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Thursday, 14 February 2008
Is Writing Just a Gift?
Welcome, fellow racers, to the Friday coffee morning or Thursday night cocoa.
I drew one of the horse heads when I was nine and the larger one, just now. Well actually, I did them both now - I couldn't find the one I did when I was nine but it doesn't matter. My point is that they would be nearly identical.
The school I went to employed a teacher who used to be an official war artist. He didn't have any teacher qualifications but then, as it was a private school, he didn't need any. He was quietly bad tempered but he talked to us as if we were adults and taught us how to paint skies – the dark colours at the top and then thinning out and lightening down to the earth or sea. I thought he was wonderful and I loved his lessons. He tried to teach me how to draw a horse's head. Take a look – not bad for a nine year old really.
Then he was replaced by a middle aged woman with a red bob and hairy legs who wanted us all to be painters. No one was to be better than anyone else. The first lesson we had to cut up potatoes, dip them in paint and make patterns. From that day I totally lost interest and have never painted or drawn again. This means that the horse's head I did now- at 49 - is pretty rubbish. Maybe though, if I'd had more lessons with him I would have steadily improved or maybe I'd reached the limit of my artistic capabilities?
How much of the writing craft can we be taught? I feel that through books, chatting with you guys, writer's websites and even my terrifying creative writing class, I've learnt a lot. What lessons have you learnt? Have you read or been told anything and thought: 'Yes, that makes sense – that's how or why I should do that.'? I've just learn about sensory writing and I intend to build on that. What about you?
24 comments:
- K.Imaginelli said...
That's a question I've always wondered about, Fiona. I've only taken one creaative writing class and that was many years ago as an undergrad.
I think in some ways writing is like music--some people have a natural affinity for, say, the piano while others have to work a bit harder to excute the basics. However, natural affinity/talent or not, everyone needs regular practice. I think I've learned a lot from all the pages I've generated and from reading books from all sorts of genres. I just hope I'll be able to apply some of the lessons I've picked up from writing magazines, novels, etc when it comes time to revise my beast of a novel.
One thing I've learned is that each scene needs to forward the story/plot in some way (ie characters hanging out and chatting is great but it needs to go somewhere). I'll have to put that little lesson to use during the revision phase.
My greatest weakness is lack of sensory details (this first draft has lots of cliches). What helped you in that area?
- 15 February 2008 at 03:12
- liz fenwick said...
Love this topic Fiona! I also think you may have missed your calling - great horses head!
I think you can be taught the skills around writing - in fact i know you can be but I don't think you can be taught story telling itself. I think that has to come from within. I know that the game I play with dd taking five separate words and creating a story from leaves most people stranded but writers quickly build worlds around such things.
For example at the RNA conference I was given these details of a character -71 year old male, just learned how to use the internet and has a secret to keep from his wife. I then had five minutes to draft a character sketch and then I stood up and had to answer questions about him. This was brilliant and it is the nugget that has created the story for my next book.
So I think you have to be a born storyteller and the skills of telling that story better can be learned.
K. when you write to do see and feel the scene in front of you? If you do (which I do) I choose to pull certain sensory details onto the page that my character may notice - but only a few....
How's everyone doing in the race? I'm up to page 100 of my rewrite (first one that is)out of 400 so lagging behind me thinks :-)
- 15 February 2008 at 05:09
- Zinnia Cyclamen said...
I've learned an enormous amount from courses, people giving feedback on my writing, and how-to books. I think we can be taught most if not all of the writing craft if we want to learn that way. I feel as if I have loved and told stories all my life - but if I think about it, even that was taught to me, by my family. My ability to tell stories didn't enable me to create a reader-pleasing structure for a whole 80,000-word novel, I learned that from how-to books and courses and other writers. Although I totally agree with K Imaginelli that practice is also something a writer learns from.
Race: no progress, but I've drafted or made notes for five short stories in the last three weeks.
I'll be on holiday next week so I won't be doing my usual comment round or coming for coffee, back the week after.
- 15 February 2008 at 07:17
- L-Plate Author said...
Hi Guys
Hmm, Fiona you have me thinking. To a certain extent, a writer has to learn the craft. Like Liz says you have to be a born story teller but that just isn't enough. Every scene has to count and I think that is something that comes with experience and time.
What makes someone write though? I think you have to have lots of life experience, the more the better I feel, but I would say that with my age! Some of the 'youngsters' write great books too so that blows that out of the water, I suppose.
I write to escape, I love going into my characters worlds at the end of a hard day so no matter if I have the talent to be published or not, I know I'll always have to do it, maybe not so manically all the time, but more for fun.
Personally, I think talent is needed but also a hell of a lot of perseverance, optimism and sheer determination. Who would put themselves through that if they didn't think they had talent?
Nature v nurture? I think if you can listen in to gossip and make a story out of a snippet of someone's elses tale, then that is sheer talent.
Re-write is going well, done 15,000 words now. Hoping to get some chapters out to agents in at the end of the month, if I can prise them out of my hand and post them on their way! Then it's on to book three, the new one not the one I started at the beginning of the year. Oh did I say you have to be a bit of a nutter as well!
Have a good week every one x
- 15 February 2008 at 07:53
- Rowan Coleman said...
Hi everyone. GREAT topic, Fiona. I agree with all here, particularly K.Imaginelli. I run a creative writing course and one of my students is a composer, I find I spend a lot of my turning to him when we are working on a particular area, whether it be pacing, plot, capturing emotion or building a character and saying 'It must be just like writing a piece of music'
Writing is like playing an instrument. The more you do it the better you get. You can be taught the technicalities and become pretty good and perfectly accomplished. But to really fly and to really be able to take your audience with you, like Liz says, you need the story telling gene. You need a spark of something that cannot be taught.
- 15 February 2008 at 08:54
- Lucy Diamond said...
Hi everyone,
I went to a creative writing class about five years ago and definitely learned some good techniques there - basic things like the fact that every scene should move the plot forward in some way (I used to write too many dialogue-heavy scenes that didn't really go anywhere), also that leaving a scene at the earliest opportunity works - once you've achieved your aim within that scene, then get out fast - preferably with a cliffhanger dangling at the end! And I've learned to hang the plot on a series of crisis points that keep up the momentum.... lots of things really which I guess you might already know subconsciously, or at least think, "Yeah, that makes sense", but having them pointed out and studying examples of other authors' work really helped me.
Of course you need some talent to write successfully too as well as the passion and drive to sit there and actually do it, but I think there's always room to learn more!
I'm up to 56,000 words on the new novel so I'm still on course to get to 60,000 this month - half-term permitting...
PS I've never been able to draw a good horse's head - I am really impressed by yours, Fiona!
- 15 February 2008 at 09:02
- Caroline said...
I think that you can be taught to craft. Most people have stories, can tell stories, but not all can write them into a novel. I think the craft, the emotional needs (including dedication) can be acquired and taught. The MA in Creative writing taught me much about myself/my writing abilities, I also think that blogging has too.
On the race front ... I'm back from Malta and I'm off ... 1500 words ...
- 15 February 2008 at 09:42
- Flowerpot said...
I think you can learn a lot about craft but you can't learn talent. But so much is about perseverance isn't it? On hte race front - progress has been severely delayed by a lot of work on the journalism front. Still writing but not fiction! But good for the CV.
- 15 February 2008 at 09:44
- Lazy Perfectionista said...
I agree that how to improve your writing can be taught, though that isn't going to do much good if you don't have the stories to tell and the worlds to describe. But can you be taught too much? If you soak up every writing rule and opinion that you come across does that just mean your own style and voice get watered down?
As for my WIP, I've been doing more planning and consolidating this week, but am hoping to spend a large chunk of tomorrow actually getting the new scenes I have in my head into my laptop!
- 15 February 2008 at 09:57
- Graeme K Talboys said...
I think the desire to write is innate. That cannot be taught or forced on anyone.
If the desire is there, there are many things that can be done to help a person improve their writing and equip them with the means to continue exploring ways of doing that.
The better CW courses will do that, just as a good art teacher will teach techniques and help you understand why and where they work. Many CW courses are just literature courses in disguise - the equivalent of potato printing.
As for the horse - bl**dy brilliant.
- 15 February 2008 at 09:59
- Leatherdykeuk said...
I think the craft is learned. I've never taken a class and my early stories (four or five years ago) are absolute rubbish. Writing daily has refined my work to an acceptable readibility, though it improves in leaps and bound.
No progress on the WIP this week, but a few small online publishing successes.
- 15 February 2008 at 10:12
- Cathy said...
I definitely think you can be taught the basics of the craft, but the motivation, ideas and inspiration are another matter.
One of the benefits of a good creative writing course is the interaction with other writers and the considered feedback and inspiration you receive from them. I think there is, however, a danger with many of the 'how to' books, in that some writers stick too rigidly to what they see as black and white rules. Reading widely is also another great way to learn what works, albeit often subconsciously.
No work on the novel this week as I have been studying hard, in the last few weeks I have been researching and planning rather than actually writing. I need a kick to get going again.
- 15 February 2008 at 10:19
- CC Devine said...
I started writing just over two years ago and believe that practice makes perfect, well, it certainly makes you better. Just like Leatherdyke my early attempts were pretty dire but necessary to help me improve and understand what it was I was trying to do.
In the past tweleve months I have devoured as much information as possible from blogs such as this, writing books and writers' magazines etc. all of which has helped me improve my writing. I've become aware of common beginners' mistakes (all present in my first draft!), had my eyes open to helpful tips and writing tricks, been inspired by fellow novel racers' and other writers' experiences.
I think the key thing is to know what to take away from the wealth of advice and information available and what to ignore. The bottom line, I believe, is that you can teach people how to draw on their imagination and you can give them the tools to structure a story but you can't magic up the determination, observation and fascination in human nature required of a writer if, at some level, it is not already present.
- 15 February 2008 at 10:45
- ChrisH said...
I knew from an early age that I could string a sentence together and that I loved words - not being arrogant just realistic - but plot was always something I found tough until I attended Robert McKee's 'Story' seminar which helped me with the nuts and bolts. I'm not sure that writing can be taught but you can certainly learn how to refine what skills you have; I play the piano but all the lessons in the world will never make me a concert pianist!
- 15 February 2008 at 10:52
- Juliette M said...
I think it's both a gift and it's learned. I think you need a natural affinity for it, but as you progress, you improve. Like as someone said above, playing a musical instrument. There are certain instruments you may be more drawn to, or have more of an affinity with, than others. I have taken classes, and I am not sure it can be 'taught' but I think discussion groups and sharing your craft with other writers can prove a big help.
- 15 February 2008 at 11:20
- JJ said...
I guess most of it has been said above, so yes I think that it's possible to learn parts and tweak bits, but that ability or talent definitely comes into it too.
I didn't come to coffee last week because I was feeling fed up with my lack of progress. I still feel a bit like that this week, but I'm here anyway, trying to turn it around...
- 15 February 2008 at 13:24
- Kate.Kingsley said...
Great topic, Fiona. And those horses heads are indeed a thing of beauty! ( I can't draw a circle, so I am in total awe of anyone who can draw).
I wonder/worry about how much of being a writer can be taught (and maybe that's because I still have a LOT to learn!). Is the huge rise in creative writing courses a good thing, or have people latched on to the idea that there are a lot of budding, yet nervous authors out there who they can make a buck out of? Not criticising courses, or those who take them, btw ~ I've taken about a billion of them (and that is an actual statistic ;-) ) But then again, although I feel that I am improving I don't know if this is through the courses and "how to" books that I've consulted, or just a natural by-product of practice and greater experience. And I think I agree with Liz, Rowan and everyone else who has said there's a spark of something that has to be there ~ a writer sees a dropped glove on the pavement and immediately starts wondering who dropped it, and why (were they in a hurry? Are they just a careless person?) and then constructs an entire backstory and potential plot by the time they're at the bus stop. The non-creator just sees a lost glove. So maybe that aspect of it is innate. Ten years of tennis lessons might mean that I had a great grasp of the whys and hows of the game, and I'd have a few good shots, but I would never have that special something that makes a grand slam champion. So, err, I appear to have talked myself right onto the fence in the nature/nurture debate……
As far as the race goes, I am really pleased with how I'm doing at the min ~ really focussed, and I'm making a lot of progress. Can't quantify exactly how much, as I'm writing up longhand at the mo, as I've discovered that this is far more creative for me for a first draft, then I can edit as I type up. And I've stopped number-crunching too, as I decided this was making me feel anxious as I'm naturally quite a slow worker, I think. So I have no idea where I'm at numerically, but I like the process very much at the moment.
- 15 February 2008 at 14:03
- UN PEU LOUFOQUE said...
I used to supect that you are either a good story teller or not BUT there are so many things we think we cant do that perhaps the l=only mimit to what we can learn is self imposed? Being a good observer helps a great deal but that in itself may be something that one can learn, perhasp it is more a case of having to practise the skills to hone them rather them learnign them from scratch?
- 15 February 2008 at 15:23
- B.E. Sanderson said...
All through school I was told I was a good writer. My papers all had As and my 10th grade English teacher told me I should get my work published. My first college English professor left notes on my papers that glowed with praise. When I got to College Composition 201, my professor was an ex-marine (US military) who basically told me my writing sucked, but that I had potential if I was willing to work for it and proceeded to make me work for every grade on every paper I wrote. He was the only one who didn't feed me a line of BS just to keep me happy, and the only one who really helped me improve my craft. I will be eternally grateful to the man. I learned last year that he had a massive stroke and passed on, but he'll live forever in my work - if only for the fact that I can still hear his voice telling me that even when I stink, I can always improve.
- 15 February 2008 at 15:41
- Lane said...
Sorry to be late and thanks Fiona for a great topic.
There have been some fascinating comments and I agree with the general consensus that a writer has to have a spark of natural flair, whether it be in story telling/creating characters/evoking scenes. If the spark is there, the craft can learnt.
I've recently taken some books apart in an effort to learn how to keep up the momemtum of story. It's been a lesson in learning not to sink into self indulgence and to pace with 'peaks' and 'troughs'.
Your horse drawing has a 'spark' Fiona. Maybe you should sign up to art classes as well:-)
- 15 February 2008 at 20:11
- A. Writer said...
Well, I haven't taken any creative writing courses and I don't feel like I've missed out on anything.
I've learnt stuff as I go via books and talking to other writers. I think that's the best way of learning the craft. I hated school and the whole sitting down to learn routine. To actually write and get practical help along the way is good.
I think everyone has different ways of doing it. Part of me would like to experience a writing course but then again I think, maybe not.
I did do some journalism training so that has helped the old spelling and grammar a bit so I do find the benefits there.
Loved the horses heads!
- 15 February 2008 at 21:09
- Debs said...
Great post, Fiona and I love the horses heads. I'm hopeless at drawing anything.
I've read a few 'how to' books and feel that they help with certain aspects of writing and believe that practice certainly helps to improve how well a story is put down on to the page. I think that interraction with other writers, websites etc have helped point me in the right direction too.
I think that, for me at least, the best way forward is simply to get the story down on paper first and then put into practice all that I've gleaned from books etc when redrafting it to bring it from something in my head to something that (hopefully) someone else may want to read.
- 16 February 2008 at 11:48
- CTaylor said...
Oh Gosh. I'm REALLY late to coffee morning this week. Sorry but I've been up to my eyes in paint (almost literally, it's got EVERYWHERE!) and have been neglecting my internet duties.
I agree with most of what's been there. I think a wannabe writer has to have a spark of talent to begin with but that spark can be polished and refined through learning. I haven't attending any courses but I've read a lot of How To books and have also learnt a lot from various online writing communities. I've also done the same a Lane recently and dissected published authors book to see how they achieve that page-turning quality.
I also think practise makes a huge difference. Like Leather my short stories from a few years ago are dire and I've learnt a lot by having them critiqued by other writers then writing a new story. Am hoping I won't have to go through the same process with novel writing or I'll have to write at least ten novels before I get one published! That said I know that when I go back to novel #2 I'll have lots of new skills acquired from rewriting novel #1 and working out what works and what doesn't and why.
Not much progress on the rewrite this week (due to aforementioned redecorating) but did do 2.2% tonight so it's now 35% completed. Step by step, I'll get there.
- 17 February 2008 at 21:36
- Sean McManus said...
I'd recommend the book 'Writing Tools' by Roy Peter Clarke because it takes proficient writers and introduces them to techniques for improving. Once you've learned to delete dead wood and structure work properly, there's not many other places to go in terms of guided tuition. This is one of them.
The most important lesson I learned when writing my novel last year is that writing is all about thinking. Writers' block is just a lack of ideas. Once I'd cracked that, I could work on the book wherever I went, and whenever I sat down to write at the computer, I already had ideas stacked up and ready for me to bring in to land.
- 19 February 2008 at 18:44


