded gun.
He chambered a round.
He treated it like it was a prop - not a loaded weapon.
He left it off safe.
He pointed it at his foot.
He pulled the trigger.
It could have been worse, there's a split second before it goes of that the gun is pointed at the guy on the right side of the room off camera.
- 3:51 pm
- ChrisF said...
I managed to set fire to my self (well shirt sleeve ) on a bunsen burner, when demostrasting safe bunse burner use to some Year 7 kids...... :-)
- 5:26 pm
- Carlotta said...
Lol...sorry - have an appallingly infantile soh in this sort of regard. Hope you were OK!
- 5:51 pm


text:
Hallmark Holiday! Ha!
We've never really celebrated Valentine's Day around here. Not between the man and I anyway. (We have our reasons - namely that you don't really need an 'official' day to show someone you love that they're special to you) This year seemed a little different because the new video game system arrived today, and the girls and I went to visit K5 so we had to stop and get her a present. (the man is still sick with the flu. He better not share! And K3 had a meeting.) And I got those living in my house chocolate, too.
K5 is a riot! She constantly throws herself into my arms, gives me hugs and kisses, and tells me everything. I love it. She pouted when we left, which made me sad. She's psycho for Sesame Street - namely Elmo and Abby, which cracks me up. I saw every one of her toys, including her fake knife that she sticks in her pocket and pulls out at random times. It was a very good visit.
The new video game system seems like a lot of fun. We didn't have too much of a chance to check it out since everyone (but the sick man) had places to go and things to do. The kids played the dancing game for a few minutes, but that's as far as we got. Tomorrow's another day though.
Another long day though. Mostly good, but very busy.
And I wrote! A decent amount, too! My brain is working on this new story and I like it.


text:
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Connie-Wings 'N Things
8 comments:
Connie, this is so stunning! The butterfly embellishment is so pretty! You did a remarkable job on this.ReplyDelete
Gorgeous card! I love the butterfly also. :) LoriReplyDelete
Lovely card Connie, the card's shape is what's unique and the beautiful butterfly is a wonderful thing to top it off.ReplyDelete
lovely card, it is so soft and sweet. neat embellishments alsoReplyDelete
This is gorgeous Connie love all your details and those dies are just wonderful.ReplyDelete
Best wishes, Sharon
Connie- this is BREATHTAKING! What a GORGEOUS creation. I love this image, always have, but even more with your creation.ReplyDelete
Such an elegant card, Connie. Love what you made with this fabulous image. The colour choice is fabulous and the filigran butterfly a perfect addition.ReplyDelete
Hugs, Karina
This is so pretty. The colors are fabulous and your design and that butterfly is just gorgeous.ReplyDelete


text:
The Indie Book Blog posted a review of Flank Hawk, the audiobook version narrated by Michael Slusser.
Click on over and see what was said.
Link: Review - Flank Hawk by Terry Ervin audiobook
Monday, August 12, 2013
Indie Book Blog's Review of Flank Hawk (Audiobook)
Posted by Terry W. Ervin II at 9:02 AM
Labels: Audiobook, Flank Hawk, Indie Book Blog, Michael Slusser, Review
2 comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
After winning the Municipal, Congressional and Provincial folk dance competition, the Leganes Day Care Folk Dancers represent the province of Iloilo in the recent concluded Children's Regional Congress last November 5, 2010 at SM City Iloilo.
The event was spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and was participated by different provinces in western visayas which includes, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Negros Occidental and Iloilo.
Even though the Leganes Day Care Folk Dancers placed First Runner Up, still they have proven that being Leganeans are something to be proud of. To all of you, Congratulations especially to the teachers, trainers, parents and the lovely, talented and cute little dancers.
Here is their performance:
3 areas in Iloilo City watched for New Year violence - At least three areas in Iloilo City will be closely watched by authorities to prevent possible violence among some of its residents during the New Year rev...
1 hour ago


text:
I just got finished reading Kristine C. Smith's Code of Conduct, the first of her Jani Killian novels. They were originally recommended to me on John Scalzi's blog, and I've got to say, I'm fascinated.
Smith's a Chicago area SF writer, and her day job (pharmaceutical product development) crosses paths with mine (software for the pharma industry), so there's an interest there too (I'd thought perhaps I'd worked with her in the past, but no, different company).
Code of Conduct follows Jani Killian who's been hiding out for 18 years after nasty fallout of a political situation with an alien race, the Idomeni. They're prehaps not as fleshed out as some of CJ Cherryh's, but they are at least truly alien, and it's impressive. The main idomeni character, Tsecha, doesn't think like we do. He thinks in different idioms, struggles with "humanish" concepts (toward the end of the book, his aversion to bodily contact makes him uncomfortable when the prime minister says he's "pulling her leg"), and has goals and influences that cross the human characters' objectives, but at different angles.
