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August 2015
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Chewing the Fat
For those times that I want to blather on about whatever.
Some times good ideas backfire…
I am in LA at my friend, Ilene's house. It's really pretty here. There are huge trees outside my bedroom window. Every once in a while I can hear the whoosh of traffic, the spin of tires in the distance, of people racing off to work, but the sound of bird song is the predominate morning noise. How happy these birds are.
The day before yesterday, I heard a few quivering brave chirps from the few, foolish, feathered-friends that miscalculated, and returned to Toronto amid the still frigid weather. I worried for them.
Actually,...I'm worried for me!
When Ilene asked if I'd be interested in going on a short hiking holiday with her, I was all for it. Why not? I thought. I like hiking, Ilene likes hiking, we done this kind of thing before.
"Sure!" I said. "Sounds like fun."
We both signed up. And that's when the information package arrived.
We only had 2 1/2 weeks before touchdown. Not only that, but I had pulled a muscle in my back 1 1/2 months before and had used that as an excuse to abstain from all exercise of any kind. AND my sister Becky and I were heading off to England to see Will's play, meet his lovely girlfriend and have a week of fun and feasting on wonderful food!
I convinced myself that all the eating and shopping my sister and I did and tromping up and down cobblestone streets would have to suffice.
Halfway into my week-with-Becky, I received a two week (they call it friendly- reminder, but to me it felt more like a stern, disapproving warning, like they had long distance binoculars and could see that my sister and I had splurged on a tasting menu with wine pairings the night before.) And according to this friendly reminder, I was now supposed to be upping my hiking from two to two and a half hours daily, stopping every 30 minutes to do 3 three minute sessions of jumping jacks. I also was supposed to be doing copious amounts of crunches and push-up. Along with other things like cutting out meat, sugar, artificial sweeteners, processed foods, alcohol, etc.
I read the email and started sweating.
"Becky," I squeaked. "You've got to help me! I need to exercise!"
She agreed. She would join in. It would be good for both of us.
We barely got through the 3 minutes of jumping jacks. It was HARD! We did the crunches. That was hard too. The big French feast we had just ingested was NOT amused! We did the ten deep silent breathes in. That was nice. Both of us managed that no problem. We were invigorated. Determined. "We'll do this every day," we said.
Um… we didn't.
We didn't do it again actually.
We did have a lovely time in England though!
Flew home and a day later the One Week Warning arrived. Now I was suppose to up my hiking to 3 hours a day and on my off day do 1 hour. All bad habits and foods were supposed to have been eradicated.
Um…Nope. Nope to all of the above.
Ilene called all happy and healthy having just returned from a spin class. Johnathan had seen her in New York and she had taken him to a Vegan restaurant.
That scared the h_ll out of me. I hopped on my cross trainer, and managed to get my exercise quotient up to a 1 1/2 hours, but that is a poor excuse for what they are expecting… And today is the day.
In an hour and a half Ilene and I hop in her car and pay the piper.
I can't believe I agreed to do this, that I paid good money to come. I can't believe I allowed the old childhood knee-jerk reaction of, "you aren't the boss of me!" take over. I mean, what am I? Five years old? I can't believe I gained 3lbs in two and a half weeks of prep. It's like I was thrown back to that little hungry girl that I used to be, picking through my mother's leftover chicken bones to get all the barely there scraps of meat that she'd didn't know were nestled between the little, tiny rib bones. The more I'd get those emails telling me what I couldn't have, the hungrier I got.
Posted by megtilly on Thursday, March 27, 2014 in Chewing the Fat
Yay! So many times I've wanted to blog, but when I'd updated my computer, it gobbled up my instant check-in and I couldn't remember my password…BUT Timothy Garcia from Hop Studio SAVED the day!
I was embarrassed to ask, yet again, so sneakily I snuck it into a conversation we were having about updating my website and SUCCESS!
I'm not going to blog tonight, since it is the end of the day and it is my husband-cozy-chat-play-board-games-eat-ice-cream time. But I will be back soon. Blogging away, since I have finished the last set of copy edits for my new book, Behind The Scenes, and now there is nothing to do but wait for it's launch in May and my typing fingers are feeling at loose ends.
I'm off! Talk soon! xo
Posted by megtilly on Friday, March 21, 2014 in Chewing the Fat
the luxury of…
Finished the first draft of my follow-up novel to A Taste Of Heaven and am awaiting Laura's comments.
It's such a pleasure to have these next couple days stretching out in front of me to be filled with floating lovely summer laziness.
The house is quiet today. The clock ticking. Don typing. Me at my computer writing to you.
It's funny the difference a day makes. Yesterday it was the Saturday market, stocking up on delicious organic fruits and vegetables and indulging in homemade breads and treats. Swinging Don by the doctors and then home again, to make buttermilk pancakes and sausage and bacon and to lay out freshly washed bowls of all the wonderful fruit that was picked only hours before. It's amazing how much better fruit taste when it is ripened on the bush or tree and picked the day it is going to be consumed. It's like the other stuff, the stuff you pay more money than sense would dictate to get organic produce from fancy city stores, and I'm telling you, the tongue doesn't receive one quarter the taste or flavour or satisfaction from it. I like receiving the fruit and vegetables from the people who planted, grew and picked the food. Feels like a gift. Makes the world feel more hopeful somehow.
For the last few days the house has been full of family and laughter and food and it's been lovely. Funny, how easily I slip back into Mom mode. Will comes from England on Friday for a month and a half, but for now, it's Don and me again. Tucking into our quiet the-kids-are-grown-life. Both the Mom life and this other more recent one Don and I have carved out have their joys. Feel lucky to have found a balance. To not be clinging to my grown children's ankles weeping as they try to head for the door. Feel lucky that there are so many things I appreciate about the quiet life too.
Wasn't sure, when the children first started heading out the door, first one and then the next and finally the youngest. All grown. All gone. Was lost for a while. My head understood what was happening, but my heart and body needed a while to catch up. It was hard.
But now, it isn't. It is lovely both ways. Blessings within both worlds surround me.
Posted by megtilly on Sunday, July 21, 2013 in Chewing the Fat
Still reeling
Now as you know, I generally don't read interviews, articles, reviews about my work, myself. Sometimes a friend or family member will send something and I might take a peek, but more often than not, I don't.
I started this thirty years ago, when Big Chill came out and some reviewer called Chloe, an air-head, or a space cadet, or something of that ilk, and it hurt my/Chloe's feelings. She is so much more than that! I thought. How could that person sit through that film and come away with that judgement on her? Yes, she doesn't mouth the pat, expected platitudes. Yes, she walks to a different beat, but can't you see how she's hurting? Can't you see how deeply she feels? How true she is? How she walks with integrity?
It hurt my heart. I decided not to read reviews anymore. And then that spread to interviews. Didn't want to see my characters or myself through someone else's lens.
I stick to this policy for the most part.
It's served me well. I do the best work I can. Give everything to the character I am portraying, the book I am writing.
It used to be, when I met a member of the media, I was very cautious, guarded. Had so many secrets. Had a push-me-pull-you relationship with the whole being-in-the-public-eye. Was scared of being naked, vulnerable, found to be human. The interviews, the photo taking, made me feel hunted.
But now, in middle age, I have worked hard to let that go. Feel it's important to be oneself. To not dissemble. To stand tall in one's mistakes as well as one's accomplishments. I try not to censor myself. Try not to present a rosy publicity package of the Meg Tilly franchise wrapped up nice and tidy with a pretty pink bow. I try to be me, to be the same person whether it is with a friend or a stranger.
And I've managed, for the most part, not to let myself get scared. To be open. To not have keep out signs posted all over our conversations, my heart, experiences. I try to listen to each question and answer it as honestly as I can, figuring if I, at all times, tell the truth, I don't have to worry about keeping up an image, being something I'm not.
But now, I don't know. Made the mistake of reading an article someone wrote about me. Shouldn't have. Been a couple days since it came out and I have this ache in the pit of my stomach and bad dreams that wake me, leave me feeling sad, small, like the darkness is closing in. Feeling like I never want to do another interview ever again. Want to hide, tuck into my shell, return to my quiet invisible life.
But I can't.
I think the thing that hurts the most, is that I really liked this woman. That's why, when someone tweeted the article, I decided to read it. We were both middle-aged women in our 50's with grown kids, laughing over wrinkly necks, changing bodies, desires. She was wearing this unique jacket that was like this funky piece of art. She was a writer, I was a writer. We talked about my book, A Taste Of Heaven, because that was why the interview had been set up. The writing process, the reasons for writing it, what I was trying to say. We talked about celebrity, because that is one of the themes of the book. We talked about Bomb Girls, Lorna, working on the set.
And it was fun. Sipping on peppermint tea with a little bit of honey. Tucked in a warm booth at a retro diner in a hipster hotel. It had taken an effort to get there, emotionally, physically. I was on the tail end of a long cold, had been crazy busy with the whole Bomb Girls press, CSA stuff, as well as A Taste of Heaven. There was snow and thick black ice on the roads and all I had wanted to do was nestle into bed and sleep for a month. But there I was, and I was glad I was there.
We talked and we talked and we laughed and we talked some more. The interview portion, long over and still we sat there, talking. She felt like a friend. Her sharing her life, me sharing mine. And when I left, I thought, maybe we'll be friends, wouldn't that be nice? I wasn't sure how it would happen, maybe another writer friend would have a party and we would bump into each other, outside of work, exchange emails, go for lunch or walks or something. And I felt lucky because I never would have gone out on that frigid cold day. Never would have entered that hotel, sat in that diner, met that interesting woman. Never would have even known they existed. And this is where I thought I have a lucky, lucky life.
So when her article came up, I broke from my normal way of doing things and I read it. I read it because I was hoping to capture a bit of how special that day had felt.
I started to read, and shock set in. This was an intelligent woman with warm eyes, this woman had a comfortable laugh, a comfortable body. We were both middle aged women who had gone through a lot. How could she have written this? An article that barely mentioned the book, which was the whole reason we met. Nothing about the writing process, the reasons why. The title. That's it. There was a brief reference, a sentence, I think, about Bomb Girls.