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Stephen Nawara
Stephen Nawara has performed and composed music in the city of Detroit since the age of 13. He has toured the world and achieved critical success with The Detroit Cobras and Electric Six. In 2011, Stephen Nawara founded The Beehive Recording Company to give Detroit musicians a place to have their music recorded, packaged, and distributed at no cost to either the musician or the public, made possible through online distribution and digital recording equipment. Since then, Stephen and Beehive have recorded over 200 songs approaching over 1,000,000 downloads.
To see more work by Stephen, visit www.beehiverecording.org.It looks like we don't have what you are looking for. Please select another filter.
As part of the relaunch of its digital presence, Nawara will present a history of The Beehive Recording Company, followed by a live music concert featuring Beehive recording artists and Nawara's own band, Colorwheel.
When I was 7 years old, I discovered a strange new world. My father decided to do something out of the ordinary and took my sister and me to the Fox Theater to see a band called Devo. As we walked through the ornate doors, people with mohawks and leather jackets gave us intimidating stares as we made our way to our seats. I held my father's hand tightly; never had I seen anything like this before. As I looked over the auditorium filled with an alien audience, my excitement began to grow and as the band walked on stage, a wild fervor swept over the crowd. At the very first note, an explosion went off inside of me that I still feel to this day. I was completely connected to everyone in the room and it changed me forever. Music had permanently entered my soul. After the concert, the strange glances were no longer intimidating and I smiled at the Detroit skyline knowing what I was going to do with the rest of my life. The next day at school, I felt different around my fellow classmates.
Ever since that evening, the experience of achieving universal consciousness through music has become my driving force and I have sacrificed a life of security to pursue it. Though the road is tumultuous, it has taken me on a beautiful adventure. Whether it be through my study of the lute and classical guitar, finding the pocket on a bass line, singing harmonies, or the beautiful roar of a dirty amplifier, I continue to look under every stone to find that experience of togetherness. It is through my latest project, Colorwheel, that I will go my furthest into the world of composition and see where this thrilling road takes me.
The Beehive Recording Company is a project that I started in 2011 to give Detroit musicians a place to have their music recorded, packaged, and distributed at no cost to either the musician or the public. It is through online distribution and digital recording equipment that we are able to do this. The process is simple, a musician comes to us with 2 to 3 songs and we put them in our studio with whatever needs they may have (additional players, arrangements, etc.). Then after mixing it down, we package it like an old 45 record with artwork on the A and B side, but as a digital version. We then put it online for the public to download for free on our website. As the songs are beingdownloaded, they are automatically entered into our Top 100 and we watch the artist grow. Their placement in our charts determines who headlines our concerts and as Beehive grows, who we put our money behind. In the past three years, I have recorded over 68 singles of every genre, over 200 songs, and we are close to approaching 1,000,000 downloads. Though I have done most of the artwork, local photographers and artists have also helped with the design behind some of the singles. We are currently a 'donation only' business model. However, we are currently rebuilding the website to feature memberships, local advertising, artist merchandise, and other local labels to pay a yearly fee to distribute through our website to help generate more revenue. Not only will this help our community and culture but it will also act as the means to distribute my own work with my group, Colorwheel. I have seen artists go from complete obscurity to packing the houses, and I believe that is also the future of Beehive.
You can also view a map of events locations

