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On this same date last year, as I was serving as a coordinator for Sir Ariel (and as a house guest for Academic Services, I received this surprise; a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts from somebody who remained unnamed.
A year has passed and the only thing left for me is this:the little note from that gift with my name and department on it. Upon hearing about the unexpected surprise, my mom was suspecting it came from my ex since the nearest branch and only branch of Krispy Kreme was in Serendra in Taguig. The thing is on that same day just after lunch, my ex came to the office but of course I didn't interrogate him about the thing. See the penmanship and be the judge.
On the other hand, while reading my books, I found this wonderful couples prayer:
A Prayer for Couples
by Marianne Williamson
Dear God,
Dear God,
Please make our relationship a great and holy adventure.
May our joining be a sacred space.
May the two of us find rest here, a haven for our souls.
Remove from us any temptation to judge one another or to direct one another.
We surrender to You our conflicts and our burdens.
We know You are our Answer and our rock.
Help us not forget..
Bring us together in heart and mind as well as body.
Remove from us the temptation to criticize or be cruel.
May we not be tempted by fantasies and projections, but guide us in the ways of holiness.
Save us from darkness.
May this relationship be a burst of light.
May it be a fount of love and wisdom for us, for our family, for our community, for our World.
May this bond be a channel for Your love and healing, a vehicle of Your grace and power.
As lessons come and challenges grow, let us not be tempted to forsake each other.
Let us always remember that in each other we have the most beautiful woman, the most beautiful man, the strongest one, the sacred one in whose arms we have repaired.
May we remain young in this relationship.
May we grow wise in this relationship.
Bring us what You desire for us, and show us how You would have us be.
Thank you, dear God,
You who are the cement between us.
Thank you for this love.


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Tuesday, March 8, 2011
got milk?
Everyone knows that leprechauns hide their gold at the end of a rainbow. So, we decided to make some edible rainbow necklaces in honor of St. Patrick's Day next week. We used fruity Cheerios because I thought they were a little healthier than Froot Loops. Either work just fine. I showed my kids how to make a rainbow pattern and they got straight to work. This activity was good for teaching my children about colors, patterns and also good practice for their fine motor skills. The finished product was a beautiful (and edible) cereal necklace.
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Yesterday was so big that today we kidnapped Justin and Daddy and headed to Lake Elmo for a quiet picnic Birthday lunch (complete with cake). Just what the doctor ordered!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Dragon Party 2012
In order to cut down on the craziness of Alex's birthday party, I scheduled two..... counter-intuitive, I know-- but it worked! (And we rented a bouncy house....perhaps a bit over the top, but I've never gotten one and it was TOTALLY worth it to be able to bounce whenever I wanted..... I think Alex liked it too).
In the morning, we invited the neighbor kids over for a one hour, 'no-presents', jumping party. Dragon tails and cupcakes for all! Alex had a great time playing with her friends and this ensured no party-crashing later on in the day.
Auntie Carrie and Sam the Bearded dropped by for some in-between party time. He was a HUGE hit with all the big kids. However, Justin's phrase of the day was "No AM!!!" ("no Sam"). Not a fan of the huge beard and scary helmet.
Later on Uncle Willy and his little dragon Tikva showed up, followed by Auntie Rorie and Brad. It was pretty much a free-flowing roll in and out party :-) Alex is so lucky to have so many people who adore her!
Because, yes, my sense of humor is sophomoric. And I like it that way.
Alex had been waiting SO long to open this present in a red box from Brad.... a beautiful nightgown for her, and one for Nicki was inside!
Birthday Wishes!
A topical book from silly Uncle Willy :-)
For the STUNNING centerpiece-- Brad located some dry ice to add the final touch to my Dragon's Breath Punch....
No dragon shirt.... but guess which one he picked to wear today?
Alex's friends Emma and Liam brought their families in the afternoon and we all enjoyed the beautiful weather, and really fun bouncy castle - with all our little dragons.
Our dragon pinata held up perfectly-- each child got a couple of good swings in before it broke apart!
Justin made SURE the job was done.
Phew!! I'm exhausted-- how about you?
Posted by Amy at 7:20 PM No comments:
Friday, September 28, 2012
Yep.... Emmy came home with the kids-- they've done a really good job 'sharing'-- but Justin is the one who REALLY loves this little stuffed animal.
|Add caption
Posted by Amy at 6:27 PM No comments:
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Meeting Emmy of Whistling Well Farm
We ended up at two Apple orchards today. I needed to replenish my supply of juicing apples (have I mentioned I LOVE my Jack LaLane juicer?!?!), and the best deals around are at the Carpenter Nature Center-- for their 2nds and windfalls! We stopped there first and were thrilled to discover the BIGGEST, most BEAUTIFUL pumpkins around! Seriously, the nicest I've seen in years-- and they were all between $3-6 apiece!
After CNC, we decided to hit a new orchard. Because we're right in the St. Croix Valley, we have our pick of about 6 orchards all in the same 10 mile radius, and the only one we hadn't stopped at yet was Whistling Well Farm. I think we've found our favorite of all times!
They had chickens to feed, a donkey to look at (he was sleeping), a gorgeous fall display to take photos of reluctantly posing kids with, and a sweet little spaniel named Emmy (who Justin fell in love with).
The dog was both the highight of our trip AND the only thing I didn't get a photo of (because I was trying to carry armsful of pumpkins and apples at the time). After visiting with her for a while, we went into the store to make our purchases. Lo and behold, the owner of the orchard had just published a children's storybook all about Emmy, so we HAD to bring a copy home. It is a perfect fall read for any children who have ever visited an orchard. The illustrations are soft and dreamy, and I admit to tearing up at one of the end pages where there is a heart-tugging drawing of Emmy giving her owner a HUGE spaniel-ly kiss! (But then again, I'm a dog person). Of course they also had stuffed animals that were the spitting image of Emmy (maybe next year, kids), which is a marketing genius. We managed to catch Charlie when he was working, and he very kindly autographed our copy for us. What a sweet man!
Posted by Amy at 8:17 PM 1 comment:
Our Morning Nature Walk
At school, Alex always has a morning nature walk around the property. On our "free Thursdays", we've been doing the same. Today was a 5.2 mile jaunt (I had my phone GPS tracking us), which Alex ran/walked 4 miles of! Justin even got in on the action, every once in a while shouting "un!" from the Burley- at which point we'd stop, get him out and let him run along the path until he could be persuaded back into the stroller with the promise of cookies, raisins or water. Our 'time' wasn't good (2 hours!), but today wasn't about me going fast, it was about enjoying a gorgeous fall day with my two wonderful children. AND celebrating the beauty of fall and the gifts that God gives us every day! I can't believe we've lived here for three + years, and never known that we had TWO beautiful lakes within walking distance-- if you're willing to get out and explore a little!
Posted by Amy at 2:00 PM No comments:
Monday, September 24, 2012
Dragon Party Prep
In preparation for her Dragon Party next weekend, Alex and I decided to make a very special pinata. We kind of winged it, but it seems to be working so far!
I found a recipe for paper mache online (1 part water: 1 part flour + a pinch of salt), we asked the neighbors if we could raid their recycling bins for old newspapers, blew up some balloons and got to work. Alex is NOT a fan of getting goopy, so this was a stretch for her to help with the first step.
She was all about painting the dried pieces though! Then we hot glued the tail piece (fashioned around more newspaper), some spikes made from her kindergarten watercolor papers, and she made a cute little dragon face.
Next stop: filling and hanging!
Posted by Amy at 8:02 PM No comments:
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Happy Birthday to Me!
I woke up this morning to the distinct smell of cake. Being as gullible as I am, I quickly believed Dave when I asked him what the smell was and he said "I'm making tea". Alex quickly dispelled my misplaced trust when she asked me if she could see the cake again. For the first time in years, I didn't have to make or purchase my own birthday cake! Score for Daddy!
We spent the day with Megan and Emma and the MN Zoo- and, because it was my birthday, splurged on a monorail ride- Justin's first true 'train experience' (at least in his memory). He was a little cautious about the whole thing, but the girls had a great time!
After the zoo we returned home to frost the cake. Alex had a very particular vision in mind-- pink and chocolate.
That's one good looking birthday cake! Too bad we didn't have 32 candles ;-)
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by Nicolette Swan.
inspired by my oldest son who calls himself Treetrunk.
My Kombucha wears a sweater because of this nasty weather.
My Mama put the "Mother" on the living room shelf, inside a box, all wrapped up in Dad's old green sweater.
She, the Mother, was all cozy and warm and growing but then the ants came. Dad found them marching around the box. A couple even tried to get in but Dad said "No!" and Mom said, "No way!"
Things looked rather grimm for the Mother. So Dad and Mom took care of her and now she lives in the kitchen cupboard. We had to move all the pie pans out so we could move her in.
I sure do hope my kombucha will grow in that dark cold cupboard.
At least my kombucha wears a sweater.
**In the spirit of Wool and Community, my oldest son and I came up with this story. It was shortly after a Woolly Mamas Eugene Coven Meeting that we found the ants "marching around the box."
I thought it was cute and wanted to share our creation. I'll post more crafting creations soon.
Here comes Spring Break, craft it up!!!
Monday, March 14, 2011
1 comment:
- Ani said...
Oh my gosh Nico,that is awesome! Darn those sugar ants. They are the bane of my existence! They are as bad as roaches in New Mexico. I love this post!
- March 16, 2011 at 1:22 PM
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Friday, 28 December 2012
Sunday, 23 December 2012
the white orc
this dude had a lot of design choices i really liked; the almond eyes, the flattened nose and the more vampire king look to him was really cool. That and i find facial scarification fascinating. I did this painting from memory so he's not 100% accurate to what he looked like in the film. but nevertheless this was fun to paint.
Thursday, 6 December 2012
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Sir Brum Esq
when creating the character on sheet i just kind of went with whatever rolls i got. having no ambition to purposefully build a character. what i got was a immensely strong barbarian with high charisma and intelligence. so without knowing it I had a character that resembled Hank Macoy. this was a big factor on designing this smug basterd. i like the more bestial lion like look of more recent incarnations of beast but i didnt want to include the bright blue fur. so i opted for a more rusty red.
I thought it would be cool to have a character that was always trying to appear above his station. a monster with class. thus the lawyers tail coat and commerband over the amour shaped to look like a steel waistcoat. and the cute little bow tie. below is an illustration from the current quest we're on. where he had to scoop up two party members under his arms and crash through a window to escape a burning room filled with hellhounds.
Monday, 26 November 2012
Grizzled General
A reinstated Danport back in the great machine of the Tecknologists Empire. with ceremonial helmet custom made to further his reputation and legend as the old lion. he's mostly held together by his power amour but is still ferocious in battle, refusing to lead from the safety of forward command.
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Man fears the darkness, and so he scrapes away at the edges of it with fire.
This scene and episode always stuck in my mind after i watched it. I love how visceral and bloodthirsty the violence is in Evangelion. It really just spits in the eye of other mecka anime.
Friday, 16 November 2012
Sunday, 11 November 2012
WW2 Meck
Thursday, 8 November 2012
I know I'm pretty much ripping of the slender man meme but for such a cool idea there aren't a lot of very good stories concerning the creature. The idea is great don't get me wrong but I'd like to do something cool with it. anyway watch this space I suppose.
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
Violent but Educational
Blimey its been a long time with no posts.
Due to work and a lack of a tablet I haven't had much to post about
to be honest. so here are some snapshots of the TED video i'm makeing with
help from Rosana Wan. http://www.rosanna-wan.com/
Friday, 12 October 2012
first contact
After a garbled transmission all communication stopped. at 00:00 there was one last transmission. initially thought to be white noise, upon later inspection it was in fact the astronauts screaming.
Thursday, 11 October 2012
Vikings Invade
Friday, 5 October 2012
speed paint blarg
Monday, 1 October 2012
I'm still figuring out my process to define myself as a painter. i'm still not completely satisfied with this one but i think I'm getting there.
Friday, 21 September 2012
skyrim snow
Sunday, 16 September 2012
the base became a society unto itself where the commanders rule was law. thousands still flocked to fort Titus, but none where let in. they banged at the vaulted doors until they bled but none where let in. eventually the terrors found them there and devoured the refugees encamped outside, still shrieking to be let in. then the soldiers used napalm on everything outside and cleansed the land. occasionally raiding parties venture out from camp Titus. searching for food or weapons or slaves. but nobody is allowed inside.
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Lone Tree
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
A Liars Autobiography
at the 1:15 mark you can see the club room backgrounds i designed and made.
this was a massive project that pretty much all of my friends in animation worked on at some
point or another. i cant wait to see it in the cinema!
Sunday, 2 September 2012
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
a birthday card for my sister
A new showreel of stuff
there is so much stuff I still cant upload cos its not released yet. excuses excuses.
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
Random Encounter
here are some shots from the short story I'm working on called Random Encounter.
its part of a larger story I want to develop around themes of pop culture, video games and comics in general. but for the moment I'm gonna start small.
Issue one will be on sale at the October mcm expo. I plan to make at least three issues a year untill I'm confident in making it in one proper volume.
Hey. A boy can dream can't e'?
Tuesday, 31 July 2012
abandoned in paradice
Saturday, 14 July 2012
she's not dressed properly for the mision.
who's birthday was last week.
Monday, 2 July 2012
Neon Shadows rough preview
after trying and failing on many occasion to write draw and colour my own comics i decided to just pack it in and do it but no colour as my tiny brain cant handle all that.
Monday, 25 June 2012
Saturday, 16 June 2012
orrible istories
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The Teachings of the Kabbalah Centre
Whenever you want to be certain that your life has meaning and that you are always seeking answers, be sure that you do all you can to learn. There is ancient wisdom that has been passed down for many years and you will be able to benefit from this. To this end, always give yourself the opportunity to identify with a spiritual teaching that will serve you well. In this regard, the Kabbalah Centre is a great company to turn to. Read on to learn a little bit more about what they teach, so that you can decide whether it is for you.
The very first thing that you need to know about the teachings of the Kabbalah is that it is rooted in the Old Testament of the Bible. This is a spiritual teaching that takes the stores of the Old Testament and teaches it from an esoteric point of view. At places like the Kabbalah Centre, also seeking grounding in their lives. People go to the Kabbalah centre in Los Angeles in droves due to these sorts of teachings.
This form of teaching also says that human beings, earth and the universe as a whole are all connected. We all hold the universe within us, so this form of spiritual teaching focuses on this as a means to live a fulfilling life and to give to others.
If you are thinking about visiting the Kabbalah Centre, start by researching the site. Learn a little bit about the spiritual teachings to see if it is for you are not. From here, you can stop by in order to speak to someone who can assist you.
By taking advantage of a visit to the Kabbalah Centre, you will be in a good position to take classes and learn more information.
To know more visit Preaching to the converted: how Kabbalah keeps on growing