The characters are interesting: broken, on edge, stressed to their limits (another similarity with Cherryh), and the fact that there are a couple more books leads me to hope I"ll learn a lot more about the idomeni. But it's not perfect. Smith gets a little obsessive with a few "futurisms" in the language such as "trash-zaps" in every room which dispose of waste, "dispos" which are disposable containers, and "skimmers" that cover everything from gurneys to coffee carts to cars and trucks in various sizes and shapes. I'm hopeful her writing matures -- there's more books I want to read. I'd also hoped for more biotech in the story given her day job -- I'd expected a bio-oriented resolution to the story which may yet come in a subsequent book. More reading to come -- book 2 is in my suitcase. That reminds me -- I need to write more about Len Deighton too.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Local talent: Kristine Smith's "Code of Conduct"
Posted by Joel at 10:45 PM
Labels: Books, Reviews, Science Fiction, SF
2 comments:
- Anonymous said...
Hello--saw your name on a Scalzi post, and wondered, is this the guy who emailed me?
I don't know if future books will offer the biotech solution which you seek. I like politics, and Jani's biology plays into that. But strictly speaking, the solutions I devise aren't SFnal because there's more than tech involved.
Thanks for reading.
- Anonymous said...
And yeah, the terms...they bugged some people. Other folks either didn't notice, or got used to them. I believe I reduced the usage of some of them as the series went on, but I stayed with a few.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." Bertrand Russell
"He who studies books alone will know how things ought to be; and he who studies men will know how they are." Charles Caleb Colton (1829)
Looking out for number one:
"...the reason for this essay is to somewhat counter the irrational belief that many people have that the various groups -- the government, the military, the law enforcement agencies, the universities, and others associated with the public welfare -- are acting to improve your life and mine. They are not. They are acting for their own selfish reasons. That is not to say that some of what they do will not benefit you and me."
"The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same." Stendhal
"We must never forget that if the war in Vietnam is lost, the right of free speech will be extinguished throughout the world." Richard M. Nixon
"The Americans will always do the right thing... after they've exhausted all the alternatives." Churchill
Not all wants are equal:
"The special-interest-group effect occurs whenever the costs of a government program are spread widely...so that each person who pays the cost pays only a small amount...and the benefits of this program are concentrated...so that each beneficiary receives a substantial amount. The beneficiaries have an incentive to lobby for the program while persons harmed by the program have no incentive to lobby against it."
"Democracy treats us as though we are children on Santas knee. It encourages each voter to express wants without that voter having to bear personal consequences for expressing such wants. The one big difference between actual shopping-mall Santas and politicians is that the Santas soon forget what each child wants and feels no obligation to try to satisfy these wants."
Last Words:
"...what is not true, as everyone knows, is always immensely more fascinating and satisfying to the vast majority of men than what is true. Truth has a harshness that alarms them, and an air of finality that collides with their incurable romanticism. They turn, in all the great emergencies of life, to the ancient promises, transparently false but immensely comforting, and of all those ancient promises there is none more comforting than the one to the effect that the lowly shall inherit the earth."
"Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good." H. L. Mencken
"If voting could change anything, it would be illegal." Graffiti
Sunday, April 23, 2006
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Design Commission Review
2 years ago
Ann Erdman is the Public Information Officer for the City of Pasadena, California. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.
Hope you get to relax.
Take your time for R & R. Just make it back home in time for the DDP.


text:
1 Chr 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
Satan was involved in this decision. The verse that comes to mind is when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness.
Luke 4:3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Jesus resisted the devil. What was asked Jesus, He could have done; He could have turned a stone into bread to fulfill his hunger, but by doing so he would be following the command of satan. David was leader and as Moses did before him, he could have ordered a census, but at this time he was willingly being led by satan. This should cause us to think about the things that we decide to do; are they the leading of the Holy Spirit? our flesh? or the enticement of satan? David had the Holy Spirit, so he knew that he had God with him. You are aware when you sin, for the Holy Spirit brings conviction. When David was convicted about his affair with Bathsheba, with the help of Nathan the prophet, he prayed this Psalm.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psa 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Psa 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
Psa 51:15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Psa 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
David issues a command
1 Chr 21:2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.
1 Chr 21:3 And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?
Joab, the captain of David's armies gives David a warning. Why are you taking a Census to know how many fighting men there are? My thoughts are that Israel was to trust in the LORD their God and not in the numbers of their army. The LORD is the commander and protector of Israel. This Census must have some plan to it; will you impose a tax on the people or collect tribute? Will you force people into the service of the king? Will you register swords and put a tax on them to discourage the possession of a weapon? These are current problems I see in our country, when a ruler or dictator wishes to control the people. Whatever the reason, Joab sensed that it was a trespass. We should listen to our close friends, they may see when we are trespassing against the LORD.
1 Chr 21:4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.
The king's word prevailed, he was strong in his command against the warning of Joab and Joab went to take the census.
1 Chr 21:5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.
There is a difference in the number of men in the same account in 2 Samuel.
2 Sam 24:9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
In 1 Chronicles 21:5 the sum was 1 million 100 thousand men and in 2 Samuel it was 800 thousand valiant men. The cause of the difference in the count may be in the word "valiant"; these valiant men were experienced fighters. Possibly the other number was referring to all men of fighting age; all who could hold a sword.
How about todays army in Israel? a year 2000 census revealed the following numbers:
Available for military service
1,499,186 males, age 17–49 (2000 est.),
1,462,063 females, age 17–49 (2000 est.)
Fit for military service
1,226,903 males, age 17–49 (2000 est.),
1,192,319 females, age 17–49 (2000 est.)
