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Friday, November 30, 2012
Let's celebrate the last day of November!
But let's not make this a Bitchy Bertha post! I have had a bit of a delightful media fast - two weeks without Facebook, not as much time online, not as much TV. I have embraced more writing, which I hope will be more of a winter project for me....and therefore boost creativity for future posts.
This weekend, the Christmas decorations are coming out and I am going to try some of the new Bailey's Biscotti. And you?
20 comments:
- AnonymousNovember 30, 2012 at 8:49 AM
Blizzards, eek it's been ok here so far.ReplyDelete
I've stressed myself out of my noggin with my Christmas wreath and pots today, I'm such a perfectionist and my own worse enemy.Replies
I'm a perfectionist too - I put way too much pressure on myself with the 'perfect' decorating!Delete
I'm off to a wedding tomorrow and then Florida on Wednesday. I'm hoping for some sunshine to see me through until Spring.ReplyDeleteReplies
Enjoy Sulky! Hope you have a great vacation to Florida! Play nice with the other kitties, ok?Delete
November has been fairly wintry here as well and I'm happy tomorrow is December, it will kick start the holiday season for us. We will be cutting down our Christmas trees this weekend and setting one up at the country house. On Monday we'll bring one back for the city house and spend the evening decorating here. Then it will really feel like the holidays.ReplyDelete
The Bailey's biscotti sounds lovely, do you have a recipe?Replies
No recipe - it's the new Baileys flavour at the liquor board store! :) It's good, I'm enjoying some with my coffee right now. Might I dare say that I like it better than original Baileys?Delete
I think you have had a taste of the nasty winter weather in Calgary too. November was awful!
Have fun decorating!
I just finished a homemade crafted wreath last night that I'm pleased with. It's made with green felted wool pushed through burlap (a North East England craft for making rugs call proddie mats). I paid £3 for the craft class that gave me the wool and the burlap and I bought some little battery operated lights (£3.50) and pushed them through to the front. Then I sewed on some red and some gold buttons from my collection. Finally, I wrapped gold braid (inherited from my Aunt Rita's stash) around for tinsel. Even my fellow crafters were impressed. Will have to photograph and blog about it before Christmas! As to Christmas shopping, that's another story...ReplyDeleteReplies
The wreath sounds lovely - yes, do post a photo on your blog, I love seeing everyone's decorations!Delete
- AnonymousNovember 30, 2012 at 12:45 PM
Blizzards? You poor thing. We haven't had snow yet and this weekend is supposed to be warmish. Hang in there! And good for you about the media fast. I am trying to be online less lately and read more.ReplyDeleteReplies
So much snow here and the roads are quite icy as there's been freezing rain in between the snowfalls! Makes for interesting drives around the city, to say the least!Delete
We've had monsoon weather here which although grey does not impact us too much.ReplyDelete
Sounds like you are in need of a wee bit of sunshine.
A media moratorium sounds like just the thing to recharge and refocus.
I hung the Xmas wreth on the front door, have done some shopping and wrapped a few presents. I like to pace the pre Xmas busy~ness and make it more fun than a chore.Replies
My husband and I both fall prey to the winter blahs if there's not enough sunshine!Delete
This weekend I am pulling out my wreaths (my sister-in-law makes them so I have 3 from her) plus my other decorations. I've always started decorating the first weekend in December, my Mom always did that too.
Bravo for fasting from social media. One does not realize how time consuming it is.ReplyDelete
I hope your weather improves and does not deter travel.
We have out of town visitors this weekend, so sightseeing and meals and fun
Helen xxReplies
Enjoy your company this weekend! :)Delete
Sometimes it is nice to "unplug" from media and take a break! I know as I get closer to my move I will have to do the same. Enjoy the Christmas season!ReplyDeleteReplies
My Christmas decorations are up now, I am quite pleased how everything turned out!Delete
EEKK!! blizzards .. no no no thanksReplyDelete
Unplugging is a great thing to do every so often as it just feels refreshing both off and then to come back.
Have a lovely week.Replies
Media is such a big part of our lives - it's hard to go without.Delete
Bitchy Bertha (that's me all day long) and media fast? Great expressions - I'm going to have to purloin those two - attributed of course!ReplyDeleteReplies
oh I snitched them from people too - can't remember who. The media, perhaps? ha haDelete


text: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post8487520310501200306..comments2019-08-17T18:30:50.704-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Proofreading Part 2 of 2Danihttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-76323301741016034532017-06-12T17:30:20.543-06:002017-06-12T17:30:20.543-06:00Coming late to this as I was offline for several d...Coming late to this as I was offline for several days. Great tips, Diana. I admire you for going through a manuscript so many times. I do about five, then have a copy editor go through. Maryann Millerhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-74467800697290090832017-06-09T22:50:46.700-06:002017-06-09T22:50:46.700-06:00My job for ten years required I be 99% perfect in ...My job for ten years required I be 99% perfect in my transcription which included spelling and grammar. Those were all proofread on screen. I am sure a few errors slipped through even so.Diana Hurwitzhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-67181739943010983982017-06-09T22:49:03.981-06:002017-06-09T22:49:03.981-06:00So, so true. Ugh. Just found a few errors that I m...So, so true. Ugh. Just found a few errors that I missed from my original SBB book back in 2011 when I was writing the second edition.Diana Hurwitzhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-44056426268959797632017-06-08T17:00:56.672-06:002017-06-08T17:00:56.672-06:00These are all great suggestions, Diana. Kudos for ...These are all great suggestions, Diana. Kudos for once again emphasizing the need for thorough editing, whether from a pro, a critique partner, or a line-by-line self-edit. The only person we hurt if we don't do this is ourself. Writing a book is hard and sometimes painful work. Why go to all that effort if we don't make excellence our goal? Linda Lanehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-89776607718445155162017-06-08T16:26:28.767-06:002017-06-08T16:26:28.767-06:00This is why I like the proofs that come as a publi...This is why I like the proofs that come as a published book, cover and all. I can't believe the errors I've found in my current work proof -- ones that neither I nor any of my readers found when reviewing the manuscript on the monitor -- even when it was blown up to 150-200%. Crazy, huh?Linda Lanehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-37553715971938694682017-06-08T13:41:14.251-06:002017-06-08T13:41:14.251-06:00I could proofread until I'm blue in the face, ...I could proofread until I'm blue in the face, but the best way to find your mistakes is to publish your book, then read it. #tearingyourhairout<br />Polly Iyerhttps://email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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If you were asked to define true and faithful religion, how would you do it? I wonder if you would use James' definition: "Religion that our God and Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after widows and orphans in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27).
Really? Keeping oneself unstained from the world makes sense, but widow and orphan care? No one would deny it's important, but isn't it just the particular burden of certain Christians but not others? Is James really suggesting that every disciple of Christ be committed in some way, shape, or form to widow and orphan relief? That's exactly what James is saying. Let me prove it from the text.
The last half of the verse calls us to holiness, "to keep oneself unstained from the world." The pursuit of holiness is clearly not optional. It's the call of every Christian (1 Peter 1:15). Since that is the case, we do not have the interpretive liberty to divide the first half of the verse from the second, identifying one part (holiness) as universal and the other part (orphan and widow care) as optional. Instead, James pairs these these twin callings together as a definition for true religion.
Does not mean everyone is supposed to adopt a child or take in a needy widow? No, it doesn't necessarily mean that, though, for some, and I pray more and more of us, it will mean exactly that. It does mean, however, that to some degree and in some way, shape, or form every one of us must be committed to the work of widow and orphan care. No one is exempt.
To that end, Cornerstone is joining with thousands of churches across North America in recognizing God's call and the great need of our time for Orphan Care. Did you know that it is estimated that between 140-150 million children worldwide, ranging from infants to teenagers, have lost one or both parents? In America alone, there are more than 120,000 orphans while another 400,000 children live without permanent families. It is common for children in foster care to age out, leaving them with little financial or emotional support. 27,000 children age out of the system every year. Every day, 5,760 more children in the world become orphans, and every 2.2 seconds another orphan ages out with no family and no home. These are staggering statistics!
In light of the Bible's clear mandate and the current crisis, what are we to do? One way the elders of Cornerstone are answering this call is through the creation of a Cornerstone Adoption Fund. I don't have to tell you that adoption is very expensive. Many families who desire to adopt choose not to because of the financial demands. In an attempt to bear each other's burdens in this call, this fund was established to encourage Cornerstone families to adopt and for us as a church family to join with them in it! If you want to give to the Cornerstone Adoption Fund, you can do so now and at any time in the future by writing "Adoption Fund" on the memo of your check. If you want to learn more about the parameters for the disbursement of these funds or how to qualify for adoption funds through Cornerstone, please contact Joe Haworth (email@example.com) or Jim Smith (firstname.lastname@example.com). They would love to speak with you about it.
As we make strides to answer the orphan crises of our time, let's do so knowing that we were all orphans once, but God in perfect love determined not to leave us without a Father (John 14:8). In love, He gave his only Son so that in him we might receive the adoption as sons (Ephesians 1:5, Galatians 4:5-7). May the adoption heart of God be our heart as together we strive to care for the orphans in our generation.


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Located in Seef area, this land is put up for sale with tempting price. This is the perfect place for your upcoming project.
Do not waste any more minute and call us for more information.
Use the Real Time Market Price to keep you updated with current market prices - from apartments, villas, and lands to office spaces.
There arerelated properties that you might be interested in.
Property descriptions and related information displayed on this page are marketing materials provided by Weetas. Weetas does not warrant or accept any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the property descriptions or related information provided here and they do not constitute property particulars. Please contact us for full details and further information.


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Ahh, yes. It's that time again. Love is in the air. Flowers are being sent. Candy will soon be consumed. Succulent dinners are being planned. Babysitters are being hired. It's the week of Valentine's Day. I need to talk to the men for a sec. Fellas, you're ready, right? What do you mean you didn't know?! Man, you're in trouble! You've got a few days, so get on it! You can thank me later. Ok, now where were we? Oh, yeah. Love. He loves you. You love him. Right? You don't know? Uh oh. You've given your all and you don't know the answer to that question?
Ever felt that way? I have. I gave up some good things, because I had my eyes fixed on something better. Well, at least that's what I thought. You see, better has a unique allure and appeal. Sometimes, it truly is better. But in order to know if it's real or if it's Memorex, you need to be wise and discerning. You can't just assume that it's better. And ask yourself this. Why do you think it's better? Because you're unhappy with what you have? Here's another question for you to ask you. How in the world did you even get here in the first place?
That one's easy. Slowly and methodically. It's a syndrome. It's called Greener Grass Syndrome (GGS) or GGS for short. You traded in your self-respect, self-worth, and shoot, a part of yourself, because the Greener Grass was calling you. Actually, it wasn't. But how can I say this? I'll make it plain. You began to lust for Greener Grass.
And if you know anything about lust and what it means to be lustful for anything, it's an extremely powerful and dangerous thing. It will consume you and contrary to popular belief, you cannot handle it. If you'll be honest about it, think about any time that you lusted for anything or anyone. Did it turn out well? Nope. Greener Grass Syndrome.
Think of all you gave up to have him, her, or it. Honesty. Gone. Integrity. Gone. Trustworthiness. Gone. Kindness. Gone. Love. Gone. And maybe worst of all, you allowed GGS to trick you into not using one of your greatest assets: wisdom. Wisdom is vastly important. You don't have to believe the bible, but I bet this will make sense to you, "Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you." - Prov. 4.6-7. But you didn't and don't need protection. You didn't and don't need someone to watch over you, because you've got this! Right?! To that I say one thing: Tommyrot!
So, now what? What can you do? It's too late. Isn't it? If you know me well, you know what I always say about that. "It's only too late when you quit. Because as long as you're still here, you've got a shot!" I'd tell you to slap yourself right now so that you'd know that you're still here, but you might get carried away. Which is exactly why you need to forgive yourself.
You've got some apologies to make. Some repenting to do. And some forgiving to do as well. I know forgiveness has been a recurring theme here recently, but it's ok. I'll stay on it as long as I'm told to. Because I know the poison of unforgiveness and what it can do to you. I've lived it. I've lived with it. I harbored it like it was a fugitive! We were tight, ol' unforgivness and I. Until me an ol' girl had to break up. That's right. She, unforgiveness, got sent packing! See ya!
As with anything, it was a process. It will be for you too. But you can do this! You must do this! The quality of your life depends on it.
So as you're opening candy, cards, and unboxing flowers and other gifts during this week of love, I need you to do something. Leave the Greener Grass alone. Pay attention to and focus on your own lawn. If you don't, you'll be just like the little bear in the bed. But it's all good. Because you got everything you wanted. And that's a good thing. Right?


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When it comes to retirement, it often feels as if you have two choices: retirement villages or downsizing. While these options may be viable and attractive to some, they can often be expensive, out-of-the-question or plainly unappealing to others. Perhaps you don't want to be one of the 'village people'. Perhaps you've always been more of a Beatles fan.
Retirement in 2017 is completely different to what it was in the past. In the 'old days', retirement meant a nursing home, a walking cane and 24 hour care. These days, retirement covers everything and anything from working-part time, travelling abroad, dating new partners or starting a whole new life – cocktail in hand!
Retirement has changed – so why haven't the options for housing? As it turns out, you may have more options than you've been led to believe. We've done some research to bring you a complete guide to retirement housing options.
Retirement Villages
The dream for all social butterflies! There are different packages, homes and structures but most villages centre around the idea of active living and senior-focused communities. However, retirement villages aren't for everyone. They can be restrictive of different lifestyles, full of hidden fees, too much of a secluded community or simply too expensive for some seniors to afford.
Aged Care/ Nursing Homes
This form of retirement housing is suited for retirees who need an extra hand. With skilled on-site nursing staff, aged care has all the resources and amenities you need – conveniently located right at your door!
Sterling New Life
A relatively new way of retiring, Sterling New Life lets you live in a home with complete security of tenure. It's a great way to retire if you are looking to alleviate hefty debt, mortgage or expenses without compromising on your choice in lifestyle or entering into a retirement village. Often confused with private renting, you pay no weekly rent – just a simple and affordable one-off payment, all of which you receive back when you decide to leave. Admittedly, it can seem too good to be true! – so for a more comprehensive explanation, head over to our 'How It Works' page.
Staying Put
With an abundance of memories and familiar neighbourhood, staying in the family home is obviously the ideal housing option for most seniors. Plus, you know exactly where everything is (and where the best coffee in town is)! But – like all things – it's not always perfect. With a mortgage, it can be difficult to afford or make necessary modifications to stairs and infrastructure.
Downsizing has become synonymous with retirement; allowing you to cut back on expenses in your golden years and move into a smaller, more manageable home. You get all the benefits of home ownership – but all the cons too. Remember to factor in council rates, on-going maintenance and improvements. Something that's not-too-bad if you love a bit of D-I-Y!
Privately Renting
Private renting often gets a bad rap, but it can be an affordable and sensible housing solution. You might not receive the same level of privacy, but you're also free from the burden of home-ownership responsibility. A word of caution though: always enquire on the security of your tenure. You don't want a landlord kicking you out with a moment's notice!


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LE Guide de L'auto
The following is a selection from my work with Le Guide de L'auto. I provide photos of vehicles for online use and reviews.
Ski Bromont
The following is a selection from my work and collaborations with Ski Bromont that help display the many, family friendly activities this beautiful park has to offer.
Centre National de Cyclisme de Bromont - CNCB
Provided CNCB with photos for online marketing. The goal of this shoot was to photograph "A Day in the Life" of a cyclist at Bromont, in order to artistically demonstrate what Bromont has to offer for mountain athletes and incite tourists to visit the mountain.
Allez up
See the collection of photos taken of the yearly competition 'December Fest' located in one of the best climbing gyms in Montreal!


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He Who Works
''He who works with his hands is a labourer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist''
St Francis of Assisi
So much has been happening in such a short period of time, and most of it good and exciting!
In the last few weeks 11 works have been completed, or close to completion – hours and hours of fine sanding and finishing and oiling ...
The last couple of days it was a joy to get the gross reduction grinder back in my paws and hook into some new pieces. These are in the attached pic rough carved, and hopefully will be close to finished in the next couple of weeks before I head OS.
Speaking of which, the butterflies are starting to really tingle with such a huge adventure just on my doorstep. The details have been generally sorted – it now just a matter of packing the bags, getting on the plane and away I go! This time next month the first images should be coming out on In/gram and f/book of work being created on the hills of Assisi – sounds mad saying it.
I am soo looking forward to applying those principles: to work with my hands; to think about and analyse what is before me; and to be able to completely immerse myself in the meaning and message of this truly unique individual.
Bring it on – exciting times ahead.


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15% Off Water Ionizer Sale Going on Now
tagged cleaning, comfort, coupon, discount, eco-friendly, electronics, fitness, food, gift-idea, green-gift-idea, health, holistic, kid-friendly, kitchen, over-$200, safety, Sale, self-improvement, superhero, sustainable, Unique, water ionizer and wellness
** SALE: Use coupon code genesis15 to save 15% **
Just over a year ago, I talked about the Genesis Water Ionizer in the post Do You Know They Sell an Actual Fountain of Youth?. I shared the personal story of my in-laws, who introduced me to ionized water:
All they did was add in the alkaline water instead of drinking bottled water/filtered tap water. With that ONE change, they began to lose weight without effort, had more energy and slept deeper, they 'felt hydrated for the first time ever', and the water was even 'much easier to drink'.
I've got good news. Now it's your turn to try.
The once a year water ionizer sale is ON.
Save 15% on the Genesis Platinum water ionizer. Use coupon code "genesis15″.
If you have questions – and I mean any questions at all – about ionized water, email me at .
I have been a solid gold fan of my water ionizer for over a year. Ask me anything, because I wanna help you feel healthy and vibrant, too
Do You Know They Sell an Actual Fountain of Youth?
tagged cleaning, comfort, coupon, discount, eco-friendly, electronics, fitness, food, gift-idea, green-gift-idea, health, holistic, kid-friendly, kitchen, over-$200, safety, Sale, self-improvement, superhero, sustainable, Unique, water ionizer and wellness
** SALE: Use coupon code wfl15 to save 15% until April 15, 2010 **
Every once in a great while, we discover a new idea so brilliant that it takes the rest of humanity years to accept it and make it part of their daily lives. Electricity, telephones, cars, and even TV fall into this category. People needed time to wrap their heads around the idea that something so beneficial could be produced so easily.
I felt the same way when I first heard about water ionizers. "A little machine that makes magic anti-oxidant water? For way less than the cost of bottled water? That has to be a scam", I reasoned. A few years later my in-laws were excitedly telling me about the holistic health benefits of their new water ionizer machine, and I had to reconsider.
So they told me their first hand accounts and I was shocked. They're not health nuts by any means. All they did was add in the alkaline water instead of drinking bottled water and filtered tap water. With that ONE change, they began to lose weight without effort, had more energy and slept deeper, they "felt hydrated for the first time ever", and the water was even "much easier to drink". (That's due to the newly "micro clustered" water molecules, which actually do hydrate our bodies much better than non-ionized water.)
Now as someone who eats and drinks in a very health-conscious way, I was skeptical that one could still make less-than-awesome food choices and feel great with the simple addition of water. And yet that is exactly what my in-laws experienced. They are still loving their water ionizer and discovering new cumulative health benefits as time goes on. There are other benefits that they, and their friends have experienced, but they are so wonderful as to be unbelievable sounding so I'm not going to mention them here. Let me just say that I think Fountain of Youth would be an appropriate name for the Genesis Water Ionizer.
If I hadn't witnessed it myself, I don't know if I would have believed these amazing claims. Ionized, alkaline water is not yet available in stores so it's one of those products that we still have to experience through our friends and family. Or we act on faith and see what amazing results we will personally experience. Plus there's a 60 day money back guarantee so there is plenty of time to SEE what improvements you notice from drinking and using ionized, alkaline water.
Have you tried ionized water? Leave your stories, questions, and comments below and share the love!
Bring Nature Indoors with Eco-Friendly Decor
tagged books, eco-friendly, gift-idea, handmade, home-decor, nature, recycled, sustainable and Viva-Terra
We've talked about VivaTerra's Root of the Earth Bowls. They are beautiful and make a great gift idea, but it's time to feature some larger items that can really help surround you with nature in the comfort of your own home.
Set the stage for your magical getaways (a.k.a. books) with this whimsical book shelf that utilizes dense elm wood as well as Indian root and trunk materials for outer decoration. Finally something to hold all your Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and other nerdy fantastical escapes!
There is also a matching Root Wine Rack for those who like to live dangerously and drink while reading.
Now where will you set your book down while you get up to get your wine from the favorite reading spot? On this
Branch & Glass Side Table of course! Yep, with branches working together to support the snazzy glass top it looks like nature is here to serve you. A matching Branch & Glass "Console" Table (whatever that means) is also available.
Last but not least on today's list is … say it with me kids … a STOOL! Yay for stools! (pun intended).
These reclaimed wood stools are made of beautiful Japanese teak wood, and they are great for an impromptu sit down, end table, or they can even be magical chairs out in your secret garden.
Where will you put your eco-friendly furniture?
Eco Fashion Annual Summer Sale at GreenLoop
tagged accessories, discount, eco-fashion, fair-trade, fashion, green-gift-idea, Indie, recycled, sexy, shoes, summer, sustainable, sweatshop-free and vegan
SALE ENDS SUNDAY JULY 20th!
GreenLoop doesn't fool around during their Summer Sale. It isn't one of those sad "summer sales" where all the winter wear goes 10% off. They have discounted pretty much everything on their site at 20-70% off. If you've ever visited their store – or any green retailer for that matter – you've probably coveted lots of the sustainable, organic, recycled, Fair Trade eco fashion and accessories, but loathed the price tags. Honestly, they can be pretty ridiculous sometimes. But when they're discounted up to 70% off, it's a really smart time to pick up a few organic wardrobe cornerstones. Here are a few of my favorite picks;
- Stewart+Brown Organic Cotton Collar Scoop Shell
- Simple Green Organic/Recycled 'Toe Stir' Vegan Skimmers
- Anna Cohen Silky Soy Halter Dress
New items will be added all week long so check back every few days for fresh eco friendly fashion and accessories. And if you sign up for their newsletter, you will get a coupon for an additional 10% off. Shipping is always just $5 flat rate and it's carbon neutral!
SALE ENDS SUNDAY JULY 20th!
Zero Waste Lunch: Reusable Lunch Bags
tagged eco-friendly, food, green-gift-idea, kid-friendly, kitchen, recycled, safety and sustainable
Did you know that, on average, kids throw away 67 pounds of trash every year from their school lunches? This costs schools much needed funds to collect and dispose of that trash, as well as being a huge ecological problem. (I wonder how much adults throw away during lunch.) But we can quickly make lunch time a lesson in zero waste. Participate in the Zero Waste Lunch program by bringing your lunch, and your childrens' lunches, in stylish and reusable bags. Check out some tips to follow that will help reduce the amount of trash purchased, created, and needlessly thrown away.
For those that want to invest in a quality reusable bag we recommend checking out Nubius Organics' zero waste lunch section. They feature a stylish line of insulated, reusable totes for transporting your lunch as well as some large bags that are made of recycled plastic bottles. Most, if not all, of their bags/totes are PVC free, teflon free, and lead free so you know your food is safe from toxins.
Nubius Organics also carries another Mable's favorite: the Laptop Lunch System. Made famous by the Vegan Lunchbox Blog.
Wardrobe Refashion 2008
tagged blog, custom, DIY, eco-fashion, eco-friendly, fashion, Fun, handmade, homemade, Indie, recycled, summer, sustainable and vintage
We're barely a week into summer and now feels like a great time to try something new. In an effort to inspire ourselves and create an entirely eco-fashion friendly wardrobe, we've decided to take the Wardrobe Refashion Pledge:
We, Mables.com, pledge that we shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 4 months. We pledge that we shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for ourselves with our own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. We pledge that we will share the love and post a photo of our refashioned, renovated, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftyness brings! Signed Lauren & Sean
So from July 1st – October 1st we'll be sharing our adventures with creating, living in, and loving our "preloved" wardrobes. Honestly, being huge fans of vintage and reconstructed clothing, this won't be a big stretch from what we're already doing. We like the idea of making a commitment to it though, and sharing our journey with others. We look forward to trying out new refashioning techniques, scouring vintage clothing stores on eBay and better connecting with the sources of our clothes.
Are you interested in taking the Wardrobe Refashion pledge with us? You can sign up for 2, 4, or 6 month period and rest assured you will be in great company. This is the 3rd year and participation gets bigger each time. There are currently over 400 members in the Flickr pool! Whether or not you'll be joining us in this DIY fashion adventure, what do you think of the idea? Could you avoid buying new clothes for a few months?
Garbage Warrior DVD – Earthships FTW!
tagged eco-friendly, learn, nature, recycled, solar and sustainable
We just watched a documentary called Garbage Warrior which is about renegade architect Michael Reynolds and his uphill quest for sustainable housing. "Earthship" is the phrase coined by Reynolds for his version of sustainable houses built from mostly trash (used tires, bottles, cans, etc.) and dirt that he's been developing and improving on for 30+ years.
The advantages of the Earthship are it's self sustainability (off the grid), ease of building, uses recycled materials, has no need for AC or heaters regardless of the climate, ability to grow all your own food indoors with recycled water, it's natural disaster resistant, and the list goes on.
Before we watched we had so many questions like; why aren't these more popular, what does it take to build one, how long as this guy been doing this, and when can I get one? Light was shed on all these questions after viewing the documentary and what we learned the most is how inhibiting our own government can be for advances of new ideas. There is so much red tape involved with building these homes that it literally took years for the smallest step to be taken.
In the end Reynolds was met with much less resistance in other countries, especially those hit by natural disasters. Fortunately it seems this is where people can benefit most from these Earthships. Reynolds and his team were able to teach tsunami survivors how to build an Earthship from debris, trash, tires, and rammed earth. This is the "proof in the pudding", and shows some huge payoffs for the many years of experimental buildings, uphill battles, and overall determination Reynolds shows in this documentary. Read more about the movie from the official site.
From my point of view this is definitely worth buying a copy to watch and share with everyone you know. I rank it alongside the eye opening 20 minute documentary The Story of Stuff as must see documentaries.
DVD available from eBay, Amazon, or directly from GarbageWarrior.com
View Trailer:


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While I'm Away...
I've had the worst case of writer's block since my brother passed nearly one month ago. The Lord gave me the strength for the most difficult writing assignments that I could ever have—writing my brother's obituaries. That was an emotionally draining process, but I made it through. I didn't think it would be this soon before I could put pen to paper again, but here I am.
I've been grieving the loss of my brother, and I probably will do that for some time. In the meantime, I would like to stop gorging on the food that I've made my comfort, I would like to stop indulging in the many trivial things that distract me and waste my precious time, and most importantly, I would like to stop using my brother's death as the reason to wallow in my pain. As difficult a journey this will be, I would like to fully embrace the strength God gives me so that I can accomplish the things He sent me to do while I'm on this earth.
My reality changed and I now understand that time is truly of the essence. My brother lived an amazing life for the twenty-six years we were blessed to have his presence here and his life has been so much of an inspiration to me that I don't want to waste his legacy or let God down. I want to use my brother's life as my catalyst to fulfill my purpose and not an excuse to not accomplish anything. I want to infuse the world with the talents that God placed inside of me.
The only way I'll be able to do any of that is by spending time with God, being a devoted wife and mother, and being a free-thinker who is not bound by the limitations of this world. Social media is one of those limitations. As expansive and great a tool social media can be, it can also be wildly distracting for me. Lately, I've found myself logging on more than I would like to admit and for no reason at all—I just do it to take my mind off of the pain that I feel—and it's only been temporal. I do believe that God is my peace, my joy, and my strength and there is nothing this world can offer me that my Father hasn't already given me. So I'm going to take this time to rest, rejuvenate, and be healed in Him. Sometimes life gives you wake up calls that you weren't prepared for, and I think it's wise not to waste them.
If you're reading this and have ever lost a loved one, consider these wise words: "You never get over a loss, you just get God-given strength for the journey."
Sometimes you have to do what's best for you to get there.
Peace and Restoration Be unto you


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Source: Own collection
Format: Kindle ebook
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewer: Laurel
Fresh off a painful jilting, the last thing deep space pilot Tiharra Bell needs is another romantic entanglement. Certainly not with the galaxy's most famous astronomer-who also happens to be single, inconveniently handsome, and a resident of the remote Andromeda Station. But Tiharra soon discovers two terrible truths about Dr. Dante "Donner" Dane 1) he's not the man he appears to be and 2) he doesn't have long to live. Before her fourteen day layover is complete, she'll put her life and career on the line to protect his heartbreaking secret.
I usually come down hard on books that are written in first person; there are very few authors whose first-person works I like. This book totally snuck under my radar. It was only when a friend mentioned it post-read that I had to go back and check that yes, the book was indeed written in first person. Well done on that.
I really enjoyed the scifi elements in the book. The ancient civilisation take, the astronomer's secret (nope, no spoilers here), and also the conception of the deep space pilots – that was fascinating in itself. A dangerous career, that!
The plot is simple, which makes this a pleasant quick read, and the resolution is very clever – and well concealed.


text: Yes to all of this! This time last year, I was doing PT after fracturing my 5th metatarsal following a bad landing from an over. I was the first Irish dancer for my therapist and presented quite a challenge. I showed him video of some of my steps and where I was before the injury. That helped a lot!


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Ever since the GST was introduced, the entire country stood divided. There's one camp who is praising GST and feel the prices have come down. While there's another group that feels prices have sky rocketed since GST's introduction. Being a Foodie, I eat out frequently and I guess I'm in the right position to tell whether GST has increased or decreased our Food Bill. From whatever I've seen since the introduction of GST, the prices have definitely come down at most of the places. A bill that showed around 1500-1600 Rs before GST costs about 1300-1400 Rs now. However there are places that haven't had much effect of the GST. Anyways, I'm sure that you like to dine out, but with increasing food bills, How do you survive ? Here I am going to share a Trick to Save GST and Earn Discounts on your Food Bill. Read on how to save GST and earn discounts on Food Bill.
Impact of GST on Food Bill
When GST came in, there were a list of items/categories on which GST was to be charged. The government (as all of us know) has proposed two different GST rates for restaurants – AC and Non AC restaurants. Leaving out the Star Hotel restaurants from this post. So the initial proposed GST for restaurants in India was 12% for Non AC restaurants and 18% for AC restaurants. However, in the recent GST council meeting, it was decided to further lower the GST on AC restaurant. So the new proposed GST on AC restaurant is 12%. Well, 12-18% GST on your food bill will surely have a deep impact on your pocket. Read on to find out how you can save GST on your food bill.
How To Save GST on your Food Bill
Now that you know the impact of GST on your food bill, let's see how you can save GST on your food bill. Technically – based on my understanding – you pay GST for the items you eat at the restaurant and pay at the same time. There are a few restaurants who charge GST even for home delivery. So what if you don't pay at the restaurant ? In that case you shouldn't be paying GST. What I'm trying to say here is, you can use services like Little, Nearbuy etc. to buy coupons for restaurants online.
When you buy coupons online, you technically don't pay any GST since you are not buying / eating food at a restaurant. Instead the transaction is taking place online and with an e-commerce website. Once you have these coupons, you can go to your restaurant and redeem the same. Once redeemed, you don't have to pay anything at the restaurant since you have already paid for the coupons. So the trick to save GST on your Food Bill is to purchase food coupons online and then redeem the same at restaurants.
Eat out and Save GST on your food bill
Buying Food Coupons and redeeming them at the restaurant is a great way to save GST on your total Food Bill. Instead of paying 12%, 18% GST on food bills, you can save this bit and probably spend on something else. I've been using this for sometime now and have got some great discounts at restaurants and saving GST and other taxes on my food bill. So go ahead, get coupons for restaurants and save GST on your food bill. Please note that there might be a varied difference between the menu prices and food coupon prices. It varies from restaurant to restaurant and the offers provided by these websites. I'm just sharing my experience here and shall in no way be held responsible if you don't get the desired benefit. What are your thoughts on this ? Have anything to add ? Do mention in the comments below or tweet to me at @Atulmaharaj


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TonyBet casino was founded in 2009 by a widely admired professional poker player Tony G. As a businessman, Tony takes care of his own reputation and the reputation of his casino – so Tony Bet has become one of the most attractive and reliable casinos in the European online gambling market. The casino is registered and based in Estonia, so players all over Europe, except France and Spain, can enjoy its unique features.
The key advantage of the casino are its live gaming options. Live casino is a new and unique feature of this online casino, with the most commonly played live games like Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat and Carribean Stud tonybet poker. The best start from 1EUR and can go up to 75000EUR.
The slots feature micro gaming, popular table games like Blackjack, Red Queen Blackjack, Single Deck Black Jack and Double Zero Roulette. The casino is specialized in sports betting, live betting and virtual sport games.
Currently, the casino has a few extremely attractive bonuses on offer. For starters, or any newly registered users, a bonus of 100EUR is available right after registration and first deposit of 10EUR. For the poker lovers out there, tonybet bonus program offers a 2000EUR bonus. Moreover, as part of the Casino Starter Pack, you can get 120+ free spins if you download the app and deposit the initial sum.
Our testers have also found out that the bonus is paid within less than 5 minutes after introducing the promocode, and the reviews of players on other websites show similar results. So, not only the bonuses are generous, they are also quite quickly paid out.
Tonybet accepts all of the major payment methods, including Visa and Mastercard payments and bank transfers. The cashout policy allows you to cash out your money while the game is on, anytime before a final whistle. However, the Cash Out option is only available for Live Bets where you can wager on the outcomes of the games as they happen. It is important to note that tony bets policy only allows you to cash out on live bets and single bets, and not multi bets or system bets.
A careful inspection by our expert team has concluded that TonyBet casino may be called very reliable. It is using the protection authorized within the industry (a protection standard called of Internet safety – SSL encryption). This type of protection codes your personal data, including credit card information and payment data, so that it cannot be seen or stolen by hackers. The casino has also been proven reliable by NMi, an independent institution that ensures online gaming establishments fairness.
According to our testing and Internet research, client attention service at TonyBet is quite quick and high-functioning. A few things to note though. Live chat is only available at night hours Estonian local time, 8pm to 7am, and login (registration) is required in order to use the chat help or get access to any other part of the casino's website. Telephone help is also available, however, it is not free of charge, and you will need to pay according to your operator's fees. Email response is typically within 1 hour.
To conclude, we would give TonyBet online casino a 5-star review. It is a must-try venue for both beginners and seasoned players.


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Rimsky-Korsakov's first folk-opera is a lyrical combination of the farcical, the romantic and the supernatural. Based on a story by Gogol, set in Little Russia in Whitsun-week, Levko and Ganna fall in love to a background of small-town politics and village traditions, with the ambivalent help of the restless spirits of the Unclean World. Royal Academy Opera continues its year 'on the road' in a venue a world apart from its traditional home, in spite of being only minutes away from the Academy. Ambika P3, the University of Westminster's former concrete testing hall, will be the dramatic location for Christopher Cowell's welcome directorial return to Royal Academy Opera, following his production of Cendrillon in 2013. Gareth Hancock conducted the Walton/Berkeley double bill in summer 2015; he will take over as Director of Opera at the Academy from July 2016.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: March 8Rimsky-Korsakov: May Night
Later Event: March 11Rimsky-Korsakov: May Night


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Ancient Themes, Modern Revelations
by Glen Edward Quiring
Pastor NewGen Faith
My son and I read literature at bedtime. Historically, we've read a somewhat lighter fair; The Butter Battle Book is one of our favorites. It is amazing; Dr. Seuss has a way of instructing and entertaining simultaneously.
Recently though, we started reading the bible -- the Old Testament to be exact. We started with the stories of creation and got through the stories of liberation found in Exodus. We would have kept reading in the Old Testament. But I uncovered a great picture book of Homer's Odyssey in a Barnes & Noble store in this holiday season. I couldn't resist the artwork so I bought it and figured we could read that too.
Quite to my surprise, there exists common themes in these two pieces of ancient literature. In Homer's great poem, we discovered Odysseus wandering around the sea in a fashion not unlike the Israelite's wandering in the desert wilderness. We also learned that Odysseus' men feared to move into a part of the land because there were giants - a theme also found the Old Testament (remember when Joshua sent out spies to check out the promised land?). We learned that Odysseus defeats the giant cyclops just as King David defeats Goliath -- the giant philistine -- both giants being too arrogant for their own good.
Narratives -- stories -- if you will, don't pretend to be prescriptive. Rather, they connect us to our humanity and to the millions who have gone before us on this little planet. They connect us to common struggles and common victories. Perhaps most importantly, they connect us to the values and wisdom of generations past. This connection doesn't insist we live as they did in the story. But is does attempt to inform and inspire us. It beckons to us: live valiantly, thrive, dare to do the impossible.
Each of us can thrive and flourish. I can't tell you how. I can only say that it is our calling. And this I know, for the narrative
tells me so.
Leave a Reply.
This work by www.newgenfaith.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
CONNECT with me: http://www.linkedin.com/in/glenquiring/
EMail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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|Dressing up as Elders on Halloween!
|This is what you dress like when you are freezing and don't have any blankets or sweatshirts! hahaha
|With Jessica, a recent convert
|Relief Society Activity making bracelets, pretty good turn out for Portugal!
Hey everyone! Hope you all had a great week. I'll try to remember a few things that happened here haha. My brain never works anymore.First thing... we had divisions on Tuesday! The Sister Training Leaders are the same ones from last transfer. One from Brazil, one from Texas. This time I went with the Brazilian, Sister Nygri. She's super nice. She's the one who went on a mission because of her sister remember? Anyway, they were shocked at how far of a walk our area is from our house. They called the office elders and asked if they could buy us bus passes. We'll see what happens with that.
Other than that the work has been a little slow this week. We are trying our best and that's all we can do. We walked for 2 hours the other day knocking doors and literally we saw one human being that entire time. Haha but we will find some elects this week!


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Explore Oxfam Unwrapped's selection of unique charity gifts
Our collection of unique charity gifts are chosen to transform the lives of people living in poverty, so when you spend your Nectar points on Oxfam Unwrapped gifts you're helping fight poverty.
When you buy a life changing gift, you will receive a lovely gift card in the post to which you can add a message and pass on to friends and family.
Please click on the links below to be directed to where you purchase one of these fantastic gifts.
- Source of safe water 500 points (£2.50)
- Fantastic Farm Kit 1,000 points (£5)
- Food for a Family 1,600 points (£8)
- Super Goat 5,000 points (£25)
- Heroic Honey Bees 2,400 points (£12)
- Care for mums and babies 3,400 points (£17)
- Pile of Poo 2,000 points (£10)
- Safe Water for a Family of Four 2,000 points (£10)
- Super Seeds 2,000 points (£10)
Terms and Conditions
- We aim to dispatch all items within three working days of your order being received.
- Because an Oxfam Unwrapped gift counts as a donation rather than a purchase under Charity Commission rules we are unable to give you a refund. However, we can offer you a replacement Oxfam Unwrapped gift of the same or very similar value. If you would like to do this, please contact Oxfam.
- Nectar points cannot be collected on any element of a transaction which is paid for by redeeming points.


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Ramon Ritchey Guy
Wilburton, OK
Ramon Ritchey Guy
Ramon Ritchey Guy, 85, of Wilburton, OK, passed away Tuesday, September 16th, at Texhoma Medical Center, Denison, County, TX.
Ramon was born in Dillard, Oklahoma on January 27, 1929, a son of the late Rosa Lee (Wright) and James Guy.
He worked in the oil field.
He attended Highbridge Baptist Church Wilburton, OK 74578.
He served in the U.S. Army.
Ramon is survived by
five daughters, Jayne, wife of Charles Atwood, of Ft. Smith, Arkansas;
Diana, wife of Ron Clements, of Kennewick, Washington;
Elizabeth, wife of Howard Hicks, of Morrison, Oklahoma;
Laura, wife of Charley Strong, of Van Alstyne, Texas;
Stacia, wife of Guy Duerson, of Atoka, Oklahoma;
three sons Raymon Edward Guy, of Wilburton, Oklahoma; Terry Smith, of Hulbert, Oklahoma; Tim, husband of Terresa Smith, of Chicago, Il;
Ramon is also survived by
two sisters, Jimmie Lee Walker, of Norman, Oklahoma; Eletha Hise, of Hot Springs, Arkansas.
two brothers, David Guy, of Tyler, Texas; Donnie, husband of Karen Guy, of Kingston, Oklahoma;
Preceded in death by his parents; sister, Cynthia Hefner; wife, Jane Guy; brother-in-law, Lloyd Hise; Mother of His Children, Eleanor Guy.
He is also survived by Mother-In-Law: Glynn Cochran, of Edmond, Oklahoma. Sisters-In-Law: Jeanne Cochran of Edmond, Oklahoma; Mary Lou Edwards of Bedford, Texas; Carol Swigart, of Bismark, Arkansas.
20 Grandchildren, 30 Great Grandchildren, 2 Great Great Grandchildren.
Services at Highbridge Baptist Church, Wilburton, OK, at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 20th, with Rev. David Ward and Rev. Kenny Marrow officiating.
Interment at Highbridge Cemetery, OK.


text: Last year, Shell Oil abandoned facilities that produced 600,000 barrels a day of oil due relentless attacks by the global guerrilla facilitator MEND. Upon its return to these facilities this month, the company found much of its infrastructure missing. In the area near the Forcados terminal alone, 435 miles of pipeline disappeared (likely disassembled by hand, loaded onto barges, offloaded onto Ukrainian transport ships offshore, and delivered to Chinese scrap metal dealers -- globalization is grand, isn't it). Estimates of the reconstruction costs now exceed $2 billion, under the assumption both Shell and its construction partners will be allowed to return unimpeded. That isn't a good bet: 11 Daewoo construction workers working on a power plant deep inland (which shows the guerrillas have more reach than ever) were kidnapped and two assaults were made on off-shore platforms as recently as last week. Further, MEND like its counter-parts in Iraq, are very adept at the disruption of corporate activity. So far, the returns on its investments (ROIs) have been stellar.UPDATE: It was premature. MEND took down three major pipelines (2 ENI Agip and one Shell) in Nigeria on May 7th and has given ample warning that it will continue to ramp attacks. The current outage adds 150,000 more barrels a day from ENI and 100,000 from producers using Shell's infrastructure. This means the new grand total is 844,000 barrels a day of lost production (that's more than two times the daily output of Prudhoe bay). Given MEND's goal of "making Nigeria ungovernable" the post election transition period is best time to ramp attacks both in terms of opportunity and effects.


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Thursday, October 2, 2008
You, Miss, Are No Jack Kennedy
Anybody else excited for the debate tonight? Sadly, I will be at school until 10:00 so I can't watch it live but I am recording it. I will rush home, pop the popcorn and Kevin and I will sit down to watch the carnage.
Posted by Titanium Spork at 9:39 AM
1 comment:
- kath said...
I was in Chicago, but I made my roommate/colleague stay in just to watch. We went to the corner store to buy popcorn and candy. As we were waiting for the elevator to go back to our room, a fellow conference attendee was clutching a glass of wine from the bar downstairs--her way of making Sarah Palin palatable, I guess!
- October 5, 2008 at 3:22 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Every ambitious company gets there sooner or later. Maybe you've landed a major client and are growing faster than anticipated, or perhaps there's a major project that requires skilled staff you just don't have. Resource augmentation can be just the right fit for companies who find themselves in such positions. Let's take a look at how bringing in outside talent can help your organization perform at a higher level, and build a more capable team.
Resource Augmentation Allows You to Focus on What Really Matters
Let's face it— hiring can be a trying process. You list an open position, and you're deluged with dozens of applications and resumes, all from hungry, eager candidates aiming to prove they and they alone are the right choice for the job.
Filling one opening is challenging enough. If your organization is in a new phase of growth, you may have to bring in many new people at once, and if the job requires very advanced, specialized knowledge, the chances are good that you'll be spending a lot of time rejecting applications from unqualified candidates.
Bringing in an outside agency or recruiter to assist in your search seems like the logical solution, but in highly technical industries, it's just not that simple. In addition to the difficulty in finding a candidate with the right skills and specialized knowledge, you may find yourself dealing with agencies and fly-by-night technical recruiters who are more concerned with closing a contract (and getting their commission) than whether or not that candidate is the best fit for your needs.
And let's not forget about the financial risks; even if a candidate is not a direct hire, a bad hire can still cost tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, especially in technical industries where the costs of a mistake can multiply rapidly.
When done properly, however, resource augmentation can be a godsend for organizations in any industry, but especially for engineering firms and other high-tech companies. Why? Because it allows your organization to focus on its mission instead of the challenges that come with trying to locate and vet high-quality staff.
Why Not Just Outsource the Project?
Outsourcing a project may be a good option in some cases, but there are many advantages to opting for resource augmentation instead.
Bringing in outside talent for a specific project can lead to greater cohesiveness in your workforce because your existing staff work alongside them and get to know them. Outsourcing a project entirely can sometimes lead some existing team members to worry that not only future projects but whole jobs (like theirs) could be outsourced as well.
Choosing to augment your staff also sends a different message; instead of replacing your workforce with someone else at a different location, you're demonstrating a commitment to making them more successful by bringing in someone new to help with their specialized skills.
They may feel less threatened by resource augmentation because they perceive that their organization has confidence in them. This allows organizations to leverage the skills of their pre-existing staff as well as augmented talent in an efficient and integrated way.
Resource augmentation also allows an organization to have more direct, hands-on communication with their new recruit, and avoid many of the complications that can come with outsourcing. An individual brought in to augment existing staff can probably acclimate to the internal policies and procedures of an organization in much less time than it would take for two separate organizations to align their processes together on a project.
Partner with a Resource Augmentation Supplier You Can Trust
As a supplier of high-quality engineering solutions, we understand how challenging it can be to find skilled and qualified technical staff. That's why we assist organizations in finding the best outside talent to augment and strengthen their teams. We take the time listen to your concerns and gain a deep understanding of your needs and goals and provide you with exceptional Contract, Contract-to-Hire, and Direct Hire candidates. Contact us today to see why working with Novel is different.


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I love Hallmark movies.
How watching Hallmark movies has made me a better writer – Meredith Schorr
By Meredith Schorr
I am unashamedly addicted to the original romantic comedy movies on The Hallmark Channel. I'm even engaged in an ongoing message with three friends on Facebook, exclusively devoted to dishing on the upcoming movies, ogling the hot male romantic leads, and sharing our reviews of the films. Even though these movies are like the macaroni and cheese of entertainment — pure comfort — I also consider them "research" for my job as an author of romantic comedy novels. ♥
Hallmark movies are famous for culture shock—relocating the big-city leading lady to a small town where everyone knows each other's business. There's usually one hotel, one doctor, and one eligible bachelor. In another movie last year, the heroine was plucked from her small town into the cut-throat, high-fashioned world of New York City. How a character reacts to her setting in a Hallmark Movie illustrates how a person's personality is often a product of their environment.
Character development
My favorite Hallmark movies are often the ones where the main character not only finds love, but also discovers something about herself in the process. When I'm writing, I don't just let the girl get the guy in the end because of external circumstances, like he stopped seeing her as "one of the dudes." I make her dig deep and unearth an internal flaw that had been preventing her happiness.
Supporting characters
In every Hallmark movie, the main character has a support system consisting of friends, co-workers, family members who might serve the following purposes: keep her grounded, provide comfort, challenge her, make her want to be a better person, or push her buttons. Whether it's a beloved grandparent, a child, a pet, an assistant at work, a sibling, a rival for work/love, these characters add another dimension to the story that can serve as comic relief or depth, and allows the viewer to see the main character from a different perspective. Secondary characters are so important in novels as well, and often fight for center stage. My favorite secondary characters to write have been best friends, mothers, siblings, and the antagonists readers love to hate.
In Hallmark movies, the viewer usually knows the outcome pretty much immediately, but the girl doesn't get the guy until the very last scene. Even though I try to keep my readers guessing more than the small-screen counterparts, Hallmark movies remind me to pile on the conflict. I want my characters (and readers) to earn their happily ever after. I make it happen by sending choppy waters their way.
My favorite Hallmark movies to see are the ones when I forget I'm watching a movie and get lost in the romance. Not all couples are created equally. If the spark is weak, the movie will flop because you can't create a love story about two random people and expect viewers to pull for them. Whether I'm drawn to a couple in a Hallmark movie or underwhelmed, it's a reminder to work hard to ensure my couple comes alive on the page.
In closing, not only do Hallmark movies provide entertainment and a much-needed escape, they also help me flesh out my writing and develop my stories into authentic, enjoyable, relatable books that I hope appeal to a wide audience.
A born-and-bred New Yorker, Meredith Schorr discovered her passion for writing when she began to enjoy drafting work-related emails way more than she was probably supposed to. After trying her hand penning children's stories and blogging her personal experiences, Meredith found her calling writing romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She secures much inspiration from her day job as a hardworking trademark paralegal and her still-single (but looking) status. Meredith is a loyal New York Yankees fan, an avid runner, and an unashamed television addict.
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I do too, Lisa!
Thanks so much for featuring me on your site. This post was so fun to write 🙂


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Two weeks later, I'm still waiting for the microfilm scans of the early 1850's newspaper that I contributed heavily to, as Mathew Franklin Whittier. I'm going to have to call them, today. When I ran my one-man video production business, Gold Thread Video Productions, I learned a trick for collections. Let the time go beyond a normal wait, and then, be polite. What it does is to put the ball squarely into the other person's court, because they know it's been too long. It puts them on the defensive, so that they are apologetic. Conversely, if you inquire too soon, you can be seen as bugging them, and then the ball is in your court. But for this to work, you have to keep your cool. Not that I anticipate those kinds of problems, here. My suspicion is that since it was a small run of one reel, it got set aside until the big (and lucrative) runs were out of the way, which hasn't happened, yet. Or, there could be one of those situations where I am waiting for them to do something, and they are waiting for me to do something...which is why it's definitely time to call them.
During my lunch breaks, I have a habit of watching YouTube videos of mediums, working both with an audience, and one-on-one. I've gone through most of what's posted for John Edward, then Lisa Williams, and then Gordon Smith. Then I watched quite a bit of Matthew Fraser, and now I'm on the late British medium Colin Fry. Yesterday, Colin asked the ladies he was reading (seated toward the back in an audience) if their father had ever played the game with them, where you pretend to take off the tip of your finger. One of the ladies--his daughter, if I remember correctly--held up her hand, and the tip of one finger was missing.
First of all, this is clearly evidential. Had he ever met them before, all three of them would have had to be in collusion (in other words, the ladies would have had to pretend to be surprised). So that eliminates that normal explanation. Secondly, this level of accuracy is not unusual. There are so many evidential "hits" in these readings by the best mediums, it is entirely irrational to cling to the Materialistic paradigm. The tenacity with which Society officially clings to a profoundly ignorant position is astounding. Some of these people will repeat, parrot-like, "There is no evidence..."
But thirdly, and especially, I was struck with how clearly the principle is illustrated by this example, that the medium gets an accurate impression, but sometimes misinterprets it, initially. I have reported something very similar happening with my past-life impressions. The core impression was accurate; but, having an incomplete picture of Mathew's life story, I sometimes interpreted that impression incorrectly.
Now, you can take this reading by Colin Fry and say, "He's a fake, because he thought they played a game of taking off the tip of your finger, and he was wrong." But that's absurd. He was spot-on; only, he got the interpretation a bit askew. Clearly, it's far, far beyond chance; and this conclusion is not "magical thinking." How many people have the tip of a finger missing? What would you say--1/10th of one percent? Or less?
If you are feeling the earth shaking beneath your feet--that sickening feeling of your whole paradigm crumbling from underneath you--you might, in that moment of terror, insist that it was a lucky guess. Let me tell you, despite the mocking grin on your face, I know what you are feeling, inside. You can't fool me. I've felt it many times.
I'll tell you, here--all my research indicates that in my past life, Abby (my first wife in that lifetime) and I co-wrote "A Christmas Carol," and Mathew must have handed it over to Dickens in Boston, during Dickens' 1842 American tour (much to his regret, later in life). And it also indicates that Mathew must have written the original version of "The Raven," which he likewise must have given to, or shared with, Edgar Allan Poe sometime prior to 1845, but after Abby died in 1841.
Mathew Franklin Whittier was that good a writer, and I can prove it. Not only is it not grandiose to claim these piece for him--it is grandiose to claim them for Dickens and Poe, respectively. A deep study of the history tells me that Mathew could easily have written them--but Dickens and Poe could not have. And I can prove that Abby was that good a writer, too, in her Victorian way. For that matter, some four years of channeled writing would prove that she is that good a writer, still, today.
I videotaped a psychic reading for my documentary, "In Another Life," in 1998, when so far as I can tell, nobody but Spiritualist churches in England were doing this. They were taping their services, not one-on-one sessions. I got that idea on my own (never having seen the Spiritualists' recordings), and if I wasn't the first to tape a continuous individual reading, I was one of the first. You can view that entire recording here. But later on, I also had two readings done for my book, "Mathew Franklin Whittier in his own words." Actually, they served a dual purpose--for the book, yes, but also to try to contact Abby directly. Both psychics were, in fact, able to contact her, and there were several hits in those readings. I don't emphasize this too much in my presentation, but I thought I'd go through a few of those hits, today. I discuss both readings in their entirety, in the book--but let's just take a sampling.
Candace Zeller, the psychic who read Jeff Keene for me in 1998, was given no information whatsoever for that reading. She got his name and birthdate from him before the session, on-site. Jeff was unknown publicly at this point, since I was the first person to ever investigate him or to present him. When I hired her to read me for the book, in 2010, I told her that I had been studying a past life in the 19th century, and that I wanted to get in touch with my first wife from that lifetime. I sent her an unlabeled etching of Mathew Franklin Whittier in his mid-40's, and the second page of a letter from Abby to Mathew's sister. She told me she never received the letter. So assuming she was honest (and I have no reason to doubt her honesty), she had only the etching, plus what I had told her, to go on.
I have my notes from this reading, taken in real time, before me. (Neither of these readings was audiotaped.) First, she correctly gets the impression that the two families, Mathew's and Abby's, were opposed to the marriage on both the grounds of class, and religion. Then she confirms that I was Mathew. She correctly gets the cause of Abby's death as tuberculosis (in the 19th century, "consumption")--something I didn't know at the time of the reading. She correctly gets that both Mathew and Abby were students of metaphysics; and she correctly states that both were ahead of their time. She says that after her death, Abby "visited" in spirit; and this has been confirmed several times over for subsequent years, if not for immediately after her death.* She got "36," and Mathew and Abby were married in 1836. She correctly cited five children, even though I kept correcting her that Mathew and Abby only had two children. I had forgotten that Mathew had three more children by another marriage; and after I remembered this, she stopped mentioning it. She correctly stated that after Abby's death Mathew became "withdrawn and eccentric;" and also that he was "estranged from his own lineage." She saw them "sitting on a swing for two, under a tree by a river." Abby lived within sight of a large river in East Haverhill, Mass., the Merrimack.
Candace said she felt it was on the East Coast--"New York, Washington, Virginia." Actually, it was in Haverhill, on the east coast of Massachusetts; and then in Portland, Maine. (Note that I am honestly reporting "misses.")
After this point, I told her Mathew's identity, and began asking questions. She told me that "my ideas about Edgar Allan Poe are correct, but that it would take a great deal of research to uncover"--and she re-emphasized this. She said I might find something about it in the Edgar Cayce readings. (At this point, this referred only to my memory, under hypnosis, of having met once with Poe.) I did, finally, find a few bits of evidence which point strongly to my conclusion that Mathew was the original author of "The Raven," but no solid proof yet, to date. The Cayce readings, however, yielded a reference to Mathew's famous older brother, John Greenleaf Whittier, which characterized his personality precisely as I had been remembering it, through past-life memory--the only source I've found which agrees with me on this matter.
She also indicated that Mathew "did influence the writing of 'A Christmas Carol,'" but that the proof had been burned in a fire. She did not indicate any contribution from Abby, whereas it now appears that it was primarily Abby's work, which Mathew either collaborated on, or re-edited after she passed. Mathew's flat in Portland, Maine was burned in a fire (probably, arson) in April of 1852, something I discovered well after the reading.
Now, that was the first reading, on March 10, 2010. The second reading, with Joseph Shiel, was on Dec. 15 of that year. But first, let's be clear about something. Candace made a number of strong hits, here. One could justifiably say she was blazingly accurate, about things she had no normal way of knowing--and in many cases, things I, also, had no way of knowing at the time. That means she was not simply reading my mind--because these things weren't in my mind. She confirmed that I was Mathew. So on the strength of these other hits, logically, one has to conclude that by the same token, she was correct about this, as well.
I chose Joseph because he was a psychic artist, and because he was certified by the New York psychic community, Lily Dale. I could, technically, have seen this on his website, but I did not notice that he worked out of a Spiritualist church in Swampscott, Mass.--not very far from where Mathew and Abby grew up, in Haverhill. We will see the significance of this, shortly.
So now I have Shiel's reading in front of me. He did draw a picture of Abby, which turned out to be fairly close to what I now believe to be her historical portrait. Given that his skills as an artist are adequate, but (not being an art critic) I would say are a bit primitive, I consider it to be a match beyond mere chance. But he is also clairaudient, and this is where it gets interesting.
Joseph talks about Abby being very gentile and feminine, but also having another side to her--a radical who stands up for the less fortunate. He talks about a trial where she is in serious trouble. Candace, also, talked about her being persecuted. This persecution shows up clearly in the historical record, including in her own stories, published by Mathew posthumously about 10 years after her death.
Both psychics said that Abby was ahead of her time. This is clearly borne out by her poetry and her short stories, as is her profound dedication to the less fortunate (each of her stories showcases one such group, such as orphans, cripples, immigrants, etc.). Her knowledge of metaphysics and the occult also appears frequently in these stories--and there is one set on Christmas day.
Joseph correctly gets that she is of the upper class. He says she knew how to shoe horses, while the historical record indicates that her father (a marquis) liked to trade horses. He stresses her intelligence four times in the reading; the historical record tells us that her mother, Sally Poyen, was "brilliant." Abby's stories, to the extent they are autobiographical, clearly indicate this, as well.
He correctly got that she passed "earlier than expected" from illness, though he perceived stomach pain, and opined that it might have been in childbirth. He correctly said that she had children, but thought that one of them carried on the family name, whereas both a boy and a girl each died before the one year mark. But at this point, he admitted he "may be putting in his own thoughts."
Now, hold onto your seats. Toward the very end of the reading, he says (per my notes):
"M." Keep getting "M." Matthew, Massuen. [not clear on "Massuen," trailed off--not clear if this was a guess on the same name, or a second name. "Matthew," however, was definite. I told him at this point that that was my name in that lifetime.]
I asked him to repeat what he had just said, and (somewhat to my disappointment) he repeated it exactly the same way, fading out on the second word, which, not being able to hear it clearly, I wrote down phonetically as "Massuen." Now, if you are skeptical, you have to do damage control. There is that feeling of panic rising, again. What are the explanations, which you must bring up like soldiers to save yourself from that awful, shaky feeling? Fraud. Coincidence. A lucky guess. Maybe he was on the internet with his laptop during the session.
But I checked that. I found a colleague who vouched, in no uncertain terms, for both his work and his ethics. I also searched online for keywords like "Joseph Shiel, fraud." I read all of his online feedback. All of it is positive. I also asked him directly in the reading whether he had done any internet research on me, and he said disdainfully that he didn't have time to do such things. This is borne out by his reaction when I first made the call--he said, "Oh, you're the one with the unusual request." In other words, he had forgotten about it in the interim.**
He gave only four names during the course of the hour-long session, three of which do figure in Abby's life (including this one). So the explanation is not that he gave 25 names, and managed to hit one.
Meanwhile, if you watch, say, Gordon Smith, you can actually see him reading berieved parents, and with no fishing, he gets their late child's first, middle, and last name. I kid you not. He gets the middle and last names immediately, right out of the box, and then gets the first name later on--which is precisely what I would expect, given that spirits don't like to provide the obvious, lest it look like fraud. Start at 5:20 in this video:
This kind of evidence is at your fingertips online--but you have to courageously face down that horrible queasy feeling, to look for it.
Oh--about "Messuen." I finally realized that he must have been saying "Methuen." Methuen is a little town directly adjacent to Haverhill. It is the only town of that name in the United States. It seemed clear that Abby was pairing that with Mathew's name, because they must have lived there at some point--something which is nowhere in the historical record. Or so I thought. I finally found it hidden in one of Mathew's humorous sketches, published under a pseudonym which had been claimed by someone else.
If my past-life impressions and my interpretations are correct, "M____" is Methuen; "P____" is "Poyen" (Abby's maiden name); "W____" is "Whittier." "S____" may even be "Swampscott," though there are two other possibilities in the southern portion of Essex County (the story specifies the southern portion of the unnamed county), Salem and Saugus. Mathew and Abby must have lived for a few months in Methuen after their first child, Joseph, died at 11 months of scarlet fever. They were grieving, and Abby, being beside herself, would take long walks along the nearby river. Mathew, seeing that she was not in her right mind, had no choice but to go on these long walks with her, to protect her. Thus, he was unable to work, and they probably were taking charity during this time from extended relatives, one of whom did, in fact, live within easy walking distance of the river (this would tentatively place them in what is now called the "Tenney Gate House"). Years later, Mathew, with his typical cloaked, biting satire, got back at the locals, who must have spread a cruel rumor of them being lazy, with this story, which he published under a pseudonym. This kind of "literary revenge" was part of his usual MO. As you can see, the story begins with a little philosophical discussion, which was also typical of Mathew's style. The pseudonym, "Quails," has been confirmed for him in my research, as I discussed in a recent entry.
Why did Joseph Shiel's voice trail off, not once, but twice, when he said "Mathew, Methuen"? Probably, because he worked in the area. He assumed he must be making that up, because, after all, he had no idea that these people actually lived very close to Swampscott and Methuen. Which, interestingly enough, suggests that he did not, in fact, research me online, or he would have seen Mathew's birthplace, and would not have been so shy about repeating it.
I don't even emphasize these psychic readings in my study, despite their being strong enough, by themselves, to prove the case. My own past-life impressions, taken together, are stronger than these two readings.
And you still don't want to read my book?
Best regards,
Stephen Sakellarios, M.S.
*Because Mathew mentions it specifically several times in his poems and in one of his ostensibly humorous stories. For example, written under his verified asterisk pseudonym, is this stanza from a poem written in tribute to Abby after her passing, entitled "To A Bright Lady":
Speak thy glowing words, lady,
Full of poet fire,
Smother not the gladness
Spirit dreams inspire.
Some memory of the past came o'er me,
And days long vanished rose before me;
I thought--no matter what I thought--
Such dreams as mine are lightly wrought,
And, lightly made, as lightly shivered;
And now it seemed as if in truth
A beam of light that gleamed and quivered
Upon the silvery tide of youth
Came back to cheer, and not in vain,
A spirit dulled with voiceless pain;
And as I pressed my couch at night,
Her image hovering round me seemed,
And at the first of morning light
I jotted down the things I dreamed,
And once again to slumber sunk,
With chattering teeth, your friend,
A. Trunk.
I also found two instances of Mathew channeling Abby, ten years after her passing; and, a record of Mathew having a reading by an astrologer/medium, which he pronounced genuine based on the accurate details which came up about his "unhappy childhood." Mathew was a very private person, and none of these details would have been public knowledge at the time (even the report of the reading was written under a pseudonym). Note that this dovetails with what I said about Mathew's childhood, and his brother's poem, "Snow-Bound," as discussed in a recent Update.
**He was in a hotel room near the Boston airport, on a cell phone, and as we commenced, his phone dropped the call about six times. After the fifth call-drop, he offered to refund my money and give up, but I insisted, and the phone connection only dropped once during the reading after that. One wonders at the passed-on Spiritualists who might not have wanted this kind of evidence for reincarnation to come through one of their own, since many Spiritualists continue to reject reincarnation--even, apparently, after they cross over.
Updates Archive
Audio opening this page: the sound of a skeptical mind opening


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Feeling stuck? Too stressed and distracted with your own life to teach your kids how to live healthy, engaged lives in this always-on world? Tired of threatening to take away electronics?
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Tickets for the evening session are available at here, and for the morning session are available here.


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Full Spectrum
Abend Gallery Fine Art
2260 E. Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO 80206
Abend Gallery Fine Art
2260 E. Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO 80206
Mark Andrew Bailey is known for his expertly lit impressionist scenes; Kristy Gordon has drawn acclaim for her life-like portraits with surreal backdrops; and Robert Spooner employs Pollock-like chaos in his vivid street scenes. But what else might they like to create? See what these and seven other artists produced for this group show when given no requirements—except to show the depths of their creativity. Tue-Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Category:
- Arts and Exhibits
- Date:
- Jul 28, 2016 to Aug 27, 2016
- Cost:
- Free.


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I held a Bollywood Master Class in Toronto yesterday afternoon! I'm so blessed to be able to work with such talented dancers. Check it out the video (shot & edited by Safira Halani) below!
Thanks to The Underground Dance Centre for having me!
Sign up for the next class here.


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Philadelphia is in for a rare but brief treat Oct. 19-20 — a nationally acclaimed stage presentation of C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters" at the Merriam Theater, Kimmel Center.
Over the past several years it has had successful runs in Chicago, Washington and New York, where it had 309 performances. Now it is in the process of a national tour that sees it in a different city each weekend.
Presented by the Fellowship of the Performing Arts, it stars Max McLean (who is also co-adapter and co-director) in the title role of Screwtape, an arch demon from hell whose expertise is tempting human beings, to their ultimate damnation.
As presented by McLean, it is a two-person play, Screwtape and his assistant, Toadpipe, with Screwtape the only speaking role, at least with intelligible speech. Realistically, this is probably the best way to present "The Screwtape Letters" dramatically, because the book itself presents several challenges.
The central plot device is a series of 31 letters of instruction written by Screwtape to an unseen nephew, Wormwood, who is a neophyte demon charged with corrupting the soul of a young man, but experiencing difficulties along the way.
As originally written by Lewis in 1942, "The Screwtape Letters" was not intended to be a book; the letters were printed in serial form in an Anglican Church publication.
Plain and simple, the purpose of the letters were to present the various means used by Satan and his minions to lead people away from God, and Lewis does this masterfully.
The author himself was astounded by the popularity of "The Screwtape Letters," something that has not diminished over the past 70 years.
Going into it, Lewis "did say he thought it would be fun; he thought it would be useful from a Christian perspective," McLean said in an interview. After the fact in a 1960 preface, Lewis wrote, "But although it was easy to twist one's mind into the diabolical attitude, it was not fun and not for long. The strain produced a sort of spiritual cramp."
Indeed, Lewis's contemporary and friend, J.R.R. Tolkien, thought it dangerous to delve too deeply into the minds of devils and told him so.
"Tolkien was trying to discourage Lewis from writing it," McLean said, but in spite of this in book form it was dedicated by Lewis to Tolkien, something which may suggest his sense of humor, McLean suggests.
Lewis's Screwtape is himself certainly witty, but in a mean way. He is thoroughly and unmistakably evil.
For his source Lewis says in his preface he leaned more toward the demons of Dante's "Inferno," rather than those of Milton or Goethe, who can be viewed more sympathetically.
"He liked Dante's devils best for their rage, spite and obscenity," McLean said.
For himself, McLean, as the actor, does not share the depression Lewis felt in the creation of "The Screwtape Letters."
"When you play an evil character and it is very, very believable and you do believe he is after your soul, I believe the reaction is to defend yourself, and to go the other way," he said.
For McLean some of Screwtape's best lines really show Lewis's insight both into evil and human nature.
For example in letter 20, "It's funny how mortals picture us as putting things into their minds. Our best work is done by keeping things out."
Perhaps most telling are the closing lines of letter 12: "The safest road to hell is the gradual one. The gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.
"Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape."
Tickets for the Oct. 19-20 performances at the Merriam can be purchased through ScrewtapeOnStage.com or through the box office at 215-893-1999.
Lou Baldwin is a freelance writer and member of St. Leo Parish in Philadelphia.
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I'm big on goals. One of them for 2008 is to have a blog for my writing and my other artistic creative endeavors. My daughter said Blogger would be the easiest for me to start with, so here I am.
Give me a few days to get the feel for this venue.
Comments are always welcome.


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The new government has cut funding for the proposed Web Science Institute which was to be headed up by Sir Tim Berners-Lee in Southampton.
Gordon Brown announced the original plans for the institute earlier in the year, proposing that it would focus upon "emerging web and internet technologies".
Following the announcement, the institute received nearly £30m of funding which was supposed to help the UK become a world leader in these areas.
However, despite these initial hopes, funding has now been withdrawn.
Despite the Lib Dems and Tories both originally pledging to support the institute, today they have announced that they will be withdrawing this funding.
George Osbourne, our new chancellor has already promised to cut £6.2bn fomr public sector spending to reduce the vast budget deficit.
A spokesperson for the government has said that the Tories and Lib Dems recognise that internet technologies are an important area of research . They have stated that they shall be supporting the technical field instead, with research councils and the Technology Strategy Board.
The Spokesperson stated: "The research councils are investing £117m in a Digital Economy Programme to help drive research in this area, and more than £30m is being invested in specific projects relating to the semantic web."
"In light of the current pressures on public finances, the government has decided that it cannot support the creation of a new Institute for Web Science at Southampton University at this time."
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View Internet News Archive


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Sign up for your NYC experience of choice!
Thank you for filling out your interest form, I will be in touch soon after I receive this with your next steps to schedule your one-on-one, or with further information on your group class. I am so excited to connect with you!


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I'm just going to go out there and say it; not enough people are talking about the monster year Gammer is having. He's been killing the game with each and every release throughout 2017 while showcasing his versatility as a producer in the process.
His latest release is "Stay Tonight" an explosive, hard dance tune that is simply a derailed roller coaster ride that is sure to spike your heart rate. Process with caution!
Gammer ft. Dylan Matthew – Stay Tonight | Download |
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