subset: commoncrawl


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Drug addiction is not at all easy to overcome and has long been a problem to a lot of teenagers and adults alike. Yet, there are people who are determined enough to defy such addiction and one of them is actress Samaire Armstrong. Known for her role as Juliet Darling in the ABC series Dirty Sexy Money, Armstrong has proved to be an inspirational story to all that want to break-free from this addiction.
She was in rehabilitation back in 2007 and was constantly struggling with her addiction while continuing her series Dirty Sexy Money. It has been reported that she did enter an outpatient treatment, the very same year as her Just My Luck co-star Lindsay Lohan. And while Lohan has been struggling to keep way from drugs, Armstrong has been doing great after her apparent resurrection. And yes, she also stars in the series Resurrection. And she had only good things to say after her rehabilitation.
"To be able to exist without [those things]… to me, that is better than anything – better than success, better than being on drugs or being drunk. Just being happy inside…. I wouldn't give that up for anything. Surround yourself with good people who care about you and take a second to evaluate how you feel mentally, spiritually and health-wise when you're not doing those bad things.
Born in Japan, the hot American is not only an actress but also a fashion designer and model. She is currently busy with her new series playing the role of Elaine Richards in the ABC fantasy-drama, Resurrection which was TV's top rated drama in the past two years. After making her debut in Party of Five , she has gone on to make appearances in The X-Files, ER, Judging Amy, Freaks and Geeks, The O.C., Entourage, CSI: Miami, Straw, Mentalist, How to Make it In America and Living with Fran. She has also played in movies such as Not Another Teen Movie, It's a Boy Girl Thing, Stay Alive and The Last Harbor. She has also gone on to star in music videos such as "Penny & Me" by Hanson and "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter.
Raised in Japan, her mother apparently has a video of her declaring that she wanted to be an actress. Her father and brother, being Marines, are very stern and hence she admits "it was pretty embarrassing to bring my boyfriend's home because they never met my dad's standards." And to top it off, she has some decent training in judo and is skilled in swords as well. Being her boyfriend definitely takes some guts! Nonetheless, she was romantically involved with Aaron Paul back in 2001 and after some years of dating, eventually split. She was also rumored to be having a relationship with Jason Christopher back in 2011.
Private about her personal life, Armstrong gave birth to a boy back in 2012. The father of the child remained unknown but after paparazzi (as they are) searched through the Instagram page and cross-checked on Twitter, it was revealed that the father was Christopher, a long haired musician (that's what he says!). Rumors of the two having another children had sparked last year but no official comments were reported. Now at the age of 34, she'll definitely want to get married eventually. With whom and when remains a mystery.


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Adults and senior high students of First Presbyterian Church have the opportunity every other year to serve others through international mission trips. These trips usually focus on construction projects, often to areas where natural disasters have caused significant damage. Medical mission trips are planned as the interest and needs arise.
To serve on a mission trip, contact Ken Bates.


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Evaluation of a digital transcription of English parochial registers, 1538-1851: a pilot study
This project examined the reliability of the transcriptions found in the baptismal and marriage registers provided by the Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU). This was followed by the preparation of documents for researchers and teachers as well as preserving versions of the complete datasets.
The recent explosion of interest in genealogical research has led to a vast quantity of digital resource material being made available to Higher Education. The Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU) offered to AHDS History an exceptional resource comprising a database of virtually all baptismal and marriage registers for England between 1538 and the mid-nineteenth century. The information within these parochial registers forms the bedrock of historical demographic research. This project aimed to assess the accuracy and reliability of the transcription of these parochial registers for one county in England (Bedfordshire), and prepare versions for dissemination to the HE/FE community for research and teaching purposes. The project also created a workflow methodology for the preparation of dissemination and preservation versions of the complete datasets which will be made available by the GSU to the History Data Service.
Archive contribution
The History Data Service ran this project.
Principal investigator:
Matthew Woollard
Funder: ESRC
Dates: April 2007 - March 2008
Contact: Matthew Woollard


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Shadow of the Colossus is one of those rare games that pops up once in a very long time. As such, you should always take the time to celebrate it! OH LOOK! A video! Listen to the smooth brogue sounds of JackScepticEye as he talks about the game.
Did You Know Gaming Covers SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS
Mick Joest —
I started out as a loyal reader of Geektyrant before emailing Joey one day about the potential of writing for Geektyrant. Now six years later I'm the managing editor of Gametyrant.com and still living the dream and giving my opinion to the geek masses! Geektyrant is my life, and I hope that shows in everything I do!
@G33kyMick // firstname.lastname@example.com