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Drumroll please...
PS - I'd love to hear your feedback on this linky... Just leave a comment below. Worth repeating next summer? Anything you think would make it more effective?? Let me know... I'm open to suggestions!
Hazel Rogers 1) clear back room of unnecessary clutter before the builders step in later in the year!
Have made a start but we decided our sons room needed redecorating so that took priority. This is now the goal for Sept/oct
2) read for at least half an hour every day
Pretty much maintained this though have only got through a few books this summer
3) maintain my quiet time over the summer no easy feat with a teenager constantly interrupting!
Have tried and had some success and failures but felt encouraged never the less.
4) try to learn a little more French whilst on holiday there in August.
Feel this was a goal I would love to have achieved more with but I enjoyed the holiday more with that goal .
5) to end the summer more fit and not stressed as normal after having a teenager round me for 6 weeks......Lol
I have tried to do a walk every day or some form of exercise and according to family I do not seem as stressed as normal.
If I had known what going to France would really achieve I might not have gone! I was forced to face the fact from a little girl I have been scared of heights. So faced with mountains my family wanted to get to the top and the views I had 2 choices to go or to stay down below on my own all day. I thought of this link and knew God had given me his challenge of the summer. So in his strength I managed 1 tram up Mount Blanc and 2 cable cars up other mountains. It was here I saw the beauty of Gods Creation.
Thank you Claire for Get Good Summer and please bring it back next year...
Well done, everyone! It's really encouraging to read the stories of progress that people have made this summer, even if we haven't all met every single goal in the way we had hoped. Here's how I got on:
1. Try a new recipe each week. Really enjoyed doing this and discovered a yummy fish pie recipe, as well as some v addictive choc squares :)
2. Have a holiday away with my lovely husband and dog! Did this last week and it was so great to get away from everything at home and spend some quality time together and with Andy's family.
3. Strip all the paint from our bannisters (this will take hours!) Almost got there but it needs another few hours' work to get rid of the really stubborn bits.
4. Declutter our house. Hmm... I've done bits and bobs and at least we now know which pile of clutter to look in!
5. Work up to running 10 miles again. I did this twice whilst on holiday and am going to try to keep it up at the weekends once term starts again.
Claire - Thanks so much for keeping us accountable and focused this summer, and for entertaining us with your stories! You've been a real blessing :)
Thank you, Claire. As a newbie to Twitter and blogging your #GetGoodSummer and really helped, not only with getting my challenges done but also in learning about linkys and tweeting and commenting. Looking forward to next year. Lynne xxxxxReplyDelete
Please repeat it next year Claire, it really made my summer far more intentional and productive - appeals to my nature! I would suggest maybe only having one linky code which you use every week, thus collating all the posts in one place. Does that make any sense?ReplyDelete


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Here's a new reversible egg toy! This tropical fish showcases a couple of my hand-dyed recycled yarns, and was a lot of fun to design.
Since fish eggs are transparent, I thought about knitting the egg with fishing line. Deciding that would be difficult and likely to be wonky-shaped, I ended up using a white cotton (recycled) yarn which gives a nice transparent effect. It also keeps the nice soft kid-friendliness of this toy intact.
Suggested retail: $16.00


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Nokuthula Ngwenyama
(The Newnan Times-Herald)
Violist Nokuthula Ngwenyama
has a website at www.ngwenyama.com
and is featured at AfriClassical.com
Newnan, Georgia
Friends of Wadsworth concert series returns March 12
The local concert series, Friends of Wadsworth, continues to bring international musical talent to Coweta County after more than two decades.
On March 12, beginning at 7:30 p.m., the Wadsworth Auditorium, located at 25 Jefferson St. in downtown Newnan, will host the 2016 Friends of Wadsworth Concert: The Legacy Continues.
The event will include an evening of song and chamber music from renowned artists Nokuthula Ngwenyama on viola, Wendy Sutter on cello, Laura Ward on piano and Chee-Yun on violin in addition to Newnan's own, and Wadsworth artistic director, Courtenay Budd. Budd, an accomplished soprano, will be joined in vocals by baritone, Randall Scarlata.
Tickets for the March 12 concert are available now for $20, all seating, and can be purchased online at www.brownpapertickets.com in addition to several retail locations in Coweta including Let them Eat Toffee at 18A N Court Square in Newnan, The Coweta County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 200 Court Square in Newnan, Matrix Insurance at 3111 Hwy. 34 E, Suite D in Thomas Crossroads and SouthTowne Motors at 695 Bullsboro Dr. in Newnan.
According to a recent press release offered by representatives of the Wadsworth Auditorium concert series, each performing musician to appear at the upcoming Friends of Wadsworth Concert will bring a unique and inspiring talent to the historic Wadsworth stage.
Born in California and of Zimbabwean and Japanese parentage, Nokuthula Ngwenyama graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music and attended the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris as a Fulbright scholar. Ngwenyama also received a Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard University.
Offering her talent with the viola at the upcoming concert, Ngwenyama has performed throughout the United States and across four continents as orchestral soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.


