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In this podcast, Ron Vanderkley speaks to Donal Holland of Harvard University about his team's work on the Soft Robotics Toolkit.
Soft Robotics is a class of elastically soft, versatile, and biologically inspired machines represents an exciting and highly interdisciplinary paradigm in engineering that could revolutionize the role of robotics in healthcare, field exploration, and cooperative human assistance.
The Soft Robotics Toolkit is a collection of shared resources to support the design, fabrication, modelling, characterization, and control of soft robotic devices. The toolkit was developed as part of educational research being undertaken in the Harvard Biodesign Lab. The ultimate aim of the toolkit is to advance the field of soft robotics by allowing designers and researchers to build upon each other's work. The web site contains the open source fluidic control board, detailed design for wide range soft robotic components (including actuators and sensors).
The growing popularity of site is now bringing in hobbyist and makers alike. The Soft Robotics Toolkit team has announce two competitions intended to reward students, researchers, makers, and designers of all levels for their contributions to the field of soft robotics.
Donal Holland
Donal Holland is a visiting Lecturer in Engineering Sciences at Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Demographic info Ireland | Mechanical or Industrial Engineering. He was a passed PhD Student at Trinity College Dublin, Visiting Fellow at Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Research Assistant at Treocht Ltd.


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Now that Botox has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, fans of cosmetic quick fixes are buzzing about the next miracle injectable. It's Restylane, a synthetic hyaluronic acid that, like collagen, can fill in facial lines and plump up lips. It's already a hit in Europe and Canada, though its maker has yet to seek approval in the U.S. But last week it completed its U.S. clinical study, and the results were impressive. Restylane outperformed a collagen-based substance by a 6-to-1 ratio. Unlike collagen, which lasts only about three months for some patients, Restylane can last six months or...
Beyond Botox: A Shot At Beauty Heaven
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Frinton Beach Hut Association
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Ivan Henderson MP Website
Website Topic: As Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Clacton, I will seek to do everything possible to promote all that our area has to offer and to fight for local needs
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Website Topic: The Tendring Rambles Group was formed in 1991 when it was decided to split the Colchester Group into two. The first meeting of the Tendring Group was held on Friday 22nd November 1991
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text: Charles N. Tamason, 64, 126 York Court, Sherwood Forest, Kissimmee, died Monday. Born in Chicago, Ill., he moved to Kissimmee from Blue Island, Ill., in 1984. He was a retired supervisor for Illinois Bell Telephone Company, a member of Kissimmee Elks Lodge 1873, a member of United Church of Christ, Blue Island, and a World War II veteran. Survivors: wife, Sophie N.; daughters, Patricia Higgins, Blue Island, Susan Blue, Alsip, Ill.; son, Gregory C., Scottsdale, Ariz.; sister, Rita Yuskaitis, Kissimmee; brother, Robert, Chicago; one grandchild. Grissom Funeral Home, Kissimmee.


text:
- React, because of its high performance and revolutionary component-based way of building frontend UIs. I could never go back to jQuery, data-binding, string templating and those other primitive ways of building frontends.
- And finally, Jest which I believe to be the total package for JavaScript unit testing that is sooooooo easy to set up! Code coverage is also included.
Before I tried Jest, the current unit test suite for mapguide-react-layout was a convoluted stack of:
I also tried to get code coverage working. But this required a tool called istanbul and because my code was TypeScript, it needed some TypeScript source map plugin for istanbul to recognise it, which resulted in some rube-goldberg-esque contraption that formed the foundation of my unit test suite, that didn't even get the coverage right! So I scrapped the code coverage part and just coasted along with karma/mocha/chai combo until now.
With the introduction of Jest, it does the job of karma/mocha/chai/istanbul in a single, easy to install package. Only some small changes to my unit test suite was required (porting chai assertions to their jest equivalents) and the whole test suite was passing. With a simple addition of a --coverage flag to jest, it then automagically generates code coverage results and reports.
Since I am now getting code coverage reports, the obvious next step was to upload this to the coveralls.io service. It turns out TravisCI already supports automatic upload of code coverage reports to coveralls. It just needed installing node-coveralls and piping the jest coverage output to it.
And with that, I get another shiny badge to brandish on the project home page
This is almost too easy. Results like this easily incentivize you to write good quality code.
One last thing before I close out this post. The 63% coverage is a bit of a misnomer. It turns out that it is actually the percentage of code in modules that your unit tests are currently testing, which makes sense. The moment I start bringing in other components and classes under test, I expect this percentage to plummet, which is merely incentive to write more tests to bump it back up.


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Lucy Davison
Right now, the marketing research industry looks and feels rather 'own label'. With a few notable exceptions, a consumer (client) walking the aisles of a marketing research industry supermarket would find a host of 'me-too' packages; a lot of similar messages and overwhelmingly bland designs. Where are the iconic brands of MR? The Apples, the Coca-Colas and the Toyotas?
Why does this matter? We're a people industry – surely it's all about personal contacts and not what you look like or say about your business? Well, here's why I think branding is important: brands get to charge more for their products and services.
In a world where research company margins are being squeezed and growth is hard to come by, having a really differentiated and strong brand is one great way research companies can get ahead.
The same principle applies to people. A strong personal brand can help researchers to excel in their career. I was reminded of this a few weeks ago when I spoke at a 'Women in Research'(WIRe) event in London; my topic was personal branding.
So I approached my WIRe talk using the same standard branding model as we at Keen as Mustard Marketing use for our company clients, but thinking of how to apply it to an individual. Here's the model (but there are hundreds of others you can use instead – my suggestion is to pick one that suits you).
I like this model as it has layers; you get to peel back the onion to find the core – which is the proposition and message that is at the heart of your brand. Everything that goes into the onion should fit together to support the other areas – starting from the outside – the values and personality 'skin' and moving through the meaty substantiation and benefits to the core. But you can work the other way as well; starting at the core and then working out to support it.
It is important to acknowledge that working through this process should not involve adopting a new (artificial and plastic) identity; what actually works is authenticity. And the process should help you to concentrate your energy in the most effective ways. If you spend every hour of the day pretending to be someone you're not, you'll be exhausted and won't have the energy needed to face your real work.
In my talk, I applied this model to famous and successful business women. For the outer layers, the personality and values, the important thing is to keep it focused and prioritise.
Pick no more than three personality traits to focus on e.g. Deborah Meaden is decisive, assertive, and focused; Christine Legarde is calm, intelligent, confident (and also quite a bit chic); Karren Brady is glamorous, determined, and single-minded.
And when thinking about values, try to stick to one or two; Anita Roddick turned her core values of sustainability and equality into BodyShop, Justine Roberts turned her values of motherhood and family into Mumsnet and Camila Batmanghelidjh lives and breathes her values as founder of Kids Company. Finding your values allows you to project them on others; something that often lands you with the work you want. If you add your skills and knowledge into the mix you might just get yourself some column inches too – become a thought leader – and there's a lot of value in that.
These ladies might or might not have used the concept of personal brand to drive their success, but never forget that every single celebrity brand has gone through this process, and they use it to ensure they can be as sought after and profitable as any consumer or company brand.
This activity can help to focus efforts and accentuate strengths; for some people it can boost confidence by actually realising strengths they are in possession of.
Of course the underlying layers, of benefits and substantiation are where the true nature of your brand gets delivered. This is the underlying truth of what you are – your attributes and skills – your 'product' if you like. So from a market research perspective you need to interrogate your skills – are you a great writer with plenty of demonstrable report and presentation writing experience under your belt? Or are you brilliant on SPSS or Excel? It's good to list your top three technical or functional skills – such as budget planning, project management or media buying, as well as your softer skills such as leadership or teamwork. It's so important to think through the benefits your skills bring to your colleagues, boss, or potential employers. And how will you benefit? Be selective about which ones are truly authentic, you have to be totally true to yourself to be successful.
For example, Jamie Oliver's brand benefits to customers might be; 'I feel guided, not instructed', 'I have the confidence to give it a bash' or 'I love that feeling of accomplishment'.
Finally, to the central core of the brand onion – the proposition and message. It's so hard to distil to a single word or phrase, as we are all complex and multifaceted human beings. Many research agencies struggle with this. But what is your elevator pitch? What do you want people to say about you when you are not in the room?
For example, Jamie Oliver's proposition might be to "Take the concept of cooking, food and fantastic times to a whole new level of accessibility. By breathing passion and common sense into everything I touch, inspiring people, young and old, to keep things simple and get stuck in!"
Defining your proposition and message, and living up to it, will contribute powerfully to your career progression. And when you get to the top, don't think you need to change your approach. Brands exist in the hearts and minds of the people who use them, and if you suddenly try to change them, you alienate the customer, which doesn't do you an awful lot of good.
Finally, as marketing researchers we spend a great deal of our time looking after brands; why so little focus on our own company or personal brands? A company that really cares about brands, is one that will be really well placed to look after its clients' brands as well.
Lucy Davison is Managing Director at Keen as Mustard Marketing


text:
Frances is an immensely talented artist, and it was an honor to work with her and fellow designers Kyle and Steve on this project.
In 2013, we launched its first phase as a static one-page site utilizing skrollr for scrolling animations and the color changing at the top. With this as a base, we released the full site, adding projects, press, and a bio page.
I created a great experience using Kirby CMS to manage the site's content, crafting custom fields and templates.
Watching the site become populated as Frances continues her work is and will continue to be, very exciting.
Development and Kirby CMS
Kyle Fletcher, Steve Juras and Frances Whitehead


text:
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Among the forms of the dietary supplement niacin
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†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat,
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References: 1. Data on ;le. Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc; 2013.
2. Harvard Health Lett. 2007;July: 7. http://www.health.harvard.edu. Accessed July 31, 2013.
3. Nielsen
Strategic Planner. FDMx WM. 52 weeks ending 12/22/12.
Please consult your healthcare professional before taking any dietary supplement.
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Item #795954


text:
United States of PopSaturday, January 16, 2010
Mr. Rowe loves downloading all kind of music and this time cause of him I came across this mash up DJ Earworm did. heartz it! I guess you can say I'm a pop lover haha .. not ashamed of admitting to it tho! :P Anyway, for any of you that are also pop music lovers. definitely take a min and listen to this mash up ~ ;)