1 Chr 21:6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
The Levites were for God's service only. The tribe of Benjamin was a small tribe bordered on Jerusalem.
1 Chr 21:7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.
He was displeased that David followed satan to do this prideful thing and he smote Israel. How were they smitten? How does God strike against our own nation to show his displeasure?
Isa 31:1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!
Isa 31:2 Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.
1 Chr 21:8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
David appealed to God only, when he had sinned. When we sin, we sin against God. He has defined what is sin and what is obedience; we answer to him.
Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
1 Chr 21:9 And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying,
Gad was a prophet, who first was heard urging David to return to the land of Judah in 1 Sam 22:5. Gad had a message from the LORD to tell to David.
Three Choices
1 Chr 21:10 Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
1 Chr 21:11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee
1 Chr 21:12 Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
1 Chr 21:13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
David trusted the mercy and justice of the LORD more than any mans judgment. This is a good example for all of us. Too many seek the arm of man instead of God.
1 Chr 21:14 So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.
The census is no longer accurate, for the LORD had 70,000 killed. Some may say that this is not fair, but who are we to question the wisdom of God?
Lam 3:18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
Lam 3:19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
Lam 3:20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
Lam 3:21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
Lam 3:22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lam 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Lam 3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Lam 3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
Lam 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
1 Chr 21:15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
The LORD ordered the death angel to stop killing and it was in a certain place that the angel stood between the earth and heaven.
1 Chr 21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
They humbed themselves before the LORD in sackcloth.
1 Chr 21:17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.
David is showing his love for his sheep, a type of Christ, the intercessor for his people. From sin and judgment comes humbling, repentance and a new heart seeking after the LORD.
1 Chr 21:18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
Gad was to tell David to set up an altar on Ornan's threshingfloor. Ornan was called Araunah the Jebusite in 2 Samuel.
2 Sam 24:18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.
1 Chr 21:19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.
1 Chr 21:20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.
1 Chr 21:21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground.
1 Chr 21:22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.
1 Chr 21:23 And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.
Ornan the Jebusite, having seen the angel was more than willing to give all he had to David.
1 Chr 21:24 And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.
He wanted to buy it all at a fair price from Ornan called Araunah.
2 Sam 24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
Silver or Gold?
1 Chr 21:25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight.
Perhaps the difference in the sums was that the gold bought the whole mountain where the threshingfloor was located. This was mount Moriah where the temple was to be built.
1 Chr 21:26 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
Fire fell from heaven to consume the sacrifice as it did when Elijah prepared the sacrifice before the prophets of Baal.
1 Ki 18:37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 1 Ki 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
1 Ki 18:39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
1 Chr 21:27 And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
1 Chr 21:28 At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
1 Chr 21:29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.
1 Chr 21:30 But David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
1 Chr 22:1 Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.
This was to be the worship place for all Israel; the place where Solomon's temple would be built. David had found the LORD's will again. What began with satan ended with God's blessings. David's people paid for David's sin with many lives. The mercy and grace brought David to a new place of worship. If we seek the LORD, even as we fail him, he will bring blessings and new direction to us. Remember this and stay close to Him.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Thursday, March 7, 2013
The news inside Plain Dealer is painfully gloomy
In view of the Plain Dealer news room's mission to report the news, the absence of news about the people who are supposed to report the news of others has left the staff in a state of day-to-day suspended animation. And hardly feeling secure in their line of work.
The problem, of course, is the presumed impending doom of the state's biggest and often most puzzling newspaper (as we now know it), a deeply ensconced establishment journal that has tight-roped for years through local issues in a diverse city that has needed little encouragement to become unruly.
Ever since the word got out last year that the PD's absentee owners were serious about slicing another third of the paper's news staff (58 from about 165 is the operative number) and had a track record of reducing publication to thrice-weekly in other cities, it was only natural for reporters and on-site editors to wonder about their own survival. You still won't get an answer to the fate of the yet-to-be named outcasts. The hit list won't be known, we were told by staff sources, until May.
Nobody is more frustrated by the current lull in the action than Harlan Spector, the Guild president who has sat through meetings with the brass that recently ended with still more union concessions and few specifics about the layoffs. In a way, the Guild faced the option of death by hanging or firing squad.
"I'd love to know what they're planning," Spector said when I called him a few days ago. The "they" in this instance is Advance Publications owned by the Newhouse family. The company has already revealed its course with other papers in its grasp with something called the Michigan model. It started with the conversion in 2009 of the Ann Arbor News from print to digital. Along the way, the owners squeezed such papers as the New Orleans Times-Picayune into a three-day format. That seems to be where the PD is headed, if the speculation rules the reality. Some time in the spring, the PD's readers could be getting the paper on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday - if the current subscribers decide they want it at all.
Again, Spector and others on the staff with whom I spoke can do no more than rely on Advance's past actions. Besides, they suspiciously noted that Editor Debra Simmons and Managing Editor Thom Fladung just visited New Orleans when the Mardi Gras was only a memory.
"Everybody's on edge," a veteran reporter told me. "There are no decisions being made here - it's all being handled by the (Advance) New York office where the guys are preparing to do it (expletives deleted)."
The talk now is that the paper will see the rise of "curators" - a post -journalism term about the folks who will post news on the Internet. I'm not at all familiar with the precise process and will leave it at that. However, it has been evident for some time with the challenge of digital news that newspaper owners almost never inject the word "journalism" into their outlooks. It's become a meaningless distraction to the business model and therefore undefinable in today's alternate communications universe.
