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We started Choose a Challenge with an aim to work with students and charities to take them away to some of the best challenges in the world whilst raising thousands for a variety of charities and good causes. 8 years on our aims are the same, but now we are coming for you.
We've come along way from our roots in Tanzania, being right there at the beginning when climbing Kilimanjaro was still just a distant dream for most students, but our goal of exploring the best life has to offer and celebrating it together has remained throughout and on top of now running over 50 trips yearly out of the UK for just under 6000 students to almost every continent on the planet we are now live and offering the challenges of a lifetime to students in the USA.
It's admittedly been a long process of registering ourselves as a US company, learning the 'lingo' and finding ourselves a little space in New York but here we are and over the next two weeks we will be jumping around the East Coast meeting our fantastic charity partners; Medical Missions for Children, The B+ Foundation and Make a Wish Connecticut and our challenge leaders. We will be coming to Pennsylvania State University, Boston University and University of Connecticut and keeping this updated on how it all goes.
So stay tuned to our blog throughout this week and the rest of the year as we keep you abreast on developments, how our teams are progressing, how much is being raised, the odd interview and finally the photos and reports of our teams trekking to the top of the highest free standing mountain in the world.
In the meantime, do check out our website or email us on email@example.com for any more information.


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Together We Can Protect Your Teeth, Gums and Mouth for Years to Come
At Reading Dental, we offer all of our patients' a comprehensive preventative dental care plan that is expertly designed to keep their teeth, gums and mouth healthy now, as well as in the future.
Our approach to preventative dentistry is a team effort, and will require you to commit to three things:
- Brushing and flossing daily
- Regularly visiting Dr. Simons for routine cleanings and dental exams
- Fluoride treatments
When you become a patient at Reading Dental, our preventative dental care plan begins with a complete oral exam and dental cleaning. Once this essential exam and initial cleaning is complete, Dr. Simons may request that you visit the office for a routine dental cleaning every 3, 6 or 12 months, based on what is uncovered during your preliminary exam.
Additionally, we offer in-office fluoride treatments and dental sealants to further protect your molars.
Complete Oral Exam + Dental Cleaning
During your scheduled cleaning, a member of our experienced dental staff will first perform a complete oral exam, where we will closely observe and assess the condition of your teeth, mouth, and gums.
Our comprehensive exam includes all of the following services:
- Diagnostic X-rays: X-rays help us determine your tooth and root positioning, detect any possible signs of decay and bone loss, or, worst case scenario, uncover formations of tumors and cysts.
- Oral Cancer Screening: An experienced dental hygienist will closely examine your face, neck, lips, tongue, throat, and gums for any and all signs of mouth cancer.
- Gum Disease Evaluation: We will check your teeth and the gums surrounding them for any possible signs of periodontal disease.
- Tooth Decay Examination: Using specialized dental instruments, we will assess the surface of your teeth for signs of deterioration, including cavities.
- Existing Prosthetic Examination: Assessing the condition of your existing crowns, bridges, dentures, fillings, and implants is equally as important as examining your natural teeth and gums.
Once your dental exam is complete, one of the experienced hygienists, along with Dr. Simons, will review their findings with you, before gently, but thoroughly, cleaning your teeth and gums.
During your cleaning, you can expect the following services to be completed by Dr. Simons or one of his experienced hygienists:
- Tartar Removal: Tartar, or hardened plaque, can build up on the surface of your teeth, both above and below the natural gum line. This particular strand of plaque can only be removed with professional dental instruments, which is why dental cleanings are essential to your overall mouth health.
- Plaque Removal: Plaque is a sticky, colorless film that consists primarily of living bacteria, food debris and saliva. When left untreated for an extended period of time, it can lead to serious inflammation of your gums and/or periodontal (gum) disease.
- Teeth Polishing: Professional polishing is essential to remove surface stains and any remaining traces of plaque.
- At-Home Dental Tips: Simons and the team of oral hygienists have a combined 100 years of experience performing professional dental cleanings and exams. So, in addition to cleaning your teeth and ensuring your mouth is healthy, you can also expect tips and instructions on how to keep your smile healthy, bright and beautiful in between appointments.
Once your teeth have been cleaned, Dr. Simons will sit down with you one-on-one to discuss the entire exam and cleaning, as well as share his professional recommendations.
Fluoride Treatment
Brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and visiting your dentist regularly are three great ways to avoid tooth decay and gum disease. However, there is one additional treatment that we feel is essential to keeping your teeth healthy – and that's fluoride.
Fluoride is a mineral that helps prevent tooth decay and can actually repair your teeth in the very early, microscopic stages of a cavity. Additionally, it helps to repair tooth enamel – the substance responsible for keeping your teeth strong – by replenishing lost calcium and phosphorous.
There are two forms of this essential and fortifying mineral that you can try:
- Topical fluorides are applied directly to the tooth enamel. Many store-bought toothpastes and mouthwashes have fluoride or you can have it applied professionally right here in our office. The fluoride treatment that we provide to our patients at Reading Dental is a much stronger concentration than what you will find in the store-bought products, which makes it an extremely effective option. And the best part, it only takes a few minutes to apply. Professional fluoride solutions are available in several forms but generally come in a gel, foam or rinse formula. Depending on the formula type, Dr. Simons will either apply it with a cotton swab or brush, or ask you to rinse or bite down on a plastic mouth tray. After application, the only "homework" is to refrain from rinsing, eating or drinking for at least 30 minutes to allow the fluoride to fully absorb into your teeth.
- Systemic fluorides are swallowed, and are most commonly in the form of fluoridated water and/or a dietary fluoride supplement.
In order to minimize your exposure to possible tooth decay, it is our professional recommendation that you receive fluoride via both methods. If you are interested in learning more about this critical treatment, Dr. Simons and his hygienists are more than happy to discuss the benefits of fluoride with you during your next appointment.
Dental Sealants
Your back teeth, also known as your premolars and molars, are generally rough and uneven. They are also a common place for your favorite foods and cavity-causing bacteria to live. Of course, preventative methods like brushing, flossing and fluoride treatments will combat against the build-up of bacterium; however, a dental sealant is an additional way to fortify your back teeth.
Dr. Simons often likes to describe dental sealants as individual raincoats for your teeth. That's because they are thin, plastic coatings that are placed on top of the chewing surface of your permanent back teeth. This extra layer of protection makes it much harder for a cavity to form, and, ultimately, keeps your molars clean and dry, even while eating and drinking.
While both children and adults can benefit from dental sealants, the sooner these coatings are adhered to your teeth the better. That's why this procedure is most commonly recommended for children. If you have young ones at home, then you may want to consider having their molars sealed as soon as they poke through their gums. Their first molars usually appear around age six to seven, and their second molars around age twelve.
The sealant process can be done in just one, quick visit. Dr. Simons will brush the sealant directly on the surface of each molar and then, using an ultra violet light, adhere it to your teeth. As soon as the sealant hardens, and is evaluated by Dr. Simons, you or your loved one, will be able to enjoy eating and drinking immediately following.
Of course, no two patients, teeth or smiles are the same, so we want to meet with you in person to give you our best advice. To get Dr. Simon's personalized professional recommendation, call us at 781-944-5020, or fill out our quick form on the right to set up your complimentary consultation.

subset: commoncrawl


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By: Ayush Jain (LT MHPS)
Running is a passion; running is a source of joy for me; running is my escape from the daily monotony. Yet people ask me,
How can running pique any interest? Don't you get bored running that long?
How can you give up hours of sleep and waste so much energy only to tire yourself?
To these people, I reply,
Running is something that challenges every fibre of your body, pushes you to further limits. Endurance running gives an immense sense of satisfaction having conquered mental and physical barriers. While there are other activities through which one can test themselves, nothing comes as natural as running. Humans were evolved to run, to outrun other species – tiring them in the process and hunting them as prey.
Running requires no implements, no equipment. There are no skills to be imparted and no training to be gained from another individual. Running is all about self-discipline, about relentless practice and that will to never give up.
Running to me gives a free rein, a way to escape numerous limits imposed in daily life. Running gives me joy; going up against natural elements like wind and rain; to put one step in front of the other – giving me a sense of accomplishment. It's like the best sport I have ever engaged in!
The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon was my third half marathon after conquering the much tougher terrains of Cherrapunji and Shimla. I sought to challenge myself further and achieve a personal best as Delhi is entirely a flat terrain. ADHM was a different experience altogether. Seeing so many people run was a first, having previously run only in hills. It was a brisk start to the race weaving my way through the crowds and then settling into a rhythm at a target pace of less than 6 minutes per km. The green and clean vistas of Central Delhi coupled with a slight wintry chill, an awesome mix of music and scores of running enthusiasts all around made for an enjoyable and memorable run.
The 18 km mark was where the fatigue finally started to take a toll on the body. Unable to keep up with my original pace, I slowed down but maintained a constant to finish with a personal best of 2 hrs 11 mins 23 secs.
Qualifying for the D-line up in Mumbai with this timing, I have Mumbai and Pondicherry half marathons next in my sights. Running fuels another passion of mine which is travelling. That urge to run in scenic locations and prove my mettle in different terrains and weather is exhilarating!
I can only urge the readers to give running a try and maybe you will adopt running in your life as well.
Five such people ran their first half marathon this time in ADHM and some of them have related their running accounts in the following section of the article.
Hope you get inspired!!!
Prashant Rajpoot, SCM
For your First Half Marathon, Magazines and People say sleep well before "THE DAY". So I went to sleep at 10 pm but my Half Marathon started way before in my dreams where I was running like a ninja without getting exhausted then "dddddrrrrrrrrr" my watch vibrated and showed 5 AM!
Awake, feeling fresh, got ready with all my gear on, like a RAMBO for the run. I, along with my team mates reached JLN stadium at around 5:45 AM and for the first time I saw nearly 30,000 red Tees which made me jittery. "Whether I could complete it or not?", This was the big question on my mind as previously I had completed only 14 KM during my practice but one positive thing about people around you is that they keep motivating you.
The race started with a gunshot and with thousands of people running along I had to juggle my way through so that I could run comfortably (Now I know how Jon Snow would have felt in the episode, Battle of the Bastards from Game of Thrones). 15 KM were enjoyed with the view of India Gate and my playlist but in the last 6 KM it was very hard to convince my body to run. I started pouring water on my head while running, since my body was heated up. I could feel each step pounding on the road. Many advised me before the race to remain focused and to not stop, but in the last KM my body kept telling me to stop and I was thinking of all sorts of excuses to stop. BUT NO, I had to test my will power, this is what I had prepared for and with this on my mind I kept on running with my numb body and finally I could see THE FINISH LINE!
In the last 50 Metres came the feeling when you know that you are about to achieve something for which you practiced hard and woke up many mornings to run when others were sleeping in their cozy beds. FINALLY COMPLETED!! Phew!! Drenched, tired, pain in the knees and hungry – all of these were overpowered by a sense of achievement. I immediately rushed to the refreshment section, drank water, ate whatever I could grab and finally clicked a pic with Medal. Completed my first ADHM in 2 Hrs 16 Mins.
I believe these races are more of mind games than physical fitness.
Sateesh Hunagund, SCM
My pals are my inspiration to participate in an event like a Half Marathon. I first participated in a 10 KM run along with the SCM team a few months back and surprisingly completed and further qualified for 21 KM run. Again I practiced along with the team to build up the confidence and was able to successfully complete 21 KM. The result and satisfaction is worth the effort and I request all others to give this a try!!
T.S. Vikrambhat, SCM
My first half marathon was in 2015 – ADHM through which I had tested my endurance of running 21.147 Km and completed it in 2 hrs 36 mins 45 sec. I participated in my second ADHM this year too with a timing of 2 hrs 39 mins.
When you have a goal, you achieve it by undertaking all the measures that are required. I have read that if you practice a particular activity continuously for 21 days, it becomes your habit. With this in mind, I started running 2 Km daily for 21 days. I was curious to know as to what would happen if I continued and hence I ran on the 22nd day as well. But from 23rd day, there was no motivation and I could not continue. So what was the reason that I could not continue? Because I visualized my goal for only 21 days and once it was achieved, there was no subsequent goal. But I did feel a great sense of achievement on being able to run for 21 days continuously.
Subsequently, I set a goal to complete the half marathon distance of 21.147 Km in spite of not being actively involved in any sports activity in my school/college days. Once the goal was set, the preparations started. I started with 3, 5, 8 Km, and then progressed to longer runs of 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 KM and each time I could achieve my target because I had set a goal.
In hindsight, 21 days of continuous running practice did make running a habit for me. As we heard in our childhood, the moral of the story is,
"Set a goal which is attainable and do the ground work and you will achieve your target. Whether in work or personal life, be it a short term or a long term goal, one should have goals to keep life interesting and to achieve success."
So Eat, Sleep, RUN, Repeat!!!
Ayush is an active member of Team Enlightenment taking care of the Writer's Corner section. He takes interest in participating in Marathons and has done the same all over India. He also enjoys reading, blogging and music.


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A centralized repository of information, or digital library, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. It "stores and maintains scholarly information in digital format.
A consolidated guide to research materials relating to the Philippines.
The Center for Philippine Studies' new initiative to develop a Mindanao Studies Program at UH Mānoa. It is our modest contribution to the emerging focus on Islam in Southeast Asia and the Pacific region, now established at the UHM School of Pacific and Asian Studies.
List of published works by past and present Center for Philippine Studies scholars.
Annual reports of the Center for Philippine Studies by the Director


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A little trivia, do you know what the following have in common? The mailbox, the shoe machine, shoes, washing machine, rotary engine, light bulb, traffic light, blood plasma, hair comb, mop, refrigerator, refrigerant, dustpan, gas mask, ironing board, lawn sprinkler, street sweeper, touch tone phone, cell phone. I could go on, and on but for the sake of time of course, that is not possible.
These items are just a hint of the literally countless inventions by African Americans!…..


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Too good not to bring to your attention:
Mike Church asked me to prepare a talk for his national radio program. He asked me to give the speech that I would have given had I been invited to speak at CPAC on the state of conservatism in America today. My initial reaction was: Who cares what I have to say about the state of American conservatism?
I wondered, instead, what Conservatism (incarnated as a principle or an ideal) would want to say to the members of CPAC. Here is the result of my thought experiment:
Something beautiful, sad, unexpected, and miraculous happened today at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Conservatism appeared at the meeting and spoke for nearly ten minutes.
Dressed in a brilliant white gown, Conservatism blinded all of the conference attendees, panel members, celebrities, and speakers when she appeared at the main entrance in a flash of light. Conservatism made her entry right at the end of a heated panel discussion: Bipartisanship ... Why Can't We All Just Get Along?
Many CPAC members fell to their knees and begged forgiveness as Conservatism made her way to the podium. "Compassionate Conservatives" were turned into pillars of salt as she walked through the crowd. Religious bigots, who last year had made theological nitpicking the center of the presidential campaign, were struck deaf and dumb.
Conservatism stood at the podium, lifted her shining arms, and the entire building shook. This is what she said:
"Thank you for inviting me here today. I am rarely invited anywhere these days. Of course, this does not bother me ... nor does it matter in the least. I exist in principles of truth. I do not die and my principles do not change. You ignore me at your peril ... not mine."
At this early point in her speech, several leading members of the Republican National Committee, all of whom were sitting in the back of the room, tried to crawl beneath their chairs to an emergency exit. Conservatism blinked. The RNC members were turned into tiny white mice.
"You ignore me at your peril not mine," Conservatism repeated. "There seems to be some confusion in this room about who and what I am. I will make it clear for you: I am common sense. I am the truth of the market and the real world. I survive in even the most evil of regimes. I existed in the black market under Soviet communism. I existed with the maquis in France under fascism.
"I am not compassionate, I am patient. I am hard work and its eventual reward. I am the unreserved sharing that comes from a freely created surplus -- not confiscation through bureaucratic intervention and force.
"My enemy is not socialism. Given time, I always overcome the power of the state ... because I am the free collective power of individuals acting to buy and sell, and to provide goods and services, from one to another. My enemies are sloth, greed, bigotry, ignorance, lawlessness, and ... fate."
Conservatism shivered slightly as she mentioned the word "fate." The walls of the convention center trembled and ceiling tiles fell like rain on the audience. She continued:
"My right hand is freedom. The freedom to think, to act, and to speak the truth."
Conservatism raised her right hand and several members of the Main Stream Media who were reporting on the conference melted like wax.
"My left hand is private property. The absolute right to keep or trade such things as human beings invent, create, cultivate, and harvest by the sweat of their brows."
Conservatism raised her left hand and nearly every elected Republican official in attendance hid his or her face in shame.
"But this is not why I have come here today. As I said, I have nothing to fear. No policy or legislation can harm me. You may stand by as industries are socialized and economies bankrupted ... but this does not harm me. You may even convince yourselves that a little socialism is good for America; that no child is left behind when the central government controls education; that the elderly, no matter how wealthy, should not have to pay for their medications; or, as some in this country believe, that the government owes them medical treatment and a home. You may even allow liberals to drive me away for years, perhaps even a few decades. But they cannot destroy me.
"America will invite me back. I live without America; but America cannot live, for long, without me. As some in this room understand, government cannot, over an extended period of time, feed all of you, clothe all of you, house all of you and heal your wounds. I can.
"Government does not inspire you (although it may try to force you) to achieve, to create, to invent, to explore, to invest in the future. I do.
"I hope that this much is clear: I am not here on my behalf. I do not need even CPAC's support or acknowledgment. My principles exist whether or not they are recognized by this, or any other, audience.
"I do not need to be here to defend myself. I am here because of my heart ... for my heart ... my heart is the Constitution...." Conservatism wept and the earth shuddered beneath her. "I am here for the Constitution. I am here because America is breaking my heart."
There was a stunned silence in the room. Many members of CPAC remembered who they were, and why they had gathered, and they began to cry too.
Conservatism's voice rose like thunder:
"You have not done enough to protect and defend the Constitution. You have broken my heart. And because of this ... America will suffer."
There was a flash like lightening. A deafening clap of thunder rocked the auditorium. Conservatism vanished. And the members in attendance at CPAC asked themselves, "Have we done all that we can do to protect our Constitution and to preserve our republic?"
Audio version.
Larrey Anderson is a writer, a philosopher, and submissions editor for American Thinker. His latest award-winning novel is The Order of the Beloved. His memoir, Underground: Life and Survival in the Russian Black Market, has just been released.


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Tyre Yoghurt
500ml: £20.00 // 150ml: £9.00
Seals up to 8mm holes and rips
Does not separate and clump
Will not dry out
No latex or ammonia
Non-corrosive, non-toxic & non-flammable
Water washable
An Alternative to Latex Based Sealants…
Tyre Yogurt MTB Sealant will not separate, clump or dry out. It contains no latex, or ammonia, is water washable, non toxic & the "Flat Free & Full of Fibre" tech seals up to 8mm holes & cuts in MTB tubeless tyres.
OK, but how?
There are millions & millions of fibres & fillers permanently suspended in Tyre Yogurt. When a puncture occurs, the air in the tyre forces the fibres & fillers into the hole. This forms a flexible plug that prevents further air loss.
As the liquid is not part of the sealing process, we do not have to use latex - which can separate and dry out in your tyre.
The liquid we use does not dry out, and also holds the fibres and fillers permanently in suspension so they will not separate or clump.
Tyre Yogurt in Action sealing large cuts and holes in MTB tryes
Reviews of Tyre Yogurt from Riders on Facebook
It works. And it works really well. It's clear that this was developed by end users. Brilliant stuff.
Matthew Draper
I live and ride in Morzine and have been using this product now for a year.
Not a single puncture that it hasn't dealt with and it doesn't dry out.
Kevin Porter
Very easy to mount tubeless with a track pump and seals around the valve better than Stans. No punctures so far
John Myles
The Story of Tyre Yoghurt
If you want to know the story, then here it is! Otherwise go to the shop and buy some TY goodies!!
Once upon a time… April 2017, in the mountains around Morzine, Jon has a small puncture in one of his tubeless mountain bike tyres. The latex based sealant he was using refused to seal the 2mm hole so he went searching for alternatives. An internet search for commercial / industrial grade tyre sealants uncovered what we now know to be, one of the market leaders in the world of non latex industrial grade tyre sealants.
At a similar time in the hills around Saddleworth, England, Matthew's 12 year old son, Archie, is invited by Jack Reading - One Vision Global Racing, to join the team as a "young ripper".
A conversation with Mojo results in Chris Porter and Nicolai making the first ever junior sized G16 bike for Archie, and he starts racing. However, his first outing with a latex based tubeless sealant didn't end well so he switches back to riding with tubes.
Jon & Mathew have a conversation about a pending holiday in Morzine &, in passing, Jon mentions his new discovery of a heavy duty, latex & ammonia free tyre sealant.
Matt and Archie arrive in Morzine and Jon installs his new sealant in their tyres. A team of riders, scattered across Europe, is recruited to test the product & the sealant is tweaked and re-tested in response to their feedback.
As the snow comes to the French Alps & bikes are swapped for skis, testing continues. The product is put through its paces during the cold wet winter months in Saddleworth, Northern England, by a die hard group of riders basing themselves out of the Bikeanics shop. Jon continues to tweak the product and it is re-tested until everyone is happy with the results achieved.
"Tyre Yogurt" is officially born, Jon and Matt decide that they are going to embark on a new adventure and take the product to market! With this decision, they then decide that if they are going to go to market with "Tyre Yogurt", it had to be as perfect as it possibly can be, using only the best raw ingredients available. So they decide to scrap the brilliant Industrial Grade sealant they were using as their original starting point in favour of the even better Military Grade spec sealant.
Testing starts all over again. Mountain bikes across Europe and Australia are riding with "Tyre Yogurt" in their tubeless tyres and the first bottles of "Tyre Yogurt" roll off the Bolton production line in June 2018.


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This article was created in collaboration with Mindful Bites. Mindful Bites are sponsoring the 'Best New Blog' category in this year's Health Blog Awards, hosted by That Protein and the HBC. Get tickets to the ceremony here.
What was your motivation for launching a premium nut butter company?
I was raised in a kitchen and have always enjoyed food for its unique ability to surprise with the infinite creation of taste it allows by changing a small variable, but also the power it has to shape human connections.
Creating a food business had always been a dream and I guess I needed to get myself into a position of financial stability before taking the plunge. Over the years, I have had the chance to look deep into food, the role it plays in our lives, the rising levels of obesity and metabolic disorders; I studied the biochemistry of food but also the neuroscience behind food in an attempt to understand why we are attracted to certain foods and not others.
My little experiment here was to create the sense of indulgence normally associate with fatty sugary food with something which was totally healthy and yet decadent and super tasty; hopefully the magic formula has worked!
What makes Mindful Bites different to any other nut butters on the market?
Our products are always blended with superfoods, as we like the novelty element they represent, as well as the taste and clear health benefits. We created a texture with is super velvety. Both the taste and texture have been carefully studied and created to encourage slow eating; thanks to the texture, the taste stays in your mouth for longer, the superfoods stimulate the curiosity and offer new taste nuances, all elements which we hope can help distracting from distractions whilst eating!
What is the key to creating a product that stands out in a saturated market?
I think that entering a market, whether it is a new one or a saturated one, is equally risky and hard. The important factor is deciding who you are not going to be, even before you decide who you are as a brand; I have always had it very clear in my mind that I wanted Mindful Bites to be a premium brand promoting all things innovation, a brand with strong voice beyond the commercial nature of the business. This means that at times we just have to walk away from some opportunities as they are just not aligned with who we are, what we stand for and what we are aiming to promote. But I am ok with that; I like taking risks but I would not like to risk losing our identity.
How do you deal with unexpected situations such as tight deadlines and quick turnarounds?
I always aim for excellence but accept that at times you can only deliver 'good enough' and a job done is better than spending too long chasing excellence at all costs. For all aspiring founders, this is an incredibly hard lesson to learn, as all founders in my opinion are intrinsically perfectionists with slightly obsessive tendencies; the key is choosing your own battles; so I do not cut corners on any product development stage as that is just something I could not accept, but there are areas where speed is more important than perfection. The beauty of a startup is the agility of doing quick turnarounds; I view this as an amazing opportunity, as it allows to quickly modify the offering based on the consumers' response.
"The beauty of a startup is the agility of doing quick turnarounds"
How do you create more "mindful" relationships with bloggers?
Our approach to collaborations is very different; we don't engage in the 'send me samples and I write a post' as we don't feel it creates authentic relationships. We focus on creating and developing meaningful relationships with bloggers we interact with, whose content (regardless of the brand they are writing about) is aligned with our ethos, and whose overall contribution to the external world is positive.
We are very lucky as we have never had to pay anybody to write about our products; all the comments and mentions have come naturally and in a very authentic way. When we spot some real foodie out there, or somebody whose cooking abilities we particularly like, we may ask them to help us out on a specific project we are working on, as we like to get external opinions from time to time. Of course, we do share the goodies but we primarily try to give back in terms of career help, figuring out what they need to move to the next step in their journey and how we can support them. These are the only types of collaborations we do with bloggers, more based on creating a supporting collaborative environment.
What is the main benefit of working with newer and smaller bloggers?
I would lie if I said that I was not aware of the commercial importance of a large following. However, with large and smaller bloggers alike, we focus more on the level of engagement with their audience, irrespective of the size of such audience, and the quality of the content. In particular, I really like bloggers whose content evolves with their journey, who are prepared to take risks by putting out something which is radically different, as opposed to playing it safe. For us, these factors are way more important than the number of followers.
How important is the idea of mindfulness in snacking?
The tagline of our business is 'snack with intention'. Intention is a core pillar of mindful eating but also a more mindful approach to living. So before reaching out to food, we ask a very simple questions: 'Are you hungry?'. Often times snacking is the result of emotional triggers and not really hunger; this leads to mindless grazing, where food is just replacing a void or helping with some level of discomfort.
We encourage a more mindful approach to food, which consists of making snacking an occasion to not just eat, but also to check in with our emotions, let the noise around us just be as we tune in with how we are feeling, what our bodies need. It is a moment to create silence internally so we can hear our own voice. Sometimes we think that practising mindfulness requires lengthy meditation sessions in isolation, but this is not necessarily the case; we can use snacking as a moment to check in, to anchor ourselves back to the present moment, to also feel a sense of gratitude for being here right now with our little snack.
"Often times snacking is the result of emotional triggers and not really hunger… food is just replacing a void or helping with some level of discomfort."
How can people ensure they eat mindfully in everyday life?
Mindful eating and mindfulness have lots of great benefits, but it may not work for everybody clearly. We suggest having a go, in the most simplified and easy to implement way. Eating mindfully can start from having awareness around the food we eat (where does it come from? what do the crops look like? how does this food get processed?) and we feel that inevitably with this increased level of awareness comes a huge sense of gratitude for the land that keeps giving despite us keeping on taking. Maybe the classical approach to mindful eating would not dwell on this, but for us this is a core part of eating and living mindfully every day.
You are an advocate of positive nutrition. Can you tell us what this means to you?
This is a great question and it links really well to the previous point. We avoid any strict categorisation of food as healthy and unhealthy, but overall we believe that any food can only be healthy if it has benefits not just for the person eating it but also for the planet. Where is the value in eating something which gives us awesome skin, hair, a flat tummy if somebody else is paying the price because they get exploited in the supply chain, or it is at the price of the planet? What matters to us is only positive nutrition, which means food that is nutrient-dense (as food which is void of nutrients has not only a negative impact on our health but it is also wasting a lot of precious resources) and is contributing to the entire ecosystem, from the farmers working on the land, to the way that land is looked after. After all, we are only borrowing it from future generations…
"Where is the value in eating something which gives us awesome skin, hair, a flat tummy if somebody else is paying the price because they get exploited in the supply chain, or it is at the price of the planet?"
What is your best advice to people who are making more effort to eat with intention instead of aimlessly snacking?
A more mindful approach to eating starts with dropping any judgement, whether that's towards food or towards ourselves. Can desiring a naughty sugary chocolatey food really make us a bad human being? Can this temporary desire really have the power to erase all the values which make us who we are? And food, any food — crisps and ice-cream included — cannot really be defined as good or bad; there are circumstances when a particular type of food may be more appropriate than another, but food really is just food.
Checking in with how we are feeling and whether we are reaching out to food for emotional reasons or real hunger is a very important step; and so is sitting for few moments with the emotions or the hunger, just to realise that, actually, whether it is an emotional trigger or a physical cue, no food is going to kill us. It is a level of discomfort which we can definitely stay with for a few moments. Eating mindfully has to include savouring the food; eating is a highly enjoyable experience, it stimulates our taste buds and curiosity, provides us with potentially a new experience every time. Eating slowly in a more mindful way allows us to reconnect with food and the glorious experiences it can offer us.


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It might surprise you to learn that most additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies are not safe. They emit Styrene, Lactide and a number of other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Furthermore, the materials used in most 3D printers and, especially in the post-processing steps required by 3D printers, are quite hazardous.
If you work in a lab specially equipped with suitable ventilation and disposal systems for these VOCs and materials, you might not be concerned about safety.
However, there is a more strategic view that an increasing number of global enterprises are taking to scale additive manufacturing pervasively across the value chain to new users and applications outside of the additive manufacturing lab environment. They are investigating how to use additive manufacturing to redefine their processes and to offer entirely new products and services. These initiatives require scaling additive manufacturing beyond the lab to the production floor, office environments and even into space, necessitating completely safe processes and materials.
And, to bring the additive manufacturing to new users of the technology, such as machine shops, doctors' offices and other office and retail locations, VOCs and harmful materials throughout the process, from file to functional part, are simply out of the question.
There are also are many organizations with traditional 3D printing applications where VOCs and harmful materials are not an option. For example, the need for safety in educational environments is clear, despite the fact that printers used in classrooms today are unsafe. Similarly, medical facilities require safety.
One of our customers, a global aerospace & defense technology company nearly purchased a 3D printer that has the word "water" in the name of its post-processing system because they thought it was safe. Once they learned that the "water" referenced in the name is actually concentrated sodium hydroxide, classified as a corrosive, the customer purchased RIZE instead. They said harmful emissions and/or materials is a non-starter at their facility.
But the need for safe additive manufacturing extends beyond companies with safety and sustainability directives.
Consider the US Navy. They told us they simply cannot risk the health of sailors in submarines and on ships with 3D printers that emit VOCs and use harmful materials that must be stored and disposed of in a special manner, so they purchased RIZE.
Similarly, the US Army operates 3D printers in expeditionary pods that are sent far out into the field. Like the Navy, they can't afford to have soldiers and contractors operating printers in these pods harmed with VOCs, nor do they have the facilities to store and dispose of toxic materials on a remote field base or in many of the countries where the pods are sent.
RIZE's Augmented Deposition technology is completely safe. Our printer emits no VOCs and the process uses only safe, biocompatible and recyclable materials that do not require special storage or disposal facilities. Since our process requires virtually zero post-processing of parts following printing, there are no harmful solvents or dangerous tools required by other 3D printing technologies – the user simply releases the supports in seconds or minutes from the part with bare hands in any type of location. The remaining surface is smooth and no further sanding or finishing is required.
Contact RIZE to learn more, request a sample part or to get a quote.


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Press & Media
Attending An Oscars Viewing Party – What To Expect?
Attending an Oscars Viewing Party Is An Experience In 2017, the Vanity Fair and Elton John Oscar Viewing Parties were (as they always are) chic gatherings attended by guests from the worlds of film, music, business, tech, politics, sports and more. The parties bring together old and new Hollywood to create an experience that's nearly […]Read More
One Concierge's Super Bowl Entertainment & Hospitality Predictions
After the Eagles victory in the NFC Championship Game, a collective "sigh" was released by the consulting firm Rockport Analytics as they estimated that 125,000 visitors would attend Super Bowl XLII. When the projection was made, the likelihood of Minnesota hosting a Super Bowl on its home turf was extremely low and justifiable. Luckily, the Vikings fans […]Read More
Prediction: Super Bowl 52 Prices Will Soar If The Eagles Make It
Lincoln Financial Field – StadiumsofFootball.com Prediction: Super Bowl 52 Prices Will Soar If The Eagles Make It One Concierge conducted an ad hoc poll of nationwide ticket brokers regarding the impact of overall Super Bowl ticket and hospitality prices if the Vikings, Eagles, Patriots or Jaguars make it to the Super Bowl. In our last […]Read More
One Group Pulling For The Vikings To Head To The Super Bowl: Ticket Brokers
The NFL's version of the Final Four is set with Minnesota, Philadelphia, Jacksonville and New England each vying for a coveted spot in Super Bowl 52. If the Vikings manage to get past the Eagles, it will be the first time in Super Bowl history that the host team will also be play in their […]Read More
Concierge Companies Are Forging Ahead in a Growing Luxury Sector
The specialized luxury concierge services around the world are pushing boundaries, extending their services and reach. Their clients comprise of über HNIs and enterprises wanting to stay on top of their game. Arman Motiwalla, founder, One Concierge, a global concierge, says, "We are seeing a large increase in demand from certain regions such as India, the […]Read More
5 V.I.P. Perks Your Meeting Attendees Will Appreciate
Digital communication dominates the day-to-day life of business people across nearly every industry, yet attendance at meetings, conferences, and trade shows remains strong. The value of face-to-face interaction is indisputable, but the fact, is the effort to come together—the travel, the cost, the work that piles up while away—can be taxing. So why not consider doing something […]Read More


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ASPIRE is a quarterly magazine published by PCI in cooperation with the associations of the National Concrete Bridge Council. The editorial content focuses on the latest technology and key issues in the Concrete Bridge Industry.
Issue link: http://www.aspiremagazinebyengineers.com/i/296646
10 | ASPIRE , Winter 2014 A worker inspects under the State Highway 3 Bridge over Childs Creek in northern Idaho. All Photos: Idaho Department of Transportation P E R S P E C T I V E The need of bridge owners to effectively assess the condition of their bridge assets in order to efficiently manage their preservation, repair, rehabilitation, and replacement has been ever present. With the introduction of the 2013 AASHTO Manual for Bridge Element Inspection (AASHTO MBEI), 1 st Edition, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has developed a state-of-the- art tool for assessment of the nation's bridges. Background I n t h e e a r l y 1 9 9 0 s t h e F e d e r a l Highway Administration (FHWA)— working collaboratively with several states—introduced the concept of more accurately assessing individual components or elements of bridges and how they deteriorate. This information is essential to bridge management. Subsequently, AASHTO created the concept of bridge elements with the AASHTO Guide for Commonly Recognized (CoRe) Structural Elements, First Edition (1998). This inspection approach improves upon that required by the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) in that individual bridge elements are quantified and their condition assessed. For example, individual components of a concrete arch bridge—such as beams or stringers, floor beams, spandrel columns, arches, their concrete protective coatings, and concrete reinforcing steel protective systems—are quantified and their conditions are assessed rather than simply giving one condition assessment to the entire superstructure of an arch- type bridge as would be done with the NBIS. As the use of element-level inspection techniques proliferated, the need for improvements became identified. In 2011, AASHTO created the AASHTO Guide Manual for Bridge Element Inspection (GMBEI), 1 st Edition. This manual contained many improvements and enhancements, such as: • changes in the measurement units of decks and slabs, • development of the wearing surface element, • standardization of the number of element states, • development of the protective coating element, and • incorporation of expanded element smart flags. The goal of the AASHTO GMBEI was to completely capture the condition of bridges in a simple way that could be standardized across the nation while providing the flexibility to be adapted to both large and small agency settings. Michael B. Johnson of the California Department of Transportation and Paul Jensen (retired) of the Montana Department of Transportation were fundamental to the development of the GMBEI. After the introduction of the AASHTO GMBEI, bridge inspectors and bridge asset managers from bridge owner a g e n c i e s , t h e F H WA , c o n s u l t a n t inspection firms, and training instructors suggested improvements. The result is now presented as the 2013 AASHTO MBEI. AASHTO MBEI The AASHTO MBEI comprises 245 pages and has been divided into three sections and five appendices. Section 1, Background, discusses the philosophy b e h i n d e l e m e n t l e v e l c o n d i t i o n assessment and multiple distress paths within the defined condition states. T h e m u l t i - p a t h d i s t re s s l a n g u a g e provides the means to fully incorporate all possible defects within the overall condition assessment of the element. The overall condition of the element can be utilized in this aggregate form, or broken down into specific defects as desired by the agency for bridge management system (BMS) use. In Sections 2 and 3, the AASHTO MBEI provides a comprehensive set of bridge elements that are designed to satisfy the needs of all agencies. The element set presented includes two element types identified as national bridge elements ( N B E s ) a n d b r i d g e m a n a g e m e n t elements (BMEs). Also a framework for agency developed elements has been created to provide an agency with the ability to define custom sub-elements in accordance with the NBEs or BMEs or for agency elements not defined in the AASHTO MBEI. All elements a re a s s i g n e d a s t a n d a rd n u m b e r representing one of four condition states: good, fair, poor, and severe. NBEs represent the primary structural components of bridges necessary to determine the overall condition and safety of the primary load carrying members. NBEs are a refinement of the deck, superstructure, substructure, and culvert condition ratings defined in the FHWA's Recording and Coding Guide for the Structure Inventory and Appraisal of the Nation's Bridges. Additional elements included in this section are bridge rail and bearings. NBEs are designed to remain consistent from The AASHTO Manual for Bridge Element Inspection by Matthew M. Farrar, Idaho Transportation Department and Barton Newton, California Department of Transportation AspireBook_Win14.indb 10 12/10/13 12:53 PM


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85 Grande Oaks Way is located in the desirable community of Pleasant Point on Ladys Island, South Carolina. Grande Oaks Way is a quiet neighborhood with each property enjoying estate size homesites between 1 to 2 acres. It can be easily accessed off of Pleasant Point Drive and is located on a 72 Acre salt water lagoon.
This home site offers over 2 acres of low country splendor. Enjoy the best fishing, crabbing and shrimping Beaufort has to offer from your own backyard. Take advantage of 24 hour high tide views across the lagoon. Build your dream home amongst the majestic Live Oaks on the property.
Soak up the Low Country Lifestyle. The bird life over and around the lagoon is spectacular, from bald eagles, egrets, herons, pelicans, ospreys, and the extraordinary roseate spoonbill. Go kayaking or canoeing from you back yard whenever you want! Feel like a round of golf? The community boasts a beautiful public course.
Pleasant Point is located on Ladys Island, and was originally a plantation home in 1704. It has expanded from one home, to a beautiful neighborhood community, complete with a community pool, clubhouse, and breathtaking scenery.
This community offers everything from waterfront homes to quaint cottages, while capturing the views of the marshlands, waterways, lakes and ponds. Many residents are active, and take advantage of what their community has to offer. Pleasant Point is just minutes away from downtown Beaufort, golf courses, and the military bases. It is a pleasant drive to the beaches of Hunting Island State Park, local eats, and abundant farms.
Ladys Island SC Real Estate - Beaufort Realty Consultants
Our Team of Real Estate Professionals specialize in Ladys Island South Carolina, which is located 4 miles across the Beaufort River from Downtown Beaufort. We offer full service Real Estate Listing Services, Buyers' Representation, long term property management, vacation beach rentals, and real estate investment. Visit our local office at 910 Charles Street, Beaufort SC 29902 or call (843) 521-2022.


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Determines whether elements of one array are less than corresponding elements of another array. lt(a,b) is equivalent to a<b.
c = lt(a, b)
Scalar or array of any dimension.
Scalar or array of any dimension. b is the same size as a unless a or b is a scalar.
Array of Boolean values. An element in c is 1 if an element in a is less than the corresponding element in b. Otherwise, the element is 0. c is an array of the same size as the larger of a and b.


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WCCC Division II Conference Champions 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013
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- Alex Deich
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CategoriesHSU Cycling Chronicles HSU Cycling Club Mountain Bike Season 2009 Mountain Bike Season 2010 Mountain Bike Season 2011 Mountain Bike Season 2012 Mountain Bike Season 2013 Mountain Bike Season 2014 Mountain Bike Season 2015 National Championships Road Race Season 2009 Road Race Season 2010 Road Race Season 2011 Road Race Season 2012 Road Race Season 2013 Road Season 2014 Summer Adventures Tour of California Training Tips Videos Western Collegiate Cycling Conference Championships Where are they now?
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Category Archives: Mountain Bike Season 2010
Race #7 – HSU Wins WCCC MTB Championships
By Sam O'Dell The Western Collegiate Cycling Conference Mountain Bike Championships were hosted by San Diego State University this season. The championship was held during a serious rain storm, making for muddy and slippery courses. Sam O'Dell was the lone … Continue reading
Posted in HSU Cycling Club, Mountain Bike Season 2010 Tagged wccc championships Leave a comment
Race #6 – HSU in Santa Barbara
Four HSU cyclists made the long trip south to the sixth race of the WCCC season hosted by UC Santa Barbara at the Fire Stone Walker Ranch. Alex Deich, Kevin Cage, Kevin Pabinquit, and Justin Graves took a long weekend … Continue reading
Posted in HSU Cycling Club, Mountain Bike Season 2010 Tagged cow pie classic Leave a comment
Race for the Ridge Trail, HSU MTB Race Results
HSU sweeps the podium! Pictured left to right are Kevin Cage, Andrew McAfee and Ryan Spaulding. HSU's Race for the Ridge Trail went off swimmingly last weekend. Swimming in mud, that is. Full results and pics are at http://racefortheridgetrail.wordpress.com/ Thanks … Continue reading
Race For The Ridge Trail – WCCC #5
The Race for the Ridge Trail Festival will be held on Saturday, October 30 at Redwood Park in the Arcata Community Forest. The festival is a fundraiser for the Arcata Ridge Trail Project, a new 4-mile trail and additional open … Continue reading
Race #4 Stanford at Toro Park
By Justin Graves This weekend 7 riders from the HSU Cycling Team attended the fourth race of the 2010 WCCC series in Salinas, Calif. The race was hosted by Stanford University and held at the well known Toro Park between … Continue reading
Graves Crowned DH National Champion
By Justin Graves HSU at Collegiate Mountain Bike Nationals Tahoe – Day 3 Justin Graves practicing downhill runs in the Arcata Community Forest. Photo by Kellie Jo Brown. The HSU Cycling Team's final day at Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships … Continue reading
HSU at Collegiate Mountain Bike Nationals Tahoe – Day 2
By Justin Graves Kevin Pabinquit shreds down the 4x. Photo by Vicky Sama. Today was another busy one for HSU Cycling's athletes. Joe Mulleary raced in the morning's Division 2 Short Track XC. Mulleary got tangled up in the heated … Continue reading


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ŌĆ£the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.ŌĆØ
ŌĆĢ┬ĀSteve Jobs
One of the most publicized quotes from the legendary, late Steve Jobs .
Today, JOBS will be premiering across the nation. Ashton Kutcher has tackled the nearly impossible mission of portraying a man who re-designed and re-defined technology as we know it.
This weekend the biopic of┬ĀApple┬Ā(AAPL┬Ā+0.78%)┬Āfounder┬ĀSteve Jobs┬Āfinally hits theaters. In┬ĀJobs,┬ĀAshton Kutcher┬Āplays the iconic tech leader who passed away in 2011. For many in the tech industry, this is the movie theyŌĆÖve been waiting for since the project was announced last year. ┬Ā–FORBES
Are you as excited as we are to see this widely anticipated film? Let us know what you think of Ashton's performance.
Is Ashton Kutcher crazy enough to change the world?
Many would say yes, following an inspiring and unexpected speech by Kutcher at The Teen Choice Awards. Check it out:
Stay Tuned with GemFind on these Social Networks:
GemFind on Facebook.┬Ā┬ĀGemFind on LinkedIn.┬Ā┬ĀGemFind on Twitter.┬Ā┬ĀGemfind on Pinterest.┬Ā┬ĀGemfind on Google+


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Franco Human, AFDA Durban Campus Dean and Chief Operating Officer introduced the preview screening of South Africa's latest highly anticipated film, Four Corners at the Spiga D'oro restaurant on Florida Road on Saturday evening.
Based and fully shot in Cape Town, Four Corners (Die Vier Hoeke) tells the story of a young chess prodigy who must defy the odds and stay one move ahead of the gangs—in a game where winning or losing can mean the difference between life and death. The film plays out aspects of the war fought and reported daily on the streets of the Cape Flats, home to the Number Gang factions of the Western Cape.
The film which was directed by Ian Gabriel, and produced by Cindy Gabriel and Genevieve Hofmeyer had the involvement of a number of AFDA alumni including, Karien Murray (Sound Editor, Tattoo Artist and general behind the scenes work), Jaco Loots (Set Director), Bianca Prinsloo (Props Assistant) and current student at AFDA Cape Town Campus, Aldine Bronkhorst (2nd Assistant to the editor).
"A few AFDA Alumni and a student were involved in the production of the film and we are very proud of the sterling work that they have achieved with this film." said Franco Human at the preview 'Four Corners is a welcome addition to our South African production slate of films. Its raw essence of township life with a number of stories makes for an engaging watch. It has been beautifully shot with great styling and phenomenal tattoos! I would encourage as many as possible to go watch the film in cinemas from the 28th March 2014. I would like to congratulate the crew and cast…what a great job'
FOUR CORNERS launches in cinemas nationally on Friday 28 March. The film was South Africa's Official Selection for Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards © and International Press Academy 2014 Satellite Award © Nominee for Best International Film.
For more information on the event or about AFDA you can contact Milena Gevers on (031) 569-2252 or e-mail her on email@example.com.


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Therapy eye appt and other things
Today is the US election day. I had voted last week so I didn't have to go near a poll today. I pretty much tried to stay off social media because it was filled with "go vote" or "I voted" followed by selfies with the "I voted" sticker. Who the fuck gives a shit. After the 20th message, I just said I was done, on both Facebook and Twitter. It was difficult because I am on both mediums all the time but I kept myself occupied with trying to sleep and then I had therapy.
I was and am so sleep deprived because I only had about 3.5 hours of sleep consistently last night. I was up till around 0600 because the pain was so damn bad nothing was helping me, not even my trusty Ativan could knock me out. I was so overtired and cranky that I sent messages to both my psychiatrist and therapist saying that I fucking hated them and they sucked for allowing me to live. I didn't care. It was around 0400 when I sent off these messages. My psychiatrist wanted me to call her to check in, which I did after I took a damn shower when I woke up at 0930 and then made breakfast. She is really worried about me because I never talk like that.
I have no idea what went on in therapy. She said I had the floor but I know I didn't talk. I just answered questions. She skipped the text message about canceling tomorrow. Not my problem so I got out of it. She wanted to fill it in with a session on Thursday but I wasn't having it. I am all therapied out. I just want to sleep all day tomorrow, without interruptions by a pesky therapist. After therapy, I tried to nap for 10 minutes before having to catch the bus to the Square so I could get my espresso. I wanted 5 shots today and got it dammit. It helped keep me awake as I had my eye appointment.
I love my eye doctor. I have been seeing him since I was like 18. He is a very cool guy and very caring. I told him I needed an eye exam and to check the growth that was at the corner of my right eye. And also to figure out why my eyelids were so dry. I have some kind of virus thing that is causing the growth and it's both eyes. The ones on my left eye (7) are small and the one on my right is slightly bigger. It's a cosmetic thing so there is nothing to be done about it. Not that I care as long as it doesn't interfere with my vision. The thing with my eyelids is eczema. I have to get a cream to put on it. Just great. I have eczema in my ears and now my eyelids. Fucking lucky me. Two places that make it hard to put stuff on. UGH.
I had to email my doc because I noticed a change in the prescription from the previous one to the one he gave me tonight. I just want to make sure it isn't a typo when I get my new glasses. I won't be going to one online. It will be more money to go to an optical place but I don't care. The ones I bought were good but even my doc said they needed to be adjusted and I never got them adjusted to fit right. Live and learn
I haven't had anything to eat since this morning and I am too lazy to make something. Actually, I am not really lazy, just too tired. I'd order something but I don't have cash on me. My choices are either a tuna sandwich or pizza. I am opting for tuna because it'll be a lot quicker than pizza. Our oven takes at least 20-30 minutes to preheat and then it's another 25 minutes to cook. I'll be digesting my tuna sandwich by the time the pizza is done. I don't know what happened with the celery I bought. It might have gone bad or my mother froze it. She loves to freeze things. I wanted to make pasta with my sauce but making a sandwich will be easier. I will make the pasta tomorrow for lunch.
I better have no problems sleeping tonight or I might get myself admitted. I am going insane with no sleep. Last night was so horrible. I really don't want another night like that. It's getting late and I am getting tired. I think I am just going to take my meds and call it a night. Screw eating. My meds will be my meal.


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Asbury Park, New Jersey Coaster Set of 4
Premier quality 4.25"x 4.25" ceramic tiles
Handcrafted and printed in Asbury Park, New Jersey USA
Full Cork Back To Prevent Surface Scratching
Permanently infused image * no stickers, decals, or mod podge *
No peeling, fading, or sticking to glass!
Set of 4 for $35.00
Ships within 1-2 days via USPS Priority Mail
1-2 business days
I'll do my best to meet these shipping estimates, but can't guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Just contact me within: 14 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 21 days of delivery
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
All custom orders will receive 1 free proof for final approval. The image you provide is the image we use. If you have a question about photo size we are more than happy to assist you!
Custom Orders Can Not Be Returned: Each Item Is Handmade
Please message us about wholesale orders.
All of the images on our items are permanent. They can withstand heat up to 400 degrees. We do advice hand washing our carabiner camper mugs due to the fact that they are double walled for insulation.


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On Chase's closure of its iconic branch at 43rd and Fifth
Chase's closure of its iconic branch at 43rd and Fifth
"The crisp glass box, with its signature vault daringly visible from the street, made you feel good to be in it. I liked to stand on the upper level, and just look out the window and watch the traffic on the avenue below: the Lubavitchers across the street, hustling office drones, street dancers, tourists walking along oblivious. How different it was from the traditional bank branch of an earlier time—think imposing classical facade of rusticated stone—and also the contemporary vulgarization of its own modern aesthetic." — Mark Lamster


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Best Practices Blog: The 2011-2012 Kellogg MBA Essays
Forster-Thomas Essay Coach Ben Feuer provides his advice on how to answer Kellogg's MBA essays
It's one of those movie clichés everyone remembers: The ragtag bunch of misfits who, when assembled and given the proper direction, manage to beat the big scary team from Center Central—you know, the guys whose uniforms match.
That's one way to think of Kellogg. After all, it didn't make the top five in the Financial Times' global MBA rankings this year, or even the top twenty. Isn't Kellogg just a safety for the 700+ GMAT crowd? Another also-ran?
Think that way and you'll end up the same way those boys from Center Central did—eating turf and wishing you'd taken your app more seriously. The truth is, Kellogg is a top-notch school with a unique mandate: it's all about achieving in group settings (read: Being part of a championship team). That's why their mission statement lists "grounded wisdom" and "collaborative spirit" ahead of vision.
So, think you can make a champion misfit? Well, you better be ready to put it all out there, because Kellogg's essays will challenge you to do just that.
Essay 1: MBA Program applicants - Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing an MBA. (600 word limit)
Yeah, it's another goals essay. But pay close attention to the wording. They're emphasizing your career progress to date, and they're not mentioning short- and long-term goals as distinct entities. What does this mean? It means we're back to "grounded wisdom". Kellogg is looking for a track record of high achievement in a particular field and a short-term goal that reflects that. Prove to us that you're going to be ready to work on day one after graduation… that's what they're saying.
Also, even though they don't specifically ask for your motivation for pursuing a Kellogg MBA, you had better read between the lines and do your school-specific research. Kellogg wants you to want them, but you have to be able to tell them why they're the right program for you.
Essay 2: Describe your key leadership experiences and evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA experiences (600 word limit).
This is a standard leadership essay, with a few important tweaks to consider. The first is that they're asking for experiences. Plural. So you need to work at least two stories into this essay. They're also asking you to evaluate potential growth areas (This is going to be a theme at Kellogg … how can we help you grow? White boys beware, if you try to come out of this looking like Mary Poppins—practically perfect in every way—you will crash and burn). Do a little head math and you come up with approximately 200 words for each story, and 200 words of what you hope to develop. What does this remind us of? It rhymes with Schmarvard Shmuniversity. And if you've read our blog on Schmarvard, you know that there's no room for anything artsy, fartsy, or god forbid, both artsy and fartsy. Stick to the story, and try to devote at least a third of each example to takeaways, lessons learned, analysis and personal growth.
One important way Kellogg differs from that other Burgundy-flagged school is that it treats the whole essay as a single unit. So you need to consider transitions. Think about a way to tie your examples together at the beginning, and don't forget to place your stories on the timeline of your personal development (in 2008, after graduating, I was a young greenhorn when I…).
Essay 3: Assume you are evaluating your application from the perspective of a student member of the Kellogg Admissions Committee. Why would you and your peers select you for admission, and what impact would you make as a member of the Kellogg community? (600 word limit).
My candidates always dread this essay, and I always love it. Nothing encapsulates Kellogg better than this essay, and I personally suspect that this is essay they use to really separate the wheat from the chaff.
The purpose of the essay is to make you put yourself in admission's shoes, and do their work for them, explaining to them why they should accept you. The wording of the essay has recently been revised, so you are now allowed to introduce information that doesn't exist elsewhere in your application, and if you choose, you no longer have to write from the perspective of a student committee member. That said, I still recommend that you do. It shows creativity and allows you to demonstrate the depth and breadth of your understanding of Kellogg—which is extensive, right? Because you really want to go to Kellogg, right? If not, see paragraph one.
As for the content, devote equal time to your undergraduate and post-graduate achievements. Try to think about things the way admissions would—are you worthy of admission, based on your numbers? Will you contribute to the incoming class? How? What makes you stand out? And perhaps most importantly, what will Kellogg do for you? How is it a natural and necessary step on the way to your goals, both short- and long-term?
Essay 4: Complete one of the following three questions or statements. (400 word limit)
Re-applicants have the option to answer a question from this grouping, but this is not required.
a) Describe a time you had to inspire a reluctant individual or group.
b) People may be surprised to learn that I…..
c) The riskiest personal or professional decision I ever made was…
a) If you are a leadership juggernaut, this can be an opportunity to squeeze in that amazing third story you didn't get a chance to fit into your essay #2. But most of the time, that isn't going to be your best use of precious words. Beware of repurposing to fit this prompt just because it's easier than writing a new essay—unless, as I said, you really have a GREAT leadership instance.
b) This is the choice for people who want to spread their creative wings. If you're afraid to do that, then you should DEFINITELY choose this prompt. You have to push yourself to write great essays, and surprising someone with your first sentence is a good challenge to set for yourself. Once you have surprised them with your opening sentence, continue surprising them by showing your response to the situation or your evolution over time. You should be different at the end of this essay than you were at the beginning.
c) This is a chance to show the gears turning. Really delve into the introspective side of your personality. Remember that these kinds of essays should always be a choice between one good and another good. It's a decision, not a bummer.
See our Kellogg Class of 2014 MBA Essay Guide for more information.
Best Practices Blog: The 2011-2012 MIT Sloan MBA Essays
If MIT Sloan were a dog, it would be an Irish Setter … you know, that dog that sticks out its head and holds up one leg to show the man in the coonskin cap which direction to point his Winchester? That's right, MIT Sloan is a pointer. It's a forward-looking, forward thinking school full of high achievers focused on the promise tomorrow brings … and no, not everyone there looks like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. MIT Sloan has a hip, diverse incoming class, and if you're looking to join the party, you'd better glom on to these essay notes like they were the brand new Blu-Ray box set of Star Wars (Sorry, that'll be my last MIT nerd joke).
Prepare a cover letter (up to 500 words) seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Describe your accomplishments and include an example of how you had an impact on a group or organization. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence and be addressed to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions.
Here it is … the stealth essay. Many people don't even realize that this IS an essay, but believe me, if you don't take the cover letter seriously, you will live to regret it. You need to bring the same energy, specificity and creativity to this as you do to all your other essays.
That said, there are some quirks particular to the format. Use proper formatting and include your mailing address at the top, as well as Rod Garcia's. And don't forget to use a proper greeting, like 'Dear Mr. Garcia:', and sign-off, like 'sincerely'.
MIT doesn't have a traditional goals essay or a traditional why MIT essay, so if there's anything you're burning to say about how right MIT is for you, or how well it fits in with you life's ambition, the first and last paragraphs of this cover letter are the place to say it. Don't go overboard, but do make it clear why you think MIT is the right fit—and if you can't figure out why, you probably shouldn't be applying.
When you talk about your accomplishments, don't go in depth; you'll have three other essays to do that. Instead, do two broad survey paragraphs centered around periods of time—for example, covering your life during college and your career since college. But do note that MIT specifically requests a story where you had an impact on a group or organization, so devote at least one full independent paragraph to telling them that story.
And remember: for this and all other MIT essays, that thanks to a flirtation with B.F. Skinner, MIT has gone behaviorist, judging you based solely on your actions. That means no takeaways, no talking about what your accomplishment taught you, at least not in a focused, dedicated paragraph.
Essay 1: Please describe a time when you went beyond what was defined, expected, established, or popular. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)
MIT's essays can't be approached individually. They have to be approached as a unit, holistically. By presenting them with what amounts to a theme and variations on your leadership background, and by solely focusing on your actions and behaviors, MIT is forcing you to focus on what matters to them. So, as Primal Scream would say: don't fight it, feel it. Bearing in mind that you are limited to the last three years, brainstorm times in your life when you struggled, times when you had something very important to accomplish but something or someone was standing in your way.
Squabbling with a difficult boss? Advising a colleague who just couldn't get with the program? Raising funds for your school play (or casting it)? Landing a fantastic deal by pulling off a personal coup? Getting your grandmother to finally forgive your sister for marring a Kuwaiti man?
Any of these could be examples of you going beyond what was expected. The key is … how far did you have to push yourself to get to that point? How different were you after doing it than you were before you began?
Essay 2: Please describe a time when you convinced an individual or group to accept one of your ideas. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)
When thinking about balance, it's important to consider not just the setting, but the role you played in the setting. How many sides of yourself can you show through these three essays? Can you show yourself leading by example, cajoling and persuading, giving orders and holding people to their promises? Be diverse. Show that you can lead in different ways.
Convincing an individual or group to accept an idea is the essence of leadership. It always begins with a problem. After all, if everything was perfect, why change it around? The idea doesn't have to be yours alone, but you must be able to talk about how you became its champion—how you were able to show everyone potential in the idea that they didn't see before.
Essay 3: Please describe a time when you had to make a decision without having all the information you needed. (500 words or fewer, limited to one page)
At this point, the leadership fountain is probably running dry. So get some help. Talk with people who know you well—go through your resume and your shared history with them. Ask them what they remember about the time when you did this or that together. They may be able to remember things you cannot. Or, sometimes, they'll have a perspective you never imagined possible.
Having to make a decision without all available information implies that you didn't know the whole story when you went in—and then the OTHER shoe dropped. Often these stories involve people getting to a certain point, THINKING they've succeeded, and then realizing that they'd only just gotten started. Setbacks can fit well into this format, assuming you learned something from it and it ended in success, of course.
See our MIT Sloan MBA Essay Guide for more information.
Best Practices Blog: The 2011-2012 NYU Stern MBA Essays
Forster-Thomas Essay Coach Rafe Tennenbaum provides his advice on how to answer the NYU Stern MBA essays.
Essay 1. Professional Aspirations
Think about the decisions you have made in your life. Answer the following:
- a) What choices have you made that led you to your current position?
- b) Why pursue an MBA at this point in your life?
- c) What is your career goal upon graduation from NYU Stern? What is your long-term career goal?
Unlike most goals essays, Stern provides an outline for you to follow. The rule of thumb for any essay is: when a school just lists the components of a question they want answered in a sentence or two, your essay can provide the answer in the order you want, within reason. But if the essay question sets forth a lettered or a numbered outline, you must follow that outline. In this case, Stern's outline scrambles the ordinary goals essay strategy (long-term goal, short-term goal, your professional background, "why now?", what you'll contribute).The interesting thing about Stern's goals essay is that the resulting profile they get tends to be quite different. By making you start with who you are right now, rather than what you want to be doing in two or three years, they're encouraging you to sell yourself out of the gate. If you've done fabulous things in your career, show' em off right here -- but don't just brag; make sure they have a narrative thread -- a sense of purpose, a through-line that shows you're the one pulling the levers. Most goals essays encourage you to dream -- the Stern goals essay is encouraging you to be creative about how you got to where you are.
Notice that Stern asks you to tell them about your short-term goal before the long-term goal. Say what you will about New York City -- it's real. And NYU is asking you to be realistic. Which is why they want to hear about the short-term goal before the long-term goal -- as we say in Brooklyn, whaddayagonna, move into your parents' basement when you graduate business school? Geddouddahere!
Essay 2. Your Stern Experience
We take great care to shape the Stern community with individuals who possess both intellectual and interpersonal strengths. We seek individuals who are highly intelligent, collaborative and committed to flourishing as Stern leaders. Please answer the following questions:
- a) What is your personal experience with the Stern community? Tell us what actions you have taken to learn about us.
- b) Describe what most excites you about Stern from both an academic and extracurricular perspective.
- c) How do you anticipate making your mark on the Stern community? Be specific about the roles you will take on and the impact you hope to achieve.
Getting into a business school is like courting a woman: you've got to show her you want her. No wealthy, beautiful matinée idol worth her Louboutins is going to accept your proposal if you preface it by saying, "Well, the last one dumped me, so how's about you and me hooking up?" You've got to hand it to Stern -- they are upfront about making you take the trouble to praise them.
It makes sense, really. To begin with, Stern doesn't want to be bothered with your application if you aren't serious about wanting to attend. And Stern wants to hear not only that you want to go there, but that you know what you're getting into. That makes Stern like nearly every business school in the world -- except Harvard, naturally, who has heard it all before, dahling. But since Stern gives you a whole 500-word essay for this, they're explicitly asking you to spend a few days immersing yourself, talking to students and alumni, and sitting in on classes. Grab this question as an opportunity to pay a visit to New York City and take a bite out of the Big Apple.
Essay 3. Personal Expression
Please describe yourself to your MBA classmates. You may use almost any method to convey your message (e.g. words, illustrations). Feel free to be creative.
A note about New York City geography: there's uptown and downtown. Stern is downtown. So is Essay 3. If you're fashionable and creative, if you're fun and wear your heart on your sleeve, or even if you just have a slightly quirky point of view, this is a question to have fun with.
Certainly if you've got a real talent, consider putting it to work. But be honest -- performing a song about yourself could be a great idea -- if you can actually sing and play guitar. And keep in mind, "describe yourself" gives you a lot of leeway. Don't think "the story of your life"; think "a story from your life." It's not going to be an autobiography, it's going to be a narrative about you – about something you love, maybe, or some setback or accomplishment (probably personal) that shows you being characteristically yourself. Or, it could be a pivotal episode from your youth that had a profound impact on your development, or a slice of life that shows you dealing with something characteristically, and hopefully at your best. Remember that your execution of the idea, if it's skillful enough, will describe you just as well as the facts of the story you're telling -- just the fact, for example, that you had the idea to use this essay to confess something your best friend doesn't know about you says that you are smart enough to understand the importance of taking risks. Don't do anything dumb -- but remember that the dumbest thing you can do is to play it safe.
A few things to keep in mind: as they note lower down in the guidelines and restrictions, it's "not a test of creativity": in other words, don't strain -- if you can whip up a PowerPoint or a Flash animation without too much trouble, AND you've got an idea that actually describes yourself, go for it. On the other hand, if what you had in mind was a 135-minute biopic with a cast of hundreds and a CGI episode and you have to learn Final Cut Pro in an hour -- you're probably on the wrong track. As the question goes on to elaborate, this isn't a creativity test -- you're not trying to prove anything, you're communicating something about yourself.
Finally: there's nothing wrong with answering this question with an essay. Just make sure you write something honest that says you understand who you are.
For more information, see our 2011-2012 NYU Stern Essay Guide.
Best Practices Blog: The 2011-2012 Chicago Booth MBA Essays
Forster-Thomas Essay Coach Rafe Tennenbaum on how to answer Booth's MBA Essay questions.
Essay 1: What are your short- and long-term goals, and how will a Chicago Booth MBA help you reach them? (600 words)
Out of the gate, a simple and straightforward Goals essay question with a reasonable length -- thank you, Booth!
Aim to write 300-400 words on your goals, and the remaining 200-300 on Why Booth. Any less than 150 words on Booth is a mistake; you need sufficient space to convince them that you know the school and you like it.
Essay 2: At Chicago Booth, we believe each individual has his or her own leadership style. How has your family, culture, and/or environment influenced you as a leader? (750 words)
This is certainly an unusual question, but when it's answered well, it provides an extremely valuable sense of your leadership pedigree -- a tradition of core values and a background of stepping to the forefront. None of which should be surprising, since after all this is the University of Chicago we're talking about, located smack in the middle of the Midwest.
Sometimes the Booth leadership essay can look like a brick wall towards which your candidacy is racing at 100mph. It forces you to ask what your "leadership style" is (whatever that means) and where you got it. It might strike you as tough to answer, particularly if you have little seniority in your job, or if you feel whatever leadership experience you have got was earned through a combination of working your butt off, learning from your screw-ups, and sheer dumb luck.
The first thing to do is to find those examples when you led. Remember, don't confuse "leadership" with "being a boss." Leaders find opportunities to lead whatever the situation -- it can be setting an example, or taking a moral stand, or taking on the toughest tasks -- it's really about stepping up.
If being asked, "What influenced your leadership style?," doesn't make sense to you, have another think. Most of us learn about leadership from a family member – a parent, or a grandparent, or an aunt or uncle who took an interest. Sometimes we've learned from an activity our families made sure we did. If you were taken to figure skating classes starting when you were a toddler, and one of your instructors took an interest in you and helped you develop, there's a pretty good chance you gained a lot of knowledge and understanding of what it takes to lead by this very significant person who spent a lot of time and effort showing you how to get better, how not to give up, how to practice, and maybe even how dedication to a pursuit or a discipline is good for you.
Some things to avoid: writing about Gandhi, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, or Kim Kardashian. All had inspiring messages (or a good body), but if you try to answer this essay with historical or social lessons, well, congratulations! You've probably just turned an important business school essay into a ninth-grade term paper.
Essay 3: Considering what you've already included in the application, what else should we know about you? In a maximum of four slides, tell us about yourself.
Don't be intimidated by that famous Booth Essay 3 -- in fact, the single most important thing you should do with this essay is make sure to relax and have fun with it. The more you enjoy coming up with an idea and putting it together, the more entertaining it will be for them to read -- and, if you do it correctly, the better idea of you it will give them. The wonderful thing about Booth #3 is it gives you complete freedom to come up with whatever format you'd like, so long as it'll fit in four slides. Are you a baseball fan? Maybe baseball cards will work for you. A musical theater enthusiast? Think "Playbill." Once you've found the medium that precisely fits your passion, you can use your knowledge of the genre -- whether it's a tourbook, a celebrity gossip magazine, or music CD covers -- to find opportunities to tell Booth about yourself.
What do you want to tell them? Well, it's not about your GPA or how good you are at your job; they know those things already. Passions, hobbies, friends, family -- this question is kind of asking you to show off your personal warmth in a kind of homey way. Remember when your best friend or significant other put together that scrapbook and proudly handed it to you on your birthday? It's something like that, but without the naughty words. You're pulling together all the things you like about yourself -- the very same things that would make people say, "Wow, this person is pretty cool, I would definitely want to have a cup of coffee with them -- or maybe even invite them into my office to discuss the possibility of going to the very business school where I work." Don't forget the pictures, either – candid photos of yourself smiling and looking charming or enthusiastically pursuing your pastimes definitely belong here!
For more information, see our 2011-2012 Chicago Booth MBA Essay Guide.
Best Practices Blog: Stanford's What Matters Most, Part 2: The Pitfalls
In just seven words—"What matters most to you, and why?"—Stanford GSB strikes fear into the heart of even the most accomplished candidate. With good reason: This is perhaps the most difficult essay question of all. Answering it requires a level of digging down deep that doesn't come easy for most. It separates the men from the boys—those of you who understand inspiration and transformation as opposed to those of you who are trying to game the system through "branding techniques." Save the latter for your company, not your candidacy.
Here's how NOT to answer this essay.
Pitfall 1: Over-connecting your long-term professional goal to what matters most to you.
One common version of this is that you're committed to a long-term goal wherein you want to go into private equity so that you can grow Goldman Sachs's new media group. Because you are passionate about this goal, it's obvious that it matters a lot to you. Duh! On the surface, it probably even matters more to you than anything else at this particular moment, especially if you've only recently realized how passionate you are about transforming Goldman. The key word here is "surface." Derrick Bolton, director of admissions at Stanford GSB, wants you to dig a lot deeper than that; he has even suggested that candidates use the essay as an opportunity to learn about themselves, and invited you to be transparent about that in the actual writing of the essay.
Pitfall 2: When "what matters most" makes your goal look like a strategy or gimmick as opposed to a value you deeply care about.
Those of you who have found a long-term goal that is about transforming the planet in that Free Willy way—you know, ending world hunger, irrigating the Irrawaddy River through venture capital—are particularly susceptible to such overkill. In these cases, the mistake is also particularly tragic: Having a persuasive, convincing Free Willy goal is a powerful thing, but it can easily be dismissed as an eye-roll-inducing gimmick when beaten into the ground in a what matters most essay.
Linking this essay with your long-term goal essay does seem like a nifty idea, but don't think you are the first person to come up with it. It's been done thousands of times, but in perhaps only ten of those times was it done well. As someone who probably has strong quantitative skills, what do you think the odds are that you'll be one of those ten?
--Auntie Evan
Best Practices Blog: Stanford's What Matters Most Essay, Part 1
While a great goals essay should encompass what matters most to you professionally, what Stanford GSB is looking for in this essay is what matters most to you as a whole person—not just as a professional. As Derrick Bolton, Stanford's director of admissions, wrote in one of his online letters from the director, "This probably sounds strange, since these are essays for business school, but we don't expect to hear about your business experience in this essay... Tell a story that only you can tell. If you concentrate your efforts on telling us who you are, differentiation will occur naturally; if your goal is to appear unique, you actually may achieve the opposite effect."
Often, this essay goes hand-in-hand with open-ended questions such as Columbia's "Please tell us about yourself and your personal interests." As Columbia B-school says in its application, "The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally."
Similar soul-searching applies to questions asked by schools like Kellogg, Fuqua, and Anderson to name a few, not to mention HBS's "How will you introduce yourself to your classmates" question. (All ask these types of background/what-makes-you-unique questions.)
How do you get to the answer? For Sabrina, a candidate I worked with a few years ago, a lifetime of experiences led her to understand that what mattered most was "being true to myself." Any corniness this theme may have dissolves instantly when you hear the backstory. Sabrina spent her childhood training to be a world-class athlete—and succeeded—yet, on the eve of an Olympic-level event, she was forced to choose between attending college or pursuing a medal. That's when Sabrina realized she never wanted to be an athlete, and had lived her life to please her father. After she walked off the field, she vowed to remain true to herself from then on—and embarked on a lifetime of accomplishments she truly cared about.
Caution: Because of the level of sophistication this essay calls for, what matters most (or any open-ended question) is often best answered after all other essays for all other schools have been tackled. Just because a school with an open-ended question like Stanford's "what matters most" may be your first choice—and you want to finish that application first—that's no reason to jump forward and answer this question early on in your essay-writing process. In answering all the other essay questions, you'll be exploring many aspects of your life. All the introspection that's required for those essays needs to percolate in the brain for some period of time. This percolation most authentically leads you to what really matters most to you. After the other questions have been answered, if there's something important still left unsaid, still nagging at you because it seemed just too personal, that subject may be a great starting point here.--Auntie Evan


text:
LOCAL INFO: Farmington is a small town located in the state of Pennsylvania. When you are in Farmington, you'll notice that it is more blue-collar than most other communities in America. Overall, Farmington is a town of production and manufacturing workers, sales and office workers, and service providers. Of important note, Farmington is also a town of artists. Farmington has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Farmington's character.
Farmington is also an extremely popular destination for tourists and seasonal residents.
|Start dates
|End dates
|August/September 2018
|August/September 2019
JOB TITLE: Hospitality (Front Desk Agent, Concierge, PBX Operator)
COMPANY TYPE: Hotel
Front Desk Agent: creating guest satisfaction by providing efficient and effective service, following the policies and procedures of the hotel, building positive relationships with guests and other associates, communicating effectively on all levels, and demonstrating technical and customer service skills for his or her assigned area.
Concierge: providing detailed information to guests in regards to resort services, facilities, dining options, activities, and local attractions. developing and maintaining positive relationships with guests and associates, demonstrating technical and customer service skills; communicating with returning guests prior to arrival and upon departure in order to assist with resort accommodations and ensure that expectations are exceeded.
QUALIFICATIONS: either a degree or professional certificate from a foreign post-secondary academic institution and at least one year of prior related work experience in their occupational field acquired outside the United States,
or five years of work experience in their occupational field acquired outside the United States (for training program)
GENDER: Both females and males are accepted
NATIONALITY: Any nationality
MINIMUM ENGLISH: Intermediate to expert
WAGE: $11.75 per hour for the Front Desk Agent and Concierge positions (10 months duration), $14 per hour for the Front Desk Supervisor position (2 months duration)
OVERTIME: Available on occasion
FREQUENCY OF PAY: Bi-monthly
WORK SCHEDULES: 5 – 6 days per week, varying shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays
TRAINING: Constant ongoing training
SICK/VACATION DAYS: None paid
MEAL CONDITIONS: $2 meal provided once per each shift worked
LOCATION: Farmington, PA
WEBSITES: https://www.laurelhighlands.org/
INTERNET AVAILABILITY: Available
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: The hotel provides a bus pass free of charge to the associate on a monthly basis.
TRAVEL TO WORK: Housing is onsite, the hotel offers an associate shuttle to get from housing to the hotel.
DISTANCE FROM SHOPPING CENTER: 10 minutes walk
HOUSING: Provided. Dorm style housing, typically 6 associates per unit.
HOUSING COSTS: $240 per month, deducted from the paychecks
HOUSING DEPOSIT: Security deposit of $350 in full upon arrival.
ARRIVAL INFO: Prior notice required
EMPLOYER PICK-UP: Transportation from the PIT Airport to Farmington, PA is provided by the hotel.