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After years of selling itself as a global game when it never really was, rugby is poised to take grip in territories it has always dreamed of conquering.
The All Blacks are scheduled to play in Chicago this year, Samoa in 2015 and probably Singapore in 2016. Super Rugby is also heading to Argentina and probably Singapore.
Russia has hosted the World Sevens, Germany, Holland and Canada are bidding to be included on the World Series Sevens circuit and Rio will welcome the abbreviated game at their Olympics. The 2019 World Cup will be in Japan, and Madagascar and Kenya were within a whisker of qualifying for next year's tournament. The game is growing. Rugby is taking hold in new markets and the question to ponder is whether the IRB world rankings will start to look different in the next decade or so.
Is it only a matter of time before the likes of the US, Canada and Japan are regularly beating Scotland and Italy? What about Kenya, who are a serious threat on the sevens scene? Can they use their natural athletic playing base to learn the nuances of the set piece to become a 15-a-side force?
Are Germany, Holland and Spain poised to close the gap on the likes of Georgia and Russia? And what about the Pacific Island nations? Now they have their own players' association, will they be able to lobby the IRB and be given more regular tests?
In contrast, some of the game's established nations are heading the other way or are in serious danger of doing so. The biggest worry is France. Their professional league will be the richest while their national team struggles to stay in the top 10. Currently seventh, France are only a poor November away from slipping further.
Their ability to over-perform against the All Blacks distorts the true picture. The French have won only six of their last 15 Six Nations games and have finished fourth, last and fourth since the World Cup.
In June, they were thumped 3-0 by Australia and were so dismal in the series, coach Philippe St Andre lashed out about the domestic scene.
"We're suffering from this set-up," he said. "France is the only place where the league is more important than everything else. What worries me is that we're getting more and more serious injuries. If we don't realise that top players shouldn't play more than 28-30 games a year, we're going to keep having problems."
The Welsh have a dangerous national side and enough youth to be confident they can sustain it for a few years yet. But the clubs are at war with the national union and there is the serious prospect of them no longer having a viable domestic professional competition. What then?
The Scots are perennial strugglers and, while Glasgow reached the RabodirectPro12 final this year and Vern Cotter has been installed as national coach, staying in the top 10 would be a solid achievement.
All of this hypothesising begs a bigger question. Will the balance of power within the IRB shift to reflect this changing landscape?
The game has new movers and shakers. The key emerging markets already have sizeable and growing player bases and potentially enormous commercial opportunities to explore. The US is the largest sporting market in the world, Japan's biggest corporations have long loved rugby and Russia has plenty of oligarchs with big enough egos to want vanity products but not big enough budgets to buy football clubs.
But as rugby moves closer to this brave new world, its decision-making power still sits in the hands of the fading empires. Scotland, Wales and Ireland each have two IRB council votes and, with those, the effective power to block any initiative they don't like.
The IRB council comprises 28 people, with a 75 per cent majority required to approve any business. The Celts have six votes and combined playing numbers of about 350,000. The US have 1.4 million players, the biggest economy in the world and one vote.
The key decision makers are not necessarily reflective of the game's current or potential power bases. In 2008, a group of experts published a report called Putting Rugby First, which urged the IRB to instil a more democratic, modern and reflective governance that enabled them to better drive and grow the game in emerging markets.
The report, unsurprisingly, was rubbished by Ireland - a reaction that only reiterated the problem. Those who fear being left behind by emerging market growth can work from inside to slow it.
The IRB also dismissed the findings and gave their views on the council make-up. "While no system is perfect, it is not unreasonable to argue that those that provide the bulk of players and money into the game should have the bulk of the representation.
"All unions are represented on the IRB council. We will continue to ensure our democratic structures meet the needs of rugby at any given point as the game evolves."
If the time hasn't already arrived, it surely can't be far away before the IRB have to consider making significant change to their democratic structure. The only problem with that, however, is that to implement any change, the Celts would have to vote for it. And what are the chances of that?
Chasing Asia may be Super mistake
If Super Rugby's proposed new format ever made sense, it suddenly stopped with the announcement the 18th team will be based in either Singapore or Japan.
Sanzar will soon be cranking up the PR machinery to explain why it makes perfect sense to place an Asian team in an African conference. All sorts of heart-warming stuff will be spouted about new markets, growing audiences, playing numbers and rugby's new standing as a sport with chutzpah.
The cynics, of whom there should be plenty, may wonder why Sanzar doesn't come straight out with it and say Singapore and Japan can bring more money than anyone could shake a stick at.
Singapore packs a powerful economic punch, while Japan remains the world's third-largest economy. There's no other reason to go there. Ignore the pie-in-the-sky theories that a championship team can be built out of nothing in one of these venues.
Whichever one gets the nod, they are being handed an impossible mission. Finding players, coaches and executives will be hard because they need to be personnel good enough to shape and mould a culture, spirit and collective ability to compete.
The geography of the whole thing will be a tyranny they never stop battling - weeks on end in Africa and in-and-out visits to Australasia.
Building a committed, engaged, genuine fan base will not be without its challenges, either, and there's potential for the venture into Asia to look like Sanzar's greatest mistake.
Rob Nichol, director of both the International Rugby Players' and New Zealand Rugby Players' associations, says the shortlist for the 18th franchise is both an opportunity and threat.
Players have adopted a wait-and-see attitude. The big thing for them was to be consulted, which they were, and if Sanzar were hell-bent on expanding into new territories, then placing a team in Asia made as much sense as other potential options of Southern Europe and South Africa.
"So much depends on the Asian venture being given enormous support and help," says Nichol.
"What teams such as the Crusaders, Chiefs and Bulls have shown is that culture is everything. It's one thing to have money but it's knowing what to do with that money - how to offer the right environment for the players, how to build the right coaching teams and create a unique culture."
Even if the new team gets everything right with its set-up, which would be nothing short of miraculous, history has shown that Super Rugby's newest entities such as the Force and Rebels have high player turnover.
With so much adversity built into the path of the 18th team, will it ever be anything more than a club aspiring players use to get themselves to other destinations, to earn contracts with teams they want to play for longer-term?
The new venture can be looked at from all angles but each one reveals the same thing. Placing a team in Asia is a get-rich-quick scheme for Super Rugby and it's not difficult to understand why that's an attractive proposition.
The Australian Rugby Union would have effectively been bankrupt last year had it not been for the cash injection hosting the Lions brought. Even with that income, their combined losses over the last two years are A$15 million.
The New Zealand Rugby Union, while in good financial shape, subscribe to the Wallis Simpson theory that you can never be too thin or have enough money.
That's because the game here is only ever one broken relationship away from ruin - lose AIG or adidas and the money out will be a bigger pile than money in, hence the need to diversify income streams.
There's also the likelihood the inclusion of an Argentine team in the new format will be a break even exercise. The game there has commercial support and a wealthy fan base but the cost of running teams in and out of Argentina will be high.
Singapore is the proverbial light to Sanzar's moth. The city state has created a sporting hub which includes a state-of-the-art 55,000-seat national stadium and is actively touting to host major teams and events, including the 2018 World Cup Sevens.
It's also believed Singapore is the most likely venue if the All Blacks play a test outside the November release window in November 2016.
Chasing money to underpin the competition is not something Sanzar should be ashamed about. With more money comes the ability to keep more players, build better facilities and grow participation rates in the established nations.


