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Pets are awesome. They snuggle us when we're sad, give us energy when we're lagging, and they're always around to help us through the day. Whether you have a dog, cat, domesticated raccoon, or who-knows-what, however, pets leave things behind. Things like dander and hair.
Pet hair is self explanatory. We all know what it is. What many people don't know is that pet hair and pet dander aren't the same thing. Pet dander is microscopic flakes of skin that are produced mainly by pets like cats, dogs, birds, and rodents. Most people are allergic to pet dander, even if they don't seem allergic to their pets. It's important to maintain your home's air quality so your family and your pets can all live together comfortably.
We've compiled a few best practices for staying on top of home air quality. Follow these to keep breathing easy, even when you have pets.
Regularly replace the filters in your home HVAC system
Air filters in the homes of pet owners clog faster than air filters in homes without pets. If you have a pet, commit to changing your home's air filters at least once every three months. If you have more than one pet, we recommend making the change even more frequently, like once per month.
Only use a vacuum that has a HEPA filter
HEPA capture allergens like pollen, mold spores, dust, fur, and–you guessed it–pet dander. Regular vacuuming is critical to stemming the tide of potentially troubling pet dander. Using a HEPA-equipped model vacuum will give you the extra boost you need to make a big difference.
Bathe your pet regularly
Mitigate the amount of pet dander hanging in the air by addressing the problem at its source: your pet. Regular bathing reduces how much your pet sheds and cuts down on how much dander it releases.
Fair warning, though: bathing your pet too often can dry out their skin, resulting in even more pet dander. Don't soap 'em up more than once monthly.
Train your pet to sleep in their own bed
If allergies are a problem in your home, they're going to be significantly exacerbated by allowing your furry friend to sleep with you. Dander likes to cling, and having it cling to your bedding makes sleeping more difficult than needs be.
If pet dander in the bedroom is a significant problem, consider investing in allergen-protective covers on your mattresses and pillows.
Get an air exchanger installed
Air exchangers remove stale air and contaminants from your home and replace old air with new, fresh air from outdoors. It's no surprise that taking the leap and having an air exchanger installed in your home will be a great benefit to you and your family.
Your pets are your family… they're just slightly stinkier family. That's okay! By taking these steps to help prevent a decrease in indoor air quality due to your pets presence, everyone living in your home will be happy.
Whenever you need help or advice when it comes to your home's air quality, you can always call on the experts at Blue Ox Heating & Air for the direction you may need.


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Ace in the Whole plays American music and original tunes that range from bluegrass, blues, jazz, folk and western. Members include Tim Waters on guitar/banjo/pedal steel, Mike Pengra on percussion, Dave Pengra on bass, and Kit Kildahl on guitar/harmonica.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: August 10Charlie Roth
Later Event: August 17Happy Hour on the Deck with Andrea Lyn & Justin Gehrke

subset: commoncrawl


text: This position will be responsible for launching us into the world of eLearning! Our goal is to produce eLearning that's similar to Salesforce Trailhead, using the appropriate multimedia elements (text, graphics, videos) to deliver eLearning that's effective and engaging. The eLearning will include exercises using our product, as well as quizzes and gamification. The training will be role-based and will cover most of our applications.


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Your browser does not support iframes.
Not many people can say they have an 85-year-old vehicle that still runs and has only 38,000 miles on it.
Not only that, but "Mater" as the pickup truck has been dubbed by its new owner's kids, is a Shelby County icon, particularly in Simpsonville where it was formerly used by a towing service.
Michael Stephens acquired his "new" truck in September, but he's already repaired it all over.
The silence on Cry Baby Bridge was broken only by chirping of crickets, the forlorn call of a lone owl echoing in the darkness and the gurgle of water underneath.
Oh, and yes, also, a faintly, ghostly whispering.
Was it the wind in the trees, or the spirit of a young mother that reputedly drove herself and her infant to their deaths off the bridge many years ago?
A paranormal investigation at the bridge Thursday, located on Bellview Road in Shelby County, left ghost hunters uncertain.
"I'm going to be an architect," said D'mauri Crowder, as he studied a pile of LEGO blocks while working on a project at the Shelby County Public Library.
"He's not kidding, either," said his mother, Katrina Blackburn, as she watched Crowder, 7, and his little brother, Darrion, 4, arrange their blocks at the library's LEGO Night, which falls on the last Thursday of each month.
"He is always sitting around drawing, sketching things he's says he's going to build someday," she said.
Finchville Days 2014
Nestled like a sparkling jewel in a quiet neighborhood near Todds Point Road, the home of Bruce and Ruth Pearce exudes almost as much beauty and charm as its mistress, Ruth Pearce, who sits with her husband sipping ice-cold lemonade on the screened-in back porch of their Civil War-era Victorian style home.
"We love it here and I guess you could say this is our favorite place. We eat out here a lot and we just love the scenery," she said.
Visitors to the 2014 Shelbyville Horse Show Jubilee had some hot fun Saturday downtown, and in some cases, some fun ran hot and cold, as with the ice cream eating contest.
Inside stuff:
Address:139 Fox Run
Owners:Neal and Barbara Hammon
Statistics:3,500 square feet, 2 stories, 8 rooms, 6 working fireplaces
Built: 1977;designed by Neal Hammon
Accoutrements:All locks in the house made between 1820 and 1860
Festivals at Clear Creek Park and in Simpsonville had huge turnouts on the Fourth of July, where crowds enjoyed good food, music, games, and of course, fireworks.
The temperatures may be rising into the nineties this week but Joan Brown, known to many locals as the Road Kill Chef, isn't slowing down in her garden.
"Sometimes I have to tell myself, Joan slow down you can't work like you used to," she said with a smile.
But those years of hard work are being recognized.
Meat is probably the least transparent business on earth.
Our desire for cheap meat has created an industrial system that sates the American appetite of an estimated 200 pounds of meat per person each year. That's about twice the global average. Plus, we seem to know very little about something we eat an awful lot.
The industrial meat business is predominately a closed system that takes place behind gated complexes, far from the potential consumer.
Copyright © 2019
The Sentinel-News is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Shelby County and Shelbyville, KY, and the surrounding area.


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JC SHeriff's Office Looking for Man Involved in Domestic Incident
- Written by Jackson County Sheriff's Office
- Published in News
On Wednesday, August 08, 2018 at about 1:13 PM the Jackson County Sheriff's Office received the report of a possible domestic disturbance on Interstate 94 near mile marker 122 in the town of Manchester, Jackson County, Wisconsin.
Contact was made with the female victim and it was found that the male involved, Dale K. Becklin (M/W 06/11/1960) had fled from the area on foot. Jackson County Sheriff's Office deputies and K9, as well as Wisconsin State Patrol troopers attempted to locate Becklin in the area. Becklin was not located.
Becklin is from Louisiana and has no known ties to the area. Becklin was last seen wearing black pants and a dark "Dickie" brand shirt. This appears to be an isolated domestic incident and there is no reason to believe that the community is at risk. An "attempt to locate" has been sent out to adjoining counties.
Please contact the Jackson County Sheriff's Office at 715-284-5357 if you see Becklin. Do not attempt to approach or apprehend him yourself.
Jackson County Sheriff's -
Office 30 N. 3rd Street - Black River Falls, WI 54615 - (715) 284-9009 - Fax: (715) 284-0252


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Kyushu Jangara is a Ramen shop which serves a vegan option (1000Yen).
It is a restaurant chain with stores all over Japan. We went to the one in Harajuku, but there are more shops in Ikebukuro, Akihabara, Omotesando ... Check out there website for details: http://kyushujangara.co.jp/shops/
The Ramen had a nice and strong taste and I would definitely recommend it. As it's not all vegan it's especially recommendable if you want to eat out together with someone who likes to eat meat.
1 Chome-13-21 Jingūmae, Shibuya-ku, Tōkyō-to 150-0001


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Leticia-Tabatinga Border: Crossing from Colombia into BrazilBy Owen / December 21, 2017
Regional flights in South America are ridiculously expensive.
Especially when compared to South East Asia, where I come from.
Thus, I had to look for an alternative way to get from Colombia to the north of Brazil, where I intend to cross the border into Venezuela.
Thankfully, I found out that Colombia and Brazil are connected by 2 neighbouring towns located in the Amazonas: Leticia and Tabatinga.
The cheaper alternative to get from Colombia to Brazil (and vice versa) is to take a domestic flight, cross the border, then fly (or cruise/ride) in Brazil. Here is a quick guide.


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Isn't it great to see Gamba Osaka and Kyoto Purple Sanga right up there among the top teams in the J.League?
Variety is always good for the game, and helps to spread the soccer gospel around Japan.
Neither of the above teams has come close to winning the J.League championship, but their performances are bringing the crowds flocking back to Kansai.
At the time of writing, Gamba Osaka are third in the table with 21 points, five off the pace being set by the Yokohama F Marinos, and four behind second-placed Jubilo Iwata.
Kyoto Purple Sanga are fifth with 15 points and have won six matches in a row after losing their first four games of the season.
This is a fantastic effort by Kyoto and their German manager Gert Engels. In the latest round of games on Wednesday night, Kyoto beat the mighty Kashima Antlers 2-1 in front of over 18,000 fans packed into Nishikyogoku Stadium.
This is a huge crowd by Purple Sanga's modest standards, especially for a midweek fixture when they usually struggle to get 5,000.
No doubt the presence of South Korean World Cup star Park Ji Sung, making his first start for Kyoto since the World Cup, contributed to the big crowd, and let's hope Purple Sanga can keep it going.
As for Gamba, they have always had many good Japanese players in their ranks, and now have probably the best Japanese manager in the J.League in Akira Nishino.
A big reason (very big, in fact) for Gamba's rise is the goals of 28-year-old Brazilian Magrao, whose 1.92-meter, 84-kilogram frame is causing all sorts of problems for defenders.
Before the break for the World Cup, the former Verdy forward had scored only three times, but now has 10 after netting all four against S-Pulse, two against Grampus and the winner from the penalty spot at Hiroshima on Wednesday.
The Gamba-Nagoya game last week attracted 21,621 fans to the 23,000-capacity Banpaku Stadium in Suita City, which was more than watched Junichi Inamoto's farewell game for Gamba last July before leaving for Arsenal.
It was among the top five crowds in Gamba history, a throwback to the J.League bubble years of 1993 and 1994.
Clubs such as Antlers and Jubilo must be admired for the way they stay at the top, but the form of Gamba and Purple Sanga is contributing to this post-World Cup boom.


text:
an olfactive translation of
a moment somewhere between:
01:24:41 — 01:34:43
a F I L M
by Slava Tsukerman,
a F R A G R A N C E
by Jérôme Di Marino
The Feeling — 80's nostalgia. A new wave fashionista painted in neon in a post-punk New York, and a dope seeking alien serving orgasms that end in death.
The Palette — Latex Accord, Galbanum, Tuberose
Classification — Floral Powdery Green
"I could almost smell the fragrances emanating from a photograph of the downtown scene in New York in the 80s. A big sweet and sticky opulent tuberose, tribute to the 80's… I added a latex modern twist to it to reinforce the alien quality and green sharp facet thanks to galbanum to make it more energetic and reflect the urbanity of the environment." — Jérôme Di Marino
In this olfactive film series each fragrance is created with the purpose of expanding the way that a film is observed, remembered and appreciated, while suggesting new compositions and areas of inspiration for contemporary perfumery.
» Le Cinéma Olfacti « is an ongoing olfactive film screening program of cult, classic, independent and contemporary films that are held at cinemas and art institutions worldwide. As apart of each olfactive screening an exclusive fragrance is created out of a visionary perfumers personal response to a specific moment or character in a film. The final scent is then integrated into the film screening experience and later launched as a perfume under Folie À Plusieurs fragrance archive.


text:
This material is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.
Hosted by 12 To Midnight.
Select a Skill from the drop-downlist:
(Int; Trained Only)
Check: Most Repair checks are made to fix complex electronic or mechanical devices. The DC is set by the GM. In general, simple repairs have a DC of 10 to 15 and require no more than a few minutes to accomplish. More complex repair work has a DC of 20 or higher and can require an hour or more to complete. Making repairs also involves a monetary cost when spare parts or new components are needed, represented by a Wealth check. If the GM decides this isn't necessary for the type of repair the character is attempting, then no Wealth check is needed.
|Repair Task (Example)
|Purchase DC
|Repair DC
|Simple (tool, simple weapon)
|1 min.
|Moderate (mechanical or electronic component)
|10 min.
|Complex (mechanical or electronic device)
|1 hr.
|Advanced (cutting-edge mechanical or electronic device)
|10 hr.
Jury-Rig: A character can choose to attempt jury-rigged, or temporary, repairs. Doing this reduces the purchase DC by 3 and the Repair check DC by 5, and allows the character to make the checks in as little as a full-round action. However, a jury-rigged repair can only fix a single problem with a check, and the temporary repair only lasts until the end of the current scene or encounter. The jury-rigged object must be fully repaired thereafter. A character can also use jury-rig to hot-wire a car or jump-start an engine or electronic device. The DC for this is at least 15, and it can be higher depending on the presence of security devices. The jury-rig application of the Repair skill can be used untrained.
Try Again: Yes, though in some specific cases, the GM may decide that a failed Repair check has negative ramifications that prevent repeated checks.
Special: A character can take 10 or take 20 on a Repair check. When making a Repair check to accomplish a jury-rig repair, a character can't take 20. Repair requires an electrical tool kit, a mechanical tool kit, or a multipurpose tool, depending on the task. If the character do not have the appropriate tools, he or she takes a -4 penalty on the check. Craft (mechanical) or Craft (electronic) can provide a +2 synergy bonus on Repair checks made for mechanical or electronic devices (see Skill Synergy).
A character with the Gearhead feat and at least 1 rank in this skill gets a +2 bonus on all Repair checks.
Time: See the table for guidelines. A character can make a jury-rig repair as a full-round action, but the work only lasts until the end of the current encounter.


text: 309 Epistaxis: an update on current management L E R Pope, C G L Hobbs ............................................................................................................................... Postgrad Med J 2005;81:309–314. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.2004.025007 Epistaxis is one of the commonest ENT emergencies. Although most patients can be treated within an accident and emergency setting, some are complex and may require specialist intervention. There are multiple risk factors for the development of epistaxis and it can affect any age group, but it is the elderly population with their associated morbidity who often require more intensive treatment and subsequent admission. Treatment strategies have been broadly similar for decades. However, with the evolution of endoscopic technology, new ways of actively managing epistaxis are now available. Recent evidence suggests that this, combined with the use of stepwise management plans, should limit patient complications and the need for admission. This review discusses the various treatment options and integrates the traditional methods with modern techniques. ........................................................................... E pistaxis, whether spontaneous or otherwise, is experienced by up to 60% of people in their lifetime, with 6% requiring medical attention.1 Although our understanding of this condition has improved considerably, the principle of packing the nose for a nosebleed has changed little since Hippocrates used sheep's wool on pugilistic noses in ancient Greece. EPIDEMIOLOGY The incidence of epistaxis varies greatly with age. There is a bimodal distribution with peaks in children and young adults and the older adult (45–65 years).2 Anecdotal evidence suggests that certain stereotypical groups are more prone (for example, elderly women or young boys). ANATOMY See end of article for authors' affiliations ....................... Correspondence to: Mr C G L Hobbs, Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, St Michael's Hospital, Southwell Street, Bristol BS2 8EG, UK; chris. [email protected] Submitted 4 June 2004 Accepted 14 September 2004 ....................... One of the primary functions of the nose is to warm and humidify air. It therefore has a profuse blood supply arising from both the internal and external carotid arteries. Epistaxis is normally classified into anterior or posterior, but it can also be classed as superior or inferior depending on the carotid supply. Broadly, the internal carotid (via the ethmoidal arteries) supplies the region above the middle turbinate while the remaining areas are supplied by branches of the external carotid artery. This includes the sphenopalatine artery, which supplies most of the septum and turbinates on the lateral wall. The interface between the two carotid systems varies in position according to the pressure in each one. There is also crossover between the right and left arterial systems, which can result in persistent nasal bleeding despite unilateral arterial ligation. Anterior bleeds are responsible for about 80% of epistaxis. They occur at an anastomosis called Kiesselbach's plexus on the lower part of the anterior septum known as Little's area. Posterior bleeding derives primarily from the posterior septal nasal artery (a branch of the sphenopalatine artery), which forms part of the Woodruff plexus. AETIOLOGY The aetiology of epistaxis can be divided into local and general causes (box 1), however most (80%– 90%) are actually idiopathic. An important contributing factor, in addition to the prominent vascularity and dual blood supply to the nose, is that blood vessels within the nasal mucosa run superficially and are therefore comparatively unprotected. In most cases, it is damage to this mucosa and to vessel walls that results in bleeding. Spontaneous rupture of blood vessels may occur occasionally, such as during extreme valsalva when weightlifting. Although uncommon, it is important to exclude neoplasia as a cause for unexplained recurrent unilateral epistaxis. MANAGEMENT The traditional management of acute epistaxis entails identification of the bleeding point by using a head mirror or other light source. If a bleeding point is localised, then chemical or electrocautery is performed. If unsuccessful, further management takes a stepwise approach—initially anterior packing with some form of gauze or sponge and then failing this, more advanced techniques such as compressive balloons or posterior packing. Finally, arterial ligation or embolisation can be used to stem intractable bleeds. Figure 1 outlines a suggested management plan. Resuscitation Epistaxis is a potential life threatening event. All patients who are actively bleeding need full assessment and resuscitation if necessary. The clinical state of an elderly patient may deteriorate rapidly so aggressive resuscitation is vital. Universal precautions should be worn before starting any treatment including a facemask and eye protection. Vital signs must be monitored regularly. A full blood count should be taken and blood group and saved. Studies have shown that routine clotting studies need to be performed only if there is a suspected clotting diathesis or the patient is anticoagulated.3 Fluid management should be instigated if signs of hypovolaemia are present or admission is required. During resuscitation, bleeding can commonly be controlled by digital pressure over the lower soft cartilaginous part of the nose. This is often best performed by www.postgradmedj.com Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.2004.025007 on 5 May 2005. Downloaded from http://pmj.bmj.com/ on 11 August 2019 by guest. Protected by copyright. REVIEW 310 Local N N Idiopathic Trauma – Nose picking – Facial injury – Foreign body N Inflammation – Infection – Allergic rhinosinusitis – Nasal polyps N Neoplasia – Benign (for example, juvenile angiofibroma) – Malignant (for example, squamous cell carcinoma) N Vascular – Congenital (for example, hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia) – Acquired (for example, Wegener's granulomatosis) N Iatrogenic – Surgery (for example, ENT/maxillofacial/ophthalmic) – Nasal apparatus (for example, nasogastric tube) N Structural – Septal spurs or deviation – Septal perforations N Drugs – Nasal sprays (for example, topical decongestants) – Abuse (for example, cocaine) General N Haematological – Coagulopathies (for example, haemophilia) – Thrombocytopenia (for example, leukaemia) – Platelet dysfunction (for example, Von Willebrand's disease) N Environmental – Temperature – Humidity – Altitude N Drugs – Anticoagulants (for example, heparin, warfarin) – Antiplatelet (for example, aspirin, clopidogrel) N Organ failure – Uraemia – Liver (for example, cirrhosis) N Other – Atherosclerosis/hypertension – Alcohol an assistant (nurse or healthcare assistant) and can be improved by a cold compress or the patient sucking on ice. Leaning the patient forward will decrease blood flow through www.postgradmedj.com the nasopharynx, which is less uncomfortable for the patient and will help to reduce swallowing of blood and its subsequent nausea. Nasal preparation Good nasal preparation is critical to elucidate and treat the cause of epistaxis. The nasal cavity is often obscured by clots. Thus immediately before examination a forceful blow by the patient through the nose can clear these clots. Although this action may restart bleeding it will enable improved access for anaesthetic. A precautionary view of the cavity should be undertaken by anterior rhinoscopy using a Thudicum's speculum; this will enable stubborn clots to be evacuated by suction and permit initial assessment of the bleeding point. Local anaesthetic, ideally including a vasoconstrictor, should be applied to the nasal mucosa over Little's area (box 2). The application method varies on the preparation, but most entail either a solution applied on cotton wool or as a nasal spray. Time should be allowed for the anaesthetic to work. Generally, systemic analgesia is not necessary when inspecting or packing the nose, although mild sedation (with a small dose of diazepam) is often used in hypertensive or anxious patients. Once adequate local anaesthesia is achieved, the nasal cavity can be examined and treatment instigated to stem the haemorrhage. Little's area is viewed first. Cautery Chemical cautery is achieved by a using silver nitrate stick (75% silver nitrate, 25% potassium nitrate BP w/w) that reacts to the mucosal lining to produce local chemical damage. The technique entails applying the stick to the bleeding point with firm pressure for 5–10 seconds. The effect varies with concentration and exposure. Feeding vessels can also be cauterised to limit recurrence. Careful removal of excess silver nitrate helps prevent staining of the vestibule or upper lip. If staining does occur, it should be neutralised immediately by applying normal saline. Only one side of the septum should be cauterised, as there is a small risk of septal perforation resulting from decreased vascularisation to the septal cartilage. For this reason, we suggest a four to six week interval between cautery treatments. Electrocautery is usually performed in clinic by otolaryngologists under local anaesthetic; it consists of an electrical circuit that heats up a metal loop. With this technique thermal energy seals the bleeding vessel by radiation, not by direct contact. A potential complication is heat damage to the anterior nares and inferior turbinate. This risk can be reduced by using a large aural speculum under microscopic examination. Anterior packing The nose should be packed if bleeding continues despite cautery or if no obvious bleeding is seen. There are many forms of anterior nasal packing although nasal sponges have become predominant as they offer a simple and effective mechanism for applying pressure to the bleeding vessel. Nasal tampons There are several types available. Merocel is made of polyvinyl alcohol, a compressed foam polymer that is inserted into the nose (fig 2) and expanded by application of water. This causes the tampon to swell and fill the nasal cavity, applying pressure over the bleeding point. It may also allow clotting factors to localise and reach a critical level, thereby facilitating coagulation. Merocels are easy to insert within a casualty setting and require minimal training. They are effective in 85% of cases, with no difference between the success rates when compared with traditional ribbon gauze.4 Rapid Rhino is an example of a carboxymethylcellulose pack. This is a hydrocolloid material, which acts as a platelet aggregator and also forms a lubricant on contact with water. Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.2004.025007 on 5 May 2005. Downloaded from http://pmj.bmj.com/ on 11 August 2019 by guest. Protected by copyright. Box 1 Causes of epistaxis Pope, Hobbs Epistaxis 311 RESUS Initial medical review Nasal preparation Endoscopic cautery available Visualise bleeding point Yes Controlled Cauterise No Bleeding Bleeding Controlled Anterior pack Observe Bleeding Controlled Observe Controlled Posterior pack Controlled Admit to ward Bleeding Surgery Follow up Unlike Merocel, it has a cuff that is inflated by air and the hydrocolloid or Gel-Knit is supposed to preserve newly formed clot during removal. Formal anterior packing If nasal tampon packing fails to stem epistaxis, then one should consider formal packing with ribbon gauze. Again, there are many pre-prepared packs on the market, but the most common are Vaseline or bismuth-iodoform paraffin paste impregnated packs. These packs should be inserted under direct vision into a locally anaesthetised nasal cavity. After nasal packing, the patient is examined for ongoing bleeding through the pack, from the contralateral nares or posteriorly. This is done using a tongue depressor to obtain a good view of the oropharynx. If any bleeding is witnessed, packing of the other side should be considered before removal of the already inserted pack. This may increase the tamponade pressure over the septum and stop the bleeding. Because of the risks associated with nasal packing (box 3), most patients are admitted to the ward. Some units will discharge a haemodynamically stable person home with packing in situ, for review in 24–48 hours, although this is controversial because of the potential complications. If packs are left in for more than 48 hours, then antibiotics should be started to prevent toxic shock syndrome. Packs are usually removed within three days. Posterior packing Anterior packing is often insufficient to control vessels bleeding from the posterior nasal cavity. These bleeds can be difficult to treat and may require either balloon insertion or a formal posterior pack. Balloon insertion Box 2 Common local anaesthetic preparations N N N N Lidocaine injection (0.5%, 1%, or 2%) with adrenaline (epinephrine) 1/200 000 Cocaine topical solution (2% or 5%) Cocaine paste (10%) Lidocaine topical solution (5%) with 0.5 % phenylephrine (cophenylcaine) This relies on either direct pressure or more commonly, the accumulation of blood within the nasal cavity leading to tamponade. There are several types that can be used; some have been designed especially for epistaxis management. Two of the important types are discussed. Foley catheter This uses a standard urinary catheter that is inserted through the anterior nares and passed back until the tip is seen in the oropharynx. It is then inflated with 3–4 ml of water or air. The catheter is pulled forward until the balloon engages the www.postgradmedj.com Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.2004.025007 on 5 May 2005. Downloaded from http://pmj.bmj.com/ on 11 August 2019 by guest. Protected by copyright. Figure 1 Epistaxis management protocol. Assessment and first aid 312 Pope, Hobbs Surgery Any bleeding that fails to stop despite an escalation of clinic room management requires surgical intervention. This includes bleeding that continues after pack removal. Before theatre, the patient needs to be haemodynamically stable. In most cases surgical management requires a general anaesthetic, although in frail elderly patients, local anaesthesia with sedation can be used. Surgical intervention can be divided into diathermy, septal surgery, or arterial ligation. Diathermy Figure 2 Correct insertion of a nasal tampon (note that the direction is along the floor of the nasal cavity). posterior choana. The nasal cavity is then packed anteriorly with ribbon gauze or a nasal sponge. The balloon is held firmly in place with an umbilical clamp at the anterior nares. It is important in this case to protect the columella with a soft dressing, otherwise it is susceptible to pressure necrosis. Other complications include posterior displacement of the balloon with potential airway compromise, deflation in situ (which is more likely to occur with air inflation) and rupture of the balloon, which when it contains water, could result in aspiration. Recent evidence suggests that balloon rupture is more likely with the use of paraffin paste.5 It is important to note the Foley catheter is in fact, not licensed for nasal use. Brighton balloon This is specifically manufactured for the treatment of epistaxis. It has a postnasal balloon and a mobile anterior balloon that are independently inflated (fig 3). Other specialised balloons include the Simpson plug and the Epistat nasal catheter. Formal posterior packing In this rather uncomfortable procedure (hence it is normally performed under general anaesthetic), a gauze pad is sutured to a catheter inserted through the nose and using the catheter, is manoeuvred via the oral cavity into the nasopharynx so that it lodges against the choana. It is important to protect the columella with a dental roll to stop Box 3 Complications of nasal packing N N N The localisation of a bleeding point under general anaesthetic is easier because of improved nasal access and instrumentation. The use of bipolar rather than monopolar diathermy is recommended, as there are reports of optic or oculomotor nerve damage after the use of monopolar in6 or close to the orbit.7 Septal surgery Septal surgery is sometimes performed to allow access to the nasal cavity. As most haemorrhages occur from the septum, raising a mucoperichondral flap during septal surgery can be beneficial as this will decrease blood flow to the mucosa, which often in itself stems bleeding. Surgery is also used to correct a deviated septum or remove a septal spur, which may be the cause of epistaxis. This occurs either by altering air flow through the nose or in severe cartilage deformities, by persistent mucosal irritation. Sphenopalatine artery ligation In cases of ongoing haemorrhage despite the above methods, this procedure is normally attempted first. It is performed under direct rigid endoscopy and the vessel is normally clipped or coagulated using bipolar diathermy. Its success rate is reported to be better than other forms of arterial ligation probably because it is an end artery with little collateral flow.8 Anterior/posterior ethmoidal artery ligation This is occasionally required for severe bleeding from the ethmoidal region and is traditionally performed via an external ethmoidectomy incision, through a subperiosteal plane on the medial orbital wall. An endoscopic technique has been described9 and also, more recently, an endoscopically assisted external approach.10 Failure to stem bleeding Toxic shock syndrome Blockage of – nasolacrimal duct leading to epiphora – sinus drainage leading to acute sinusitis – nasal airway leading to hypoxia N N N N Nasovagal reflex: this reflex occurs during insertion of a pack or instrumentation of the nasal cavity. It leads to vagal stimulation, with consequent hypotension and bradycardia Sleep apnoea, attributable to decreased nasal air entry leading to hypoxia during somnolence Displacement of pack into oropharynx with risk of acute airway obstruction Removal may induce bleeding www.postgradmedj.com Figure 3 Sagittal view of the nasal cavity with a Brighton balloon in situ. Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.2004.025007 on 5 May 2005. Downloaded from http://pmj.bmj.com/ on 11 August 2019 by guest. Protected by copyright. pressure necrosis. The patient should always be admitted to hospital and consideration given to placing elderly patients or young children in a high dependency or intensive care environment for monitoring. Epistaxis Maxillary artery ligation External carotid artery ligation Ligation of the carotid artery for intractable epistaxis was first reported by Pilz in 1869 (performed on the common carotid artery in this case). It is a non-specific method of decreasing blood flow to the nose and, studies have shown a long term failure rate of 45%. This is because the nasal blood supply has marked watershed areas supplied by the contralateral external carotid.12 In general, it should be considered a last resort, useful in profound uncontrolled haemorrhage, when the above methods fail. OTHER MANAGEMENT OPTIONS Angiographic embolisation Sokoloff first undertook angiographic embolisation for epistaxis in 1972.13 Embolisation is routinely performed in some centres as a means of treating intractable epistaxis. The technique entails cannulation of the external carotid artery and location of the bleeding point by water soluble contrast. Coils, gel foam, and polyvinyl alcohol can then embolise the causative artery. The success rate has been reported to be as high as 87%, which is similar to arterial ligation.14 The technique's limiting factors include; lack of specialist radiologists and equipment, the inability to embolise ethmoidal arteries because of the risk of blindness, false aneurysm development at the insertion site, cerebrovascular accidents, and imaging difficulties after nasal packing. Studies have reported a complication rate of 17%–27%.15 Fibrin glue Fibrin glue is developed from human plasma cryoprecipitate and binds itself to damaged vessels. The technique entails spraying a thin layer of glue over the bleeding site and can be repeated as needed. A recent randomised trial has reported that complications of local swelling, nasal mucosa atrophy, and excessive nasal discharge were lower than the electrocautery, silver nitrate, and nasal packing group. The rebleed rate was 15%, which is comparable to electrocautery.16 Endoscopic electrocautery The invention of the Hopkins rod in 1960s has revolutionised nasal surgery. Only recently has this new technology been adapted for the treatment of epistaxis (fig 4).17–19 The nose should be prepared as described previously. Examination of the nasal cavity is performed using a rigid Hopkin's rod endoscope (0˚ or 30˚ angle). Clots are removed using suction, which will also elicit the bleeding point. It is good practice to adopt a routine when examining the nasal cavity, viewing the septum first. On location of the bleeding point, electrocautery is used to seal the vessel. The authors recommend a bipolar cautery device with integrated suction tip to improve the field of view and increase efficiency of the cautery. Nasal packing is only instigated if the bleeding fails to cease after the procedure or if the bleeding point cannot be identified. The patient should be kept under observation for two hours and can be discharged home if no re-bleeding occurs. A recent study showed that this procedure was successful in treating 89% of patients with epistaxis with 74% not requiring admission.19 This reduction in the need for admission, added to the benefits of not inserting a pack, makes it a useful and cost effective procedure. Hot water irrigation The use of hot water irrigation is an alternative management strategy for posterior epistaxis. Techniques vary, but essentially a balloon catheter is used to close off the posterior choana and water at 45˚C–50˚C is inserted into the nasal cavity. As well as helping to clear blood clots from the nose, it probably reduces local blood flow by causing mucosal oedema.20 Laser Laser has proved to be particularly useful in cases of recurrent epistaxis, such as those occurring in hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (Osler-Weber-Rendu disease). Neodymium yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser is commonly used (via endoscopy), although the application of other lasers such as argon or carbon dioxide has also been described.21 FOLLOW UP All patients with a history of severe epistaxis require a formal examination of the nasal cavity to rule out a neoplastic lesion. This can be performed before discharge or in clinic at a later date. Patients should be given a leaflet showing first aid procedures for epistaxis and simple precautions to decrease recurrence including refraining from activities that may stimulate bleeding (blowing or picking their nose, heavy lifting, strenuous exercise) and abstinence from alcohol or hot drinks that can cause vasodilatation of the nasal vessels. To limit recurrent bleeds, topical antiseptic cream (Naseptin) or petroleum jelly (Vaseline) can be prescribed, although its efficacy is questionable.22 Patients with high blood pressure on admission need assessment by their general practitioner after discharge from hospital. Patient medication, especially anticoagulants, raise concerns in management; although a prospective study showed warfarin does not need to be stopped if its levels are within therapeutic range.23 Aspirin medication has been shown to be independently associated with epistaxis hospitalisation.24 However, cessation of aspirin therapy should be weighed up against thromboembolic complications and the time delay between stopping aspirin and the return of normal platelet function. CONCLUSIONS Over the past 10 years, there has been a significant expansion in the options available for the management of epistaxis. Traditional strategies like nasal packing have been supplemented by modern technology using the latest optic and electrical devices. Treatment should ideally use a systematic protocol, such as described in this review; starting with simple procedures that can be undertaken in the clinic environment and proceeding to endoscopic techniques for more difficult cases. Figure 4 Endoscopic electrocautery equipment. www.postgradmedj.com Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.2004.025007 on 5 May 2005. Downloaded from http://pmj.bmj.com/ on 11 August 2019 by guest. Protected by copyright. This is rarely performed now since the introduction of endoscopic nasal surgery, but it has been shown to be effective in 87% of cases.11 The approach is a modified Caldwell-Luc operation, through the posterior wall of the maxillary sinus into the pterygopalatine fossa. The maxillary vessel can be either clipped or diathermied. Complications of this include devitalised gums and teeth, sinusitis, and problematic intraoperative bleeding. 313 314 Pope, Hobbs N N N N N Watkinson JC. Epistaxis. In: Mackay IS, Bull TR, eds. Scott Brown's otolaryngology. London: Butterworths, 1997:18/5–7. Burton M, Doree C. Interventions for recurrent idiopathic epistaxis (nosebleeds) in children. Cochrane Library. Issue 1. Oxford: Update Software, 2004. Shin EJ, Murr AH. Managing epistaxis. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000;8:37–42. Stankiewicz JA. Nasal endoscopy and control of epistaxis. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2004;12:43–5. Ahmed A, Woolford TJ. Endoscopic bipolar diathermy in the management of epistaxis: an effective and costefficient treatment. Clin Otolaryngol 2003;28:273– 275. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (TRUE (T)/FALSE (F); ANSWERS AT END OF REFERENCES) 1. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 2. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 3. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 4. (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) 5. (A) Possible causes of epistaxis include: Nasotracheal intubation Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) Hyperthyroidism Scurvy Pseudogout (chondrocalcinosis) The following steps are appropriate in the management of an 80 year old man with acute epistaxis: Pressure should be applied to the bridge of the nose to help stop bleeding After resuscitation, he should be examined in theatre under general anaesthetic A full blood count should be performed There is no need to check for ongoing bleeding if an anterior pack is inserted If he lives alone, he can be discharged home with a merocel nasal tampon in situ The following are recognised complications of nasal packing: Septal perforation Aspiration Hypoxia Optic nerve damage Epiphora In surgery for epistaxis: Local anaesthesia can be used for elderly patients Bipolar diathermy is safer The maxillary artery is normally approached endoscopically Removing a septal spur may help Ligation of the external carotid artery is useful as a last resort In the alternative management options for epistaxis: Angiographic embolisation has a similar success rate to arterial ligation www.postgradmedj.com (B) (C) (D) (E) Hot water irrigation is used for anterior bleeds Patients are normally admitted after endoscopic electrocautery A 0˚ Hopkin's rod is used in rigid endoscopy Bleeding recurs in 50% of cases when using fibrin glue ..................... Authors' affiliations L E R Pope, Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, UK C G L Hobbs, Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, St Michael's Hospital, Bristol, UK Funding: none. Competing interests: none. REFERENCES 1 Petruson B, Rudin R. The frequency of epistaxis in a male population sample. Rhinology 1975;13:129–33. 2 Watkinson JC. Epistaxis. In: Mackay IS, Bull TR, eds. Scott Brown's otolaryngology. London: Butterworths, 1997;18/5–7. 3 Thaha MA, Nilssen EL, Holland S, et al. Routine coagulation screening in the management of emergency admission for epistaxis—is it necessary? J Laryngol Otol 2000;114:38–40. 4 Corbridge RJ, Djazaeri B, Hellier WP, et al. A prospective randomised controlled trial comparing the use of merocel nasal tampons and BIPP in the control of acute epistaxis. Clin Otolaryngol 1995;20:305–7. 5 Holland NJ, Sandhu GS, Ghufoor K, et al. The Foley catheter in the management of epistaxis. Int J Clin Pract 2001;55:14–15. 6 Schietroma JJ, Tenzel RR. The effects of cautery on the optic nerve. Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg 1990;6:102–7. 7 Green KM, Board T, O'Keeffe LJ. Oculomotor nerve palsy following submucosal diathermy to the inferior turbinates. J Laryngol Otol 2000;114:285–6. 8 O'Flynn PE, Shadaba A. Management of posterior epistaxis by endoscopic clipping of the sphenopalatine artery. Clin Otolaryngol 2000;25:374–7. 9 Woolford TJ, Jones NS. Endoscopic ligation of anterior ethmoidal artery in treatment of epistaxis. J Laryngol Otol 2000;114:858–60. 10 Douglas SA, Gupta D. Endoscopic assisted external approach anterior ethmoidal artery ligation for the management of epistaxis. J Laryngol Otol 2003;117:132–3. 11 Strong EB, Bell DA, Johnson LP, et al. Intractable epistaxis: transantral ligation vs. embolization: efficacy review and cost analysis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1995;113:674–8. 12 Spafford P, Durham JS. Epistaxis: efficacy of arterial ligation and long-term outcome. J Otolaryngol 1992;21:252–6. 13 Sokoloff J, Wickbom I, McDonald D, et al. Therapeutic percutaneous embolization in intractable epistaxis. Radiology 1974;111:285–7. 14 Vitek J. Idiopathic intractable epistaxis: endovascular therapy. Radiology 1991;181:113–16. 15 Tseng EY, Narducci CA, Willing SJ, et al. Angiographic embolization for epistaxis: a review of 114 cases. Laryngoscope 1998;108:615–19. 16 Vaiman M, Segal S, Eviatar E. Fibrin glue treatment for epistaxis. Rhinology 2002;40:88–91. 17 Frikart L, Agrifoglio A. Endoscopic treatment of posterior epistaxis. Rhinology 1998;36:59–61. 18 McGarry GW. Nasal endoscope in posterior epistaxis: a preliminary evaluation. J Laryngol Otol 1991;105:428–31. 19 Ahmed A, Woolford TJ. Endoscopic bipolar diathermy in the management of epistaxis: an effective and cost-efficient treatment. Clin Otolaryngol 2003;28:273–5. 20 Shin EJ, Murr AH. Managing epistaxis. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000;8:37–42. 21 Stankiewicz JA. Nasal endoscopy and control of epistaxis. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2004;12:43–5. 22 Burton M, Doree C. Interventions for recurrent idiopathic epistaxis (nosebleeds) in children. Cochrane Library. Issue 1. Oxford: Update Software, 2004. 23 Srinivasan V, Patel H, John DG, et al. Warfarin and epistaxis: should warfarin always be discontinued? Clin Otolaryngol 1997;22:542–4. 24 Tay HL, Evans JM, McMahon AD, et al. Aspirin, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, and epistaxis. A regional record linkage case control study. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1998;107:671–4. ANSWERS 1. T, (B) T, (C) F, (D) T, (E) F; 2. F, (B) F, (C) T, (D) F, (E) F; 3. F, (B) T, (C) T, (D) F, (E) T; 4. T, (B) T, (C) F, (D) T, (E) T. 5; T, (B) F, (C) F, (D) T, (E) F. Postgrad Med J: first published as 10.1136/pgmj.2004.025007 on 5 May 2005. Downloaded from http://pmj.bmj.com/ on 11 August 2019 by guest. Protected by copyright. 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Erasing Boundaries And Drawing Boundaries
D.R. Nagaraj in his introduction to the Kannada translation of Sufi poetry narrates an incident from his childhood where a neighboring Muslim lady comes to his house, when there is a power cut, and while talking to his mother tells a story. The story is this: In the city of Baghdad a man brought a snake which died in the cold to the sunlight and with the touch of sunlight the snake came back to life and bit people around and killed them. D.R. Nagaraj then cuts his narrative to his college days where one evening while in the library of Central College, Bangalore, he found the same/ similar story of the Baghdad and snake in Jalaluddin Rumi's book 'Masnawi'. D.R. Nagaraj after having read the same/ similar story in a text of Rumi wonders how an illiterate lady who never crossed the boundaries of Doddaballapura taluk had heard of a story about Baghdad written by Rumi.
This wonder of D.R. Nagaraj reverberates with an observation made by Rahamat Tarikere in his seminal work 'Karanatakada Sufigalu' where in the introduction he writes, "Sufism was local/ native and universal at the same time and these two spheres had a healthy give and take relationship."
Sufism, to me, not just crossed boundaries, like the boundaries of local and universal, literate and illiterate, but also erased and blurred boundaries. I will try to illustrate the argument with two more examples: one of Hindustani music and another of Hindustani language.
The word Hindustani originates in the word 'Sindhu' which refers to the Indus River. Literally it means divider, though not separator. So the story of Hindustani music is the story of the two sides of the river which came together. What today is the defining element of the Hindustani music, the Khyal was introduced by the father of Hindustani music Amir Khusro, a Sufi! Prior to that Dhrupad in the native and Taraana in the Persian family of music depended heavily on pure music with mostly dummy words or phonemes. With introducing Khyal the Sufis married music and poetry.
It was the nomadic Sufis, who in their travelling picked up languages, brought dialects Braj, Bhojpuri, Avadh, Kadi Boli, Persian, Arabic all together and formed the Hindawi or Hindustani language.
While meditating about Hindustani music and the language Hindustani, to my mind's eye it appeared like they are not just merging boundaries and blurring the boundaries but more importantly also fighting the idea of purity. They dint let languages be purely themselves, they dint let poetry and music be just themselves. They caused amalgamation. Today when we look at our history and the history of the present we realize that it's the idea of purity- at various level- which slips into fundamentalism, untouchability, fascism, fanaticism etc which are harmful to harmonious co-existence of humans. By battling this idea of purity and by initiating amalgamation the Sufis created an atmosphere for harmonious life.
Because Sufism, as said earlier, is not just crossing boundaries but also erasing, merging and blurring boundaries it becomes difficult to put one's finger on Sufism itself and say 'this is Sufism'. It starts resembling into the Baul tradition, to the Vachana tradition, to the Varkari tradition, to the Bhakti tradition etc. Lets see two examples:
Hazrat Inayat Khan, a Sufi, who was the great grandson of Tippu Sultan in one of his poem titled The Sufi writes,
His Body Is The Mosque, His Rosary
The Rhythmic Breath, The Holy Kaaba Shrine
Is Built Within The Sufi's Secret Heart.
This resonates with Basavanna's vachana:
The rich build the Shiva temple
What can I a poor man do?
My legs themselves are pillars,
My body itself the temple O Father
My head is the golden cupola O Father
Listen O Father Kudalasangammadeva
The standing has its end But not the moving.
Bulleh Shah's 'mursheed' was one Inayat Shah Qadiri. The story of him finding his 'mursheed' says that once while in search for a 'mursheed' Bulleh Shah was tired and hence sat under a tree in a mango orchard. He was hungry and hence he invoked the name of God and the mango fell on his lap. When he about to eat it the gardner- Inayat Shah Qadiri- came to him and said, "You have stolnen the mango." To this Bulleh Shah explained that he had not stolen. But Inayat Shah Qadiri did not listen to him and said, "Invoking the name of God, you got the mango. You have committed theft." Bulleh Shah is said to have realized the spiritual power of Inayat Shah Qadiri at that point and requested Inayat Shah Qadiri to have him as his 'mureed'.
There is an emphasis to human labour more than prayer here in this story of Bulleh Shah and his mursheedInayat Shah Qadiri. A similar story is there from the vachana movement. It's the story of one Nuliya Chandayya, a vachanakaara.
Once while Nuliya Chandayya was indulged in labour the icon/idol of Shiva tied to his arm fell down deliberately to test him. Chandayya left it behind and walked ahead. The icon/idol cried to Nuliya Chandayya asking him to carry it. Nuliya Chandayya declared that if the idol/icon wanted to be with him then it must toil with him and engage in day to day life, labour and world. The idol/icon agreed and Nuliya Chandayya picked it up.
There is a resonance of a similar outlook, similar philosophy.
So yeah Sufism thus while blurring, merging, erasing and crossing barriers, merges, blurs, erases and crosses its own barrier. But in simple it can be understood that Sufism is a 'saadhana'.
It's a philosophy which said 'Anal haq' meaning "I am God/ truth" (Hussain Mansoor Al-Hallaj). We should also note two terms that Rumi used: Al-Haq and Al-Hakeekha which mean, "Ultimate truth" and "worldly truth". Both were important for Rumi and Sufis for it is through the latter that the earlier can be achieved, they believed. Because the worldly truth was the door way to the ultimate truth they did not look down upon the worldly truths.
Hence the body was body and temple at the same time. Breath was a rosary and a breath at the same time.
The Sindh region of the undivided India was heavily influenced by the Sufi culture. Here the identities of the people were fluid and porous religious identities, thanks to the Sufi influence on the region. The two communities with their fluid identities lived in harmony. But the political developments between 1920 and 1947 hardened their identities and not just that but also turned them against each other.
Between 1920and 1947 the political work of Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League ensured that the fluid identity got solidified and thus made way for the breaking of a harmonious life in the region. But prior to Hindu Mahasabha it was the Arya Samaj which made the hardening of identities possible. It is on the foundation constructed by Arya Samaj that the Hindu Mahasabha built it palace. Arya Samaj under the leadership of Pandit Lekhraj and Pandit Puran Anand made a concentrated effort to stop "Hindus" from "converting" to "Islam." They introduced a ritual called 'shuddhi' (purification) by which converted "Hindus" could be brought back to Hinduism. They also introduced an event called 'behas-baazi' which was sort of a debate between two communities about scriptures. These 'behas-baazi', held regularly, are said to have intensified the division between the two communities.
Prior to Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League there were other organizations operating in the Sidh region like, Sindh Muhammed Association that began operating in 1885, Sindh Zamindar Association which began operating in 1886 and Sidh Madrasa Board which began operating in 1885. But all these associations were formed to demand separation of Sindh from Bombay Province. Importantly the membership for these associations was not restricted to any particular community. But the membership for Hindu Mahasabha was restricted to Hindus only and the membership of Muslim League was restricted for Muslims only. The hardening of identities and the hate politics broke the harmony in Sindh region to the extent that a number of riots took place in the region between the two communities before Independece and it was in Sindh that the question of partition was first raised (1938) and it was in the Sindh region that the first resolution supporting the demand for Pakistan was taken (1942).
What led to the division of a region also led to the division of a culture, a tradition. One can clearly see in this example how drawing of boundaries erases Sufi culture and also erases harmony.
A similar example can be the poetry of Bulleh Shah in post-Independence Pakistan and India. The language used by Bulleh Shah was a Punjabi which was people's Punjabi first used in literature by Baba Farid. In the times after partition in the Indian Punjab the language Punjabi was becoming more and more Sanskritized and Hindi'ized while in Pakistan the language Punjabi was being Persianized and Arabisized. This purification of language made Bulleh Shah, his poetry and his philosophy distant from people and inaccessible!
Every idea of such purification, every boundary drawn is a wound made on the body of Sufism, a scar on the body of Sufism.
I have to narrate two stories:
Anis Kidwai was a social worker who was volunteering at the Puraana Qila (Delhi), where stood a refugee camp, in the days following the partition. In her book Aazaadi Ki Chaaon Mein (In The Shade of Freedom) she narrates an incident where a man comes to her, at the Puraana Qila and asks her if she can spare five minutes. Anis asks the man what the matter is and the man says, "I am a qawwal, can I please sing a qawwali. I will take only five minutes." Anis Kidwai doesn't encourage the qawwal, because of the circumstances. Qawwali was a gift of Sufism. The man couldn't sing not just because the times were bad but also because the atmosphere of singing a music that stemmed from a syncretic culture had lost that atmosphere too. He wanting to sing was also an attempt to keep that atmosphere that culture alive.
Once a Baul singer, (Baul was a kind of Sufism, heavily influenced by Sufism) named Sadanand Khyapa, in Bengal crossed the border of Bangladesh to make a visit to Kushthiya, birth place of Lalan Fakir. He was soon arrested after crossing the border. In the police station he explained the purpose of his visit to an Inspector named Nasiruddin who immediately made a request to Sadanand. He asked Sadanand to sing a keertan. Sadanand, as documented by Sumanta Banerjee, is said to have sung for hours with Nasiruddin listening to him with closed eyes. Once Sadnand finished singing, Nasiruddin said, "Can you imagine for how many years I haven't heard a keertan? Ever since you people left for Hindustan, we lost our chance to listen to keertans."
In a scenario where boundaries have been drawn a singer longs to sing but cannot sing and a listener longs to listen but cannot listen (to songs). While erasing of boundaries, merging of boundaries, crossing of boundaries makes way for new language, new music, new stories and a new way of life which is filled with harmony. Hence I said, every boundary drawn is a wound made on the body of Sufism.
When I was in Delhi there were few places which I used to visit frequently. Gandhi Samadhi, Ghalib Haweli, Hazrat Nizamudding Dargah and Hazrat Kalim-Ullah Dargah. Today when I look back at those places I realize that they had so many things in common! While Gandhi Samadhi, Ghalib Haweli, Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah is quite known to many Hazrat Kalim-Ullah is not as popular as the others. It is located opposite the Red Fort. The myth says that during the Aurangazeb regime Yamuna crossed its border and the flood disrupted the life of Delhi. The river Yamuna was later tamed by the prayer of Hazrat Kalim-Ullah.
Today again the life is disturbed because Yamuna is, metaphorically, overflowing. It is overflowing because some forces have stopped it from flowing and reaching Ganga. The merging of Ganga and Yamuna is not happening. It has been stopped. Hence Yamuna is overflowing and disturbing life. Now we must make a duaa to Hazrat Kalim-Ullah to tame Yamuna and make it flow freely and meet the Ganga and ensure a harmonious Ganga-Jamini culture in this soil of Sufis!
[This speech was prepared for the Sufi-Saint-Harmony seminar organized by Rangayana, Mysore as a part of their yearly Bahuroopi festival. I sincerely thank Rangaayana for the invitation and the opportunity. Sincere and heartfelt thanks also to my 'mursheed' Rahamat Tarikere who suggested my name to Rangaayana and made this possible with the love and faith that he has invested in me.]
Autobiography Of Bombay Cinema
Around two years ago (March 2012), as a part of their even management course, a set of students in Manipal decided to organize a film festival- Cinephilia- a run through to the centenary celebrations of Indian cinema. I was approached by the students and also asked by their faculty coordinator to help the students out. In a series of meetings we decided which films have to be screened. In one of the initial meetings I suggested that because Bombay cinema (bollywood) is also a part of the great tradition of Indian cinema there has to be a representation from Bombay cinema and preferably a masala film. The students agreed to this but just laughed when I said one the best representation of Bombay cinema (masala) is Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om and suggested it be screened. They thought I was not serious while taking the name of Om Shanti Om in the same breath as the names of Agraharathil Kazhutai, Ajantrik etc. But I was serious.
This blog post is a promise made to those student friends first and then to several other friends who also laughed when I told them I adore the film and am serious about it while saying it.
Probably the film Om Shanti Om appears like a not so serious film when kept along with other so called serious films. But Om Shanti Om is also a serious film which is serious about itself and serious in its own right. And one should see it not in comparison to other so called serious films but see it from where it locates itself.
In a particular scene in the film we hear a film director being instructed by the producer to get done with the shoot on that very day. Then immediately the director, played by Satish Sha, jumps to say, proudly, he has three cameras: one Satyajit Ray angle, one Bimal Roy angle and one Guru Dutt angel. The producer then asks him to have "one Manmohan Desai angle." In the very next scene, where Om (SRK) is injured after rescuing Shanti (Deepika), his friend angrily tells him that had his face got burnt his dream of being a hero would have gone down the drain and the only possibility would have been available would be to act in Ramsay films.
It is this exchange of dialogues, which distances from certain kind of films, and the interception of the film narrative with films from the past in the songs- Dhum Tana and the song for the opening titled cards, from Karz, which are pointers at where the film is locating itself.
The "yenna rascala" scene being a sheer enactment and not 'real' within the cine-truth is also a way in which the film distances itself from another kind of cinema.
It locates itself within mainstream popular masala Bombay cinema and tells us a story of not just Om and Shanti but also about Bombay cinema. Filmmaking and the film industry and the ecosystem of cinema, which is more than art and commerce in this country, are not mere backdrops in Om Shanti Om. The film is about them for the way in which the story is woven. It according to me is the autobiography of Bombay cinema which, like its end credits which reveals the faces of the generally known but invisible hands- from director producer actors technicians to the spot boys, makes visible/ reveals various aspects of Bombay cinema including its production, shifts in production methods, its history, its journey, its epic nature, its texture, its stereotypes, its style, its myths, its superstition, its gossips, its undercurrents, its magic.
This autobiography in its narration both celebrates and ridicules Bombay cinema, in a very lovable and playful manner.
Such a film, which is a delight for the lovers of Bombay cinema, could be possible only by a close observer and a "will-swear-by-bollywood" kind of fan. Farah Khan. There you go. Opening scene. Rishi Kapoor throws his jacket, from the 1980 film Karz, which lands on Om, played by Shahrukh Khan. Next to him is the director of the film Farah Khan, closely watching the (imaginary) shooting of the film Karz, watching the people involved- like actors, director, cinematographer etc- and also watching the audience craze while enjoying the number "Om Shanti Om." The Director defines her role more as a fan who is observing and enjoying every bit of Bombay cinema.
The jacket thrown by a 1980 film is caught by a 2007 film. The 2007 film hero jumps on the 1980 stage and starts dancing to t tune. The 2007 film heroine is romancing with yesteryear heroes. All these speak of the continuous interaction Om Shanti Om is having with Bombay cinema itself, its history and its style. The family of films are giving a lot, like the coat, to Om Shanti Om which is happily receiving from the tradition it belongs to and is happily dancing in the setting of the tradition and also recreating a similar choreograph and similar setting to tell a story. In this interaction and participation Om Shanti Om is not just celebrating but also slightly mocking at its own setting.
Like the 'Bala Kanda' of Valmiki's Ramayan by and through its very narrative itself, where Narada tells the story of Ramayan to Valmiki who then tells it to Lava and Kusha who later tell the story to Rama, reveals the oral and multiple telling of the tale, Om Shanti Om in the very beginning by and through its narrative reveals its nature like how it is borrowing from other sources and making reference to other telling of the story, reveals that it is about films, filmmaking, the craze around films, it is about a star and fan interaction (throwing and catching of the coat) and then begins to tell the story of Om and Shanti.
Like the story of Ramayana is told to the protagonist himself, by Lava and Kusha, in Om Shanti Om the story of past is told (reminded), by the dead studio, to Om, the protagonist. The film, like the multiple telling ofRamayana, is telling a story which every audience is familiar with but with some alteration. In that sense the film has an epic kind of quality to it. Like there are many telling of the epics, Om Shanti Om, not just tells an already known story but also tells it thrice in the same film: First half, second half and the song Daastan-E-Om Shanti Omwhich tells the story again within the film. It's a retelling also when located within the tradition of Bombay cinema story telling and also within itself it has its own retellings. Like any retelling where the power structure shift and idea of justice is questioned and restored the film in its second half turns the power structure of the story told in the first half and the justice is done.
Like Rama of Ramayana who is controlled by fate Om Prakash Makhija is controlled by fate and Om Kapoor like Krishna of the Mahabharath is controlling things around. Krishna is a reincarnation of Rama and Om Kapoor is a reincarnation of Om Prakash Makhija. Like Krishna Om Kapoor too has the agenda of "Dharma samstaapana," which is restoring justice.
In spite of all these similarities to the Indian epics Om Shanti Om doesn't fall much on mythologies or the epics. There is no Rama archetype no Karna archetype. The cinemas of Bombay are the archetype for Om Shanti Om. [This forces us to ask ourselves if the popular cinema of Bombay is the third epic of this country?]
Kundan Shah once said something interesting. "I believe every director makes a single film, makes it again and again. Guru Dutt made a film about a tortured poet in Pyaasa, a tortured film director in Kaagaz ke Phool, a tortured woman in Saahib Bibi aur Ghulam." Bombay popular cinema has done that for long. Telling the same story again and again but in a different way. There is a popular myth about Salim-Javed's screenplay Deewaar. Saleem-Javed had written the screenplay of Deewaar and were pitching it to producers. The two called Gulshan Rai the producer of film saying they wanted to pitch an idea. The producer who was in a hurry said, "I can spare only two minutes. You will have to tell the story in two minutes." When said so, Javed sahib, who was on the other side of the phone said, "Two minutes? I will narrate in two sentences." Gulshan Rai was intrigued by this and gave an appointment on the following day his interest being more on the two sentence story than the story itself. When Javed Saheb went to Gulshan Rai's office on the next day he was reminded by Gulshan Rai that he had to narrate the story in only two sentences. Javed Sahib with his trademark smile said, "Yeah I know," and said, "First half Mother India, second half Ganga Jamuna." Gulshan Rai produced Deewaar (for both the films MI and GJ were successful at the box office.)
So Bombay Cinema has been packaging same stories in different packages. The package and retelling has a lot to do with the era in which it is being packaged. This element of Bombay Cinema is revealed in Om Shanti Om. When Pappu, before the climax, says, "Karz jaise climax dikhaake," it is making clear reference to a similar story once told before. But this time it is being said as a different story and in a different manner. Now look at the scene in Om Shanti Om where Om Kapoor enters the set of film for shooting and the Director of the film narrates the story of the film which sounds like a nauseating melodrama which has been heard several times. Realizing that the story needs a new way of narration Om makes a suggestion. Dard-E-Disco. It is retelling of the same emotion- dard (pain) – in a new tongue, a new style: disco.
The change in style is not limited to the expression but also to the way in which films are made. The medium has seen a lot of technological advancements over the years. The way flying has been shot in the 'enna rascala' scene and in the 'muhobbat man' scene show the advancement of technology and that technique of filmmaking. The shift is also shown in the location of shooting. The film begins in an era where films are made in studio. The studio burns yes but that it is an indicator of the studio era coming to an end. When film is shot again in the same setting it is because the Director wanted a "real location." The studio has ended and real location shooting has begun. There is a shift.
The shift in acting styles are also seen in the way Om Prakash Makhija's mother Bela Makhija acts while "acting" and the way in which Shanti and Om Prakash acts and later on Om Kapoor acts. These are all located in three different periods which were marked by different styles of acting. Though all belong to the same family (of cinema) the styles are entire different.
Film publicity is also a part of the film culture of this nation. Over the years there have been changes in that element too which is hinted in the hand painted hoarding of Sholay and Dreamy Girl in the first half which is replaced by hoardings in flex.
Though there are these shifts and changes there are a common thread that connects Bombay cinema even when its history is spread across decades. Though Om Prakash dies and Om Kapoor comes into being the 'soul' is the same. The fire that kills one body is the phobia of another person, the fear being carried across life, keeping memories alive. The expression is different (disco) when the dard is the same and even when it is a disco the words are such as 'gulposhi', 'sargoshi', 'junoon', anjuman', 'ranjish' which is Urdu the language of Bombay cinema songs. Even when the body changes the soul remains the same.
The Dard-E-Disco scene brings forth another element i.e. star domination and intervention in storytelling to suit their stardom. Whether it is true or not, the myth of it exists and that myth is captured by the film. The stardom of an actor demands he repeats himself, to create a certain kind of stereotype. And actors start doing it to fuel their stardom being completely aware of their stardom. So Om Kapoor who says, "I am a star," and his "Iss desh ki har maa mujhey apna beta samajhti hai" kind of popularity is seen in his Filmfare nomination repeating his acts mannerism and dialogues in his films which has become his trademark. This is a classic scene for here one sees Shah Rukh Khan ridiculing himself. This repetition of oneself is not the same as signature. Every actor has a signature which is different and Om Shanti Om makes a reference to that in its mockery of Manoj Kumar and in the song Deewangi where Dharmendar, Mithun Chakravarthy and others come and dance in their signature manner.
In contrast to the star domination in the story of Om Kapoor the audience see the Producer- Mukesh Mehra- being dominating and final word in the story of Om Prakash Makhija. The Producer not just dictates the Director but also is powerful to burn an actress- Shanti- to death. But the matters change in the second half of the film. The Producer is being dominated by the star- Om Kapoor- and it's the star who is dictating terms. In the press meet the star is seen in the centre and the producer is in the sides and the director more to the side. While this indicates at the changing power equations within the industry it also speaks of how finally a producer needs to be convinced, like Salim-Javed convincing Gulshan Rai by making reference to the revenue success of the filmsMother India and Ganga Jamuna, the producer Mukesh Mehra alias Mike (everyone in Hollywood calls so) needs to be convinced by Om Kapoor alias OK (everyone in Bollywood calls so) to make Om Shanti Om again.
It is interesting to note that a film which mocks actors, music directors (Bappi Lahiri), films, styles etc doesn't ridicule the Producer much but more than ridiculing has a Producer as its villain. Cinema is an industrial art. Is the association of this art to an industrial set up its curse? Is the industrial aspect of cinema the villain to the art aspect of cinema?
The only attempt in making fun of the Producer is in the dard-e-disco scene where it is hinted in passing that the Producer is having an affair with a young actress. The same is repeated in Mukesh Mehra who is shown being flirtatious with Dolly (Om Kapoor's "childhood friend.") These are myths and gossips among the audience of this nation. Not completely myths and gossips always but also with some proofs in history. One example being that of Sajid Nadiadwala and Divya Bharathi. There were gossips and still are about Sajid Nadiadwala being responsible for the death of Divya Bharathi. The truth is known to none. Interestingly Mukesh Mehra plays a role in the death of Shanti and the truth is not known to anyone, in public and slowly the matter erodes of public memory.
While touching on gossips about plagiarism within the Industry through the Junior Barjatiya who is making a note of a dialogue uttered by Om Prakash and telling Senior Barjatiya that he is dialogues, Om Shanti Om also makes references to Bombay cinema history.
History is invoked not just in recreation of Kagaz Kay Phool's beginning shot or by making references to films of the bygone era like Sholay (hoarding), Dream Girl (as Dreamy Girl), or by reference to actors of the yesteryears but also by invoking the history of Nargis being saved by Sunil Dutt during the shooting of Mother India and that fire lighting the lamp of love in their hearts! History is invoked also by making Shabana Azmi say she is "protesting against the demolition of slum." History is invoked through the dialogue of Mukesh Mehra saying Shantipriya that her career will come to an end if she announces she is married. There are plenty of examples from Bombay cinema where actress have stopped acting or have been offered no roles after their wedding. The dialogue invokes the memory of all those actress. History is invoked also in the song Dhoom-Tana and also in the reference made to the film Sachcha Jhoota film being shot.
These are not just decorative elements but also a tribute to Bombay cinema by Om Shanti Om. Even when the producer in the film- Mukhesh Mehra- looks down at Guru Dutt the film pays tribute by opening the film the wayKagaz Kay Phool begins and then showing Om Kapoor and Sandy meet in a way that reminds the shot of Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman captured by V.K. Murthy. It's a tribute to both Guru Dutt and V.K. Murthy. The songDeewaangi is a tribute to several actors of Bombay cinema. The interview scene before the Filmfare awards is a tribute to some more film personalities.
The end credit is a tribute to makers of Om Shanti Om itself where even the spot boys appear on the screen. Like the end credits the narrative of Om Shanti Om is also a tribute to the small actors of the Bombay Cinema. The protagonist is a side actor. When we see Om Kapoor and Pappu standing near the flex hoarding of Om himself, where once a hand written painting of Shanti stood, we are drawn to the similarity between the vanished small actor- Pappu and the artist who once did the publicity paintings of films, who has been overshadowed by something more glossy and who the history has forgotten conveniently. The disappearance of an artist involved in film culture if not in film arts is brought to focus. It's a tribute to that invisible artist who played an important role in film culture.
The film pays tribute to Sholay by repeating the dialogue of Veeru, "iss mein drama hai action hai emotion hai," to Amar Akbar Anthony through the locket on Om Prakash, to Mughal-E-Azam by mentioning it as a film which was offered to Om Prakash's mother Bela Makhija.
The film pays tribute the techniques of cinema too in showing the back projection of scenery in front of which films are shot (Main Agar Kahoon), the artificial ways in which rain storm etc are created (Jag Soona Soona Lagey) and the editing techniques (insertion of Sandy's shots into the scene of Dolly) other than the 'yennarascala' scene and the 'muhobbat man' scene which has been mentioned earlier. It is these techniques which blur the line between the real and the reel and its this blurring line which absorbs the audience in. This blurring line comes out in the narrative when the real Shanti and unreal Shanti, during the last scene, play with the minds of the audience and thus making the audience inquisitive and absorbed single mindedly more than even in the film.
Even when revealing the techniques used by cinema to create magic Om Shanti Om in its narrative, while trying to create a make believe Shanti for Mukesh Mehra alias Mike, indicates that beyond all the plan made and beyond all the technical support there is a mysterious element which makes things happen: chandelier fall, which makes the photo frame catch fire even when the wire has got disconnected. The mysterious element, which makes cinema work or not work, is something which nobody has even been able to master. It just happens. There is this magic element to cinema. This magic element of cinema is invisible and unknown and is beyond all. A successful Director can make a horrible film, a successful actor's film might flop. The magic/ success sutra is not known to anyone. Films at one level are not made but just happen. The magic is always a mystery.
Because nobody knows the magic sutra, there are always attempts in trying to control the cosmic powers. Acts like breaking of coconuts before the shooting is one, the superstition of changing of names is another, practiced majorly by actors by adding extra letters to their names. This is captured in the beginning of the film where Govinda Ahuja is asked to change the name and so is Om Prakash.
The suggestion of changing name from Pappu to Om Prakash is also an indicator of the family rule in the Bombay Cinema. The Kapoors, the Chopras etc. This hints at the advantage of having father or a grandfather in the industry and lobby within the industry. Even Om Kapoor, after winning the Filmfare award, asks, "Agar main Om Kapoor is jagha koi maamooli Om hota toh kya hota?"
There is a magic element to cinema in this country that is not just limited to its success or failure. Cinema itself is a magic which makes people build temples for film stars, kill oneself for film stars, for films etc. In Om Shanti Om the audience craze is shown in multiple ways. In Farah Khan, the director herself, dancing like crazy for the Karzsong, Om being in complete awe of Shanti to the extent of having a conversation with her poster, his mother Bela Makhija referring to the poster as daughter in law, Sandy being in love with Om Kapoor to the level of fainting while seeing him in flesh and blood.
This craze is interlinked with the kind of make-belief created by cinema and that being bought by the audience. When Mukesh Mehra asks, "reincarnation pe iss zamaaney mein yakeen kaun karega?" Om Kapoor says, "yakeen toh sirf tumhe dilaana hai." Mukesh is the audience of Om in his make-belief Shanti drama. For this make belief drama when he chooses Sandy he tells her his story of reincarnation saying he doubts if she would believe the story. To this Sandy says she, "jab tu pachaas manzil ke building se koodtey ho main yakeen karti hoon, jab tum sau goondon ko ek saath maartey ho main yakeen karti hoon, jab tum hawaa mein udtey ho, paani pe chaltey ho main yakeen karti hoon. Tumne yeh kaise soch liya kay main yeh yakeen nahi karungi?" This is similar to Om Prakash conversing with an unreal (poster) of Shanti as if she is real, believing it to be real. This shows the involvement of the audience in cinema, their faith and belief in the characters and actors as real which is an incredible phenomenon in Indian cinema culture.
Amitabh Bachan once remembered an incident where he asked his father Harivanshrai Bachan, a renowned poet, that he enjoys the most about Bombay cinema. To the question Harivanshrai Bachan answered as, "It gives poetic justice within three hours." That has been a great characteristic of Bombay cinema. In the last scene ofOm Shanti Om Mukesh Mehra asks Om Kapoor, "where is the evidence" and to Om Kapoor it looks like an end of the case. But cinema provides a poetic justice. The idea of justice in the court of Bombay cinema has been poetic justice. Om Shanti Om documents that quality of Bombay cinema too.
Like Om Shanti Om tells its own story- the canteen owner asking, "iss janam mein ki agley janam mein?", the mother saying, "mera beta hero jaroor banega," Om Prakash telling the Shantipriya poster, "unn sey keh dena iss baar unhe main chod diya, tumhaari khaatir. agli baar kisi janam mein agar unse paala pad gaya na…"Om Prakash pointing at Rajesh Kapoor's house and saying, "Jab main star banunga toh yeh bunglow khareedoonga." – it also tells the story of Bombay Cinema. Like the revelation of Om Shanti Om's story comes from within, the story of Bombay cinema comes from within (Bombay Cinema)
The film Om Shanti Om hints at all of the inner stories of Bombay cinema- its gossips, its history, its superstition, its myths, its relation with audience, the audience craze, the culture of it etc- making itself a peephole into Bombay cinema. The way Om Prakash hears and sees the inside story of Mukesh Mehra and Shantipriya, we hear and see the inside stories and the sociology of Bombay cinema through Om Shanti Om. With this the film without us realizing makes a hint at the voyeuristic quality of cinema.
All in all Om Shanti Om is a celebration, with a pinch of ridicule, of Bombay cinema. It is a document of cinema culture in this country. It is a tribute to Bombay cinema. It is a story located in Bombay cinema. It is a story of Bombay cinema told by Bombay cinema. It is the autobiography of Bombay cinema.


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TRIO ALEZSKY features Paulo Eskitch, violin; Allyson Eskitch, piano; and Lou Lynch, cello. Paulo Eskitch is a graduate of the University of Kansas. Paulo currently performs with the Signature Symphony at TCC, the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, and Trio Tulsa. Allyson Eskitch also graduated from the University of Kansas, and then continued with a MM in piano performance from the Peabody Institute. Currently Ms. Eskitch resides in Tulsa, OK where she teaches piano at the University of Tulsa and Barthelmes Conservatory. Lou Lynch graduated from the Cincinnati Conservatory and obtained a MM from the Missouri Conservatory in Kansas City. He continues to perform with the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra.
The July 28th reception is provided by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
The Sheerar Museum of Stillwater History's Cool Classics Summer Concert Series is FREE and hits the stage every Friday night at 7:30 starting on July 7th and running through July 28th. Lasting approximately one hour, the concerts are followed by a reception. There is wine and punch, and with the auditorium's capacity of 200 being pushed for all four performances, it is wise to arrive early for the first-come, first-serve seating.


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"The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights announced this week that it will look into how new immigration laws in Georgia and several other states are affecting people's civil rights.
The commission plans to review whether enforcement of the laws has fostered or contributed to an increase in hate crimes, compromised public safety, elevated racial and ethnic profiling or affected students rights to a public education, according to a news release. Chairman Martin Castro said enactment of the laws 'presents a pressing national civil rights issue that affects immigrants and U.S. citizens alike.' " Read More


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Welcome to the latest edition of Workout Wednesday! I am really excited to introduce you to my new strength training for runners program* that encompasses both running and strength training.
Runners often want to start strength training to improve their performance but are not sure how to fit it all in. If you want to try a strength training program that compliments your running program and doesn't take up eight days a week, this is for you.
Many years ago, before I was a trainer, I went to see a trainer in the gym. I was a runner and I had heard that strength training would help my running, so I enlisted an expert to help me. Except he wasn't the expert I had in mind. When I told him that I ran, he shook his head in disapproval while mumbling something about bad knees. When I did a squat as part of my assessment he told me he could tell I had early arthritis of the knee (that was 10 years ago. I don't have any such thing). He called me 'sweetie' one too many times and I left the gym frustrated and annoyed. I was going to him for help, but couldn't give me the help I wanted.
I want to be that help for you. I want to encourage you to run and I promise to never call you sweetie. I want to help you run better, faster, more efficiently and while reducing the chance of injury. Some experts will tell you running is bad for you. I say if it is done responsibly, with the proper volume and intensity for your skill level, then running is a great exercise for most healthy people. Some people just need a little help understanding what the proper volume (amount of time/days in a training period) and intensity (how fast/how hard) should be. One of the biggest mistakes that new runners make is doing too much too soon.
Whether you are a new runner just starting out who wants to do it right the first time (what's that like? hah) or a more experienced runner who wants to improve efficency and speed by adding strength training, I am here to help.
*Here's the thing, I haven't written the program out yet. It's all still in my head. The idea is to build a structured program that encompasses your regular running routine and includes strength training without taking up every second of your spare time. Sounds great, right? I need to go through the program myself before I share it with you. I would never give a workout to a client that I hadn't done myself.
I may have mentioned that I still work full time at my marketing job. I also write this blog and another one called Running with Ollie. I am taking on nutrition and personal training clients and I teach a bootcamp in my spare time. Oh yeah, I am also a wife and a dog mom and I keep my house totally spotless (just kidding about that last one). I spend most of my weekends writing these blogs, walking my dog...and not cleaning my house.
I've wanted to write this program for a long time, but I don't have time. Or do I? I seriously considered taking a week off of work to write it, take picture, make graphics, calendars, etc., but I decided on another route. Since I write this blog each week anyway (aka most of my weekend devoted to it) I thought I would release the program in stages, for free, to my blog readers. I will write the program each week and you can follow along if you subscribe to this blog. Once it is complete I will put the whole thing together on a PDF and offer it for download, maybe for a small fee. Follow along to get the slow drip blog version for free.
(I'm following my own advice here. I want to do something big and it seems overwhelming, so I am breaking it down to smaller, easier, more manageable chunks of work in a way that feels comfortable to me, blogging. How can apply you this same principle to some big goal that you want to achieve?)
There will be three phases of the program, each lasting one month. We will start at the beginning to build a running and strength foundation. We'll talk about exactly what that entails. After the 12 weeks, you will be a stronger, faster, less-prone-to-injury runner.
It will include running workouts, short and efficient strength training workouts complete with a flexible training calendar for you to follow. We'll talk about goals, recovery and nutrition along the way, all important parts of any program.
Are you in? Subscribe to this blog to get weekly updates on the progress on the program. Follow along as I write it, try it out and give me feedback as we go. Get in on a ground floor.
Here is a sneak peak at how the first week will look. Next week I will go into more detail on day one: easy run + strength training A. This will include what 'easy run' means and the specifics of the workout. I hope you'll follow along.
Like this post? It helps me a lot when you share with your friends and followers on social media.


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ab·so·lu·tion by Ava Harrison
I was done with love.
When I opened my heart, it was for the men I couldn't have.
The unattainable ones.
The ones who would hurt me.
A vicious cycle I couldn't seem to stop.
But I had a new resolve.
Focus on my career.
Stay single.
And then I met him.
Jace Montgomery.
A wounded widower with two young kids.
He was exactly everything I was avoiding.
So I did my best to stay away.
But then he kissed me.
And I fell.
Hard for a man who would never be mine…
A man who was broken beyond repair.
A man who would break me.


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We may think that today's economy is to blame on the last four years of White House administration, with the headlines and blaring news reports on cable news stations. However, we must dig deeper, and look longer at solutions than just four years or eight a lot of.
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