So, what did she write about? What did she see when she sat across the table from me? What did she come away with?
Tabloid fodder.
I was shocked. I felt violated. I felt like my internal monitor must be so far off base. How could I have thought we were having one kind of experience, when she was so clearly having another? How could I have been so wrong?
And I don't know why I've allowed this incident, this woman to affect me so much. I have friends. Real friends. Good ones.
So what, who cares what she wrote? That karma that will come back to her. Or maybe it won't. What do I care?
But I do.
How must it feel? I tell myself. To be her. To do that kind of thing? What is the cost? You should feel compassion for her. What kind of life is that?
But still, I feel bad. And I'm not sure how to feel better. How to let it go. Am hoping in writing about it, it will disinfect it, let the hurt seep out, so I don't carry my disappointment in her, in my own misjudgment, around for another day.
Do know that I don't feel like doing another interview ever again. Do know that I've been wondering if it's worth it. I love acting, creating, writing, but is one possible without the other? One can't just act in a show, or write a book and refuse to do media for it. It wouldn't be fair to the people who hired me, believed in me. Support goes both ways.
Maybe they'll be okay with me doing less? Or maybe I just have to put the walls up again? Not be so open. Watch my words, so they can't be taken, quoted out of context, manipulated, to make it seem like an entirely different chat than the one that went down.
Or maybe, I just have to continue being me, not tuck back into myself? Maybe, I have to be even more diligent about not reading anything written about me, ever.
I don't know what the answer is.
But I do feel better, having written this. Not sure if I'll post it. We'll see.
Posted by megtilly on Tuesday, April 02, 2013 in Chewing the Fat
Kidsbooks event
Not sure if anyone comes here anymore? I've been away for quite sometime. Sorry.
For those of you who are in the Vancouver area, I'll be reading at Kidsbooks (the one on Broadway) this Thursday, March 14th at 7PM. I'll read a titch from my new book, A Taste Of Heaven, and then we'll settle in for a cozy chat.
It's interesting, these readings. I never know what to expect. Sometimes it's a handful of people, sometimes it's hundreds.
Once, there was a raging blizzard outside, people were warned to stay home, but I was worried, what if someone showed up anyway, braved the snow, and I wasn't there. So, I cajoled my husband into accompanying me. "Madness," he said. "No one is going to show."
One person did. Had come quite a distance, a 45 minute white knuckle drive. I was quite moved by her determination. I mean it was one thing for me to show up with my husband in tow, we had an all-wheel-drive vehicle, winter tires and a snow shovel in the back. And I would have read, just for her, if she had wanted me to, but she was more interested in a chat. So chat we did, then we put on our coats, our hats and gloves and trudged out into the snowy night, squinting through eyelashes in an attempt to see better, keep the snow at bay.
And then, there are places like Village Books in Bellingham. Who would think in Bellingham that the entire downstairs of the store (and it was big) would be stuffed to the gills, all the rows and rows of chairs filled and people standing too. Every time I've been, doesn't matter the book, adult, YA, always the town turns out. So much fun, reading at Village Book.
So, I don't know what's in store for me at Kidsbooks. But I do know, that whether it's a big group or a small one, we always have fun.
Posted by megtilly on Saturday, March 09, 2013 in Chewing the Fat
It's a new year and this time it really feels like it. When I woke up this morning, the world seemed all fresh and new and full of hope and possibilities.
We hopped in the car and went to see a part of this place that I have been curious about. Took an impromptu hike up a minor mountain. Met a couple of women who were huge Bomb Girl fans and they informed me in no uncertain terms that I looked much younger in person. Which pleased me greatly, since my character Lorna is considerably younger than me.
Silly that. I realized it the moment I wrote it. Why should I be carrying around a happy glow because they thought I looked so much younger? I'm quite proud of my age, of my years, the experiences I've had. Why, in our society, is it such good thing to be thought younger? Why is that a compliment?
I worked hard to arrive at 52. Wouldn't give up even one of those years. So if I look so much younger than Lorna, who is 43, then doesn't that mean that I come off as immature? Unformed?
Speaking of… ahem…immature…
I woke up feeling blissfully happy and content this morning, but as I lay in bed stretching out, enjoying the fact that I didn't have to leap out of bed and go to work, didn't have a writing assignment looming, that my youngest was visiting his brother and his wife so there was no one moving around hungrily in the kitchen, as I lay there…a memory surfaced.
And with it, a niggle of embarrassment.
Okay, it started as a niggle and then as I thought on it more, it blossomed into a slightly sweaty swell of panic.
The memory… ahem…yes…
Well, after we finished wrapping Season 2 of Bomb Girls, but before I left Toronto for Christmas, I went to CBC to see the very charming and crazily intelligent George Stroumboulopoulos and we taped an interview to be held until after Christmas.
I was fine about it. There were no nerves. Had been on his show last year and he was very sweet and it was a lot of fun. His studio was quite chilly last year, so this year I wore something warmer. Leggings, boots, a sweater, and a pretty…um… I'm not sure what to call it? It's one of Jenny's fancy things that was made of sweater material but must have been knit with large needles so it's kind of see through, and it has all kind of interesting things like sequins and beads all around the edge. I wore my favourite necklace of these misty grey with purple-tinged stones that are polished and very comforting to wear, even though they are heavy and after a long period, tire out my neck.
John Calvert, one of the producers on Bomb Girls had given Beverly (the Bomb-Girls-publicist-extraordinaire) the funds to hire a make-up/hair guy (Dave) to make sure I was turned out properly. (Must have gotten a hold of some of the press stuff I did for my bookish ventures before I ventured back into the acting arena. You know. The pictures that are floating around where it is clear the most attention my hair and face received was a scrubbing and a brush.)
So, I was all set. I was going to go on Strombo, look pretty, be dignified, talk a little about this, a little about that.
Um… I don't know what happened? You'll see when you watch the show. Unless, the producers have an ounce of compassion and decide not to air that particular interview.
I could blame my Strombo silliness on a lot of things.
The exciting, inventive, amazingly funny, beautiful and thoughtful gift basket that Bev and her daughter and husband came up with. A beautiful basket of the "11 things I couldn't live without." I'd been asked to write up a list of "10 things I couldn't live without." So, I had, but there were 11 things and they weren't the kind of things I was supposed to say, and I wanted to help out, and I wanted to play by the rules, but I found I just couldn't. If it had been called "10 objects I love," or "10 objects that fill me with great joy," it would have been no problem. But "10 things I can't live without?" I just couldn't put together a list that was acceptable to all. So after a lot of backing and forthing, we all decided that perhaps it was best if I didn't participate.
So, to my surprise and my delight, when Bev came marching up my walkway with a beautifully wrapped, bountiful gift of the "11 things I couldn't live without!" of course I had to open it pronto, and open it I did, both of us in gales of laughter, and Dave the make-up guy, smiling politely, but not quite sure why I so delighted to get a beautifully wrapped roll of toilet paper etc. We couldn't stop laughing, her gift so funny! Had to massage my cheeks because they had gotten so sore. So maybe some of that silly giddiness perched on my shoulder, hopped in the taxi with me on my way to the show.
Or maybe it was the lipstick. Dave, after giving my outfit the once over, decided that a red, red lipstick was what it needed. A splash, a dash of colour. And it did look pretty. Real pretty. He was right. But I wasn't used to it. I've worn red lipstick for characters and been fine, but this was me, and I suddenly had visions of me with lipstick all over my teeth, splashes of red peeking through my lips every time I smiled or spoke. And then on the ride over, I kept accidentally bumping my mouth with my hand.
Didn't realize how often I touch my mouth, my face. Wouldn't realize I had except whenever I glanced down, I'd find new smears of red all over my fingers and knuckles.
When we got to CBC someone came to greet us and ushered us upstairs to the green room. There were drinks and snacks and comfy chairs.
They put a radio mic on me. Had me tape a couple of things. Then George came in and I tried to talk comfortable-like, but I couldn't, because it's hard to talk comfortable-like when you are scared that you have red lipstick on your teeth so you try to talk with out opening your lips very wide.
After he left I thought, oh dear, this does not bode well.
One of the producers came in and said they were almost ready, would I care to have their make-up lady take a quick peek at me?
Yes please. I was led down the hall. Introduced to her, the name flew out of my head, because all I could think was, please let there be time for her to remove this lipstick. I sat down in her chair and glanced in the mirror. I was going to do a discreet grimace to see if my teeth were coated with red, my teeth were fine, but to my horror, I noticed that not only had I gotten that red red lipstick on my knuckles, but I had also smeared it my face as well! A smear of red from the right side of my lips up my cheek and also a downward smear towards my chin!
I was so lucky she was there! I was so lucky she was able to work fast, removed the lipstick, the smears and put a nice neutral colour of lip gloss in it's place!
She finished the switch and then they rushed me off onto the set to wait behind the curtains. Me, blessing the makeup woman who saved the day, a million times in my heart.
I could hear George talking, the audience laughing. There was someone in the audience who said they were from Victoria which made me happy to hear, in my little spot behind the curtains. Like it was a good omen. A friendly hello from home.
And then it was my turn to go out and I did. And I was so happy to be there, to see George, to not be wearing that bright red lipstick smeared all over my face, to have received such a lovely present from such a good funny friend. All of that happiness and giddy relief topped with the school's-out-feeling of having wrapped Season 2 of Bomb Girls, to be proud of the work, of getting through 12 episodes intact. More than intact, still loving everyone, still loving the experience. And then knowing that after finishing George's show, that I was done with the publicity part as it was my last interview. That after this was done my son and I were going to fly out at the crack of dawn to join my husband, to nestle in with family, Christmas and cooking. All of those things added up to…
Um… A rather silly, exuberant…
Okay, maybe even… um… well…possibly weird appearance on the George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight show.
So, I don't know when it's going to be on. If it's going to be on. But if they do air it, and if you do accidentally happen to watch it. That's what happened. And, no, I wasn't on drugs. I'm never on drugs. It was a combination of things along with the fun that is George that spiralled out into some kind of I-don't-know-what. And no matter how they cut it, there is no way in hell I'm going to come off as dignified, or as one of Toronto's intelligentsia.