text:
A Sermon by the Rev. James P. Cooper
Mitchellville, Sept. 7, 2003
Each year as summer gives way to autumn our collective attention turns to the resumption of formal schooling. Of course, part of the excitement comes from the delight we feel from the process of getting new pencils and notebooks and lunch boxes for the kids, and part of it comes from the delicious anxiety about the new friendships that will be formed, and new routines to be learned. But we know that these are not the reasons for the education of our children – these are just the icing on the cake.
All education, not just New Church education, is a response to an essential human need, the need to prepare helpless infants to become useful members of adult society – and eventually angels in heaven – in just 20 years. But in New Church education, we take on the additional burden of preparing children for a useful life in the natural and spiritual worlds while at the same time protecting and preserving their innocence.
We need to be clear what we mean by innocence. Generally we think of it as a "willingness to be led by the Lord." On the natural level, we see it in a child's willingness to be led by the teacher or the parent. One might expect that if a single adult took a large group of small children outdoors on a beautiful day the children would immediately scatter to pursue whatever caught their attention – some looking at the butterflies, some seeking a companion to talk to, and some wrestling in the grass or chasing each other. But for some reason, they don't. They seem eager for direction. They stand in (almost) straight lines, and mostly try to do what they're told, to be like the others, to be a part of the group. It's possible to teach Physical Education to little children outside on a sunny day because the Lord has gifted them with natural innocence, a desire to be a part of the group, to gain approval.
While that natural innocence is something that is essential for education to take place, it is not in itself the kind of innocence we are trying to develop and protect. The innocence of little children is not true innocence, because true innocence dwells in wisdom, something that little children don't have. Hear the following teaching from the Arcana Coelestia:
As regards the innocence possessed by young children, because as yet it is devoid of intelligence and wisdom, it is merely a kind of plane for receiving genuine innocence, which they do receive gradually as they become wise. The nature of young children's innocence has been represented to me by something wooden and practically devoid of life, but which is made living as they are perfected by means of cognitions of truth and affections for good. The nature of genuine innocence was afterwards represented by a very beautiful young child, full of life, and naked. For the truly innocent, who dwell in the inmost heaven and so nearest to the Lord, appear before the eyes of other angels as none other than small children, and indeed as naked; for innocence is represented by 'the nakedness of which they are not ashamed', as one reads of the first man and his wife in paradise. In short, the wiser angels are the more innocent they are; and the more innocent they are the more they appear to themselves as young children. This is why in the Word innocence is meant by early childhood…. (AC 2306).
True innocence is not ignorance, nor is it a life shielded from the experiences of life in the world. True innocence is not the cause of wisdom, but rather it is a result of it. When a person has tried things their own way, and then tried to do things the Lord's way, when they have acquired enough experience in different kinds of situations to begin to draw meaningful conclusions, then for the first time they start to become truly wise. Age and experience count for something. And they are even more valuable when the person is using the Lord's Word as his primary guide. One of the great challenges we face as we grow older is learning to trust people younger than ourselves to make important decisions that affect us because during our formative years we learned to trust those who were older because they were wiser. It's quite a mental adjustment to realize that people younger than ourselves could have acquired enough wisdom of life for us to go to them as a source. That explains why it's often said that congregations want a pastor who's 20 years old but had 40 years experience. Youth suggests energy, but experience teaches important lessons.
The mind is a spiritual thing, but the information it requires as a foundation can only be acquired in the world through the senses. So we must be born into the world before we can be born into heaven. The purpose is not to hide from the world, because that's where we find the experiences and tests that hone the mind and sharpen the wit. But the Word reminds us that while we are to be in the world, we must be careful to preserve our innocence and not become a part of the world. Even while we live and work in society, we must constantly seek the Lord's constant presence by testing our thoughts and actions against the standards we learned in the Word. If we let Him lead us, we can become wise, while still remaining innocent because we are willingly following Him.
To affirm the power and use of New Church Education is not to say that other education is valueless. It is, however, useful to remind ourselves of our goals, and what we are able to do particularly well. There are indeed many schools that can effectively teach reading and writing and arithmetic, but we are living in a world where the public barriers to immorality are everywhere under attack and can no longer be depended on to protect our children. For as long as most of us can remember, we have been able to depend on civil law to provide the foundation of a basic code of behavior. Anyone with "common sense" would know that certain things were just "wrong" whether or not they heard about it in church on Sunday, or whether or not there was a rule about it in school.
Today, the word "family" has come to mean different things to different people, as does the word "marriage." We can no longer assume that when we speak of such basic things that others will automatically know what we mean. The basic assumptions, the underlying structure of our culture and way of life are being removed at an ever increasing rate. With every change the job of raising children becomes that much more difficult, because more of the burden has moved from the surrounding culture to the parents and the community in which the family lives.
When there was a generally accepted moral code it was convenient for the churches too, for then the preachers did not have to deal with the details of certain unseemly behaviors from the pulpit because those things were against the law. Not any more. More than ever before, it will be the responsibility of the church, unassisted by the civil government, to teach and preserve God's law. Today, when it has become illegal to display and respect the Ten Commandments, the Divine Law that is the basis of all civilized behavior, in a courthouse, we can know that another barrier has been breached, and the protection of the innocence of our children becomes more fully our own responsibility than ever before.
There is much that can be said in favor of those educators who work in the public schools. The do the best they can in the face of tremendous challenges, but how do you teach a child the difference between right and wrong if you aren't allowed to talk about God or the Ten Commandments? How do you give a child a sense of his place in the order of the world when you are required to teach opposing theories in a subject and give each of them equal weight in order to show respect to some segment of the population. When you have to give Creationism and Evolution the same weight, it's no wonder that we have a generation of kids who use the word "random" to describe so many aspects of their life. Of course everything seems to be random when no one is allowed to show you the order that underlies it all. And since none of the order and structure that the young minds crave are permitted because they might offend someone, somewhere, we are left with trying to give the children "self-esteem" instead of awareness of their place in the overall order of the universe.
New Church Education is ideally suited, then, to provide more than just facts and skills, but to provide the context to understand the world around them, and a safe place to explore ideas and fit them into a philosophy of life that looks to an eternity of usefulness. A place where a child can ask a teacher questions about God and Heaven and Right and Wrong, and be able to trust the answer.
But in our enthusiasm for New Church Education, let us not fall into the same false premise that is seen so often in the world, the idea that it is the responsibility of schools by themselves to educate children. The way to protect the innocence of children, the way to help them be prepared for a life in the world that leads to a life in heaven, is for there to be an effective partnership between the parents and the school. The most important aspect of the partnership is that the school and the parents share a common vision of what they are trying to accomplish. One of the strengths of a small private school is that it can have a specific and well-defined vision. And all those who share that vision can work together to bring it to life.
New Church Education is designed on every level to be a partnership with the parents, to be an "extension of the home" because there is inherent in our system our recognition of the principle that it is the responsibility of the parents to care for and educate their children in the light of the Lord's Word. It is the part of the school only to assist them in this endeavor by providing expert assistance in certain academic areas, and by forming a covenant with the parents that the protection of the child's true innocence is foremost in everything that is taught. Amen.
First Lesson: Gen. 2:15-25
Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. {16} And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; {17} "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." {18} And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." {19} Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. {20} So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. {21} And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. {22} Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. {23} And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." {24} Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. {25} And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Amen.
Second Lesson: Mat 18:1-14
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" {2} Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, {3} and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. {4} "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. {5} "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. {6} "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. {7} "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! {8} "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. {9} "And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. {10} "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. {11} "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. {12} "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? {13} "And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. {14} "Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. Amen.
Third Lesson: AC 2305.
There are certain people who identify innocence with early childhood, for the reason that the Lord, when speaking about young children, said that heaven consisted of such, and that those who do not become as young children cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. But those who think in this fashion do not know the internal sense of the Word, nor thus what is meant by early childhood. 'Early childhood' is used to mean the innocence that belongs to intelligence and wisdom, the nature of which is such that they acknowledge that they possess life solely from the Lord and that the Lord is their one and only Father; for a person is human because of intelligence and wisdom – essentially truth and good respectively – which people have solely from the Lord. Innocence itself, which in the Word is called early childhood, exists and resides nowhere else than within wisdom, so much so that the wiser anyone is the more innocent he is. Consequently the Lord is Innocence itself, because He is Wisdom itself. Amen.
Copyright © 1982 – 2005 General Church of the New Jerusalem.
Page constructed by James P. Cooper
Page last modified September 27, 2009