Journalism as it was once known didn't disappear overnight as it was painfully debilitated by the space-time speed of electronic transmission in the palms of a new generation's hands.
Still, during the print media's slow trek to the graveyard, it would be nice to meet somebody high up in the business slip in a nod to journalism just so we have a hint of what nobody on Wall Street seems to be talking about anymore.
1 comment:
The blame for the decline and demise of newspapers is so widespread and persistent that it's almost impossible to center on one cause. Is it rooted in the multi-city aggregation of newspapers under a corporation that then went public and submitted to the sharks of Wall Street and private investors with no other purpose than to maximize profit margins? Is it attributable to the rise of the Internet and the failure of publishers to figure out a plan for digitizing their news product and establishing a new source of revenue? Is it a spreading public apathy for caring enough about the democratic process of self-government that they believe they don't need a sentinel to stand vigil over elected officials or the economic manipulators who largely control their lives? Take your pick. I'd choose "all of the above." The consequence, alas, of the diminishing presence of newspapers -- apart from the loss of talented people who gather and package the news -- is the heavy blow it deals to the preservation of an informed electorate, indeed to democracy itself.
- March 9, 2013 at 4:56 PM


text:
This time I want to write about
The IdeaWhile using an Arduino MEGA 2560 with the Ethernet shield I've discovered that there are still a lot of unused and free pins available.
These pins include:
- ATmega2560 external memory interface (22-37, 39-41)
- +5V and GND
The DesignFor aesthetic reasons I wanted to make a *duino shaped board so I've downloaded the Arduino Mega 2560 reference design form the Arduino homepage to get the exact measurements for the pins and the board outline. Based on that I was able to create a EAGLE library with some templates (board outlines and connectors) to create own shields for the Arduino Mega.
The MistakeAfter a lot of checks of the EAGLE *.brd file and additional checks of each of the Gerber layers I've ordered the the PCB at OSH Park. 24 Days later I've found the boards in a nice purple envelope in my mailbox.
I quickly unpacked the PCBs, fired up my soldering station and searched for some pin headers in my assortment boxes. Just some seconds after I have found the pin headers I have discovered that they do not fit trough the holes of the vias - I experienced a strong feeling of disappointment/frustration :-(
A cigarette later I decided to investigate what went wrong. I have discovered that the drilling of all vias in my design of the board where only 0.8mm and a diameter of at least 1.0mm is necessary to put pin header trough the holes. I've decided to make the holes of the vias for the connectors to the Arduino 1.2mm and the rest of the holes of the prototyping area 1.1mm.
I also have updated all packages in my EAGLE Arduino library
But even if the pin headers do not fit to the board I was able to see that it would fit nicely. So I have ordered the updated revision of the board directly again at OSH Park. In 3-4 weeks I will see the final result.


text:
May 9, 2010
Hobby Lobby, please, please take a lesson from Target on how to handle returns.
When I took my purchases out of the Kohl's bag today, there was a slip asking me to participate in a Customer Service survey.
Without much hope I logged on to see if I could actually provide some useful feedback. Of course, I couldn't. There was the standard set of questions, none of which addressed the problem with the store.
I wanted to say, "I work at a retailer down the street from your store, and you would be very distressed at how many times I hear, "I was in Kohl's, but got out of line because it was moving too slowly, and came here instead."
Wouldn't you want to hear that? I would. That is something I would definitely want to fix.
Other survey answers I would love to give
I would tell Target:
"Enough with the Red Cards already! Your interest rates are too high, your rewards are too few, and people are too credit savvy to sign up for more credit cards with only the promise of a 10% discount!" I would further suggest that, since they do popcorn so much better than the movie theaters, they should take over the movie theater concessions. If they still have their hearts set on pushing Red Cards, they can offer a 15% (NOT 10%) discount on concessions. That's a fast, instant reward that people can relate to!
(In fact, I did actually write to their corporate headquarters with that one. Got a very nice response, too. But they're still pushing the Red Cards, and I don't see their popcorn in any movie theaters.)
I would also advise Target that, although the clothes in the stores are very attractive, they don't really fit anybody. I suspect that that's one reason that their sales numbers keep tanking. Invite Mossimo and Mizrahai (sp.?) to use real women as their models. It's not just me. A woman I know who has the tall, slender figure beloved of fashion designers says the clothes don't fit her, either. But boy, do they look nice on the rack!
If the Target designers would keep their beautiful designs, yet let their clothes have the fit of Penney's St. John's Bay line, they'd clean up.
I would ask Wal Mart why they persist in having only 2 non-express lines open in stores where they encourage you to do ALL your shopping. How many people do their weekly grocery shopping, plus clothing, toys, and hardware, and have 20 or fewer items? And yet...
So either make your surveys worthwhile, or skip them. You're just wasting paper and annoying people.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Haha, looks like 1st Ramadhan goes quite slow and unproductive. I've been secluded in my room whole day online and doing web socialising. Until I realised OMG its already 7. Haha there no more time for foodshopping. I just grab the keys and went to the nearby mamak store for the old classical maggi goreng and iced milo. Then just went back for rest before going for a short terawikh. Hurm, I didn't decide yet what to eat for sahur tomorrow. Probably gonna went out for a food hunt after this. U r right folks, its gonna be a food month. haha
1st Ramadhan11 08 2010


text:
Anyway someone has got themselves a good deal and I hope they enjoy their new purchase.
