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Rockin' My Mom Jeans
Monday, May 23, 2016
Hunting Hope by Nika Maples is a Terrific Read
Hunting Hope is a perfect blend of tender honesty, raw emotion, sweet humor, emotional & physical struggles and eternal triumph. I'm not quite sure how she does it, but Nika Maples writes in such a way that you simply feel like a friend with whom she's having a deep and personal conversation. Nika does not shy away from the fact she has experienced seasons of depression in her life. But through the hardships, Nika remembers to rely on and trust in God, and gives continual examples throughout the book of when God has lifted her, sustained her, encouraged her, challenged her to press on, and continually gives her the hope to move from the winters in her life to the joys of spring. Hunting Hope is a fantastic book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
*I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.*
Hunting Hope: Dig Through the Darkness to Find the Light
(April 2016, Worthy Inspired)
Hope is not an accident. Sometimes it has to be hunted, and hunting it takes courage.
Hope hunters know how to excavate hope from hardship. There is dirt underneath their fingernails and sweat on their shirts. They rake through the rubble of an unwanted situation, digging into difficult circumstances because they have come to expect that adversity will produce good. They believe that light always triumphs over darkness. They have learned to walk through winter with their eyes on spring.
Nika Maples became a hope hunter after suffering a massive brainstem stroke that left her quadriplegic in her twenties. Doctors warned that she had as little as 48 hours to live, and-if she lived at all-she would never walk or talk again. There was no hope on the horizon. So Nika started to hunt for it. Today, she not only walks, but she speaks to audiences everywhere about the power of hunting hope when a situation appears hopeless. She says hope remains camouflaged in the daily mundane. If we are not looking for it, we will miss it, though it is right before our eyes.
Whether you or someone you know is going through a situation that feels hopeless, you will find encouragement in
Hunting Hope
. Whether you are experiencing a medical trauma, a financial hardship, or a relational crisis, you will find empowerment in
Hunting Hope
. As you read, you will cling to 20 truths about God's character and practice 5 daily disciplines that will develop your own character in crisis.
You will become a hope hunter.
Maybe it doesn't matter what
causes suffering
in our lives as much as it matters what
suffering causes
in our lives. Maybe we were
meant to be hope hunters.
Learn more and purchase a copy.
About the Author
Nika Maples is the author of Twelve Clean Pages, the memoir of her survival of lupus and a stroke that left her quadriplegic at age 20. After learning to walk and talk again, she became a public school teacher, winning 2007 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year. She holds an MA in English Education from Columbia University and currently is pursuing an MDIV from The King's University. When she is not traveling to speak, she lives, writes, and laughs as much as possible in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Monday, May 23, 2016
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Monday, May 16, 2016
Review of 'Sister Dear' {by Laura McNeill}
'Sister Dear'
is the first novel of Laura McNeill's I have read, and she is now an author to which I will turn when I'm wanting to read something dark, mysterious, and intriguing. The plot starts out simple enough--after spending 10 years in prison for a crime she didn't commit, Allie is gaining her freedom and returning home. But home is in a town where everyone still believes her guilty, her parents remain distant, her high school daughter Caroline considers her a stranger, and her sister Emma wrestles with helping her and staying away.
McNeill has layered the past & present with secrets. While the secrets have had the biggest toll on Allie's life, they mix and mingle and truly affect the entire town. Just when the reader begins to put the puzzle together, another secret is revealed and the reader finds himself or herself wondering once again, "who committed the murder"? Another dynamic of the book comes within the character development, as one character who appears to be a protagonist starts looking more and more like an antagonist, and minor characters begin to become complex major characters within the various storylines.
The novel did hit a point in the middle where the storyline to drag just a bit, but it could be that I was just getting more anxious to get to climax of the plot line and see not only who committed the murder 10 years ago, but also to see all the storylines come together and present a common resolution. While the ending chapter was just a tad rushed, overall I was very pleased with the pace of the novel and the final outcomes.
*Please note; if you are looking at this book because it is from Christian publisher Thomas Nelson and are searching for a Christian book, I do not feel this one qualifies. But if you want a murder mystery with suspense and some adult content, 'Sister Dear' is a good choice.*
*I received a complimentary copy per my honest review.*
Sister Dear
(Thomas Nelson, April 2016)
All Allie Marshall wants is a fresh start. But when dark secrets refuse to stay buried, will her chance at a new life be shattered forever?
Convicted of a crime she didn't commit, Allie watched a decade of her life vanish – time that can never be recovered. Now, out on parole, Allie is determined to clear her name, rebuild her life, and reconnect with the daughter she barely knows.
But Allie's return home shatters the quaint, coastal community of Brunswick, Georgia. Even her own daughter Caroline, now a teenager, bristles at Allie's claims of innocence. Refusing defeat, a stronger, smarter Allie launches a battle for the truth, digging deeply into the past even if it threatens her parole status, personal safety, and the already-fragile bond with family.
As her commitment to finding the truth intensifies, what Allie ultimately uncovers is far worse than she imagined. Her own sister has been hiding a dark secret—one that holds the key to Allie's freedom.
Learn more and purchase a copy.
Laura McNeill is a writer, web geek, travel enthusiast, and coffee drinker. In her former life, she was a television news anchor for CBS News affiliates in New York and Alabama. Laura holds a master's degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and is completing a graduate program in interactive technology at the University of Alabama. When she's not writing and doing homework, she enjoys running, yoga, and spending time at the beach. She lives in Mobile, AL with her family.
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Monday, May 16, 2016
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Could this dog be the next Harry Houdini?
Apparently, this little guy can escape from the stronghold that Tina and I have configured in the kitchen to corral the pups. He also found a way to escape from my mother-in-law's equally secure compound in her kitchen.
We left the house last night, sure that we had TRIPLE secured the kitchen. Chairs pushed in, check. Fence attached and no room to wiggle out of, check. Doors closed, check. An hour later...look who is outside the stronghold! LEROY!
The current theory is that, somehow, Leroy has developed the skill to climb up a fence and fall over to the other side of the fence, where he can sit on the loveseat in piece away from his fiendish brothers and goonish sister. I had forgotten that he can exhibited this once before, but we hadn't seen it in like 3 years, so I'm guessing it's a skill that only appears when need be.
We're going to do a stake-out of some sort to see if this is the case. I will discover Hairy Houdini's secrets!

subset: commoncrawl


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They often end in the same position without trying.
When twins work together on something, there is no stopping them!
Sometimes twins isolate the others around them.
I look for natural "twins" to photograph.
When the girls were babies we would get a lot of annoying questions, so I've included that link in case you want to know about some better approaches to twins. When the girls were in their first year, I could not get through Home Depot to get to the back of the store to use the bathroom because I would be stopped by all the little old men! LOL People are fascinated with babies and when they see double, they grin! I think the most annoying question I would get was wondering if J was the boy and A the girl because J was a little bit bigger. Now, granted they had virtually no hair until they were two years old, but I got asked when J was wearing purple flowers and lace too! If she was a boy, I don't know what they thought I was doing to her with that!
Twins get a lot of publicity these days. Fertility medications and an increasing mother's birth age have increased the twin rate by 75% since 1980. The more children you have delivered, your chance for twins goes up as well. (Apparently, practice makes perfect! LOL) Although we did use the help of fertility medications to conceive our son secondary to my PCOS, we did not for the girls. As a matter of fact while the rate for fraternal twins (two eggs fertilized) changes with ethnicity, age, fertility treatments and "runs in families", the rate for identical twins (single egg which divides in two) remains constant across the board, generally about 1 in 250 pregnancies without any proven hereditary factor.
Identical twins have the same DNA, but are not "exactly" the same. They have different personalities (another annoying twin question...when people ask me who the "evil twin" is, it makes me seethe!), different souls, different fingerprints and in spite of what the general public thinks, they do look very different. Identical twins may also appear very different because they can be affected differently by their environment. In God's Eyes they are "fearfully and wonderfully made" unique individuals and that is the way we, as their parents, have chosen to view them. At times they seem completely different. They fight like cats and dogs (or worse!), they don't like the same foods, clothes, activities. But beware! Never step between a twin and their twin! Things can change in a heartbeat and they tend to be fiercely loyal.
When they aren't behaving in the above ways, they are inseparable, dislike being apart, choose to do things like each other and delve into their own little world. One of the things that they do in unison (with no prior discussion, decision making or warning) is breaking into a sing-song, chanty voice or song in words that do not make sense to the rest of us. They appear to be in a trance, mesmerized with each other and in total bliss! It is during these times that we know that we are definitely on the outside looking in!
You will notice that in these pictures they are dressed alike. Sometimes we do, but mostly we don't. We decided from the beginning that if we had two girls who were not twins, we might dress them alike, so occasionally was all right. However, we try to treat them as individuals, NOT a unit! We talk to twins and twin parents whenever we get a chance and some twins tell us they hated dressing alike. Some loved it! There seems to be no inbetween. We tend to dress them alike on trips because it is easier to see where they are and keep track! :o)
Twins are a lot of work. We did not have a lot of physical help since our family lives far away. I have to chuckle when I hear people say "It was hard! I don't know what I would do without my nanny!" LOL NANNY?! More power to you, if you can afford one, but we had no choice but to do it the hard way. And looking back through the exhaustion, tears, lack of sleep and the physical exhaustion while nursing two babies and taking care of an 18 month old big brother....I'm not signing up to do it again real soon, but I wouldn't take it back either. Our little family is bonded together in His love, protection and strength and we feel blessed.
Do I think twins are special? Sure I do! But I believe all children are special. I have worked many years with children, as a babysitter, volunteering in the peds ward, an educational aid, a respite care giver, an Auntie, a pediatric medical assistant, a Sunday School teacher and now as a Mom. Through all those experiences I have learned how unique and special we all are. I've said it before, I know the Peace Corps claims this slogan, but I think it should be for parents...Parenting is the toughest job you will ever love! :o) And I have many friends who long to be parents but cannot or who never had children for various other reasons. Do not think that you are not important. God uses you in the lives of children. Children need positive, encouraging and godly adult role models in their community as well as their immediate family.
I would love to hear from any twins or twin parents out there! I know a few of my readers are twin parents. It is encouraging when we share together. I am looking forward to the overwhelming day when I will attend the Twins Day festival in person! It looks like a lot of fun!