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Wednesday, November 30, 2016
New Review! Dark Corners by A.M. Madden, 5 Cranky Stars
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
***** 5 Cranky Stars *****
"A real hero can protect and serve, but a true hero knows how to love."
David Cavello is out of the Army now, but the Army isn't out of him. He has seen the casualties of war, been witness to the loss and destruction and is now suffering from PTSD. He is trying to find his place in the world but his demons haunt him relentlessly.
There's one thing that actually quiets his demons and he just happened to knock her on her butt while spilling coffee all over her.
Maygen Whitney is a very independent woman. She's worked hard in the fashion industry so that she can eventually start her own line of clothing. Having lost her mother at a young age has made her father take his overprotective tendencies to the extreme. One chance meeting, running into a wall of muscle and the eyes attached change everything. Can chemistry and a strong connection defeat betrayal?
This series has everything. AM Madden brings the suspense along with the heat. Her characters are strong willed and free thinking. You won't find any wilting flowers here. What you will find is a book that will captivate you from page one and keep you enthralled and wanting more by the end.
This is a highly recommended series that this reviewer would gladly give more stars if I could.
View all my reviews
New Review! Rise by Luis Almonte, 3.5 Cranky Stars
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
*** 3.5 Cranky Stars ***
Alexia is the middle child of a family of witches and her parents were their coven's high priest and priestess, which meant a lot of expectations, surrounded Alexia, her older brother, Ryan and her younger sister, Sam when it came to their craft.
Every witch had to pass a test called the Pre-Trials to qualify to the Annual Trial which is an important rite of passage in the witching world. It's not determined by age but rather the mentor who trains young witches nominates their charge when they think they are ready. All three were nominated and would face the Pre-Trials at the same time.
The story reminded me of several different popular books out there: Divergent, Hunger Games, Harry Potter and a bit of Twilight. The witches live among the humans in secret. Aside from training for the Trials, Alexia has to go to high school and be involved in high school life and drama while keeping her other life hidden as it's forbidden to disclose their existence to non-magical people.
Then another set of supernatural beings turned up and muddled the waters a bit more.
I liked the story but there were so many subplots embroidered into it that made falling in love with it difficult. There were also a few inconsistencies in the plot I would rather not say to avoid spoilers.
Granted, Alexia is only fifteen years old and the unwillingness of the adults to disclose vital information to the teens could explain all the bad decisions she made throughout the book. Let's hope that book 2 will step up a notch.
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New Review! Out of Love by RC Bolt, 4 Cranky Stars
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Foster Cavanaugh, the vagina whisperer, is a former Navy Seal. He's broody and sarcastic and owns a private security consulting firm with other members of the armed forces ranging from a Green Beret to a paratrooper.
He's never without his Belgian Malinois, Harley who is his service dog of sorts. He hired Noelle Davis as his office manager.
Noelle had a bad former relationship and this job was her reinvention at life. She immersed herself into this ragtag group of misfits and became one of them. All the while Noelle and Foster have been having lusty thoughts about each other. Where could this go wrong?
The whole I'm not good enough for you so ill let you go troupe has been done a million times and I really want a character that feels they are good enough despite flaws. Noelle and Foster have an island of secrets and flaws. Seriously, buy them a boat.
Anyway I did enjoy this book. They were genuine people who had some awesome sarcastic banter. Their sexual chemistry was steamy. I kind of felt at times it did drag a little and I think I wanted the main drama to be a little more. All in all as a whole it was a good book and I hope to see more of Foster and Noelle.
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New Review! The Stalker by Marina Martindale, 3 Cranky Stars
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
*** 3 Cranky Stars ***
He's out there. Everywhere I look he's there.
Rachel has lived with a stalker for years. She's closed out all of her social media and he still manages to find her. He knows everything about her. He contacts her job, her friends and her family. She lives a life constantly looking over her shoulder.
Shane is reacquainted with Rachel at their high school reunion. He gets a front row seat to the Crazy that is Craig Walker, Rachel's stalker. It takes a lot more than that to scare Shane off.
The storyline is great and has potential. I think that this book was long and could have been split into 2 books. At times it felt as if the details were taking over and I wish that some parts could have been left to the reader's imagination.
I do see great potential with this author and look forward to reading more.
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New Review! Pop Rock by Charity Ferrell, 4.5 Cranky Stars
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
***** 4.5 Cranky Stars *****
Knox Rivers is a musical bad boy. He dances, sings, plays guitar and even writes his own songs pair that with a killer smile and you have one dangerous boy on your hands. Ladies swoon and throw their unmentionables at him. He lives the life.
Yet he's not all heart throb and one night stands. He gives to multiple charities and visits children's hospitals whenever he can.
Knox grew up in a life that was barely scraping by. Struggling for his next meal for him and his brother he was lucky to have a grandma that stepped in when she could. Evelyn gave Knox his first guitar and as they say the rest is history.
He's only had one serious relationship in his life and it was very on again and off again. Stella would use him to make her look good in the public eye. She was a model and very manipulative.
Libby Graves is the princess of rock. Her dad is a world famous rockstar who made some bad decisions that lead him to jail and Libby struggling for money. She sells most of her stuff and lives with her best friend in order to pay for college. She's adjusting and doing it very well. A family friend named Thomas offers her a job as Knox Rivers' assistant. She's reluctant at first because past experience has gave her epic trust issues when it comes to rock stars.
They embark on a USA tour that has lots of dressing up in disguise and Friends marathons on the tour bus. Libby becomes good for Knox's image and of course sparks fly. Due to trust issues you can see where this will go. These two will go on a rollercoaster of emotions and steamy sex.
I really enjoyed this book. Knox wasn't a typical rock star in the sense he was more in my opinion a Justin Timberlake. Libby at times annoyed me with her inability to commit. All her excuses were exhausting. Also lets talk about the constant comments about Knox and his kitty eating ( i'm trying to put this in polite terms people). It was like ok he was good at it but to mention it that often was a bit overkill.
It seemed at the end we tried to rush it and wrap it up in a pretty package and there was some spelling errors that I'm not sure were overlooked or it was a rush job. The story was good it made me happy and made me laugh. I can't wait to see what future books this lady puts out.
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Monday, November 28, 2016
New Review! My Friends Are All Strange by Margaret Lesh, 4 Cranky Stars
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
**** 4 Cranky Stars ****
I found the first few chapters of the book strange and silly and suspected that the author might have been on some kind of mind altering drug, until I realized that she was describing the leading character's mental breakdown...
17 Year old Becca maintains a 4.6 GPA as well as being Chief Editor of her school paper, besides that she still has not fully processed the death of her father two years previously. The pressure becomes too much and she suffers a mental breakdown in the high school cafeteria. She awakens to find herself in Brookside, a psychiatric care facility specifically for teens and young adults with psychiatric issues.
This is the story of Becca's journey to wellness and the relationships that she forges with other residents of the facility.
Aimed at YA I strongly recommend that this book be read by teachers and parents who place pressure on young people to achieve more and more. This book was an eye opener for me.
I award 4 stars to this offering.
View all my reviews
Media Blitz! Seaside Whispers by Melissa Foster
Seaside Whispers
Melissa Foster
(Seaside Summers)
Publication date: November 30th 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance
Having a mad crush on her boss's son, Matt Lacroux–an intriguing mix of proper gentleman and flirtatious bad boy–is probably not the smartest idea for single mother Mira Savage. Especially when the company, and her job, is already on shaky ground. But as a Princeton professor, Matt's life is hours away from Mira's home on Cape Cod, keeping him safely in the fantasy-only zone. And as a single mother to six-year-old Hagen, with a floundering company to save, fantasies are all she has time for.
With hopes of becoming dean off the table, and too many months of longing for a woman who lived too far away to pursue, Matt's publishing contract couldn't have come at a better time. He heads home to Cape Cod on a brief sabbatical, intent on starting his book, and finally getting his arms around sweet, seductive Mira.
A surprise encounter leads to white-hot passions and midnight confessions. The more time Matt and Mira spend together, the deeper their relationship grows, and the love and attention Matt showers on Hagen is more than she has ever dreamed of. But Matt's sabbatical is only temporary, and Mira's not saving his father's company so she can leave it behind. Will their whispers of love be enough for one of them to change their life forever?
Seaside Summers is a series of stand-alone romances that may also be enjoyed as part of the larger Love in Bloom series.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / GooglePlay / iBooks / Smashwords
Author Bio:
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance (M/F, M/M, F/F), romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success.
Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.
Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on Facebook or her personal website.
Never miss a brand new release, special promotions or inside gossip again by simply signing up to receive your newsletter from Melissa.
Newsletter / Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Last Saturday morning, I signed books--- the new paperback edition of Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico at the Milkweed Editions booth at the American Library Association bookfair at the Washington DC (gulp) Convention Center. Having seen that ginormous multi-acre hive, well, mangoes to anyone who says reading is dead. Thousands and thousands of librarians shlepping shoulder-breaking bags full of books--- with enthusiasm! Well, can there be a crowd more enthusiastic about books than librarians? I saw Judith Martin, aka Miss Manners! And heard Naomi Ayala read her glorious poetry. And said hi to E. Ethelbert Miller (who read his poems at the ALA inaugural event), novelists Anosh Irani and Donna Leon, not to mention scads and scads of childrens book authors... and Choctaw storyteller Tim Tingle and Washington DC's Underground Railroad historian Mary Kay Ricks... Books are a big business, so it's strange, really, that there are ever fewer book reviews. This is well-documented phenomeon--- in fact, the National Book Critics Circle has a campaign to "save book reviews." A fascinating conversation with one publisher's marketing director there--- how getting a review in, say, the Washington Post, is like winning the lottery, so she's been aiming more of her pitches at the litblogs. As I've mentioned many times (most recently here), I am intrigued by the so-called "litblogs" as an emerging literary genre. She mentioned Book Slut, I mentioned The Happy Booker... I think we both said The Millions at the same time... Maud Newton is one of the best... The Old Hag has been around quite awhile... But I believe, rather than generalist litblogs, we are going to see an increasing influence of individual writers's blogs. Some of the abovementioned litblogs are by writers; what I mean by an "individual writers's blogs" is that the focus is primarily on the writers's own work, or what the writers, qua writers, find of interest. These may or may not offer book reviews, but they do often mention books they like, or don't like, in effect, providing blurbs and sending readers to new (and old) books--- in short, assuming more of the function of print reviews. An excellent and early example is Laila Lalami's Moorish Girl. Another example: Leslie Pietrzyk's Work in Progress, which just started up this March. Tod Goldberg and Jim Kunstler blog voluminously, as do The Naked Authors... Ken Ackerman, author of, most recently, Young J. Edgar Hoover, has started his blog, Coffee With Ken with some essays on related current events--- but how often will he post? Is his heart really in it? More anon.
---> Read my other posts on "Gone to to the Litblogs" here.