Tribute to the three Raj brothers G D Paulraj, G D Arulraj and G D Thyagaraj and some of my experiences when I lived in India.
Admirer of Paul Raj Paintings
- Gold Finch
- Paul was born in Kodaikanal on 22 September 1914 and died on 2 October 1979. G D Arulraj was born in 1925 and died in June 1972 while visiting India. Arul worked at Laguna Beach in the 60's and 1970's. G D Thyagaraj might have been born in 1922 and I am told that he probably died sometime before 1981. He moved to northern India as a young man. I lived in India as a child and spent a lot of time in Calcutta. My mother purchased several paintings directly from Paul Raj while living in Madras and this got me interested in his works. I then discovered he had two brothers Arul Raj and Thyaga Raj who were both fantastic artists. I could not find much information on the internet so decided to set up my own blog. Subsequently a Facebook tribute site has also been created to the memory of the three brothers. Contact me at: email@example.com
Wednesday, 24 September 2014
G D Paulraj - Doing the Dhobi
This is a water colour by G D Paulraj that recently sold in the USA for $103.27 which converts to only £63.31. It shows a group of men and women busy washing clothes "Doing the Dhobi". I cannot decide to some extent it looks unfinished or faded or maybe it is fine, it just looks a bit washed out at the top of the painting but quite an interesting composition.
Posted by Gold Finch at 09:00 No comments:
Labels: $103.27, £63.31, Dhobi, Doing the Dhobi, G D Paulraj, USA
Monday, 22 September 2014
100th Anniversary of the birth of G D Paulraj
While checking my blog this morning I just realised that it will be the 100th anniversary of the birth of G D Paulraj. Therefore I have decided to add his photograph to the blog this morning, it is one that I have added before. According to information I was given he was born on 22 September 1914.
Posted by Gold Finch at 08:27 1 comment:
Monday, 15 September 2014
G D Thyagaraj - Camels at the City Gates
This is the second painting that was purchased by Waldemar at the thrift store, just to clarify he said they each cost $16.99 which is still a really good buy. It shows some carts being pulled by camels leaving the city gates. We have seen this composition before and it can be found under the title "City Gates x 2".
The green square that you can see is the price sticker from the Thrift Market. Once again thanks for sharing with me.
The green square that you can see is the price sticker from the Thrift Market. Once again thanks for sharing with me.
Posted by Gold Finch at 07:59 No comments:
Labels: $16.99, Camels at the City Gates, G D Thyagaraj, Waldemar
Wednesday, 10 September 2014
Bishop's College Calcutta around 1959
When my parents were first in Calcutta after they moved from Madras the family lived in a rented apartment connected to Bishop's College at Ballygunge in Calcutta. Today I came across some photos of the college at this time, I could be a few years out with the date. The first photo below is of the student accommodation that looked out onto a grassy square where the students used to play volleyball for recreation.
The second photo is of the Chapel in the college grounds which was just over the fence from where the family ended up living at 67 Ballygunge. You can see a student ringing the chapel bell calling the congregation to attend a service. Now I think back I can remember the bell being rung.
The final photo shows a group of students having a meal.
Posted by Gold Finch at 08:16 No comments:
Labels: Ballygunge, Bishop's College, Calcutta, Chapel, Mealtime, Student accommodation, Volleyball
Sunday, 7 September 2014
G D Thyagaraj - Market outside of the Mosque
I am adding one of two photos sent to me by Waldemar who I think is in the USA. He contacted me after seeing my blog, he had spotted two paintings by Thyagaraj in his local thrift store. After doing his research he said he was going back the next day to but them apparently they were for sale at the bargain price of $16.99 each. Thanks for sending me the photos Waldemar.
It looks a nice painting, unfortunately there is a bit of reflection on the photo. I will add the second painting in a day or two.
Posted by Gold Finch at 17:39 No comments:
Labels: $16.99, G D Thyagaraj, Market outside of the Mosque, Waldemar
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Explore Further◄ Browse by Call Number ►
Subject Headings
I liked this movie when I was a kid. The setting is great Pacific northwest and richard Harris is excellent. Root for the whale !##
For fans of bad movies, this is a must. Clearly trying to duplicate the success of Jaws, this replaces a killer shark with, you guessed it, a killer whale. The fine cast (Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, Chief from "Cuckoo's Nest") plays it straight, but this is cheesy fun.
There are no ages for this title yet.
There are no summaries for this title yet.
There are no notices for this title yet.
There are no quotes for this title yet.


text:
AND, I stamped tonight. we are putting a basket together for "bids for kids" - the theme is "red", hence the red cards!
Day 29:
"Get back on track. Slip ups are normal and they don't mean failure. Instead of beating yourself up for your mistakes, tell yourself that one error doesn't mean much. Don't wait until tomorrow, next week, or next month to get back on track start right away. Put your mistake into the past and move forward. Even the most successful people in the world make mistakes!"
yeah, but they learn from their mistakes. I, have been using this whole "mistake" notion as an excuse. yup. done with this one.