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Subject Catalogue :
In an alphabetical subject catalogue, entries are made under the name of the specific subjects of documents. Irrespective of their affiliations, specific subject entries are strictly arranged in an alphabetical order. The fundamental rule of entry in an alphabetical specific subject catalogue is to enter a work under its specific subject. For example, a book on 'Roses' will be entered under 'Roses' and not under 'flowers' or 'Botany', which are broader than 'Roses'. Ranganathan defines a specific subject of a document as that division of knowledge whose intension and extension are equal to its thought contents. According to him, the specific subject of 'Teaching chemistry in secondary schools in Delhi' would be 'DELHI, CHEMISTRY, TEACHING 'TECHNIQUE, SECONDARY SCHOOLS, EDUCATION' and not the way it is given in the heading.
In almost every type of library, the predominate requests for documents are by their subjects. Hence extensive provision must be made to give adequate representation to subjects of documents, with a considerable number of cross-references, directing the user to the various aspects of a subject.
While the alphabetical specific subject catalogue provides comparatively easy approach to the catalogue by arranging subjects in alphabetical order, it scatters related subjects. Depending on the incidence of the letter of the alphabet, it disperses entries pertaining to related subjects throughout the catalogue. In fact, one has to refer to a number of subject headings to get a full view of the ramifications of a subject.
In these headings, their alphabetical arrangement scatters the related ones. Agriculture, Apples, Asparagus is subjects group; Aeronautics, Aircraft, Aviation, another group;.Aesthetics and Arts, is still another group; Arithmetics and Astronomy, Arsenic and Atoms, etc., form still other groups. Thus, subject affiliations are totally absent in this type of catalogue. Of course, this difficulty can be overcome by appropriate references.


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Sound generator in Visual C++ 2005
Bütçe $30-100 USD
Sound generator in VC++
I need a simple program that will play binaural beats. See the wikipedia if you need further info.
The program will play:
• one sin wave on the left speaker, (at a specified Hz, the user will be able to alter this values using a slider control)
• one sin wave on the right speaker, (at a specified Hz, the user will be able to change this values too)
• one stereo channel to play a wave file (if you can open and play a wma, that's better)
Notes: The stereo channel will stream the music/sounds using DirectX (don't use deprecated functions please). The audio/music file needs to be hardcoded inside the software, the user shoudn't be able to change it.
The audio will be keep playing even when the window lost focus and another DirectSound program is running (IDC_FOCUS_GLOBAL )
The User Interface should be very simple,
• a window with play/stop buttons…
• a label showing the playback status, current frequencies…
Keep it simple please. It needs to compile with Visual Studio 2005 Pro. Use Windows XP controls look and feel. I need this in English, but use resource files in order to make it easier to create multilingual versions.
Thanks for your time, and good luck!
-safersale group
PS: Feel free to ask me whatever you want to know. Should work on Windows XP SP2 (If you can make it work on Windows Vista current RC, even better)


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Stuffs to be learned during 20's 🙂
1. Metabolism isn't magic.
It's hard not to get used to the grotesque Roman orgy of eating habits that is youth. You can live on an uninterrupted diet of Mountain Dew, Doritos, and the errant Toaster Strudel for when you're feeling like doing a bit of kitchen work, never seeing an ounce of your folly go straight to your carefree hips. Then, at a certain point, you eat an Oreo and can actually watch that bad boy travel from your esophagus to your ass if you stand in front of a full-length mirror. And the energy you constantly felt, regardless of the day's activities or the time you'd gotten up that morning? Now, if you're not living on a diet of nothing but kale and Yoga For Self-Righteous People, you're essentially comatose by 3 PM. It appears that being healthy requires work, and few things in life seem to suck…
View original post 1,322 more words


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Since the election I've published several pieces analyzing the Question 6 vote in Maryland as well as voting patterns in Minnesota and Maine, where gay marriage was also on the ballot.
* In the November 30 Washington Post "Outlook" section, I argued that the pattern seen in many affluent, educated Maryland suburbs — same-sex marriage running stronger than did President Obama — was also found in Minnesota and Maine. This pattern indicates the presence in all three states of substantial numbers of Republican "ticket-splitters" who voted both for Mitt Romney and for (or, in Minnesota, at least not against) freedom to marry.
* On Dec. 13 at TheBlaze.com I published a piece proposing that the perennial hope of winning black and Hispanic votes by emphasizing social conservatism is the cargo cult of the Republican Party. In particular, I analyze precinct results from Prince George's County and find that the most socially conservative black neighborhoods, as measured by resistance to Question 6, show no more willingness to vote for Republican candidates than neighborhoods that are more socially liberal in their leanings. Links/reactions: David Frum, Steve Miller. On the miserable results obtained by the Maryland GOP for its strategy this year of running hard on social conservatism, see this excellent post-mortem by Kevin Waterman.
* I discussed some of my findings on National Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation" and in a Cato Institute podcast. Coverage appeared in various places including Box Turtle Bulletin, and a reprint in the Bangor Daily News.
* For my first two pieces on the Maryland results, published in the Huffington Post, follow this link.
For readers who would like to check my numbers, or simply investigate these questions further, here are some sources. Maryland precinct results for most counties are available at the election websites of the various counties: thus Prince George's, Baltimore, Frederick, and so forth. To match polling places with neighborhoods, look for files with details on polling places (P.G., Baltimore, Frederick; map file for P.G.)
Minnesota data is here. On Maine, I worked with the convenient platform provided by the Bangor Daily News, but checked against state results here.
The Fox News exit polls I mention are here.
And some other resources: WP map, Maryland Republicans for Marriage Equality maps, city of Baltimore result map courtesy Sen. Bill Ferguson, more on exit polls.
— Walter Olson


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Ligra: leader in visual communication solution
A vocation to excellence drives our choices of the best brands, this assures our clients the serenity to deal with an influential and reliable partner.
During years the capability to select the best products from a complex market has rewarded us with many successes in various industries: from professional audio video for rental and system integrators, moving through educational sector, to videoconferencing and museum staging with totem and public areas. Every aspect of visual communication has been taken on by Ligra with professionalism and competence until reaching the top of the market.
We can declare, with pride, that Ligra is not a pure and simple distributor of products but a real consultant and suppliers of solutions in the wider meaning of this term. A widespread knowledge of the market and a strong passion drive all of our choices and allow us to take the right decisions in an industry where the only certainty is change.


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I don't write all that to feel you guilty as you could think it but only to alleviate my heart.
" Now you're far away
You let me on this way
I can't hold you back
This is your choice
Don't Forget me, Don't forget us
You always want a song about you
And now that's true. "
"Just Friends" - Lily'C
So STOP IT NOW ! I must to forget you even if these days with you were amazing and the last summer was one of the best ever, I need to have my own way with success and happiness and it's without you. Even if I grew up during these months without you. I grew up without you 'cause I need to do it without you.
Only the future will say it to us.
To be continued …
" The time that you danced with me
With no music playing i remember those simple things
I remember till i cry
But the one thing i wish i'd forget
A memory i wanna forget
Is goodbye "
Goodbye – Miley Cyrus
How could I explain you my current feeling. I realize now how this family is important for me. This special weekend they were just 2 of it but that was so fucking great ! I think I need some changes in my life. I know I already have many many of 'em these last months but I need to have some positive things. Like this weekend. I went to skiing last holidays, I think that was a such first great thing even if I was very weak when I snowboarded. And this day at Paris was very very incredible and great for my mind.
V for Victory.
I was back at the hospital just for one rendez-vous with my doctor. She told me that I should come during 3 days to be a long test. I hate hospital it's so bored … But I know that I could be better one day even if sometimes that's hard 'cause when I swim or when I run in Softball, I'm weak very quickly.
This month I discovered something: At HighSchool during the lunch time one boy drank a Sprite beside me and I realized that I forgot the smells and the taste of it ! I start to forget the taste of Nutella too or many other things. That's weird but I must to live with, or rather, without these products.
Maybe some of you are right and maybe I just need love in my life. A person who will say me everyday that he loves me for who I am.
" I'm shaking it off, I'm shaking off all of the pain.
Breaking my heart, breaking my heart once again
I want someone to love me
For who I am
I want someone to need me
Is that so bad? "
"Who I Am" - Nick Jonas & The Administration
These last weeks i've another weird feeling that I can't explain well … How could I explain my feelings about her ? I don't know, I just know that's not a jealous feelings. It's like a protection feeling. She seems too frivolous for him. I saw the pain into these eyes on every new photos. The light does not shine anymore into these eyes like this night when he looked at me...
" I'm confused" why ? Why did you tweeted it ? Why were you confused ? I feel that he's sad and not ok, and I can't help him. That's very frustrated ! I can just pray for him and I do it. He deserve the best, that's all. I really wanna meet him just to hug him and say something important. I hope one day I could do it. I don't know why but I've the feeling that if I sing more maybe he'll hear me … so I'll sing for him. 118 days ago … Longtime since the last one but more closed days after days to the next one. Cannot wait to see you all again !
By the way, I tried to write him a letter but I was many problems 'cause it's very hard to write his heart one a white page. I wanna tell him all the hope and the strength he gaves me this night at this special moment but I didn't arrive to write well. But I received a photo of him and my heart has been heated by a special one so finally I finished my letter (oups … 4 pages … haha !) I hope he'll read it even if he never answers me … if he reads it that's a flawless (?) thing.
My last paragraph is for you all my readers ! Thanks to read and comment my posts. Thanks for your help and your support. Don't forget to Keep the Faith. Yes to Keep to Faith 'cause I thing that even for the persons who are not believers, it's a very important thing. "Keep the Faith" … There's so much things into this sentence, so much of hope, so much of strength. It's a thing which I'd like to make comprehensible to many people who does not understand that or does not even tolerate it. It's not a religious way first, it's just a question of principle, a heart way. It's one thing that carries us and guide us … I know that to tell me it, helps me everyday and I'd like to help each others with it.
God Bless You,
New Layout & new organization for my posts: One per page.
Banner made by Perrine (Twitter - NickJonasFrance)
Vote for me on NickJonasFrance's WebTob (I'm first ! and if i win this blog will be on the main page for one month. I think it's a great opportunity to share my Simple Win.)
New MySpace Layout too -- Here --