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Friday, February 25, 2011
On Our Radar: New York Palace for the Royal Wedding
The invites for Wills and Kate's April 29 wedding were sent out this week. Not one of the 1,900 guests invited? Here's a swank Plan B: Check into the New York Palace Hotel for its Royal Wedding Breakfast. You can opt to stay overnight or simply attend the breakfast that starts at 5:30 am with coffee and tea service. At 6 am, breakfast service will begin to correspond with the 11 am wedding start time in London and it concludes at 8 am with a champagne toast.
And since no royal wedding breakfast is complete without a few extras, you'll also get keepsake Palace slippers, "In Honour Of" printed menus and commemorative wedding "favors" (scented glass candles with an embossed crown logo).
The Royal Wedding Breakfast at the New York Palace is $150 and rooms start at $299. Find out more about the Royal Wedding Sunrise Breakfast.
Posted by The Jet Set Girls at 8:00 AM
Labels: on our radar
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text: It's fun to play bartender for your friends, but it can be a pain in the butt to mix individual drinks for everyone—especially when they want boring stuff like a (yawn) vodka soda! Here are seven much more exciting drink options (each with only three ingredients!) that will make YOU look like a genius—and will keep your friends nice and tipsy.


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Taking care of shoe pull-outs (tips for first-timers)10:22 PM
I have returned from an almost-two-week hiatus. Nicollo, my laptop, is totally fine now. Although I still have to endure re-installing most of the programs, I'm just glad I don't need to use my dad's computer. I'm able to edit photos and go back to blogging now. A lot has happened in my absence and it makes me crazy thinking of how I will keep up with the long line of blog posts (in my head) waiting to be published. I missed all of you!
A couple of weeks back, my online shop F-STOP joined a mini fashion show along with other online brands. As an acting stylist for that particular segment, it was my job to guarantee that I find the perfect shoes for each outfit because a particular footwear can either make or break an ensemble. Thanks to Trunk Show, I was able to complete the runway looks from head to toe.
That was the first half of the task. The other half was all about making sure that every single thing I borrowed from the brand is returned in good condition. In this way, not only will I get brand owners to trust me in handling their products; I can also expect them to probably say "yes" again whenever there's another pull-out request in the future.
For aspiring stylists, here are a few pieces of advice which may help in your first pull-out experience:
1) Check out the brand's website or branch first (at least a day before the pull-out) and create a list of the items (along with the models' shoe sizes) that you would be getting.
I went to Trunk Show (Trinoma branch) a few hours before the show not because I was procrastinating. I deliberately didn't want the shoes to be in my possession for days. Conscious of what (unexpected) may happen, I chose to keep the items for a day and be able to them give back as soon as I can.
Because of the list that I prepared, the pull-out became quick and easy. I just had to make minor revisions for the designs that were out of stock.
2) Ready some huge canvass bags.
Since I knew that I would be all by myself, I couldn't imagine how I would be able to carry and transport a bunch of paper bags (10 pairs) in my hands. It's a great thing that I anticipated because the canvass bags turned out to be a life saver!
3) Double check the condition of the items upon pull-out and make sure that the shoe designs, sizes and quantity indicated in the pull-out form corresponds with what you actually got.
Their shoe boxes now have a new cute design!I consider this an essential part even though I wasn't able to do it during the actual pull-out. That time, the store had a lot of customers and I had to move out fast to give them space and for the sales ladies to attend to the clients at once. However, when I got back home, the first thing I did was scan the shoes.
4) It is IMPORTANT to put masking / packaging tape on the soles (including the heels) of the shoes.
When I peeled off the tape, tadah, clean soles!
I wanted to make sure I keep the shoes' condition intact. By doing this, it kept the products protected from dirt and dust plus and it helped minimize signs of usage.
5) Clean the inside and the exterior of the shoes and double check them one last time before bringing them back.
As usual, when I got to Trunk Show, I drooled over the shoes, bags and clothes in store!
Top Thrifted | Hat SM | Boots Timberland
Photos by: Melai Entuna
Special thanks to: Trunk Show
4 comments
Melai, I'm wondering how do you ask permission to those stores? do you email them first or you do walk-in and convince/ask pernmission? thanks! :)ReplyDelete
@iamjillyace: No walk-ins dear. You have to send a letter (at least via e-mail). You propose the project to them, they'll decide if they'll give you permission or not to do the pull-out :)ReplyDelete
ooooh, okay. thanks a lot! :)ReplyDelete
Hihi, natawa ako umextra si Diether Ocampo. :))#babawkohahaReplyDelete


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Read the accompanying article on here, from abcnews.com.
I never thought about it before, but there are introductions and monologues that the celebrities need to say when they go out to present an award. We all know most of them wouldn't be able to come up with those clever lines on their own. But I really hope the writer's get what they are asking for soon, because they deserve a good chunk of the money pie and I deserve to watch the Oscars! Good luck writers!


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Earlier this year, Steven Anderson was stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint in New Mexico and refused to allow Border Patrol Agents to search his car.
Recording the incident with his video camera, Anderson spent almost 30 minutes debating with the Agents before they finally allowed him to proceed without searching his car.
Earlier this month, he was stopped at another Border Patrol checkpoint in Arizona and tried the same thing.
The Baptist preacher said the Border Patrol Agents along with Department of Public Safety officers ended up shattering his windows, dragging him out of his car and using their Taser guns on him.
Then they stomped his face into the shattered glass on the ground, resulting in multiple cuts on his face. He said they also continued to use their Taser guns on him.
From the multiple news stories and his own video describing the incident, it is not clear whether or not he was filming the exchange before they shattered his windows. If he was recording, then DPS have probably confiscated the video.
Nevertheless, the Border Patrol checkpoint is equipped with many cameras that surely recorded the incident and will prove once and for all whether Anderson was victimized or whether he was being "combative", as DPS claims in the following press release.
The U.S. Border Patrol asked the Arizona Department of Public Safety to assist their Officers with a combative motorist who refused to cooperate at a checkpoint in the westbound lanes of Interstate 8. Steven L. Anderson, the combative motorist, was arrested by a DPS Officer for resisting a lawful order during the incident and booked into the Yuma County Jail.
Mr. Anderson never filed a complaint with DPS concerning his arrest but instead made a You-Tube video that featured his version of the events of that day.
An investigation by the Arizona Department of Public Safety's Professional Standards Bureau is underway. DPS is looking at current agency policies and procedures that officers must comply with when requested by any agency to respond to checkpoints.
In this particular instance DPS will look at our Officer's response and actions. We will offer no further comment on this incident until the investigation has been concluded.
*It should be noted that in 1976, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Federal checkpoints near border areas to enforce laws prohibiting illegal immigration. This U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint along Interstate 8 is in compliance with federal law.
The camera rarely lies. It shows us that Anderson can be stubborn about his Constitutional rights. It shows us that he is not afraid to walk up to a Phoenix police officer and deride him for carrying a machine gun. And it shows us that he believes that Barack Obama is the devil. He will even order people to "get the hell out of my church" who happen to disagree with him.
In fact, the video camera is now the ultimate weapon of truth. Or as Judge Andrew Napolitano of Fox's Freedom Watch says 3:25 into the video below; "the camera is the new gun."
"Let me say this. The camera is the new gun. Filming the government and showing its excesses and showing its utter ignorance of the Constitution which every person who works for the government has taken an oath to uphold, will have massive effect. And we of course who believe in your civil liberties and your right not to be stopped by the government absent some demonstrable evidence of criminal activity will make sure that this tape, let's just say, will be seen by a great number of people."