Day 30:
"Everything is a choice. You choose to watch TV instead of walking, or to de-stress by eating instead of talking to someone. Before you act, stop and ask yourself if this "solution" will really help you in the long run."
hence my motto. I cannot blame anyone for the choices I make because everything is a choice. and today, I am choosing a life free of addiction. a life free of guilt and shame. a life that is God based, not me based. today, I chose to live, not die.


text:
- The Royal Guards are active in all corners of China and secretly join in many major tournament events. They are a cruel and ruthless group that garner fear from all other schools.They wanted to create the school that gathered liked minded people educated in cultural arts, as well as martial arts. All members of the Scholars are practiced Musicians, Weiqi Players, Calligraphers, and Painters. Their skills use musical frequencies to attack.'Leveling up' a skill is called 'cultivating' the skill. To cultivate a skill,cultivation points are needed.
- To see tables showing the exact amount of required cultivation points, as well as the amount of time needed, click here. For a list of sacred sites, click here.When they do appear, it's hard to track them, so people often think they are an evil sect. The rumor is that the Tangmen have seven different types of hidden weapons including poisonous needles and blinding sands. The most famous hidden weapon is the "Storm Pear Flower Needle". He began to recruit infamous people of China to join the Wanderer's. Nobody fully understands Wanderer's Valley, as the members of the school are very secretive.
- While Wudang and Shaolin are considered official members of Wulin, the people of Wanderer's Valley are considered exiled members of Wulin. Most people don't know where their skills come from.Casually neutral, but helpful and friendly, the Beggars are one of the largest schools in Jianghu, and made up of people from all walks of life.There are two special Schools in Jianghu that you should pay attention to their specific rules if you want to join. The Scholars are filled with cultured and educated people.
- The Beggars will not accept anyone who is not willing to suffer with them.There is great degree freedom in Age of WuShu Liang so you can even choose to not join any Schools. But when you do join a School you will learn 3 sets of external skills and one set of internal skills, so joining a school is recommended.The Scholars are devoted to the arts of the mind; they are skilled in chess, music, painting, and calligraphy...and the secret knowledge of deadly musical frequencies.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
A Hassle-Free Cheat For Age of WuShu Liang
Age of WuShu Liang is based on early Ming Dynasty China, a time when the central plains were relatively stable. It was during this period the Jianghu martial arts were allowed to flourish, and the great schools were formed and began recruiting members. This precipitated great change across the land.If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly and redistributed at will, then do not submit it here.They can enter the Royal Courts freely to report to the Emperor directly.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Recent Smart Ideas Around Age of WuShu Liang Never Ever Before Uncovered
Sandboxers and Hollywood script writers, keep your eyes on Age of Wushu. If you've ever wanted to run up walls, align yourself with a game's boss mobs, kidnap and ransom off your fellow players, or write about it into a television script to include your gamer audience, then Snail Games has something that's sure to grab your attention.If you're in Europe or China, it's Age of WuShu Liang.
- It certainly raised our eyebrows, andSnail Games' new Age of Wushu (also known as Age of Wulin in Europe and its native China) is apparently going to allow you to do just that. If so, you're probably making a killing in martial arts tournaments and not reading Massively. But don't worry, there's still hope for the rest of us: Snail Games'upcoming free-to-play, wuxia-centric title, Age of Wushu is now officially announced.Tomorrow, Snail Games USA will officially announce its newest title, Age of WuShu Liang -- but we've got an exclusive sneak peek to share with you before that happens!
- Characters attack in slow-motion while performing seemingly impossible Matrix-like jumps through space.Combat, unsurprisingly, is based on wuxia-style martial arts, and will feature what the team calls a "counter combat system," which makes it sound like combat could be based around a system of attacks, counters, reversals, and so forth, just like in true martial arts.Finally, MMO Culture says that player decisions relative to the boss sidekick system will affect the world storyline for every player on a given server.
- We don't know how just yet, but we'll certainly keep our eyes on this curious new mechanic.The full documentary is 15 minutes long and embedded just after the cut, so if you can't wait to see more of the game, check it out and keep your eyes peeled for more updates as the game approaches localization and launch.If anything, other folks may have to figure out how much jumping they need to do in order to keep up. However, that isn't the only combat addition. As odd as it sounds, AoW also uses a rock-paper-scissors mechanic.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
So What Is Going On With The Age of Wushu Liang
Age of Wushu Liang expansion was mostly positive, and I was very excited to see the new mentoring program and token systems. I'm not as hyped for Ultimate Scrolls.When the Ultimate Scrolls expansion hits next week, players will be able to tie the knot in an elaborate in-game ceremony that includes a a parade through the city, a banquet (that friends can attend and foes crash), and a dance show provided by the new couple.There is very little to do in this expansion if you don't have leveled meridians and a maxed second or third internal skill. And to help tide you over (or just tease you some more), Snail Games also offers the following expansion trailer.
That Age of Wushu Power Leveling of 400 liang is more than a lot of people have (remember those old market posts?), and the most expensive wedding clocks in at a monstrous 10 ding. Only the most fabulously wealthy need apply.So What Is Going On With The Age of Wushu LiangAlthough it contains some new content including the much-anticipated marriage system, Snail Games has released scant few details about new features.On November 13th, players will be able to enter Ancient China's forbidden grounds and test themselves in new school-specific instances.