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San Francisco Chronicle
November 30, 2010
Blue Shield, Kaiser among state insurers fined
By Victoria Colliver
State regulators Monday fined seven of California's largest health insurers nearly $5 million for systematically failing to pay doctors and hospitals fairly and on time.
The California Department of Managed Health Care issued the fines following an 18-month audit in which investigators looked at a small but statistically significant sample of claims. The investigation found the plans were paying on average about 80 percent of the claims correctly, far below the legal threshold of 95 percent.
"Our clear and consistent message is that California's hospitals and physicians must be paid fairly and on time," said Cindy Ehnes, director of the Department of Managed Health Care, which is charged with regulating the states' health maintenance organizations, or HMOs.
In addition to the fines, the companies must pay the doctors and hospitals restitution that is expected to run into the "tens of millions of dollars," Ehnes said. The plans will also be required to come up with a plan to correct the problem and submit to future audits.
Five of the insurers, excluding Anthem and Blue Shield, were also found to have improper provider appeals processes.
When doctors and hospital officials try to dispute a claim, they often have to deal with the same individual who originally denied the claim in the appeals process, Ehnes said.
Cracking down on the health plans for not properly paying providers helps consumers, said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California.
"Consumers would rather that the time and resources of health providers go to patient care, rather than in fighting to get insurers to pay correctly," he said.
Comment: What services do the private insurers provide for us? Processing claims? They won't even do that right 20 percent of the time, according to this California audit. The total of $5 million in fines that they were assessed is so paltry that they have no incentive to discontinue their highly profitable policy of delaying and denying legitimate claims.
Let's have the members of Congress fire the insurers and set up our own national health program - an improved Medicare that covers everyone. If they won't do that then let's fire them, replacing them with responsible elected stewards who will.


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By Thomas Moore, Health Correspondent
Sky News
Low levels of a potentially dangerous drug have been found in horsemeat destined for human consumption.
(Feb. 14, 2013) — New figures released by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) show that eight horses slaughtered in the UK between January 30 and February 7 tested positive for the veterinary painkiller bute.
But FSA tests on Findus processed beef products withdrawn from sale in the UK after the discovery of traces of horsemeat found no evidence of the drug.
Six of the carcasses that tested positive were from the abattoir LJ Potter Partners in Taunton, Somerset.
They had already been exported to France and may have entered the food chain. Authorities are urgently trying to trace the meat.
The other two carcasses were found at High Peak Meat Exports of Nantwich, and were disposed of.
Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies said bute – also known as phenylbutazone – can cause skin rashes and problems with blood cell production when used in humans at therapeutic doses.
But the contaminated horsemeat contained levels much lower than those used to treat patients.
"If you ate 100% horse burgers of 250g, you would have to eat, in one day, more than 500 or 600 to get to a human dose," she said.
"It would really be difficult to get up to a human dose."
The FSA said it is investigating how contaminated horses slipped through the net.
All horses are legally required to have a passport, which is stamped if they are treated with bute.
Abattoirs are required to check the passport before slaughtering the animal, and discard all those where bute has been used or their treatment history is uncertain.
Around 9,000 horses a year in Britain are slaughtered for human consumption. Almost all the meat is exported. Read more, watch video >>
If they found low level amounts only, and bute is not that dangerous, then why all the alarm about bucking up failed medical documentation systems and absent or inadequate drug testing? Why is there a policy that horses whose treatment history is uncertain are "discarded"? (whatever that means).
It sounds like they are trying to dodge some bullets here and mollify the public. Horsemeat has been found in baby food. Would you feel safe feeding your baby bute-contaminated horsemeat?
At any rate, we would love to see the theory proved, and the best way to test it is most likely the Courts. We are watching for lawsuits against the government, the abattoirs and the purveyors who mislabeled potentially toxic meat and sold it to the public.
— Horsemeat and bute: Q&A — As farming minister tells MPs that veterinary painkiller bute may be in the food chain, here are answers to the key questions; The Guardian; 14 February 2013


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With each passing day, religious topics are becoming increasingly significant in the presidential campaign discourse. The GOP presidential candidates are all too happy to discuss their faith, extolling their open and proud devotion to versions of Christianity. Such devotion, they suggest, makes them particularly qualified to become president. By the same token, this narrative suggests indirectly that President Obama has a different more "exotic" faith, which leads millions of people to believe -- quite erroneously -- that he is foreign or even a Muslim who is a pawn of a theocratic Islamic conspiracy.
Given their penchant for faith-full political declarations, the GOP presidential hopefuls, especially Pennsylvania's favorite son, Rick Santorum, have declared war on pornography and have called for an end to Planned Parenthood. They have voiced their support for measures that would restrict contraception and promote unnecessary medical procedures and cumbersome bureaucratic restrictions that would make it exceedingly difficult to obtain an abortion, which they tend to see as immoral, if not downright evil.
Although the articulation of these religious themes may seem invasive and disturbing to many Americans, their presence in the current political campaign is not that surprising. Religion, after all, has always played a central role social life -- in America, but also in Europe and other parts of the world. Following the insights of religious studies scholars we know that religion gives us our bearing in the world. It defines the structure of the universe and provides a myth of creation. It sets a code of ethics and offers a set of standards for moral behavior. It creates a matrix of moods and motivates us to act. It defines spaces of good and evil, and helps us to deal with the absurdity of human pain and suffering. Is it any wonder that people devote so much energy to religious practices?
The central presence of religion in public life makes it a prime ingredient in the play of politics. From a cross-cultural anthropological and historical perspective, it is clear that people in positions of power have long used religion as a political tool. In the 19th century it was used as a rationale for British and French colonial expansion -- especially in Africa. Evoking themes of cultural renaissance and "the white man's burden," France and Great Britain -- and Portugal, Belgium and Germany to a lesser degree -- extended colonial rule over much of the African continent. It is equally clear that the notion of a "civilizing mission" was a smokescreen to obscure the wholesale economic exploitation of lands rich in the primary materials central to industrial expansion. It was more politic to promote a "civilizing mission" rather than to expose the brute imperial exploitation of natural resources that helped to expand the economic and military power of Great Britain and France.
Following this well-worn path, contemporary American politicians seem to be using religion to divert our attention from fundamental and disturbing economic trends. In faith-full politics, we are told that the world can be categorized in hermetically sealed categories of black and white, good and evil, and moral and immoral. These days the GOP presidential hopefuls like to link sacred morality and sacrosanct free markets. Indeed, in contemporary faith-full politics the god-like status of the market -- and corporations -- seems to have overshadowed the age-old religious obligation of caring for the old, the sick and the poor.
Given my cross-cultural perspective, tempered by a rich historical and anthropological record, I am skeptical about how faith is used in the public sphere for political purposes. My strong suspicion is that the real power brokers, people like the Koch Brothers, among many other wealthy seekers of political influence, are funding candidates and Super PACS that promote faith-full messages that divert our attention away from perhaps the most profound transfer of wealth in American history.
The narrative of wealth transfer, which has been championed by the Occupy Wall Street Movement, has introduced the issue of social inequality into American political discourse. Talk of skewed income distribution and lack of fairness threatens the power brokers, who want us to forget about the excesses of social and economic inequality. If they have their way, and you cannot underestimate the power of money to influence the electorate, the middle class will soon fade into obscurity and we will regress into a society marked by the hopelessness of rigid social class division.
Faith-full politics today reinforces faith-less social policies that would bring irreparable social harm to the old, the sick and the poor. Once again religion is being used to obscure economic exploitation.
God help us if faith-full politicians create faith-less social policies -- all to increase social and economic disparity.


