text:
Text Analytics for Social Data Using DiscoverText & Sifter –@SMLabTO Research Method Workshop https://t.co/EiEvPg4kvu
— Philip Mai (@PhMai) January 26, 2017
Text Analytics for Social Data Using DiscoverText & Sifter –@SMLabTO Research Method Workshop https://t.co/EiEvPg4kvu
— Philip Mai (@PhMai) January 26, 2017
It seems that even an old dog can learn new tricks. I was experimenting recently with the list view settings in DiscoverText and was pleased to find a new way to review Twitter data. This 2-minute video outlines the steps you can take to get an optimal list view display for Twitter data in DiscoverText.
To set up a web briefing, please send a request to email@example.com. There is a complete set of DiscoverText tutorials and Zen Desk Help Site for further information.
A search through Twitter and Google will show news stories about fake news and Twitter, so participants in the student data challenge may find clues for how to detect fake news in previous studies.
We have been very busy creating a set of unique Twitter data samples for the fake news student detection challenge. There are new collections of bot-mentioning Tweets, also by users with >100,000 followers, other influencer segments, top RT segments, and a 1.1 million item sample representing the seed of every duplicate group in the original 20 million Tweet collection. To learn about the metadata enhancements that make this and the influencer segments valuable, we have prepared a short video. Watch the video below to learn more about the free student data challenge and to get tips on why the best data samples are in fact great tricks for doing other kinds of important social media research. New teams are still getting organized. Write to email@example.com for more information. The deadline for submissions is April 1, 2017.
We often get field reports from graduate students who are deep into the exploration of Twitter data using DiscoverText. This excerpt below from Stanford's Anita Tseng further illustrates why so many academics are using DiscoverText to collect and analyze Twitter data to better understand public sphere discourse.
"I am currently conducting a large-scale content analysis of Tweets on controversial science issues. My dissertation focuses on misinformation about science in new user-generated media, and one of my projects deals with illustrating the scope and nature of misinformation about controversial science on social media. For seven months, I collected Tweets on "vaccination safety" and "GMO safety" using multiple variations on each search term, collected at various times each day on a weekly basis. I aim to analyze these Tweets for sentiment, as well as the presence of errors in scientific reasoning, based on an existing framework in recent research on philosophy of science. After trying a number of data collection and analysis tools, I came across DiscoverText during a workshop on campus last year and was thoroughly impressed by the functionality and most importantly for me, user experience. After dealing with a number of other badly programmed analysis tools that were both slow and unintuitive, DiscoverText was fast for me to pick up, Web-based and did the grunt work of collecting onwards to 56,000 Tweets for me over the course of several months in 2016. I'm now in the analysis portion of this project and excited for the findings to develop — I am qualitatively coding a subset of my data and training the built-in machine learning algorithm to code the remainder so I can have a broader picture of the data. This spring, I will be presenting the project as a Computational Social Science Fellow at Stanford University, and at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching as part of the Informal Education division, which includes research on social media and its impact on public understanding of science."
Anita is a Doctoral Candidate at Stanford University's Graduate School of Education. Even though she is now an experienced user, we look forward to seeing her at the upcoming DiscoverText workshops January 17, 2017 on the Stanford campus.
Photo: @Britt_Andersen!Huge thank you to @StuartWShulman for kicking off our workshop with an amazing seminar & lab. @discovertext #msmm2017 pic.twitter.com/dzITPUESbp
— MSMMatBU (@MSMMatBU) January 11, 2017
@map_maiden @StuartWShulman @discovertext We are so glad you feel this way! Dr. Stuart Shulman is always blowing our mind as well. pic.twitter.com/tA7m0iToRQ
— MSMMatBU (@MSMMatBU) January 11, 2017
I may be falling for @discovertext pic.twitter.com/osoAMn99UN
— Shawna M. Brandle (@ProfBrandle) January 11, 2017
Using the @penguins as an example for using @discovertext – best example for this hockey fan! #MSMM2017
— Ahlea Isabella (@map_maiden) January 11, 2017
"There's an inescapable role for humans in cleaning data" -Dr. Stu Shulman @discovertext #WednesdayWisdom
— MSMMatBU (@MSMMatBU) January 11, 2017
Humans are good at some things & computers are good at others…consistent back & forth between the two increases the potential for learning pic.twitter.com/pNsmDDeMMi
— MSMMatBU (@MSMMatBU) January 11, 2017
The solution: @discovertext's Sifter provides search and retrieve access to every undeleted Tweet in the history of Twitter. #MSMM2017
— MSMMatBU (@MSMMatBU) January 11, 2017
Already in the first hour @discovertext has delivered significant conceptual and analytic insights for Making Social Media Matter #MSMM2017 https://t.co/K3x8Zoufnt
— Schiffon (@Schiffon) January 11, 2017
Those five pillars again @discovertext
1. Search
2. Filter
3. De-duplication and clustering
4. Human coding
5. Machine learning#MSMM2017
— Jacob Groshek (@jgroshek) January 11, 2017
The Challenge
– Build a model of fake news on Twitter
– Submit the model using a short video (=<60 seconds)
– Teams must use our dataset and online collaborative tools, which we will provide for free.
– Data export is prohibited.
– The model must focus on the nature and scope of fake news itself, not external analyses of it.
– Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods models are all welcome.
– Collaborative teams must include 2 or 3 students at any educational institution.
– Faculty supervisors may join one or more teams.
– The challenge is open to students in any country.
– The final report simply needs to be in English.
– Entry Deadline is now extended to April 1, 2017
– See Video Update #1 about the data samples
– Links to videos presenting the model in 60 seconds or less on YouTube must be Tweeted with the hashtag #fakenewsdetection.
1st Prize: $100 for each student.
2nd Prize: $50 for each student.
3rd Prize: $25 for each student.
Every team that submits a video will retain an academic DiscoverText license for the remainder of 2017.
There are many ways to explore the metadata, Tweet text data, images, news links (both fake and real), to test and refine student hunches about the scope and nature of fake news disseminated on Twitter. Our goal is to share these models with academic research community and to support a variety of methodologies for human or automated fake news detection. There is no a priori labeled data or ground truth. Everyone gets the same unlabeled data and the same tools to build models. Everyone builds their own models. Anyone can collaborate with anyone else on the system (not restricted to your team). How you define and deliver the model is entirely up to you. We have no idea what fake news is…yet. It seems to mean a lot of different things to different people. We are looking for models that make sense to most people.
Start Here
– Have each member of the team sign up for a free trial DiscoverText account.
– http://discovertext.thrivehivesite.com/start-a-free-trial/
– Send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com with your team name and a list of team member names and emails.
– Identify a student team leader who can manage the project and serve as a point of contact.
– Schedule a web meeting to go over some of the e-discovery, human coding, and machine-learning techniques.
– Review the DiscoverText help guides and FAQs: https://texifter.zendesk.com/hc/en-us
– Check out some use cases and methods in previous scholarly mentions of DiscoverText.
For more information, contact us at email@example.com.
We did it again. Nine Fridays in a row we have drawn two winners for our Tools and Data Give-A-Way. Today's lucky winners are @yelenamejova & @jaganadhg for these Tweets. We are doing one final give-away next friday. Who will get prize #19 & 20?
Check out https://t.co/2GELWhAnE6 for highly customizable comprehensive historical Twitter datasets.
— Yelena Mejova (@yelenamejova) October 20, 2015
Submitted query for estimate at #Snifer https://t.co/bdOmRsk1gs. it is really coll solution for sm data.
— Jaganadh G (@jaganadhg) November 3, 2015
Congratulations to @Org_PM and @MoaLEriksson, who were selected at random from a dwindling number of potential prize winners.
Sifter https://t.co/gB9B7cekHV is a great tool for researching #pmot or #agile @discovertext @texifter
— Nigel Williams (@Org_PM) December 9, 2015
Entered the @TexifterSifter competition for an upcoming article! Great service, so easy! https://t.co/U4B3paLsbD pic.twitter.com/AyoarvurIx
— Moa Eriksson (@MoaLEriksson) October 20, 2015
There are still two drawings left before we close out the year. There is no time like the present to try out Sifter and Tweet your review to be entered. The entire process can be completed in about 5 minutes.
Every Friday for the remainder of 2015 we are giving away free DiscoverText software licenses and highly customizable samples using historical Twitter datasets. Today's 11th & 12th winners were selected for the Tweet submissions shown below. Congratulations to Scott Wright (@Scott_Wright1) and Todd Newman (@tpn1818) for these stellar reviews. All it takes is five minutes to test Sifter and Tweet your review to be the next winner.
Just used https://t.co/KR4h0TwYyq to get a quote for historical twitter data analysis – pretty cool! #socialmedia
— Scott Wright (@Scott_Wright1) October 24, 2015
Using https://t.co/4GfDAmV6nA is so easy and efficient! I recommend it for anyone who wants to purchase historic Twitter data!
— Todd Newman (@tpn1818) October 23, 2015