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Sunday, January 3, 2010
Make Some Noise!
9 comments:
- Rach said...
Well said, Steph. Noise, the music of our lives. :o)
Happy New Year!
- January 3, 2010 at 1:52 PM
- Sharon said...
I have a plaque on our door that says, "Please excuse the noise and mess. Kids are making happy memories". It really is true, although my 3yo is being especially loud today. He's probably missing the normal 3 hours of church since we had a special meeting. I can't wait for the meltdown next week when he realizes that he doesn't get to go to nursery anymore. :-(
- January 3, 2010 at 2:07 PM
- Diana...aka...MeMe said...
So true... sad when its quiet, but then grand-babies happily fill in the noises and make your heart happy all over again!
- January 3, 2010 at 2:38 PM
- Bill, Angela, Ryan and Sierra said...
I agree. My sister and her kids just left town to return home. Her daughters are adorabe but full of energy. I miss the sounds already of cousins laughing and screaming for joy! Someday they will all be grown up and we will want it back.
- January 3, 2010 at 4:23 PM
- Megan D. said...
Jay and I were just talking about the same thing this morning. The girls were extra talkative and were following us everywhere. Maybe we are being prepared for the cries of #3 which will add additional "Music" to our ears! What blessings they are!
- January 3, 2010 at 4:47 PM
- e said...
wonderful reminder... tonight I thought I would go nuts with the noise of hungry baby, charlotte tugging on me, and berk and stella wrestling. I need to enjoy my soundtrack!!
- January 3, 2010 at 8:04 PM
- Jared and Bryanne said...
Hi Stephanie,
I tried contacting you through email a few weeks ago, but am not sure if you received my message. I am hosting an online fundraiser for my friend, Marky Jeans. You can read more about him at www.prayformarky.blogspot.com. I was really impressed with how you set up the online auction for the Emily Jones Memorial Fund. I can no longer find those posts on your blog. Can you offer any advice on how to post items for bid on Marky's auction?
- January 4, 2010 at 8:42 AM
- Kathy said...
When my third daughter was 8, we addded twin girls to our family. Our plans for an empty nest were pushed back by quite a few years. those twin girls just turned 16 and I'm dreading the thought of an empty nest. We do have 3 grandchildren now, that keep things hopping. Ahhh, the seasons of our lives!
- January 4, 2010 at 9:07 AM
- Keri Lyn @ She Saved said...
I just found your blog...and I am truly in awe of you and your amazing strength and faith. I want to go wake my kids up (it took me forever to get them to bed, lol) and hug them and hold them and have them make some noise. I am so bummed that I missed your auction for Emily ~ I live in Idaho and that story really touched me as well. You are doing wonderful things for the hearts of mothers by sharing your message ... and your beautiful little Camille must be so very proud of the honor that you have given her memory. Love, Hugs and Blessings to you! (and thank you...) Keri Lyn
- January 4, 2010 at 9:23 PM


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Today I really have to complain about having seriously tired legs. This morning I had a 8 mile run. This is coming off a 12 mile run yesterday. My run plan is seriously wearing me out.
Of I know that I have to be really careful about complaining about speed, so I will not mention that, I will just talk about feel.
I actually think this is more due to me trying to be superman and doing a kickboxing class last week. I am not sure about other reading this but I hate not doing everything. The first time I tried a kickboxing class about 6 moths ago, I didn't make it 30 minutes. This time I was bound and determined to see it through to the end.
The trainer (the little demon who I would not want to seriously kickbox with) put together these brainsplitting, extremely difficult routines. I was getting lost about have way through. Example, left jab, right cross, left hook, right uppercut, left, right, left, front kick, back kick, front kick, back kick, knee, knee, knee and knee. That was just one move sequence. I am getting winded just thinking about it again.
Well needless to say, I was hurting by the end of class. This was last Wednesday. Fortunately Thursday is a light day and I only had a quick spin on the schedule so I was able to muscle through that. Friday I was a hurt puppy. And now I think the cumulative effect has me with dead legs. I am going to have to endure another day with a "slow" run and "slower trainer" ride.


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OK, for those of you who missed it here's what I can find on the web on the GPEX Reading Conference.
From Green Despatches
The Red Pepper conference blog (most recent first)
The Red Pepper conference blog (most recent first)
- Thoughts on hosting Conference - Adrian Windish
- How was it for you? - Sue Luxton
- Mark Steel wows Green Left - Jim Jepps
- Saturday - elections, blogs and climate change - Sue Luxton
- Photos and reports from Martin Bell fringe - Rupert Reed
- Lighter moments - Natalie Bennett
- Polyclinics and the Green Party - Scott Redding
- A progressive abortion policy - Natalie Bennett
- So is the Green Party anti-capitalist? - Natalie Bennett
- Derek Wall, key note speech - Jim Jepps
- Free software and data - Tom Chance
- My day out in Reading - Matt Selwood
- Deputy Young Mayor of Lewisham visits Green Party conference - Sue Luxton
- End of day one - Scott Reading
- Caroline Lucas: key note speech - Jim Jepps
- Leading from the rear - Molly Scott Cato
- Focusing on the most vulnerable - Natalie Bennett
- Reading Travelodge: the life of luxury - Jim Jepps
- Why I was late to conference - Jon Nott(Sian Berry mayoral hustings report)
- Privatisation of GPs surgeries - GPTU
- Keep our NHS public - Rupert Reed
- Conference day one - Jim Jepps
- Thoughts turn to conference - Rupert Reed
Green Blogs
- Cllr Andy D'Agorne Spring 2008 conference report
- Dr Derek Wall Green Party passes Justice for Palestinians motion
- Dr Derek Wall Key note speech text
- Dr Derek Wall Conference report
- Dr Caroline Lucas Key note speech text
- Rob White Conferecne opening speech
- Adrian Windish Come to Reading's first Green Party conference
- GPTU Alan Wheatley's speech and the emergency motion on earnings disregard passed
- Student Medic's reflections on conference are entitled Chocolate Porn
- Rupert Read Photo gallery from conference
- Rupert Read NHS plc
- Sian Berry From Reading to Heathrow
- Stuart Jeffrey Virgin Births and polys
Other stuff
- Green Party Press Greens are at the vanguard of a new global politics
- Green Party Press Greens back abortion law reform
- Sian Berry Addresses conference
- Reading Evening Post Town plays host to Green leaders
- Emergency motions passed at conference
Let me know if you've spotted any press links, etc. and I'll add them in.


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zaterdag 15 november 2014
To Help Language Skills of Children, a Study Finds, Text Their Parents With Tips
To Help Language Skills of Children, a Study Finds, Text Their Parents With Tips. A new study shows that mobile technology may offer a cheap and effective solution. The research, released by the National Bureau of Economic Research this month, found that preschoolers whose parents received text messages with brief tips on reading to their children or helping them sound out letters and words performed better on literacy tests than children whose parents did not receive such messages. Half of the parents received thrice-weekly texts for eight months with messages like "By saying beginning word sounds, like 'ttt' in taco & tomato, you're preparing your child 4 K," or "Let your child hold the book. Ask what it is about. Follow the words with your finger as you read." Parents who received the literacy texts were far more likely to report pointing out rhyming words or describing pictures in a book to their children than those who received the more general texts. Teachers, who were not aware of which parents were placed in which group, also reported that those who received the literacy tip messages asked more questions about their children's lessons. And when the children were given tests of letter and sound recognition, those whose parents had received the literacy texts had scores that indicated they were about two to three months ahead of those children whose parents had received only the general information texts.
Gepost door Wim Roffel op 03:48
Abonneren op: Reacties posten (Atom)


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The Weekend
This morning I woke up feeling pretty good. After three weeks of sickness ripping through our family (and around for a second time on poor Beth), I blew my nose and it was clear, brushed my teeth without gagging and held young Beth who had finally returned to her smiling, playful self. Plus it was […]Read more "The Weekend"