Posted by megtilly on Tuesday, January 01, 2013 in Chewing the Fat
little rusty
Hi Everyone,
It's been awhile. Feel kind of unsure, like I'm not sure I remember how to blog.
It's probably best if we dispense with the formality. You won't expect my usual style of blog and I won't have to figure out how to write it. Will just write-scatter-shot and maybe something will stick, interest me. Otherwise, this will be a brief hello to break the ice and maybe a longer cozier blog will appear in the near future.
The other day on the Bomb Girls set, I was between scenes, so I popped into the craft service truck. It's not like I was hungry or anything. I just like wandering in every now and then to feel like part of the action. It's one of the cozy places to hang out, something to do when I get tired of being holed up in my trailer, running lines, memorizing new ones, going over the scripts, adding new scenes, deleting others, crossing off the completed ones.
On this particular day, it was drizzling, not enough to warrant an umbrella, but there was a chill to the air, the wind kicking up. I trotted up the metal stairs, still marvelling at the fact that I am back on a set. Acting in a show of all things. I really thought that phase of my life was over.
Jeff was at the rear of the truck cooking up some delicious concoction. Julia must have been out, wending her way through the set with a large platter of something tasty in her hands, the crew, the actors, gathering around like she's Santa Claus at a parade handing out free candy canes.
There were a couple other people in the truck, I can't remember who. The place is never empty, we are always grazing there, ladling ourselves some homemade soup or a sandwich or sneaking a few candies from the plastic bin above the toaster.
What I do remember is Jeff saying, "I stood at the end of a rainbow yesterday."
"You what?" I asked. I'd heard him fine, but everyone knows that it is impossible to stand at the end of a rainbow because it is an optical illusion. I personally have tried to capture the end of a rainbow with no success. Especially when I was young because that pot of gold would have come in handy. But every time I'd get to where I thought it was, the rainbow would have moved on.
"I stood at the end of a rainbow," he said with a quiet happiness radiating out from his face. He pulled out his iPhone and pulled up the picture. "See," he said. "Here is the rainbow. And it continued on here. It was a complete rainbow. And when I saw that it landed right there…" he pointed at the photo with his finger. "In front of those trees…I could see the trees behind it. So I pulled to the side of the road, hopped out of my truck and ran over. I stepped right into that rainbow. It was only for a few moments and then the rainbow moved on, into the stand of trees."
"What was it like?" I asked
"It was all sparkly," he said, the expression on his face, suddenly that of a little boy, all fresh and new. "Sparkly light all around me."
And I knew he was telling the truth.
"Yep," he said. "I stood at the end of a rainbow."
"Wow…" I didn't know what else to say, didn't have the words. Wished I had been there so I could have jumped out of the truck and stood in that sparkly light at the end of the rainbow. "Wow…that's cool."
Then I got myself a banana and went back to my trailer to eat it. Eat it and contemplate, digest this new startling revelation. That is actually was possible.
And now, here at home, telling you about it, I think, hey, if he could stand in the end of a rainbow, right in it… then maybe if he hadn't been so dazzled by the sparkly light maybe, if he'd taken a quick look around him, he would have seen a leprechaun too! You never know. Now that would have been super cool!
Posted by megtilly on Thursday, October 18, 2012 in Chewing the Fat
Last weekend, I didn't have one, since I was working like a dog on the copy edits of A Taste of Heaven…
BUT this weekend is TOTALLY making up for it! I have been gifted the luxury of a four day weekend, thanks to the clever and resourceful scheduling of the Bomb Girls AD department. I am VERY grateful!
Yesterday, was my vacation day. I read a book, ate chocolate covered malt balls. Made some popcorn with lots of salt and butter to counter balance the sweet. Lolled around in my pj until dinnertime when Don and I made a last minute change and instead of cooking, went out for Chinese food. Otherwise, I would have lazed around in flannel pj until it was time to go to bed. There is something about wearing pj all day that feels so indulgent. Even when one starts to feel a little grimy, like maybe it's time to take a shower and get out of those pj, even then, it's nice, because there is the choice. So it really doesn't matter at that point whether I stay in my pj or not.
What matters is that I have a choice. I'm not expected anywhere. Don't have to go to work. Nobodies is waiting for me. The only reason I would have to get out of my pajamas is if I decided I wanted to.
The funny thing is, I don't wear pj to bed. Not since the kids left home. I thrash around a lot in my sleep and pj's can tend to get twisted up and be quite uncomfortable. I save my floppy large non-constricting flannel pajamas for times like this. Vacation at home days, or when I'm sick and stumbling around the house making a pot of chicken soup or tea. Or, when I come home after a hard day and want to put on something comfy, for that in between time after dinner but before sleep. Or sometimes, before dinner, if it is a wet and gloomy day and one wants to get the feeling of hibernating, tucking in, nesting down to a cozy evening of food, conversation and a hand of cards or a book.
Hmm… didn't expect to blog about this. That yesterday was a vacation day, was going to be one sentence, and then perhaps I would delve into more exciting topics like all the work I managed to do today, the fact that I actually exercised, went to the bank, did errands, was up at six in the morning working on the Bomb Girls block 3 scripts.
But no. I blathered on about my pj indulgence.
Oh well.
Posted by megtilly on Saturday, September 22, 2012 in Chewing the Fat
It's been awhile. Have a million excuses. But I doubt you care to hear them anymore than I care to type them.
Just sent the new edit of my middle grade novel off. It's a light giddy feeling. Didn't know if I was going to be able to manage. Seemed overwhelming to have to piggy-back the shooting block two of Bomb Girls and memorizing block three with trying to squeeze in the time to implement another slew of edit suggestions from my editor, Lynne, at Penguin. I thought I'd be scrambling until the very last minute…
But no! Ha…ha! I conquered that mountain. Not only did I manage to get it done, but I finished it well before the deadline. I can't tell you how triumphant I feel!
I'm going to take the rest the day off and hang with husband and my son, Will. Cook something tasty, maybe go to a movie, read a short story or two. Candy of course. I'm going to eat some candy to celebrate whether I feel like it or not, and blue berries too. Lots of blue berries! Life is good.
Posted by megtilly on Saturday, August 18, 2012 in Chewing the Fat
Leo happiness
It's going to be a quick blog, we are in the middle of a move, an endless mountain of work awaits me, but I couldn't let another day go by without thanking everyone for all of their warm wishes and congratulations about the Leo award. A special thanks to the very talented Ali Liebert who graciously accepted it on my behalf at the Leo awards ceremony in Vancouver. I wanted to attend but as all of my blog-regulars know, I'm romping around the stage at the Tarragon theatre in The Real World?
I can't believe we only have six more shows to go! Amazing how time is zooming past.
One of my happiest moments is when I come off stage towards the end of the play, after giving my/Madeline-2's husband (the talented Cliff Saunders) what-for. I'm done now, can release my character's challenges, heartaches. I come off, Cara's already there, having finished before me. I find my way to the props table. It's dark back there, especially after coming off from all the lights blaring down on the stage. I get a tissue, blow my nose and wipe my eyes, because it was hard what I/Madeline had to do. Then I use the hand sanitizer, because after I do that, I huddle on the stairs, me and Cara (my daughter in the play) in the dark and it's tradition now that we hug. A one-armed hug, me bending down so my head doesn't bang the banister, Cara reaching up from her spot on the chair. Both of us, still shaken from what we've just gone through, but happy too. To be sitting side by side in the dark. To be done. Another show under our belt.
And we sit there in the dark, listening to Cliff tear the place apart on stage. And then he comes thundering out, his suitcase in his hand, his hat on his head, he comes out like a freight train, full of rage and sorrow. Once he's out of view of the audience, his pace slows. He places the suitcase down carefully, so as not to make a sound, because Matthew and Tony are on stage. Cliff hangs his hat on a hook, and I get up from my seat on the stairs and we hug. Hug solid. His character, Alex 2, totally gone. How he does it is kind of a marvel, he rounds the bend and he's Cliff again, no trace of Alex 2. It's as if the character is an old shoe he slips off his foot and flips into the air. It generally takes me a few minutes, but Cliff, he's a pro.
It's a good hug. And then he turns to Cara, who is standing now, and they hug too. He doesn't hug before the show, doesn't get close, just whispers, "good show" as he slips past in the dark to the other side of the stage, the rumble/roar of the waiting audience preparing itself for a night at the theatre. He has to play a guy who is pretty mean to the two of us. And I think, at the end of the night, it's a relief for Cliff to be able to be nice again. To know that whatever happens on stage, stays on the stage and we love him and know that Alex 2 and the things he does and says, are just a character he's playing.
And we listen to Tony and Matthew, still in the throes of it. Us, backstage giddy, hearts light, but pulling for them too. Wanting it to be good, to finish strong, for their characters to complete their journey…
Oh jeeze…Just realized I went off on a tangent. This is supposed to be a short blog to thank all the Leo well-wishers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Got to go now. I have SO much to do. We've mostly unloaded the first batch of stuff from the condo, but tomorrow, bright and early, the movers come with all our belongings from the Victoria house. It is going to be a mother-load! There is no way it will all fit.
So, not only will there be the work of unpacking for the next few days, but the challenge of having to part with some belongings that are quite beloved to me.
I hope we are up to the task.
Posted by megtilly on Monday, May 28, 2012 in Chewing the Fat
Monday Magazine
Many thanks to Monday Magazine and all the readers who wrote in and voted, bestowing me with the lovely, favourite performer title. Very sweet.
Also, my thanks to the Monte Carlo International TV Fest for the Golden Nymph nomination for Bomb Girls. I know lust is considered one of the seven deadly sins, so I am really trying to contain myself, but my goodness that Golden Nymph is one of the prettiest awards I have ever seen. It's like a piece of art. A beautiful woman sitting on the ground, her feet tucked to the side, glancing over her shoulder, braids wrapped around her head.
Hey, I just looked it up and apparently, the Golden Nymph statuettes are copies of the "Salmacis" Nymph by the Monegasque sculptor Francios-Joeph Bosio (1768-1845), the original of which is on show at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
No wonder I thought it looked like a beautiful piece of art.
Okay, well, I suppose I better trundle off to bed. It's it's 4:20 AM and I've got a matinee today. Hopefully sleep will decide to grace me with a visit.
Sweet dreams everybody. xo
Posted by megtilly on Saturday, April 28, 2012 in Chewing the Fat
Matthew Edison…take two
Matthew plays my son in The Real World? Or more accurately, I play his mother.
Wait. That isn't accurate at all. I'm not his real mother. I'm the one he wrote.
Sometimes, I flatter myself though, tell myself, I am his real mother. His true mother. The one that loves him unconditionally. That is so proud and grateful that he wrote this play, gave me words, life. I am the truth. His truth.
That's what I tell myself.
But am I? That's up for discussion. A discussion I don't need to take part of. People can have their opinions. They might differ from mine. And they might or might not be right.
So, I feel very proud of him, Claude, Madeline's son, but it doesn't stop there. The pride slides over, reality and the acting world melding. I feel so proud of Matthew for his brilliant acting, how he becomes Claude so well, understands him, his longings so deeply. When he, as the character, finally confronts his father, says the things that need to be said. I feel proud of him, for the words his character wrote for me, that he saw what I and Madeline 1 had hid away for years.
It's weird, because Matthew didn't write this play. Michael Tremblay did. And yet, I feel a swell of pride in my chest when I watch the other scenes and see what he has crafted.
And when the play is done and we are taking our bows, Jane and I meet up centre stage and bow and it's cozy standing next to her, the two of us, bowing together. And then Matthew, my character's son comes out of the wings, walk towards us, and the play is over, but still that mother/son connection is still there. And my heart swells with that motherly pride of what a good job he did, and I watch him stride towards us, standing tall, all of us happy we did a good show that people are clapping and cheering. And I'm so proud of him. And he bows and I bow too, because he's the bow leader, we take our cue off of him.
Um… well… Okay, it isn't supposed to go like that.
Matthew is suppose to get a bow by himself! And then we're all suppose to bow together. But there I am, bobbing like a monkey. Me and Matthew, taking Matthew's bow! Sheesh! And to make matters worse, I'm not even aware that I'm doing it! Last night I came off stage SO pleased with myself, doing a happy dance. "I did it!" I crowed happily. "I finally got the bow right!"
"Um…No, Meg… You didn't," said Cara, laughter in her voice.
At first I thought she was kidding me, but then Cliff weighed in. "You bowed on Matthew's bow again."
"No…" My eyes darting back and forth between them, my brain so confused. "I didn't. Did I?"
Yes. I had.
Matthew was lovely. Very gracious. He thought it was funny. Told me to Etch-a-sketch it. But I was horrified. I don't want him to think I'm always going to muscle in on his bow.
I got up early today. I am making him a batch of brownies. I am hoping, praying that I can somehow manage not to make a complete ass of myself again in the curtain calls tonight.
Posted by megtilly on Friday, April 27, 2012 in Chewing the Fat
Matthew Edison
We have had our third preview. The audiences have been lovely. It's funny how no two audience are the same, every night, the show, their reactions, are different.
And then the next day, we all troop back to the theatre to rehearse some more, Richard, all of us, tweaking, refining, adding something new, soothing out a bump and so forth. Then dinner break, me, not able to eat much, the nerves starting. Not bad nerves, just there, making the stomach not able to appreciate the food like it usually does.
Then back to the theatre to get ready, preparing our makeup, our hair, a gradual process of slipping inside our characters. I get in Madeline 2's body and her clothes last, because after the show starts, we can't run water or flush the toilets because the pipes running can be heard right over the stage. There are certain parts of the upstairs where you can't walk as well, because the floors are old and they creak.
I go downstairs around 10 minutes before the show starts and sit, collect my thoughts, slip into Maddo 2 more fully. I was going to say in quiet, because it feels that way, I'm tucked in a dark corner by her fridge, a little light bleeding around the corner of the exit to the kitchen from the stage. But it's isn't quiet, the happy cacophony of a full house fills the air, people talking, laughing, settling into their seats in anticipation of an evening at the theatre. Emilie, with her earphones on, making sure everything is ready, in it's place, always, always, there, ready. Don't know how she and Miranda do so much, stay so calm. They are like magic elves that somehow everywhere and invisible all at once. Solid and steady.
So it isn't quiet, but it is too, sort of like a quiet house with the wind roaring outside, but inside, things are getting more still, more focused.
And then everyone else comes down, Cliff Saunder's who plays my husband always whispers, "Good show," in a hopeful, encouraging way. Tony Nappo blows me a kiss and I blow him one. Jane and I touch aprons…
Wait. I am WAY off topic! I wasn't writing a blog today to talk about all of this. I wanted to tell you something else.
I'm going to start over.
Posted by megtilly on Friday, April 27, 2012 in Chewing the Fat
I said I'd let you know how yesterday went…
Um…not well.
But today is a new day and I've got a day off. And I'm going to take a break from Madeline 2.
I had chocolate for breakfast to start the day right. Then I put on a load of laundry, went to the market and bought a bunch of fresh fruit, plums, apples, oranges, bananas. I bought some buttermilk too. Was planning to tuck in on this rainy day and make some delicious homemade banana bread and then smear it with slabs of butter when it came out of the oven, piping hot.
But then Jane Spidell (Madeline 1 and a brilliant-multi-Dora-award-toting-actress to book ) invited me over for dinner, bless her generous heart. I'm telling you, if you have a sad day, there is no shoulder more solid, more caring, to have a good weep on, than Jane's.
But today? No more weeping for me! I've got a fridge full of food, tasty chocolate in my drawer and the promise of a wonderful cozy evening.
Life is good.
Posted by megtilly on Monday, April 23, 2012 in Chewing the Fat
Better now
Okay, just worked up a sweat raging around the living room for a couple of hours. Think, hope, pray that I've made a breakthrough, worked out some of the kinks in that scene. We'll see. Gotta hop in the shower, make my lunch and then it's off to work.
Will let you know how it goes.
Posted by megtilly on Sunday, April 22, 2012 in Chewing the Fat


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Your Jeep - October 2013Posted in How To: Tech Qa on September 18, 2013
Low, Low, Low Range for a Flattie
I'm looking like crazy and can't seem to find anyone who has regeared a Spicer 18 T-case. I want to go as low as I can with my low range in my '46 CJ-2A. I think someone told me 3.8:1 is about it for super-low Spicer 18 gears. I was wondering if you knew anyone that may have done this or if you might have a lead on parts I can get my hands on. I'm hoping to regear my spare T-case and just swap it out for my current one.
Mike Gardner
Via facebook
I have a friend who has been running the TeraLow gears in his Dana 20 for a while. I think these are basically the same gears for a Spicer 18...if not, they appear to have a 3.15:1 kit for Spicer 18s (www.teraflex.biz/low18-overdrive.html).You are running the L-head right? If so, you could also look for a T-98 out of a CJ-5 that had the F-head. The T-98 is a predecessor to the T-18 four-speed manual and has a super-low granny First gear. T-98s for those early four-cylinders are very rare used, but do exist and with the stock bellhousing and can bolt to the back of an L-head. Herm the Overdrive Guy from ATV Manufacturing (hermtheoverdriveguy.com) is now selling a T-98 conversion kit that replaces the T-90 behind early Jeep four-cylinders with a T-98. The kit has a fully rebuilt T-98 transmission, adapters, and is designed to use most of the clutch parts and linkage from your T-90. The kit also includes parts to mount the transmission to your stock crossmember. The price of the conversion is $1650 without a core charge.
The Hungry YJ axle
I've been having an ongoing problem with my '93 YJ. The front axle on the driver side eats axle seals all the time. I've replaced the seal, the axle and then the seal, and then the seal again. Now I want to know what to do next. I've been told that the bearings are out, the axle is bent, the housing is bent, and so on. The next trick I was told to try is to put the inner seal in and an Atlas outer seal in. Is this the best thing to do? I don't want to get stranded, or having to crawl under to add fluid at every stop, or cause others to stop more for just me. I know where there is a CJ-5 and a CJ-7 sitting, a V-6 and V-8 model. Would either of these axles be worth a swap. Otherwise what axle would make a good swap? I live in Wisconsin where axles, motors and transmissions or transfer cases are easy to find. I've seen Jeeps with 30,000 miles be rusted beyond use. Any help would be great.
Jim Steppe
Via email
Jim, It sounds to me like your axle is bent, and replacement might be the easiest option for you. Unfortunately an axle from a CJ won't work because the differential is on the other side of the Jeep (the transfer case in a CJ has a passenger-side front output on the T-case verses driver side as on your YJ). Also the bolt pattern of a CJ is different from your YJ. You'd have to swap T-cases and rework the exhaust to get the CJ parts to fit on the YJ and do something about the bolt pattern. And the only slight benefit you'd get would be locking hubs. Also the CJ-5 probably has drum brakes. Here are a few other options in increasing difficulty. If you are going for ease of replacement with no customization (welding and assembling custom parts) then you are stuck with using a stock replacement axle from a YJ. I'd look for an axle out of a '95 YJ and make sure it has the same gearing as your current axle. Just get one from one of your local junkyards. These later YJ axles have slightly stronger axle U-joints.
If you are up to the task of a little fabrication you could build a replacement axle from a '95-'98 Cherokee. Look for one that is a high-pinion that does not have the center axle disconnect (Most from those years should not have it). Cut the Cherokee axle brackets off and get some axle spring perches from Mountain Off Road Enterprises (PN 98102). Use these to install the non-CAD High-Pinion Dana 30 under your YJ. I basically did this in Project Ground-Up and it has worked well for about a year now.
Another alternative would be to track down a Dana 44 from an '80-'82 Jeep Wagoneer. This axle will be a little bit stronger than a Dana 30. It also will also accept selectable locking hubs, has large rebuildable wheel bearings, large brakes (that were used on 1⁄2 ton GM trucks), and can be geared lower than a high-pinion Dana 30. You'd probably have to rebuild the axle, get new brake lines, have your driveshaft shortened, and have the axle regeared. Most of these axles have really tall (numerically low) gearing that probably won't match your Jeep or be desirable for a lifted Jeep with larger tires. Also, this axle will have a 6-on-5 1⁄2 bolt pattern, which is different than a stock YJ (which would have a 5-on-41⁄2 bolt pattern). This means that you will need new wheels and either a set of rear bolt pattern adapters or a six-lug rear axle. Your last option to greatly increase strength, but is expensive and requires lots of customization, is to track down a Ford Dana 60 front axle. This is way overkill and should only be considered if you are gonna run big tires like 37s or larger. You could also get a new replacement axle from a company like Currie, Dynatrac, or G2 that should bolt pretty easily into your YJ. This will give you all new parts that are easy to install, but will cost more than assembling junkyard parts and then fixing them up to work for you. Hope this helps steer you in the right direction.
Overdrive Option
I have a '79 CJ-5 with a 258 I-6, T-150 transmission and a Dana 20. I spend a lot of time driving on the interstate as well as back roads and I like to play in some mud. I was wondering what modifications and parts would I need to put an AX15 in my Jeep, or is there a better option?
Via email
I take it you are looking to bring down the RPMs on the highway? If so, the addition of a transmission with an overdrive like an AX15 or NV3550 is hypothetically possible while retaining your 258 and Dana 20. So, the parts necessary for this swap, with the use of a newer bellhousing and a transmission to transfer case adapter (from Advance Adapters www.advanceadapters.com or Novak Conversions www.novak-adapt.com), exist, but the issue for you is gonna end up being one of length and angularity of your rear driveshaft. Both the NV3550 and AX15 are about 6 or 7 inches longer than a T-150, so that means your T-case will be pushed back that far. So your rear driveshaft length and slope would be what determines if this swap is possible or impossible. The real problem is that a CJ-5 is pretty short. It's possible that this swap could work if you could push the engine forward without the fan eating the radiator, or the rear axle backwards without the diff cover sharing space with the gas tank. Neither of those modifications will necessarily be simple, and they still may not provide the space necessary for a functional rear driveshaft with one of these five-speeds. Unfortunately, the best way to determine if this swap is possible for your Jeep involves some math and geometry. This geometric exercise depends on the slope of your transmission, the pinion angle of your rear axle, and a few different lengths. You will have to take measurements off your Jeep with the current transmission placement, and do some math, to see how long your rear driveshaft would be with the added length of the five-speed and if the angles of the rear driveshaft would allow enough travel for practical usage. To beef up for this test of geometric skill we recommend looking at the technical literature supplied to us by our friends at Tom Wood's Custom Drive Shafts (check www.4xshaft.com/tech_slopesVSangles.html). Once you have the measurements and angles…er, slopes, the folks at Tom Wood's Custom Drive Shafts can help you determine if you have space for this swap. They can also build you a front and rear driveshaft that will be necessary if you can fit the five-speed tranny into your CJ.
There are a few other options for dropping highway RPMs. Look for a CJ-6 or CJ-7, both of which have more wheelbase and thus more space for transmissions and driveshafts. You could also go to taller tires (which will drop your highway RPMs), or you could go to numerically lower axle gears. These last two options will make your Jeep feel less peppy on-road, but may be much simpler than undertaking a swap like this in a short Jeep.
Extended-Range '61 Tuxedo Park?
I just bought a '61 Willys CJ-5. I think it's a Tuxedo Park. It has the regular fuel tank under the driver seat. It also has a later model tank under the rear with a skidplate. Was that an option at the time? I didn't think so, but it looks very factory.
Via email
Pete, I'd be willing to bet that someone added an extra stock gas tank under the rear of your '61 from a later model CJ-5. That would explain why it looks factory (because it is, only for a later Jeep). Either way that's a pretty sweet setup. Our '56 Ground-Up has a custom mounted tank behind the rear axle, but we have contemplated adding an under seat tank for extended range. It's a nice place to carry 10 extra gallons of fuel, nice and low, near the Jeep's center of gravity. Our pal, Mike, added an under-seat tank to his '75 CJ-5 that came from the factory with the tank out back, so plenty of others have added one or the other tank to their CJ-5s over the years.
Winch Bumper Sag
I am planning on lifting my '95 Grand Cherokee about 2 inches with a budget boost type spacer lift. I am also debating on adding a winch bumper and winch. The added weight would be about 75 pounds for the winch and 90 pounds for the bumper. Do I need to do anything special to the front springs to help support the extra weight, or will it be okay?
Bryon Connor
Via email
Adding the winch and bumper will cause the front springs to sag a little with or without the spacer pucks. It's worth having the winch there if you ever need it. You could try to track down some 2- to 3-inch front coils and put them up front only and add the spacer puck to the rear of your Jeep. That may help level out your Jeep when you add the winch and bumper. Another option would be to try to figure out if your Jeep has the up-country package with slightly taller springs. If it doesn't, you could try to track a pair of front up-country ZJ springs. This will mean your Jeep will be lifted by the 13⁄4-inch to 2 inches from the spacer puck plus the 1⁄2-inch from the up-country springs. All things considered, 90 pounds is not terribly heavy for a steel winch bumper, so sagging may be minimal.
TJ: Auto vs. Manual…Again
I'm looking into buying my first Wrangler, most likely a TJ. I'm wrestling with the question of auto versus stick. I've been on a bunch of forums and all I see is opinions. I want to know if one would perform better if I'm in water half way up my doors. Can you offer some pros and cons or direct me to a forum or YouTube channel that already goes over those kinds of questions? I've had enough reading that "autos are better on the road" and "I'll never give up my stick because it's awesome."
Via email
Well Mathew, I can direct you to a few Jp articles that may help you wade through all the opinions on this very opinionated question. Check out "Manual vs. Auto Jeep Transmission," (May '11) or "Your Jeep: Manuel or Otto," (Aug. '12). Basically, the correct answer to this question can't be answered without knowing more about what your future Jeep is and what you plan on doing with it. That's because there are a few situations where a stick might out-perform an auto or vice-versa. Also, TJs came from the factory with at least five different manual transmissions and at least three different automatic transmissions. Not surprisingly, these different transmissions have different pros and cons, so the decision is gonna be different for a 4.0L '97 TJ than for a 2.4L '06 TJ. If all you wanted to do with your TJ was ford half-way-up-the-door deep water, either an auto or manual could be built to handle this, and both could fail as a result of this usage. But I'd say that in the short term a manual would be more robust in dealing with a little water in the system. Auto transmissions generally don't like water, and they won't function well with the slightest amount of water leakage. At the same time, if water gets into a manual it may keep working, but eventually if the water is not removed bearings are gonna rust and the transmission is gonna be damaged. Now, something tells me that water fording is not the only thing you are gonna be doing with your Jeep. I honestly feel that with a few exceptions, a person is best off with the type of transmission they are most comfortable with. If you like autos, get an auto; they function well off-road. If you like a manual, get one; they work well off-road, too. Otherwise, arguments can be made for both autos and manual transmissions out-performing the other in various driving scenarios. Again, this almost always boils down to nothing but stinky opinions.
A YJ in CJ Clothing
I have an '86 CJ-7 with a bad tub, and I have been told that a YJ tub will fit. If it does, will CJ fenders, hood, and windshield frame bolt up or not?
Bill Skala
Buchanan, MI
Yes, a YJ tub will interchange with a CJ-7 tub. It is arguably a better component because all except the '87s are plated with rust-preventing zinc from the factory, and they have the stronger door openings of later CJ-7s. Also, you have to use the CJ grille and hood together, as the YJ grille won't match the lines of the CJ-7 hood, and the CJ-7 grille won't fit the YJ hood. To see CJ parts bolted onto a YJ tub and modified to fit a YJ frame, check out "Turn Your YJ Into a CJ - Nose Job," (May '09). We would also suggest keeping the YJ windshield. While the CJ windshield will bolt up, the wipers on the YJ are way better. You'll just need to open the holes for defrost with a Dremel or die grinder. You will also need to move body mounts because the YJ body mounts won't match the CJ frame. Depending on if the YJ tub is auto or stick and if your CJ is an auto or stick, the floor openings and block-off plates are different and might need modifications. Also, (and this does not apply to you, but may to some CJ owners), the earlier CJ-7s have roll bars that mount to the wheel tubs, and those Jeeps will require some more hole drilling to reuse their existing early CJ-7 rollbar.
Write Us!
Got a tech question you're just itching to get answered? Send it on in to Jp Magazine, Your Jeep, 831 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, CA 90245, or e-mail it to firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Clinique Superbalanced Silk Makeup Foundation
Slip on a silk-enriched makeup. Feel naked, yet covered to perfection. Control oil, yet hydrate where needed. Protect with SPF. Oil-free.
- Ultra-fluid, silky makeup controls oil, yet hydrates where needed
- Real silk allows this formula to blend gently and evenly into skin
- Sheer to moderate coverage with a natural-matte finish
- Dry Combination to Oily Skin Types
- Allergy tested, dermatologist tested
- 100% fragrance free
- Non-acnegenic
- Sweat and humidty resistant; water resistant


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CHIPPENHAM'S Yan Klukowski is delighted that years of hard work – both on these shores and across the pond – have culminated in him realising his dream of breaking in to the Football League.
Klukowski, 27, who grew up in the town, brought a successful four-year spell with Conference Premier Forest Green Rovers to an end as he signed a two-year deal at League Two Newport County last month.
Goalscoring midfielder Klukowski, who played for clubs in America before trialling with League sides in this country, admits he can't afford to rest on his laurels ahead of the most important pre-season of his career.
But he is still on cloud nine after signing for Newport, then flying to Antigua to marry sweetheart Sian within a matter of days.
"It was the best two weeks of my life – I signed for Newport, flew off to get married four or five days later and then had my honeymoon," he said.
"I've always wanted to make it to the Football League and it's something that I've been trying to do since I got back from the US.
"I've had four great years at Forest Green and they offered me a really good deal to stay towards the end of the season but it was something that I always wanted to do and at 27, I thought it might be my last chance.
"My agent worked really hard and there were three or four clubs that were interested but when I spoke to the Newport manager (former Tottenham Hotspur defender Justin Edinburgh) and heard his plans and where he'd like to play me, I was really impressed.
"I'm going in to a settled dressing room, full of players that have won promotions recently. It's a club on the up and it's also close enough that I can stay living in Chippenham.
The former Sheldon School pupil, who played for Wiltshire U18s and the England Schoolboys, started his career at Bath City before featuring for Ottawa Fury and Cape Cod Crusaders while on a scholarship at Central Connecticut State University.
Klukowski went full-time with the Western Mass Pioneers before returning to sign for Forest Green in 2010.
He is Rovers' all-time leading goalscorer in the Conference with 49 goals and previously had trials with the likes of Swindon Town and Carlisle United.
Klukowski, who also had two brief stints with Chippenham Town, said: "It would be nice to prove a few people wrong.
"Maybe if I scored against some of the clubs that said 'no' to me, I culd do a little muted celebration. That would be nice."
FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, REPORTS & PICTURES SEE THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @gazsport


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Red Bull Rolls Out Flavor Extensions
Energy drinks continue to steal market share from other beverage categories sold within the convenience store channel, with innovation driving category growth. In fact, Chicago-based market research firm Mintel projects the category to grow 86 percent during the next five years, turning it into an $11.9 billion category in the U.S.
Red Bull, the Austrian brand responsible for the energy drink phenomenon, continues to lead the category globally and is a primary investor in its growth. To show this commitment to the business, the company is rolling out its first-ever flavor extensions. Red Bull Editions flavors come in red, silver and blue cans, and provide the same energy and functional benefits of the original, but with the taste of sweet cranberry, fresh lime and fruity blueberry, respectively.
Launching nationally in March, the 7-Eleven chain negotiated an early distribution deal with Red Bull, and began selling the new fruity flavors in November. "Red Bull is one of 7-Eleven's top-sellers and we are the largest U.S. retailer of Red Bull," says Jesus Delgado-Jenkins, 7-Eleven executive vice president of merchandising, marketing and logistics. "As our guests look to refresh and refuel morning, noon and night, enthusiastic Red Bull fans can get their first taste of these new flavors only at our stores."
7-Eleven is pricing Red Bull Editions in line with Red Bull Energy Drink, Red Bull Sugarfree and Red Bull Total Zero, which is $1.99 to $2.25 per 8.4-oz. can.


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Gary Griggs needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 50 designs submitted by 20 freelance designers.
North County Collective
We are a medical marijuana dispensary that needs a logo.
Medical marijuana patients
Marijuana leaf with medical symbol (Caduceus) with "North County Collective" as the main business name, and try to get "Patient Association" as a subtitle. If you can incorporate our tags "Heal" "Educate" "Enlighten" even better!
See Lake Forest Community Collective logo to get an idea of what direction we're looking for... or surprise us!
Vector format like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.
If the winning designer is a qualified patient, and local, come on in for your special gift!
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Open Studio Wednesday Mornings with Deanna Pastel
Wednesdays, September 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th,10-2p
This is an ongoing opportunity now offered at Creative Side to keep you practicing your jewelry skills and techniques.
Practice your craft alongside amazing metalsmith and jewelry maker Deanna Pastel. Work on your projects and custom design ideas with help soldering, setting stones and troubleshooting issues. Finish out pieces that need final touches and learn amazing tricks in fabrication, soldering, riveting, finishing techniques and much more! Immerse yourself in the studio and keep learning and growing with other metalsmiths in this fun, self-guided class.
$55 to Drop in or Purchase a Class Punch Card and save! Punch cards can be purchased by calling 512-799-0731.
4 Sessions - $185
8 Sessions - $350
12 Sessions - $485
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This is the second in a series of three posts on the digital exhibitions I worked on this spring. If you need to, you can jump back to part one. Part three is up, too.
In April, I gave an update on our Academic Commons in which I referred coyly to a senior project on which I was a technical consultant, and now that it's up and live, I can talk about it a bit less obliquely. (Yale tends to interpret FERPA fairly conservatively, and until it was clear that the student, Charlotte Parker, was going to finish the project and make it publicly visible, I wanted to maintain her anonymity.)
Humanities students don't tend to execute digital projects at Yale, especially not for their senior projects. Certainly, they engage in digital scholarship in a consuming sense by reading primary or secondary sources in technology-mediated ways, engaging in online research, or taking in digital media. In some ways, they are producers as well, but generally only in that baseline way we take for granted, that is by typing their essay on a computer. They may even submit their essays for assessment electronically, but my suspicion is that most will (by requirement or choice) at least backstop that submission with a paper copy.
So it was with real excitement that we accepted a request to work with Charlotte Parker '13 on her senior project for the American Studies major. Charlotte was strongly influenced in her life by family friends who had connections to the Spanish Civil War and to America writers involved in it, and had been working at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library for some time. These factors joined together in an idea for an online exhibit of Beinecke material related to American writers' search for a way to write the truth(s) that they saw on the ground in Spain as well as related to writing truth in general. As such, Charlotte would have to engage in curation and analysis of a collection of materials and to engage with technological opportunities and restrictions for making her work publicly available.
Our first encounter with Charlotte came as a request for an Academic Commons site and I saw no reason to recapitulate her process of selecting a project environment, so WordPress was our site of investigation. Part of the reason for selecting our Academic Commons as the exhibit tool was that the Beinecke would like to see more student exhibits using their collections (as would many of us), and the existing infrastructure was the easiest slope. As it worked out, it was also a thoroughly appropriate tool, since Charlotte's focus in her project was going to be less on establishing a metadata-rich repository than on presenting critical writing alongside selected objects. (In the third of this series I'll relate an investigation into an alternate tool representing the metadata-rich branch of possibility.)
In a couple project meetings, Charlotte and I decided that she would play in an Academic Commons site with the knowledge that I could undo anything she needed undone and that she would do some legwork to figure out how she wanted to theme her site. Fortunately, she was participating in a HackYale course on website UX and bootstrapped her research and learning there. As with Academic Commons for the software, there was an intellectual infrastructure present and growing that meant we could focus in the project work on the questions of scholarship and technological implementation. Naturally, this meant also that we didn't take the opportunity to walk through a critical examination of the technology qua technology and discuss how the choices being made affected the argument. For this reason alone, the next time we consult on an independent student project I will do my best to have at least one meeting of everyone significantly involved. No Yale student should graduate without critically examining technology at some point.
An interesting aspect of the project was my indirect partnership with Nancy Kuhl (about whom more in a subsequent post) at the Beinecke, who was Charlotte's work supervisor as well as a mentor for the Beinecke-based research. We never had a team meeting for the project, something that might have been beneficial to Charlotte and something I will agitate for the next time we work similarly with a senior project. At least at some level, I think it would also have benefitted her advisor, me, and Nancy to sit however briefly around a table and have Charlotte walk through the project timeline with us. She was very well organized, as far as I could tell, but even so there was some of the usual flurry of activity hard upon the project submission deadline that would be nice to avoid. (Then again, I tell all students I encounter that a dirty little secret of the work world is that projects are not planned and executed substantially better than college-level projects.)


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6/27 Don't count us out
Silva was on a team in 2006 with the Twins that was 14 games back at the All-Star break and on the last day of the season, made the playoffs. I saw the Twins do it a couple years ago when they caught Detroit and played that extra game and ended up beating them. I saw the Phillies come back from seven games out with 17 games to go and they caught the Mets. Lou's done it. They were 14 games out and wanted to dismantle the Yankees and they ended up winning the World Series.
When you have a good team, you can't count that team out at all. You see how everybody and every team has been playing us — they play us tough. There's a reason. They know how good we are. We have to start believing that and get back to that feeling of knowing how good we are and having that swagger on the field. A 9 1/2-game lead, 8 1/2-game lead, 10-game lead can turn around quick. I believe we can get that down within five games by the All-Star break, we'll be where we need to be. The second half, like everyone says, it's 0-0 again.
— Marlon
12 Comments
Thank you for believing in your team the way your fans do!
i really agree with byrd, this team is really good once they come together as a team, today at the sox game i saw, what should have been done and i told my dad today, im not going to count the cubs out even if they get swept today, i still believe for the 2010 cubs. im 16 and i know good teams when i see them and i know the cubs have it in them this year, once they figure out the problem with zambrano they will get that (swagg) back in them.
go cubs go
Chris C
I am hoping Z's outburst has brought some fire back into the team. I know Byrd has been playing with fire all season, but that can not be said for many people on the team. I have been a fan for 32 years, and I have seen the Cubs play great and not so great. However, seeing them play with such a lack of passion was really getting hard. Many times the camera shows Piniella in the dugout and it looks like he is sleeping or meditating. He is almost always sitting in the background. ———
I know it seems everyone is mad at Z, but I am not. I have been yelling at the T.V. just like Z yelled in the dugout on Friday. The only thing is I've been yelling like that for months. The team can say it was the 15 minute meeting that brought some life back into the team, but I really believe it was Z. Even they have to admit is was Z, because without his outburst there would not have been a meeting. I hope they don't punish Z too harshly for expressing his frustrations. I don't think they were just frustrations over the 1st inning of that game, but frustrations over the entire 1st half of this season. At the beginning the bullpen was the weak link so he took one for the team and went to the bullpen–don't forget that. Also don't punish him by 'putting him in the bullpen.' That is an insult to the bullpen pitchers like Marshall. He is one of the best pitchers on the team and he is in the bullpen. He could be a starter, but we NEED his left arm in the pen. Let Z play where he can do the most good for the team, bullpen or starter doesn't matter as long as it will help the team. ———-
And if anyone doesn't get a little angry and frustrated at the 1st half of the season and lack of passion then I don't see how they can call themselves a die hard Cubs fan.
To be completely honest Marlon i wasn't feeling too hopeful about the rest of this year. But with an attitude like yours i now have all faith that you guys can pull it together for the rest of this year. I hope the rest of the guys have the same attitude.
I am a little tired of this team Marlon. However, I look forward to your bats and love your hussle.
If your teammates start producing like you, we would be unstoppable.
Hi Marlon!
We had a great time in Seattle watching you guys play. We were close to the action out in center field on Wednesday. You're not going to believe this, but Sean Marshall threw a ball to my brother-in-law Andy during batting practice! Don't worry, my brother-in-law Andy made sure to yell out a loud "Thanks Sean" in appreciation. It was awesome.
Day two didn't go quite as well, but that was the game you WON! We dropped the ladies and kids off at the gates right at game time (we would have been early but traffice was HORRIBLE). They we went to park and had to park a mile and a half away. My brother-in-law Andy and I didn't get into the part until the middle of the 4th. My dad didn't get in until the 7th. It was THAT bad! Thanks for going to extras and thanks for the W. My son had a great time and he's 1-0 now at Cubs games!
Well, yesterday wast he big day. We had our showdown with Trinity. The unfortunate thing was that their team has been depleted by injuries. We were able to win in convincing fashion. We were fortunate enough to have both Bubba AND David so we were hitting hard and running FAST. I know you haven't met these guys, but both David and Bubba are faster than YOU! That's not to say it wouldn't have been great to have you there, but I know you were busy knocking the White Sox around.
Then, in game 2, we played West Linn and my brother-in-law's wife Tara played second base. Maybe I should call her my wife's sister…I guess I really should call her my sister-in-law Tara. Anyway, she had never played infield and she started a ground ball double play on her first try! You wouldn't have believed she had never played second before. Trust me.
Well, Marlon, my brother-in-law Andy has kind of thrown in the towel on the post season and I am reading your optimism above, but I have to agree with him. It's just not that exciting right now. How can Tyler Colvin, a part-time player until Steve Stone finally set the record straight, be tied for the team lead in home runs? I hope for the best, but I fear the worst. That World Cup stuff is pretty rad and Cup is a lot like Cub. My son's flag in kindergarten this year was Argentina, so we are Argentines now that the US is out. Go world!
just do your thing Marlon
Hey Marlon!
I just want to let you know how much Cubs fans appreciate your positive attitude and constant hustle. You always come to the game ready to play, and that means so much to us.
Thank you thank you thank you…and GO CUBBIES!!
Marlon: Great having you as a cub, you're the true definition of all-around ballplayer. I hope you can land on a competitive team sooner or later.
Keithman: WTF?
Ahh, those hopeful Cubs… it's fun to hear this over and over. My blog is all about the Cardinals so of course stuff that happens to the Cubs are noted because they're the Cardinals rivals. I feel sorry for anyone who plays for them, and it was the team that basically killed Nomar lol.
Visit my blog for Cardinals posts and around MLB each night.
iklnwocps on June 27, 2011 they arent as good as the originals, the timing and rods voice isnt as good.
You are a fantastic ball player. I appreciate how you give your all on every play. I also really enjoy reading your blog. It is always on point, and concentrates on the issues the team is having. Unfortunately I cannot agree with you in this respect. The team this year is done, and I think most of the team knows it, Lou knows it, and the fans know it. The players got no heart. Most of them to me it seems don't care a whole lot. They go out, make an error, go 0-4, collect their paycheck, and then go home. It's brutal to watch. If there were more players that cared I think a turn around would be possible, but there isn't. Keep up the good work on the field Marlon, and thanks for the blog. I will continue to read it.


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More nations will participate in NATO's Chicago Summit than ever before. This Sunday and Monday, almost 60 nations, including over 30 NATO partners, will come together in Chicago. With the help of many of these partners, the Alliance will define an important milestone in its operation in Afghanistan, and consider how to address future security challenges together.
You probably know that NATO has 28 Allies who are bound to collective defense. What you might not know is that over 40 other countries work with NATO on a broad array of issues from counter-piracy, to energy security, counter-terrorism, promoting the role of women in peace and security, and more. These countries are not members of the Alliance, but have decided to work with NATO to promote international peace and security, including by working side by side in operations in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and last year, in Libya. We create and operate Trust Funds together, we share information, and do much more. NATO cooperates with partners who share our common goals and a common understanding of 21st century security requirements. Some of these countries -- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Georgia -- aspire to become members.
NATO partners truly span the globe. From Bahrain to Australia and Jordan to Japan, NATO has become a global hub for security cooperation. Partners help us face the reality of a changing world that is more interlinked than ever and address new threats. With our partners, NATO is stronger and better able to of contribute to peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic region and beyond.
For more information on the Summit, please see the Department of State's 2012 NATO Summit website.
Related Content: Why NATO Matters to U.S. Security | NATO -- Chicago and Beyond | LiveAtState -- Upcoming NATO Summit in Chicago | The Chicago Summit and U.S. Policy


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When my aunt died several years ago, we all believed it was cancer. This was not heard directly from her, but through a series of relatives. Whenever I would ask, "What kind of cancer did she have?" there would be a pause, a look of confusion, and an abrupt change of subject. No more information was provided -- not a single detail more than was absolutely necessary. It was cancer, we were told, and the impression was that it should never be mentioned. No details of her treatment were given. The quality of her health care was never discussed.
In my family, illness was never specific. To discuss the intimate details of one's suffering was taboo. And to discuss the intricate realities of one's condition was rare. We had a kind of Christian sensibility of not burdening others with our problems. There was a virtue attached to suffering in silence.
Because we never really knew what was going on with each other, we could only guess or gossip. Sometimes we would use the truth like a weapon, in angry outbursts. As in a lot of families, myths and half-truths were more pervasive than facts. We developed notions about each other that later hardened into stories.
The one thing that families share, no matter their race, class, or culture, is that they hold secrets and hide their shame. Stigma fuels that secrecy and gives form, shape, and direction to the shame.
I would later discover that it was a hospital nurse who spoke the words my aunt could not bear to utter. Another aunt was with her until the very end. And as she left her room for the last time, this nurse followed her and stopped her in her tracks. "Your sister ..." she said, "It wasn't cancer. It was AIDS."
A Complex Picture
AIDS among African Americans does not lend itself to a single explanation, narrative, or understanding. As we look at it deeply, we see a vast array of forces, largely social, that sustain the picture. As for the facts, the statistics reflect what many of us have witnessed in our own lives.
Black communities make up 14% of the U.S. population, but account for nearly half of the new HIV infections in this country and nearly half of people living with HIV. If we take a closer look, the picture becomes even more vivid. Black men who have sex with men (MSM) bear the heaviest burden. They account for more than half of new infections among all young MSM and experience more new infections than any other group (race/ethnicity, age, or sex).
Gender also provides perspective on how HIV acts along the lines of social marginalization. Though the number of new HIV infections among heterosexuals has dropped (due in part to a reduction in infections among black women), black women continue to be far more affected than women of other races. As a group, they account for nearly two-thirds of all new infections among women.
Cultural competence in health care settings is also very important. Stereotypes and assumptions made about African Americans, and African American women in particular, can influence how they are treated by clinical staff. This can prevent them from being more actively involved in their health care. The ability of black women with HIV to navigate health care settings is also affected by the other realities they face: isolation, economic distress, family responsibilities, and the fear of losing social standing if their HIV status is discovered.
Injection drug users (IDUs) make up 8% of new HIV infections and 16% of people currently living with HIV. Once again, African Americans account for the greatest number of new infections in this group. The highest percentage of new infections in the transgender community is also among blacks, and in New York City, from 2005 to 2009, 90% of transgender people newly diagnosed with HIV were black or Latino. Being stigmatized and bearing the brunt of severe and pervasive structural violence increased the vulnerability of transgender women to HIV.
Access to Health Care
HIV does not affect every African American in the same way. But the picture of HIV among African Americans illustrates the importance of access to health care very clearly. Addressing the problems that create obstacles to health care and that lead to a reduction in health outcomes is crucial.
An examination of health care can shed some light on the issue. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 19% of African Americans in the U.S. are uninsured, or nearly one in five. Moreover, 31% of Latinos are uninsured, as are 17% of Asians/Pacific Islanders. The Affordable Care Act (also known as "Obamacare") would significantly expand insurance coverage for people of color and reduce disparities in access. This is critical, since the majority of uninsured people of color have incomes in the range that would make them eligible for the ACA's Medicaid expansion or for tax credits for coverage under the exchanges.
Medicaid expansion is a core element of the ACA. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 53% of uninsured blacks who will be eligible for the expanded program live in eight states: Florida, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, and California. In these states, African Americans have a higher risk of being uninsured, which perpetuates the racial differences in health care access and health outcomes.
But according to The New York Times, "More than half of all people without health insurance live in states that are not planning to expand Medicaid. People in those states who have incomes from the poverty level up to four times that amount ($11,490 to $45,960 a year for an individual) can get federal tax credits to subsidize the purchase of private health insurance. But many people below the poverty line will be unable to get tax credits, Medicaid or other help with health insurance."
|Medicaid Expansion by State
Economic Distress
Lack of financial resources can be a severe challenge when compounded by significant health issues like HIV. Economic distress can create a barrier to HIV prevention and treatment for African Americans due to housing instability, joblessness, lack of transportation, and food insecurity. It affects how choices are ranked and prioritized.
This is particularly true in HIV prevention, where decision-making is far from simple or rational. Sexual decisions aren't made in the same way you choose a restaurant or movie. There are several forces that influence sexual decision-making, and economic realities are among the most powerful. This is also the case for adherence to treatment regimens. Economic insecurity hinders the ability to maintain the routines and rituals that make things like taking medication regularly possible. Stability helps ensure routine, and poverty destroys stability.


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your_friend_brian needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 22 designs submitted by 13 freelance designers.
Need a logo for my website goinghalves.com.
At this website (hopefully to be launched in a couple of months), people meet each other to partner together to purchase products ("go halves") and save money.
- The website name is "GoingHalves"...and that should be in the logo.
- The tagline is "share stuff, save $". That can be included or excluded in the logo itself.
- Would like the logo to be multi-color and fun! Ebay is a good example.
- No rainbows
- Not too formal or stuffy
- Not an image of something being cut in half
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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About 5 kilometers west of the cultural capital of Goa'- Margao, lies the charming Homestay. The Dabolim airport, Goa's only airport is hardly a 30- minute drive from here. The vivacious host of this homestay is Maria Vaz. After having worked in the Middle East for nearly two decades, Maria returned to her hometown in South Goa. The Old-Goa Portuguese style bungalow that Maria and her husband Antonia built for themselves is furnished with teak-wood interiors built-in wardrobes and four-poster beds. The Portuguese styled roofing with a high ceiling ensures natural ventilation and lets in plenty of the sea breeze. The homestay offers 3 air-conditioned and 2 non air-conditioned rooms for the guests. Along with comes a large living room, a dining room with patio, a large courtyard and a bar.Read more
CheersBye © 2019


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Arnolds Diner, responsive gallery website.
Responsive Website development
Interactive Menu Gallery
Enquiry / Contact form
Anthony JohnsonJohnson Ross Tackle
Overall Rating
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Rachel Giacopazzi Green Energy UK
"Green Energy have built a strong relationship with Smart Inc. They fully understand and support our commitment to create a more secure and sustainable future by supplying our varied operational print requirements on recycled materials."


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International Students
The University of Louisville is proud to serve as the academic base
for students from more than 25 countries around the world. Our online
degree programs allow these and other students to complete world-class degree programs without ever entering a traditional classroom.
Information and resources for international students are available through the links listed below.
Admission requirements for international students
The directions below are specific to international students who will complete an academic program from their home country and will not enter the United States. International students do not need a U.S. visa to enroll in an online degree program as there are no on-campus requirements and the programs can be completed from outside the U.S. If you plan to enter the U.S. for coursework or for graduation, visit the undergraduate or graduate admission's website for a list of specific requirements for visiting the U.S.
International students should submit all documentation by the following priority application deadlines:
- Fall Semester (begins late August) - April 1 deadline
- Spring Semester (begins early January) - November 1 deadline
- Summer Term(s) (three short terms in May, June and July) - March 1 deadline
To see minimum standards for admission (i.e., required grade point average and test scores), visit the web site of your degree program.
Apply for admission
You can find a link to the application from the website of your degree program. You will pay an application fee as part of the online application ($50 for undergraduate applications, $60 for graduate applications).
Undergraduate Applicants
In addition to the requirements for undergraduate admission listed on the Apply Now page of each program's website, undergraduate applicants must have all transcripts reviewed by either the World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credentials Evaluators (ECE) in order to submit a "course-by-course evaluation" to Undergraduate Admissions. An application for evaluation and a list of services and fees is available on their websites: www.WES.org or www.ECE.org.
Graduate Applicants
In addition to the requirements for graduate admission listed on the Apply Now page of each program's website, applicants must submit the specific documents required by the academic department for international students as listed below.
Applicants to these programs must have all their transcripts reviewed by either the World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credentials Evaluators (ECE) in order to submit a "course-by-course evaluation" to Graduate Admissions. An application for evaluation and a list of services and fees is available on their websites: www.WES.org or www.ECE.org.
- Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration
- Master of Science in Human Resources and Organization Development
- Master of Science in Criminal Justice
- Master of Education in Special Education
Applicants to these programs who have transcripts that are not in English must submit a verbatim English translation with each official transcript.
- Master of Engineering in Engineering Management
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
- Master of Science in Computer Engineering and Computer Science
All Applicants
All applicants students for whom English is not their primary language must show English language proficiency by successfully completing one of the following:
- TOEFL examination: www.toefl.org
- Minimum scores: 550 on the paper-based TOEFL, 213 on the computer-based TOEFL or 79-80 on the internet-based TOEFL
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination:
- Minimum score: 6.5
- International students who have earned a degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S. are not required to complete the TOEFL or IELTS.
Visa Holders (Campus Students)
If you are a non-immigrant F or J visa holder, no more than the equivalent of one class, or three credits per semester, may be counted toward full time enrollment if taken in an online course or other form of distance education course that does not require your physical attendance for classes, examination or other purposes integral to completion of the class.
If you are an F-1 visa holder and your course of study is a language program, no online or distance education classes may be considered to count toward classroom hours or credit.
If you are in your last semester of study and only one course is needed to complete the program, it cannot be an online or other form of distance education course."
All academic credentials should be mailed directly to the respective admissions offices:
Undergraduate Applicants:
Graduate Applicants:


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Addons: Useful PowerAuras
So, I spent hours after raid the other night looking for information on how to use/make/create some PowerAuras. I've never been the type to want to learn too much about addons. I want to install it and have it just work. Sadly, unless someone else out there posted the exports I couldn't be bothered to try to figure out how to use PowerAuras to its maximum potential. Many people in my guild have been using PowerAuras for a long time, but I am really really lazy, and I really really didn't want to have to try to understand some of the menus.
This is intimidating. Yes, if you look only at each individual thing it makes all sorts of sense. But imagine you've got 20 minutes before raids and you just installed this addon, and you saw all of this nonsense what would you do? Yeah, I yelped a little bit, closed the window and didn't look at it again until after a google search yielded me some Resto Druid auras. I stumbled across a blog entry with a handful of really good ones.*
So, after some attempts at Heroic Maloriak I figured I needed to make an aura that would get my attention if I was standing in the Dark Sludge. I needed something more than the DBM warning, which for my UI, seems to get lost in a lot of battle text. Although after some browsing around on the internet I couldn't find anything that actually worked.
I am not a fan of having to learn insane stuff in order to get a handful of useful bits. Over time I have grown to be extremely dependent on some of my PowerAuras. But I needed some new ones. In particular I needed to know when Nature's Grace was proc'ing while I was in Boomkin spec. Because I was wasting that proc by not casting like a mad woman and I was getting awfully tired of my mediocre deeps when most of my healing gear should have shows better numbers on that stupid Raid Training Dummy.
So here's what I came up with for Nature's Grace. The timer is a little offset from center (which annoyed the crap out of me) at the time when I took the screencap, so I fixed it and I'm fairly certain that the import code has the timer center to the icon.
Nature's Grace Proc (with timer)
Version:4.16; b:0.2549; g:0.3804; icon:Spell_Nature_NaturesBlessing; buffname:Nature's Grace; r:0; x:297; texture:101; alpha:0.91; size:0.56; y:-314; timer.b:0.2549; timer.g:0.3804; timer.h:1.28; timer.Texture:Original; timer.enabled:true; timer.r:0; timer.cents:false; timer.y:-330; timer.x:298; timer.UseOwnColor:true
Next up are my some of my notification auras. The next four PowerAuras I snagged from another site (which I cannot find for my life, so if these were yours, please tell me and I will gladly credit you). First up is the 80% mana notification. This is good for DPS and Healing as a druid because it lets me maximize the Innervate cooldown. In Boomkin spec, this is less necessary as the switching between the eclipses generates a large portion of mana and often will bring me up over the 80% mark, however as a healer I like to know this. This first PowerAura stays up any time you mana pool goes under 80%. So it won't work if you have problems with things on your screen. But here it is anyway, for those interested.
Also included in this screencap though is the Clearcasting PowerAura (the green inner circle with tiny timer on the lower left). Back when Blizzard first introduced their version of powerauras, I couldn't figure out what the hell was going on. What each of the flashy things meant didn't make sense to me. So I went with this because it was obvious and made perfect sense. It fit with everything else I had going on with my other PowerAuras. I have thus since turned off my default Blizzard Auras because they're distracting and I've adjusted to using my own.
80% Mana (blue)
Version:4.16; g:0.5373; icon:inv_alchemy_elixir_02; r:0.5843; begin:3; bufftype:9; texture:7; alpha:1; threshold:80; wowtex:true; combat:true; size:1.25; y:-12
Clearcasting (green)
Version:4.16; b:0; icon:Spell_Shadow_ManaBurn; buffname:Clearcasting; r:0.051; begin:1; texture:7; alpha:1; symetrie:1; wowtex:true; size:0.95; y:-12; finish:0; timer.Texture:Original; timer.enabled:true; timer.cents:false; timer.Relative:BOTTOMLEFT
There is an additional PowerAura to notify me when I'm at 25% mana. This works in conjunction with the 80% Mana aura in that it fills out the empty spaces. This is a good time for me to beg for Hymn or a Mana Tide totem if my Innervate is down (or I had to use my Innervate on someone else, yielding me a pittance of mana).
25% Mana
Version:4.16; g:0.5373; icon:inv_alchemy_elixir_02; r:0.5843; begin:3; bufftype:9; texture:7; alpha:1; symetrie:1; threshold:25; wowtex:true; combat:true; size:1.25; y:-12
The last PowerAura that I found to be hugely beneficial to being a Resto Druid was the Lifebloom one. This one is even more important now that they made the T11 4-piece set bonus a necessity for resto druids. Um, 540 spirit?? Yes please! Since they took away the ability to put Lifebloom on multiple targets (when not in treeform) this is necessary to make sure you get those stacks up on a tank, yourself, a DPS, whoever. Because lemme tell you, this had made a world of difference for mana regen while in combat. This is up if you have less than 3 stacks of Lifebloom out on any target. x
Lifebloom (under 3 stacks)
Version:4.16; b:0.5843; icon:INV_Misc_Herb_Felblossom; buffname:Lifebloom; r:0; stacks:3; texture:15; alpha:0.97; isResting:0; GTFO:2; groupOrSelf:true; combat:true; size:0.3; y:317; inverse:true
And lastly, since I turned off the default PowerAuras from Blizzard, I created one for when Shooting Stars procs. I made it so it looks just like the default except that it changes colors (I wanted to change things up a little bit and have some fun). No screenshot for this one, since it looks exactly the same.
Shooting Stars
Version:4.16; g:0.9216; icon:Ability_Mage_ArcaneBarrage; buffname:Shooting Stars; r:0.9725; x:17; texture:186; alpha:1; size:0.95; randomcolor:true; y:366
In the end, after all of my frustration and all of the lost blankly staring at my screen, I was able to figure it out. Maybe I'll write up a Noob-tastic How-to. If nothing else, at least these might help someone else out (even if you're not a druid).
* I spent about an hour trying to find the original druid blog that posted the auras, but I couldn't find it. If it's yours, just leave a comment and I will gladly give you credit.