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Friday, 25 September 2015
Her First Meteorite At ROSE GALLERY - Opening Reception On Saturday 26th September 6-8pm
I am delighted to announce my forthcoming exhibition with ROSE GALLERY in Santa Monica opening on Saturday 26th September, 6 - 8pm.
Her First Meteorite, a group exhibition presents a selection of unique photographic collages by Carolle Benitah, James Gallagher, Melinda Gibson, Ken Graves, Stéphanie Solinas, Annegret Soltau, and Grete Stern.
Found, sliced and assembled, the photographic collage establishes experimental and introspective forms through the combination of familiar and obscure images. The montages from the various artists each evoke a distinct entry into surreal worlds, bound together by connected and intertwined photographs. With found objects and images, the spontaneity of discovery and combination counters the intricacy of the details in the works.
More information about the show and artists can be found here- http://www.rosegallery.net/
Posted by Melinda Gibson on Friday, September 25, 2015
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Part I. Bill Kloefkorn, poet
Bill Kloefkorn, the poet laureate of Nebraska, died at age 78 on May 19, after struggling for two years against an immune-deficiency illness. Doctors could name no specific cause of his illness, and find no cure.
The day I heard the news, I drove to Hermosa for the mail, feeling gloomy under a sky curdled with gray clouds. We�d already had three days of rain, a fine thing in this arid climate, but the lack of sun had made everyone glum. Discovering Bill�s poems soon after I returned to South Dakota after escaping from the narrow poetic confines of graduate school gave me the courage to write my own poems. I learned, in part from Bill�s writing, to tell my own poetic stories in clear language; to tell some of the complicated, funny stories that characterize real life. So I was feeling down because Bill was no longer part of the world, no longer writing.
Then the sun came out, and Roy Orbison belted out �Pretty Woman� from my car radio, and I pounded my hand on the steering wheel and sang along as usual and I could almost see Bill smile. I was still considering going to his funeral and memorial, to be held in Lincoln, NE, where he lived. Somehow, though, a thousand-mile drive to a funeral thronged with people who have known him for years didn�t seem right. I come from a long line of people uncomfortable showing emotion in public, and though I�ve worked against that in many ways by writing and by reading my work to audiences, some of the reticence prevails. I�m more comfortable writing about what he meant to me.
Describing Bill�s poetry in a way that would convey its joys to someone who has never read it is beyond my skills. But I can quote him and perhaps give a hint.
�Connections: A Toast� begins with �Here�s to the bur oak� beyond his office window, and works its way through toasts to books, to saints, to fine individual moments in his life and a few mentions of baseball, to Rosa Parks and a quotation from ee cummings to Crazy Horse and his supposed last words and Bach and Louis Armstrong and the bird perched in the bur oak:
�trilling with its unsplit tongue, one
steady and diverse and universal song.�
You�ll have to read the poem to get the full effect: pages 96-97, Fielding Imaginary Grounders, Spoon River Poetry Press, 1994. The theme of how, as the Lakota say, �we are all related,� may be universal to poets. (I�ve been working on my own �connections� poem.)
I bought Bill�s Alvin Turner as Farmer in 1974 when it was published by Ted Kooser�s Windflower Press. I probably met Bill and heard him read several years later. The poems I marked in the book concern the difficulties of farming; I was just beginning to write about ranching.
In poem 9 from that book, Alvin Turner tells of shooting rabbits to make nourishing food for his sick baby. After the child dies, he keeps shooting:
�The chamber of my .12 gauge
Like a little throat, coughing.�
In poem 11, he writes that the granary is full, and �the baby is solid as a tractor lug.� In 58, �I snag the strutted leg/ Of the most unmindful chicken,� Bill wrote.
�Now the manure is in bloom,� Alvin says, and �I roam my acreage like a sweet spy.� In 36 he speaks of his wife with her masher, �humbling the potatoes.�
And then in 14, �I love the boys like they were fanbelts. . . And brand new.� These were images I could feel, touch, taste, because they were part of my world too.
In 21, �I watched my father die,
Said yes to his request, and in that single word
Sent all my sinews, like a measurement,�
Around this quarter section.�
My own father made no such request, refusing to leave the ranch to me. But, as Bill wrote in 24:
�I stand alone at the foot
Of my father�s grave,
Trembling to tell:
The door to the granary is open,
Sir, And someone lost the bucket
To the well.�
I�ve often stood at the foot of my own father�s grave and given him reports on the condition of the ranch.
Lately, I�ve appreciated Bill writing about aging as he recorded with brilliance and sensitivity what age feels like. Here�s one of the results:
It's a slow dance, all right,
this business of slipping
from the quick to the numb,
but to be honest with you
it isn't as slow
as I believed forty years ago
it was going to be. I'll confess
what I know of history
is somewhat less than
voluminous-- but I think it was
Jefferson who said that
God shows his mercy
by taking away, one by one,
those passions we stake
our own and others' lives on,
so that when the time comes
we'll not have so much to let
go of.
From We Don't Get Around Much Any More by Bill Kloefkorn, published in The Laurel Review, vol. 30, no. 2 (Summer, 1996).
In the week since Bill died, I�ve been conducting a private memorial, collecting from the retreat house all of his books that I own-- maybe half of the 31 books he wrote and published-- and reading and re-reading, discovering poems I hadn�t remembered, and greeting old friends.
Here�s a fact that may encourage writers who are beginning later in their lives: Bill didn�t start writing poetry until he was 37 years old.
Part II. Highland Park Cemetery
The Sunday after Bill died, Jerry came with me to the Hermosa cemetery to do the annual cleanup, traditionally done the week before Memorial Day. I�ve written about this annual labor for the dead in my poem �Memorial Day,� saying, �They�re just bones to me.� Hoeing at the stubborn alfalfa growing on my grandfather Charles�s grave mound, though, I felt the shock moving up my arm, down the hoe:
�drumming to bones I�ll never see, deep
in the earth, deep inside my flesh.�
I�m now the last of our family to wear the name Hasselstrom, so the upkeep of these graves is my responsibility. Besides the Hasselstrom graves where my grandmother and grandfather lie, I need to care for the graves of their ancestors, and my grandmother�s first husband. In another part of the cemetery lie my mother and father, John and Mildred Hasselstrom, and my husband George Snell. Then there are the graves of Harold and Josephine Hasselstrom, my dad�s childless brother and his wife, buried in Buffalo Gap. My uncle and cousins still care for the grave of my mother�s mother, Cora Belle Hey, in Edgemont, and several uncles and aunts on my mother�s side of the family.
But on Sunday, I focused on the Hermosa dead. At some time, one of the Hasselstrom survivors was moved by inspiration to plant hardy lilacs on the sizable plot; the resilient bushes might survive in the yellow gumbo soil. Now, nearly a hundred years later, the lilacs have inundated not only most of the Hasselstrom grave but also a couple of Kimballs. My father knew the Kimballs, but while we do the right thing, hacking the lilacs away to expose their graves, I don�t remember a single anecdote.
The Hasselstroms weren�t the only ones to underestimate the vigor and buoyancy of lilacs: everywhere in the cemetery the bushes are thriving, washing like a green wave over older graves. Just below the Hasselstroms and the Kimballs, lilac stumps surround a homemade tombstone decorated with chunks of native rock like quartz, bearing the single name DOWNIE, lost for a generation.
My father, when we came to do this work on what he always called Decoration Day, used to say he was �exploring his future.� I�m starting to think about the practicalities of cremation.
Part III. The Rapture
Someone predicted that Saturday, May 21, would be the end of man�s days on earth, the end of the world, the day of what was called �The Rapture.� Wondering what Bill might have written about it, I could see his eyes sparkling at the challenge, the beginnings of a grin. I made a few notes, but nothing that resolved itself into coherency.
Then my brain was flooded with lines from an irreverent chant I first learned on the playground at Hermosa grade school, probably about 1954.
�Did you ever think when a hearse goes by
That you might be the next to die?�
The jingle rattles in my brain for days, the way mindless doggerel always does when you don�t want to remember it at all.
�They wrap you up in a bloody sheet
and bury you about six feet deep.�
The harder I try not to think about the lines, the more of them return to my mind. I can hear the shrill voices of my classmates as we screamed the words at each other.
�You�re okay for about a week
and then your coffin springs a leak.�
I don�t want to remember but I can�t seem to stop myself.
�The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out.�
The chorus bubbles along in my brain when I�m visiting the cemetery with my inlaws, when we�re having lunch, when I�m trying to sleep.
�The worms play pinochle on your snout.�
When I wake up in the middle of the night, I can hear those ten-year-old voices warbling,
�They eat your eyes, they eat your nose.�
When I try to say something meaningful about the historic tombstones or the sunny, breezy day, my tongue tries to sabotage me.
�They eat the jelly between your toes.�
Why can�t I rid my brain of that silly rhyme? I sit up in the dark at 2 in the morning, thinking back over the past few days, searching for a reason that I can�t rid myself of the curse. Sometimes this works; once I figure out why I�m sleepless, I can decide on an action, and then sleep.
�A big green worm with rolling eyes
crawls in your stomach and out your eyes.�
The song gets worse. Much worse.
And finally I realize that Bill Kloefkorn is the master of the playground poem, the childhood memory turned into a story that can make the reader laugh or cry.
Though his memories of what he did as a boy in a small town in the middle of the nation differs considerably from what I did as a girl growing up in a rural community and going to school in a town of 100 residents, there are parallels. In his blasphemous, funny way, he memorialized the truth about playgrounds. I don�t recall ever encountering the worm song in any of his poems, but it wouldn�t surprise me to.
In the poem �Prove It� from his book Swallowing the Soap, Bill writes about seeing Bubba Barnes steal a comic book from the rack in the Rexall drugstore. The next day at recess, Bill confronts Bubba with the crime. When Bubba denies it, Bill clearly delighted in the opportunity to write these perfect playground lines:
I don�t have to
prove it, I say.
I know you did it
and you know you
did it. So, he
says, prove it, ass-
eyes. Just prove it.
What a poetic challenge recalling that little ditty has created for me as a writer! And making use of the rhythm of the worm song would add a lilt and a zip to any poem that began with its inspiration.
Part IV. And Rapture
I spent a few-- too few-- evenings with Bill and an assembled company of people interested in words, talking about writing, but I�ve heard him speak and read his poems enough so that I can call up his voice when I read his work. I doubt I will ever forget that voice, that ability to deliver a poem. If Bill Kloefkorn were here this Sunday morning, we might talk about the rapture that didn�t occur yesterday, explore the meaning of the word �rapture,� the ironies of that forecast and its result.
Thinking about rapture without Bill�s help, I turn to my American Heritage Dictionary.
�1. The state of being transported by a lofty emotion,� it says. �Ecstasy.�
And furthermore: �2. An expression of ecstatic feeling. Often used in the plural.�
And finally, �3. The transporting of a person from one place to another, especially to heaven.�
Rapture, 1: ecstacy:
Outside the window, rain falls lightly, and the prairie grass is as green as it ever gets. Twenty black cows graze below the hill, their heads staying down for long minutes as they fill themselves with the vibrant grass, driving winter�s cold out of their bodies. In my garden at Homestead House, the Alaska and Early Perfection peas are four inches tall. The leaves of the Yukon Gold potatoes are just breaking earth. My mouth waters, thinking how, in July or August, I will serve a bowl of new potatoes and peas with lunch.
Rapture, 2: expression of ecstatic feeling:
Star lilies are blooming, their white petals flaring out of the ground, tiny fountains of white silk. Yellow Nuttall�s violets-- my mother called them Johnny Jump-Ups-- wink among the curly buffalograss. Bluebells hang among the stems of the taller redtop, ringing gently with each breeze. Pale blue sky shimmers with sun and birdcalls.
Rapture, 3: transporting, especially to heaven
The air is filled with wings. Common snipes, redwing blackbirds, meadowlarks, sparrows, killdeer-- all are flying, zipping, diving, zooming, snatching bugs out of the air and whizzing back to their nests to feed the demanding nestlings. The bugs fly through the cool spring air, lifted up on gossamer wings to become part of the ecstacy and nourishment of spring surrounding us, raptured as life goes on.
# # #
For more information:
Linda's poem "Memorial Day" may be found in Dakota Bones: The Collected Poems of Linda Hasselstrom,
Spoon River Poetry Press, 1993.
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text:
Mr. Bullsom threw open the door.
"Up-stairs," he repeated, "and throw it into the rag-bag."
Selina hesitated. Then she rose, and with scarlet cheeks and a poor show of dignity, left the room. Mr. Bullsom drew himself up and beamed upon Mary.
"I'll show'em a bit," he declared, with great good-humour. "I may be an ignorant old man, but I'm going to wake these girls up."
Mary struggled for a moment, but her sense of humour triumphed. She burst out laughing.
"Oh, uncle, uncle," she exclaimed, "you're a wonderful man."
He beamed upon her.
"You come shopping with us in London," he said. "We'll have some fun."
"Really," Lady Caroom exclaimed, "Enton is the cosiest large house I was ever in. Do throw that Bradshaw away, Arranmore. The one o'clock train will do quite nicely."
Lord Arranmore obeyed her literally. He jerked the volume lightly into a far corner of the room and came over to her side. She was curled up in a huge easy-chair, and her face caught by the glow of the dancing firelight almost startled him by its youth. There was not a single sign of middle age in the smooth cheeks, not a single grey hair, no sign of weariness in the soft full eyes raised to his.
She caught his glance and smiled.
"The firelight is so becoming!" she murmured.
"Don't go!" he said.
"My dear Arranmore. The Redcliffes would never forgive me, and we must go some time."
"I don't see the necessity," he answered, slowly. "You like Enton. Make it your home."
She raised her eyebrows.
"How improper!" "Not necessarily," he answered. "Take me too."
She sat up in her chair and regarded him steadily.
"Am I to regard this," she asked, "as an offer of marriage?"
"Well, it sounds like it," he admitted.
"Dear me. You might have given me a little more notice," she said. "Let me think for a moment, please."
Perhaps their thoughts travelled back in the same direction. He remembered his cousin and his playfellow, the fairest and daintiest girl he had ever seen, his best friend, his constant companion. He remembered the days when she had first become something more to him, the miseries of that time, his hopeless ineligibility—the separation. Then the years of absence, the terrible branding years of his life, the horrible pit, the time when night and day his only prayer had been the prayer for death. The self-repression of years seemed to grow weaker and weaker. He held out his hands. But she hesitated.
"Dear," she said, "you make me very happy. It is wonderful to think this may come after all these years. But there is something which I wish to say to you first."
"You are very, very dear to me now—as you are—but you are not the man I loved years ago. You are a very different person indeed. Sometimes I am almost afraid of you.