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The Moriah Chamber of Commerce is reorganizing with the support of the town board. Town trustees recently voted to enter into a contract with the chamber for economic development services. The town will pay the chamber $2,000 this year.
The Moriah Chamber of Commerce is reorganizing with the support of the town board.
Town trustees recently voted to enter into a contract with the chamber for economic development services. The town will pay the chamber $2,000 this year.
"The chamber has become much more active," Moriah Supervisor Tom Scozzafava said. "Businesses are starting to take more interest in the chamber. A lot of people are becoming more involved — PH7 and EGDE — and the chamber is becoming the leader of a lot of positive developments."
The PH7 Committee is a group of concerned citizens who are working for the betterment of Port Henry. EGDE, the Moriah Community Economic Development Group, is a coalition of partners working together to address economic development strategies. EDGE was cited by the Lake Placid CVB/Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism this year with its Tourism Advocate Award.
Tim Bryant, president of the Moriah chamber, welcomed the town board support.
"The town board has recognized the need for more business development work and encouraged us to take steps in this direction," Bryant said. "The new team of chamber directors and officers concurred with the town board and are moving forward.
"We are reallocating resources as well as increasing our membership to finance an office on Main Street (in Port Henry), giving the chamber a very public presence," he said. "The office should be fully operational by mid-April. The extra $2,000 in funding will help us execute on projects for our business members."
The town and village of Port Henry have assisted the chamber in the past with community events such as the annual Labor Day celebration, but the $2,000 agreement is new.
"I think it's a good investment in the community," Scozzafava said. "I believe the chamber will have a positive impact on the town."
Bryant said the chamber has plans to assist and grow the business community in Moriah.
"On a macro level we want to establish some economic indicators that we can track and communicate to the community," he said. "We want to understand if our efforts are having an effect and be able to manage our resources intelligently.
"We also want to get the word out about what kind of skills exist in the town of Moriah," Bryant added. "There are some very impressive businesses that manufacture product in Moriah then ship it around the country and around the world. These companies are proof that Moriah can be a competitive location for the right kind of business."
The chamber plans to create an investment guide to help potential investors quickly evaluate Moriah and demonstrate a commitment to "make things happen," Bryant said.
The chamber also plans to track the commercial property vacancy rate, new business registrations and building permits to gage business activity in Moriah.
There are also plans to revise the chamber website to include information about specific businesses, to promote kayaking, hiking and biking in the area, to develop a real estate guide and to work with local food and lodging businesses to create tourist packages.


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last friday pork belly and his bro came in town and we decided to get some seafood @ island creek oyster bar.
check out my previous review too.
Crispy IC Oyster Slider
brioche roll, lime chile aïoli
kettle chips, cole slaw, rosemary roll
Mrs. Bennett's Seafood Casserole for 2 – this was light and loaded with all kinds of seafood.
Pan Fried Jonah Crab Cake
sweet pepper and avocado relish, spicy aïoli
500 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 532-5300


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The following was published on page B4 of CBCP Monitor, Vol. 14 No. 25, December 6 - 31, 2010.
Pastoral Dialogue with Students on 'Reproductive Health'
Pastoral Dialogue with Students on 'Reproductive Health'
By: Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos
"The little children were being to Jesus in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spokes sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, 'let the children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs'. And he laid his hands on them…" (Mt 19:13-15)
TWICE a month we make pastoral visits to the different public and private High Schools in our Diocese with the Marian Missionaries of the Holy Cross, who are our Diocesan Campus and Youth ministers. Prior to these pastoral visits, the priests of the vicariates, together with the Marian Missionaries where the national High Schools are located make the Sacrament of Confession available to the students.
The pastoral visit of the Bishop includes the following activities: Praying of the Holy Rosary, celebration of the Holy Eucharist, and a Question and Answer with the Bishop. On a pastoral visit the question and answer were on the "Reproductive Health" issue. I share them with you.
Students: We read and hear many things, sometimes conflicting, about the so-called Reproductive Health. Can you please tell us what this is all about?
Bishop: Reproductive Health provides that the use of contraceptive and sterilization means and agents be made available to all. This contraception involves abortifacients, which prevent the initial development of pregnancy even after fertilization. The Reproductive Health Bill authorized artificial birth control, the use of birth control pills and means taken by women. So the objective is population control; to reduce the number of children in a family to only two children.
Students: What does the State say?
Bishop: The State through the Constitution states in Article II, Section 12 that the "State shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from contraception."
Students: What does the Church teach?
Bishop: The Church teaches the Life is sacred. Life is precious. Life is person. And person is good. From the book of Genesis we read, "God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good". (1-31). Life is good. And life is to be protected and defended.
The Vatican II apostolic constitution 'Gaudium et Spes' clearly affirms that "from the moment of its conception, life must be safeguarded with greatest care…abortion and other infanticide are unspeakable crimes" (51). A life in womb should be taken as a blessing. It is God's mystery of love. It is God's gift of love. That life has a right to our protection and guidance. We are morally responsible for them. We are accountable to God for whatever will happen to them.
Pope Pius XII, speaking to midwives in 1951, confirmed "each man receives his life directly from God, not from his parents, or from the society or from government. Hence, there is no man or human authority that can show or exercise a valid juridical authority to decide by his will, directly and deliberately on the life of an innocent man."
Pope Paul VI, addressing the Obstetrical and Gynecological Society of England on October 3, 1964, reiterated this when he said, "innocent human life, in whatever condition it is found, is to be secure from the very first moments of its existence from any deliberate attack. This is a fundamental right of the human person, which is of general value in the Christian concept of life; and hence as valid for the still hidden life within the womb of the mother as for the life of the already born and developing outside her…" Our Church considers human life precious. Human life must be protected. Her basic natural moral rights must be promoted. Remember, for God no one is useless. Everyone is important. All are special to Him.
Student: What should we believe?
Bishop: Life is a gift; much more, life is a grace. God values our life. He wants us to live, to be alive; and not only to live, but God desires us to live humanly and with full dignity. Saint Irenaeus of Lyons described it best when he preached, "God's greatest glory is man fully alive." Can you now understand that God wants us to give life, preserve life and protect life, and not to extinguish life or to kill life?
Students: I know from my catechism class about the fifth commandment. It says "you shall not kill" (Exodus 20, 13; Deuteronomy 5, 17). We also know that the abortion is killing. To kill is a sin. And abortion is a sin. How about those who practice or promote abortifacient ways and means?
Bishop: Abortion is not being condemned only now. It has been condemned since apostolic times. Didache, the first book of the early Christian Church, say it very clearly, "you shall not procure abortion. You shall not destroy a newborn child" (II, 2). God values our life. Our Church protects and promotes life. The two early councils of the Church held in Elvira and Ancyra in 314 issued canons on protecting and safeguarding human life. These Canons states that anyone who procures abortion automatically incurs the penalty of excommunication.
Abortion is a moral evil. And with it is a canonical penalty of Excommunication to those who do abortion and who encourage and assist abortion (ref. canon 1398 CIC)
Students: What would be your advice for married couples, especially the mothers?
Bishop: To be a mother is a gracious and responsible option for life. The prophet Isaiah asks, "Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb?" (49, 37) Rarely do we see a mother who does not feel unconditional affection and selfless devotion toward her child. Jesus describes His love for Israel in terms of a mother's feeling for her young: "How many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings" (Matthew 23, 37). Yes, being a mother entails sacrifices. It is, in fact, hardly possible to talk about motherhood without mentioning suffering. Motherhood is also synonymous with self-giving. It is in self-sacrifice that a mother finds meaning in her motherhood. Like a mother, let us be ready for self-sacrifice; be more disciplined and have self-control. This is my advice: we should not base our decisions on choice but on what our conscience dictates. Yes, we are free but let us remember that we are also morally bound to act according to our formed conscience. We should always be guided by God's "way, and truth and the life" (John 14, 6). God should always be a part of any decision we make!
Students: We are grateful to you Bishop for your pastoral visits. We hope to see you again and continue to ask you more questions.
Bishop: Why not visit me in my residence? I will be more than happy to welcome you and we can continue our dialogues. Before we part, let us pray first:
O almighty God, our merciful Father
You are our Creator. You are our author of our life and source of all goodness.
We come to You.
We truly promise to decide and do things: not on the basis of what we want, nor of what others desire, not solely for our personal benefits
Not for our own advantage, not for any profit or prestige but for your greater glory, for the common good of all, and especially for our personal sanctification.
Thank you so much, O almighty God, merciful father for creating us, and for giving us a gracious chance to live.
We sincerely resolve to respect life and to protect life.
We have received Your priceless gift of life,
Your precious gift of life.
We humbly pray we may never cease to cherish all these
(This reflection is a compilation of the questions and answers from different schools in Diocese of Balanga in Bataan, such as Bataan Peninsula State University in Balanga, PUP in Mariveles, National high schools in Luacan (Dinalupihan) in Samal, in Cabcaben and Private schools such as Tomas del Rosario College in Balanga.)


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Even if Donald Trump Doesn't Get Elected...
That's for damn sure and what amazes me is that they think he is credible.
Half of the people in this country are plain old dumb fuckers!
We are in serious shit.
Well, they've always been here. Just glad not many are in Washington state!
One Fly: Yup, sad but true. Trump is just the symptom; and we're in serious shit even when he gets defeated.
Jim: We have a lot of them in this area, but fortunately they're outnumbered.
Yep...those worms ain't going back in the can.
I wonder what Trump plans to do after he loses? He's not some obscure financier or hedge fund manager, a lot of his business like his Casino's depend on attracting the Public and right now he's polarizing them in a profession that needs as many people he can get. Doesn't he realize he may be slitting his own throat?
Me I'll never again drink Trump Beer, Gamble at a Trump Casino, eat a Trump quiche, or practice Birth Control with a Trump Condom again.
Doing my bit
jadedj: LOL. Once the grease has been squeezed out of the tube, there's no gettin' it back in.
Erik: For awhile Trump was saying that if he doesn't get the presidency, he'll just disappear from the public eye. But that's hard to picture, for someone who's so addicted to being in the limelight 24/7.
So true.
I still think he's just looking for his next flim-flam gig.
And if it has to be POTUS, he'll graciously accept.
Heck, there's bound to be slick money in taking runner-up!
Cirze: The POTUS gig will be a huge salary cut for him, but at least he'll have the 24-hour limelight and name recognition that he's so addicted to. Maybe one of the Kardashians could be his running mate.
Trump's election is unthinkable -- but it's time to think about it. What will we do if we have a Republic House and Senate and Mr. Bad Hair Day in the White House? Will we revolt en masse, move to Canada, what? C'mon, people, we need a PLAN.
SM: Sorry, I'm still stuck at the "unthinkable" stage. I just can't imagine that happening.