- Most disappointing to me is that we won't be seeing much in the way of new guild content or adjustments to existing guild mechanics that are in heavy need of polish (such as guild surprise attacks, since there is no reason to ever do them).Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. " The existing system, while it does do its job, has some flaws in it, so as a career criminal I'm pretty excited to see any changes to the system.
- Hopefully criminals will get more incentive to be bad, with a corresponding increase in constable incentive to catch them.Other incoming features include secret scripts (in the form of teachings of the treasured Helianthus Codex and Star Vortex), a new tier of martial art skills with ultimate scrolls, and the new marriage system.Unfortunately, the system does seem to require some form of questing (you're required to at least unlock a new instance, if not clear it), which will make it hard on newer crafters.I am not sure whether it will change the way those points are earned, which is the main issue -- it's easier to get evil points by grinding PvE rather than actually doing evil things like kidnapping or murdering.
- Couples also register for marriage at the matchmaker; the male character proposes, while the female character can accept or reject.Players will also be able to reroll equipment by spending silver taels. This is crazy. The prices are tentatively low, at around 30-50 liang for most items. You'll also be able to control which parts of the item you reroll;Once you find your match, male characters have to do the proposing by offering a betrothal gift (a self-determined amount of Taels) that, if accepted, starts the whole process rolling.In order to get married, both players must be VIP.
- Snail wasn't clear whether the couple will have to remain Age of Wushu Liang in order to stay married or what benefits the couple will have.The majority of the expansion will focus on school instances. These will be new, high-powered instances for high-level players. They will be aimed at characters who have hit Peak of Power or higher martial prowess, which basically means that we'll need stacked meridians to survive.These values are ridiculous. The affinity value of 2000 is especially damning.
That Age of Wushu Power Leveling of 400 liang is more than a lot of people have (remember those old market posts?), and the most expensive wedding clocks in at a monstrous 10 ding. Only the most fabulously wealthy need apply.So What Is Going On With The Age of Wushu LiangAlthough it contains some new content including the much-anticipated marriage system, Snail Games has released scant few details about new features.On November 13th, players will be able to enter Ancient China's forbidden grounds and test themselves in new school-specific instances.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Warning Signs Concerning Age of WuShu Liang You Have To Know
Many people consider a wedding day to be a big deal, and Age of WuShu Liang upcoming marriage system provides a good helping of pomp and circumstance to accompany player nuptials.We looked at a lot of the details of Age of Wushu's Ultimate Scrolls expansion last time, but we should also reflect a bit on the implications of the new changes.Men, have your money pouches ready because you also have to spring for the wedding package!
- For a look at what your money will buy, check out these new screenshots and then watch a ceremony unfold in the video below. Players will also be able to reroll equipment by spending silver taels. This is crazy. The prices are tentatively low, at around 30-50 liang for most items. You'll also be able to control which parts of the item you reroll; you won't be able to reroll individual sockets, but you can choose to reroll your stat sockets or your skill sockets, and you can choose to reroll only the values (but not the stat) of the stat sockets.
- Unfortunately, the system does seem to require some form of questing (you're required to at least unlock a new instance, if not clear it), which will make it hard on newer crafters. Fortunately, upgrade materials may increase in demand, but I'm not sure about this and I'm not holding my breath.Age of WuShu Liang, which MMO do you feel has the best or most creative skill and ability names?All of the mandatory materials for tier upgrades, save for the Tier 3 to Tier 4 upgrade, will cost silver taels. The jade upgrades will cost 250 liang. For an item of that level, I suppose it's worth it.
- People will likely talk about in-game marriage for a long time before they do it, and the girl can be the first one to bring the topic up to the guy. Mechanically, he has to do the proposal, but she can still be the initiator on the social end!Only the most fabulously wealthy need apply. It does not seem that the players need to remain VIP afterward, but with those requirements, chances are if you get married in-game, you're probably already married -- to Age of Wushu. Join Patrick as he journeys through China, revealing the many secrets of this ancient land.
- The Ming Dynasty may be a tumultuous time, but studying The Art of Wushuwill give you the techniques you need to prevail."We are taking serious measures to solve the latency problems after escalation," the devs promised. "Server fixes are already on their way. Players in North America will see considerable improvement starting from this week!""Think of it as a private Bingo card that works as a key to your account," Snail PR explained. A separate mobile authenticator is being worked on for iOS and Android, but no release date has been set.Forbidden Instance.
The Way To Detect A Real Age of WuShu Liang |RMT777.COM
Scheduled events are a huge part of Age of WuShu Liang While each player has the option of enjoying the game at his own pace, scheduled events mark the major ways people can have an impact on the world at large. inconvenient for others.
- That's not the limit of what you can do with liquor in a fight, though. You can also spray your opponent with spirits in mid-battle, hopefully intoxicating and disorienting the other fighter. These incentives include a special horse mount, in-game currency, 30 days of VIP access, reputation scrolls, fashion outfits, and boosts for experience and Chi.
- Take a look at some plastered punching in the preview video just past the break.Age of WuLin Liang character with a high alcohol tolerance won't just be able to fight after tipping back a few drinks; he'll actually be able to fight better due to an Evade buff granted after imbibing.