text:
Spring showers are So much fun. The food is so easy, bright, and refreshing. Here is one shower I did 3 years ago, but I think I would do the exact same thing again!
The menu: barefoot contessa grilled lemon chicken salad, giant croissants, strawberries, cream puffs & lemon cake.
I think I do cream puffs for any occassion because I love what they look like in a bowl.
About the salad...I love it! My friend Lizzie introduced me to it, and now I pull it out once or twice each spring, mostly for a get together or a small luncheon. (note: it is very easy, for I am not a cook)
I am actually making it today...so Ill post a new picture later!
see here for recipe
(I ofter use blanched asparagus instead of sugar snap peas because rob doesnt like the peas)


text:
Schieffer: And good morning again. Welcome to Face the Nation in the studio with us today Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich so I want to ask both of you -- You both spoke to the big conservative values conference last week but the preacher who introduced Rick Perry kind of stole all the headlines because he told reporters that Mormonism is a cult and that Mitt Romney is not a Christian. Mr. Gingrich, should that be a part of the discussion?
Gingrich: No, I think that none of us should sit in judgment of somebody else's religion and I thought it was very unwise and very inappropriate.
Schieffer: Do you think that Mitt Romney is a Christian?
Gingrich: I think he's a Mormon and Mormons define themselves as a branch of Christianity.
Schieffer: How about you, Mr. Cain. What's your thought on this?
Cain: I feel the same way. We're not running for theologian in chief. We're running for president of the United States of America. What I believe is that the American people want to know: what are your values? What are your principles? Because your values and your principles may impact how you make decisions. But not get into the specifics of your chosen religion.
Schieffer: Do you think Mormons are Christians?
Cain: I believe that they believe that they're Christians based on their definition but getting into whether or not they're more Christian than another group, I don't think that's relevant to this campaign.
Schieffer: Alright let's talk about something that is then. That I think both you will agree is---there are thousands of protesters camped out on Wall Street and around the country. Mr. Cain, you suggested they might be there just because they're jealous of people that have good jobs. Here's a little of what you said:
"And to be angry at somebody because they're successful is asnti-0American in my opinion. Secondly, this is a distraction from the failed policies of the Obama administration. Why be made you don't have a job at the bankers on Wall Street? They're the ones that help create the jobs."
Schieffer: So you said first that you think this is a distraction created to draw attention away. What proof do you have of that?
Cain: The proof is quite simply the bankers and the people on Wall Street didn't write these failed policies of the Obama administration. They didn't spend a trillion dollars that didn't work. The administration and the democrats spent a trillion dollars. They're not proposing another 450 billion dollars, the administration is proposing another 450 billion dollars wrapped in different rhetoric so it's a distraction so many people won't focus on the failed policies of this administration. So I stand by that.
Schieffer: I don't want to interrupt so you're saying that these people all got together up there to draw attention away from Barack Obama. That's why they're there?
Cain: They were encouraged to get together.
Schieffer: Who encouraged them?
Cain: We know that the unions and certain union related organizations have been behind these protests that are going on on Wall Street and other parts around the country. It's coordinated. To create a distraction so people won't focus on the failed policies of this administration.
Schieffer: And why is that anti-American?
Cain: It's anti-American because to protest Wall Street and the bankers is basically saying that you're anti-capitalism. The free market system and capitalism are the two things that have allowed this nation and this economy to become the biggest in the world. Even though we have our challenges, I believe the protests are more anti-capitalism and anti-free market than anything else.
Schieffer: What's your take Mr. Gingrich?
Gingrich: I think the sad thing is, this is the natural product of Obama's class warfare. And Ronald Reagan used to tell the story about the British worker who stood by the road with his sign as a Rolls Royce went by and said someday we're going to get that guy out of that car. And the Americans stood by the road as a Cadillac went by and he said someday you're going to buy that car. Now Reagan represented the real American tradition which is that you and your children have a chance to go out and work hard, the Steve Jobs experience. You can create a better future. You can do something better. We have had a strain of hostility to free enterprise and frankly, a strain of hostility to classic America starting in our academic institutions and spreading across this country and I regard the Wall Street protesters as a natural outcome of a bad education system teaching them really dumb ideas.
Schieffer: Well do you agree with Mr. Cain who says they're just jealous of people who have jobs?
Gingrich: Well I'm not even sure that the people actually protesting..look, there are a lot of people in America angry. I was with 35 realtors in Buford, South Carolina on Wednesday who are looking at a disaster in housing but they know that it's the Dodd-Frank bill, it's the Obama administration, it's Bernanke and Geithner and they're focusing their anger on the people who are causing them pain. They're not angry about other people being successful, they're angry about an Obama administration stopping them from having the chance to be successful.
Schieffer: Well did you really mean that literally, you think they're just jealous? You think that's the driving force? Couldn't it also be that these people don't have a job, they don't know where to turn, they don't see any answers to the problems they have and you think it comes down to jealousy?
Cain: Bob, yes I do.
Schieffer: Really?
Cain: Because it's class warfare. Some of them are there because they don't have a job. Yes. But the fact of the matter is, why aren't there jobs? Go and picket the white house. Demonstrate in front of the white house. The thing that this administration does not get is that the business sector is the engine of economic growth. That's key. They don't get that. So this president and administration wants to continue to try to spend our way to prosperity. Part of it is jealousy. I stand by that. And here's why I don't have a lot of patience for that. My parents, they never played the victim card. My parents never said that we hope the rich people lose something so that we can get something. No. My dad's idea was I want to work hard enough so that I can buy a Cadillac, not take somebody else's. And this is why I don't have a lot of patience for people who want to protest the success of somebody else.
Schieffer: Alright lets shift just a little bit here. Mr. Gingrich you got some attention yesterday when you lit into the Supreme Court at the values conference. You basically said it should just be ignored on occasion and challenged on other occasions. You said that you would for one thing, call judges before Congress. Is that what I understand?
Gingrich: Absolutely.
Schieffer: Well how in the world would you do that? They 're in one branch of government...
Gingrich: You subpoena them.
Schieffer: But one branch of government can't subpoena people in the other branches of government..
Gingrich: Of course you can.
Schieffer: They don't have to honor the subpoenas.
Gingrich: Bob if that's true, then the court can't say something to the Congress either can it? By your standards, this Supreme Court cannot dictate to the President and cannot dictate to the Congress. But they do. And there are clear provisions in the Constitution to re-balance it. There's a judge in San Antonio that issued a ruling so anti-religious, so bigoted, and so dictatorial in June 1st. He should be called in from of a committee and they should ask him, by what right do you dictate to the American people?
Schieffer: Because it's a separate branch of government for one thing and the judge wouldn't have to come....
Gingrich: He would have to come if he's subpoenaed. That's my whole point.
Schieffer: Could the congress also subpoena the president to come up there?
Gingrich: Of course. Lincoln testified.
Schieffer: So did Gerald Ford but he did by agreement.
Gingrich: By negotiation. But would have been subject to a subpoena depending on the circumstances. The point is this, when you're actually making a more radical case than I am. You're suggesting that if the Congress can't subpoena a judge, a judge could not issue an instruction to Congress, that the branches would be truly separate. That's not what happens today. Today you have judges who are dictatorial and arrogant, who pretend that they are the dominant branch and who issue orders that clearly are against the constitution.
Schieffer: Let me ask you one other thing that you said. You said in the Gingrich administration you would just tell the national security officials to ignore the Supreme Court's recent rulings on national security. So which law is it? Do you just follow only the laws you wish to follow under your doctrine? How does that work?
Gingrich: You follow the law. In the cases I'm citing recently with Hamden and Boumediene, you had the court overturning the Congress and the President. And what I'm saying we have a precedent from Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Roosevelt of 1942 when we captured 14 German spies says to the attorney general, I will not honor a writ from the Supreme Court. You tell them not to issue one. And I think the commander in chief has the power to defend this country... the recent court decisions in which the court intervened in national security, they're taking on their shoulders defending America. They are totally unprepared to do it. It is unconstitutional. Somebody should stand up to them and say no.
Schieffer: But what you're talking about here is just setting off a constitutional crisis. Each and every time that you, as president, didn't agree with what some ruling from the court....
Gingrich: But the courts have created this crisis. The courts have again and again and again since 1958 asserted an ability to redefine America. I mean in the current court you have four conservatives, four liberals. You have Justice Kennedy as the one person....
Schieffer: If the court could... if the president could ignore the Supreme Court, could he also ignore the congress which is another branch?
Gingrich: He could and presidents can and do.
Schieffer: Could the Congress ignore the president.
Gingrich: Here's the consequence. The congress cuts off the money. There's a balance of power. The congress doesn't have to pay for something. And if the president gets too far out of line they just won't give him the money. The president doesn't have to automatically do what Congress wants. He can veto bills. He can interpret bills. The court is also subject. It is a balance of power. And people can go to Newt.org and see the entire paper which backs this up which cites the dean of Stanford Law School. This is not a trivial argument but a fundamental question about the nature of the American Constitution.
Schieffer: I want to talk to Mr. Cain about something. That is something that is fairly big change that you propose. Your 9-9-9 tax plan. 9% across the board income tax, 9% corporate tax, a 9% sales tax. But one of the things that struck me about this, that's on new goods. If people buy something new they pay a 9% sales tax.
Cain: Yes.
Schieffer: But if they buy something used, they don't pay the sales tax. Am I correct on that?
Cain: You are absolutely correct.
Schieffer: Let me ask you this. What is that going to do to the car industry in this country which makes new cars?
Cain: It's going to use up the existing used car inventory, because there's a limited number and eventually people are going to start buying new cars. That's not a big negative. Here's the main thing I want to make sure that I get across about the 999 plan: first, we throw out the existing tax code, and then impose the 9% corporate tax, 9% personal income tax and the 9% sales tax. Here are the big advantages: it provides certainty to the business sector. I have served on corporate boards for nearly 20 years before I ran... before I decided to run for president. We didn't sit around talking about how do we survive? Not until recently. They want to grow. But they don't grow because we don't have certainty. One other point, Bob, please. Here's the other thing about 999. 999 will grow this economy. It's definitely going to create jobs. It's revenue neutral. This means people that are underemployed will be able to find a job that they are more qualified for. It also means that in those cases where people are low-wage earners, they can find a second job, so it has some growth opportunities as well as getting the lowest possible tax rate for everybody.
Schieffer: Without going into all the details, I think I have to note there are some economists that say that is not correct. But let me just....
Cain: May I interrupt? They have changed our assumptions. That's why they say that it's not correct.
Schieffer: Let me ask you one certainty is that poor people are going to have to pay more taxes.
Cain: No, no.
Schieffer: They're not?
Cain: Let's start with the payroll tax. It's 15.3%. Everybody pays that. So instead of paying 15.3% they're going to be paying 9%. That's a 6 percentage point difference. If you work that out for various income levels, they will have extra cash from that differential to pay the sales tax.
Schieffer: Aren't poor people also going to get to pay a tax on food and a tax on medicine?
Cain: We all will. We all will. You have to work....
Schieffer: Do you think that's fair?
Cain: Yes, because you give poor people more opportunity to stretch their dollar and leverage their income based upon their decisions whether to buy new or used goods.
Schieffer: All right. I have to end it right here. I could talk to the two of you all morning. You know, Rick Perry said he'd like a combination of the two of you. He thought that would make an interesting vice presidential mate on the ticket.
Gingrich: The way Perry described it, none of us wanted to comment on what Rick was saying.
Cain: Politically that could work but the way he described it wasn't exactly the metaphor.
Schieffer: All right. Thank you all. I hope you can both come back. Back in a minute with a little analysis.
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/09/ftn/main20117827.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody


text:
Time for another Inspiration Challenge. I have been wanting to use this one for awhile. What a fun crib!
How will you be inspired? woodgrain, stars, moon, color, baby...
I was pretty literal with this one. I used the Special Delivery Boy with woodgrain paper from the Lakeside collection both by Pebbles. I cut the moon and large star with my Silhouette. The stamp is from Technique Tuesday.
I can't wait to see what you create!
Rules for Playing:
Create a NEW project for this challenge.
Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like me to visit.
Please put a link on your post to this challenge.
Create a project with no more than 5 challenges including this challenge.
Feel free to use any crafting products you have!


text:
Lesson 1: Don't quit your day job without a plan.
Lesson 2: Don't sell diamonds for the price of a rhinestone.
Lesson 3: Don't start a business to find life on the edge.
Lesson 4: Don't try to close deals before getting out your message.
Lesson 5: Don't abdicate authority.
Lesson 6: Don't be rash with cash.
Lesson 7: Don't let a launch cause lifelong regrets.
Dari enzine SaifulSham untuk dikongsi bersama
7 Biggest Mistakes of Business Startup
Friday, October 06, 2006 by Admin · 1 comments
Lesson 1: Don't quit your day job without a plan.


text:
United Arab Emirates Dirham
|FX Spot
|FX Forward
|Delivery date: T; T+1; T+2
|Maximum maturity: 24 months
|Liquidity: Good
|Liquidity: Good
There are no special restrictions on the purchase and sale of THB.
Expert opinion
The coup of May 2014 had a relatively limited impact on THB. However, like other emerging currencies, it tends to depreciate during periods of market stress.
The following information is required:
|Public Holidays 2018 (subject to change)
|New Year's Day
|1 January
|Asarnha Bucha Day
|26 July
|New Year's Eve OBS
|2 January
|King's Birthday OBS
|30 July
|Makha Bucha Day
|1 March
|Queen's Birthday OBS
|13 August
|Chakri Memorial Day
|6 April
|King Bhumibol Memorial Day
|13 October
|Songkran Festival
|13-14 April
|King Chulalongkorn Day
|23 October
|National Labour Day
|1 May
|King Rama IX's Birthday
|5 December
|Visakha Bucha Day
|29 May
|Constitution Day
|11 December


text:
Sharing your life with an animal can bring you great joy, and can also bring you life-long rewarding benefits! In considering adding a pet to your family, it is best to learn about the needs of different types of pets that ultimately will best suit your lifestyle.
Each pet is different in terms of the type of care, feeding, behavior, housing and demands on your time. Equally as important, is the cost factor. Small 'pocket' pets require much less time and potential for veterinary visits as opposed to a brand new puppy that needs to be seen for puppy wellness visits, spayed or neutered at the appropriate age etc...
If you know what you are getting into up front, you'll be more likely to have a happy animal, a good relationship with your pet, and a much easier time dealing with any challenges that might arise.
Some questions to ask yourself as you consider what type of pet to get:
Do you have the financial resources if your pet has a medical crisis and has high veterinary bills?
Another key question to consider is where to get your new pet? Consider adopting, there are many wonderful dog, cat, rabbit and other animals at most local shelters. There are also rescue groups for specific dog and cat breeds as well as other types of pets. These individuals know each animal's traits & personalities which helps them to create a good match for your personality and lifestyle!
Tags: dr. peter hill, pet health
All About Pets
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Shopping is easy with Sun Culture Australia. Goods are delivered to you efficiently through Australia Post (unless you request an alternative delivery option).
Delivery charges are as follows:
Shipping is available within Australia only
Express Shipping: $11.50
Standard Shipping : $8.50
Free Regular Shipping in Australia for orders over $150
This discount applies only to orders over $150 shipped within Australia only.
* For International express times please contact email@example.com.
We shall endeavor to dispatch the goods to you as soon as possible after you place the order (subject to the order having been accepted by us as will be confirmed to you by email), normally within 3 working days if the goods are in stock, and in any event within 14 days beginning on the day after you place the order. If we are unable to dispatch the goods within that time we will email to let you know and give you an estimated delivery date and you will have the right to cancel your order and receive a full refund.
Please note we are not responsible for items dispatched via standard post once they have been lodged with Australia Post and no refund will be issued on missing or late orders.
International shipping usually take between 7 to 10 business days from when the item is dispatched to delivery.
Prices shown on the site do not include delivery or customs duty.
Ecommerce Software by Ashop


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Horrible Bosses Part IV: The All Stick, No Carrot
Posted In: The Office
Posted On: 11/19/2014
This post is part IV in a six-part series from Jane Miller's book, Sleep Your Way to the Top (and other myths about business success). Some bosses just can't say a nice thing. It is not in their DNA. Maybe they just got coal in their stockings at Christmas and harbor a belief that since they weren't coddled no one else should be coddled either. Threatening has always worked for them in the past and they see no reason to not continue with this management style. Interestingly, you will find this boss is not always mean, but instead just devoid of complements. If you are looking for a pat on the head for work well done, well, you are not going to get it. How to deal with this Grinch? The biggest problem with this management style is that most of us want to work in an environment where we get praised for work well done. Employee surveys continually support that positive reinforcement can be as motivating as the money or benefit packages. But, don't hold your breath that a complement will come your way. It is not going to happen. My best advice is to find other ways to get recognized in the company. Don't look to the boss, but instead to your co-workers for feedback that will keep you engaged in the company. Again, don't take it personally, it is her problem not yours. We're Not Done Yet...Next Up: The Glass is Half Empty Boss


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|Release Date
|May 9, 2016
|Fabric Blend
|60% organic cotton, 40% hemp
|Fabric Weight
|270 g/m²
|Warp Colour(s)
|Weft Colour
|Natural Hemp
Ready for immediate shipping!
Warning: Last items in stock!
Availability date:
One cannot deny the convenience of a ring sling. A ring sling allows a parent (or whomever) to comfortably carry baby on the side, front or back and can be used from the newborn stage to well beyond. DIDYMOS has introduced the DidySling, which is their version of a ring sling. The same fabric that is used in the manufacturing of their baby wraps is also used for the DidySling. Two high quality aluminum rings (made in the USA by the fabulous Sling Rings) are attached at one end of the fabric using a "gathered shoulder" style to create the DidySling. The other end of the fabric is then threaded through the rings to create the pouch to carry baby. The DidySling is unpadded which allows the fabric to conform ideally to the shoulder, and the fabric is then easily spread across the back (in the case of the hip and front carries) to evenly distribute baby's weight. In the end, with a DidySling, baby can quickly, easily and comfortably be carried, hands-free. The DidySling is available in two sizes*:Size 1: 170-180 cm long (ideal for most, of average height and build)Size 2: 200-210 cm long (ideal for taller/larger folks) Size 1 is standard stock. Size 2 is a custom request that generally takes 3 weeks to reach us from Germany.
|Release Date
|May 9, 2016
|Fabric Composition
|60% organic cotton, 40% hemp
|Fabric Weight
|270 g/m²
|Cayenne & Natural
|Original Release Name
|DidySling Corallina
|Fabric Blend
|Hemp Blend
|Warp Colour(s)
|Weft Colour
|Fabric Weight Class
|260-300 g/m² (Heavy)
|Care Instructions
|Linen and Hemp may only be washed with mild detergent that contains no optical brighteners/bleaching agents, and like to "swim" in as much water as possible. NO fabric softener but a dash of vinegar can be used. Iron on highest setting, while damp.
|Country of Origin
|The sling tail has a tapered end and the length is measured along the shorter edge. Size 1 measures 170-180 cm. Size 2 measures 200-210 cm. Size 1 is recommended for those who wear t-shirt size XS-L
|Year of Release
|Month of Release
|Didymos Patterns
|Style of Carrier


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Saturday, January 25, 2014
By Kamal Swami
Mahindra XUV500 to be equipped with Hybrid engine, will be unveiled during Indian Auto Expo
The domestic car making company Mahindra and Mahindra is going to offer Hybrid technology in its highly liked SUV, Mahindra XUV 500 and unveil the same in the upcoming Indian auto expo 2014. This initiative from company is an indication that it is involved in production of eco friendly vehicles to its potential customers. According to sources the upcoming hybrid version of XUV500 will be based on its sibling Reva. Apart from this it is also reported that the home grown auto company is also working on developing new vehicles in joint collaboration with Ssangyong. It is speculated that the existing diesel engine of XUV500 can be paralleled with electronic motor. With introduction of hybrid SUV, XUV 500 will be country's first SUV that will be equipped with hybrid engine.
It is reported that integration of manual transmission system in its diesel and electronic vehicles M&M is working German company ZF. It would be interested to know that apart from Hybrid XUV 500 company's automatic manual transmission vehicles namely Verito Electric, Formula E car and Ssangyong Korando are also in pipeline of company's list that will be showcased during auto expo.
Read here to know more about XUV500.