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We are the Kranky People . . . because we like our old hand crank sewing machines!
Let me introduce you to my Kranky friends--on the left is Laurie, then JoAnn, Jerry, and Kay.
We gathered in my dining room last June to work on our HAND CRANK SEWING MACHINES.
We had so much fun, we decided to make it a regular thing--getting together to work on our machines. Laurie came up with the group name, KRANKY PEOPLE.
Laurie has a Singer with original hand crank--as I recall it has a manufacture date of 1894. It is a 3/4 size.
Needless to say, Laurie stayed the cleanest Kranky Person--dressed to the nines with gloves and apron. I think she's polishing a throat plate with some fine steel wool and metal polish on her 1894 Singer with original hand crank.
Here we see Jerry (leader of the Kranky People group) opening a bag of
weed uh--spare parts.
You can see on Laurie's machine bed is a shallow glass bowl where she puts thumb screws, presser foot, bobbin, shuttle, during dismantling and cleaning.
There aren't any fast rules where to begin, but with Laurie's hand crank machine, I think the balance wheel and shuttle were locked in rust and wouldn't move. It took a full day of cleaning and oiling to bring it around.
JoAnn's pride and joy is a 1923 Singer model 128 with La Vencedora decals--an elaborate and hard to find pattern decorated in gold, red, and green. JoAnn bought her machine in it's original wooden base and bentwood case, and removed its electric motor and added a reproduction hand crank.
In the same photo, front and center is Kay's Model 66, fitted with a reproduction hand crank. The balance wheel spins like a top after deep cleaning and oiling. A perfect machine for hand crank sewing. I'll have to look on my other computer notes/photos to find out its manufacture year. We have lots of photos of our machines when we first got them, and they were dirty toads.
At this first gathering of the Kranky People group, Jerry is instructing dismantling a machine, and getting us familiar with machine part names. As we unscrewed this and that, and filled our little glass bowls with itty bitty parts, Jerry is a great teacher and cheerleader. When things got complicated he'd sit down at our machines to solve a problem.
Some times we'd have a scary moment--(in awe), as Jerry brought out the lead hammer, brass punch, and pads, and gentle taps to nudge throat plate slides open. I'd wonder how long those plates had been frozen in place with rust?
Who are the Kranky People?
Laurie (left) is the owner of Reflections Antiques in Nelsonville, WI. JoAnn is an IT executive for a large corporation, Jerry is a rug loomer and professional candy maker. Kay (right) teaches woodcarving classes at a local college--and she's the diva of woodcarving. Before retirement, I was an executive secretary for two CEOs (back to back) at a large corporation for more than 20 years.
Kay the wood carver, wears a taped wrist while working on her Singer model 66.
Kay told me about her busy summer work--how she helped birth pigs and cows on their farm. And the flower and vegetable gardening, the vegetable canning, and their recent apple orchard harvest--and making apple juice. Kay, when do you sleep?
I wanted to share these great photos--our first group lessons in restoration. We worked, and snacked, and talked machine history, and made plans for road trips to find more antique and vintage sewing machines to work on. And we did! We bought other antiquers, and many colorful vintage machines.
Note to Jerry: I don't know how many machines we've cleaned this summer--maybe 20 or so?
We love to find toasty machines--dirty, filthy ones. It's a challenge we just can't resist.
By the way, if you want to have your granny's old machine restored--drop me a note. Jerry does house calls too!


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This week has been an interesting one. Mission Christmas happened this week and I would like to thank you all for the presents. It has made for an awesome Chrismas! I have been enjoying a plethora of candy and treats ever since Thursday. So, Thank you all for the treats. I am enjoying them. The homemade cookies are wonderful, and I have been rocking my new gym shorts every night since. Thanks guys. Merry Christmas!
So, this week... This week started with a couple of Family nights on Monday night. We shared a message about Jesus Christ and His purpose in coming to the earth. We wrapped up and with me having a draw-off with one of the family members while the teenage son played guitar. He is incredible at guitar, so it was fun to hear. We will be seeing the same family tonight!
On Tuesday, the Mo-Bay (Montego Bay elders) were in Kingston for some meetings, so they spent the morning going around with us. Elder McGregor and I went on splits with them. We walked around, talking to people for most of the time, so it was good. We have been doing a lot of that lately because we are whitewashing (trying to find investigators).
Wednesday, Elder McGregor caught a ride with one of the Kingston Zone Leaders to go to his uncle's funeral. I spent half the day with the other Kingston Zone Leader, Elder Adams. We had no solid appointments that day, so we walked around and talked to people. It gets rough sometimes.
Thursday was Zone Conference and mission Christmas. Elder Martinez of the Seventy was there. We got to hear from him. He is an amazing teacher. He teaches with such simplicity. We talked a lot about setting goals for the new year, enjoying the present and doing better in the future, and helping others come into the gospel so that they can feel included and welcome. After Zone Conference ended, we had a wonderful Christmas program. A lot of the Elders and Sisters in our the Kingston and Spanish Town zones (the zones in attendance) played instruments and sang songs. The talent displayed was incredible. I don't know how we got such great talent in such a small mission. We then went to another room and had a Christmas meal of rice and peas, chicken, ham, macaroni salad, and dessert of ice cream and cake. The meal was prepared by a few of the members. After that, we cleared up, and President Brown put on his Christmas hat and began to hand out presents. The office couple had wrapped every single package that came in, so we all enjoyed unwrapping our gifts and reading letters. When things wrapped up, us elders from Boulevard rode to the Bishop's house and had a meeting with him discussing the ward.
Friday was a long day. We super-planned for the week in the morning, and then headed out in the afternoon. We had solid appointments planned for every hour, and EVERY SINGLE ONE FELL THROUGH. So it was another day of riding around and talking to people.
The ward had its Christmas party on Saturday, and we were invited to attend. We elders played soccer in the falling rain in our proselyting clothes (suit and tie) with some Jamaicans for over an hour. It was a lot of fun, but I wrecked my pair of shoes… Don't worry, it is one of the older ones. I think I will make it through the rest of my mission.
Sunday was good. We were actually able to see some people. That was a relief.
Last night, we pulled all of the mattresses into the same room of the house and had a sleep over. Our house consists of me, Elder McGregor, Elder Guereirro, and Elder Davidsen. Elder G and I had a great time telling stories while the other two passed out. Haha. It was great.
I am hoping that this week is a little more productive than the last, but things are improving. I can't complain. The only thing I can do is work hard and be patient. Things are going to take off soon.
I am glad that you enjoyed the Christmas carols. I thought you would.
The things that we put on our Who is Jesus Christ Wall in Linstead was anything related to Him. Nothing too picky. We had everything from His purpose, to deep doctrine of how the atonement works, to the origins of His Name-Titles, to instances that show his character. We had it all organized around a lot of different pictures of Him, each one relating to a different topic, like; the atonement, the priesthood, His miracles, His character, etc.
Anything you can find about Jesus Christ that isnt common knowledge that really doesnt deserve to be stated went on the wall.
I would make a nice statement for you on Christlike attributes, but I fear that time is running short. Just remember Matt. 5:48, and John 14:8-10 ( If you have seen me you have seen the Father. I think that is the right reference.) Christ shows us and provides for us the way back to the Father. He is the only way. Our goal should be to become as He and our Father is. Perfect.
I love you all. I hope that you are having a great Christmas season! Please, take some time to focus on the past year and pick out what you are going to do better in the next. Focus on Christ. He is our Heavenly Father's greatest gift to us. In Him lies eternal life. He is the Gift. I know this to be true.
Love, Elder Pullan
|Elder Packer- I love this guy!
|Missionary Christmas!
|Me & Elder McGregor with our new haircuts


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Yeah, it's been ages… but i'm gonna make-up for it.
About the tutorial, had to reboot my phone the other day and I forgot the tutorial was on it. NEW ONE COMING SOON! I was thinking of an everyday, smokey-ish look. If you got any better ideas – let me know.
So here is a review on a really cheap mascara from Miss Sporty I recently bought. I had almost £9 on my Boots card so I thought i'll buy a few cheap items to test.
Pump up booster mascara.
The brush on this thing is CRAZY! It's a massive brush which originally attracted me because I love massive volume mascaras and the bigger the brush – the better! I also like the soft bristle brushes than the spiky rubbery ones (that said I LOVE Loreal's volume million lashes) so again, the mascara looked amazing.
Appearance: BIG SOFT BRUSH (Y) Fat tube but nothing special.
Application: Need a couple coats but nothing to moan about.
Appearance on lashes: After the initial two coats it looked really good!
Price: £3.99 cheap!!!
Texture: Nothing bad – just normal thickness but carries a bit on end of brush so need to wipe a bit.
Bad points: Excess on end of brush.
Good points: Brush, good apperance on lashes, amazing price.
Star rating: ****(and a half) out of *****


