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My favorite comic strip, "Pickles" has done it again. They say what millions of us are thinking...but, with a sense of humor.
It seems as if Snuggies have now become a part of our culture!
Experiencing the joy of being a grandmother of four...along with my observances of "Life" and all of its many challenges, joys....and, blessings.
My favorite comic strip, "Pickles" has done it again. They say what millions of us are thinking...but, with a sense of humor.
It seems as if Snuggies have now become a part of our culture!
Thanks to Owen's rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame", I now have that song playing over and over again in my head. Adam told me that the daycare ladies even sent a note home with Owen the other day telling them that he was singing it all day in daycare and that they couldn't get it out of their heads!!
Note to Adam and Jenny: teach him another song real soon! : )
The countdown begins for when my whole 'crew' will be heading to Grammie's house! SIXTEEN more days....but, who's counting?!!!! I will have all three grandkids here all at one time....oh, yeah, and, their parent's too. : )
I am busily borrowing some baby items from other grandma's and getting ready for my four days of heaven. Can't wait to get them all in my arms!!!!!!!
The pollen is out in full force right now! Looking out my window this morning, I see a sea of yellow all over my pool cover. That can only mean one thing....allergy season is upon us...Ah choo!
My wonderful birds are eating me out of house and home! There are so many of them dining out at "Grammie's Cafe and Spa" lately that they go through my bird food ridiculously quickly. This is starting to really cost me a lot of money. Anyone know where I can get large amounts of wild bird food for "cheep, cheep"?
Sorry, I couldn't resist...
Well, the basketball final four has finally been determined. Now, I don't want to brag, but in the family pool, I am actually in first place!
Of course, the fact that I entered 7 different choices to everyone else's one or two wouldn't have anything to do with that, would it?
Hey, a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do, right?
As I down my 10 morning vitamins each day, I can't help but wonder if these supplements really work? Every day there is a new study out there in the medical field about whether these products are really doing any good...or, if we are just wasting our money. It seems that one day they are telling us that product 'A' is really helpful....only to find out months later that it maybe isn't so good after all.
They have even confused me on the wine/no wine issue. I was joyful when we were told to drink red wine and it will do wonders for your cardiovascular system. So, I did...strictly for medical reasons, of course. : )
Now, the red wine story is starting to sound very different with links to other diseases, etc. Aaagh.
It's enough to drive a person to drink...
And, then there is chocolate...Why does
bitter dark chocolate have to be the one that is good for us???? Why couldn't they do a study on smooth, creamy milk chocolate. Take M & M's for example. How about testing them for good health....I bet that they are good for something!
I'd even volunteer for that study... : )
Have a nice Monday! xoxo
"The days come and go like muffled and veiled figures sent from a distant friendly party, but they say nothing, and if we do not use the gifts they bring, they carry them as silently away..."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
After a long night of heavy rain, the sun just came out... My azaleas are blooming... The birds are happily eating at my outdoor "restaurant"... I am getting ready to head downstairs to my basement studio to get my hands in the clay and create...My plumbing problems of the past seem to be fixed and running smoothly..... My pantry is filled from yesterday's grocery stop....
The weekend is here and all seems well in my little world.
Don't let today get by you........enjoy every minute of it if you can.
Have a good one!
: )
I just sent in my votes for my weekly American Idol contest. We had to, again, put in who we thought the bottom three would be and who would be going home. It isn't always who I personally think might be going...but who I think America will be sending home. After much deliberation (I have to get a life), I chose Megan, Scott, and Michael....with Michael going home.
I actually like Megan, but her sultry monotone voice just sounds the same when she is having to sing songs out of her comfort zone. I loved Adam Lambert's singing last night...he cleaned up some of his 'goth' act, took off the black nail polish, slicked back his hair.... and really sang beautifully. I believe that he is in a whole different league than the others. (!)
Matt Giraurd still continues to be soulful and smooth...Chris Allen is a cutie with a good voice...Anoop is really showing that he has a great set of pipes....still liking Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, and Allyson Iruheta.
We will have to wait and see how accurate my predictions are tonight. Wish me luck. : )
Rain, rain, and more rain to come. I am a bit concerned about my replaced header lines that were tied into my existing field lines from my septic tank...because the gentleman told me that he had to put one section of the line above a large root so that he wouldn't kill the tall tree back there. That meant that the line was only about 6 inches from the top of the ground....AND, with all of this rainfall (5 inches predicted!)...it may change the 6 inches into 'not-much-covering-it-at-all'. Now, that would not be good. I made a call into the septic tank people (two days ago) who did the work...still haven't heard back from them. Hmmmm.
In my quiet moments...the 'stuff' going on in the world really gets to me. I try not to feel a sense of panic...but, it seems to be getting more and more difficult to avoid. The world seems so complicated to me right now. People are losing confidence in everything that used to feel so secure and safe...I am trying to find a place of calmness to go to in these times...but, it does seem to get more burdensome every day...
I don't know what the future holds for all of us...but, I am still hopeful...still trying to see through those rose-colored glasses of mine...
Enough of this...the rain has temporarily subsided...and I am going to head out for my morning walk!
The cutest thing about the video of this little rocker grandson of mine is that he is wearing the "Thomas, the Train" backpack that I got him....
....now, that's rock n' roll! : )
Word has it that Audrey recently placed first in a baby crawling contest (?!)....
...makes a Grammie proud! : )
(tomorrow, Owen!)
On this one, Celia is having her first taste of real food--carrots.
From the look on her face, I would say that the verdict is still out on this particular veggie!
Better not put those bottles away quite yet... : )(tomorrow: Audrey!)
The word has gotten out!
My backyard bird feeder seems to be very popular these days in the local bird community! It is a four-perch feeder and it is constantly surrounded by droves of birds. I have noticed that the cardinals have really come out in large numbers this year. It has been a source of constant delight to me to watch these winged beauties fly around joyfully....occasionally stopping for a meal. Right now, I am looking outside my window and I can already spot about 7-8 of them enjoying themselves back there.
Well, yesterday, Dave brought a new aspect of the bird frenzy to my attention. He spotted a couple of the cardinals flitting around my covered swimming pool. They were having a wonderful time bathing in the little bit of water that shows through the mesh cover. They were splashing about with wild abandon and seemed to be enjoying this new discovery. So, it seems not that I not only run a "restaurant" in my backyard, but, I have the added attraction of a huge bird bath! Kind of like a bird spa, don't you think? : ) I may have to "up" my spring/summer rates...
(I got out my camera and tried to snap them in action...but, only got these two shots before they flew away.)
Birthday boy, Dave, did everything but lick his plate clean...and, that was after a heavy duty birthday meal last night (we celebrated a day early) consisting of petite filet, lobster tail, twice-baked potatoes, and a mushroom, onion and peas combination.
*Mmmmm--- and groan---- all at the same time*
Happy, happy birthday dear Dave...now, let's go and see if we can walk off some of those calories today before you settle in for a full day of basketball playoffs!!!
Tomorrow is Dave's birthday...so, I asked him what kind of cake he would like for his birthday dinner. He asked me what his choices were...and I began to name different kinds of cakes. I then made the mistake of looking through a favorite cookbook of mine and spotting a recipe for an "Oreo Cheesecake". He said, "That sounds good!" so the decision was made....Oreo Cheesecake it would be!
This particular recipe is in four different parts: the crust; the filling; a creamy, baked topping; and, finally, a rich chocolate glaze.Sounds good, eh?
Well, a bag of Oreos, cups of whipping cream, two pounds of cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and chocolate chips, etc. later....here is the pathetic-looking result.
What you see dripping down the sides and onto my countertop is the final part...the chocolate glaze. I followed the directions to a "T"....so, I don't really know what went wrong?
I tried to remedy the flowing chocolate topping with a handfull of crushed Oreo's....so, here is the final product. It kind of looks like a huge toasted (burnt)marshmallow...doesn't it?
I am hopeful that it will taste better than it looks.
I adore hummingbird season.
I have two sugar-filled feeders ready for their arrival....however, last year I had a terrible ant problem.
A multitude of little black ants continued to find their way into the bird feeders...and, it was a mess. I tried everything to fend then off...but, nothing worked.
Well, a bird catalog arrived the other day and there were several hummingbird feeders that were guaranteed to keep the ants away. These were quite costly and really just had a little "ant moat" that would trap the ants before they could get to the real feeder.
Now, my brilliant Dave said, "We could make something like that." He went into the kitchen and took the red plastic cap off of my spray oils, made a small hole, and put the hanging wire through it.
That was the easy part.
He then began to try and come up with some ideas to close the hole up so that the water would not leak out.
Well, several wooden toothpicks and lots of glue later....and, voila! he made a waterproof moat.
I worked on the second feeder, but used a little saran wrap and glue on mine. I then took both of the little moats and painted some yellow flowers on them to try and attract the hummingbirds.
They are hanging outside today, the first official day of spring...and, I am hopeful that they will soon appear...and, that the ant moats will prove to be a success instead of just a "bird"brained idea....
: )
I should have gone with my gut.
When I sent in my choices for the American Idol contest today, I originally had Alexis, Kris, and Michael...with Michael going home.
Then I quickly wrote back and asked if I could change Alexis with Megan.
Alexis went home. Megan, Kris, and Michael are in the top ten.
Oh well. There's always next week...
What a surprise, eh?!
Today I had to list who I think the bottom three people will be and who (out of those three) will be going home. A bonus question was to name the three that will make it to the finals. Those of us participating in this contest get points for our right answers each week...right now I am placing around the middle of the pack.
Well, if you watched Idol last night...they all really did well....and, some who hadn't done well the week before really shined! (Like Anoop!) Even though it was "country song night" and many were way out of their comfort zone....they all managed to sing well...and "make it their own"!
What's a girl to do?
way too much some thought, I finally came up with the following choices:
Bottom three: Kris Allen, Megan Joy, and Michael Sarver going home.
Top three: Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, and Allison Iraheta.
What do you think?
Wish me luck! xoxo
Getting into bed kind of late last night, I was totally exhausted and ready for a good night's sleep.
Unfortunately, my neighbor's dogs had other ideas as they presented me with a nerve-grating chorus of hours of loud barking. I tried to ignore the noise, but, their cage sits in my neighbor's backyard on my bedroom's side of the house.
I "wrapped" the pillow around the back of my head..but, that proved to be quite uncomfortable...I tried to train my mind to go elsewhere instead of concentrating on the incessant barking...all to no avail.
Finally, some time way after midnight (I was too tired to keep checking the clock) they stopped.
Then they started again...
This went on for a while...but, I did eventually fall off to sleep...only to wake up around 5 ish. I usually can get right back to sleep...but, for some reason this morning, my mind began to go in a million directions as I lay there quite awake. ...so, I just decided to get up and get my day started.
I'm sure that my tiredness will hit me some time this afternoon I'll be okay if I can just make it through American Idol tonight....after that, it will be lights out! : )
One of my very good friends is in the process of redoing her (already) beautiful home. The kitchen portion of the redo was finished, so I went over there on Sunday afternoon to go and see it.
It turned out amazing...beautiful new, rich, dark brown cabinetry accented with light colored marble countertops and a new tile floor. Every touch was special from the vent over the stovetop to the new wine cooler built into the cabinets.
What cracked me up though was the little tour that her husband took me on. He walked me through the brand new screened in porch that was really incredible, he showed me the magnificent shelving area in the great room where they would be displaying some of their lovely artsy pieces, the new bar area, the newly stained hardwood floors, the stereo, sound system, etc. etc.
What really cracked me up was, that with all of these beautiful new improvements...the one thing that he loved the most....the one thing that excited him above all else....the one thing that he proudly showed me saying that it was his favorite part of the redo....WAS...
...this cute little button built into the kitchen island countertop right near the sink. He excitedly turned on the water faucet...pushed the button...and voila! the disposal turned on.
Only a man would get that excited over a button...
I decided to form a family group in the ESPN March Madness Basketball Challenge. I just finished haphazardly filling out my brackets. You are allowed to fill out up to 10. I have done 5 so far and it will be a miracle if I picked any of the winning teams.
But, it is fun to do....AND, the grand prize is $10.000!! That might just cover my new septic tank field lines....Aack!
Oh, and HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY everyone! Have a green beer on me!
sending out an all-points bulletin asking begging my kids for some updated grandbaby pictures...they came through....so, here they are:
The plumbers came and went yesterday leaving me a brand new commode to replace the previously cracked one. (Talking about "cracks" why can't handymen wear longer shirts to cover them when they have to get into plumbing positions??? oh my...)
They left after they were satisfied that all was well and that this time everything was tightly sealed with no "squishing sounds". Once they were gone I sat down upon my newest piece of porcelain and began to laugh out loud. This thing was so high that my feet barely touched the ground. Talk about "thrones"! I'm not sure if this is the new "standard" for toilets these days...or, if he just figured that someone my age might need a higher seat? Interesting, nonetheless.
So, this morning, the septic tank people (or "environmental services" as they are now called) arrived to clean the outside tank.
Are you noticing a recurring theme to my posts lately?!? : O
The men were smiling as they located the septic tank and began to do their job. That is, until they came and knocked on my door with sullen faces.
"We have a problem" they said.
Those are words that one doesn't need or want to hear when having their septic tank cleaned out.
I won't go into detail ...but, suffice it to say, that I now know the reason for my washing machine water coming up through the downstairs toilet!
That being said, they had to call in the "field line" specialists to come out and inspect my system. Oh, the fun is only starting....not to mention the huge costs that all of this will amount to. Aaaack.
I knew that I shouldn't have gotten out of bed this Friday the 13th morning...
So that I do not leave you today with only bad news....I am happy to report that my tax information was hand-delivered to the awaiting arms of my accountant yesterday. Now it is up to him to perform some kind of financial magic to keep me afloat. No pun intended.
That was my experience yesterday as I decided to use part of my spa package... that was an incredibly sweet Valentine's gift from Dave.
I was so thrilled with his thoughtful gift and decided to use part of my "pampering package" yesterday to have a manicure and pedicure. Ahhhhhh.
From the moment that I walked into the place, I knew that this was going to be an "interesting" experience. It looked more like an antique shop than a spa as it was filled with big, heavy furniture and non-professional art work hanging along every available space. Where was the water fountain and the soft, relaxing music? And, what about the cool pitcher of fresh water with sliced lemons floating on top?
The woman at the little desk was nice..... but seemed a little "spaced out" and anxious as she took several minutes to understand why I was there. She kept saying that she hated it when "Jim" (names changed to protect the innocent!) left the shop. Suddenly, she got up and came back with a small paper cup filled with water and said, "Here is the water that you wanted." The strange thing is that I walked in with my own bottled water that I was holding right in front of her...and hadn't asked for any water! I was getting a bit concerned at this point.
Again, she asked my name and what time my appointment was. I said, "Two o'clock appointment for a manicure and pedicure." She began to look on the computer screen and said, "Oh, here you are at 3:30...now what were you here for again?" (By the way, I noticed that none of the many clocks in the place were moved ahead to the new time...but, nevertheless, my appointment was for 2...not three.
Now, I really began to think that this was probably a joke being played on me. I was actually looking for Howie Mandell or Allen Funt's son to come walking out laughing.
But, neither of them were anywhere to be seen.
Then she said that she would need to call Jim and tell him that I was there...but, she couldn't find her cell phone. Actually, she couldn't find her purse...and, the cell phone was in there....so, she wandered around for several minutes looking for the purse.
Giving up on this idea, she said for me to come on into the nail area and she would begin to do my manicure (but, she was the masseuse?!). This room was teeny tiny with two old desks and towels folded on the top. She began to file away at my nails until (luckily!!) Jim arrived. So, now, he took over. He even smiled and asked me if the woman that was at the desk was "all over the place---a little crazy"? I chuckled and said, "Yes, sort of"...."are you related to her? "She's my wife" he said very matter of factly. (oh)
To say that it was a very strange manicure would be an understatement. I don't even know how to describe it to you....there wasn't any nail soaking...very little cuticle work...and then, the polish was put on.
All I could think now was that I couldn't wait to get into a comfy pedicure chair...turn on the vibrator...and relax my feet in a nice warm, sudsy whirlpool.
Wrong again.
Instead, I was walked into another small area with a fish tank sticking into the wall and more art work hanging around. There was a wrought iron chair with a little stool where one of those plastic tubs was sitting. The water in the little tub was quite cool....so, when he asked me if it was warm enough and I responded "no"...he went and got a tea kettle filled with hot water and poured it in over my feet. It was all that I could do to keep myself from bursting into hysterical laughter. I just hope that no one in the shop wanted any tea that day...
Actually, the only people there were Jim, his wife, and me until a young gentleman came in for a treatment. When the wife finished with him and he left, she commented to both of us that the guy was there to get his back waxed...and that he was quite hairy. This was more information than I needed to know and thought how humiliated the guy would feel if he knew that she was talking about him when he was gone.
So, now the three of us are sitting in the "pedicure room" while Jim is doing my toenails. The two of them talked non-stop....and, every time that Jim talked, he stopped working on my feet. (I thought to myself that I was never going to get out of this place!)
It turns out that Jim's wife is the artist who painted the art work that was spread out all over the place. One by one she began to bring her work into the room for me to see. I must say that while it was amateurish, some of it was okay, After the "art showing" she decided to actually read me a little poem that she had written and got quite choked up as she read it. Still working (?!) on my toenails, Jim asked her to get his poem...which she did...and, he stopped my pedicure to read it to me. As he was reading, his eyes filled up with tears and he said, "This always gets to me..." Are you kidding me? Am I going crazy?? Am I at an art and poetry exhibit or a relaxing day at the spa?
Unfortunately, the conversation got into a little political discussion as Jim was not pleased at all that Obama was elected President. In fact, he intensely dislikes the man....and that's not even strong enough to express how this man felt about our new President! Being an Obama supporter, I should have kept my mouth shut at this point, but he got me a bit riled up with some of the things that he was saying. The more he talked, the harder he massaged my feet and legs until it was getting a bit uncomfortable. I finally said, "Ow!' and he took the hint. At that point I thought that I was probably better off discussing his wife's art and poetry... : O
I will say this...the final outcome looks pretty good...and, as I left there looking at my newly polished nails and toes I began to laugh out loud....what an experience....
....and, more importantly it kept me from thinking about my cracked commode back home...
Before lifting the commode off of the floor, he decided that the two bolts on either side of it may not have been tightened enough. So, he got hs wrench and began to tighten. (Isn't this riveting??)
"Ah, that should get it..." he said.
We did the "squish test" and checked for leaks...both checks passed the test.
However, he wasn't satisfied to just leave until he flushed it several times...and put some weight on it.
Now, he sensed that a little more water was beginning to creep out from underneath....so, he began to tighten the bolts just a wee bit more...
Suddenly, we heard an ominous "crack" (!)..... and this was the result...
I now need a brand new toilet in that the porcelain has cracked...
Trying to find a match to this elongated commode that I had has not been easy....so, one had to be ordered and it won't be here for a couple of days.
I should have lived with the squishing... : O
"I'll just keep an eye on it," I told him, "and let you know if it causes any further problems."
An hour later, when Dave went upstairs to test it out, he told me that not only was it still squishing, but it was rocking and leaking as well.
Too late (and, too embarrassing!) to call the plumber back...I made the decision to sit tight for a couple of days and then get back to him.
Oh, the trials and tribulations of being a homeowner.
My friend, Sharon, and her husband, are home from their trip to London and Israel. After a 5 and 1/2 hour trip back to London, a one hour layover there, an almost 10 hour flight from London to Atlanta, a three hour layover there...and then a final 45 minute flight back to Bham....they are finally home....and, trying to get used to the 6 hour time difference between here and there!
All of this fun...and, their luggage got lost enroute...Welcome home guys! : )
My bird feeder is being held together by a wing (no pun intended) and a prayer. The body of it is heavily duct taped...including the bottom which broke off at one point....Now, the original perches have broken off one by one...so, I have slowly replaced them with nails and glue. I just filled it full of seed and put it back outside for my feathered friends and realized that the glue had probably not totally dried where I inserted the nails. Hopefully, I won't find any birds glued to the feeder later on....!
I am 80% finished with my tax stuff. As soon as I finish my post for today, I plan on filling in the "workbook" that the accountant gave me...and sending it on!
I'm so proud of myself. I just hope that Uncle Sam feels the same way and doesn't feel the need to audit me.
I am pretty
anal conscientious about paying my bills on time...so, while working on my tax stuff.... I was a little confused when I found two paid bills for my yearly newspaper service. I made a phone call this morning and found out that I had, indeed, paid twice and was now paid up through to December 2011!
I'm nice, but, not that nice. I asked for a refund for one of the years...Ah, newfound money....how nice...even if it is just $174....I'll take what I can.... : )
Unseasonably warm weather is occurring here in Birmingham. I really don't like this time of year when one isn't sure whether to dress for winter or for spring when going out. Today, the high temp is going to be near 80 degrees...but, by Thursday, we are dropping back down into the 50's. What's a girl to do?
I feel guilty every time that I complain about our weather here in that MN is due for a blizzard of sorts later on this week. Sorry, kids....bundle those grandbabies of mine up!
Back downstairs to my taxes...maybe I can find some more overpayments....
Have a nice day! xoxo
...And, I thought that time was passing way too quickly already...!
As Dave and I were on our way out the other night he received a phone call from his nephew in Delaware telling him that, "his mom was missing!" (!!!!) It seems that her caretaker had to be away for the weekend and another family member had gone over to check on her. When they arrived, she was nowhere to be seen...and, the car was gone. Fearing the worst, the police were called.As you can imagine, Dave was quite concerned as we anxiously awaited news from home.
About a half an hour later he got word that his mom was safe and sound visiting with her granddaughter and her kids. I'm sure that she wondered what all the fuss was about! We are still not sure whether she drove herself over there or not...but, thankfully this story had a good ending.
I keep putting off the inevitable chore of gathering my tax information together. To say that I hate doing this would be quite an understatement.
I have decided that today is the day! Of course, with daylight savings time in effect, I may not have the time...! heh heh : )
Another story from mom at "The Home". This one is actually a bit scary. It seems that a virus (?) with some flu-like symptoms was going around. They said that this particular strain was not responding to the protection of the flu shots that many of us got this year. Nine people were taken to the hospital and the rest of the home was put into total quarantine. The kitchen staff cooked and brought food up to each resident's room at mealtime and people were asked not to leave their apartments.When all was said and done, a total of 22 residents had taken ill...
The quarantine has been lifted and things are back to normal now...and, hopefully, all 22 have recovered.
Thankfully, my mom did not get the virus that was being spread around....
Another interesting week at "The Home". **sigh**
I will be driving into Atlanta this Wednesday to attend a book "launch party" for a dear friend of mine. She has been working on this book for quite a while now and it has finally been published.
The book is a step by step informational guide for businesses and it is called: "Driven to Success". My friend used the automobile as a way to explain her strategies. The party is being held at a Mercedes-Benz dealership in the city....clever, eh??!?! I'm looking forward to it...
My granddaughter, Audrey is crawling now...and her brother, Owen is wearing pull-ups. Celia is sitting up and reaching for things in that position.
These are exciting times in my family. ******************************************************************
More plumbing problems here at home. First, the soapy water from the washing machine was coming up through the downstairs toilet. That has been fixed...(we think). Of course, I am afraid to do any laundry right now...even though it is piling up. Today might have to be the day...
Secondly, the commode in the master bedroom started to make a squishy sound when you would sit down on it. I checked around the bottom of it and saw that there was a little bit of water down there. (This couldn't be a good sign...) I looked online, sent the info to Dave, my private plumber (ha!) and, fools that we are, decided to tackle this project ourselves. So, I went to Home Depot to ask an "expert" there what I needed to purchase. Well, there was a shortage of "experts" that day...so, I began a discussion with two salesmen who had no idea what to do. Luckily, there was a gentleman standing nearby who overheard my plight and offered some suggestions for me.
"Are you a plumber?" I questioned this kind customer.
"Yes," he answered, "I do a little bit of everything."
"How much would you charge to fix my commode" I then asked.
"About $50.00" he said.
"Wow", I thought to myself....knowing that I couldn't get a plumber into my house for under a couple of hundred dollars...."You've got yourself a job!"
To make a long story short....he came out with another man that afternoon, removed the toilet...replaced the wax ring of some sort....put everything back in place...and left me a happy woman.
Unfortunately, the story doesn't end there as I heard that ominous squishy (ewww) sound again yesterday and saw some water around the bottom of the commode again.
He'll be back out here tomorrow morning.
Well, I better go and get started sorting my !!&?!#$%#%!! tax materials before the day is over.....
"Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough." Charles Warner
"I believe the art of living consists not so much in complicating simple things as in simplifying things that are not." Francois Hertel
"Progress is man's ability to complicate simplicity." Thor Heyerdahl
As I observe what is going on in the financial world today, I feel a range of emotions.
Like everyone, I am extremely concerned about my dwindling finances. Being a divorced woman in my 60's, I don't feel as though I have time on my side as far as recouping my losses. I worry about the future and all of the things that getting older bring along with it...I especially don't want to be a burden to my children in my later years...and this haunts me the most.
That all being said, the reality is that we are in a crisis that is not going to be remedied overnight...in fact, it will probably be years before things begin to improve.
It is what it is...and now the bigger question for each of us is how we are going to cope with "it".
If one really looks deeply, there is a positive that may come out of all of this (yes, I have my rose-colored glasses on today). To me, this is a time to go back to simplicity in our lives. A time to get rid of the excess and put emphasis on the things that are really important.
This isn't too big of a stretch for me, in that I believe that I have pretty much always appreciated the simple pleasures around me. I didn't grow up in a family that was financially well off... we always shared bedrooms, hand-me-down clothing, etc. etc. ....and, have spent much of my life living pretty frugally. However, like all of us in my age range (there are some of you out there, right?!) the last ten years or so have been a time of "plenty" for many of us. We took a lot of things for granted....used our charge cards to get things without batting an eye...and didn't worry that much about the future as we had some of our money in the stock market....and, that was safe, right?!?!
Well, things have changed for all of us to one degree or another and now we need to reassess and make those personal changes to move ahead and still enjoy a quality of life. The answer came to me as I viewed one of my pieces of pottery hanging up. It simply says "simplify". That little word may hold the key for our survival in the years ahead...
Instead of going out to dinner, we will be doing more cooking at home...experiencing the pleasures of a home-cooked meal with the people we love. I'm even hosting a "Recession Pot Luck Supper" over here in a few weeks so that we can laugh at our "plight" and just enjoy being together with friends.
We need to once again find pleasures right outside our doors in and in homes....things that money can't buy....birds singing joyfully around our filled bird feeders....the beauty of springtime as the blooms begin to sneak out of their winter homes....finding a comfy place to read a great book with a warm cup of tea...bringing out those old board games again and having fun with a little competitive spirit....planting a herb garden...learning how to repair things in our homes on our own before calling in the expensive "experts"...slowing down our purchasing of more things to fill spaces that are already bursting with enough...finding joy in creating instead of just buying...Doing more breathing....sighing.....laughing....connecting.....experiencing.....living.
If we can all embrace simplicity once more, I think that we can truly find that silver lining.
And, it won't cost a thing...
I am thinking about my Dad more than usual today as it marks the one year anniversary of his passing.
I miss his presence in my life all of the time...and, it is especially strong when I am with the grandbabies because I know how much he would have enjoyed our growing family....especially his great-grandchildren.
March 4 will forever be etched in my heart...
Love and miss you, Dad. : (
"There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after thay have gone, the light remains."
I wish that I had an answer to that question...especially as I sat for three ridiculous hours last night watching the finale of "The Bachelor".
For all three of you out there who don't know what occurred last night...here it is in a nutshell: Jason, the seemingly (seemingly being the key word here!) incredible single dad fell in love with two women on the show; Melissa and Molly. After much deliberation, he chose Melissa...asked her to marry him....professed his great love for her.... and sent Molly (the runner-up???) off in the "loser limo" heartbroken and confused.
Move ahead 6 weeks later...Jason now appears on a show that follows the finale last night. (previously recorded). He is obviously troubled in that after he and his now fiance,'Melissa, left the show, he found that the chemistry was lacking and that he was constantly thinking about (yep, you got it) Molly!
So, on prime time TV last night, Jason officially broke up with Melissa!!!!!!!!! The engagement ring was returned and an aggravated Melissa stormed off the stage.
As if that weren't tacky and distasteful enough, the people at ABC then brought Molly to the stage and Jason publicly professed his feelings and asked her if she would consider going out with him again and giving it all another try.
At this point I was almost screaming at the TV for her to look him in the eye, slap him silly....and tell him "no way!".
But, she didn't. Instead, moments later, the two of them were in a giggly lip-lock... and gleefully looking forward to going out again.
I couldn't believe my eyes. Was this a ratings ploy? Did Melissa really know that her relationship with Jason was over before the show began?? Did Jason have a choice as far as whether or not he appeared on this after-show? Will he eventually ask Molly to marry him? (After all, he still has the beautiful diamond ring that Melissa returned to him!) Have Molly and Jason been seeing each other on the sly? How is Jason's adorable son doing through all of this?? Is reality TV just another scripted show or is it real life?
These, and many other questions may be answered as the network is having a second show tonight!
As appalled as I am with all of this.....as angry as I feel for how this spectacle was handled.....as annoyed as I am with myself for getting caught up in all of this....I am trying to decide whether to tune in to tonight's follow-up show or not.... (aaargh!!)
In all honesty, I probably will.....I just found out that it doesn't start until American Idol is over....(my other "reality addiction") What's a girl to do????
More tomorrow...
I wanted to do a little post today on something that is such a special part of my blogging experience: your comments and feedback.
Please know that I am so very appreciative of your taking the time to visit my blog and write to me in my comment section.
Even though I don't respond back on my comment page (mostly because I'm not sure that readers go back and reread this section?), I want you to know that I read each and every one of your thoughts with gratitude and thankfulness.
It's always nice to know that there are people out there reading our "stories"....Your wonderful comments verify that connection for me.....THANKS so much!
Grammie : )
When you live in Alabama and the weather forecasters predict snow, you do one of two things: 1.) Run to the grocery store and stock up on milk and bread (never did understand that one--my choices to stock up on would be wine and M and M's!) 2.) Ignore their predictions in that they are usually wrong, bringing about great disappointment.
But, somehow, they got it right this time....and, on Sunday morning a quick peek out the window and there was a light dusting of snow on the ground and on rooftops!
Within a couple of hours.... large, white flakes were rapidly coming down and the dusting turned into a few inches of glorious, wondrous snow.
dragged had Dave get bundled up and join me for a romp in the newly fallen snow.
First we took a walk around the neighborhood as I put my head back, stuck out my tongue, and let the flakes melt in my mouth. Ahhh. (I can already hear those snickers from my Northern readers!)
Along the way, Dave proceeded to make many snowballs and use the local trees for his targets...while I began to collect snow in a ball for a snowman (another one of those male/female differences!). I looked kind of silly carrying this growing ball of snow in my arms as we walked, but, it did serve as the beginning of one of our snowmen (snowpeople? Is that more PC?).
Once back at my house the building began and our "punk rock" snowman was created along with a smaller snow-woman by his side.Such fun acting like a kid again!
With frozen fingers, we headed back into the warm house having had our fill of this unusual event.
By the later afternoon, the snow stopped falling, the sun came out...and every last bit of our "Winter Wonderland" was gone...
Temporary, but magical.... nonetheless. : )
Happy, happy Birthday, J....
I love you,


text:
SUMMARY: The world's largest advertiser is cutting back dramatically on ad networks and going back to traditional advertising. The result? Increased reach and decreased spend.
The world's largest advertiser, Procter & Gamble, announced they cut digital advertising spend in 2017 by a whopping $200 million dollars. Halfway through last year, they had announced $140 million in cuts due to brand safety concerns: things like bot clicks and questionable websites showing up in their ad network buys. They continued the rest of the year.
What did they do with the money? Reinvested in areas with media reach, including TV. Chief Marketing Officer Marc Pritchard said the trend will continue. The result, Pritchard said, by going back to traditional media increased the reach by 10% and cut 20% of its ineffective marketing.
He said this past week at the Association of National Advertisers that he was pulling digital ads from several big players, some by as much as 50%. With all the talk of programmatic advertising buys being the wave of the future, it should be noted that much of the ad fraud and bots P&G cited from these ad networks are the reason why they've cut programmatic ad buys by 90%.
"The days of giving digital a pass are over," said Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer at P&G, at the IAB Annual Leadership meeting in February 2017. He's mandating new requirements for digital agencies and media if they want to get a share of P&G's ad business.
"It's time to grow up. It's time for action." — Marc Pritchard, P&G via AdAge
Pritchard says P&G will no longer pay for any digital ads, ad tech, or suppliers that don't agree to play by P&G's rules.
"It's going to stop unless you get validated, accredited third-party verification," Pritchard said. Both Google and Facebook self-report data, and neither has full accreditation for all of its digital ad products.
The new rules from 2017
- Full transparency by the end of 2017 (Didn't happen by the way)
- Terms requiring funds to be used for media placement only
- All rebates disclosed and returned
- All transactions subject to audit
- Compliance with industry-standard viewability metrics*
- Fraud protection
- Third-party verification
* Ad impressions counted as viewable if at least 50% of the pixels are on screen for at least one second, video impressions for two seconds.
For P&G, the days of self-reporting ad tech appears over.
"Time is up. We will no longer tolerate the ridiculous complexity of different viewability standards" — Marc Pritchard, P&G via AdAge

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Last Updated:
|June 1, 2004
|Other Name:
|Plutonium Reprocessing Plant
|Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Vinča
|Subordinate To:
|Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Vinča, Dept. for Spent Fuel Reprocessing
|Laboratory scale
|Facility Status:
Beginning in the 1950s, scientists at the institute investigated spent fuel reprocessing and plutonium purification technologies. By the mid-1950s they had developed a laboratory scale facility named the hot laboratory [1], and experimented with the PUREX process. [2] These experiments included testing solvent extraction techniques for the recovery of uranium, and the co-ordination chemistry of uranium. [3] The hot laboratory was housed in two hot cells that were shielded with lead. These early experiments were performed in collaboration with the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research located in Lillestrom, Norway. Much of the experimentation was performed at the Norway facility. [4] In 1965 scientists reported on their experiments to separated americium, thorium, and plutonium by anion exchange, and to purify and prepare americium and plutonium solutions based on the same process. [5] The status of the hot laboratory is not known.
According to some sources, Vinča's plutonium reprocessing facility began operating in 1966 through 1978 with the assistance of the Norway and Czechoslovakia. [6] The facility may have been originally equipped with 4 hot cells. Through open sources unnamed official reported that in the 1970s technicians conducted PUREX based reprocessing experiments using spent fuel from the RA reactor. [7] These experiments may have resulted in the separation of between several grams and one kilogram of plutonium. Drs. Ivan Gal, Aleksandar Ruvarac, Djordje Petkovic, Alexsandar Tolic, Ivanka Paligoric, and Vlastimir Bulovic reportedly participated in these experiments. [8] According to these officials, reprocessing ended in the late 70s, "equipment was removed," and the facilities submitted to IAEA safeguards. [9]
[1] Slobodan Nakicenovic, Nuclear Energy in Yugoslavia, (Beograde: Export Press, 1961), p. 29.
[2] M. Susic, etal., "Separation of Uranium from Rare Earths and Some Other Elements by Extraction with Tri-n-Butyl Phosphate," Bulletin of the Boris Kidrich Institute of Nuclear Science, 1957, Vol. 7, p. 35-38; A. Tolic, "Laboratory Apparatus for Processing Uranium Fuel by Extraction," I. Description of Apparatus, Tehnika, 1967, Vol. 22, p. 131-134.
[3] D. Grdenic and B. Korpar, "The Complexing of Tetravalent Uranium With Dialkylpyrophosphoric Acid," Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, 1959, Vol. 12, p. 149-153.
[4] Z. Dizdar and D.H.W. den Boer, "Isolation of Plutonium by a Solvent Extraction Method," JENER-Report No. 45, 1956; Z. Dizdar and D.H.W. den Boer, "Purification of Plutonium by a Cation Exchanger," Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, 1956, Vol. 3, p. 323-325; V. Dizdar, "The Use of Pulse Columns for the Separation of Uranium Fission Products and Plutonium," Tehnika, 1958, Vol. 2, p. 281-285.
[5] D. Cjieticanin and S. Ratkovic, Bulletin of Boris Kidric Institute of Nuclear Science, Belgrade 16, 1965, p. 233.
[6] Eduard Popovic, "State of Nuclear Arms Industry," Zagreb Globus, 5 August 1994, available courtesy of the Federation of the Atomic Scientists, www.fas.org.
[7] Andrew Koch, "Yugoslavia's Nuclear Legacy: Should We Worry?" The Nonproliferation Review, Spring/Summer 1997, www.nonproliferation.org.
[8] Eduard Popovic, "State of Nuclear Arms Industry," Zagreb Globus, 5 August 1994, available courtesy of the Federation of the Atomic Scientists, www.fas.org.
[9] Andrew Koch, "Yugoslavia's Nuclear Legacy: Should We Worry?" The Nonproliferation Review, Spring/Summer 1997, www.nonproliferation.org; Original source: Sava P. Milovanovic, "Vinča : Energy Division," http://rt270.vin.bg.ac.yu:80; Eduard Popovic and Karlo Jeger, "State of Nuclear Arms Industry," Zagreb Globus, 5 August 1994, available courtesy of the Federation of the Atomic Scientists, www.fas.org.
Country Profile
Former Yugoslavia
This article provides an overview of the Former Yugoslavia's historical and current policies relating to nuclear, chemical, biological and missile proliferation.


text: Consumer Affairs Victoria. Interpretive history. Consumer Affairs Victoria was established in 1965 as Australia's first government consumer agency. From handling fewer than 500 complaints in its first year it now deals with over half a million enquiries and nearly 20,000 written complaints. It also oversees forty-five consumer protection laws and provides business licensing and registration functions.The important history of CAV and the range of market place issues in Victoria over the last half a century was presented as a series of storyboard panels at the entrance to the CAV offices in Exhibition Street, Melbourne.Consumer Affairs Victoria 2007Five panels, one for each decadeWith Amanda McLeod and Mary Cotter Emma RussellNovember 10, 2007


text:
As manufacturers of individually-designed home conservatories from aluminium for more than 30 years we have made it our business to turn your very personal ideas and wishes into perfect high-tech solutions. Contemporary architecture, high energy standards and increased demands for living and functional comfort play a big role in this and are all incorporated into the design of our aluminium home conservatories. The result is an investment for life in terms of design, quality, energy efficiency and equipment which meet the highest quality expectations. A KELLER home conservatory offers the additional living space you want and it can be used all year round without constraints.
Pitched gable or single-pitch glass roof
The IMPERIAL range is characterised by its pitched gable or single-pitch glass roof. Aluminium profiles from Schüco are used as the basis for this range. They can be optimally visually-matched to our IMPERIAL profile system.
Inspired by the home of Sangiovese
Inspired by the traditional architecture of Tuscany, the basic shape is usually rectangular or polygonal and comprises a central flat roof which is pitched on three or more sides. This home conservatory design is characterised by its clean uncluttered lines and is an ideal choice for homes which feature the same clean, straight lines.


text: You are invited to an Advent dinner church on Tuesday, December 11 at 7 PM. Together we will worship, eat, and share with one another about justice in our world, as well as how and where we need God's light to shine among us. Please RSVP by December 9th to Vicar Tamika at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Diary of A Harlem Family
Gordon Parks, New York, 1967
Extract from A Diary of a Harlem Family, Gordon Parks, 1968. Courtesy, The Gordon Parks Foundation.
"I too am American. America is me. It gave me the only life I know – so I must share in its survival. Look at me. Listen to me. Try to understand my struggle against your racism. There is yet a chance for us to live in peace, beneath these restless skies."
Gordon's series on the Fontenelles was shot in November 1967, and published in LIFE Magazine in March 1968. Of the over 100 images that Parks took of the family, just 25 would be published.


text:
Note: This review originally appeared in the The Season E-Zine's July mystery section.
A Taste of the Nightlife by Sarah Zettel
Obsidian, July 2011
Rating: 8 (Very Good) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
For fans of: Juliet Blackwell and Charlaine Harris
Nightlife isn't exactly your typical fine-dining establishment. The restaurant, run by Chef Charlotte Caine and her blood-sucking brother Chet, is one of the few places in New York where humans and vampires can not only dine together, but where a portion of the menu is catered specifically toward vampires. Nightlife is still relatively new on scene and has yet to actually turn a profit, so when undead food critic Anatole Sevarin shows up one night to dine, Charlotte and Chet set about trying to make sure Sevarin has a perfect evening; after all, a good review from him could make or break them. But then a drunk wizard stumbles in, tries to pick a fight with a vampire at table two, and nearly sets the restaurant on fire. The sprinklers engage, the restaurant empties, and their chance to impress the critic goes up in smoke.
To make matters worse, the next morning Charlotte shows up for work only to discover the scene-causing sorcerer from the night before drained of blood and lying on the restaurant floor. Nightlife's declared a crime scene, and once the police discover Chet's the only vampire with after-hours access to Nightlife, they haul him off for questioning. Charlotte believes her brother's innocent of the crime, but she's equally sure he's hiding something from her. He may not be a murderer, but is he the reason a dead body was dumped at their door? Until the mystery is solved, it's unlikely the police will allow Nightlife to reopen. Can Charlotte exonerate her brother and catch the real killer in time to save her beloved restaurant, or will she fall victim herself?
A Taste of the Nightlife is the first in author Sarah Zettel's new Vampire Chef Mystery series. I admit, for the first 100 pages or so, I wasn't quite sure what I thought of this book; the start is a little rocky, due in large part to the excessively detailed, info-dump-y manner in which Zettel introduces the reader to rules of Charlotte's universe. Once Zettel gets past the formalities, however, she seems to find her flow, and the story just takes off from there. The premise is unique and fun, the plot is intricate and clever, and the mystery is sure to keep you guessing until the very end. Zettel has a young, hip writing style and an easy way with snarky dialogue, both of which to help set her apart from the other authors in her genre.
Charlotte's an incredibly likable heroine for whom readers will want to root; strong, witty, and independent with a good head on her shoulders, she's more than capable of carrying a series. Her emotions and interactions with other characters feel genuine, and they serve to not only further the plot, but to add depth and complexity to her personality, as well.
Zettel also does a good job of fleshing out the other characters who populate her book. Sorcerer-slash-sidekick-slash-knight-in-shining armor Brendan Maddox is a perfect love interest, and the chemistry between he and Charlotte positively sizzles. Chet is perfect as the screw-up brother whom Charlotte loves, but feels a constant need to protect. And Charlotte's roommates, cosmetics saleswoman Jess and lawyer Trish, help to ground the story in reality and provide a nice counterpoint to all of the crazy supernatural high jinks that otherwise characterize Charlotte's life. Zettel's only real failure, character-wise, is restaurant critic Anatole Sevarin. Don't get me wrong – I find Anatole intriguing, but despite her best efforts, I just don't think Zettel successfully sells him as a potential love interest for Charlotte. She seems to have been aiming for someone akin to Charlaine Harris' Eric, but I have a hard time not picturing him as Bela Lugosi. (A very smart, charming, and debonair Bela Lugosi, but still.) For this reason, Zettel's attempts to fashion a burgeoning love triangle between Charlotte, Anatole, and Brendan fall kind of flat.
A Taste of the Nightlife ends so strongly and on such sure footing that I was very tempted to give it a nine; ultimately, however, the weak start dragged the score down to a very high eight. That said, I have incredibly high hopes for the series, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun summer read.


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Lemons Great for Detoxing and Energy!
We can find chemicals in the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the lotions we use, and the air we breathe. Even the couch you're sitting on right now has chemicals in it that can disrupt the way you process food and dictate how you feel.
This is why it's important to get in those high detoxifying foods so that the harmful chemicals aren't damaging your DNA and causing illness.
Lemons are just one of these foods and in this episode, you will learn how lemons are so detoxifying along with the ways to start incorporating them into your diet!
To stay up on new episodes of the Hot Mess to Ultimate Success Podcast subscribe HERE on iTunes.


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Guerlain Gloss d'Enfer
It's the weirdest thing: we never think we could possibly start to look forward to autumn at the height of summer - and then some wondrous item from the autumn/winter make-up ranges lands on our desk, and suddenly, it's quite appealing to be thinking about the change of season, about Fair Isle sweaters, crackling log fires, etc. A truly glamorous gloss that is so comfortable on the lips, Gloss d'Enfer just feels like your favourite pair of slippers. Only rather more glamorous, obvs. The almost syrupy texture is shot with tiny, flattering particles of shimmer, and come in Madame Batifole (an electrically glimmering fuchsia), Madame Fascine (deep gold-shot purple), and Madame Flirte, which - with its sparkling red - has gone straight to the top of our lipgloss charts. We've a hunch we could even get to the end of the tube, which never happens to a beauty editor.
Without starting to wish summer away, is the product that made the prospect of looming autumn bearable for us in 2013 (there's always one).
Merçi beaucoup, Guerlain. (And we mean that.)
UK readers find Guerlain Gloss d'Enfer at www.selfridges.com/£22 - buy here


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Frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissues offer researchers collections of data from which to study and predict the progression of disease. One of the more promising areas of research that depends on biobanks to proceed is using microarray technology to understand the development of breast cancer. More than 1.15 million cases of breast cancer have been diagnosed worldwide. It is a heterogeneous disease that takes many forms and produces an array of clinical outcomes. There are only a small number of predictive factors used presently in the clinic to manage patients with the disease. The development of additional genetic factors for prognostication is an important area of research that depends crucially on biorepositories from which microarray studies can be sourced. Additionally, most patients diagnosed with this disease receive some form of chemotherapy. All patients that obtain this therapy are exposed to toxicity but only some benefit from it. Microarray technology can aid in the determination of which patients might be better candidates for chemotherapy and which might elect to skip the therapy.
Thirty percent of cancer in women is related to the breast making it the most prevalent form of the disease. It represents a significant health problem for women and is almost always related to genetic abnormalities and variation in certain high-penetrance genes. A number of genes have been identified to be associated with breast cancer. The cells all display a phenotype of uncontrolled cell growth. However, this phenotype may arise from many different combinations of genetic abnormalities and mutations. By investigating how cells evolve in various tumors, new diagnostics and therapies can be developed by identifying important mutational events for different classes of tumor.
Studies have demonstrated that breast cancer can be classified into various types by examining the expression profile of the disease. Perou used 40 breast tumors and matched pairs of samples along with 476 genes that variably expressed between the tumors and matched pairs. In another study, clustering and segregation were obtained by Chang using 70 tumors and 78 genes. Four major subgroups were found based on expression levels. Finally, Gruvberger profiled 58 grossly dissected tumors and used machine learning to determine ER status via expression profiles.
In addition to using gene expression profiles to relate genes to specific tumor types, microarrays can be used to tune the patients that receive chemotherapy in the clinic. So called adjuvant systemic therapy is common after surgery. Sixty percent of early breast cancer patients receive some form of chemotherapy but only a minority benefit from it. Predictive indicators, based on microarray studies are needed to select the most effective form of therapy for the best candidates. High-throughput microarray techniques allow for the parallel analysis of thousands of genes and have resulted in an increased understanding of the complex nature of breast cancer progression. A number of multigene signatures have been related to various systemic therapies and tied to prognosis and patient response. These signatures can be used to validate which patients stand to benefit most from chemotherapy.
The Stanford group related histopathological features to distinct molecular subtypes and cemented the idea that breast cancer is not simply a single disease. Perou and his colleagues published their seminal research on gene expression profiles and class discovery in breast cancer and demonstrated that these cancers can be separated into at least five distinct molecular subtypes. A number of groups have demonstrated that ER-positive and ER-negative disease types are governed by distinct genetic processes.
Human tissues samples for cancer research are the basic materials for microarray studies that are being used for a diverse array of clinical ends. From determining the subtype of cancer from expression profiles to determining ER status to understanding which patients will benefit most from chemotherapy, microarray studies, sourced from biorepositories of oncology tissues, are driving progress that extends directly into the clinic and enhances patient care.


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JUJU BROS present their debut album 'Joint Forces'
Title: JUJU BROS present their debut album 'Joint Forces'
Location: TOKO MC
Link out: Click here
Description: Juju Bros was created by the brothers Jos de Haas & Pablo de Haas.
After many years of playing in several groups they created their own band, performing their own compositions, influenced by African rhythms and melodies, combined with jazz, funk and fusion.
After playing a couple of gig's in clubs, experimenting with different line-ups, Juju Bros decided to record their repertoire. A unique statement of two brothers finally finding their own voice.
Pablo de Haas: Saxophones
Stefan Schmid: Keyboards (ZUCO103)
Anton Goudsmit: Guitar (New Cool Collective /The Ploctones)
Udo Pannekeet: Bass guitar (Pitch Pine Project)
Stefan Kruger: Drums (ZUCO103/Ruben Hein)
Jos de Haas: Percussion (New Cool Collective/Sinas)
Start Time: 05:30
Date: 2011-11-20
End Time: 06:30


text:
Fog banks
So I finished 2017 talking about how I need to have that real feel (The real feel), and opened 2018 like most years where I feel like breaking it down and keeping it basic (Ready to be like water?). Like a need to tune in and keep in touch with myself, then blow away in a gust anything complicated or just getting in the way to leave a clear road ahead to really get going.
It seems so much more evident to me at the moment as I get the impression of a certain degree of complication that is disorientating us so far this year, a feeling of driving down the road and dodging potholes in the tarmac. Roadworks are necessary to maintainence, yet I feel there are too many spanners being thrown so far in 2018. We are surrounded by false information and fake news, there are too many agendas from too many politicians. Our online data is at risk to the highest bidder. Essentially it won't stop my day to day, it won't hinder me driving, but we have to be aware of the potholes - car suspensions can only take so much.
I remember playing hockey for a team near Ferrara in Italy some years ago. I had to drive a good hour-and-a-quarter away from where I lived to make training during the week or home matches at weekends. The road I took was not a main highway and often badly lit and the area near Ferrara is reknowned for the fog it gets in the winter. I remember various times driving back late at night through fog banks. One minute I am cruising just fine and then without warning I would have to hit the brakes and slow right down to an almost crawl-my-way-through speed. Then it would clear as fast as it came and you could speed back up until it hit you again. My right foot would hover tapping between the accelerator and the brake pedals like it was instead banging on a kick bass drum. You couldn't get a rhythm, it was unnerving and just tiring, especially after a hard training session and having to drive all that way back again so late at night.
This winter seems to have been longer than usual so far, it seems we have been swamped in a deeper fog, an intense, disorientating mist of world issues leaving a clammy sense of media manipulation in our western world when for so long the finger was pointed at countries in the east like Russia and most recently, North Korea. This is no longer a case of the goodies and the baddies, if there ever was one, just ask George Orwell. It is like choosing a mobile phone contract - there are no good ones, you just have to pick the best out of a bad lot. It would be interesting to see Orwell interviewed on hs theories in these modern times of big brother.
When I was driving through the fog on those long training nights in Italy, I had to keep moving forward even at a creep if need be, slowly but surely, waiting for the relief of coming out of the fog at the other end. Driving through it was the hardest thing, but once I made it through, the drive was calm and clear. I could see all the lights, all the other cars, the white lines on the road and the road signs so much more clearly.
Last year I visited my Irish friend again in Dublin, Ireland at his family pub, John Kavanagh's - more popularly known as 'The Gravediggers', a nickname from the men who dug the graves in the Glasnevin Cemetary next to the pub who would pop in for a well-earned pint at the end of the working day - which has been in his family since 1833. There is so much nostalgia in there, yet is is so simple and almost untouched over the years - and there are certainly no imported Irish pub memorabilia, this is the real deal. Included in this simplicity, tucked in a corner is the old wooden table in the photo which I took on my last visit. I could sit there for hours catching up with my mate, supping on a picture postcard pint of Guinness (the best in the north of Dublin as any Taxi driver will tell you). But it is not so much the great pint (or 5...or more...) that I crave for now. It is the clarity and simplicity of that table.
How you can clearly see each grain, tracing them for its length like a river through a valley of nicks and cracks and smoothed-off splinters. It is sturdy and reliable after all those years and all those pints propped on it. It has no secrets, no false information, it is for everyone and has so many stories to tell, so much to share. It is kind to people. Many a person has sat at that table like me and quietly waited for the fog to settle, leaving just the cosy, dimmed glow of the bar.
Fog banks in many ways are just part of living, we just need to keep moving forward, we know the direction more or less. Sooner or later they will clear. Patience, the grey will pass and the pint of Guinness then goes down beautifully, because during the three-quarter pour, even that is swirling and foggy until it settles and then you can top up the final quarter.
Maybe I do crave a pint of the black stuff after all. C'mon, it is Sunday.


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Spiritual Insights From "American Idol"
Contributed by John Mayes on Mar 11, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: What does "American Idol" have in common with the day of Judgment and Matthew 7:21? Both are "reality based"!
Spiritual Insights from "American Idol"
The show, "American Idol" is in it's fifth season on FOX and is watched by millions of people worldwide. Every year thousands of hopeful contestants between the ages of 16 and 29 audition for the chance to become the next "American Idol". Immediate fame and fortune await the one person who can sing well enough week after week to beat-out all the other highly talented individuals with undiscovered musical talent.
However, at the start of the competition, there are several individuals who have no business singing in public, but are convinced that they are supremely talented, despite the fact that they can't carry a tune if their lives depended on it. Yet, they remain arrogant and confident that they are, without a doubt, the next "American Idol".
Here is what some of them said before their audition:
"I'm basically a natural. Be prepared, I'll knock your socks off!"
"I sing like an angel. I've been singing since I was two."
"What America is going to like about my voice is that it's pure. It's honest."
"I recently discovered a talent I didn't know I had. I can actually sing. My voice is very different. It's the best voice in the world; it's the next voice of
Anerican Idol."
Here are my top five sorriest excuses some gave when they didn't advance:
5. "If he had famous clothes on and looked rich he
would have make it." (Mom)
4. "My throat is dry because I have been practicing
all day."
3. "You haven't given me a chance to evolve."
2. "Actually, I really can sing, I'm just nervous
as can be and I gotta go to the restroom."
(The edited version)
1. "I didn't make it through because my legs were
too hairy".
Many find it entertaining to watch conceited people making fools of themselves by singing as best as they can, only to discover the judges are laughing at their audition. It is hard to imagine that someone who sings so poorly has no idea that he or she are dreadful, and yet they are shocked when they are given the bad news that they didn't make it.
There is, perhaps in the not so distance future, a simular situation where many will be shocked to learn that they also didn't make it. Only, this situation won't be entertaining or amusing. It is the day when many will stand before a different type of judge and will be told that they are not going to Heaven.
Notice the warning of Jesus in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers!'
There are five key words and phrases that Jesus used to make this verse one of the most controversial passages in the Bible:
1. It is not enough to "say" that Jesus is "Lord" or "master" of your life. A noted Bible scholar, Leon Morris says, "The doubled "Lord", is apparently a way of emphasizing lordship; the speakers insist that they regard Jesus as their Lord". Imagine what a dreadful feeling it must be to "say" that Jesus is your Lord, only to hear him call you an "evil doer" and send you to Hell.
2. These individuals will learn on that day, that they never had a relationship with Jesus. Notice that in verse 23, Jesus said, "I never knew you." This does not mean that he was ignorant of their existance, but that they were never a friend of Jesus. People may "appear" to be religious, or Christian or faithful, church-going disciples, but Jesus knows the truth about them. He knows the difference between those who are really his and those who are counterfeit.
Unfortunately, even many of these "counterfeit" Christians are fooled into believing that they are saved when they are not. It does not matter if you
"say" that you know Jesus, what matters is that He
knows you!
3. Apparently going to church, reading your Bible and doing religious acts is not enough to get you into heaven. These teachers argued, "Did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?" They wouldn't have asked these questions unless they thought the answer from Jesus would be "yes". However, Jesus was not impressed. Without first having a saving relationship with Jesus, nothing you can do will impress God.
In Acts 19:13-16, there is a curious little story about people who also used the name of Jesus to perform miracles. It seems some Jews tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. After seeing the miracles from the Apostle Paul at Ephesus, these Jews would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out."
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Julia's To Re-Open in August/
August, 2015
Hello to All Friends of Julia's,
As you probably know the Julia Greeley Home has been on hiatus. Sometimes people joke that the word "hiatus" is code for "We're not sure we're coming back," but for us, that was never in doubt.
I am happy to announce that this August we officially re-open Julia's program in metro Denver. We are moving into a large residential-sized home which we will share with a great organization, Shannon's Hope, Inc., which welcomes women in crisis pregnancies.
This home is really beautiful, and large enough to operate our two programs independently, though we plan to share some staff and program materials. In the next days and weeks we will be telling you more about our new Friends at Shannon's Hope.
We will also be reaching out to our volunteers who over the past six months offered their talents and time to help us with our mission: to give Julia's women the job and life skills and spiritual support to recover their dignity and become self sufficient.
Other volunteers and donors have already stepped forward to contribute supplies and household items. We know there are many more of you who are waiting to find out what you can do to help us, and we will let you know as soon as we get settled in.
Finally, for the many people who ask, we are still pursuing a permanent campus in the Denver area. There are many "moving parts" to get into sync and we keep working away, confident that all will work out for the best. I'm not worried. I have put the Julia Greeley mission in the hands of St. Joseph, who was the best protector and guide possible for Jesus and His Mother, and it's inspirational to see how he has led the Julia Greeley Home from our beginnings, to our exciting re-opening in August, and all the way through our hiatus, and now into the future!
More soon, so please keep checking back, our email is there for your questions and ideas:firstname.lastname@example.com . And when the time and place is right for you to donate, we hope you will consider the Julia Greeley Home. We appreciate your support of all kinds, including your time, ideas and expertise. Most of all, please keep us in your prayers, and I am keeping you in mine,
Father Regis Scanlon O.F.M.Cap, Founder and president, Julia Greeley Home, Inc.


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I'd like to start this week's column by wishing two people a happy birthday. Anthony Bonner celebrated a big birthday with his family and friends on Saturday, July 27, and local barber and ice cream connoisseur Antoinette Mundinger celebrates her big day on Monday, August 5. Happy birthday, folks!The Swingtime Big Band will take the stage at the Westhampton Beach gazebo tonight, August 1, as part of the latest show featured in the 2013 Summer Concert Series on the Green. The 20-piece band will perform hits from the 1930s and 1940s, as well as music from the Great American Songbook, marking its 24th year performing in Westhampton Beach.
The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and, in case of rain, head on over to the high school auditorium on Lilac Road. Next Thursday evening, The New York Exceptions will perform hits from the 1960s and 1970s.
The Pioneer Chapter of Hadassah will hold its annual Woman of the Year fundraiser luncheon on Monday, August 5, at Oceanbleu at the Bath and Tennis Hotel on Dune Road in Westhampton Beach. This year's honoree will be Vered, of the Vered Gallery in East Hampton.
Tickets are $140 each and include a cocktail hour, three-course lunch, fashion show, gift bag and donation to Hadassah to benefit its medical organization. The boutiques and silent auction begin at 10:30 a.m., and the luncheon program begins at 12:30 p.m. For tickets or more information, call Elisa Greenbaum at (631) 288-5705 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
What is the first thing you see as you drive south on Potunk Lane and make a left onto Main Street? It is hard not to notice the beautiful steeple and clock of St. Mark's Episcopal Church. Well, it is need of some repairs, which are expected to cost $5,500.
The church is asking parishioners, and admirers of the steeple, to help offset that cost by chipping in and buying a "minute" on the clock for $92. There are presently 50 more "minutes" available for purchase to bring this iconic clock back to life. If you would like to help out, write out a check to "St. Mark's Episcopal Church" and drop it off at the parish center or mail it to P.O. Box 887, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978. Thank you in advance.
The Knights of Columbus, Father Joseph Slomski Council 7423, will host its fourth annual summer concert on Friday, August 2, in the parish center of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, off Meeting House Road on Quiogue. The doors open at 6 p.m., with the concert starting at 8 p.m.
There will be a 50/50 raffle, a silent auction, and snacks and beverages will be available. Tickets are $25 for general admission, or $60 for VIP, and available in the parish office or at Lynne's Cards and Gifts and Westhampton T-Shirts, both on Main Street in the village. Proceeds will benefit the local food pantry, the parish's homeless shelter program and other community-oriented charities. Call (631) 680-9879.
The Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce will host the 41st annual Mary O. Fritchie Outdoor Juried Art Show on Saturday, August 3, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Sunday, August 4, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., on the Village Green. More than 140 artists will be in attendance. For more information, please call the chamber office at (631) 288-3337.
While you are perusing the items on the Village Green, stop by booth number 23, near Beach Road, and check out the artwork being raffled by local artist Mym Tuma to benefit Healing Art Energy. Raffle tickets will be sold both days of the show and the drawing will take place in the afternoon of Sunday, August 4, and the winner does not need to be present to win. For more information, call (631) 878-0287.
The Rotary Club of Westhampton will host its annual Bill Hautmann Flea Market on the Great Lawn in Westhampton Beach on Saturday, August 10, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Sunday, August 11, from noon until 5 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children between ages 6 and 12. There will be tons of vendors, live music, refreshments and plenty of free parking. This event will take place rain or shine.
Bideawee will host its annual "Love on a Leash" walk on Saturday, August 17. The walk begins at the Village Green at 8 a.m. (registration starts at 7 a.m.) and will wander around Westhampton Beach and end up back at the Village Green. You can register to walk, raise funds or donate at www.bideawee.org/walk.
The Westhampton Beach Fire Department will host its annual Open House on Sunday, August 18, from 2 until 5 p.m., at the Sunset Avenue firehouse. There will be water games, rescue demonstrations, fire truck rides, as well as plenty of food and refreshments. As always, there is no charge to attend.
Maureen's Haven will host its third annual Lobster Bash fundraiser on Thursday, August 22, from 6 until 10 p.m., at the Dockers Waterside Restaurant and Marina on Dune Road in East Quogue. This year's event will have a country theme and actress Susan Lucci and her son, Andreas Huber, are the honorary chairs. Tickets start at $175 per person and can be purchased online at www.maureenshaven.org. Call (631) 727-6831.
Do you have "The Hottest Grill" in the area? 27east.com is holding a Beefed Up Barbecue Contest and will be giving away gift certificates to Catena's for the top three grill setups. Upload a photo of your grill/outdoor kitchen at 27east.com and tell us why it makes you king of the grill. Judging will take place on Monday, August 26. Good luck.


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2019 Travers Stakes Betting Odds: Predictions for Saratoga's...Read this article
New York Mets vs. Detroit Tigers: MLB Interleague Wagering Lines
American League leading Detroit Tigers prowl the Big Apple
Following their series opening 6-1 thumping of the New York Mets last night, the Detroit Tigers (75-53) are now tied with the Texas Rangers as the top team in the American League. Detroit is also the top hitting club in the Majors as they're currently sporting a .281 team batting average. The Tigers are led by the best hitter in baseball as Miguel Cabrera (.356 batting average) continues his all-world play and Miggy is a near lock to win back-to-back American League regular season MVP honors. Throw in one of the best pitchers in the game today, RHP Max Scherzer who is 18-1 with a 2.82 ERA this season, and the Metropolitans are in trouble here.
New York Mets stumble and fumble through yet another losing MLB season
Sitting with a 58-68 record, New York will need to finish the 2013 MLB season with a 23-13 record in order to avoid their fifth straight losing season – that's not happening. At the opposite end of the hitting spectrum from the Tigers, the Mets currently own the 27th worst team batting average (.240) in baseball. If there's a concern for Detroit backers here, it's the fact that New York will send their ace, RHP Matt Harvey (9-4 ERA 225) to the bump today. Harvey has been brilliant, on a bad baseball club, as he's allowed just 43 earned runs over 171.2 inning pitched. We'll load up on the Tigers and the -137 money line offered at the topbet.eu sportsbook!
Category : Sports


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Publisher Marketing:
A round-the-world bicycle tour with one of the most original artists of our day.Urban bicycling has become more popular than ever as recession-strapped, climate-conscious city dwellers reinvent basic transportation. In this wide-ranging memoir, artist/musician and co-founder of Talking Heads David Byrne--who has relied on a bike to get around New York City since the early 1980's--relates his adventures as he pedals through and engages with some of the world's major cities. From Buenos Aires to Berlin, he meets a range of people both famous and ordinary, shares his thoughts on art, fashion, music, globalization, and the ways that many places are becoming more bike-friendly. Bicycle Diaries is an adventure on two wheels conveyed with humor, curiosity, and humanity.
Additional details:Weight: 0.7lbsDimensions: 0.9" H x 7.9" L x 5.2" WBinding: PaperbackISBN: 0143117963Publisher: Penguin BooksAuthor: David ByrnePages: 297Publication date: September 28, 2010


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AccuPower Solutions is focused on creating easy-to-use software as part of the AccuPower Force Platform system sold by Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc. (AMTI) based in Watertown, MA. We work with clients from professional sports franchises, university exercises science and research departments, and university strength and conditioning programs to help each provide a robust, streamlined process for delivering force plate analysis.
In 2014, development efforts were re-energized to improve features of the software to expand compatibility with all AMTI force platforms and dual force platform configurations. AccuPower 2.0 software has been completed and the software is now compatible with most AMTI force platforms and dual platforms setups. The company has seen significant growth since that time, and expects that rate of growth to continue as new capabilities are added.
Mission Statement
Exceed client expectations by going beyond the development of the world's best software for Sport Biomechanics to providing our customers with streamlined workflow solutions that transform data into knowledge, enabling our customers to solve problems and better serve their athletes or students. We translate software solutions into value for our customers through our high-quality products, workflow design, and exceptional customer support.
Core Values
- Integrity: Honesty and doing the right thing in all that we do.
- Customer-centric: In an emerging field, we MUST listen to our customers and develop software and solutions based on the expressed needs of our customers.
- Agility: We will respond quickly to customer needs and software changes.
- Quality: We commit to excellence by providing quality software products and going beyond software to provide superior professional service and support.
- Detail Oriented: We commit to software products that conform to best practices in data collection and analysis, thus providing our customers with a valid, reliable, and stable solution.


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Get lost in the time warp that is Cuba on a weeklong fall trip that introduces participants to the culture and vibrant rhythms of the country.
The tour, organized by Cuba specialist Cultural Journeys, follows in the steps of author Ernest Hemingway in Havana. Participants can take a stroll on the Malecón — the harbor esplanade — walk the city's colonial cobblestone streets and ride through downtown in a vintage 1950s taxi, in addition to visiting local highlights and museums. Outside the city, the itinerary includes visits to the cities of Trinidad and Cienfuegos, both UNESCO World Heritage sites, for walking tours and activities.
The tour is led by art history professor Mary Drobny.
Dates: Oct. 21-28
Prices: From $3,875 per person, double occupancy; $850 single supplement. Includes accommodations, most meals, guided tours, visa, activities and demonstrations and transportation within Cuba. International airfare not included.
Info: Cultural Journeys, (562) 439-2828
Want to watch the upcoming total solar eclipse from 35,000 feet?
The August eclipse is the 'most spectacular thing you'll ever see,' especially in Missouri
The best places to see this summer's 'Great American Total Solar Eclipse'


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Get this, the picture below was posted on CNN.com. The file name for the picture...........asshole.jpg, I kid you not (as of 1am central).
EDIT - okay they changed the name, but it was a picture of President and Mrs. Bush!
Interesting isn't it - this underscores the reason for the Democrats loss this year.
(thanks Captains Quarters)
3 hours ago


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Knowing all about the special power of beautiful illustrations, Kam Mak, author and illustrator of My Chinatown, has chosen a book with especially captivating drawings. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg is Kam's pick for this week, and he hopes you'll enjoy the chiaroscuro.
In my senior year of art school I discovered Chris Van Allsburg's book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. When I saw his drawings in this book I became a huge fan of his and this book became my all time favorite children's book. The black and white illustrations were done with the utmost precision and sensitivity. His use of Chiaroscuro (the use of extreme dark and light) in the illustrations create a sense of mystery, magic and drama. I just love how his pictures alone can invite the viewers to exercise their imaginations.
Be sure to check out the last Photo of the Week with Paul Griffin. Happy Reading!


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I have asked my 1st and 3rd grade daughters to help me since they were walking. Grocery shopping, cleaning the house, folding laundry, making meals.....etc. However they can help, even in the littlest way. They are not only helping me, but I am teaching them at the same time. Always in a fun way.
Tonight, I was making the girls lunch for school tomorrow (a HUGE time saver in the morning, BTW) and also needed to add some things to the grocery list. My 1st grader needed something to do while my 3rd grader was doing some homework. Perfect! She is plenty old enough to add a few things to the grocery list.
Kiki's milk
Daddy's milk
Great! I made lunches while she added to the grocery list. Nice job! (and yes, we buy about 3 different kinds of milk in our house.)
What did she learn while she was helping mama?
1. spelling
2. practiced her writing
3. thinking about what to add to the grocery list
4. organization
All that in about 5 to 8 minutes. I love teaching my kids!


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Transfer Agency CO4
Good Exposure into Banking Domain
Any Financial Certificate will be an added advantage
Excellent communication skills
Job Overview:? The Transfer Agency department provides a third party fund administration service to numerous fund management companies covering the full range of shareholder servicing functions including Transaction Processing, Reconciliation, Reporting, Payments, Settlement & Indexing. The department is responsible for client and investor document management, processing and quality checking of transactions and updating the registers of clients' mutual funds in response to investor instructions
Job Responsibilities:? Processing of Financial & Non-Financial transactions through internal systems as per regulatory and client requirement? Identify and resolve problems within the defined procedures? Complete archiving of investor and client documentation ensuring a full audit trail exists for subsequent retrieval? Provide management information and analysis? Expected to use some initiative if any as per business needs? Should be able to work independently but also need to be a good team player
Skill Sets Required:? Excellent keyboarding skills? Strong analytical skills? Responsible for meeting all client deliverables? Ability to think outside the box to come up with innovative solutions? Ability to navigate proficiently in a windows environment? Strong knowledge of Microsoft excel & word? Ability to write messages in a clear and concise manner? Ability to read, write & speak english proficiently? Strong research, resolution and communication skills? Strong interpersonal skill? Attention to detail and ability to work on multiple tasks? Flexible enough to work in any shifts as per business needs? Prior mutual fund processing experience is preferred but not a firm requirement? Bachelors degree in Commerce is desired


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I read this quote and I loved it. Here are some random thoughts on this ::
This is a picture I took this past weekend of a friend coming into the finish line. She looked strong and I felt so happy for her. It is so true where you put your focus that is where you send your energy. So I asked myself where does my energy go ?
Most of my energy goes to my family. That means all the awesomeness that comes with being a stay at home mom. I don't love to cook but I do love to feed my family and a huge amount of my time goes to making sure we all eat well. My favorite question after we eat is " is your tummy happy." I cook a-lot and I has become fun. We sit for dinner every night and end up hanging out for an hour or so we laugh with the kids then sometimes my kids argue. We discuss all the things that are tough discussing outside the house like religion and politics and opposite sex questions are coming up a lot. I have two teenagers its perfect. The bigger the meal the longer we sit so I am OK with cooking because of that. The next thing is taking care of my house. I really have to have a clean house not crazy but I need clear open space for peace of mind. I feel like Jack need toys everywhere for his mind so we have come to a good negotiation.
Then running my thoughts and energy seem to go there no matter what. I focus on running and all I want right now is to have good strong races. Planning for them is fun. I don't care how I place. I am a middle of the pack kind of runner and that is perfect. I focus of my form. My stride my breathing my surroundings and that makes me happy. There you go lots of crazy G thoughts for today. Keep your focus on the good things and the bad things will seem smaller and if that doesn't work go for a long run and your troubles will fade away.
Happy trails ..G