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Performing New Tricks for Old CustomersBy Brad Boston | Posted 2004-07-01 Print
Before Cisco Systems could communicate better with its customers, it had to integrate 17 databases.
Before I arrived at Cisco Systems in 2001, the company was focused on building things for a rapidly growing business.
When the economy changed and that growth diminished for a period, the focused turned to: "How do I become closer to my customer? What do I need, from a data standpoint, to truly understand my customer's status, situation and needs?" The answer: a single view of our customers.
Cisco has thousands of customers. Interactions with them, from requests for help and "open-problem" tickets, were stored in different databases than those used for sales and order-status information. We had 17 databases that didn't always communicate easily with each other.
We decided against creating a program from scratch to capture customer information. That would have been years in the making. A lot of software would have had to be written and tested to re-create the basic features of an existing system.
Some features we wantedsuch as enriching customer records with a Dun & Bradstreet credit analysis of each company, or automatically rooting out duplicate recordswere nice to have and technically elegant, but they did not fundamentally change the way our business functions operated, nor did they improve our ability to gather information from our systems. So we opted not to pursue them.
We pulled together the best Cisco talentarchitects, engineers, project managers and analysts. The team considered off-the-shelf products that fit our business. We looked at database applications we already owned from Siebel Systems, Oracle and Epiphany, and gave the team 30 days to identify the product with a data model that most closely matched the functionality we needed. We also wanted something that easily integrated with our other applications.
Oracle won out. We were already using Oracle for manufacturing, finance and customer service applications. Within 10 months were able to get a "single source of truth" about our customers.
The project wasn't about having the biggest database or best customer information system on the planet; it was about being more efficient with our core business and understanding our customers' needs.
I don't want to diminish the effort behind this project. It was no small task. A team worked all hours to extract current information from multiple databases, clean it up and put it into the new format.
In one situation, more than 5,000 objects had to be converted to the new format, touching 300 million-plus rows of data. We primarily had overlapping data that led to multiple entries for a given piece of information. Before the conversion, one customer could show up in our databases as multiple companies. Simple input issues such as periods or abbreviations would make older databases think it was a new entry.
So we took records from the various databasesmost of which had slightly different definitions of the same customercorrected all the data to conform to the new definitions and then incorporated it into the new Oracle database.
What benefits are we seeing? We are beginning to understand our customers' needs better and can determine which ones have a greater likelihood of buying another Cisco product or service. For example, certain vertical customers such as those in health care, financial services or consumer productscan demonstrate higher probabilities of purchasing an Internet protocol telephony system six months after buying a network storage or security product.
Customers can now be broken into segments based on their purchasing behaviors. We have determined that some have a significantly higher probability than others of needing service. We also know who is using our products and how, so we can provide software patches or offer replacement products before a customer has a problem and logs a complaint with our technical assistance center.
Cisco can be proactive to its customers' needs rather than reactive.
--Written with Anna Maria Virzi
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Nick Morrow
Morrow & Sheppard LLP
3701 Kirby Drive #1000
Houston, TX 77098
(713) 489-1206
Nick Morrow is a personal injury attorney and founding partner at Morrow & Sheppard LLP in Houston, TX. Since the firm's inception in 2015, Morrow & Sheppard LLP has been serving the local community and Texas at large in all matters relating to personal injury and maritime law. As a Houston maritime lawyer, Mr. Morrow has helped countless offshore and maritime workers who've been injured while facing grueling and dangerous conditions each day. In addition to maritime injuries, Mr. Morrow has represented victims in other cases involving workers' compensation, wrongful death, and motor vehicle accidents such as motorcycle and truck accidents in Houston. If you or somebody you loved was injured through no fault of your own, contact our law firm for a free consultation with a Houston car accident lawyer.
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Anticipating Apple releasing the iPhone 3.1 update at or following tomorrow's "It's only rock and roll, but we like it" special music event, the Dev-Team has posted a reminder:
If you update to Apples new software using the normal iTunes process, you will lose your ultrasn0w unlock. In fact you may lose it permanently, because for most people the baseband firmware cannot be reverted to a previous version (unlike the main application CPU firmware).
Rather, their PwnageTool should allow you to update the firmware without updating the baseband, preserving ultrasn0w for the "best of both worlds".
So, jailbreakers and unlockers, no rushing to out to download that shiny new 3.1 software via iTunes. You've been warned.


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3 years ago
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Easter eats
Even though we are not madly religious, the whole extended family all go crazy eating Easter eggs and making delicious little Easter cakes and biscuits. This was my favourite - so simple.
Posted by Caroline at 9:13 AM
Labels: Easter
2 comments:
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- Home
- Departments
The academic core of the School of International and Public Affairs at Florida International University is comprised of eight major departments - Criminology and Criminal Justice, Economics, Global & Sociocultural Studies, History, Modern Languages, Politics and International Relations, Public Policy and Administration, and Religious Studies - with a combined faculty of more than 180 members.
Criminology and Criminal Justice
The mission of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice is to provide local, state, national, and international leadership on core issues related to crime and its control and to be recognized as a prominent center of research, scholarship, and teaching, with academic, theoretical, and direct policy relevance. The department is recognized both nationally and internationally as a leader in the field of criminal justice education, offering both bachelor's and master's degrees on-site and fully online, as well as a Ph.D. in International Crime and Justice.
The Department of Economics has a group of faculty who are interested in a variety of applied and theoretical topics. The undergraduate programs provide students with an understanding of economic problems and institutions with analytical tools to apply this knowledge to contemporary problems. The graduate programs place strong emphasis on exploiting synergies between fields such as international economics, industrial organization, and technological change, and development economics. Issues are analyzed using modern economic tools from fields such as econometrics, game theory, and economic dynamics.
Global & Sociocultural Studies
The Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies unites the faculties of anthropology, geography, and sociology within an innovative program dedicated to exploring challenges of global scope—such as diverse forms of inequality, contested identities, migrations and diasporas, and nature-society relations—that define the contemporary world. The department's undergraduate and graduate programs emphasize cross-disciplinary perspectives while acknowledging the unique contributions of disciplinary approaches.
The Department of History offers graduate and undergraduate programs that foster a love for historical inquiry and lay a foundation for successful careers in history, law, journalism, government service, librarianship, and other professions. The undergraduate and graduate programs explore past human experience in all its imaginable aspects: economic, social, political, cultural, intellectual, scientific and technological. The department's temporal scope covers the ancient past to present days, while cultural and spatial interests involve the peoples of Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Modern Languages
The Department of Modern Languages offers multiple opportunities for undergraduate and graduate study in language, culture, and literature. From language classes in Arabic, German, Hebrew, or Russian, to culture classes in Chinese, Haitian Creole, Italian, and Japanese, and degree programs in French, Portuguese, or Spanish, the Department of Modern Languages prepares students for a variety of educational and future career opportunities. Courses reflect the variety of the faculty's research interests of second language acquisition, historical linguistics, divisions of literature and culture, and related fields and modalities of interpretation.
Politics & International Relations
Combining the traditional disciplinary strengths of Political Science with a multidisciplinary approach to the study of International Relations, the Department of Politics and International Relations offers rich undergraduate and graduate programs. The department comprises 34 nationally and internationally-recognized faculty with expertise that is not only geographic (in particular Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia) but also subfield (American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory).
Public Policy & Administration
The Department of Public Administration provides a professional education in public sector and nonprofit management by offering bachelors and masters degrees in public administration. The Department also offers a doctorate degree in public management. In addition to the full degrees, certificates are available in human resource policy and management and public management. The primary mission of the Department is to foster excellence in education, research, and practice.
Religious Studies
The Department of Religious Studies offers instruction in all major religions of the world and in a number of thematic areas. The department is closely linked with a number of interdisciplinary programs, including: African-New World studies, Asian studies, Environmental Studies, Judaic Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, and Women's Studies. The programs are designed to allow students to focus either on comparative topics, using a critical approach to understanding religious phenomena and their relation to society in a broad cultural context, or on the theory and practice of a specific religious tradition in its historical setting.