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The thoughts of me and my dog who used to be Harvey, but is now George, who is Harvey's great-great-great-great-nephew.
Friday, November 02, 2012
Procrastinating? Surely not
We are writers; we love to write. Yet when the time comes to sit down and write, the need to do the ironing becomes imperative. It must take precedence over all else. It's a similar thing with the laundry, sorting out the wardrobe, and so on, not forgetting the essential task of blogging to tell everyone about it.
I'm only on day 2 of NaNoWriMo and already I'm procrastinating. I'll be fine when I get down to it ...
And I'm really hoping that I'll soon reach the stage when I'll be able to write NaNoWriMo without having to recall what it stands for and spelling out the initial letters each time.
10 comments:
- GLEDWOOD said...
Yeah Liz, I promise I'll write you a proper comment when I get round to it!
- 6:01 pm
- GLEDWOOD said...
Ukh, sorry Liz... still can't be bothered right this minute... maybe I'll manage it tomorrow!
- 8:58 pm
- katney said...
And right now I have other things to put off.
- 10:54 pm
- Naomi said...
I have been blogging for about 18 months and came across NaNoWriMo half way through last year.
And thanks to your last blog was reminded about it this year so signed up on 31st Oct!
I have started novels before for a bit of fun, but they always end up biographical and I get scared off from finishing them. So I have attacked this in an entirely different way!
My problem hasn't been procrastination - it has been fighting over the laptop with my husband, so I have been snatching time here and there. Not sure if I'll complete the month but I hope I do!
- 9:31 am
- Suburbia said...
I wish there was a pill for procrastination! I want to write but always fill my time with housework!!!!
What is NaNoWriMo?
- 5:41 pm
- Ole Phat Stu said...
While on the subject of NaNoWriMo : is it sheer coincidence that 'Procrastination' anagrams into both 'Narration Topics' and 'Parrots Inaction' ? ;-)
- 8:16 pm
- Anne in Oxfordshire said...
No idea what it stands for, but I do know quite a few that are doing it . I cannot write .. find it hard just writing for my blog ... !!
- 8:50 pm
- Rose said...
Procrastination is my middle name:) I find it hard to sit down and even write a blog post these days. Good for you for signing up for NaNoWriMo. The thought of trying to write a whole novel in a month would be too much pressure for me, but I'm looking forward to see how it works for you.
- 2:14 pm
- GLEDWOOD said...
O sorry Liz. Still haven't got round to that comment yet!
- 1:33 pm
See also http://cheezburger.com/6729504768
- 5:19 pm


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"You can change the channel now if you want to," I said.
"Oh, is the game over?" Seth asked.
"Umm… I think we both know it's been over for quite a while now," I said with a sigh.
I got nothing tonight. Tonight's game has left me so uninspired that I can't even figure out what to write. I watched the whole game—that should be worth something. Milwaukee was never really out of it but really never in it either, losing 5-0 to the Houston Astros. The Brewers made two great defensive plays. The Brewer bats, however, were completely silenced by newly acquired J.A. Happ. He made Philadelphia look like the loser in its trade with Houston. Roy Oswalt got roughed up by the Nationals, giving up seven hits and five runs (four earned runs) over six innings.
It was so bad, I started thinking about Seth McClung. I don't know why. I wondered what he was up to. (Free agency; coaching the Pinellas Park girls' high school basketball team.) I tried to find a McClung Like a Horse t-shirt on clearance. Ohhh, Big Red, why didn't you kung fu Ken Macha when you had the chance? Just one kick to the mid-section … Apparently, I get violent when I get frustrated. Chucky reminds me of better times. Tonight, I miss being good.
Astros 5, Brewers 0
Game played 7-30-10


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Both sets used feature in the new mini catalogue which will be released on January 4th.
Friday, 30 December 2011
New stampin up stamp sets
So I finally got round to using my new stamp sets and I thought you might like a sneeky preview.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Finished at last!
Finally managed to get my Christmas crackers finished. Next year I think I'll start collecting loo roll holders before December. Very pleased with the results though.
Monday, 12 December 2011
Concertina Notebook
These concertina notebooks would make lovely little gifts or stocking fillers.
They were very easy to make one is pumpkin pie with real red, the other is daffodil delight with old olive.
They were very easy to make one is pumpkin pie with real red, the other is daffodil delight with old olive.
Saturday, 3 December 2011
A Handmade Birthday Card for Ava
A Birthday card made for Avas first birthday, personalised using the monogram sweet alphabet set. Made using the, Array of sunshine, hostess stamp set and the new in colours lucky limeade, calypso coral, pool party and wisteria wonder. I do love how well the colours work together. Images have been cut out and layered up with the stampin dimensionals.
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Handmade Christmas "shopper" Gift Bag
For my sons Christmas I have bought a pack of plastic food with a little shopping trolley. It will go with his toy kitchen that he plays with all the time. I've been thinking about how best to wrap it. If I open the box and split it up then there are more parcels for him to open. Watching him open the parcels is definitely the best part. So I made this little brown paper shopping bag, using a roll of plain brown paper, and then he can use it to play with too.
I think it looks great and I plan to make another one so I'll take some step by step photos and post them later.
- Firstly, I cut the roll of paper 82 cm long, that makes 25 cm for the width, 15 cm for the depth and 2 cm for gluing.
- Measure and fold lines at 15cm, 40cm and 55cm. This gives you two sections which are 15cm wide and one which is 25cm wide. (You shouldn't need to score the fold lines as the paper folds easily anyway, I used the edge of the ruler to make a good crease.)
- Fold both the sections which are 15cm wide in half. These sections are the depth and these extra folds will allow the bag to close flat.
- To fold the final edge it is best to 'assemble' the bag and you will see clearly where the fold should be.
- Start with the longest section flat on the table and work outward from both sides, fold the next two edges inward and the the next two outward.
- Fold the final section inward .
- Your final section should be slightly longer so now the final fold can be made to tuck round and finish it off neatly and evenly.
- Open the bag out flat and make a fold along the long edge (the bottom) at 17cm.
- Lay out flat again. At the two wide sections we're going to make some folds at 45 degree angles. To do this take the crease at the edge of the wide section and align it with the crease which crosses through it, folding in towards the centre of the wide section.
- We now have all the folds we need.
- Glue the thin 2cm flap to make the basic bag shape.
- Glue all the small triangle sections and stick them down to give that 45 degree angle. These are the flaps which will form the bottom of the bag.
- Glue them and fold them to the centre.
- Reinforce the bottom of the bag with a piece of an old cereal box.
- I made the bag sit flat by aligning the side edge to the bottom and pushing the bottom up.
- Trim the top so it's the desired height
- stamp and decorate.
I think he will really love it and I'm quite pleased myself.
Sunday, 20 November 2011
Scrapbook Page, Mummy Baby
This scrapbook page, Mummy Baby, was made using :
- 12*12 card stock, old olive and daffodil delight.
- stamp sets, greenhouse garden and letter it alphabet.
- Quick accents, big top birthday.
- Ink old olive and daffodil delight.
The old olive card stock was trimmed a bit wider than the photo to leave a mount at either side. The embellishments were made using the greenhouse garden, 2 step stampin set stamped onto card and cut out. The title was done by stamping the letter it alphabet onto card using the daffodil delight, this was cut out and stuck down. The ribbons at either side are taken directly from the quick accents big top birthday sheet. The element were stuck down using the snail adhesive.
This page was very simple to put together but looks very affective and I was pleased with how it turned out.
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Handmade Christmas Crackers
Have a go at these Handmade crackers, you can really personalise them plus you get to choose an individual gift for all of your guests.
- Holly Berry Bouquet Speciality 12x12 paper
- toilet roll holders
- ribbon
- pines and poinsettias stamp set
- Inks
- cracker snaps
- Joke/riddle
- paper hats/ masks
- adhesive snail, sticky strip and stampin dimensionals
- Paper trimmer and perforator
- Trim one edge of your paper so it is 20cm long,giving you an oblong.
- Make two perforated lines paralel to the short edge, 10cm from the edge of both the short sides.
- Glue the cracker snap in place along the long edge, leaving enough space for the sticky strip.
- Put a length of sticky along the edge of the paper.
- Place the three toilet roll holders along the edge, opposite the sticky strip.
- Roll the paper around the toilet roll holders. When you near the edge pull off the backing for the sticky strip and stick the paper down.
- Pull one of the end rolls out slightly (around 2 finger widths) and then gently squeeze the gap between the rolls using the length of your pointing finger and your thumb. Pull it out a bit more and squeeze it again. Repeat this a few times. Now, gently, twist the end roll slightly then push the two rolls together again.
- Now it's time to fill your cracker with your gifts and jokes etc.
- Once you have everything inside repeat the previous step to close the other half of the cracker.
- Tie the ends with ribbon and then embellish with your own stamped images, beads, buttons, ribbons or whatever might take your fancy.( I only had whisper white ribbon so I coloured it with the real red stamping pad.)
The colours that co-ordinate with the paper pack are cherry cobbler, real red, chocolate chip, very vanilla, so safron and wild wasabi.
To purchase any of these or other products email firstname.lastname@example.com.
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At this time of year, there's no more common a sight than families stepping out on holidays together and participate in activities that are enjoyable for all ages. With that in mind, it's simple to find a family friendly Bespoke hotel in the UK that meets the needs of the whole clan, from nippers to nannies and everything in between. When you take the time to find a family friendly hotel, holidays quickly shift from headache to hassle-free.
Looking for a Family Friendly Hotel? Bespoke Hotel Staff Members Aim to Please
When making your hotel booking, be sure to speak with the hotel staff and let them know the ages of the people you'll be travelling with. At Bespoke, staff will always go the extra mile to accommodate your needs. After all, hotels want to secure your business in the hope that you'll have a lovely time and recommend the establishment to your friends. If you're accompanied by very young children, the Bespoke Hotel of your choice may be able to provide cots and appropriate sleeping arrangements. Alternatively, if you let the staff know what sorts of activities your children enjoy, they can likely suggest ideas of age-appropriate games that will help the younger members of your family have an exciting time on their holiday
Holiday Dietary Needs
Trying to accommodate the often drastically different taste preferences of individuals can be one of the most difficult parts of travelling as a family. Eating in an unfamiliar place can be a somewhat overwhelming experience for kids, especially if the local cuisine is radically different to what they're used to at home. These struggles can be even more intense for children who are already notoriously picky eaters. Take the uncertainty out of your dining experience by asking the advice of a representative of your chosen Bespoke Hotel. Remember that they deal with hundreds of guests on a daily basis and will be well accustomed to giving suggestions about great places to dine in the area. Use them as a personal resource and you'll soon reap the benefits.
Take the Good and Bad in Your Stride
Seemingly small snags in your holiday plans, such as an unplanned rainstorm or misplaced item, can be that much harder to bear when travelling with a family. If these unplanned events occur, do your best to keep a positive attitude and not let the situation spoil the rest of your time. Children will pick up on and respond to your positivity, and before you know it the bad parts of your holiday will seem that much less severe. If large portions of your holiday are changed due to weather, check with the hotel staff to get their suggestions of fun indoor activities. After all, they'll have had to endure plenty of rainy days themselves!
Choose the Attractions and the best deals
Whether you want to visit the famous Theme Parks such as Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures, Thorpe Park, or Legoland, Bespoke hotels have a family friendly hotel nearby. But it doesn't just extend to the high-octane seekers amongst you. If less demanding activities are on the cards why not try visiting Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest, Windsor Castle, a break in the beautiful Cotswolds or Marwell Zoo in Winchester. All these places have local family friendly Bespoke Hotels who are offering great deals this Summer, including offers on admission prices to local attractions.
So keep an open mind and leverage the expertise of hotel staff, you'll find that it's simpler to have a family friendly, break at a Bespoke Hotel this summer.