- If that hasn't sold you yet, Snail Games is hoping that some one-on-one time with martial arts film star Jet Li will. Of course, if you attempt to use this technique on someone with a predilection for potables, you might find that you've just handed your nemesis a major advantage.
- Players can train with a digital Jet Li in a special instanced adventure that comes only with this edition.The most important part of these is fatigue recovery. Because fatigue becomes 0% at the server reset, the largest group of players perform team practice immediately as it becomes available.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
End Up Being The Very First To View What Experts Say Regarding Age of WuShu Liang
The Best Age of WuShu Liang provider is HIRELEVELER.com, you can buy our AOW Liang at affordable price and receive the Liang in 15-30 minutes.Age of Wushu Liang is the official currency in Age of Wushu(AoW), end up being the very first to view what experts say regarding age of wushu liang.
- A righteous, women's only sect. They are powerful as well as gracious and their weapons of choice are Twin-Spears (daggers designed to use with two hands), which are highly regarded by the women of the sect on account of their light weight and agility.Age of Wushu is published by Snail Games USA. They have special skills in creating traps and are proficient in ranged attacks, as well as defensive techniques.
- It is the North American version of the original Age of Wulin CN (Jiuyinzhenjing) , which is published by game's developer Suzhou Snail Electronics Co., Ltd. Now HIRELEVELER.com is providing the cheap Age of Wushu Liang. We can deliver the gold in 15-30 minutes. Want to buy the Liang with bonus?
- They serve the Emperor and follow his will, meaning that they are backed by the government.In payments methods, we accept PayPal, Moneybookers(Skrill) and Credit Cards(such as Visa, MasterCard, JCB, American Express and Diner Club, including some Debit Cards). If you don't like these payment methods, you can contact us to pay as Google Checkout, Paybycash and others.
We never call you as phone call confirmation,also people like to call it Age of Wushu Power Leveling or Age of Wushu money.Sms or voice confirmation. If you like WOW Power Leveling, you can click here.Need some coupon before purchase? Our 24*7 live support can help you, Action NOW.The Guards can also quickly alternate between attack and defense modes.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
I just spent most of the evening working on a post, a very clever and funny post if I don't say so myself.
And blogger ate it.
Okay, maybe not the whole evening. I also spent some time reading my honey's team emails (ssshhhh) and reading about Flandis, Lebanon, and Castro.
And maybe it wasn't as clever or as funny as I remember.
But I'm still pretty pissed and now I am too tired and wanky to rewrite it.


text:
I wrapped up 2016 on vacation from work, but unfortunately I've also been battling a cold almost the entire time. Since December 27th, cold-induced bronchitis has limited my activity. My wife jokes that every time I take a winter vacation I get sick, and it's hard for me to remember one when I didn't. Last year. I worked through Christmas and Thanksgiving breaks, and I didn't get sick. This year, I've been sick twice: After Thanksgiving, and after Christmas.
So while that may seem convincing to some, I think there's another factor: consumption of alcohol. Both of these rounds of colds were preceded by drinking a little too much the night before. There seems to be some research to suggest heavy drinking can affect our immune system's ability to fight off infections for at least 24 hours. Maybe it's common sense that I just had never considered…
After I factor in the expense of drinking, I have decided I'm going to curtail my drinking for both health and financial reasons. There's probably at least $1,500 annually (and maybe upwards of $2,500 when I consider all spending) I can cut from my spending on alcohol, which when I think about it is a lot of alcohol. I have slightly expensive tastes, though, so it's not like I'm pounding cases of Milwaukee's Best every weekend. Of the things I buy, bourbon is $30-$50+ a bottle, craft beer is $30-$60 a case, and wine is about $10-$12 a bottle. And drinking at a restaurant or bar is just crazy expensive, even the few times a month I do that.
So since I've spent a majority of the Winter Holidays not drinking, I might as well continue the trend. I think it will have a very positive impact on my overall life. Having a drink after work or with dinner often relaxes me and leads to an evening of not getting stuff done. If I'm going to ramp up the side hustles this year, I'll need to be more productive in the evenings.
I think the benefits from reducing alcohol consumption may also carry over into my real job as well. I'll be more active, which should improve my overall health. More activity in the evenings should lead to better sleep, which will make me better rested for the next day. It might even lead to more "real" exercise. So overall, it seems like a good idea, and deep down I've been feeling like I drink a little too much some nights, so it's time for a change.
It's less a New Year's resolution and more of a product of having 11 days to think about ways to improve my life and the ability to realize our financial goals. Regarding the finances, it's not about the money directly, but more about what the money represents: freedom. If reducing my alcohol consumption affects that realization of freedom on so many levels, it would be foolish not to change my ways.
In December, I added a Habit Tracker to my notebook. It looks like this:
I found it useful and enlightening, and I plan to continue it's use over the coming months. If you're working on creating some new habits in 2017, perhaps a similar tool will be helpful to you. Whether it's in a notebook, on a piece of paper posted on your wall, or maybe even on a chalkboard in your kitchen, visually tracking your adherence to your targeted habits can be very beneficial in cementing the change.
Whatever you choose to use, find a visual way to track your goals and progress towards them. If you do, I bet you'll find you hit more of your targets in 2017.