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UCL North Lodge - main quad |
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INK is an eclectic collection of 120 objects all relating to the history and substance of ink. It draws extensively from the remarkable museums, archives and the work of staff at University College London.
Contemporary artworks sit alongside a fossilised squid, a 15th century German prayer book and Francis Galton's fingerprints.
'Live respondents' including Guardian cartoonist Martin Rowson will inhabit the exhibition every day, producing new objects to be added to the ever growing repository of ink.
The UCL North Lodge is a new exhibition space transformed by Mobile Studio architect practice and the curators of INK...
Simon Gould
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Reading Comments and posts around the BlogHer-o-sphere, it occurs to me an essential piece of information is missing.
The most important thing to have with you at BlogHer '13 is a battery pack case for your Smartphone.
Here's why. Every BlogHer '12 attendee I saw was Smartphoning their heart out. They were checking schedules on the BlogHer '12 app. They were bringing up entry passes to show door monitors at sessions. They were looking for restaurants while Instagram-ming selfies and groupies. They were Tweeting,"Hi" to BlogHers in attendance they might never see, while making lunch, dinner and party plans with those they would.
But, it all came to a screeching halt when they ran out of Smartphone power, when each Smartphone became a little dead rectangle of frustration. And, what's worse? Each user suffered the agony of watching the battery bar recede, knowing nothing was to be done about it.
What's the biggie? Why not just plug it in? Sure! Just go over to a wall plug and power up. Of course, it will take three hours to recharge and you've run out before lunchtime. And oh! By the way, there aren't any wall outlets free, except up in your room. And, your room takes a half hour to get to, counting the wait for the elevators and Sherpa Guides. So, basically you are "out of luck" and Smartphone-less. So out of luck in fact, the Charlie Brown music plays as you shuffle your feet along feeling stupid, hoping nobody notices. But I will. And, I will make fun of you.
So, don't feel stupid. Feel smart, SunbonnetSmart.
Let me share where I get my phone accessories on the Internet along with the inexpensive, but great, battery case model I purchased for my iPhone 4 from eBay seller, "epowerdictionary." This is the same case I purchased last year and the one I have is still going strong. BUT! Being a nut about losing phone power during BlogHer '13, I decided to buy a new one and pass the one I've been using to family members. Yes! It's THAT important. I need all systems operable. Nothing but the best for BlogHer '13….and me.
Now, epowerdictionary has other phone case models as well, so under the epowerdictionary name, click on "See Other Items" to see if what you need is there. Or, write them at the link here.
"Ultra Slim" Battery case for iPhone 4/4s sold by eBay's epowerdictionary
$12.95 Free Shipping – Click on image to enlarge
And, let me share what else I bought from "epowerdictionary:" this neaty-cool cable that allows three electronics to be charged at once:
3 in 1 USB Data and Charging Cable sold by eBay's epowerdictionary
$5.95 Free Shipping – Click on image to enlarge
Now, you have to be a member of eBay to do all of this. EBay works just fine for me as I've bought and sold since 1999. If you have reservations about eBay….well, I don't know how to advise you. But, epowerdictionary has 100% Feedback, responds almost immediately to e-mails and assures me they have stock to handle BlogHer purchases. I say, "Give them a try!"
At any rate, don't go go to BlogHer '13 without some sort of auxiliary power for your electronics, especially your Smartphone.
Tags: auxilliary phone battery, BlogHer '13 Chicago, Smartphone power
Filed under: Money,Opportunities,Uncategorized — admin @ 6:31 pm Comments (0)
It was a BIG problem. My SunbonnetSmart.com web site, that is. In 2010, to achieve my signature colors and designs, Word Press did not have the latitude to give me what I wanted. So, I jumped out into the deep end of the heavy programming pool. I hired a web designer who used Cold Fusion, an older, but more flexible, programming language.
Fast forward to BlogHer '12 in New York City. While attending tech classes, I learned I needed to update and switch over to the now capable Word Press with all of its bells and whistles. So simple! Until I started trying to find a programmer who could translate Cold Fusion into Word Press. Asking the question of everyone I met, the answer was *cricket* *cricket,* so no Word Press for me.
With Texas size problems, head to Texas for answers.
I started searching on the Internet when I got home and finally realized what I should have known all along. When you have a problem as big as the State of Texas, go to Texas to find the answer. And how could I say, "No," to a state whose State Flower is the BlueBonnet? That's where I found CyberCoder, otherwise known as David Cooley, who hangs his hat at www.cybercoded.net. David's an Internet folk hero, in fact, here's an old poem and wanted poster I found:
They Call Him CyberCoder
Down in Texas where the tumbleweeds blow,
There's a man with a plan, he's in the know.
Loves computers! David Cooley by name,
Known everywhere for his fine Word Press game.
They call him CyberCoder.
Past fields of BlueBonnets, by the Rio Grande,
His six gun's a mouse, the web is his brand.
Wrasslin' pixels, herding HTML,
His keyboard's on fire, he's got stories to tell.
He's known as CyberCoder.
So, as the sun sets, each night in the west,
Need help with your site? Then, do what is best.
Ride with the Cooley Gang at CyberRanch.
Lasso a web plan, you'll soon do a dance,
Working with CyberCoder.
You'll love working with David. He's very patient with questions and perseveres until he translates your dream into a cyberspace domain. He's made a few YouTube videos and so, you can get a feel for working with him by watching below:
Don't you feel calm listening to CyberCoder explain Gmail Filters?
I think that David should make more YouTube videos and have Word Press classes. I know I would sign up. If you agree, let's show him who's boss! Tweet David at @cybercoder to show him you're interested. I say let's gang up on him.
Here's David singing, "Up in the Country" with Withrow Cooley.
Don't despair if you have hairy web problems making you wish you'd never bought a computer. Write CyberCoder. Discuss your concerns for help and resolution. After working with CyberCoder since last August, I can highly recommend him.
He's the reason SunbonnetSmart.com is on Word Press with all the buttons to send my posts far and wide. Thank you, David Cooley!
March 2013
Join SunbonnetSmart.com
for a post every day
here and/or on BlogHer.com
Tags: computer geek, nice guy, programmer, reliable, state of the art, web design
Filed under: Money,Opportunities,Uncategorized — admin @ 12:29 pm Comments (0)
"Create Blog Post" Haunted
Twas the last night of NaBloPoMo and all on the screen,
Fingers were typing. New copy was seen.
Been a long month, intellect daunted.
Every day, every hour, "Create Blog Post" haunted.
Day after day and night after night,
Thinking of topics, of Comments and slights.
Don't push too far. No vinegar. Use honey!
If content is good, we could maybe make money.
Chewing on pencils, then biting nails,
Writing and writing, some epic fails.
Don't want to miss a November day,
'Want to stay in the game. 'Stay in the play.
Hours click by in terror, the sand slowly falls.
Darkness consumes the workroom and halls.
The date will switch over, midnight is coming.
With morning, who will be in the running?
Finally it's done. I click on "Submit."
My brain is exhausted. I can no more sit.
I linger, savoring, the moment just spent.
Give Comments on BlogHer, making a dent.
I spring to my bed. E-blanket on two.
Snuggling in covers, sleep long overdue.
Tonight is the night, I'll never be sad.
I get it. It's mine! The NaBloPoMo Badge!
I get it. It's MINE!
Tags: dedication, discipline, NaBloPoMo
Filed under: Opportunities — admin @ 6:27 pm Comments (0)
Zoe Artemis was of Greek heritage. She had family still in Greece.
When I last spoke with her, she was excited, to the point of being effervescent, about her tours to Greece. She took groups over in the summer, introducing them to places and people that only someone with connections would have.
She had the most compelling web site on her travels and tours. The photos were nothing short of "yummy." One look and I was ready to get a passport and meet her over there.
Although, I couldn't go in the years after I spoke with her, I always, in the back of my mind, intended to go at a future time. Someday, somehow….
And so, you'll remember, when I was gathering my resources for my BlogHer dancing posts, I decided that introducing BlogHers to Zoe would be a perfect tie in to advertise her trips and show BlogHers a new vista.
Zoe in Greece by the water.
But, getting in touch with Zoe again was not meant to be. Zoe died of pancreatic cancer last July, in 2011. I did not know until I went to access her web site and saw saw that it was now a site of Remembrance. As I adapted my shock of Zoe being gone, I decided to reach out to one of the Commenter who had written in her Memories of Zoe Guest Book.
There was an entry by Julie Maloney, "Zoe contacted me this year to work with her in leading a writer's retreat on the magical island of ALONNISOS in GREECE. We spoke countless times over the phone and this is the way we bonded. When she told me she was ill and would not be able to travel to Greece, I was deeply saddened and I knew I had to meet her in person.
I traveled to Astoria to greet someone whose body was failing but whose spirit was beyond description. Her love for life was apparent. We spoke about the upcoming retreat and I promised to see her as soon as I returned. I visited her 2 days after I landed. Once again, we embraced with such warmth, I knew she owned a piece of my heart. When I left, I said, "You gave me a great gift."
I am grateful to this amazing woman for showing me the "light" of Alonnisos – for inviting me into her "vision" of how it could be if writers came together on this island. I look forward to honoring her legacy. Zoe, I love you." –Julie Maloney, Director of WOMEN READING ALOUD
The small island of Alonnisos is a gem of untouched beauty.
Julie Maloney is a bundle of talent. After a career in dance, she is now a writer, author and Director of Women Reading Aloud, or WRA, a writer's cooperative in New Jersey. Julie is currently arranging the tours to Alonnisos that Zoe inspired.
"WRA is an organization dedicated to the power of the writer's voice. WRA believes in providing space for artistic growth. Founded in New Jersey in 2003, it offers writing workshops modeled after the Amherst Writers and Artists Method, the Author Series and Work-in-Progress Series, Writing and Yoga Program, conferences and retreats where women writers can explore their "authentic" voices. Founded on the 3-in-1 principle, WOMEN READING ALOUD focuses on the equal value of the writer, the reader, and the listener. All genres are welcome. WRA encourages writers to cherish their own voices, as well as the voices of others, as they travel the writer's journey."
From the Women Reading Aloud web site: "Julie Maloney, Director of WRA, will return to the island of Alonnisos to lead a ten day writing retreat. Open to women writers of all levels, writing in all genres, this retreat offers a perfect balance of community and solitude. Stay in the family owned NINNA PENSION, just up the hill from the port. (Visit: www.ninna.gr.) Enjoy the friendly service of Ninna and her family, as well as the hospitality of Edem, the multi-tiered taverna down the road where we will write each morning by the sea, surrounded by the island's flora. Limited to 12 writers"
When I contacted Julie Maloney a few weeks ago, this year's Writer's Retreat to Greece was filled. I just heard from Julie, there is now an opening, if anyone is interested, click here. The tour is limited to twelve participants.
Tomorrow: Meet Julie Maloney
To visit with Women Reading Aloud, click here.
To explore Zoe's Facebook page, click here.
Tags: Alonnisos, authors, fun, Greece, New Jersey, writing retreats, Zoe Artemis
Filed under: Money,Opportunities — admin @ 4:44 pm Comments (0)
What fun to have BlogHer specials!
Isabel Anders' "The Wisdom of Little Women," as introduced on BlogHer, is now for sale at SunbonnetSmart.com.
At $2.00 off the published price with no charge for shipping and handling!
But wait! There's more!
Zazzle is offering mugs with Isabel's books on them at $5.00 off each mug all day today! Offer good through midnight tonight, Pacific Time, Friday, April 19, 2012.
A lovely little book of timeless sentiments and profound
musings, all discussed within the walls of the March
family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts.
"The Wisdom of Little Women"
compiled by Isabel Anders
To purchase, click here.
4 1/2″ x 5 1/2″
$4.99 includes S&H
If you love Isabel Anders' poignant BlogHer posts on feminine wisdom like I do, you will be swept off your feet with this sweet little book, "The Wisdom of Little Women." Isabel has a way with words, to be sure, but a way with thoughts, even more. She knows how to selectively squeeze the best out of any publication she reads, and she has read a wealth of them. She collects quotes rather than baubles, preferring an intellectual array of riches to carry her through any life situation. What's better? She freely shares her gems with us, categorized for handy reference and referral.
Isabel at a "Becoming Flame" book signing in Tennessee.
Isabel "nearly always" wanted to be a writer. Over the years she has produced or contributed to inspirational books on a variety of subjects, including Soul Moments, Simple Blessings for Sacred Moments, and The Faces of Friendship. She also co-narrated the devotional/music CDs, Soul Openings and Soul Openings 2, and authored the illustrated 2008 calendar, Seasons for the Soul. The blogs she is posting for each month on BlogHer http://www.blogher.com/april-15 are versions of the calendar's essays.
Madeleine L'Engle, Newbery Award-winning author (for A Wrinkle in Time), contributed an Introduction to Isabel's first book, Awaiting the Child: An Advent Journal. Isabel authored 40-Day Journey with Madeleine L'Engle in 2009.
Having worked in book publishing and educational publishing, Isabel now works out of her home in middle Tennessee, as Managing Editor of Synthesis Publications (resources for preaching and worship based on the Revised Common Lectionary).
Her newest book, Spinning Straw, Weaving Gold: A Tapestry of Mother-Daughter Wisdom, will be released in June. It is a sequel to her 2010 book Becoming Flame: Uncommon Mother-Daughter Wisdom. http://www.blogher.com/becoming-flame
In 2011 Isabel collected quotes and wrote Blessings and Prayers for Married Couples: A Faith Full Love.
She and her husband Bill, who is retired, live on the Domain of the University of the South and worship with the Sisters at St. Mary's Convent, as part of a varied congregation supporting the work of ministry and outreach to families in need.
Bill renovated their historic home that began as a two-room cabin built in 1896, and to which they added a wing and now call Everafter Cottage.
You heard it here, first!
Isabel is just beginning new research for an e-book:
Louisa May Alcott: God, Family, Work
To purchase, click the book.
"The Wisdom of Little Women" 11oz Mug, click here.
To send a Zazzle Gift Certificate, click here.
$5 Off T-Shirts, Mugs, & Hats
Limited Time! Enter code:
at checkout in the "Zazzle Coupons/Gift Certificates" box $5 of the t-shirt, mug and/or hat net sale price will be deducted when one or more qualifying t-shirt, mug and/or hat items are purchased. The net sale price is the price of the product (excluding shipping and taxes). The coupon code NATIONAL5DAY must be entered during checkout to receive the offer. Offer does not apply to screen printed apparel. Offer is valid through April 19, 2012 at 11:59 PM PT. This offer does not apply to past purchases and may not be combined with any other Zazzle promotional or volume discount offers. If a volume discount applies to your order, you will receive either the discount set forth in this offer or the standard volume discount, whichever is greater. Offer valid on Zazzle.com only.
Tags: Civil War, Isabel Anders, Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, Orchard House
Filed under: Money,Opportunities — admin @ 3:35 pm Comments (0)
Owning a business is like being the conductor of an orchestra.
The instruments can be tuned, the notes learned and the music played, all by the individual members, but to have the vision of oversight, to understand the whole piece and how the various parts are to be played together takes a leader with vision, foresight and timing.
Yes, timing. Knowing what to do when. When to push ahead. When to fall back. When to pursue opportunity and when to shut the door in its face. Timing and risk management are the two essential talents of a great conductor and good business person.
The movie Little Women was recast and released in 1994.
Sometimes one little click on a computer can lead to a whole new life. For instance, in November 2011, I was working on the back end of SunbonnetSmart.com, putting in the sales area to sell my e-products when I noticed a comment on one of my posts.
Cat Morrow, who has a wonderful organic food and natural lifestyle website left a comment about my Your Family Cow source of raw milk post. And Cat was connected to something called BlogHer. One click of the mouse, looking at Cat's web site, then looking at BlogHer, changed my life forever.
Cat Morrow of NeoHomesteading:
her comment changed my life!
I read BlogHer and I read BlogHer, article after article, post after post and Chatter after Comment. I decided that BlogHer was the most amazing marketing tool I had ever seen, on the Internet or off. And that weekend in November, I made a big decision. I decided to orchestrate my business differently than I had planned. Being the owner of my business web site blog and entrepreneurial, I decided to conduct my symphony in a different way. I changed the score, the instruments and the musicians to put my energies in a different direction.
"It takes people a long time to learn the
difference between talent and genius,
especially ambitious young men and women.
Amy was learning this distinction through
much tribulation, for, mistaking enthusiasm
for inspiration, she attempted every branch
of art with youthful audacity."
The Wisdom of Little Women, p 24
I had lots going for me in that I was ambitious, but not a young woman. I knew well the difference between talent and genius. I also knew not to mistake enthusiasm for inspiration, that marketing products and ideas are two different things. And I recognized without a shadow of a doubt, with over thirty years of business experience behind me, that hooking my SunbonnetSmart cart up to BlogHer was a wise thing to do. And so, I put all of my energy into doing what I like to do best: nurturing women, networking and writing. I was like Little Women's Jo March in that:
"…when the writing fit came on, she gave
herself up to it with entire abandon, and
led a blissful life, unconscious of want,
care or bad weather, while she sat safe
and happy in an imaginary world…"
The Wisdom of Little Women, p 24
I have been very happy in my BlogHer world, insulated by positive women leaving beautifully soulful Comments. But now, duty calls. I must now get back to my business and work to make a living in this recession-based whatever it is we are living in. Like Jo, I must work "by the magic of a pen" to turn comforts for us all. What I am saying is that I have the business experience and I see so much talent on BlogHer, I feel called to help those who are looking for a market and don't know how to get out there.
What got me thinking about all of this is, remember that back end of my web site that I was working on last November, well it's still there, just waiting until I get back to it. So, we have a sales interface all set up, waiting to go. A couple of weeks ago, when Isabel Anders was mentioning she wanted to expand awareness of her The Wisdom of Little Women book, I told her that we could sell it on my web site in a turn key fashion, put it up and see what happens.
The Wisdom of Little Women is a popular
item at the Orchard House Museum Gift Shop.
Now, having read The Wisdom of Little Women, I see all of us, those of us on BlogHer, as Little Women. We are all working hard to keep the home fires burning while the world is pictured as being in turmoil. In an instant it hit me that we can work together, like the March family did, to weather our storms.
Throughout this thinking process of the last couple of weeks, culminating with actually meeting the three BlogHers, Chelsey, Sabrina and Carol, in New York City, I have decided I would like to publish e-books and I'm throwing my sunbonnet into the ring. Why not turn my web site into an outlet for anyone on BlogHer that is interested in getting their book out on the web?
We can have the same fun we are having now, but help supplement our incomes as well.
Listen to Grammy Sunbonnet when she says,
"We're not going to get by on our good looks alone."
Orchard House, the home of Little Women in the book, and the
Alcott family in real life, is now a museum in Concord, MA. Their
gift store sells Isabel's book, The Wisdom of Little Women.
Say, BlogHers, can't you take a hint?
Let me know what you think of this. I am counting the seconds
while waiting to hear from you in the Comments below.
To purchase Isabel Anders' book:
Tags: Civil War, Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, Massachusetts, Orchard House
Filed under: Money,Opportunities — admin @ 3:02 pm Comments (0)
Let us use the moment of the Equinox to join together to send Peace, Love, and Light to Mother Earth and to Humanity.
Peace Love, and Light,
Barbara Wolf
What a beautiful place it would be if we could give each other the world.
A world of peace…
Giving each other peace and the world.
From the Global Meditations web site, Posted March 18, 2012:
The Equinox is March 20, at 1:14 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, which is 5:14 a.m. UTC, Greenwich time.
Will you observe the moment of the Equinox by sending Peace, Love, and Light to humanity and our earth? Your brothers and sisters will be observing.
World Clock will convert your time.
Can you conceive of the positive energy that is created when so many are thinking the same thing at the same time? Peace, Love, and Light — this world needs a boost of this energy.
Yearly, at the moment of the March Equinox, the Japanese Peace Bell is rung in the Rose Garden at the United Nations in New York City.
Masahiro Kataoka Nakagawa placed the Japanese Peace Bell at the UN in New York in 1954.
Singer Pete Seeger rings the United Nations Peace Bell
in New York City on Earth Day 2009.
In 1969, John McConnell pointed out the need for humanity to respect and preserve the beauty and ecological balance of Mother Earth, and he proposed that Earth Day should be yearly celebrated. This proposal was supported by United Nations Secretary General U Thant, Margaret Mead and many others, and soon the concept spread world wide. A tradition began of ringing the United Nations Peace Bell at the moment of the March Equinox.
In 1998, John McConnell invited me to the ringing of the peace bell Equinox ceremony and I have attended nearly every year since. Today his age prevents him from attending, and so I take a birthday card to the ceremony for all to sign. His birthday is March 22, and he was born in 1915.
Let us use the moment of the Equinox to join together to send Peace, Love, and Light to Mother Earth and to Humanity.
Peace Love, and Light,
Barbara Wolf
Tags: equinox, New York, UN, worldwide
Filed under: Money,Opportunities — admin @ 6:54 pm Comments (0)
Morna, CEO/Founder
The International Association of Professional Quilters
In every creative person's life there comes a point where one turns a corner. Creating starts out small as a new skill is learned or technique attempted. Quickly, though, as expertise and satisfaction grow, the sewer, crafter, painter or other artist begins to enjoy creating an abundance of wares. And therein lies the problem. A business is the natural answer, but one that requires developing a new set of skills. Successful artisans don't always have what they need, experience-wise, to create cash flow while maintaining stock, taking care of financing and taxes as well as government regulations and oversight.
New business owners are often disappointed when realizing they don't get to do their artwork as much as before opening their business. Soon, administrative duties may seem to require more time than creative planning and fulfillment. Pushing papers and following regulations become overwhelming without a dependable plan for organization. So, what DOES one do to keep up with it all?
These WACs from WWII are discovering how much it takes
for administration. There's lots to do!
I know a quilter who just might have the answer. But! She's not just any quilter. Morna McEver Golletz is a quilter who's also a journalist. It was only natural, therefore, that she become the Editor of The Professional Quilter magazine and she has successfully managed this publication, steadily increasing its subscriptions for many years.
Then Morna founded the International Association of Professional Quilters, connecting quilt related business owners from all over the world. With her business savvy and enthusiastic outlook, she is a gifted in mentoring new and prospective business owners. That's is why I am writing about Morna today. Morna has broadened her business advice to include all those who create and want to sell their creations. She is having a big gathering, the Creatives Arts Business Summit, March 29-31, 2012, near Dulles airport in Washington, DC that I introduced to BlogHer before the holidays and there is still time to sign up to be included.
Even better perhaps, if you don't have the time to travel, are her mentoring videos that are currently being promoted. She can tell you all about it, so click "play" and let me introduce you to Morna:
Morna is ready and happy to share her years of experience.
She asks you not remind her how many years it has been.
Morna's videos offer her years of business experience in an easy to digest form. And, the best thing is that you get to try them out and see if they work for you. She is offering the first videos in the series for FREE!
Go here to learn more:
In this free training program, you'll discover:
1) The key to creating structure in your business
2) What the right planning strategies are for you
3) What key resources you should have in order to leverage the Internet for your business
4) How to set a clear line of demarcation between business and hobby and to make sure you are on the business side of it
5) And a lot more!
Join Morna for this free 4-part training program and begin taking your business to the next level. The training program is three videos followed by a live call on February 6 at 4 pm eastern.
Click here to register and you'll get the first video immediately.
See what you think of Morna's approach. In business,
I've found, there is always more to learn!
Tags: crafting, customer service, fine arts, making money, moving up, quilting
Filed under: Money,Opportunities — admin @ 6:32 pm Comments (0)
Electronic Benefit Transfer cards, EBTs, have replaced
the Food Stamp vouchers that were used for years.
When someone close to you dies and passes over, the biggest shock is that the world still goes on. As you sit on a park bench, numbly trying to collect yourself and make sense of things, there are children gaily playing on sunny days where everyone is the world is happy…except you.
And when my family's income shifted and then became non existent, I was amazed how similar feelings of being on the sidelines kept me separate from the flow of what everyone else was doing. Once again, there were pretty summer days and children playing while friends seemed to be doing the most frivolous things. Life was going on, whether or not we knew what we were eating for our next meal.
For example, while we were so hungry and wondering what to do to move forward, we interacted with people actually worried about matching new china to drapes at their ski cabin in Vail, Colorado. While I was trying to make $400 in food stamps last a month to feed a family, I had to listen politely to friends telling me their vacation plans. I really felt like I was on the outside looking in and it was a very isolating feeling.
Living on the amount of food that Food Stamps provide
is very difficult. In 2008, we were on Food Stamps and
believe me, it was a big challenge to stay healthy.
And so, things are better now, but I have not forgotten where we were not so long ago. That's why, I want to share with you who might be facing similar hardships, or who may desire a better nutritional life while living on a fixed income. I find that many of the skills people had in times past have been forgotten and rather than reinventing the wheel, you are welcome to rely on what my family learned. We could have lived much better with more bang for the buck if we had known, what I am going to share with you, from the get-go.
By the way, we did not learn all of this by ourselves. Much of it was taught by two friends who understood our situation, perhaps better than we did at the time. These two devoted "angels" came over every Sunday and brought food and cooked it for us so we learned to eat nutrient dense food in order to eat less and enrich our bodies more. The methods were so effective, we didn't stop once things eased up financially. Now, we have been following the tenets of the Weston A. Price diet for three years, feeling really good and spending MUCH less than we used to on food.
Here's a shocker! These poor children from the Depression
had less food than you do, but were probably better nourished
than you are. We all need to eat from the Way-Back Machine!
Because of our two friends we learned to include more probiotics, that is more living culture of microorganisms in our food to help us digest and use the nutrients in our nutrient dense food. Did you know that the key to health is the number and kinds of microorganisms in your gut? Each of us should have about three pounds of microorganisms in our intestines to help us digest our food. Most of us don't have anywhere close to that. So, we suffer with non-nutritive food and an inability to properly digest resulting in modern day malnourishment.
To be healthy, active and wholly engaged in life like
these two requires functional digestive tracts
full of microorganisms.
But, hey! Don't take my word for it. Did you know there are whole web sites devoted to the study of the micro-flora of the intestines? Yeah! it's true. They even have a BLOG. Go here to see and read this:
"The growing awareness that the functional integrity and microbial residents of the intestinal tract may play a mediating role in both skin inflammation and emotional behavior has shed further light on yet another dimension to the relationship between dermatology and mental health."
So, if I had to make a list of what to do for the paycheck
challenged, what would it be? Well, thinking about it
tonight, I would say:
1. If you are still drinking tap water, I would stop it and drink only filtered, reverse osmosis water with 40,000 Volts! minerals added.
2. With the money I had, I would buy a gallon of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar and a quart of unfilterd raw honey. I would go to Patricia's Bragg's website and read up on what to do with both of them in Ms. Bragg's book Apple Cider Vinegar Miracle Health System.
3. I would buy only organic potatoes, organic corn and organic pasta for my starches. Avoid non-organic potatoes, corn and wheat like the plague.
4. Buy organic cabbage and make natural, probiotic laden sauerkraut from the recipe found in the cookbook Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.
5. I would buy good organic whole grain bread. Without an organic bakery or making organic bread at home, I would look for Ezekiel Bread, made from organic sprouted wheat. It is often found in the freezer section.
6. Buy raw milk and make kefir and yogurt, once again to increase the number of probiotics in the gut. Instructions for making kefir from raw milk can be found on the Your Family Cow web site.
7. Buy small organic, grass fed cuts of beef and organic free range chicken and turkey and make soup with organic vegetables, frozen if necessary in winter and good water, see Step #1.
8. I would buy organic coconut oil from Tropical Traditions and take one tablespoon everyday as a natural antibiotic to help with a compromised immune system that sometimes comes from financial stress. Now is the time to stay healthy to be able to dig your way out. Also, it is better to cook with coconut oil, rather than olive oil or butter, because coconut oil has healthier properties at high temperatures.
9. I would avoid canned food, opting for frozen to stay away from food that has been in contact with metal for prolonged periods of time. This is especially true with tomatoes. Eat tomatoes that have been canned in glass, not metal, even if the cans have been coated.
10. I would stop eating ALL restaurant food. Unless the restaurant is organic and provably so, I wouldn't eat there. Prolonged food storage requires additives and I believe those chemicals are not good for us. Many prepared foods actually contained neuro-excito toxins that over stimulate our brains to think food tastes good when it really doesn't. That is how MSG functions and why it is found in so many prepared foodstuffs. And besides! Think of how expensive restaurant food is compared to buying the ingredients and making your own.
So, that's the list. If you are interested in improving
your health and fattening your wallet, just do a few of
these at a time. Any change will be for the better with
the favorable results quickly noticeable
See what you think and let me know if this interests you!
Tags: Bankruptcy, economic loss, fixed income, hard times, hungry, lay offs, organic
Filed under: Money,Opportunities — admin @ 3:49 pm Comments (0)
TomatoFest seed packets hold endless possibilities.
My package came! My TomatoFest order! Remember last week, I was so excited to tell you that the TomatoFest Annual Seed Sale is in full swing and going on until January 11, 2012 or until the seed runs out, whichever comes first. I mentioned that when the announcement e-mail arrived in my in-box, I ordered right away, to make sure I was included on my list of favorites. And, with the usual fast turn around time, my package arrived five days later. Way to go, Gary and Dagma, the tomato loving couple that owns and operates TomatoFest.com.
Dagma Lacey of TomatoFest with a display of heirloom tomatoes.
But, when I went through my order, there was a surprise: a Fuzzy Bomb! What!?!? A Fuzzy Bomb tomato? Yes! Right there in my opened mailing package of seed packs was a free gift from TomatoFest. The was a packet of Fuzzy Bomb tomato seeds that I have never heard of, much less eaten. So, I had to RUN to the computer and look it up in the descriptive entries of TomatoFest's 600 varieties.
Turns out, a Fuzzy Bomb is so named because the plant that bears the Fuzzy Bomb tomato is, you guessed, fuzzy. Apparently it has little white hairs all over the stems and leaves. Sounds like a show stopper and a great conversation piece for the vegetable garden. I was very happy with my new found tomato friend in my free packet of seeds. Here is the photo from the TomatoFest on-line catalog:
The Fuzzy Bomb tomato is a late season indeterminate,
meaning the plant bears fruit late in the season and
grows to be tall and bountiful, rather than short and
compact like a determinate tomato plant.
The Fuzzy Bomb is a large potato leaf plant with white fuzz all over, developed by Tadd Smith of Franklin, N.C. The entry notes that the plant and fruit resemble the Angora tomato variety while producing 12 to 16 oz. fruits with very nice flavors. Reading about those white fuzzy leaves and stems, I wanted to see a photo and I did find another view of the Fuzzy Bomb tomato in the Heirloom Vegetable archives, found here, although it is pretty hard to see the namesake leaf and stem fuzz.
The Fuzzy Bomb in the Heirloom Vegetable Archives.
The Heirloom Vegetable Achives also mentioned that Fuzzy Bomb tomatoes measure about 5 inches across and are very tasty. The leaves are called "potato leaved" because they are shaped more like the leaf of a potato plant than the shape of most tomato plant leaves. This entry also mentions the white fuzzy stems and leaves. What great resources are the on-line tomato "dictionaries" of both TomatoFest and the Heirloom Vegetable Archives. In addition, the Tangager's Song directory has great listings, so between the three, one may find almost any tomato variety detailed and photographed for identification.
The excitement I feel ordering seeds and planning next year's garden really gets me through the winter months when the world is dormant and waiting for spring. Getting into heirloom tomatoes, specifically, has made the endeavor all the more exciting because of the wide range of colors, sizes and flavors from the older varieties of tomatoes found all over the world.
And, the best of all? Heirloom tomatoes seeds have never been "messed with," that is, genetically modified by laboratory means, so they maintain our planet's true and natural biodiversity. And, even more importantly to the home gardener, heirloom seeds have not been genetically modified to be sterile suicide seeds. The seeds you collect from your heirloom tomato plant fruits will be fertile so you can grow crops from them without buying new seed packets every year. What a fun, tasty, economical win-win for all those growing heirloom seeds. If you haven't tried it, make this next year the year you do!
Tags: backyard gardens, homegrown, organic, sustainable agriculture, TomatoFest
Filed under: Money,Opportunities — admin @ 3:25 pm Comments (0)