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Does anyone get really annoyed at other peoples happiness?
Like, feeling bitter when someone is happy, and happy when they are not? Or is that just me?
Maybe that is why i don't like new years. Or maybe because I myself, miss out on so much happiness myself.
Im not sure. All i know is that if someone has a milestone in life and has a great deal of happiness, im bitter for the next few hours


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I've tried several brands of vanilla in the last few months, and here's my review so far!
These are all alcohol-based, with vanilla extract only (no sugar/fake flavors).
Singing Dog Organic vanilla: not so great. The potency is quite weak — I used almost double to get the full flavor.
Simply Organic Madagascar: not so great. flat flavor; strong alcohol taste.
Frontier Organic pretty good! Good flavor and strength — good all-purpose cooking extract.
MacTaggart's Brand Tahitian: THE BEST I have ever tasted. Beats all previous vanilla experiences hand-down. The Tahitian vanilla is delicate in flavor, the extract has a full-bodied flavor and aroma, prompting me to declare it as worth every penny. You can get some here: http://www.mactaggartsbrand.com/
I haven't tried the Madagascar variety from them, but I intend to!
Most vanilla production is in Madagascar and Tahiti. Nicer vanilla brands will distiguish the two, as they have different flavors: the Madascar is more full-bodied, deep, strong; the Tahitian is delicate, lingering, bright.
Tagged: mactaggart, mactaggarts, review, Tahitian vanilla, vanilla


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In the words of James Brown "I don't want all that mess…just give me some popcorn." http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4131422760421767776# (for the uninitiated, here is the Godfather of Soul himself singing Popcorn.) That is what was going through my mind the night I finally decided to do some research on popcorn. I love popcorn. (James Brown is kind of fun too.) I love to pop a bag of popcorn into the microwave and 2 glorious minutes later start the enjoyment of nibbling one unique kernel of popcorn at a time until they are all gone. However, I really do not care for the chemical taste that microwave popcorn has ( is it getting worse or is that just me)? So I had gone back to the "old school" way, getting out a heavy saucepan, pouring in the oil, adding the popcorn, shaking the pan, pouring the popcorn into a bowl, adding he salt, eating the popcorn, cleaning the greasy pan and dishes.
Tastes great, but it brings us back to "I don't want all that mess…just give me some popcorn". I liked the idea of an air popper, but really who needs another giant appliance to move out of the way each time you need a casserole dish or mixing bowl? I thought I had heard something about being able to make your own microwave popcorn so I decided to take the time to hop on the internet and google it. I went to allreceipes.com and what I found made me feel like I was the last person on earth to know about how to make my own microwave popcorn! But just in case you are one of the few who have not yet discovered this secret, I will continue.
First of all the recipe is elegant in its simplicity. Poporn, oil (or no oil, perfect for our recipe for snack mix), small paper lunch bag, and salt,(or no salt) or your favorite seasoning. Just think of the possibilities! No fat, no problem. No gluten no problem. No sodium, no problem. This is endlessly adaptable to almost any dietary restriction. And the preperation is no problem. Place all items, except the bag, in the bag, fold the top of the bag down, pop until the pops are 2 seconds apart. Nothing could be simpler, however it seems that the devil is in the details.
I really love this recipe. Almost as much as I loved sifting through the 183 comments about this recipe. You can check this amazing discourse out for yourself here http://allrecipes.com/recipe/microwave-popcorn/detail.aspx but I will give you my take on it here. Most loved it and shared their special ways to seal the bag, season the popcorn or deal with the unpopped kernels. However, there were some who complained that they burned the popcorn, some that complained that they filled the house with the smell of burnt popcorn and even someone that complainted that they burned up their microwave!
All I can say is that this recipe is much like raising a child. If you give it your undivided attention for just a little while, you will soon be rewarded with the ability to relax and completely enjoy it. Once you have the basic formula down you can add the details that reflect your personal preferences.
Okay, I will have the last word. Mix popcorn kernels with small amount of olive oil, just to coat, in a resealable plastic container. The oil is just to make the salt stick better. Add salt, to taste (you can always add more after it is popped). Add three level tablespoons of mixture into the paper bag and fold the top down 2 times. Put in microwave fold up, not on side. Give it your full attention because microwave times vary. When it starts slowing down to near 2 seconds between pops remove from microwave. Best to stop before all kernels are popped as you can recycle them back into the plastic container with the remaining popcorn mixture. Open the bag, kick back and enjoy! Place your plastic container with your new popcorn stash in the refrigerator for the next time.
Related articles
- Planting popcorn (sfgate.com)
- Nutritional Benefits of Popcorn (brighthub.com)


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The winner is Mary McCoy. Congrats! Please email firstname.lastname@example.com to claim your prize!
The game always changes for super-sexy, alpha athlete heroes who meet their perfect heroines in these sexy, fun and emotional romances that revolve around the world of professional sports (including but not limited to football, baseball, soccer, basketball, beach volleyball, race cars, polo, etc.). When professional linebacker Cole Taylor sets out to fulfill his grandmother's dying wish, he finds his perfect and innocent match, Anna Davis, in the most unlikely of places, and the love that develops between Cole and Anna leaves them irrevocably altered. Whose game will change next?
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He's run away from everything that ever meant anything–but will he run away from her?
In an instant plans change and he has to find a way to outmaneuver the inevitable...
Scandal changed both of their game plans, but nothing can dampen the passion consuming them.
It only takes one moment to change the game forever...
He planned for a baby, but will he get a family in the end?
There's more than one way to tackle a broken heart, and he's ready to provide the assist.
Can the NFL's first female team physician prove to the players she's on their side during the work day and convince the coach she'd like to be on his after-hours?
Can the fire of her passion melt the wall of ice around his heart?


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Post Summary
I'll try that. Thanks! I did switch it off but it leaves the status bar black as you said Edit: Still does the same thing, transparent until you swipe to the conversation list (which is black) then turns the statusbar black. Then when you swipe ...
Many unofficial CM ROMs are hybrid and mixed with a lot of UI tweaks and other things. Official CM10.2 nightly came out several days ago, and after flashing official ROM, all cm10.1 theme work. So you can tell the dev of the ROM you use now about...
hi all, great rom !! thanks a lot !! without doing something special all questions of wakelocks have gone without saying "goodbye" :) thats really great. perfomance and batterylife are great, up to now no problems. I some questions: 1. I con...
i pasted a wrong page囧..here it is http://bbs.xda.cn/thread-11196345-1-1.html
a new beta 1.1 is released. i see it here http://bbs.xda.cn/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=11192853&extra=page=1&filter=typeid&typeid=1705&typeid=1705


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Sunday, March 30, 2014
Strings Completed!
11 comments:
- Karen said...
The string quilt looks wonderful!!! So many gorgeous fabrics in it.
The azaleas do look lovely.
I know the blocks you are working on. I think they are wonderful!!
- Monday, March 31, 2014
- Kathy ... aka Nana said...
You're working on the Exploding Block! Good for you! I can't wait to see how it comes together for you! That string quilt finished up nicely ... love that outer border!
- Monday, March 31, 2014
- Exuberant Color said...
That is a perfect backing for a wonderful quilt. I'm sure it will be well loved.
Tomato plants already? But then your season ends earlier because of the heat.
- Monday, March 31, 2014
- Sheila said...
I LOVE your string quilt! So many fabrics! This one is definitely on my "quilts to make" list.
- Monday, March 31, 2014
- Sheila said...
I LOVE your string quilt! So many fabrics! This one is definitely on my "quilts to make" list.
- Monday, March 31, 2014
- Thimbleanna said...
Ah yes, it's that time of year for yardwork! Looks like you're still managing to get some quilting done though -- and I know that great quilt will be loved and appreciated!
- Monday, March 31, 2014
- Eggs In My Pocket said...
Whoever the young man is, he will love that beautiful quilt! Lovely blossoms! Cant wait to see the quilt from these blocks!
- Tuesday, April 01, 2014
- Susie Swanson said...
I love the string quilt and your flowers are so beautiful as well. Ours has a ways to go yet but They're coming along. I dread the pollen so bad each year but sadly it goes with it. Hugs and blessings, xo
- Wednesday, April 02, 2014
- BJ is Quilting! said...
Great job Elaine! I checked out the YouTube link...it does look like fun!
- Wednesday, April 02, 2014
- Sheila said...
I watched the YouTube video clip. Thanks for the link. What a neat idea and COOL quilt.
- Thursday, April 03, 2014
- Karendianne said...
Oh gosh, I totally dig this!!! Great job, excellent fabric choices. Yeah You!!!
- Friday, April 04, 2014


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Buying a home is one of the major decisions of one's life and almost every body who takes a home loan has to go to a bank or financial institution to get his home financed. The money involved in a home loan is often a very big sum. Government of India has given some tax benefits on home loan in India to decrease the burden of buying a home in India. Here are 5 important facts about these tax benefits.
1.Both interest and principal components of home loan attract tax benefits. Persons who have taken a loan to buy a home or for construction can claim these deductions under the section 24(b) of the Income Tax Act.
The deduction on interest component on home loan is available up to Rs. 1.5 lakhs if the loan was taken on or after April 1, 1999 to buy or build a property. The purchase or construction should be completed within three years from the end of the financial year in which the loan was taken. In addition to it a certification from the lending banks is needed to certify that interest is payable against the loan advanced to buy or construct a house.
These deductions are only available if you continue to make payments. If a borrower fails to make EMI payments on time, he cannot claim tax benefits on the amount supposed to have been paid.
If a person buys a house and sells it within the same year or before three years, he is liable to pay short term capital gains tax. But, if the sale had taken place after three years, he is liable to pay long term capital gains tax. Long-term capital gains are exempt from tax if the profit amounts are invested in capital gains tax-saving bonds as detailed under Section 54.
1.Only a person who has taken a home loan can claim tax deductions. If there are co-borrowers of the home loan, the deduction they can claim is limited to the extent to the part of the loan they repay.