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Cake and banner are quilled and images are hand drawn and painted with water color pencils .
Entering for Banner Challenge at The Stamping Boutique , CFC67 at CAS-ual Fridays ,Challenge #9-CAS Project at For the Love of Crafting.
Very cute card you did a wonderful job. Thank you for playing along this week at The Stamping Boutique. Good luck in the challenge and I hope to see you in the next challenge.
CraftyGirl TSB DT
Thanks ! Looking forward to next challenge.ReplyDelete
Very pretty CAS card. I love those banners you quillled. They look very pretty. Thanks for joining us at The Stamping Boutique.
Thanks Kim !ReplyDelete
ooo I love the quilled cake and banner...what a happy birthday scene you've created, great design :0)
So glad you joined us this week at CASual Fridays :0)
Jenny x
The quilled banner is amazing!!! Thanks for joining us at The Stamping Boutique.
DT Yolie
Gorgeous creation!
Thanks for joining us at The Stamping Boutique!
That quilling is amazing & the fact that you really are basically self taught! Wow!!! Thanks for joining us at The Stamping Boutique. Best of Luck~PattiReplyDelete
Sweet card love the quilled banner :) Thanks for playing this week at CAS-ual Fridays!ReplyDelete
Cure card. Love the banner. Thanks for playing in TSB challenge! ♥ Jamie at CraftyGirl21ReplyDelete
Thanks for visiting blog and leaving comment ! If you have any query please leave your email-id for me to reply :)


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So, as I mentioned in the Krazy Mike's piece last week, I'm doing some research. I've been working on a sea-to-table piece on Gulf shrimp. Now, there's a lot of concern right now about how the oil spill is going to raise the price of seafood and such. I talked with John Ray Nelson with Bon Secour Fisheries this morning. He had some enlightening thoughts about the spill and the coverage it's been getting.
"Most of the information people have been getting -- it's not been completely factual. You know the story of Chicken Little? All the dangers of the oil coming ashore, we've known it's minimal. It's nothing like the Valdez spill, it's over 100 miles from shore. It's something to be concerned about for sure, but we don't need to take this Chicken Little attitude."
Nelson told me he's had restaurants calling asking for gigantic orders so they can stock up in case of a shortage, but as he puts it, "we tell most people, don't worry about running out of shrimp, All you need to worry about is whether you have the money to pay for them."
So... there you go. I'm still tracking down all the pieces for my research, but I wanted to share that with you this morning. Enjoy your shrimp.
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But it dont always come through
Cause if I say it all again again again it doesnt make it more true"
Great look!
Have a nice Monday!
xx Karolina
Very cool look
xo' M
Awww cute outfit on you! Thanks for visiting my blog and your lovely comment, looking forward in seeing you on my blog again ;)) xoxo
New Post up…
❤ www.Tsangtastic.com
You can still see how cool the jewelry is! Love the rings!
Your skirt is great for fall and your accessories,especially the purse is so cute :)
Style Of OzOz
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Wow love the boots! And cute outfit too ;)
New post on GIRL ABOUT TOWN BLOG
Like my blog on Facebook page :)
I like your cute and girly socks paired with tough boots like this. The detail is rather nice and your bag is so cute!
Sej || What Would Grace Kelly Say?
I appreciate comments that took into consideration the work a post takes and take into account that the comment section is not a place to advertise their blog.


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Do you ever get thrown out of sync when Monday is a public holiday? You know how it is when you don't know what day of the week it is? Well that's why Tuesday Treasuries are, um, a few hours late this week, but let's move on... Treasuries are showcase collections of Etsy goodies from various shops. They are artfully put together by members of the Etsy community. I am always very grateful to be included.
Thanks so much to Julie of Julie's Bead Story for this vibrant list, A Splash of Green and Burnt Orange. Love the colour combo!
My dark sea green sea glass pendant (3rd row, left) has featured in quite a few treasuries this past week. I guess it's the photo. White backgrounds help grab attention, yet I really love the darker grey against some of those burn orange creations. The orange pops without being too dazzling. You have to go with whatever shows off your work best.


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No one will be charged over leaking police information to the media about a 1996 massage parlour raid in Toronto where NDP leader Jack Layton was found, the Ontario Provincial Police announced on Thursday.
The Toronto Police Service requested last week an OPP investigation after the Toronto Sun alleged that Layton was found naked on a bed in a suspected bawdy house in the city's Chinatown 15 years ago.
The story, which was published just days before the end of the election campaign, cited a retired police officer's notebook.
The former cop has not been identified.
The notebook, according to the Sun, reports a conversation in which Layton is asked if he received sexual services.
Layton, who was a Toronto city councillor at the time, reportedly answers that he did not. Police did not charge him.
OPP Insp. Dave Ross told Postmedia News that investigators examined about eight notebooks in the past week that belonged to the former officer.
"We've completed the investigation and found there were no grounds to warrant laying criminal charges in relation to disclosing police information to the media," he said, noting the notebooks have been returned to Toronto police and not to the cop.
Layton and his wife, Olivia Chow, dismissed the allegations, insisting the accusation was nothing more than a "smear campaign."
"It's unfortunate to see the smear campaign starting in these last few days of the campaign," Layton had said when the story broke. "Absolutely nothing wrong was done, there's no wrongdoing here, but the smear starts."
Layton's spokesman, Karl Belanger, had initially said the party was "in the process of looking at our (legal) options."
On Thursday, spokeswoman Kathleen Monk said the party had no comment.
In spite of their timing, the allegations seemingly did little to hurt Layton's public image; His party made history in the election after winning 102 seats to form the official Opposition for the first time in the NDP's history.
Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash told the CBC on Thursday that the force is studying internal procedures regarding retired officers keeping their police notebooks, considered police property.
He said Toronto police will not take further action following the OPP's conclusions.


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A few new preserves I'm just dying to try from this great new book
Friday, July 8, 2011
Home Sweet Home
A few new preserves I'm just dying to try from this great new book
10 comments:
Well i for one missed you glad you had a good time & that your home safe & sound.ReplyDelete
LOL I love your to do list,,,,,don't worry mine is very similar to yours, one day we will get it all done!ReplyDelete
I love that collection of craft books you picked up, I would spend hours going through those and flagging pages left right and centre,,,just adding to that "to do list" lol. I recently bought a collection of 4 folders called creative crafts or something like that that is chock full of crafts to try. Now I just need to find the time.
I love your blog by the way!!! I have been enjoying sifting through it. Welcome Home
I LOVE that preserving book, my sister bought it at xmas time and lent it to me...it had some great things in it...its nice to be away isnt it..but always so nice to be in your own bed again....ReplyDelete
Those oranges and lemons look sooooo gooood!ReplyDelete
I'd juice some oranges and make an almond/orange cake with some the lemons you could juice and freeze some for later and make some lemonade for now...I just bought a dripper hose for the greenhouse. glad you had a nice holiday welcome homeReplyDelete
Love your blog!ReplyDelete
Suggestions for chook names:-
Hazel, Mabel, Ruby, Beryl, Sybil, Agnes.....
I sure do miss having chookies, give yours a cuddle from me.
How was your break away?
I'm not looking forward to the washing we'll have to do when we finally arrive home again...but am looking forward to seeing our little home and getting cosy again! Nothing like your own space.
Welcome back Karen! Sounds like you had a very refreshing holiday on the farm. This time of year is just the best I think.ReplyDelete
You sound like you have a lot of things whirling around - can't wait to see what projects you come up with.
It's always great to go away, but nice to be back home again isn't it? cheers Wendy
Welcome home! Isn't it a nice feeling? You certainly hit op shopping gold..look at that Pyrex! Looks like you're going to be busy for the next little while.ReplyDelete
It's exhausting just reading your list of things to do - and I know that's just the half of it!!!ReplyDelete
By the way I love that preserving book, I almost tucked it into my suitcase:)
Oh, that's right, I DID tuck one of your books into my suitcase and I made the ginger cake that I wanted to make out of it. Yummy, I'll be making another one tomorrow as it is already all gone.
Thanks for stopping by today, please take a moment to say Hi and leave a comment it's nice to know who's visiting. Your comments, questions and answers are all an extension to my posts and I appreciate each and every one of them.
Thank you for taking the time.


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Elkhart Health, Fitness, Aquatics And Community Center
I tried walking across the complicated where I stay nevertheless it has so many inclines and grades that I shortly misplaced interest in that. Not to point out folks wanting me to stop and chat with them. Additionally, weather would typically pose a big drawback. Too cold or windy (typically both) in the winter and fall, rain within the spring and scorching sun in the summertime. To add to all of that were bugs and a slight fear for my very own security when walking alone. I have to be snug that these 210,000 lives are going to proceed to enjoy the quality of life and health care that they've proper now," he said, referring to the variety of Nevadans who gained coverage by way of the enlargement of Medicaid beneath President Barack Obama's signature health law. To study extra about our Scholar Help office situated on campus at seventy two Fifth Avenue, 4th flooring, visit the Pupil Support and Crisis Administration web page.
In the event you might be handled you can be treated. The rationing of healthcare is becoming a difficulty as new applied sciences make it attainable to maintain people alive at great price however with such a poor high quality of life that many of them need to die. Some point out that the cash could be higher spent on preventative medicine and so on. It's a exhausting debate for all concerned.
The important thing to maintaining oral health is prevention, it is every particular person's duty to properly handle their tooth and gums. Though not everyone has full access to oral healthcare, we will nonetheless do quite a bit in our own little manner by practising good oral hygiene. Your dentist is your finest friend who can help you in terms of restoring features and aesthetics so you may maintain good oral health.
Longhorns are passionate about making the world a better place, united by the perception that creating and sharing information can save lives and remodel society. Come discover our vast analysis enterprise — or better yet, create, innovate and uncover with us. As a last comment, the broadest, deepest water current comes from the Swim-ex paddle wheel and when all the prices are in contrast it isn't rather more expensive than an Limitless Pool.
Discover a extra full image of how readers interact with our analysis via Altmetric data. Communism, on the other hand, has usually seemed to suck each time it's been tried. Appears to generate into types of government which can be heinous. Do not know why. Blind belief in Socialism that features apologizing for Stalin, for instance, is dumb. Similar goes for blind perception in free market capitalism, not tempered by regulation of any form.


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The kitchen this week has been filled with fresh produce and I'm loving it! Strawberries from Egypt and local beef tomatoes seem to be in season since there is a crazy abundance of them at the hypermarket.
Such beautiful quality too that I couldn't help but snap a few pictures before getting to business devouring them.
These picture do not do justice to the size of these tomatoes, not to mention their weight! I read somewhere that the proof of quality in a fruit is in it's weight – if there is any truth to that, these babies are gold. I've been squeezing them into every meal I can while hoping I can get away with this sudden tomato craze without making both Sam and I sick of them for life.
Now, before I bore you to death with all this tomato talk and pictures, I'll move unto something much more interesting – STRAWBERRIES!
I must admit I got a little carried away in the shop and bought three trays of them, but I've already been proven just since one tray is already gone and another is well on it's way to being left empty.
Needless to say I've been finding any excuse to eat more of these. Which hasn't been that hard, after all, what breakfast, dinner, lunch, midnight-snack is complete without some strawberries?