text:
Here you'll find the latest Drax Biomass press releases, a comprehensive media library, as well as informative resources. For more information, contact the media team. For information relating to the Drax Group, please visit the Group website.
Press releases
October 24 2018 - Drax Biomass provides resources to landowners, Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge
August 21 2018 - Drax Biomass completes headquarters transition to Monroe
November 29 2017 - LaSalle BioEnergy begins pellet production
November 2 2017 - Drax Biomass receives the Governor's award for excellence in exporting
June 6 2017 - Drax Biomass awarded prestigious Lantern Award
April 3 2017 - Drax Biomass submits winning bid for central Louisiana pellet manufacturing facility
March 17 2017 - Drax Biomass Joins With Keep Morehouse Beautiful To host spring clean-up event
March 6 2017 - Drax Biomass, American Forest Foundation launch initiative to support private landowners in NE Louisiana, SE Arkansas
January 19 2017 - Drax Biomass Joins Northeast Louisiana Business Community to Support West Monroe High School Marching Band
October 19 2016 - Drax Biomass Collaborates With Atchafalaya Basinkeeper To Protect Louisiana's Valuable Wetlands
August 16 2016 - Drax Biomass Announces $10,000 towards Mississippi and Louisiana Flood Relief Efforts
August 2 2016 - Drax Biomass Earns First Sustainable Biomass Partnership
June 6 2016 - International forestry experts visit Drax Biomass to learn about pellet industry's role in sustainable forest management
May 17 2016 - Community Gets Inside Look at Drax Biomass Plant – and the Future of Energy
March 11 2016 - Drax Biomass Support Morehouse Parish Flood Relief Efforts
In the news