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Some of you may have noticed the AltaVista Blimp at the World Series game on Saturday night. Those who didn't will be understandably reluctant to believe me, but check their home page---it's real. Anyway, the more I thought about the image Digital is projecting here, the more I liked it: 10. A big bag of hype, with a tiny obsolete engine driving it. 9. Rises rapidly and conspicuously, as long as it's hot. 8. Expensive to patch, almost impossible to port. 7. Rarely up for heavy traffic hours, when it would be really useful. 6. Always at whim of prevailing winds. 5. Too many hits, and you can watch it crash and burn. 4. Engineering staff on bottom, marketing on top. 3. Very weird perspective on the message, if you're on the inside. 2. Reluctant to address obvious privacy concerns. 1. When you try to bring it down to earth, you end up with a bunch of guys at the end of their rope.
(From the "Rest" of RHF)


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I'm just sitting here. Not thinking too much.
Not doing too much.
The house is quiet.
It's dark outside.
I can hear a lone dog barking, only suddenly go silent, then suddenly start up barking again, perhaps chatting with the neighbors dog, about the moon, or some strange smell he caught on the wind, or perhaps planning some escapade with his friends once he gets off his chain.
The moths are trolling outside my window trying to get in. I think they know their days are numbered, and are trying to prolong the inevitable. I look at them, and smile, happy that they are outside, and can't get in. I'm happy that I am in, and they are out.
Happy that soon they will freeze, and they will no longer torment me.
I know it's late. It's my bedtime. What is my bedtime you ask? Well, it's when I feel tired.
I am tired. My eyes are droopy. But still something nocturnal keeps me clinging to wakefulness. Something that makes me want to linger longer, and sift through random books, facebooks, random bits of paper I have littering my desk, I search through the fridge, delve into the pantry, looking, searching, hunting, for what?
I don't know. Maybe I'm looking for sleep. Or looking to avoid it. I don't know which. Why is it so hard to go to bed? And why is it so hard to wake?
Maybe its the transition that is hard. Maybe deep down, I like to keep going on the track I'm on, whatever track it is, and switching gears just doesn't come easy for me.
Brush my teeth?
Get into my pajamas?
That is hard. Very hard.
Oh, unloading that truck full of wood, wrestling a goat, folding stinky, dirty, silage tarps, that was easy. That was day.
But bed.
Oh that's hard. That's changing tracks.
Tracks. Yes. There are many, especially along my road.
A train hoots six times as it rumbles past my house, shaking my room, and waking up all the light sleepers in the neighborhood. But, maybe there are no light sleepers. Maybe everyone but me is used to the noise. Maybe I am the only soul along this road who has thought mean and nasty thoughts about the iron beast that wakes me up. Our house is not so terribly close to the tracks. Not like the hotels, and houses that were built practically on the railroad itself years ago.
Thankfully not. But my house is close enough to the tracks. Too close.
In the daytime, I hardly notice that the trains exist. But when night comes, it's a different story. I will be sound asleep in my bed, when suddenly one comes, and lo, it doesn't cometh quietly, nor does it use stealth in the dead of night. No.
It surges on, rumbling like a tsunami, blaring the matrix theme song on its morbid horn, sometimes honking twelve or more times, depending on what kind of demon is at the helm. Sometimes there are mild toot, toots, or kinder ice cream truck blurbs, other times, there are dramatic phantom of the opera, Na, Naa, naaa, naaaa, NAaa, Na Naaaa's.
Who chooses these horns, I cannot say? Why some honk incessantly and others just a few? I cannot say either. Only one thing I know for certain, that these nameless souls, these conductors of a thankless job, pass by us too fast to talk, to be seen, yet deeply yearn to be heard. They desperately want the world to know they exist, that they are awake while we slumber. Like a wild coyote they call out to the lonely pack, and the dogs in the neighborhood howl in return.
I know I yowl plenty of times too, especially when my window is open, and the horn slices the night in a thousand tiny shards, honking more than a dozen times, yanking me out of my sleep. Oftentimes my bed shakes as the train passes. Is it a an earthquake? No.
It sounds as if the train is coming right through my room. I groan, then my sister groans, and then, in my half-wakeness, half-sleepness, I utter exclamations and curses upon the vial train, like I was some sorceress that could cast a spell upon the entire railroad company and turn their trains into silent puffs of smoke. It always amazes me that I can utter so much, and can complain so much, and still be somewhat asleep.
Then, as it passes we both fall back asleep, and the room grows quiet again. Then fifteen or twenty minutes later, it comes again. Even before I hear its horn, I shoot up, and slam the window down.
The sound of the train is still there, but the closed glass masks the churning, bubbling, brew of steel, horn, steam, smoke, fire, engine, wheels, and speed, just enough to smooth out all the hard edges that prod me from my slumber.
Trains. How did they get here I wonder? All that track, all that train? All those miles? Who put them there? People? I did not see it happen. But it is here. And it got here somehow, like electricity, like computers, like the internet, like cars, and roads, and telephone poles.
Like magic, it was here before I was. It happened. I did not see it. We are the benefactors of a time before, we inherit what we did not plant, what I can hardly comprehend, or grasp---phones, coolers, skyscrapers, malls, TVs, even simple things like toasters, and blow-dryers, blow my mind.
A train I did not grow.
A track I did not help build.
I did not put it there. And given the chance, I would not try to grow one either.
Especially since now we do not ride in trains anymore. (not the ones by my house, anyway) I would like them much better if they were more bustling with humanity, with comings and going like before.
But now, they're always going. Never stopping. And when they do stop its usually to block the road because they've run out of fuel, or their load is to heavy for their engine.
I had no intention of giving them so much attention in this post. But one went past the house, and got my attention. And it asked me to write about it. And I said to myself, yes, I will write about you, you noisy pesky thing. You have invaded my thoughts more times than I can count. I might as well put those thoughts to paper. Or...cyber paper.
The trains run through the land, why not invade cyberspace? Churning, tumbling, rumbling, tooting, hooting they come.
Tonight. Yes. The trains run. Always. They are one of the constants in my life. So many things change, people, friends, even family.
But the trains, they come, always, without even asking for them.
They are always there, constantly running, constantly chugging. If they were to stop chugging, who knows, maybe the clocks would stop, and everything would sound very empty.
Maybe deep down, I like their sound, in a windblown-sort of way. Like I like the taste of hot sauce, because it has spice. But I won't hesitate to complain and wash out the heat with milk.
The train. It's a sound that reminds me of home, of the house by the tracks, the road that I walk along, and more often than not, cover my ears as the trains surge past, and I feel the ground shake, as something more powerful than I pushes through, then leaves.
The howl of the train reaches even your ears, tonight, subconsciously, in your mind, they honk.
Maybe you know some people who honk too, people who have been planted just outside your house along the road, that came there without you asking, lonely people wanting to be heard, running, always running, moving, chugging, too busy to stop, to afraid to.
But wanting to be heard, desperately.
What do I learn from them? To fear their power? To submit to their noise? Not to park myself where they might run me over? To accept what I cannot change?
Or to simply plug my ears and shut the window when they come?
I cannot stand in their way.
I can not change them.
Maybe they too are searching for something, like me, going in circles, from one thing to the next, wanting to sleep, but not yet ready to stop. Endlessly, running on their track, unable to switch gears for fear they might fall off.
Trains, they shake our houses, wake us when we want to be sleeping. They are inevitable. Things that come without you asking.
Things that toot, their own horn, over and over again.
Maybe all we can do is listen gently for a time, smile, and wave as they pass on by. Then walk on, and remember, it's good to sometimes run out of steam.
Then, we can finally sleep.
And dream.
Then wake up. Renewed. Refueled. Full of life.
Ready to find new tracks, old tracks, and run side by side, slow or fast, opening our doors to life wherever it leads us.
And I think I will do that too. My steam is all run out.
It's past two in the morning. My eyes are droopier.
My throat is dryer.
My fingers feel clumsier.
My brain is feeling clumsy too.
My head feels heavy.
My nocturnal self has prowled around long enough, clunking out all the random thoughts in my head, growling, and yawning, and roaming back and forth on this not so inky page. I have nothing else to say.
Yes...I think....I'm going to...sleep.
But wait....


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Continuing on with the "fun goddess" theme, I've come up with the manifestation of "Goddess Time" - a heart-shaped watch with the frolicking goddess (famous for her appearance on the cover of The Goddess Guide to Chakra Vitality by Anita Ryan-Revel).
Now you have the perfect reminder that every moment is "Goddess Time". There are no numbers on the face so that you don't get bogged down by "regular time". Every time you check what time it is, you can say to yourself, "who cares? It's goddess time!" Check it out.