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Most of us are a bit disgusted by how much is spent on national political campaigns, especially when we ponder the more worthy purposes that money could have been used for. And although the research into campaign finance shows that money may not increase a candidate's popularity as much as is commonly assumed, those political contributions have some effect on both the vote tally and the subsequent legislation, making it seem that elections or congressmen can be bought. So it is natural to imagine that the right kind of campaign finance reform might clean up politics a bit.
Flickr photo by Luca Nebuloni
Looking at the attempts to regulate political expenditures and the many laws passed over my lifetime, I have to ask, "So how is that working out for us?" Yes, it is sarcasm you detect. There is more spent on campaigns than ever before. What is worse is that there may not be a way to meaningfully and morally limit what is spent on politics. I'll get to the moral aspects of potential solutions in a moment, but first let's consider the laws that have been tried or proposed, and why they have failed and will continue to fail.
The history of campaign finance reform goes back more than a century in the United States. The most common laws have involved limits on the amount of contributions to candidates, political parties, or other groups like political action committees (PACs). You can give $2,500 directly to a congressional candidate at the moment, $30,800 to a political party, and $5,000 to a PAC. Of course, the idea that money alone can determine election outcomes assumes that simply spending more on advertising induces people to vote for a candidate, something almost everyone feels is possible for just about everyone other than themselves.
The greater danger, perhaps, is that the elected legislator will feel compelled to introduce legislation and/or vote according to the wishes of large donors. But only the most restrictive limits on campaign contributions would resolve this problem, and then only partially, since even taking $500 from each of two hundred individuals who have common goals could leave a congressman feeling that he or she has a large "debt" to the group as a whole. Furthermore, even an honest legislator, who does not consciously vote according to the wishes of his campaign funding sources, cannot help but be aware of which votes will cost him money and which will bring it in, and this is likely to bias his decisions in subtle ways.
The basic idea of limiting political contributions is to lower the total amount of money pouring into politics. The success of that goal can only be described with more sarcasm. Despite the failure of these many attempts, the polls show that most Americans support campaign spending limits. We continue to hope that somehow there is a way to stop the corrupting influence of money in politics.
There are some reforms that probably help. Laws requiring candidates to disclose where they get their money were passed as early as 1910. Full disclosure seems like a good idea. Ralph Nader suggests members of Congress wear corporate logos of their sponsors. That might discourage them from accepting some donations, or let us know who is buying their votes, or at least entertain us.
But disclosure requirements are easy to evade. If a donor does not want to be known he might give the money to a political action committee which then gives it to a candidate. If we pass a disclosure laws for PACs he'll give the money to a more anonymous group that gives it to the PAC. If the candidate has a book published, the donor could just buy a truckload of the copies for distribution, quickly putting a lot of royalties in the candidate's hands.
Apart from the many loopholes that will always exist for getting around campaign contribution limits, there is a more fundamental reason that we cannot stop big money from entering politics. It is the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Unless we want to void that part of our political heritage and imprison people for speaking their minds or for putting their ideas on paper or in videos, politics will always be influenced by large quantities of money. There is no moral way to stop this.
Suppose we enact every campaign finance reform ever proposed, and so make it really tough for anyone to give money to a candidate. What would happen? If you cannot give more than $50 to your favorite politician, for example, what could you do? You could buy a radio spot extolling her virtues or publish a pamphlet praising her record or buy signs with her campaign slogan for your yard. All of these are things that the candidate would have spent the money on in any case.
In 2010 the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that limits could not be imposed on what corporations spend on independent political broadcasts. Many people thought this was a huge change, but prior limits never applied to owners or officers of large corporations in any case. It might be silly to treat corporations as humans with rights, but we can't treat people as having no rights just because they are wealthy, so all that changed is the ways in which the money flows (which is perhaps sad for shareholders of these companies more than for citizens in general).
What about PACs? Eliminate them? It's true that organizations backed by billionaires Charles and David Koch have spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to influence voters in this election cycle. But if we outlawed political action committees or reformed them in new ways, what would stop the Koch brothers from directly spending their money on advertising for whichever candidates or policies they desire? And if they spend a few tens of millions of dollars to get a candidate elected, isn't it possible that the new congress member would feel grateful, and show that gratitude in his or her votes? Worse than that, if the limits were severe enough, we might prevent middle-class voters from pooling their financial contributions in ways that can compete with the expenditures of billionaires.
The desire for campaign contribution limits ignores the simple fact that such laws simply reorganize the flow of money, without any meaningful effect on the nature of elections or the corruption that potentially follows them. Assuming a politician has some popularity to begin with, a few wealthy donors could spend the money necessary to put him in office without him ever getting a dime directly. Other than arresting people for asserting their First Amendment right to say and publish whatever political sentiments they feel, there is no way to stop this.
I have no solution to offer, by the way. There are undoubtedly some partial solutions, but the point of this post is to point out the futility of endlessly enacting reforms that clearly cannot work. If for any legislation proposed we can easily and immediately think of several legal ways to circumvent the intent of the law, why waste time on it? This essay is sure to generate some nasty comments, but I ask any who care to speak up to offer one way to limit the amount of money in politics which does not violate the right to free speech and for which we cannot quickly find a loophole (or two or three or four).


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Living: Food, Health, Lifestyle, Garden, Pets
► Oprah-branded mashed potatoes, soups to hit supermarkets
Oprah Winfrey is headed to the supermarket aisle with her own line of refrigerated soups and side dishes.
The media mogul teamed up with food giant Kraft Heinz to launch the line after creating a joint venture earlier this year.
The new brand, called O, That's Good!, will offer comfort foods with added vegetables, such as mashed potatoes with cauliflower mixed in. A broccoli cheddar soup has butternut squash to replace some cheese.
"This product line is real, delicious food with a twist," Winfrey said in a statement Wednesday.
Kraft Heinz Co. said the new brand has no connection to Winfrey's deal with Weight Watchers and won't mention the weight loss program on its packaging. Winfrey bought a 10 percent stake in Weight Watchers two years ago and appears in its ads.
The Oprah-branded soups and side dishes, priced below $5 each, will come to some supermarkets this week and be available nationwide by October.
► Ask a Designer: Dorm decor gets serious
When Young Huh left for college in the 1980s, she brought "one giant poster of The Cure, bedding from the local bed-and-bath store and maybe some desk accessories." Like so many Gen-Xers, her one creative touch was asking a supermarket for leftover milk crates to use as bookshelves.
Now an interior designer, she has helped her own children decorate their dorm rooms, and she's amazed at the design expectations among college students.
"It's a level of decorating that did not even exist in my world view when I was in school," Huh says.
Today, there are lots of products "that cater entirely to the college crowd," she says.
Interior designer Jon Call sees the same phenomenon: While his main business is designing luxury homes in Manhattan, he also gets asked to design college living spaces.
"This new generation has grown up under the influence of home magazines, HGTV and the virtues of 'democratic design.' They understand the value of creating unique spaces for themselves," he says. They want their dorm rooms "not only to function, but also to reflect who they are."
We've asked Huh, Call and small-space design expert Theodore Leaf, host of the Design Network series "Living Big in Under 1,000 Sq. Ft.," for advice on infusing a college dorm room with style and personality, while keeping budget and function in mind.
As with any design project, Huh recommends beginning with an overall vision for the space. "Is it all one color and soothing? Is it ethnic eclectic? Are you going for pink extravaganza? Clip some pictures or start a Pinterest page," she says.
Then, choose a focal point for the room, something you would like to see every day. "It could be your bed with an oversize art work or a fun suzani wall hanging over it," Huh says. "Having something over-scaled or very interesting to look at distracts the eye and makes you forget the size of the space."
If your focal point includes saturated, dramatic color, it will also help disguise the fact that a room is small. "This could be a red bed in an otherwise neutral room," Call explains. "It allows the eye to focus on one thing and the defining walls to disappear."
Call also suggests adding a beautiful headboard to the existing bedframe, elevating the look of basic dorm furniture.
Another trick: Keep your color scheme to just three colors to help make a small space feel bigger, and "focus on fewer pieces of furniture at a larger scale," Call says.
Leaf says the few furniture pieces you bring should do double-duty, such as a storage ottoman large enough to function as a mini coffee table or as seating.
Call agrees: "Your end table may have a drawer that is outfitted with chargers and cords to make it an electronics station. Your bed could have bolsters on it to convert it into a daybed for additional seating."
Huh suggests adding a loft to lift the bed, or at least adding risers to create under-bed storage space.
You can also use window draperies to make the room seem larger. Dorm rooms often come with vertical blinds, Leaf says, and you can transform the look by adding inexpensive sheer curtains hung high on a tension rod over the blinds. To make it even more dramatic, use a larger rod (even a tension rod made for a shower curtain) and run the sheers across an entire wall.
A colorful rug is an easy way to add style and warmth. Temporary wallpaper also can make a dorm feel less institutional. Candles (or artificial candles, for safety) can make a room feel "a little bit more tucked in," Leaf says. And an oil diffuser is great for scenting the space.
Lighting is another powerful room-changer: Instead of living with harsh fluorescent lights, Leaf suggests gathering a few hand-me-down lamps from parents or grandparents, and changing the lamp shades if you don't like them. Dimmers make a difference, too: You can use technology like Philips' Hue bulbs, which are controlled via an app, or simply bring plug-in dimmers.
Lastly, says Huh: "Fairy lights are de rigueur dorm decor."
And don't forget personal items from home.
"Anything that you can bring from home will make a dorm room feel more personal and comfortable," Huh says. "A favorite mug and something you love from your room at home should also come with you to school."