text:
30% OFF! - Love Struck Quickpage 3
By Lins Creations
Related Products
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Product Information
- Type: Quick Page Pack
- Designer: Lins Creations
- Software Category: Holidays – Valentine's Day
- Download Size: 30.4 MB (approximate)
Design Elements
- Page Elements: 1
Designer Notes
personal use


text:
The Internet is becoming an increasingly important factor in determining a brand's reputation and image. A single popular article on the Internet, even if it is not accurate, can radically affect how the public perceives a brand. If the article says good things, then that works to the advantage of the brand; if it doesn't, the opposite is the case.
When an individual or organization has some unflattering content about it on the Internet, an online reputation management agency can help. Such agencies work to push negative content down in the results lists of widely used search engines like Google and Bing. Agencies do this in a number of ways. For example, they will write good things about the brand to counteract existing negative content. Sometimes they'll even contact whoever wrote the negative content and convince them to take it down.
Of course, some negative content is more difficult to cover up or bury than other, and reputation management agencies will often charge accordingly. Whatever the price, however, hiring an online reputation management agency is generally a very good investment especially when a brand is concerned about just a few negative online articles.
Bury Bad Articles
Bury Bad Articles is a rapidly rising star in the world of online reputation management. The company uses a number of strategies and techniques on behalf of its clients to push negative content down in the lists of in Internet searches; essentially, they bury it. The firm is great at getting results and is known for its extremely quick responses – often within just a few hours – to inquiries about their services.


text:
How do I tell them?
1/01/2011 | Share this article: View CommentsFrom Fae8 ~
I've only recently discovered that I don't fully believe in God, but my family is a really traditional Southern Baptist one, and I'm very nervous as to how they'd react.
Image by Thomas Hawk via Flickr
I love them, and I know they love me as well, but I can't help being a bit nervous about telling them.
I'm just wondering if anyone has any suggestions from personal experience on the easiest way to tell family about a change in religion.
Filed Under: Letters


text:
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Be Mine
I've been checking off blog to-do's today and found a project that I made for Verve's latest release, but haven't posted here. This one features Swirling Hearts, along with the Vintage Oval die. The patterned papers are all by Stampin' Up. The layout is a slightly modified version of an older Viva La Verve sketch by Sankari (December, Week 2).
Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!
Stamps: Sweet Treats, Swirling Hearts (Verve)
Paper: Stampin' Up Natural White and Basic Black card stock, Papertrey Kraft card stock, SU Love Letter designer paper
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, SU Real Red craft, Ranger Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink
Accessories: Stampin' Up ribbon, Papertrey button and twine, Martha Stewart heart border and Optic Dots border punches, SU small oval punch, Verve Vintage Oval Die, Kaiser Craft black adhesive pearls
16 comments:
- Jodi Collins aka Kharmagirl said...
You are totally enabling me Amy! LOL! This is GORGEOUS!!! I feel a Verve order coming on!
- January 26, 2011 at 1:22 PM
- Oliwiaen said...
I love the vintage look you created with the few colours and classic designs!
- January 26, 2011 at 3:55 PM
- Sandra said...
love your card Amy!
Sandra ltb
- January 26, 2011 at 4:07 PM
- Marisa said...
Just as gorgeous second time round :)
- January 26, 2011 at 5:03 PM
- Gail's Card Cafe' said...
Love the colors and vintage feel!
- January 26, 2011 at 7:30 PM
- Sherman Unkefer said...
Superb design! I like it a lot!
- January 27, 2011 at 4:48 AM
- imsteelefullofscrap said...
Love your card and the different papers you chose
- January 27, 2011 at 7:05 AM
- Jamie Lane said...
This is so pretty, love the ribbon!
- January 27, 2011 at 8:35 AM
- Luanne said...
Oooo! I love the red, black and kraft! What a terrific card, fantastic, as always....tfs!!
- January 27, 2011 at 9:41 AM
- Star Ark Creativity said...
I like the card it is beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
- January 27, 2011 at 10:52 AM
- texasjodylynn said...
Very pretty! I love that ruffled ribbon.
- January 27, 2011 at 9:25 PM
- Jessie/knightrone said...
This is stunning!!
- January 28, 2011 at 3:38 PM
- Linda McClain said...
Oh wow, I love everything about this! Gorgeous!
- January 29, 2011 at 11:47 AM
- Leslie Miller said...
I love this super duper card! Brilliant idea -- unless I'm imagining it, it looks like playing cards, Queen of hearts kind of thing. Fabulous!
- January 31, 2011 at 8:07 PM
- dpkennedy said...
I love the striped ruffled ribbon on this!
- February 2, 2011 at 11:38 AM
- Kelli said...
You have totally inspired me. On May 18th my version of this card is schedule to appear on my blog. Thank you for your inspiration, you blog is wonderful, I have you on my blog list on my side bar! http://kcustom-fi.blogspot.com/ I also have blog candy available right now! Thanks again!
- May 16, 2011 at 8:58 AM


text:
360 pages
250 illustrations, 182 in colour
36 x 26 cm (14.25 x 10.25 in)
Neisha Crosland: Life of a Pattern
Neisha Crosland
The designer Neisha Crosland sees pattern wherever she goes. Her extraordinary eye seeks out symmetry, order and structure in artefacts, buildings, paintings and, above all, in nature. A visual feast of colour, unexpected information and surprising personal stories, this delightful book celebrates Crosland's remarkable talent. It takes the reader from the first spark of an idea to the finished product, exploring along the way myriad cultural pathways, and making unusual connections. Crosland's design story begins with her standing as an art student in the Basilica di San Marco in Venice, and then travels through many continents and eras, from Mughal India to Moorish Spain, and from the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela to Jacobean England, before ending in Japan. There are tales of mankind's earliest rituals alongside explorations of 16th-century court dresses, Baroque woodcarving, 17th-century shell-collecting and Russian Constructivist paintings. The text draws on conversations about pattern that Crosland has had with other design professionals as well as with musicians and mathematicians. There is fascinating technical detail, too, including wonderful examples of Crosland's early work using weaving and printing methods that have now vanished because of commercial pressures on mills and manufacturers. Crosland also explores the ways in which a technique or colour can completely reinvent a design, and how the mood of a design changes when it is placed in a different interior or applied to another medium or product. This book is a loving tribute to the power and significance of pattern that will appeal to anyone who appreciates beautiful design.
Foreign Rights Enquiries
Rights are available
More Information
Table of Contents:


text:
Services Offered
Referral Services
Since 1993, it has been Home Care Professionals of Arkansas Inc.'s personal care goal to refer quality caregivers to senior Arkansans, so they remain independent and at home throughout life's transitions. Whether you are seeking an in-home Caregiver for a loved one or for yourself, we stand ready to aid you and your family during your time of need.
Assisted Caregivers
Home Care Professionals of Arkansas Inc. refers caregivers to senior citizens for services, such as meal preparation, grocery shopping, medication reminders and supervision, housekeeping and more. In our registry, we have licensed caregivers and certified nurse assistants to help you or your loved one.
Honest Service
Every caregiver undergoes a credential verification to ensure he or she is properly trained and registered. We are a consumer-driven company, ensuring you, the senior citizen, remain in control of your care.
Proportional Pricing
The cost of our service depends on the level of care. The more hours used, the less the cost is per hour, and our live-in service is a flat rate per day. It is our goal to provide a certified caregiver that is perfect for each senior.
As you know, we all have times when we need assistance taking care of ourselves, or our loved ones. Our referral service covers the entire state of Arkansas.


text:
Saturday, February 01, 2014
The day my life changed forever
My mother is clearly, and now officially, suffering from some kind of dementia.
The signs have been there for a long time. We've had family meetings to discuss what to do. We've seen unusual behaviour and witnessed increasing forgetfulness. We thought we were dealing with it, we thought we'd have more time. We were wrong.
This past Thursday was another busy day at work. I decided to check my personal email (which I rarely do) and found a disturbing email from my Dad. My mother had a very bizarre phone conversation with my Dad stating that she didn't know where she was. He asked where she was and she said she was at the house but didn't know where she was going because he had moved and she didn't know where to go. (A little background information: my parents moved about a year and half ago, and my mother has had issues ever since.) A few more conversations followed between my parents and it became clear that she didn't even know the layout of the house or remember where certain rooms were. My dad had an important meeting that night so my brother planned on coming over to be with her and make dinner after work. As I got home I texted my brother (for those who don't know I live in a different city that my parents and brother and don't have a car) to see if everything was okay as I hadn't had any other updates. He texted back that he was with Mom, as was my dad and there had been some more developments. Long story short, my mother had left the house on her own before my brother got there. She wandered her neighbourhood until she was approached by a kindly stranger who asked if she needed help. She said she didn't know where she was but had to get to an appointment. He asked her where she lived and she said she didn't know. Luckily, my mother had my Dad's business card in her purse and the man called my Dad and he walked her home. My dad and brother arrived shortly after.
Coincidentally, my father had already set up an appointment for my mother with her doctor for the next day (I'm guessing that this is the appointment she thought she was going to). My father and brother both accompanied her to the doctors. They had a very productive meeting. Cognitive testing, Cat Scans and blood work were ordered. Senior service website are being investigated.Home alarms, her current medications and dosage are being reviewed.
My mother's family has history of dementia. My grandmother was diagnosed with alcohol-related dementia and suffered terribly in the last years of her life. I can't bear to think that my mother will face the same fate. I hope there is an answer.
Thank you for letting me share this. Just writing the story out has helped me. My shoulders feel a little less tense now. If anyone reading has any thoughts or ideas please share with me.
10 comments:
Vicki, it's very disturbing seeing a loved one so bright and vibrant deteriorate in an instant. I have gone through the motions of this devastating disease on the family level of things with Kevin's family as well as on a professional level with unfortunately I have to use the word MANY of my patients directly as well as their family as well. If there is anything I can do to help or to listen, feel free to message when you can. Positive thoughts, cherish the wonderful memories your mom has created for you and yours, push through the low times, be there for one another. Sometimes it's easy to chuckle and other days you can do nothing but break down and cry. And guess what as a family member as well as a health care provider THAT IS OKAY!!!
- 3:18 pm
- Roxanne said...
Vicki, I am so sorry to hear this. I can only imagine the plethora of emotions you are feeling right now. If you need anything please done hesitate to ask. I'm glad you were able to get some stress relief by writing.
- 5:33 pm
- J Daley said...
Oh Couz, I'm sorry. We do have such a grubby gene pool in our family, don't we? So many things to deal with. When Will forwarded your blog spot to me I opened it with dread...I thought I'd see the word cancer for sure. Is this worse? Is it better? I have no answer. Your Mom, my Auntie,, our Elaine, is being stolen & it is shocking either way. You have every right to grieve. I hope there will be more lucid days than bad, kiddo. We are not a close family but we are family & we will be here when you call for help. Call & we will answer.
Hugs Jo. xo
- 7:18 pm
- KellyCreates said...
So sorry to hear about your mother's decline. My father was diagnosed with Alzheimers at 80. He is 88 now, confined to a wheelchair and uncommunicative. Yes, it is a very long grieving process. But there is still a lot of time you have with your mother to make the most of, and although it's a difficult journey, I certainly felt better knowing I made the best of our time together before the disease became this advanced. Take care of yourself too and be patient with the ups and downs.
- 10:09 pm
Vicki my cousin, I read and feel your sorrow and angst. You know I think of your mom, my aunt, as nearly my Mom. We have so many similarities you and I. Everyone said we looked alike as kids. I have so many wonderful summer memories with you and your family. Like Jo, I was so scared to open your blog as I didn't want to read...no not again. It has been 16 years since Dad (Uncle Ted) died, and it still hurts so much. I miss him so much. But with dimentia it is harder because we see the vibrant Auntie Elaine, and the vacant stare and the fright. I am so here for you and would love to chat. Please email anytime. My thoughts and prayers are with you and my beloved Aunt and Uncle Chad too. Say HI for me. Big SUNNY Hugs. Jennifer
- 11:45 pm
Vicki my cousin, I read and feel your sorrow and angst. You know I think of your mom, my aunt, as nearly my Mom. We have so many similarities you and I. Everyone said we looked alike as kids. I have so many wonderful summer memories with you and your family. Like Jo, I was so scared to open your blog as I didn't want to read...no not again. It has been 16 years since Dad (Uncle Ted) died, and it still hurts so much. I miss him so much. But with dimentia it is harder because we see the vibrant Auntie Elaine, and the vacant stare and the fright. I am so here for you and would love to chat. Please email anytime. My thoughts and prayers are with you and my beloved Aunt and Uncle Chad too. Say HI for me. Big SUNNY Hugs. Jennifer
- 11:45 pm
- LINDABVI said...
My heart goes out to you and your whole family. Your Mom has been my friend since the day she entered Grade 1 and I was in Grade 2 (in 255a split class). We have been friends ever since and Sister-in-Laws since I was 20. I met your Dad when we were 15 and I went to the cottage for the first time that year too. What good times we have enjoyed together - through happy times and sad and all that life has thrown at us in between. I only wish that I was in Oakville to hold Elaine's hand and somehow support Chad who must be going through a very sad time. I only hope that his health will hold so he can support the 'love of his life' in this very difficult time. With every loving wish from Tortola which seems so far away! Linda and Nels
- 12:34 pm
- Mary McKenzie said...
I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom. ... my first cousin.
I know what you are going through as my Mom was also stricken with this terrible disease.
There is a great book out called "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova. I hope you will get it and read it. It really helped me.
Please let your Dad know we are thinking of him too.
- 1:59 pm
Hi Vicki. I don't think we have ever met but I am your mom's first cousin. Her mother and my mother were sisters. I remember playing together as little kids along with Louise and Ted. Over the years we drifted apart but I still remember the good times. Your mom and I are the same age, she is exactly 3 months older. I am part of that grubby gene pool too, but so far so good. (Others would disagree though.) My sisters have been through what you are going through now, so lean on them if you want to. I'm sure they are eager to help if they can.
All the Best ... John
- 2:34 pm
Such sad news, Vicky. As Elaine's cousin, I remember hot summer days at the cottage when we were kids and she would whiz by in the boat, pony tail flying behind her in the wind, excitement in her eyes. Or, once in a while she would row by in her beloved boat that she had named the "Jonathan Mark."
We have been through this too, with your mom's Auntie Reen. It is very difficult to watch your precious mom have such a hard time. My thoughts are with you. Please get in touch if you think there is anything I could do to help.
My dad would have said, "keep your chin up!"
- 5:02 pm