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Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Christina Aguilera - M. S. Portraits 2010
Christina Aguilera - M. S. Portraits 2010
Preparations For Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro
Preparations For Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro
Top 10 actresses of South Side – 2010
Who are the top hot actresses whom producers run after wards with their money accouterments for signing them?
01. Nayanthara
Though her acme is of normal, her hot anatomy accent is her abundant backbone on the screen. She knows the abracadabra that how to handle her beauty. Now she has become a hot block afterwards she has become affectionate with Prabhu Deva. She is actuality paid Rs 70 Lakhs as salary. 09 More after the break...
02. Anushka
Though she appeared in a cottony saree in the blur Arundhathi, she animated anybody with her hot dresses. Now she will arise actual glamorously in the blur Vaanam area Simbhu is accomplishing the advance role. She is all set to amuse her fans. She is actuality paid Rs 60 Lakhs as salary.
03. Trisha
03. Trisha
She who was crowned as Miss Chennai acted in Ad films as a avant-garde girl. Because of this, dresses were not a big affair for her. She does not affectation with allure for Tamil magazines but she is accessible to affectation for Hindi and English magazines. She is actuality paid Rs 60 Lakhs as salary.
04. Shreya
04. Shreya
She who has alarming hip curves afterwards Bhanupriya and Simran is actual advanced as far as allure is concerned. She is actuality paid Rs 40 Lakhs as salary.
05. Asin
05. Asin
She is acceptable for airedale or avant-garde getup. Because of this, she is able to bedrock with this amalgamation. Since little allure is appropriate for Hindi films, she has called some dresses. She is actuality paid a bacon of Rs80 Lakhs.
06. Thamanna
06. Thamanna
This white adorableness fabricated her bashful access back Nayanthara, Asin and Trisha were away. In the contempo times she has been acting with the accepted actors and has captured the hearts for all. Because of connected hits her amount and allure is additionally enhancing. Her bacon is Rs 60 Lakhs.
07. Namitha
07. Namitha
She is the hottest amid the 40 years old macchans. Lots of wickets accept collapsed bottomward because of her allure and the way she moves with people.
08. Shruthi Haasan
08. Shruthi Haasan
She is a accidental adorableness and reflects the present day adolescence appearance trend. Though she is debuting in the Tamil blur Ezham Arivu, her Hindi blur Lucky in which she appeared in bikini dress is her hot visiting card. Rs 30 Lakhs is her salary.
09. Hansika Motwani
She is miniature Kushboo. She is already bond with Vijay in Velayudham, with Jayam Ravi in Itch and with Dhanush in Mappillai. Her bacon is Rs 30 Lakhs.
10. Genelia
10. Genelia
Since she is acting in innocent roles in abounding of the films, she could not accomplish it up in the allure roles. If she takes up to allure roles like in her Hindi films , she can carve a alcove for herself here.
Her bacon is Rs 40 Lakhs.
Her bacon is Rs 40 Lakhs.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Body Painting - Flags on breasts
|Body painting on nude woman with United Kingdom as the motif.
|Body painting of Germany soccer jersey on a semi-nude woman soccer fan during FIFA WC 2006.
|Body painting of a Canada flag on a women bared breasts.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Mosque of Sheikh Zayd
Mosque of Sheikh Zayd - one of the six largest mosques in the world, is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates. Named in honor of Sheikh Zaid ibn Sultan al-Nahyan - the founder and first president of the United Arab Emirates. Next he is buried. The mosque was officially opened in the month of Ramadan in 2007. Like all of the Emirates, this mosque is also very-very - it is the largest carpet and the world's largest chandelier. This is one of the most beautiful mosques in which I visited. 53 More images after the break...
The four corners of the mosque are four minarets that rise approximately 115 meters. Outer row of the main building covers 57 domes. Dome decorated with white marble, their interior decoration is also made of marble.
The construction has been spent over 600 million euros.
A courtyard paved with colored marble and a population of about seventeen thousand square meters.
It is worth noting that the huge floral pattern - a mosaic of different sorts of marble.
Between the plates of a small gap for water drainage.
80 domes, 1096 columns 1996 columns inside the main prayer hall.
Carpet spread out on such a large space, is the world's largest carpet was manufactured by "Carpets of Iran" on the image of Iranian artist Ali Khaliq. Area "rug" - 5,627 square feet, and above it worked about 1200 weavers, 20 technicians and 30 working groups. The weight of this carpet is 47 tons - 35 tons of wool and 12 tons of cotton. The structure of the carpet 2,268,000 units.
The mosque is the largest chandelier hanging. Seven copper gilt chandeliers were imported from Germany. The largest chandelier has a 10-meter diameter and 15-meter height. Front is also visible Qibla wall. It has a height 23 and width 50 meters and elaborately decorated in such a way as not to distract the worshipers. 99 names (attributes) of Allah are on the wall Qibla using traditional calligraphy Kufi.
For interior decoration used white Italian marble, a 24-karat gold, semiprecious stones - lapis lazuli, red agate, amethyst, shell clams, rock crystal, natural pearl.
Inside the mosque, let all comers, but because the mosque is an active place of prayer and a Muslim shrine, women should cover their heads. Not allowed to go to the mosque wearing shorts. At the time of prayers tourists kicked out.
Rules of conduct in the mosque:
"We urge all visitors to respect our religion and place of prayer, following these simple rules: Visitors must have an appropriate dress code, otherwise you will not be allowed inside.
- Decency, conservative, neoblegayuschaya clothing with long sleeves, long skirts and trousers;
- Shorts for men are forbidden.
- Shorts and skirts should not be above the knees.
- Do not fitting clothing, bathing suits and beachwear.
- Shoes must be removed before entering the mosque, so we recommend flip-flops.
- Women should have a scarf to cover their heads (available at check-in)
- Intimate behavior, ie, holding hands or kissing is not allowed in Muslim places of worship. "
Via - Link
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Recently, I submitted my wedding dress for a thrifting post at Adored Austin. When that post went up this morning, though, I imagined what readers would see if they clicked over to my blog. Before, the first post was reminscing over my NYE outfit from 2000. Now, it's mainly excuses for not posting for 3 months and several blog design changes. That's fairly typical for my blogs, but oh well.
To give this post at least some interest, I'll share an update on the dress. It still thrills me, nearly two years later, that I managed to pick up my wedding dress so cheaply!
In an odd twist of fate, the bride I gifted it to decided not to wear it, in the end. Though I had given her the dress willingly, part of me harboured some regret, so I'm glad to be getting it back. Because I do have a somewhat practical nature, I think I'll chop it to a knee length, add some sleeves (I need more than spaghetti straps!), and dye it (probably navy). The thought of wearing it again, hopefully to the weddings of family and friends, makes me smile.


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Tuesday, February 19, 2008
It's sizzling!
Raj tried to warn me. "A lot of the sauces all taste the same. Some of the dishes taste better the next day!"
After almost a year of trying to get to Tangra Masala for Indian-Chinese food (the Indian take on Chinese food, the way chop suey is the American take on Chinese food), Raj and I finally made it to Sunnyside, Queens last Wednesday. The friends we had invited to come along had bailed at the last minute, pleading that Queens was too much, even Raj's friends who live in Queens. I think Raj was worried that I would be disappointed, after all of the hullabaloo. He said, with great earnestness, that Tangra Masala reminded him of better food eaten elsewhere.
But how could I be disappointed, when I was presented with this?
True, as much as the chili paneer sizzled, it didn't make me swoon. The vegetable tangra masala turned out to be vegetable fritters in gravy, the "lollypop chicken" to be fried chicken drumsticks in an adorable shape, but with a batter that was a bit too bready. Everything had that yummy, salty, satisfying flavor of take-out Chinese, but with nothing that would make me take the G train to the 7 train for on a weekly basis. Maybe every couple of months or so.
Still, I was so happy to be eating something I had never eaten before, within city limits even. And such video!
Posted by AppleSister at 8:26 PM
1 comment:
The food at tangra is amazing. esp they hot and sour soup the best ive ever tasted and the shrimp fried tangra masala rice, with Sizzling manchurain chicken.
- July 29, 2008 at 10:45 PM
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Friday, March 26, 2010
I'm scared. I don't mind walking through the cemetery when it's light outside, but at midnight? Walking on top of all those dead people when it's dark gives me he creeps.
6 comments:
I think your last sentence here is really strong as we get a clear sense of the mc's voice. The more you can show what your character is feeling through thought and word choice, the better (instead of just saying "i'm scared").ReplyDelete
Hooked! I love it.ReplyDelete
I'd be inclined to remove the "I'm scared" as unnecessary telling, especially when you've backed it up with some good showing. I'd definitely keep reading!ReplyDelete
I like it a lot. I'd make the first sentence sound more like a teen said it. (Yeah, I'm scared. Really scared.) I'd definately read on! Nice job...ReplyDelete
Oh I like this! it's straight to the point but also infused with intrigue. I'd like to read on because I'm dying (no pun intended!) to know who this person is and why!
good luck!
I really like this voice. I can't think of anything I would change. Good job. :)ReplyDelete


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When we bought our farm, the realtor pointed out the "sugar camp". The sugar camp is a line of sugar maple trees planted many, many years ago to supply the farm with maple syrup. With this in mind about 18 years ago we packed up all the kids in the minivan, navigated the curvy, snowy, hilly West Virginia roads and went to the Maple Sugar Festival in Pickens, WV. We had so much fun watching the maple sugar farms turn that watery sap into delicious maple syrup that we bought 10 buckets, lids and spouts. We brought them home, put them in the barn and there they stayed – until today!
After weeks of snow and cold, this morning the sun came out. It was the type of late winter day the makers of maple syrup prepare for all winter. Tim had decided this was the year that the buckets would leave the barn and the sun said this was the day. We gathered our supplies for our first trial run including directions printed off the internet. We prayed we wouldn't get buried in the snow as we drove our trusty Ridgeline truck close to the "sugar camp" and then snow shoed up to the trees.
Drill in hand Tim bore the first hole. He put in the spout. Nothing. We were not discouraged. We hung the bucket, put on the protective lid, and moved on to our second tree. Even as Tim was drilling the hole, the sap began to run. Success! We hung the bucket and lid. We drove back to the barn to get electric line to ring the trees so curious cows and horses wouldn't dump our precious sap. By the time we returned, there was 1/4 cup of sap in the bucket! Let's see – at 45 cups of sap boiled down to make one cup of syrup…..
Quick, start the pancakes!