text:
Policies & Publications
2020 Strategic Plan
Familes are encouraged to read more about our goals and vision for the future in the Victory 20 20 Strategic Vision.20 20 Strategic Vision
Annual Report
All schools in Australia receive funding from State and Federal Governments. As part of the requirements for funding, schools need to provide some information about their performance. Such information is complex and multi-faceted and therefore we suggest that prospective parents speak to College staff and tour the College themselves. Please note that the Annual Report to the College community refers to information from the previous year.2018 Annual Report
Our Prospectus
We invite new families to look through our Prospectus to find out more about the Victory difference.Prospectus
Child Protection and Safety Policy
Victory Lutheran College is committed to being a Child Safe organisation. Victory Lutheran College has a zero tolerance for child abuse and is committed to acting in the children's best interests and in keeping them safe from harm. Victory Lutheran College regards its child protection responsibilities with the utmost importance and as such, is committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure compliance with all relevant child protection laws and regulations and maintain a child safe culture.Child Protection and Safety Policy
Child Safety Code of Conduct Policy
This Child Safety Code of Conduct outlines appropriate standards of behaviour for all adults towards students. The Code serves to protect students, reduce any opportunities for abuse or harm to occur, and promote child safety in the College environment. It provides guidance on how to best support students and how to avoid or better manage difficult situations.Child Safety Code of Conduct
Responding and Reporting Allegations of Child Safety Abuse
Victory Lutheran College aims to provide a caring and safe learning environment, where the love of Jesus Christ governs all interactions and relationships. Members of the Victory Lutheran College community have a responsibility to ensure children and young people are safe in all school environments and school related activities. Victory Lutheran College has established simple and accessible procedures for anyone to report a child abuse concern internally to one of the College's Child Safety Officers, including procedures for support following a disclosure by a student.Responding and Reporting Allegations of Child AbuseMaking A Child Protection Report - The ProcessChild Protection - Four Critical ActionsVictory Lutheran College Child Safety Officers
Standard Collection Notice
The College is committed to managing personal information in an open and transparent way. This statement specifically itemises the reasons for collecting information about students and their families and the way in which information will be used by the College. For further information, please refer to the Victory Lutheran College Privacy Policy.Standard Collection Notice
Employment Collection NoticeEmployment Collection Notice
Disclosure Statement to Students - Counselling
Victory Lutheran College provides counselling services for its students as part of its pastoral care program. These are provided through counsellors employed by the College. Students are encouraged to make use of these services if they need assistance. However, there are a number of things that students and their parents/guardians should know before using the counselling service.Disclosure Statement to Students - Counselling
Privacy Policy
Requests for further information about the way the College manages the personal information it holds can be directed to the Privacy Officer. If you wish to make a complaint regarding the handling of your personal information or notify of a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles, please provide our Privacy Officer with full details of your complaint and any supporting documentation: by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com, or by letter to The Privacy Officer Victory Lutheran College PO Box 822 Wodonga Victoria 3690Privacy Policy
Traffic Management Guidelines
College carparks are busy places. Please refer to the Traffic Management Guidelines for an overview of the different carparks, access times and how to help the College ensure the safety and smooth flow of traffic at peak times.Traffic Management
Complaints and Conflict Resolution Policy
This policy defines the principles and procedures regarding complaints and conflict resolution at Victory Lutheran College. Victory Lutheran College endeavours to provide a quality Christian education where the whole person can grow and develop with confidence and dignity. The College strives to provide a safe, respectful and supportive environment for all students, parents and staff. From time to time staff, parents or students may have concerns regarding relational, educational, behavioural or school environment complaints or grievances. The College seeks to resolve these matters in a positive, professional, respectful and timely manner.Complaints and Conflict Resolution Policy

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Welcome to University Church of England Academy

Dear Student,

If you intend to return to the Sixth Form at the Academy you will soon have to choose the

courses you wish to study. This prospectus contains information about joining the Sixth

Form and the changes you will encounter as you make the transition into the Sixth Form.

In recent years a great deal of effort has gone into ensuring that our curriculum meets

the needs of the wide range of students wanting to study at UCEA and we believe the

result is a curriculum which not only gives choice in the subjects and combinations of

subjects available but also in routes of progression, i.e. Higher and Further Education and

employment. Our comprehensive suite of Vocational courses leading to BTEC National

accreditation has added to our established Academic courses at Advanced level.

Our aim is to provide the best courses and teaching for our Sixth Formers. We have a

dedicated Sixth Form teaching space and our Students have access to all the resources

and guidance they need to be successful in their studies.

The Principal, Vice Principals and myself are always available to discuss your needs or

any issues raised in this prospectus. Do not hesitate to ask and find out because the

decisions you make now will have an important influence on your life.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs C. Guest

Assistant Principal

How to apply
If you want to apply for courses, you will need to contact University Church of England Academy directly.


text:
Ives Office Supplies & Printing
Production Services: Office Supplies & Equipment, Sales and Rentals.
Bill Staples
5701 Crawford St Suite H
Harahan, LA 70123
Phone: 504-561-8811
Cell: 504-251-1187
Fax: 504-523-1329
Email: [email protected]
Ives is a local provider for all your office supplies, paper, toner, ink, printing and office furniture that is needed to run your business. Serving New Orleans and the surrounding areas since 1959, Ives aims to please with superior service and a can do attitude. Think local and call Ives!


text:
Forest Coin :: Forest Conservation Project on Blockchain
E-Mail Address
Confirm Password
Already have an account?
A recent report found that unless bold climate action is taken in the next couple of years before 2020 it may become impossible to hold global warming below 1.5C. (2 degrees of global warming will be way worse than 1.5). We must do something.
Firstly, we are a
[social enterprise]
to save the forest operated by a non-profit organization. Everyone can help us develop good place for living with nature in a small and beautiful forest community to preserve the forest where everyone can come and live together. Main project income are from Onsen spa, accommodation fee, forest products such as aromatic oil, herbal medicine, honey, sun-dried banana and more to sell online and offline. Advisors and teams are a workgroup of former minister, former government directors, professer, doctors, lawyers, architectures and IT specialists.
[crowd planting]
, an application that helps everyone in the world earn from planting tree anywhere. Planter gets reward for each tree that grows from 0 to 1 year (Green mining). Aiming Forest coin to be one of the famous global brand within a year 2020 with contributor's name on blockchain and social network in order to emphasize everyone to be concerned about global warming and planting trees and also for CSR purpose.
Famous national natural home architecture and Chiang Mai university architecture teacher, Chulaporn Nantapanich, is our main project architecture. Who has an extremely pure heart to bring primitive way of natural living back to Thai culture and for the world.
The forest is so beautiful.
How can we save it forever?
To reforest
Living with nature
Reduce CO
Free long stay
Forest market
Geyser and spring
Natural energy
Onsen massage
coworking cafe
Coin cafe
Eco sufficiency
Herbal forest
Weight control
Meditation center
Natural pool
Adventure trekking
Lover trees
Natural learning
Clean food lab
Green clinic
Kids IT training
Language village
Natural conservation will be the major issue by the year 2020, 2035 and 2050. A recent report found that unless bold climate action is taken in the next couple of years before 2020 it may become impossible to hold global warming below 1.5C. (2 degrees of global warming will be way worse than 1.5)
Cost of food, wine, beer or fruit will be high due to lower agricultural productivity.
The new dimension of blending Blockchain Technology comply with living in harmony, balanced and sustainable with forests and natures is initiated to be part of the Paris Agreement's effort to mark a turning point in the
battle against climate change.
To accomplish goal, short-term and medium-term revenue stream are required in order to reaffirm project sustainability.
Geyser and hot spring are unique natural treatment sources for our
Japanese onsen
which will be one of the best destination for tourists who plan for Chiang Rai trip. New onsen will be added to most of travel companies tour that can lead 2 million visitors per year to the extremely natural and beautiful private warm pool. Please hold forest coin for the privilege.
Income from onsen will be a
main revenue
to maintain conservation project (short term), but after 1-2 years the forest itself will generate revenue and forest coin usage for it own protection (medium term). Natural tourism and forest trekking will be more popular before 2020 and becomes rapidly indispensable to be in the project by 2025. Onsen helps improve blood circulation while Oxygen (Search youtube for "oxygen heal wound") and other several activities are good for health.
One of the most important objective is a school. Kids are future of humanity. Green school is one of the best natural environment school. Please visit "Greenschool.org" for more detail. Educating the next generation of Green Leaders.
In addition, project value will increase because of
new train track to China
. Chiang Rai is very close to China , so chinese people will visit our forest and spend coin in our ecosystem. Approximately 5% of 1,379,000,000 people will visit our unique forest.
The land is 600-800 metres above sea level, so it is a safe place if sea level rise.
No hurricane, tornado, volcano, tsunami, snow and flood here. Moreover there is a very little chance of earthquake.
natural disasters occur
, people will realize an importance of nature protection.
Project's facilities
and activities
Land compensation
& forest restoration
Public relation &
marketing campaign
Team & advisors
Technical &
operating expenses
Phase I : 2018 Initial forest conservation area of 2,200 Rais (870 Acres) in Chiang Rai province which is declared as a degraded forest area. We're an organization that works together with several legal specialists under legal framework.
Phase II : 2019 Crowd planting application.
Phase II : 2019 Forest conservation and rehabilitation, reforestation, organic farming and diversified mixed farming.
Phase II : 2019 World large onsen incorporate with Japanese onsen investors. Aiming 2 million visitors per year in order to reaffirm project sustainability.(Click on photo)
Let's view google trend for "onsen" or "thailand travel" from China since 2004-2018.(Click on photo)
Phase III : 2019-2020 Natural tourism activities, ecotourism, promote a balanced and sustainable way of living with nature.
Phase IV : 2020 Free IT and language training for kids in order to initiate online working environment in the jungle. Also focus on several sustainable activities such as Yoga, meditation, weight control center and herbal research. And you can live here in forest community for free. Take a deep ozone breath for sustainable and healthy life.
Phase IV : 2020 To plant trees on 19,000,000 Rais (7,500,000 acres) degraded area with a permission from Thai Royal forest department.
April until August 2018
September until October 2018
Special Promotion Packages
100 Regular Member $100.00 USD
500 (A2 - 15 Days within 3 years) $500.00 USD
1,000 (A2 - 35 Days within 5 years) $1,000.00 USD
10,000 (A2 - 90 Days / Year for 5 years) $10,000.00 USD
50,000 (A3 - All year long for 5 Years) $50,000.00 USD
100,000 (A4 - All year long for 10 Years) $100,000.00 USD
200,000 (A5 - All year long for 20 Years) $200,000.00 USD
300,000 (A7 - All year long for 20 Years) $300,000.00 USD
500,000 (A9 - All year long for 20 Years) $500,000.00 USD


text: This is a Used set of 2016 Womens Stockli Stormrider Motion Skis with Fischer XDT 10 Bindings that adjust to fit US Adult boot size 5-12. Stockli's Stormrider Motion is the ideal ski for advanced/expert girls who rip. With the SLC core made with sabai and ash wood, this ski is lightweight and has a slightly softer flex than the men's version, yet still provides optimal power and stability. Camber underfoot and a full sidewall aide with turn initiation and performance on groomers. While, powder rocker at the tips and tails add flotation over powder or crud. This ski is durable, powerful, and certainly ready to rip. This Ski was used in a high end ski shop rental or lease program and is a C Condition Ski which means it will have heavier scratches and scuffs, and chips larger than 1/2 inch. Some of our C Condition skis may have Ptex/Epoxy repairs as well so please view the condition picture to see a close up detail of the type of ski you will receive. The scratches etc will not affect the use of the ski, it is merely cosmetic. We generally have inventory of most listed skis so your set will be in similar condition as the ones show in the pictures. This set has the mountain rental company name and length etched into the topskin. Make sure to view our wide range of winter sports inventory in our Store.


text:
ggfortify (0.4.2)
Data Visualization Tools for Statistical Analysis Results.
Unified plotting tools for statistics commonly used, such as GLM, time series, PCA families, clustering and survival analysis. The package offers a single plotting interface for these analysis results and plots in a unified style using 'ggplot2'.
Yuan Tang
Author(s): Masaaki Horikoshi [aut], Yuan Tang [aut, cre], Austin Dickey [ctb], Matthias Greni [ctb], Ryan Thompson [ctb], Luciano Selzer [ctb], Dario Strbenac [ctb], Kirill Voronin [ctb]
License: GPL-2
Uses: dplyr, ggplot2, gridExtra, scales, stringr, tibble, tidyr, ROCR, cluster, dlm, fGarch, mapdata, nlme, sp, strucchange, survival, tseries, vars, zoo, glmnet, xts, timeSeries, KFAS, forecast, MASS, testthat, raster, changepoint, knitr, MSwM, lintr, lfda, ggrepel
Reverse suggests: DDPNA, xtractomatic
Released over 1 year ago.


text:
The A List: November Events in Augusta's River Region
Wednesday, October 31, 2018 1:00 PM by Ashton Randall
15 of the best fall events in Augusta's River Region that you won't want to miss this November.
Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau
(706) 724-4067 · VisitAugusta.com
560 Reynolds Street Augusta, GA 30901
Wednesday, October 31, 2018 1:00 PM by Ashton Randall
15 of the best fall events in Augusta's River Region that you won't want to miss this November.
Friday, September 28, 2018 9:00 AM by Ashton Randall
Fall in Augusta's River Region is glorious. It's the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the
Thursday, March 29, 2018 4:00 PM by Sarah Childers
Moonlight Music Cruise
Talented performers entertain aboard Augusta Canal's
Thursday, January 12, 2017 2:00 PM by Ashton Randall
Sometimes you just need a long weekend. And this is that weekend. So, pack your bag and make plans
Wednesday, January 11, 2017 12:00 PM by Ashton Randall
You don't have to go far in Augusta's River Region to find a watering hole with fresh flavors
Monday, December 19, 2016 8:00 AM by Paige Rodriguez
Looking for the perfect place to spend the day in Augusta, Georgia? With great
Thursday, October 13, 2016 9:00 AM by Deborah Dailey
It's finally Fall in Augusta's River Region, and that means a day packed full of family fun at
Tuesday, July 19, 2016 9:00 AM by Deborah Dailey
July is National Picnic Month and we're celebrating by sharing five unique spots for a picnic in
Thursday, July 14, 2016 3:09 PM by Paige Rodriguez
It's Friday night in downtown Augusta, and Broad Street is buzzing with foodies. With an emerging


text:
Okay, do you remember that scene in the movie Hook with Robin Williams where grown up Peter Pan gets caught and tossed around by the Lost Boys until one of them--the littlest one, it seems--stands before the kneeling Peter and starts to kind of smush all the extra adult skin on his cheeks back until his little eyes light up and he breathes, "There you are, Peter!"?
I had a moment like that with our Show during this episode. And the rest of the time I just watched with a sense of disconnected observation. Now, maybe it's because I'm currently--and for the first time in a long time--writing an original Supernatural fanfic and my perception is slanted by the timeframe and headspace the boys are in during the story. I can see that being a possibility for my disenchantment this time around (though I've written many fanfics while watching and I can't remember that happening before). Given that, I'm going to start with my "Peter Pan" moment and build out from there in order to find the good in this episode as I've always strived to do each time.
I know this opinion may be in the minority and that many of you out there probably thought very differently than I did. I am usually able to see the positive in every episode, so if you saw things differently and you can help me spin the positive, I would love to hear from you.
I've been on a bit of a rollercoaster with the whole Dean + Amara connection storyline. I really think they could have done so much more with that, but they just laid it at our feet for us to accept and allowed us to infer our own interpretation of danger or emotional turmoil. I never really felt any chemistry between Dean and Amara when they were together. I felt curiosity from her and confusion and confliction from him, but I never really sensed they were drawn to each other, despite being told that several times. One of the only times I really felt true angst about this connection was when Dean confessed to Sam that he couldn't kill her and would need Sam to do it. He was truly torn up about that fact and we felt it.
The moment Amara stumbled into that abandoned warehouse/factory thing--beat to hell and looking terrible (I mean, did they burn off her eyebrows because yikes!)--and she looked at Dean with an et tu, Brute expression and Dean was drawn inexorably toward her, his first instinct to help, stopping only when Sam's strong arm moved across him...yeah, then I recognized our Show. That's the emotional angle that usually magnetizes me.
They didn't expand upon this relationship, this connection, like they could have. In this episode, it was used as a punchline, as a reason to set Dean on the sidelines, and as a reason to put Sam in the kind of danger they should have learned their lesson from already. They didn't play on the angle that Amara couldn't let Dean be hurt any more than he could kill her like they could have. I felt it was intriguing in concept and anemic in execution.
But in that moment, and after the big God-blast when Dean is lying against the metal grate that he bent with his body when he was thrown there asking hoarsely, "Amara, what did you do?", our Show remembered that Dean is a character with layers and depth and emotions that drive him forward. He may be black and white where Sam is shades of gray, but Dean operates on the fuel of his emotions whether he recognizes it outwardly or not. And his need to protect Amara--to not be the one that kills her, to not have her caged up again--was plastered all over his face during the confrontation and aftermath.
If the previews use him as suggested, I might recognize our show then, too. It's not what I'd hoped, of course, but...as I've said before, this is not my story. I'm just invested enough to watch it unfold.
Now, with that, I have to say going from a glowing review for 11.20 to a disappointed review in 11.22 is not like me; I'm usually pretty consistent in finding the good and focusing on that. So if you don't want to read the rest of my thoughts on this and, like me, are hoping the Ramble for 11.23 is more my usual style, stop here and no hard feelings.
For the rest of you (if there is anyone left), I can't generate the energy required to construct my lists today, so I'm just going to literally ramble about the rest of the episode and hope to back in fighting shape come Wednesday.
This episode felt empty to me. Everyone seemed like a caricature of themselves--especially our boys, with the exception of that scene above. And not only that, the God/Amara story line couldn't get out of it's own way to recall 10+ years of canon and character development. I don't like to dissect all the parts that I felt went wrong, but this time, I can't help myself because I want so much more from this Show--specifically because I know they are able to give us so much more!
Having God and Lucifer sit down as though in a therapy session to talk it out while the boys observed semi-quietly from the sidelines was laughable. I mean...God and Lucifer. That should have had lightning bolts and thunder, or at the very least some thrown furniture. But we got Lucifer pouting and saying God was a rotten dad. Okay, maybe I can't get out of my own way, but Lucifer used to be evil. He was creepy and sadistic and he killed without remorse and when you felt yourself seeing things from his side and actually sympathizing with him you wanted to take a Silkwood shower. I don't blame it on the fact that he was actually still Casifer, it was just a really awkward way to find familial forgiveness.
I will say that in their dialog they hit on some things that I've personally found myself thinking before about God...but I'm not Lucifer.
And maybe I could have tilted my head at just the right angle to buy that approach being appropriate for the way this story has gone--I mean, Chuck isn't really a 'thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening' kind of God, is he?--if the boys hadn't been sitting in the background acting like extras in a school play. We talked previously about them being shockingly good at compartmentalizing and Sam being able to look beyond his soul undergoing hundreds of years of torture at the hands of this fallen angel--so much so that his soul literally shattered into multiple pieces--to come to Lucifer's defense is a prime example. But c'mon, writers, at least allow him to look like it was hard for him to do.
I get that Sam tends to focus on the big picture, the greater good, without seeing the price tag attached to himself all that clearly, and he knew they needed God and Lucifer to kiss and make up in order to have a shot at defeating The Darkness, but...it was just so...weak. I've expressed more angst coming to my sister's defense after she stole my favorite pair of jeans. (I mean, they were really cool jeans with a button fly, but...still.) I wanted to ask the writers if they'd watched how Sam suffered in seasons 7 and 8...how he willing put himself through those damn Trials just to try to close the gates of Hell. If they had, would they have written such a vanilla line as, "All Lucifer wants is an apology?"
Dean's throwaway remark about apologies being just words and that he lies all the time and says he's sorry to Sam was clearly injected for a sense of comic relief and a mediocre attempt at breaking tension that wasn't there to begin with...but it was also not exactly well-placed. I thought we'd gotten past all of that already. Sigh.
I did think it was somewhat clever--and rather Tolkien of them--to have the battle against Amara be waged by God, The Fallen Angel, witches, and demons. I mean, talk about a motley crew. That had a lot of awesome potential. I just wish that had been given a bit more build up and screen time. So much of it was scrambled together and propped up on us trusting that things happened off-screen that we may as well have not even bothered. There were some lines that caught my ear, though. Rowena telling Sam she would turn him into an actual Moose. Dean bringing Crowley out of his melancholy by reminding him that being a good general meant being a good soldier. Castiel revealing that sharing space with Lucifer was burning through his vessel.
And I liked how they all divvied up to convince the respective parties to play ball. And how the plan almost worked. I mean everyone did their part admirably, including Crowley's red smoke demon delivering the blow that finally took Amara down to the mats. Well, everyone, that is, except Chuck.
But before I get there, I want to talk about one more oh, come on scene: that side-swipe to Dean's protective walls nod between Chuck and Sam where it's revealed that Sam would take the Mark. Without talking to Dean about it first. Now, I get it, okay? I get that Dean had said he couldn't kill Amara and needed Sam to do it. But he was talking about killing her. Making her be no more. Not caging her up and turning his brother into the same lock that burned him up from the inside out and turned him into a demon. I mean, really, guys? You don't think that's a little different? And maybe Dean might take issue with it?
To have Sam argue that this is how he's doing what Dean asked seemed very like him--his logic does tend to take the scenic route at times--but that whole "lock me up where I won't hurt anyone" explanation for what Dean should do when the Mark drives him insane was just.... Because that worked so awesome for you, huh, Sam? I mean, Dean tried that himself and instead of allowing it to happen, you removed the Mark and tore open the world. So, you expect your brother to do it differently, just because he knows the consequences? Yeah, that's fair.
But then...Dean just goes for it? Agrees that they have to do it because it's God's plan? Where did Dean go? That's what I mean by the story line being bigger than the characters. Everyone's so caught up in the fact that God is back and he's on their side and hey, he's going to help them defeat Amara that they lose things that made them who they are for all these years. Dean has died multiple times to keep Sam alive, to give him a chance, and in the space of three lines of dialog he's like, yeah, okay, you're right, God's plan. *shakes head*
So let's get to the fact that we have had a season built on a God-has-a-sister-that-he-caged-and-now-s
And, what's more, she was right about his need to "be big". He admitted she was right--it just wasn't the full story. Which circles right back around to the whole Ying and Yang conversation: the story itself isn't whole without both sides contributing. And I was actually glad Chuck couldn't cage Amara. He'd spent too long Vonnegutting around his creation, living as a human, to not absorb our greatest strength and our greatest weakness: love. He couldn't be the unmerciful ruler that had locked her away a billenia ago; he loved her and she'd once loved him and it was too much.
Buuuuut then the corner they'd written themselves into became just a bit smaller because Amara mortally wounds God and is ready to bring about the end to everything rather than allow anyone to cage her again. Hmmmm. It's not an impossible corner to get out of, but it will probably take some more head tilting, I'd imagine. Like our collective tilt when Chuck said that Amara warded herself against him--leading us to conclude that Chuck was lying since she's been trying to get his attention all season. Or my head tilt when they used poor Donatello to reveal God's location to Amara by getting his soul sucked (which...does that mean there's a soulless prophet wandering around now, or are we going to hand-wave that canon, too?).
This season began really well. It really did -- I was completely entertained through the first 20 episodes, and that's why we watch, after all--to be entertained. The MotW have been well done, the brotherly bonding has been strong, the boys being the boys with minimal secrets and outwardly care enhanced even the rather cut-and-dried episodes. And when they brought God in, I knew it was risky --> I mean, demons are fair game because they're bad and it's the boy's job to defeat them; angels were a little trickier and forced many of us to split our reality from our personal belief about angels and the way angels are depicted on the show; but then you bring God into the mix and you start messing with a lot of varied perceptions and not a little personal bias.
Like I said last week, making God into a character is not without risk and when Chuck first came on scene in 11.20, I had high hopes. I thought the introduction and interactions were, honestly, wonderful. I was enchanted. In 11.21, the enchantment faded as God through Chuck became a bit...I don't know...'90s era cartoonish. But I still had hopes. After this episode, though, I need to be wowed with the finale or I may just have to write off the last four episodes of Season 11 as a failed experiment.
It's going to be interesting to see how they decide to close out this season and learn what bleeds over into Season 12. Because there's no more fear anymore. I'm not afraid that they'll kill one brother or the other because they've done that and brought them back, multiple times. I'm not afraid they'll turn one brother or the other evil, because they've done that. They could end the world and have the Winchesters in opposite realms (Heaven and Hell) I suppose. They could have them in the Empty, as Billie has threatened. That would be new.
But this storyline has become so Big and Important that it's gotten hard to see around it to find our boys. Our Show. Right now, to me it feels like a Jenga tower with only one middle support still in place. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do with the finale because I want to believe. And I'll be back for Season 12, of course, because you don't spend over a decade with a story and not see how it ends. But as it stands right now? I'm feeling rather disenchanted.
So, I'm going to go write my fic and focus on the Winchesters in my head. Thanks for reading; I'm sorry if I've disappointed you.


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-1 bag of Brach's Candy Corn
-1 bag Hershey's Hugs
-1 bag Snyder's Butter Snap pretzels
•Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
•Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (not foil)
•Line up rows of pretzels and place an unwrapped Hershey Hug on each pretzel.
•Place in the oven for 2 minutes or until chocolate is shiny then remove from the oven.
•Quickly place Candy Corn onto each melted chocolate.
•Allow to cool on the counter or on the fridge.


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A spring checkup helps prepare your vehicle for the hot months of summer. During a checkup, multiple components may be reviewed for efficiency. The battery, an essential component that works particularly hard during the winter months, may be tested and its age considered. If snow tires are equipped on your vehicle, a spring checkup is a good time to replace them with summer tires. In addition, the tread depth and tire pressure of summer tires may be looked at because they can affect gas mileage. Belts and hoses may also be checked to make sure they are intact and sturdy. Potholes usually become more pronounced after winter, so it is important to see if the shocks and struts are in healthy condition as well. From the starting and charging system to the transmission fluid and antifreeze levels, there is much to review during a spring inspection. However, a checkup can ultimately help keep your vehicle safe and save you money in the long run.
Before summer begins, it is advisable that you seek a spring maintenance service for your vehicle prior to the summer months. Our knowledgeable staff is equipped with the right tools for testing various components in your vehicle. From your wiper blades to your tires, we are ready to look over the various parts and components that make up your vehicle and help make sure they perform well, and continue to perform well for you. If you are curious about what we check, why we check it, or how we test it, just ask. We are happy to help you learn more about our spring maintenance checklist.
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This year as a part of my gift guides, I wanted to share some of my favorite items from the places I shop at the most! Nordstrom has always been one of my favorite department stores, I enjoy their Caslon brand of clothing and I also love the range of accessories that they have in […]
Scentsy Holiday Gift Guide
'Tis the season for festive decorations and the Scentsy holiday collection is perfect this year to not only make your house smell great – but to add some festiveness too! One of my favorite warmers is the Frosty Glow set, which comes in the larger counter warmer and the mini plug-in warmer. It's also the […]
Family Meal Ideas
Home Chef is a meal delivery service based out of Chicago. This month we received a delivery of a week of meals, with a variety of flavors delivered right to our door!
All New Shark Vacuums
Thanks to Shark Cleaning for sending us these vacuums to try out around our house!
Decorating for Halloween
Decorating for holidays is one of my favorite hobbies. I feel like it gives you something extra special to look forward to during the end of the year holiday season and I also feel like we're creating special memories for our girls along the way.
Fall 2018 Scentsy Haul
Recently, I placed my Fall 2018 Scentsy order and shared my haul on YouTube! The 2018 Fall Scentsy warmers were the perfect addition to my Fall decorating and I ended up ordering two pumpkin warmers and a small plug-in warmer, in addition to a number of accessory items. The Rustic Pumpkin warmer is definitely one […]
Kitchenette Area Decor
We recently moved over the summer into a new home and one of the things I was looking forward to was figuring out which pieces of furniture fit around the house.
Scentsy Fall 2018
Here are some of my favorite items from the Scentsy Fall-Winter 2018 catalog!
Grey Stuff Dessert DIY
"Try the Grey Stuff, it's delicious! Don't believe us…" Well you know who to ask!! We of course couldn't have a Beauty & the Beast dinner without making some of the "Grey Stuff" for dessert!! This yummy treat is available at Be Our Guest restaurant inside Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, but you can […]
Rae Dunn Husband Prank & the Hunt!
Part of my new found love of farmhouse style has also been falling in love with pottery pieces by Rae Dunn. These adorable pieces, most notably her large writing mugs and canisters, are signature pieces found in a lot of modern farmhouse styled homes and something that I gravitated towards after seeing them in numerous […]


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Design, synthesis and applications of novel soluble n-heteroacenes
Wang, Chengyuan
Date of Issue2015
School of Materials Science and Engineering
N-heteroacenes with the CH groups in the backbone of acenes replaced by N atoms are expected to own charming semiconducting properties and potential practical applications in organic electronics. The electron-deficient N-heteroacenes can be used as acceptor moieties in D-A molecules or n-type semiconductors depending on the application requirements. Although the researchers in all over the world are devoted to developing commercially available organic electronics, the study of organic memories, photovoltaics (OPVs) and field-effect transistors (OFETs) can still not stride out laboratory conditions, and the ultimate organic materials, which can satisfy all requirements for practical applications in the three types of devices are in high desire. Inspired by this gap, this dissertation focuses on design and synthesis of novel soluble N-heteroacenes and investigation of their applications in organic memories, OPVs and OFETs. For organic memories, the molecules have been designed based on two assumptions about multiple electron "traps" or multiple electrons intermolecular charge transfer, and accordingly, different electron-deficient N-heteroacene units are combined together to induce multiple electron "traps" or strong electron-deficient N-heteroacenes are utilized to accept multiple electrons. The memory devices have been fabricated and the corresponding switching behaviors, the ON/OFF ratios, the endurance and retention performance have been evaluated. Molecular calculation has been carried out to study the structure-property relationship. In summary, an efficient molecular designing strategy to approach rewritable, multilevel organic memory materials has been developed. For OPVs, the D-π-A structure molecules are designed with large conjugated N-heteroacene as acceptor moiety and linked to widely investigated donor units by π-bridges. The large conjugation of N-heteroacenes is expected to induce broad absorption and facilitate charge carriers' transport. The typical BHJ architecture OPV devices have been fabricated and the corresponding PCE, Voc, Jsc, and FF are investigated. Morphology analysis of the organic films has been carried out to study the effect of molecular stacking on the device performance. In summary the as-designed molecule has showed PCE up to ~2%, which is expected to own better performance after structure modification. For OFETs, large conjugated N-heteroacenes with deep LUMO level lower than -4.0 eV has been designed. The single-crystal OFET devices have been fabricated and the corresponding transfer and output curves, VTH, ON/OFF ratios and field-effect mobility are investigated. Theoretical calculation has been conducted to study the ideal mobility of molecules and structure-property relationship. In summary a new family of N-heteroacenes have been developed for air-stable, high performance n-type OFETs.


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The death of Canadian actress and model Stefanie Sherk has been ruled a suicide, the L.A. County Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed to PEOPLE Magazine.
Demian Bichir announced the death of his wife Wednesday in a heartfelt message on Instagram, saying that Sherk died "peacefully'' on April 20. She was 37.
"It has been the saddest and toughest time of our lives and we don't know how much time it will take for us to overcome this pain,'' he said in his post with a picture of Sherk. "It is our sincerest hope that our beautiful Stefanie, my angel and love of my life, will rest in eternal peace.''
Bichir did not specify the cause of death. He asked for respect during his time of mourning.
The couple started their relationship in 2010 and did not have children together. Bichir has a daughter, Gala, born in 2011.
Sherk was born in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont. She appeared in Bichir's directorial debut "Un Cuento de Circo & A Love Song,'' as well as the films "Star Power,'' ''Valentine's Day" and ''Loco Love." She also starred in ''#Hashtag: The Series."
Bichir, 55, was nominated for an Oscar for best actor in 2012 for his role in Chris Weitz's "A Better Life.'' He has also appeared in films like "The Hateful Eight,'' ''Che: Guerrilla" and ''Sex, Shame & Tears."
More from HuffPost Canada:
Are you in a crisis? If you need help, contact Crisis Services Canada at their website or by calling 1-833-456-4566. If you know someone who may be having thoughts of suicide, visit CAMH's resource to learn how to talk about suicide with the person you're worried about.


text: HomeOverseas property for sale Property Details Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2 Features Gated development Gymnasium Marble flooring throughout Tennis courts Brand new properties Brand new properties Amazing value for money Only 15 min drive from airport Full Description A brand new and exclusive resort situated in a stunning location in Benalmadena - only 5 minutes drive from the beach and all general amenities, including a train service taking you directly into Malaga International airport. The development is also only 10 minutes drive from Fuengirola centre and just over 20 minutes drive from Centro Marbella and Puerto Banus.The development has many unique onsite facilities, including an 18 hole par 3 golf course with club house and driving range, tennis and paddle tennis courts plus a fully equipped gymnasium and fitness centre.All apartments are two bedroom, with simply stunning sea, golf and mountain views from almost every square foot of the property. Bright and spacious living rooms, leading onto large private terraces or solariums, enjoying all day sunshine and spectacular views.All apartments have cream marble floors throughout, and the master bedrooms benefit from stylish en-suite bathroom facilities, with the second bedrooms being served by well appointed family bathrooms. Attractive modern kitchens are fully equipped with the latest appliances designed for maximum comfort.All apartments are complete with pre installed hot and cold air conditioning, security system along with a video entry phone. In addition, each apartment is equipped with a lockable storeroom and two dedicated parking spaces accessed directly via stairs or a lift to the properties.The communal areas shared by these fantastic apartments offer a large freestyle swimming pool and smaller children's pool, set within beautiful landscaped gardens.Arguably one of the Coast's best deals right now, with prices starting from as little as €132,500. Penthouse prices start from €160,000 with MASSIVE roof top terraces, all day sunshine and fabulous views!PLEASE CONTACT AFFINITY HUMBERTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS.About Usaffinity Humberts are a unique multi award winning AIPP and REAS registered and fully regulated real estate agency located in the heart of the Costa del Sol. Our Marbella office is situated in Puerto Banus, and we pride ourselves on finding the right property or investment for our valued clients. Having specialised in the resale property market for over a decade, we have seen the boom and crisis years on the coast, yet managed to react with market conditions and have successfully sold to over 2000 satisfied clients since 2007.Don't take our word for it! Take a look at our independent client reviews on either Google, Facebook or Feefo to see what our clients really have to say about us!Feel free to visit our Puerto Banus based office and discuss your property requirements with any of our qualified staff, most of whom have over 10 years experience selling property in both Marbella, London and the Middle East, and with this market knowledge we will assist you in finding your perfect property here on the southern coast of Spain.AIPP- affinity Humberts are a fully approved member of the Association of International Property Professionals, and comply with their principles of honesty, transparency and integrity. The AIPP is the industry body for the international property market. AIPP members voluntarily agree to follow a professional code of conduct.REAS- We are one of the founding members of the Real Estate regulatory body, REAS (Real Estate Association of Spain). Formed during December 2014, REAS aims to regulate the southern coast's Real Estate industry with all members needing to meet a strict qualifying criteria giving you, the consumer, rights and guarantees when making your property purchase (or sale) in Spain.INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY AWARDS in association with the Daily Telegraph and Bentley Motor Cars - Our agency won an exclusive award in 2016/17 and 2017/18 for both Real Estate Agency of the year and Real Estate Marketing of the year! More Make an enquiry This property listing (ref: AFF1acc) is an advertisement supplied by Affinity Humberts and does not constitute property particulars. While aplaceinthesun.com (APITS Ltd.) requests all advertisers supply correct details, it does not carry out checks on the information supplied and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies. Aplaceinthesun.com recommends seeking independent legal advice prior to any overseas property purchase. *Based on an exchange rate of 0.9131 from Euro to GBP. This rate is updated daily and is an indicative market rate supplied by A Place in the Sun Currency. Actual trading rates vary.


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Before I tried this recipe, if someone said the word "pie," I'd leap off my couch and zip into my kitchen to put some butter in the freezer. I remember the first time my mom taught me how to make pie crust. We used blunt knives to cut flour into frozen cubes of butter. A cup of ice cold water stood by, ready to dribble into the dough. She taught me to pour just enough water to get the dough to hold together in pea-sized crumbles. We'd then wrap the dough up into disks and quickly stick it into the fridge for chilling. Don't overwork the dough with your hands, she'd stress. Their warmth will melt the butter and you can kiss any flakiness goodbye!
One thing I never thought about, though, was that this method of pie crust production made one, very specific kind of pie crust. It was perfect for your all-American apple pie, or a weekend quiche. The crust flakes apart perfectly when you dig in, but still has a bit of a bite to it-- like al dente pasta. But a lovely chocolate tart? This isn't the crust for that.
Turns out, the way you make a crust for that (well, one of the ways) is by PUTTING YOUR BUTTER IN THE OVEN UNTIL IT MELTS AND STARTS TO BROWN. I don't like typing in all caps (except for constantly on Twitter), but this was an all-caps bombshell for me. Pies used to take hours because of all the freezing and chilling and resting of the dough. With this brown butter pie crust recipe, pie exists in your immediate future. Say, 30 minutes.
I like to fill this shell with chocolate pudding, or any other kind of custard. The crust is flaky, but in a different way from the pie crust my mom taught me. While the version my mom taught me (a traditional Pâte Brisée) is moist and flaky in a pastry-sort-of-way, this brown butter tart shell has a pleasant, dry crispiness-- imagine the difference between a moist-yet-crumbly chocolate chip cookie versus a crisp, dry Oreo.
Hm, debating whether or not that was helpful... welp!
Anyway, the drier and very light texture works so well with a mound of pudding as its filling, but would also be nice with a rich ganache or lemon curd.
Since I always feel funky about republishing recipes that aren't mine, here are a couple links for ya to check out. If you're a boring rule-follower like me, opening up the hot oven to find a bowl of hot butter into which you mix your flour will have you feeling bad to the bone. B-b-b-b-b-bad. Have fun!


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Victim ID'd in deadly Cape Coral motorcycle crash
A multi-vehicle crash in Cape Coral Friday night killed one man and snarled traffic on a busy street, according to police.
A multi-vehicle crash in Cape Coral Friday night killed one man and snarled traffic on a busy street, according to police.
It happened in the 2700 block – between Veterans Memorial and Cornwallis Parkways.
Two SUVs, a van, and a motorcyclist were also involved in the crash.
The biker, 53-year-old Kenneth James Wilson, of Cape Coral, died at the scene.
According to police, Wilson was driving northbound on Del Prado Boulevard and switched lanes in front of one of the SUVs. That SUV was driving faster and sideswiped Wilson, who lost control, crossed over the median into the southbound lanes, and was ejected from his bike.
Police say that's when he was hit by the van driving southbound and suffered fatal injuries.
Wilson's bike was then hit by the second SUV that was driving southbound.
After the crash, the driver of the first SUV made a U-turn and stopped in a nearby parking lot.
The bike, van, and second SUV were all towed from the scene.
The southbound lanes were completely closed and the northbound lanes were restricted to just one lane but have since cleared.
Officers say Wilson was not wearing a helmet.
As the investigation is ongoing, Cape police say it's too early to tell if the crash is alcohol or drug-related.


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In the past decade, I've enjoyed the fruits of a great deal of personal growth. I have observed, dissected and successfully transformed many areas of self sabotage and habits of "success interruptus". This November a real life crisis arose, further illuminating another opportunity for important healing along my path.
During a tumultuous childhood, I developed a finely tuned survival skill for navigating a crisis. I didn't know how to make my life work on a day-to-day scale, but in a crisis... I was your girl! At some sad point, I also developed the subconscious belief that my crisis skill set was the only worthwhile contribution with which I'd been blessed. Thus, it became my honor badge. I lettered in it. I brought home the gold in it. I collected every proverbial merit badge offered in it. It's amazing how tightly and desperately one can cling to perceived proficiencies regardless of their true value or appropriateness to our lives.
Unfortunately, my honor badge also morphed into a destructive revolving pattern. I lived my life for many years allowing my body (truly my whole self) to respond to every minor stress event as if it was a major crisis. Why? I suppose in hindsight, it was the only approach I felt competent acting from. I existed in a cyclone of gushing fight or flight hormones only to eventually collapse like a ragdoll for inordinate amounts of time while my beleaguered system attempted recovery. It was a far cry from a "delighted" existence in any sense.
In November, my husband went from a week at home sick to the emergency room where he was then rushed to the operating room. Before I had a conscious awareness of it... off I went, rapidly burning through all my energy reserves to the point of depletion and pushing onward from there; depending, I suppose, on some unscrupulous cosmic energy broker to approve me for an interest only no-collateral loan to get me by. I was more than willing (as in the past) to pay the piper...later.
In my depleted frightened state, I fell prey to my inner gremlins and their constant devilish diatribes.
Do you see now? Your life is not meant to shine. Thriving is for other people.
Consider yourself lucky to have crawled up as far as you have.
You didn't really think you could escape a daily struggle, did you?
And from my meanest snidest gremlin:
States of positivity and abundance are places you can access occasionally, Dear. But you only get a visitor's pass. Much better people than you enjoy permanent residence there!
With that, I fell further to a place of gripe, grouse and grouch. It's an all too familiar state of being for my inner depletion junkie. (Oh the joys of a downward spiral). No matter how I imagined turning it around, no matter what positive affirming steps I took or soothing words of worth I spoke, I was stuck in that old story: spinning, stewing and revolving.
In the midst of my personal inner crisis, the reality of my husband's health crisis raged on externally. This was no time for long reflection and introspection. Survival mode was in full effect. I began to feebly attempt a new skill offered by my trusted Counselor, Ellen. I took all of these new realizations and revelations about my past and how they directly effected my present and one by one, I put them through the "Isn't it interesting..." observation process.
"Isn't it interesting that this happened and it immediately reminded me of when that happened?" and then I put it aside. "Isn't it interesting that I find myself here and can see how and why that relates to when I found myself there." and then I put it aside. "Isn't it interesting that I've run myself into the ground and have nothing left to give my life even though my life is still there staring at me?" and then I put it aside. This may sound silly and juvenile, but I tell you it's an exercise worth pursuing. It served to soothe the savage beasts.
As my husband and I now prepare for our next and hopefully last surgery/recovery period in this current saga, I honor the knowing that my once revered "rock star in a crisis" modus operandi is not for my highest and best good. Developing long-haul strategies, proper assessment of available resources and the management of their long term allocation and appropriately asking for and accepting support are worthwhile efforts and represent the next stages of my personal evolution.
For today, I am in a time of slow: slow movement, slow processes, slow progress. Slow is good. Slow is gentle. Gentle is mandatory now. Gentle is what I deserve. Gentle is what I will allow myself. I leave you with my favorite lyric from a John Mayer song. "I'm in repair. I'm not together, but I'm getting there."
Loving me,


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For those of us who think they are getting the hang of health insurance, check out these babies:
· Health Savings Account (HSA)
· Flexible Savings Account (FSA)
· Medical Savings Account (MSA)
Most of us have heard about them, maybe even had a brief discussion about them, but when you get down to it, do you really know what they are, what they're for, or why to consider them? Unless you're in the insurance business or Human Resources, insurance can be tricky, confusing, and even a little scary for the rest of us.
If knowledge really is power, let's take a look at each one of these three-letter mysteries and see if we can get some of that power going our way:
HSA - Health Savings Account
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a medical savings account with tax advantages that you can put money in so you can use it later for medical expenses on a tax-free basis. The money in your account is supposed to be used for out-of-pocket medical related expenses but not to pay your health insurance premium. You can use the money for non-medical expenses however, there is a penalty if you do. What's really advantageous about these accounts is you earn interest on your balance, you do not have the "use it or lose it" penalty, and you can roll the funds into a retirement account when you sign up for Medicare. It's kind of like an IRA with a checkbook for paying out-of-pocket medical expenses.
As with any health insurance product, the Affordable Care Act has laid down some rules that must be followed, so there is compliance with "Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC)" but the benefits to the insured are significant:
§ An HSA can lower your tax bracket by up to 10%.
§ An HSA can lower your Modified Adjusted Gross Income, which can result in getting more tax credits.
§ An HSA will allow you to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses on a tax-free basis.
§ HSA funds can be rolled into a retirement account or withdrawn from for any reason without penalty once you reach age 65.
§ HSAs do not have the "use it or lose it" rule.
FSA - Flexible Spending Account
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is similar to an HSA, but is offered through your employer. Your contributions are "before tax" money, which means you will save an amount equal to the taxes you would've paid on the money you set aside. Your employer is allowed to make contributions to your account but is not required to. Typically, an insured employee must use the money in the FSA account within the plan year but is allowed to carry over a maximum of $500 to the following year and unlike the HSA, an FSA cannot be used with a Marketplace Plan. Benefits from the FSA are as follows:
§ You can use your FSA funds to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses for you and your family members.
§ You can contribute up to $2,550 per year or if married, and your spouse can contribute an additional $2,550 to an FSA through their employer.
§ You can use FSA funds to cover your deductibles and copayments, but you cannot pay your insurance premium with the funds.
§ FSA funds can be used for prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines with a doctor's prescription. Insulin can be paid for without a prescription.
MSA - Medicare Medical Savings Account
In their attempt to help you get your health coverage, Medicare works with private insurance companies. These private insurers provide Medicare Advantage Plans, called Medicare MSA Plans that are similar to HSAs which are available outside of Medicare.
Medicare MSA Plans have two distinct parts. The first part is a high-deductible Medicare Advantage Plan that will only begin to cover health expenses after a high yearly deductible is met by the insured.
The second part is an MSA or Medical Savings Account that deposits money into your account that can be used to pay for medical expenses until you meet your annual deductible.
Today, since there are so many options when it comes to health insurance, identifying a reputable and experienced agent or broker to help navigate the plans should be a priority. There are numerous plans with numerous options that will allow the consumer to purchase a plan to meet the specific needs of the individual or family. If you have questions about HSA's, FSA's or MSA's contact Skyline Risk Management, Inc. at (718) 267-6600 to discuss your concerns.


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Today was another lazy day, as far as the raw lifestyle goes.
Although I have been planning to make a recipe that I had not tried before, I decided to take it easy instead. This decision was partially prompted by a quick survey of the content of my fridge, which resulted in a realization that I still have a few store bought pre-made entrees. As the expiration dates on those are quickly approaching, it was time to act, so to speak
I am still feeling great eating raw, although I have noticed a bit of a worrisome trend. It appears that I have been snacking more and more into the evening as my raw food trial has progressed. I realized that as I was chewing on a handful of raisins just a short while ago – at 9:30pm.
When eating cooked vegan diet, I would not normally have anything this late, especially if it was something this sweet.
I think I will need to increase the calories, or at least the volume, of my evening meal. Hopefully that will take care of the snacking.
Today I had:
Meal #1 @ 12:30pm
I started the day with a green smoothie (36oz) made from:
- 4 large collard leaves
- 2 medium stalks of celery
- 3 bananas
- 10 oz of strawberries, frozen
- 1 tablespoon of hemp seeds
- water
I thought today I'd take a shot of a before as opposed to an after of a smoothie making process
This was a great tasting smoothie. The flavor of strawberries pretty much took over and it tasted more like a milkshake than a green smoothie. This is a perfect combination to take in some collard greens without the bitter taste they can introduce.
Great for green smoothie novices, too.
Meal #2 @ 2:30pm
To clear my fridge of the pre-made foods, for lunch I had a raw "pizza".
Meal #3 @ 6:45pm
And for dinner, I had raw lasagna.
Both of the pre-made meals were good.
My snacks today were:
- 12 chlorella tablets
- handful of green grapes
- 1 raw macaroon
- 2 handfuls of goji berries
- half a pound of strawberries
- handful of raisins
On to day 17…
No related posts.


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The first thing you'll notice about Gary Beaudoin's home from the outside is that it's small. Very small.
At 875 square feet, it's one of the smaller freestanding homes in Bend and, in a word, it's cute. Just how cute?
"I've had people knock on the door, wanting to see this house," says Beaudoin, with a good-natured laugh. "I've had at least 10 offers on my house. I could probably sell it in five minutes. People seem to really love it."
The tiny but tall and skinny house sits on a 6,000-square-foot lot, with magnificent views of Pilot Butte, downtown and the Old Mill.
Gary Beaudoins one-bedroom, one-bath home off Northwest Saginaw in Bend has a bright paint scheme.
Rob Kerr / The Bulletin
The cheerful yellow stucco structure, with a red front door and red exterior trimmed window, looks as though it came straight out of a fairy tale.
Inside, it has an abundance of detailed features in an economic space.
"I wanted to build a house with intention," said Beaudoin. "My old house, before I built this one, was probably 2,600 square feet, and there was a lot of wasted space there. You should build only what works for you, not by prescribed square footage."
Beaudoin built his house 15 years ago with the idea that form should follow function, and he firmly believed less could be more.
Beaudoin was not a novice to the building business, having worked as a construction manager for the Shevlin Pines subdivision and having sat on its design review board.
When he first bought this lot, Beaudoin says he spent a lot of time simply sitting in a chair studying the sun and shadow lines to figure out the correct placement for his home. He wanted to know where he could gain the most natural light, and to use the sun on the south-facing side of the house for passive solar heating.
Upon entering the yellow home, Beaudoin ascended the staircase to the second floor, which is the main living area.
"The thing you'll first notice when you're up here is the sky: It's a central element," said Beaudoin, pointing to the many windows throughout the main open living area.
"I have this east-facing window, where I get the morning sun. Then the large south-facing windows and French doors allow for huge solar gains. In January, if you're sitting on the couch there, it feels like Hawaii."
Gary Beaudoin says he spends most of the time in the homes upstairs room which includes the kitchen, and living room, plus lovely views through large windows.
Rob Kerr / The Bulletin
Broad expanses of glass and high ceilings allow the natural light to flood the interior. It's just as he planned it 15 years ago, when he was sitting in a chair on the lot.
One of Beaudoin's favorite spots is a west-facing bay window with a little built-in seating area, where he takes in the sunsets. "The clouds are always changing. It just brings a sense of the outdoors, inside," said Beaudoin, pointing to a small square clerestory window high above the French doors, near the steep pitched ceiling. "When you're up here, it can feel like a treehouse."
Though the house is only 28 feet long and 16 feet wide, Beaudoin says he has never felt like he has needed more room.
From his living room, he can go onto a small wooden cantilevered deck and gain another five feet of outdoor space.
A porch leads off of the second-floor of Gary Beaudoins small home. Double doors on the bottom floor access the bedroom to the garden.
On the opposite end of his living room is the full size kitchen. The home's diminutive size is maximized by its thoughtful layout. Beaudoin decided to use maple wood for his kitchen cabinetry because it was a light colored wood, which would make the space seem larger.
Gary Beaudoins kitchen is simple and open to the living area on the second floor of his small home.
Rob Kerr / The Bulletin
Opening the opposing windows in the house allows for a nice cross breeze to circulate during the summer months. The long, tall window above the kitchen sink looks out toward the front of his property.
"Every window has a nice view. I didn't want to cut out the vistas, and I wanted a sense of movement with the light coming through every window," said Beaudoin. "To me, the house feels alive, and with all the windows it feels roomier."
Art collection
If he ever gets tired of looking at the clouds in the sky, Beaudoin can enjoy the one-of-a-kind Navajo woven art around his home.
As a lifelong collector, Beaudoin has become something of an expert, and he has recently finished writing a book about Navajo weaving.
"It's a great American art form, but it may be a dying art form," said Beaudoin. "The Navajos use all natural vegetable dyes, using juniper berries, wild carrots, lichen and other plants from the Great Plateau. This blanket took the weaver one week to weave one square foot. A blanket with lots of design work can take up to a year to complete."
Gary Beaudoin collects handmade Navajo blankets, which are displayed throughout his home. He said that the one on the right pictured here took over a year to make by hand.
Rob Kerr / The Bulletin
Beaudoin will be giving a lecture and doing a book signing on May 27 at the Downtown Bend Public Library on the topic of Navajo weaving (see "If you go").
Besides the dozens of Navajo blankets Beaudoin has collected, he also has smaller woven Navajo wall hangings.
All of the home's floors are terra cotta-colored Mexican tiles. The uniformity adds depth, making the home seem larger. Beaudoin picked this material because it was economical and it provided stylish continuity from room to room. Beaudoin used random small splashes of blue, red and yellow tile pieces inlaid into the larger terra cotta tiles. The playful colors make the rooms bright and fun. He also used the colorful tile inlays in the staircase.
Beaudoin also included custom-made forged iron works in and around his home.
The stairwell leading to the top floor includes an artistic metal railing.
Rob Kerr / The Bulletin
"The staircase railing was made by Jeremy Lewis. It looks like a piece of art to me," said Beaudoin. "Jeremy also did the ironwork around the fireplace, made the coat rack you saw downstairs, and the bells that ring outside."
Custom metal work borders a gas fireplace that sits along one wall in the second floor.
Rob Kerr / The Bulletin
The long narrow stairs back to the first floor are steep.
The full-size bathroom on the first floor features a 1910 claw-foot tub with brass fixtures.
The homes only bath includes a claw-foot tub.
Rob Kerr / The Bulletin
A full-size built-in tiled shower includes opaque glass bricks to add more natural light into the shower area.
Farther down the long hall, three steps lead into the sunken bedroom area of the house. The only bedroom in the house is surprisingly large, which allows Beaudoin to use it as his sleeping area and study.
Another set of French doors in this bedroom leads to the backyard.
The simple bedroom features a wood beam across the ceiling and Navajo blanket decorations.
Rob Kerr / The Bulletin
"I wanted to build this bedroom where I could just go out these doors and be on ground level," said Beaudoin.
The cantilevered deck upstairs provides ample shade for this downstairs bedroom in the summer months.
"When I positioned this house, I integrated the landscape with it, and it feels real private. I don't have a single window covering in this home," said Beaudoin, adding, "I didn't have to cut a single tree down to build this house either. I have a beautiful ponderosa tree in front and lots of junipers around."
"At 875 square feet, this house is everything I need," said Beaudoin. "I designed it based on what my needs are."
— Reporter: email@example.com
Editor's note: The At Home section features a profile of a local home each month. To suggest a home, email firstname.lastname@example.com .


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All of these contacts and influences have distilled into what makes Kent Duchaine such a major and distinctive player with his sound perfectly conveyed through his beloved Leadbessie, a 1934 National Steel which Kent fondly believes may have been touched if not played by one of the great Delta bluesmen. At least he earned the privilege of touring and recording with some of them thus creating a living bridge in blues history.
Support on this night comes from our very own blues duo, Chris and Dave.


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Matthew 19:13-15 13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
A typical week in the Zarling home is four to five weeknights of soccer practices and cross country meets. This is followed by a weekend of my wife and I doing the divide and conquer technique for soccer games and high school activities. Somewhere in there, we need to squeeze in violin practices, Homecoming pictures, and Shoreland football and soccer games.
What I'm describing as being typical for our family, is probably also typical for your family.
As parents, we have put this tremendous pressure upon ourselves to have our children in every activity possible. We want them in club sports, grade school and high school athletic activities, band, orchestra, etc. We fill up every minute of every day.
We feel that we should do all of this to be super-parents to our children. Our cape is hidden under our work clothes. Our superpower is our scheduling ability. Our hidden talent is being able to do more for our kids than our parents did for us.
My fellow parents, one of the best gifts we can give to our children is to stop trying to be perfect parents. You don't have to be a superhero to your children. Throw away your capes. Embrace your failure to be a super-mom or a super-dad.
Earlier this year, Bunmi Laditan wrote about "How to Be a Mom in 2017." She said, "Make sure your children's academic, emotional, psychological, mental, spiritual, physical, and social needs are met while being careful not to over stimulate, underestimate, improperly medicate, helicopter, or neglect them in a screen free, processed foods free, plastic free, body positive, socially conscious, egalitarian but also authoritative, nurturing but fostering of independence, gentle but not overly permissive, pesticide-free two-story, multilingual home preferably in a cul-de-sac with a backyard and 1.5 siblings spaced at least two years apart for proper development also don't forget the coconut oil."
Then she added: "How to be a mom in literally every generation before ours: feed them sometimes."
The post went viral. And with good reason.
Parents, we need to embrace our mediocrity. We need to rejoice in our mediocrity.
We can cut back on the club sports and the private lessons and the extra activities. And then just be … average.
And that's OK.
You don't have to be perfect. Jesus already is. Let your children know your flaws. Allow them to hear you repent of your failures to them. Demonstrate your repentance. Tell them how you have sinned against them and against God. Then ask for their forgiveness. Remind them that you have already been forgiven by Jesus. That's when you bring them to Jesus. Tell them how Jesus has washed away your sins away in His holy blood.
That will give your children the confidence to come to you with their failures, their failings, and their sins. They can confess their sins to you, knowing that though you will be upset and disappointed, you aren't going blow up at them. Instead, you will offer them your forgiveness surrounded by Jesus' forgiveness.
One day, a group of parents were bringing their children to Jesus to have Him place His hands on them and bless them. As the children climbed all over Him, the disciples tried to shoo the children away. Their Master was too busy for little kids. Jesus was indignant. He told them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
There is a sharpness in Jesus' tone. There is great sin involved when we intentionally or unintentionally keep children away from Jesus. We heard in our Gospel lesson Jesus forcefully warn about the danger of causing the spiritual downfall of His children: "But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me – it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea!" (Matthew 18:6) Jesus wants us to bring our children to Him for two reasons: 1) These children need Him. They are sinners. He is their Savior. 2) These children can believe in Him. God's Word and Baptism can create and strengthen faith in little hearts, too.
Through faith in Jesus, they are a part of God's kingdom. In fact, these children are examples to us as adults of the kind of faith we should have in Jesus. "Unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:3,4).
We should only have one fear – not bringing our children to Jesus. If we fail to bring them, then we can expect some heavy jewelry around our necks – a millstone.
Instead of a healthy, spiritual fear for the Lord, we allow earthly fears to dominate our parenting.
We often parent out of fear. We are afraid that our kids are going to make mistakes. So, we are hard in our discipline of them. Or, we are afraid that they won't like us, so we are easy in our discipline of them. We are afraid that when they become teenagers, they are going to become moody and sullen and lock themselves in their bedroom. (They're going to do all that anyhow.)
We fear that our kids are being left behind, so we confront their teacher. We fear that our kids are being left out, so we assume that there must be bullies in their class. We fear that our kids are not going to get a scholarship, so we put them in every activity possible.
Stop parenting out of fear. Give that fear to Jesus. "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. … The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress" (Psalm 46: 1,2, 8).
When we parent out of fear, we inevitably end up teaching our children that only the extraordinary matters. That winning first place is what life is all about. That getting into the top school is of ultimate importance. That standing above the crowd is how we make ourselves worthy.
Rather, teach them that we should fear, love, and trust in God above all things. Teach them to fear – to have respect for – their heavenly Father who loved them so much that He gave His one and only Son to die in their place. Teach them to love their Savior who became a human child, just like them, to grow up to accept their punishment. He came to earth to become one of them, so that they can believe in Him and come to Him in heaven. Teach them to trust in the Holy Spirit who gives them the gift of faith through God's Word and His Sacrament of Baptism. It is the Holy Spirit who continues to work in their souls through God's Word and His Sacraments.
Parents, you need to bring your children to Jesus, just like those parents of old did. But, you also need to come to Jesus. You need Him just as much as they do.
Mom, I'm sure you feel guilty when your child is injured. The doctor might be able to console your guilt by saying, "So you accidentally pinched your kid's fingers in the car door. He'll be fine." But, you had better never hear your pastor console your guilty conscience by saying, "No biggie. You're doing the best you can." Rather, you need your pastor to speak the words of Jesus back to you. Your guilt won't disappear until you hear the words of Christ: "Take heart; your sins are forgiven" (Matthew 9:2).
Your guilt of not being the perfect mother is removed when you receive Jesus' perfection to cover your guilt. Your feelings of inadequacy can melt away when you are reminded that Jesus sufficiently paid for your inadequacies on the cross. Your regret at seeing your children mess up because you weren't the perfect mother is expelled when you hear, "Dear imperfect Mom, Christ doesn't need you to be a perfect mother to save your children. Jesus was perfect. He's the One who can save both you and your children."
Dad, it is primarily your job to raise your children in the training and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Bring your children to church with you. Every single week. Sunday after Sunday. Don't sit at home watching TV or going to work while Mom brings the kids. God has given this parental responsibility primarily to you. If your wife has to do the majority of the homework with your children, make sure that you are the one who is tucking them in bed, reading them a Bible story or devotion and then praying with them. After they've gone to bed, join with your wife in praying for your children.
I know that many guys feel that the spiritual aspect of child-rearing is more the mom's job. I want you to think of it this way. If a dangerous dog is growling at your child, you'll step between that dog and your defenseless child. If someone breaks into your home, you'll give your life protecting your wife and child from the burglar.
Real men protect their children. There is something far more dangerous than a growling dog coming after your children. The devil is a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Your wife and children are in constant peril, not from a strong man breaking into your home, but from the strong man of the devil breaking into your spiritual home.
Be a real man. Put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6). Take up the shield of faith. Swing the sword of the Spirit, which is God's Word. Strap on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and shoes of the gospel of peace. Beat back the devil with God's Word. Protect your family with the strength that only God provides.
Moms and Dads, together you protect your children from the filth and foulness in the world by bringing them closer and closer to Jesus Christ, their Good Shepherd. Your children are lambs in Christ's flock. Christ is the Great Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep.
Parents, don't concern yourself with giving your kids the very best. That's the last thing they need. Feed them. Don't let them out of the house naked. Make sure they wear shoes in the wintertime. Bring them to church and school. Love them, play with them, forgive them when they mess up and ask their forgiveness when you mess up.
Parenting is not rocket science; it's not even science. It's just doing ordinary stuff to make sure these little people under your care are, in fact, cared for. People have been doing this since, like, the dawn of time, amazingly without reading a single book about How to Be an Extraordinary Parent.
It is OK to be ordinary. God hides Himself in the ordinary. Jesus appeared ordinary. There was nothing to attract us to Him, nothing that we should desire Him (Isaiah 53:2). Yet, hidden under His ordinariness was the very Son of God. Hidden in human flesh and blood was our children's Savior – and our Savior. Hidden upon a criminal hanging on a Roman cross was our soul's salvation.
Jesus continues to hide Himself in the ordinary. He hides His salvation in the water of Baptism. He hides His body and blood in the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper. He hides his almighty power and divine strength in the written and spoken words in our Bibles. He hides His forgiveness in the audible sounds in the absolution of sins.
Parents, let the D.C. and Marvel characters wear their capes. They can be the superheroes. All you need to do is be ordinary. And let your children come to Jesus. They can find their extraordinary Savior hidden in the ordinary. You don't have to be the perfect parent. Jesus was perfect so that you can be merely OK. Amen.


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Sim racing is something I came across a couple of years ago and I thought to myself 'I really enjoy this" slowly building up my home made custom built rig by adding hardware when the money was available. Sim Racing (Simulator Racing) is basically vehicle racing on the computer, it can be as easy or as difficult as you like, depending on how serious you want to be from someone wanting to sit on a couch with a hand controller to what I have which makes it a more realistic simulation of driving a vehicle eg accelerating, braking, changing gears etc.
As a signwriter and in the visual communication industry, providing customers with signage that visually communicates to their customers the quality and look of their products,…the Sim Racing game visuals are in a way similar, combining text, near photographic vehicles in some of the sims, to produce a product that is visually stimulating and informative as most of the cars and tracks in the sims do exist in the real world eg 'Bathurst' in Australia and 'Pukekoe' in New Zealand to name a few, and team that up with the V8 Supercars model, and you have a thoroughly challenging and entertaining time, which is what attracted me to this genre.
A Sim Rig consists of a computer with a top end graphics card, keyboard, mouse, a Force Feedback steering wheel (this gives you feedback when you drive over bumps etc), Pedals, and some steering wheel packages come with a Gear Shifter. The benefit of using a computer for Sim Racing is the expandibility as you can add more hardware as I have with adding a better H-Pattern and Sequential Shifter, also a high end Pedal set, a 'Button Box' (for the most used functions of the game, instead of trying to find it on the keyboard), Surround Sound Amp and Headphones (so you do not annoy the rest of the people in the house, also the neighbours) and recently added triple 3D Monitors (the extra two side monitors are angled towards you and this fills in your peripheral vision, feels like you are in the car cockpit) …all this adds greatly to the immersion factor.
I have included some links for more information…
ImageArt Signs Racing Videos
Purchase of hardware
Purchase of custom built computers for home, business and gaming.
Information Sites
Purchase of Downloadable Sims online
Professional Online Racing Simulator
If I won LOTTO…lol
These are just a few of the hundreds of sites out there….what of the future, is this a stepping stone to racing with real cars on real tracks…short answer… 'No Way'…Sim Racing is cheaper (well kind of..lol) more safe, no risk of death, …and when you do crash in game, you can just push the 'Re Start' button…got to love that!
Thanks for viewing
Mark Gourley


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Experiences Catalog
Dinner Under the Stars
- 2 people
- Ocean Club, Ocean Club terrace or botanical garden
- 2 people
- Botanical garden or beach
Our Luxury All-inclusive Plan includes:
Our Luxury All-inclusive Plan includes:
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner à la carte or buffet at Emiliano restaurant
- Dinner à la carte at specialty restaurant Emiliano (gourmet cuisine) (apply dress code)
- Dinner à la carte at specialty private Beach Club ( Mediterranean cuisine)
- 24-hour suite service
- Minibar in suite, stocked daily
- Premium-brand domestic and international beverages throughout the resort
- Concierge Service
- Life Fitness Center
- Recreational activities program for adults
- Taxes and gratuities
- Wi-Fi
Terms & Conditions
- Rates are per person, per night based on double occupancy.
- Rates are subject to change without notice. Not valid for groups.Rates include taxes and gratuities.
- All reservations must be confirmed with a credit card (Visa, AMEX and MC) of the person that is traveling. Credit card and ID are required upon your arrival. Third party credit cards not accepted.
- Transportation from the resort to the airport must be reserved in advance with your Concierge.
- Golf credit cannot be transferred from one guest to another and cannot be accumulated or redeemed for cash. Unused balances will not be refunded.Golf cart rental is not included; a $57 USD fee applies per person per day.
- Boutique discount cannot be combined with any other promotion or discount. Does not apply in Spa boutique.


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Urgent News:
- There's a storm afoot! Our schedule tomorrow will be limited due to the snow-o-genesis(did we drop that term after only one use?). Morning classes are on but afternoon classes are off the schedule now and will likely stay that way. If things change, they will be available on front desk and instagram story.
New News:
- Spring Cleaning is upon us. Everyone has until THURSDAY(because of the storm) to search for and remove their random stuff from the gym. This includes: weightlifting shoes, wraps, hoodies etc...
Old News:
- While the month of love is over, any member who refers a friend or new person will receive 50% off their next month's membership and that new person will get 50% off their first! Love.
- The attendance situation on Saturday has become a bit of an issue. Anyone who has not enrolled in class will be asked to wait until 11am.
- It saddens me to say, but March 29th will be the last scheduled weightlifting club class. In true weightlifting fashion we will have a max out for both the snatch and clean and jerk. All are welcome in the celebration. Mark your calendars.
800 meter Run(kidding)
Line drills!
"Indoor Kelly"
5 Rounds for time
Row 500 Meters
30 Box Jumps (24/20)
30 Wall Balls (20/14)