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Last night I left you all with me having to go drink my smoothie. Well, it was AWFUL. I hated that yogurt. LOL. In fact, I had nightmares about it.
Today I decided it was more worth it to me to use 1/2 vanilla Fiber One zero fat yogurt and 1/2 plain fat free yogurt. I really want to enjoy this detox, not dread every moment. So this was the best option for me. I've read numerous blogs on how people just couldn't stomach the plain yogurt. Thankfully, I'm not alone. Also, some of you have commented on my blog about your dislikes of the yogurt and the raspberries…now raspberries, I LOVE!! Can eat them everyday!!!
Today I changed things up a bit. I love to push the snooze bar. LOVE IT. Always have. I love listening to my favorite radio personality and getting in those last few minutes of sleep. So today I decided to have lunch for breakfast and breakfast for lunch. I think I enjoyed that much more and will probably do it again tomorrow.
I only worked out for an hour today (spin) because I thought I lost my son's brand new Leapster Explorer, battery pack, and Toy Story game. That's about $125 just right there!!! And I have 3 games and the camera at home. So I was a bit unnerved and had to rush home to find it. I even sent my Dad to the store where I "thought" I had left it. Thankfully, I found it. It was at the bottom of the boys car bin…you know, where it belongs. NOT! UGH.
Ok, so my stats…I lost 1.4lbs as of this morning. I'm not feeling bloated, but I believe I am. I haven't been as regular as I normally am…I find that so strange, but many bloggers have also said this very same thing. I'm not exactly tired, but I am thinking I need more calories. I almost wish there was one more snack. In between lunch and dinner is tough for me. I think a hard-boiled egg or some raspberries would hit the spot, but there is no calling for that.
My friends stats…Agatha is doing well. Down a pound as of last night. I forgot to ask her what it said this morning. She too is adding 2oz to her 4oz of plain yogurt. Chris, her husband, is sticking to the diet 100%! No changing out yogurt or anything! He's a superstar!
Why to I yearn to say fit? This is why.
Met my adorable boys. Ashton 5 (he really is happy right now…just caught him mid-smile) Eli 4mths, and Ethan 2. They keep me busy so I must be light on my toes 😉
And this picture was just too cute not to share 😉


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The other night, I attended a Sade album listening party. Of course I was looking forward to it because--who doesn't love Sade? I went alone, which is usually no biggie to me because over the last couple of years, I've gotten used to being alone, going places alone & spending time alone. I've always enjoyed my own independence. So, I checked my coat, turned the corner, walked in & immediately was face-to-face with industry moves & shakers who I used to schmooze with when I first moved to NYC. You know, back when I was bright-eyed & bushy-tailed & armed with naitvete, ready for this concrete jungle to eat me alive.
I had fallen out of networking because I came across so many people that were insincere with contacting you. They'd tell you how awesome you are, promise dinner, drinks or whatever & you never hear from them again. It's like being in failed relationships over & over again--you become jaded. With this new year, I decided I would make an effort to change. I would grasp at some of that same bright-eyed-ness that I used to have & look at the world with my rose-colored glasses.
I went in with the intention of networking, only to just not feel like it once I was there. Maybe some liquid courage could help? So, off to the bar. Instantly, I started making jokes with this girl next to me, while I waited on the bartender. "Ok," I thought. "Maybe the social Danielle is back!" That little ray of sunshine didn't last long. Once I got my drinks, I walked around, smiling at folks & just clammed up. I went to sit alone at some booth & tried to make myself go chat. I was successful a few times for a few short chats, but nothing in-depth.
So, back to the bar I go. More drinks should loosen me up, right? Wrong! It only made me sad & I started thinking. Sometimes thinking can be my worst enemy. As I sat in my solitude in the middle of a NYC nightclub (a dream for most), playing Words with Friends on my iPhone. The more I played, the lonelier & sadder I got. That's when my girl Vintage Vandalizm aka Jasmin, texted me. She had been going thru somethings & I reached out to her earlier to make sure she was ok. She hit me up to thank me for caring. That's what opened up the flood gates. I let her know what was in my heart.
I was LONELY & it wasn't even on some needing a lover type stuff. I needed friends. Isn't it crazy that someone that has always been so social & appears to always be in a mood for parlaying ends up being a lonely loner? I've realized that I was & always have been independent--able to stand on my own without faltering, always apprearing strong & confident. But, truth is, I was always lonely & hurting. Jasmin & I spoke for a while back & forth & she let me know that she was working on a blog that I definitely needed to read. That's where her post "Meanings" comes into play & the reason for this blog. A response/reference.
This girl is very similar to me, internally. That very night that I was explaining to her how I was feeling, she was in the process of writing this blog because of how she felt the previous weekend. We're both extremely independent & hold high standards for our friends because we're both great friends. Whenever someone did something to let me down, oh boy--disappointment doesn't even begin to cover it. That led me to distancing myself from people because I got so tired of being disappointed by them. I was convinced that people sucked & I was better off alone.
If the loneliness didn't fill my heart with so much heavy weight, I would have continued living this way. During the last few months of 09 & up til now, I allowed myself to make more connections with people & just put myself out there to develop friendships. Sure, I've been let down by some of these people, but I'm learning not to make it black & white, either you is or you ain't. I'm learning to give people room for error because honestly, when have I ever not messed up or let someone down?
However, old habits die hard. I am so used to being alone, that it comforts me, but at the same time, tortures me. There will be times where I'm asked to hang out, go to this cool spot, take this cool class & without thinking, I decline. Sometimes, I force myself to go & while I'm out, convince myself that being home alone would be much better. What am I doing to myself? It would be different if I enjoyed my alone time & that was that. But to be so conflicted about it makes me crazy.
Take tonight for example. I was supposed to be hitting up a bar & having a few drinks with some old coworkers--these people I have not seen since this summer. You think I'd be excited to catch up with all of them, but I used any old excuse I could to "get out of it." Although I did have to interview someone for YRB at 5pm, the interview was over 10 minutes til 6. I knew everyone was meeting at 6, but I still needed to get home & change--so I just scrapped those plans altogether. Basically acting as if I couldn't show up an hour into the get together. Now, instead of having a night of drinks with some cool people, chatting, laughing & going home with a smile on my face, I'm sitting here writing this blog about it & going to go home, straigh-faced, sit on my bed & watch TV alone until I pass out.
Unlike Jasmin, my loneliness isn't only because of people letting me down, it's because of me constantly letting myself down. I'm the kind of girl that is saddened by being loney, but when people call to hang out, I find reasons not to. I wonder what it is that I can do to make myself back into the social butterfly I used to be before moving here. Crazy as it seems, my move to NYC killed me socially & I moved here hoping for the exact opposite.
In order to fix this, at first, I am going to have to force myself in the beginning, to hang out with people that actually want to hang out with me. I've got to get myself out of the habit of being alone because I was the one that got myself IN that habit. I've got to get out of my antisocial cave. Or maybe the truth is, I can't do it alone? I always expect to do things alone because of being so independent & being used to handling things by myself. So maybe all I need is a helping hand? Jasmin's blog states that she held the key to her cage this entire time. If I'm holding the key, I have no clue how to use it.


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|The following is based on Lionheart and is not considered canon.
"The taint of a wind elemental in your blood grants you swiftness."— Game manual, Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader
Wind Ancestry is a Sylvant racial trait which appears in Lionheart.
You gain +1 Agility and +10 to Armor Class. But you are less substantial than normal humans, so you suffer -1 to Strength and your Carrying Capacity is reduced by -20. This trait will mark you as tainted by magic, causing some people to react negatively to you.[1]
- ↑ Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader manual


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It's been a while since I did one of these, for the very good reason that I currently don't have as much time to wander and take photos as I did previously. But I was lucky (?) enough to snap a shot of this lady so I now have something to share with you, although I am sure you went running for the eye bleach as soon as you saw the photo and will hence not be able to read this post, but I shall continue below nonetheless.
Well, this outfit - what can I say? Other than the completely freakin' obvious: Madame, you are in PARIS. Make. An. Effort. I mean, is there even one redeeming quality to this outfit? (That's rhetorical, don't bother looking, you won't find anything.). Rolled-up shorts can be quite cute, but not these ones, and while I'm criticizing, might I just suggest that one might want to re-think light colours when one's bottom reaches a certain size? Too bitchy? Too bad! I'm just getting started. Where was I? Oh yes, I think I was about to comment that the oversized jacket and oversized scarf and oversized bag slung across it all is also not flattering to anyone larger than Kate Moss. But that is a minor nit-pick compared to the hideousness of the clunky grey boots worn with mustard-yellow tights, and I find myself wondering who would think it a good idea to EVER wear mustard-yellow tights? Which leads to the question: who would pay good money to buy them? And to follow that thought to its logical conclusion: why would any company ever manufacture such a hideous thing in the first place??? One of life's great mysteries, I'm afraid. Right up there with why is the Earth round? Why are we here? Why do Italian men always wear tight trousers? And why do I always notice?
Erm, sorry, got a little off-topic there, but really, can you blame me???


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In Remembrance ...
Resources for our Youth
The RHLI strongly believes that the future generations should be active in the remembrance of Canada's war history. The Veterans Affairs Canada web site has recently added a full section dedicated to professionals, educators and youth strenghthening the efforts to ensure the todays and future generations never forget the sacrifice of generations before us. To access the Veterans Affairs Youth area, click here. We have chosen to highlight just a few of the wonderful resources we found there: