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Career Building Employment
How to Ask Your Employer for a Pay Raise?4:56 PM
Why your salary doesn't increase as it should be? Expert says, most of the time companies won't increase your wage if you don't ...
Why your salary doesn't increase as it should be? Expert says, most of the time companies won't increase your wage if you don't request for it.
And when it comes time to ask for raising pays, you have many doubts. Know the strategy to handle the situation. Let's learn how to ask for a raise when you are underpaid.
1. TrainingFind out what are your company's criteria for pay increases. Who did it successfully and who offered it to them. Look for the reason why other employees get the wage raise.
- Write down all the arguments you can have in your favor. Another trick is to try to involve a friend in the process. Seek for a person to write "devil's advocate" answers that try to pull down your arguments.
- Simulate an interview with that friend in which he plays the role of human resources manager (and you as a candidate for a salary increase).
- If possible, record the video interview and watch: Are you nervous? Do you look convincing? Surely you say some phrase with hesitation: write it down. Some people do this with a simple pocket recorder. If it helps, we will tell you that good salespeople implement this system frequently. They call it "Theater of sale"; And you are selling yourself, aren't you?
2. Preparation
- Find out what are the average salaries has in the sector based on the companies geographical location.
- Find out about the salaries paid to the company. Ideally, you have some contact with it (union representatives often have this kind of information and can provide it to you).
- Be prepared not to say "agree." Remember that in most cases the employer has a margin of negotiation.
- Do not say at first what amount of money you want to win.
- Make a coherent list of all the reasons that justify that you increase the salary (production, profits contributed to the company, innovations, savings that you have obtained for the company, etc.).
- Make sure the employee evaluation standards in the company where you work. It is easier to negotiate keeping in mind the company's evaluation systems than taking out your sleeve systems. If the company evaluates the employees for the benefits they report to the business, no matter how diligent and careful you have been over the past years, it will not do any good.
- During the negotiation always use real examples. Don't walk in the branches or argue. It raises the increase as one more step in your career and not as a claim.
- Do not use blackmail in vain. Say, if you do not raise the salary, you will leave the company. Do it! Otherwise, your prestige will be at ground level. [Put another way, do not use that argument if you do not have your backs covered with another solid offer.]
- Never give personal reasons to request such a raise. That will devalue your work.


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I have sold a property at 2950 Millgrove ST in VICTORIA.
Solid 50's home just steps to the Gorge waterway. Listed $35,000. below assessed value. One owner for 62 years. New paint inside and out, Gleaming Oak floors, coved ceilings, full basement ripe for development. Lots of room to park RV, boat, etc. Great neighbours. A wonderful opportunity and excellent value. Please remove shoes as floors have just been refinished.

subset: commoncrawl


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Breakfast time
In the spring of 2013, the kindergarten hosted a family outing at he ping park 和平公园 to fly kites.
Some early arrivers took the time for breakfast, which in Yichang often mean noodles.
The activities started with line dancing and various calithetics that the parents could do along with the children.
I managed to capture a lot of precious shots as everyone was so wrapped up in having fun, snacking, and bonding that it didnt matter much that few kites got off the ground.


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"Adolescent Les" to be portrayed by Holden Goyette
FauxMeme Productions is pleased to announce Holden Goyette in the role of "Adolescent Les."
Holden Goyette
Holden Goyette, who plays "Adolescent Les," is an 11 year old actor from Portland Oregon.
Holden began his acting career at the age of five. With over 40 acting credits in theater, television, and film, he has worked for Dreamworks and the Hallmark Channel, and also done commercial work for Intel, Lego, and Toys R Us, to name a few.
Holden has starred in many feature and short films as well, including the award-winning short Snake Bite and the feature film Zilla and Zoe (2018). Holden also took the leading role in Paste Magazine's video of the year winner Feel Like Running, directed by Jon Garcia.
Most recently, Holden accepted his first television role joining the cast of SyFy's original series Z Nation last season as the character "5K."
Interestingly, Losing Addison marks the second time Holden has played the younger version of a character portrayed by Adam Elliott Davis; in 2016's Out of the Darkness both actors played protagonist "Eli Isaacson."


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I've been learning alot of good lessons lately about how to do this thing called 'life'. Working hard and resting well. Finding a healthy rhythm to living. Loving the person in front of me. Being present. But if I could sum up the aspirations for the rest of my existence, in one word... I hope to be 'VITAL'. I hope to be vital to my very last bushy-tailed breath!
My Life
MY 'KID LIFE' CRISIS - Discovering how to act my age
I turned 35 today. I guess birthdays are a good time to celebrate and reflect. Looking back over the last 12 months I would say I have been experiencing a kind of 'kid life' crisis. It's like standing at the threshold of the next version of myself, not knowing what that version is meant to look like. In the last year I.....joined a gym (and consequently found my collar bones again), realised most of my friends are between 5-15 years younger than me, got a fake tan and went clubbing, bought skinny jeans and converse shoes, and invested in expensive eye cream. But I also... got SUPER excited about getting a proper grown up watch and about systemising my plastic containers drawer, was the crazy parent on the sidelines of every one of my kids school events, dreamt more about sleeping than I actually slept, dished out relationship advice, parenting advice, endless dinners, hugs and band aids.
The big questions is, 'How do I value the impact of 35 years on a body and mind, while still holding fast to a youthful heart?' My hope for 2017 is to OWN my age! Not to be a 35 trying to be 25, or a 35 resigned to acting 45. But to be a bold and beautiful 35, living a vibrantly mature life.
Scrunch each of those toes...
feel every minuscule grain of sand.
The warm, salty wind blows;
time whips through each hand.
The sun will keep count…
leave another freckled kiss.
For each trial to surmount,
there will be a taste of bliss.
So let that long hair down.
Close those hope filled, heavy eyes.
Waves crash…retreat; hear each sound.
Let only the imagination comprise.
- Amanda Martinez
FREE workshop for Perth Mums in Business 'Blogging for Search Engine Optimisation'
If you are a mum in business (like me) and are keen to help people find you on Google, then I reckon you should come along with me to this FREE workshop! I've been to another one of these, and it was well worth the time!
For our February workshop we are excited to deliver some practical advice and tips on blogging. In this time we will also work on writing an actual blog for your business!
We'll be looking at a range of characteristics of effective blogging as well as making sure you optimise your blogging from a SEO (search engine optimisation) perspective.
Follow this link for more details and to register.
STILL LlFE...
I love how photos are still. They take away the sound, the distractions that surround and let you contemplate the beauty in a person. To notice how they have changed, how precious they are. This is my eldest, my Eden Rose. How beautiful she is.
Finding the woman he married...
Joshua and I have been married ten years today! After 3650 sunsets, 20 overseas trips, 4 renovations, 1 relocation and 4 children, he is still the amazing man I married. A little older, a little kinder, a little less hair and a lot more wisdom. He is like good red wine, gaining depth and quality with the passing of time.
But what about me? Four pregnancies later, I have given alot of time to worrying about how my shape has changed, but I think the better question at this nostalgic moment in life is, have I maintained my quality? Am I still interested in the world, invested in my husbands dreams, fascinated by new ideas, eager to learn, expressive in what I wear, opinionated? Do I remember how to have fun, do I know what floats my boat, do I laugh? Am I a secure partner and an inspirational mother?
Reading it on paper, it sounds so self-centred, but...... my husband fell in love with a woman, a beautiful, bossy, crazy, compassionate woman, and if she gets lost along the way, then we all lose. So I'm going to rally myself today... I'm gonna shave my legs, put on the red lipstick, reject the nanna undies and boldly be the me he married!
It's the little things...
One of my favourite moments from our trip to Medan, Indonesia earlier this month...This little boy from Living Waters orphanage, was enthusiastically watching my husband (who is a cabinet maker) and the team, building computer desks as part of a project by Loving On Indo which is creating IT labs (including 135 computers) in local kindergartens, a drug rehab, and a primary and secondary school. I love the moment when he realised he could help! I think we all love those moments. When we can find our place in something bigger than ourselves!!!
A Good Father
So here's to the modern day heroes... the foundations of our society and the fathers of our families. The noble and the gentle men, who battle traffic and tedium, emotions and exhaustion, bills and bank balances, mowers and wheelie bins, tantrums and tickles, to raise our children in safety and in love. There is a song that's going around and it says it all, 'You're a good good Father, that's who you are...and I'm loved by you, that's who I am'. Thank you mighty men, and faithful fathers, we are so incredibly grateful for you.
My Sonshine
If you are wondering why there has been a lull in activity on the blog, allow me to introduce you to my fourth little bundle of joy... Zyah Stephen Pretorius! He arrived 2 weeks early, weighing in at nearly 10 pounds. We are all delighted he has arrived, but judging by some of the photos, he is not so sure!
Angry Birds & Cheezels
One of my favourite things is the impromptu family times we get, when my hubby gets home from work early. Doesn't take much to make sweet memories, just a packet of cheezels and a busy pond.
Five tips for Fantastic Family Photos...Fast.
The context: It was a busy Saturday morning, and my second daughter Calli Lou was about to go on her first big girl date with Daddy! The house was in chaos, I had a whinging baby attached to my hip and my 4 year old was singing Frozen so loudly I'm sure they could hear it in the Arctic. But I REALLY wanted to capture this precious moment. So I took 5 minutes out.
Here are five tips if you want to get fantastic family photos (in a rush):
And I know it's corny, but have fun as you do it. The photos ALWAYS turn out better if you enjoy yourself. xxx Anna


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Taurine is considered a non-essential amino acid. The body uses essential and nonessential amino acids to build proteins in the body. A non-essential amino acid means the body can make these amino acids, but essential amino acids have to come from the diet.
Does taurine comes from bull semen?
Many people believe that taurine in energy drinks may come from bull semen, but this is not true. Taurine was first originally isolated from the digestive tract of a bull, but it can now be made synthetically.
Taurine can be made from the essential amino acid cysteine (1). Taurine is also found in food like meats, fish and breast milk (2).
Therefore, people eating meats or fish will get taurine in their diet. If not, their body should be able to make taurine without a problem.
According to Mayo Clinic (3), taurine is necessary for neurological tissue, may have an antioxidant role and can help balance the water and mineral level in the blood.
Because of these functions, taurine is concentrated in the brain, heart and blood cells. It is also abundantly found in muscles.
Taurine can be a supplement for athletic performance or recommended for certain medical conditions.
Before taking any supplement, speak with your healthcare team. Taurine may be beneficial for some health conditions, and can be considered safe at a moderate dose for healthy adults.
However, not all research has shown a positive role for supplementing with taurine. Also, there is no research looking at long term supplementation, especially at high doses, and safety.
Taurine and exercise
A 2009 study (4) with rats concluded that administering taurine during exercise in rats reduced muscle fatigue.
Other research studies have also shown a benefit with taurine supplementation and exercise performance. However, authors from a 2011 study (5) suggest the mechanism for any benefit of taurine and exercise is not completely understood.
A 2013 study (6) concluded taurine supplementation may decrease muscle damage during exercise which may be one reason for why taurine may be advantageous for sports performance.
While there are a few studies, mostly in rats, suggesting taurine supplementation may have beneficial role for exercise, WebMD (7) suggests there is insufficient evidence for taurine benefiting exercise performance.
Taurine and heart health
A proposed benefit of taurine may be for improving heart health. There is some evidence to suggest supplementing with taurine may help with congestive heart failure.
Some research has shown taking 2-3 grams of taurine at a time for 2-3 times per day may improve heart function in people with congestive heart failure.
This finding was found in participants who took taurine for 6-8 weeks, and the benefit may continue longer if taurine is taken.
Before taking taurine though, speak with your health care provider. Taurine may interfere with some medications and should not be used in place of medications or medical advice.
Taurine and liver function
Webmd also suggests taurine may be possibly beneficial for liver function. There is some evidence to suggest taking taurine may improve liver function in people who have hepatitis.
If a healthy adult takes taurine, will it benefit their liver function? Probably not, but more research is needed.
What is taurine in energy drinks like Red Bull?
Taurine can be a popular ingredient in energy drinks or supplements focused on mental function.
One of taurine roles in the body is to help neurological tissue, and taurine is concentrated in nerve tissue.
However, will getting extra taurine really help your brain?
More research is needed on the effects of taurine and mental health. However, some research has shown when taurine is taken in conjunction with caffeine and B vitamins (like from Red Bull® or other energy drinks), it may help attention.
However, Web MD still concludes there is insufficient evidence that taurine has an effect on memory or mental health.
Where does the taurine come from in energy drinks?
Taurine is found in animals and human intestines as well as muscles. Taurine used in most supplemental products, like energy drinks, are made synthetically in labs.
There was concern that taurine in energy drinks may come from bull semen, but according to Snopes.com (8), these claims are false.
Taurine was first originally isolated from the digestive tract of a bull, but it can now be made synthetically.
Remember you can get taurine naturally in the diet and your body can make taurine. Therefore, supplementation is not necessary.
Recommended levels of taurine
There isn't a firm upper tolerable limit for taurine, especially from food. However, as with any supplement, be wary of getting too much of one nutrient.
Mayo Clinic (9) suggests around 3,000 mg of taurine per day is safe for most healthy people.
Also, keep in mind not much is known about supplementing taurine long term.
Taking taurine may be contraindicated for some medications or medical conditions, so always consult with a healthcare professional before taking taurine supplement.
Taurine is an amino acid, a building block for protein. Specifically, taurine is mainly used for muscle cells, nerve tissue and in the blood.
Like all amino acids, it has multiple functions in the body. It comes from food such as animal meats and fish. It can also be made in a laboratory for supplemental products.
Taurine is safe to consume from foods and may be safe from supplements, up to 3,000 mg per day for short periods of time.
Taking higher doses may be helpful for some medical conditions, but it should be taken under medical guidance. Taurine may be beneficial for heart and liver function.
Supplements with taurine could have numerous health claims, but remember there is limited research with health benefits and taurine.
More research is needed for further clarification on supplemental taurine and how it effects overall health.
Some, but not all, research has suggested there may be a way taurine lowers muscle fatigue.


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(Reuters) - TransCanada Corp has asked the U.S. government to suspend its review of the $8 billion Keystone XL pipeline project that would bring heavy oil from Alberta to U.S. refineries.
If granted by the U.S. State Department, the delay would almost certainly hand the decision for the long-delayed project to a future president rather than Barack Obama, a Democrat.
Below are key facts and issues surrounding the project that has drawn opposition from environmental groups.
The 1,179-mile (1,900-km) Keystone XL pipeline would move 830,000 barrels per day of oil sands crude from Hardisty, Alberta, across the U.S. border to Steele City, Nebraska, where it would connect with a previously approved line.
The $8 billion project is backed by TransCanada, Canada's No. 2 pipeline company, but requires a Presidential Certificate from the Obama administration to allow the line to cross the border.
TransCanada first applied for that needed U.S. approval for the Keystone XL in 2008.
Refiners on the Gulf Coast want the line to supply the heavy oil they need and supplant uncertain supplies from Mexico and Venezuela. Canadian oil sands producers want to tap the world's largest refining market for their oil and boost the price they get for their crude.
Environmentalists have made pipelines, and Keystone XL in particular, the proxy for their battle against exploiting Alberta's oil sands, where, they say, production techniques emit massive amounts of carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.
Republican leaders have said approving the long-delayed project was a top priority when they gained control of the Senate.
The U.S. State Department has yet to grant approval for the pipeline and many industry analysts expect President Barack Obama to veto the project, after he questioned how beneficial it will be for the United States.
Obama has said he was skeptical of TransCanada's claims about the number of jobs the project would create and said he was concerned that oil extraction from Canada's oil sands was "extraordinarily dirty".
In September, Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton broke her silence on the issue and said she opposed it.
Most Republican candidates have said they want the pipeline built.
Opposition in Nebraska has been one of several major hurdles facing the Keystone XL project.
The line's route through Nebraska has been the subject of a court case in the state over whether former Governor Dave Heineman was entitled to approve the route.
A Nebraska Supreme Court decision in January this year ruled in support of the pipeline, but a number of Nebraskan landowners filed suits against TransCanada alleging the project violated the state's constitution.
In September, Transcanada changed tack and applied for approval through the Nebraska Public Service Commission.
Reporting by Josephine Mason; Additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici in Washington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker


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The slice and insert technique is easy to learn and creates unlimited design possibilities. By starting with pieces of fabric and slicing and inserting strips, a design begins to appear. Altering the width and angle of the strips and wedges creates even more intricate possibilities, as does varying the degree of contrast between the fabrics. Through the creation of three different pillow tops, I will be teaching techniques for slicing and inserting strips and matching seams. You'll also experiment with partial inserts, floating inserts, pointed inserts with diagonal joins and wedge shaped inserts. They are all fun to play with and you'll start to see more and more possibilities as you learn each method. Mastering these techniques will allow you to create your own blocks and designs, as well as to create your own "fabric."This class is a great foundational class and is recommended if you are interested in attending the Shattered Quilt class being offered this summer.
Teacher: Rebecca Lamont
Level: All Levels
Fee: $25
This is a 3.0 hour class offered at the following time:
- May 21, 2016 at 10:00am - 1:00pm


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New West Symphony "Northern Lights" Concert March 2-3 in Thousand Oaks, Oxnard/
Northern Lights
Sir Edward Elgar's Cello Concerto was his final major work. Written in 1919 at the end of World War I, the Concerto was Elgar's lament for a lost world following the devastation of the war. Julie Albers, principal cello of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, makes her New West Symphony debut with this most eloquent and passionate work. The 1st Symphony of Jean Sibelius was an immediate success following its premiere in 1900. Full of sweeping melodic invention, rhythmic vitality and imbued with the aura of his Finnish homeland, the symphony launched Sibelius's career on the international stage.
Performances at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at 7:30pm and the Oxnard Performing Arts Center on Sunday, March 3, 2019 at 3pm. Buy tickets at www.newwestsymphony.org/cvg.
Andrew Constantine, guest conductor
Julie Albers, cello
Elgar | Sospiri
Elgar | Cello Concerto in E minor
Sibelius | Symphony No. 1
Julie Albers, cello
American cellist Julie Albers is recognized for her superlative artistry, her charismatic and radiant performing style, and her intense musicianship. She was born into a musical family in Longmont, Colorado and began violin studies at the age of two with her mother, switching to cello at four. She moved to Cleveland during her junior year of high school to pursue studies through the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Richard Aaron. Miss Albers soon was awarded the Grand Prize at the XIII International Competition for Young Musicians in Douai, France, and as a result toured France as soloist with Orchestre Symphonique de Douai.
Andrew Constantine, guest conductor
Andrew Constantine serves as Music Director of both the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and the Reading Symphony Orchestra.
Having gained a reputation in Europe and the UK as a conductor of great skill, charisma, energy and versatility, Andrew Constantine moved to the US in 2004 to become Assistant Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Within his first season there he was promoted to Associate Conductor.
In the US he has won great praise for his ability to communicate with audiences and his energetic and compelling advocacy for classical music have gained him many admirers. In May of 2007, following a two year search and a pool of over 280 applicants, he was appointed Music Director of the Reading Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania. In July of 2009, after a similar process, he was also appointed Music Director of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic in Indiana.


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This workshop will address the demographic characteristics of the Mexican immigrant women in the United States and the health care usage of this population. Included will be the many barriers to health care access that women encounter, especially access to mental health care. Strategies for reaching out to immigrant women and improving health care use will also be discussed.
By the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to:


text: February, 2018 Runescape Membership Length generator has been released in order to help many players who wish to hack Runescape. We realize that Jagex Ltd won't take a seat silently when watching their game being hacked. You must utilize this Runescape hack tool as soon as possible. Do not wait any longer as this will not stay longer.adventure


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VAT, Online Transactions and Vouchers Case – Philip Simpson QC
Philip Simpson, QC, has successfully represented Findmypast in an appeal concerning VAT on the supply of online services.
Findmypast operate a website that contains a database of documents of genealogical interest. Customers can purchase credits and then use them to view documents on the website. If not used within 2 years of purchase, the credits expire.
The question arose as to whether VAT was due on amounts paid for credits that had expired. The Court of Session (Inner House) held that the supply in question was individual documents when viewed. When credits were purchased, it was not known which documents would be viewed, so the supply was not sufficiently precisely identified at that time to trigger a tax point. The credits did not count as face-value vouchers – they were simply an accounting tool between Findmypast and its customers to record how much customers still had available to spend. Accordingly, VAT was not due on credits that expired.
The decision can be found here.


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Culture Exchange
Young ART students from St Petersburg visit Bath to learn English through Art. They share images of their beautiful city exhibiting alongside local artist Mike Rennie.
Art students from St Petersburg aged between 11 and 20 stayed in Bath over the Easter period learning English at Bath Academy with an emphasis on Art and Culture. During the week spent here they visited galleries, museums and sites of cultural interest in London, Bath and the Southwest.
In Bath the group visited 44AD Art Space to view the exhibition by local artist Mike Rennie, here they were able to speak to the artist who has a body of work that reference his time spent in St Petersburg, a complete coincidence but from this meeting a joint show has come about, FaB has provided the opportunity for the young students to show their images of their city alongside the paintings of Mike Rennie.
Bath Academy, 7 Chapel Row, Bath BA1 1HN
25 May open 6-8pm - #FaB18 Opening Night Arty Party
open 10am to 4pm Mon to Fri - 11am to 3pm Sat & Sun - 26 May to 10 June


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It's Time for the…Monster Mash! #FridayJams
Happy Birthday to me! And Happy Halloween Eve to everyone else. My birthday present to me is my favorite Halloween song. Enjoy!
Happy Birthday to me! And Happy Halloween Eve to everyone else. My birthday present to me is my favorite Halloween song. Enjoy!
Welcome to 300 Prompts – a weekly writing exercise to answer one of 300 prompts in a book I purchased. I'm supposed to write the answers to each prompt in the book, but I'm a mavericky-maverick who prefers keyboard to pen and paper. It's a slow process, but eventually, I'll get through the entire book, and hopefully be a much better writer at the end of the journey.
This week's prompt is a question about questions. What stupid questions have you heard someone ask (or asked yourself)?
Want to play along? Feel free to answer the prompt question in the comments below, in a comment on social media, or on your own blog – and share the link in the comment section.
And away we go…
I was raised on the idea that there are no stupid questions. Almost all of us say that, but inevitably someone asks us a question that causes our eyes to roll so far back in our head they nearly roll out. So are there or are there not stupid questions?
To be perfectly honest, I can't think of any actual questions. Not because someone didn't ask me a question that made that eye-rolling-thing happen. But because I don't retain that kind of information for longer than a minute or two. See, I look at my brain as a series of filing cabinets. There is only so much space in their, and for every new bit of information I file away, something else will probably be archived. The stupid questions of the world aren't worth filing away.
That being said, I know when I consider something to be a stupid question…
Did I already give you the answer and you weren't paying attention? This happens all too frequently with Aidan and his constant quest to know what the next meal is going to be. Once I've answered the "What's for dinner?" question for the third time in an hour, being asked again will result in the eye-rolling, long exhalation, and (possibly) grumpy answer of, "I'm not telling you that again."
Is the answer in front of your face and you're oblivious? This one is highly subjective, and I realize that – I never said I was perfect, y'all. So what might be obvious to me could completely escape someone else. When I'm feeling charitable, I concede that might be the case and don't think, "What a dumbass question." But more often than not, I'm left a little bewildered and slightly concerned for the person asking the question. Are they dumber than a box of rocks? I hope not.
I have no doubt I've asked a stupid question before. Many, in fact. Possibly several today alone. But it's not something to dwell on (read: don't point them out to me if you do remember). I think we're all entitled to a few stupid questions now and then.
Now I'm really starting to get in the mood. Who's up for a Ghostbusters movie marathon?
I'm not often afflicted with Mom Guilt™ – sometime between Aidan's birth and Sean's, I kind of got over it. Well, mostly. At least I'm not consumed by it anymore.
But I'd be a liar if I didn't admit that sometimes I think I can do better, and so I try to do better, only to make myself crazy and the boys crazier.
It's better to own who you are and be the best possible version of it than to twist yourself into knots being what you think you're supposed to be – according to the world and/or Facebook (which sometimes seems one and the same).
It was a realization I came to when I finally admitted that the whole work-at-home-mom (WAHM) thing wasn't going quite like I expected it to.
I thought I wanted to be a WAHM to spend more time with the boys. I was going to stop watching their childhood zip right past me and be right in the middle of it.
Of course, as someone who can't fathom the idea of volunteering at their school, baking 50 cookies for a bake sale, or whatever the hell else it is I thought was going to happen, I'm really not sure what I expected.
There were supposed to be more afternoons reading to them.
We were supposed to make stuff, do stuff, and go places.
I was supposed to actually see the different stages they go through, instead of hearing about it after they were in bed.
After more than a year of this, I figured a few things out…
I'm not the arts and crafts mom.
I'm not the bake cookies at 3pm, watch them ride bikes at 3:30 mom.
I'm still not the read to the class, volunteer at school, share lunch in a loud cafeteria mom.
What I am that I wasn't before is present. I'm a presence in their lives, a meaningful one – instead of just a shadow which is how I felt most of the time.
I don't just hear the funny things they say. I get to watch their developing personalities: Aidan wants to be liked by everyone and has big dreams of making a billion dollars with video games. Sean is a hardcore introvert, stubborn, and a prankster who really doesn't give a shit what anyone thinks of him.
I might not be the one teaching Aidan how to ride his bike, but I'm the one that takes care of him when he falls. Hell, just being around to watch him pedal his heart out and become more fearless every day is pretty amazing.
I'm watching Sean learn to read and enjoy school, while remembering the lessons learned from the trial and error that were Aidan's first years. I'm getting out of the way and stepping in only when he really needs help. He's smart enough. He doesn't need me to hover, only to be available.
The moment I realized that being who I am (not a joiner, not a coddler, not an overly maternal person) is exactly what they need, any feelings of guilt faded away.
I have, now, what I didn't have before. I'm here when they need me, and I'm strong enough to shoo them out the door when I know they don't. (At least for now, when they're 10 and 6 and it's easy. Who knows what will happen in a few years when shooing them out the door means they don't come home at night anymore.)
For me, it's more important to be present than it is to be in the middle of the action.
To say that we're not big fans of the great outdoors in my family isn't completely accurate.
John loves to fish and kayak, and if his back would let him, he'd be out on a river or lake every weekend. The man used to make his own fishing lures, fishing pole holder-thingys (it's a technical term), and own his own kayak. Back in the day, at least.
Aidan and Sean are a little bit like me. They'll go outside, but only if their friends are out there, Easter eggs need to be found, or if they're going door-to-door
begging for candy trick-or-treating.
Me? I like nature – as seen through a glass window from the inside of a temperature-controlled home. Okay, not totally true. I enjoy walks through the neighborhood and sitting on the beach, under an umbrella. That counts, right?
A random Monday with no school – aka Teacher Workday – and I'd let John use my car. Home and carless. I was also jonesing for a sweet tea from Dunkin Donuts (my near-daily habit). I had a brilliant idea!
Let's all three walk down the street – a 15 minute walk at most – get ourselves a little something yummy from Dunkin and walk back! The plan had everything – fresh air, movement, and sugary crap that would keep us all high as kites until the pre-dinner sugar crash. I was so proud of myself for thinking of it.
Out we went, striding down the sidewalk with purpose, passing little old ladies, dodging cars. It was great! It was an adventure!
And then…shit happened.
Something splatted against Sean's hand – and mine, which was firmly holding his because the walk might be an adventure, but a 6 year old darting into oncoming traffic is not.
We both looked down. It was brown. It was white. It was slimy.
It was bird poop. Bird poop, y'all!!
And from the look of it, that bird ate something that didn't agree with him.
Slime covered Sean's wrist and forearm, and my fingers, thumb, and (hand to God, I'm not making this up), a spot on my shirt, right at nipple level. Fuck you, birds!
We were in the middle of the sidewalk, the Dunkin Donuts was in sight. We simply had to get there. I would not freak out over bird shit – not in the middle of a sidewalk with the sun steaming up the joint and boob sweat becoming a very real issue. Nor would I vomit all over the place, because I figured that was ten times worse than bird poop.
Sean held his hand up for me with a horrified expression on his face, silently telling me to Do Something. I'm a mom, right? We do the things that need doing, even if and especially when they're gross.
I wiped his hand on my shirt. Oh yes, I did.
Now I had more than boobie bird poop on my shirt. Great. Just great.
We continued our walk where I promised we would wash our hands the moment we arrived. Sean refused to hold my hand anymore – fear of contamination, I suppose.
At Dunkin Donuts, we cleaned up, ordered our sugary crap that I was no longer enthusiastic about, and quickly made our way home. I was spending too much time too damn close to bird poop.
Aidan, who never felt the slimy touch of bird feces, made me check him everywhere. "Just in case, Mom."
Aidan: "Oh my God, Mom, when I realized bird dookie was on you and Sean, I was so worried it got on me!" He shuddered in horror. "I just don't think I could handle it!"
Sean: "Why did my birdie friends POOP on me, Mom? Why? That's not very nice! I don't think I can be their friends anymore. Why are we even walking? Walking outside isn't a good idea."
Aidan: "I have to agree. I don't like walking outside, and if we hadn't come on this walk, I wouldn't be worried about having bird poop on me. And, ugh, now I'm sweating."
Sean: "Sweat isn't cool, Mom."
Mental sigh. Faster pace. Time to get home. Now.
We arrived home, to everyone's delight. I slammed my stuff down on the kitchen table and ran to my bedroom.
"I'll be right back. I need to change my shirt!"
Aidan: "Why, Mom? It's just bird poop."
Sean: "Yeah, Mom. It's fine. It's just bird poop."
And that is why we should never go outside again.
Welcome to another 300 Prompt kind of day. It also happens to be a very special day – my mom's birthday! I won't tell you her age (because that's rude) but I will say she's 19 years older than me and I will be 36 by the end of the month. You can do the math. Love you, Mama!
I like this week's prompt – Were you born to shine in one special way? What makes you really stand out? – and I like that it falls on my mother's birthday, considering she's partly responsible for the answer.
Want to play along? Feel free to answer the prompt in the comments below or on your own blog (and share the link in the comment section). And here we go…
Back in the day, waaaaay back, when I was the straight A student who thought grades proved intelligence, I thought the thing that made me special was how smart I was, how easy school was, how involved in school I was. School, school, SCHOOL! Then I went to college and met people so much smarter than me. At first, I was threatened and walked around with hurt feelings. Then I realized that the crap they tell you in high school about needing to be at the top of your class, be in all the clubs, and Do All The Things was big fat lie. Yes, you need that to get in to college, but once you're there, very few people give a crap about what you did in high school, certainly not your professors.
I had to rethink what made me special – my thing that made me stand out. Sure, I'm intelligent but it's not the defining feature of my uniqueness.
Once I graduated college, got married, and got a "real" job (also known as the life-sucking-make-you-hate-life job), the thing that made me unique was my work ethic – or so I thought. I showed up early, left late, forgot to eat lunch, and killed myself for every job I had from age 20 to age 34.
Working hard is what you did to get ahead (and survive). It's how you proved your loyalty and your desire to move up the company ladder. A work ethic is (still) a rare trait in many places. I valued the people who had a similar work ethic – they were often my closest friends. But I didn't understand (then) that work ethics like mine and others aren't valued by many organizations.
Oh, the people in power certainly appreciate the hard work – but they also know they don't have to pay you much more than you're already making because you're clearly willing to work hard at your current rate of pay. They also know they couldn't find someone to do all the things you do at your rate of pay, so anyone new would have less responsibilities or a higher rate of pay (or both). At a certain point, my own work ethic became a detriment. I killed myself for companies that appreciated me but couldn't or wouldn't do much more than pat me on the back. Well, hell, pats on the back don't feed a family, put shoes on growing boys, or send anyone off to college.
I decided to take my work ethic and apply it to the one person who could most benefit from it. Me.
Working for myself definitely required this crazy work ethic bred into me by both parents. The willingness to keep going through illness, tragedy, and zero positive feedback is test of character.
I went freelance. Digital marketing, then writer. Work ethic is important when you work for yourself, but I've come to new realizations about work and productivity. I spent years "working" on tasks, projects, and assignments that had little value and definitely weren't productive by any stretch of the imagination. Now that I work for myself, being a work horse is still important, but definitely not a defining trait. I need to be productive rather than put in a lot of hours.
My abilities as a writer may be decent, solid even, and they're definitely still growing and improving, but they aren't what makes me special at all. There are thousands of writers out there better than I'll ever be. No, I'm not hating on myself – just acknowledging that I'm not the end-all, be-all.
So what is my strength, my unique thing that makes me shine?
I think it's my ability to be honest with myself, even when admitting the truth sucks.
Yes, I'm an intelligent woman, but I'm no MENSA candidate. Graduating at the top (or near enough) of my class in high school and college certainly didn't guarantee any amount of success later in life. (And success is a squishy concept that means something different for everyone.)
Sure, I can work my ass off for the right person, company, or cause but so do other people. And sometimes working yourself into the ground is the worst possible thing to do – for a variety of reasons. Especially when it teaches the less savory among us that they've found someone who will keep working without extra benefits, pay, or anything that acknowledges their contribution to the success of the organization. Even worse, working that hard to do things that don't matter and don't further the goals of the organization is a massive waste of time.
I'm a writer, a decent one, getting better all the time, but many people write.
I'm a thinker – but not an innovator.
I'm a good mom but I have no desire for the Mom of the Year Award. Never would win that thing anyway – my kids eat junk, weren't breastfed, and ride their bikes without helmets which means I'm out of the running, lol.
But what I am, as often as I can be, is honest with myself. I'm just as fallible as anyone else, and denial is a powerful force – it's the only explanation I have for staying in a bad relationship for 12 years.
The difference, though, is that once I open my eyes and take a good hard look, I can point out my every flaw (some of which are imagined and seen only by me) and my best qualities. I admit when something isn't working and try something different. Oh, don't be mistaken – being honest with yourself doesn't hurt any less when you realize you've screwed up. It just means that you recognize the problem. And recognizing the problem is only half the story. It's what you do about the problems that really count.
I'm brutally honest with myself. Sometimes, it sends me down a spiral of near-depression because I always want to be better than I am. Other times, it spurs me on to try something new, think new thoughts, and change my outlook. I'm constantly evolving and changing on some level, even as the core of who I really am stays the same.
I know I'm not always right, and I acknowledge that I may be wrong. (Which is why I rarely share my thoughts on controversial matters unless I feel strongly that I can back my opinion up with something other than talking points from memes on social media.)
At the end of my life, the best thing anyone could say about me is probably, "She never lied to herself and she knew exactly who she was."


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In this contributed article, Trevor Daughney, VP Product Marketing at Exabeam, reports that for about 50 percent of cybersecurity respondents, a 2017 SANS Institute survey found the average time between an initial compromise and its detection — known as dwell time — is more than 24 hours. Twenty percent reported dwell time of a month or longer. In this piece, Trevor looks at why technologies such as anomaly detection and machine learning are a big data company's best defense against long dwell times during an attack.
How AI and Machine Learning Will Affect Cybersecurity
In this contributed article, front end developer Gary Stevens discusses how cybersecurity is now more proactive than reactive. A big reason why is the major advancement of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science. Computers are getting smarter and keeping us all safer as a result.
Why Big Data and Machine Learning are Essential for Cyber Security
In this contributed article, Shachar Shamir, COO of Ranky, suggests that big data and machine learning are essential for cyber security. Using machine learning to automate attack detection and response, companies can have a quick and robust cyber defense system, one where security professionals work side-by-side sophisticated automated tools.
How the Cloud is Changing Cybersecurity
In this contributed article, Amanda Peterson, co-founder of Enlightened Digital, points out that with the use of cloud-based security, the amount of time needed to implement security patches can be reduced to nearly nothing. Onsite data centers require tech-savvy manpower to oversee them 24/7, but the cloud operates autonomously, using AI and ML to monitor system operations to reduce the need for constant on-site personnel.
Predicting Future Online Threats with Big Data
In this contributed article, Bill Hess, Founder of PixelPrivacy.com, discusses the many benefits of Big Data which can be harnessed and used to stop imminent threats online. He touches on a few ways this is being implemented. Big data is playing an important role in online cyber security since it has provided new possibilities to analyze threats and from solutions based on such analysis.
StreamSets Delivers Ultralight Open Source Ingestion for Edge Devices
StreamSets Inc., provider of the enterprise data operations platform, debuted StreamSets Data Collector Edge (SDC Edge), enabling the industry's first end-to-end data ingestion solution for resource- and connectivity-constrained systems such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the endpoint systems and network infrastructure used in cybersecurity applications.
Artificial Intelligence Should Not Be Left Unsupervised
In this contributed article, Anas Baig is a Cyber Security Journalist & Tech Reporter, takes a high-level look at the many benefits of AI, and why AI should remain supervised. The benefits of AI cannot be denied, as it has unfathomable potential. But just like everything else, there is a cost associated to adopting said technology.
DarkLight Offers Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Cybersecurity Defenses
Champion Technology Company, Inc., developer of DarkLight, an AI expert system for active cyber defense and trusted information sharing, today released their latest technology update with DarkLight 3.0. Enterprises are under constant attack from increasingly sophisticated cyber adversaries and the time is right to tip the balance back in favor of beleaguered defenders.
Centrify and Cloudera Extend Open Data Model for Cybersecurity
Cloudera, the global provider of the data management and analytics platform built on Apache Hadoop and the latest open source technologies, and Centrify, a leader in securing enterprise identities, announced that Centrify has joined the Open Network Insight (ONI) project.
Preparing for the Cybersecurity Renaissance
In this contributed article, TJ Laher, Senior Solutions Marketing Manager, Cybersecurity at Cloudera discusses how the convergence of big data technology, analytic advancements, and a variety of other factors have sparked a cybersecurity renaissance that will forever change how organizations protect themselves in this new mobile, social, and hyper-connected world they now operate within.


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GPSintegrated.com is a GPS vehicle tracking service launched by BioEnable Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Pune, India in January 2007.
BioEnable are India's leading company in the field of Security & Monitoring systems. BioEnable specialize in high-end Biometrics security and monitoring products. ChipSilicon specialize in Wireless Security and monitoring products.
GPS Integrated provides Real Time Vehicle Tracking & Fleet Management Services. The complete software has been designed and developed in-house and services are supported by our trained R&D and Support teams.
GPS Integrated is based on Satellite imagery from Google Earth and maps from Google maps. You can track your vehicle in near real time (max. 5 mins delay) on your desktop using Google Earth and in web browser using Google maps.
A device installed in your vehicle acquire GPS signals from GPS satellites and calculates its position on the earth. This position data is sent to the gpsintegrated.com server using GPRS connection made by a integrated GSM modem using idea cellular or airtel SIM card. This process is repeated every minute. In case GPRS connectivity is not available temporarily , the device will record the position in its memory and send it later when connectivity is established. Also in case the GPRS connectivity is not available for longer duration, it can send the position data by SMS to the server. In this way the position data of the vehicle is continuously recorded by our server gpsintegrated.com.
Every customer is provided with web based login account to access the data on the gpsintegrated.com server. You can track one or more vehicles using single account. On login our dashboard page displays important information about the vehicle like its status, max speed, motion hours, Distance covered, stationery hours. It provide you a Live Tracking link for Google Earth or Google Maps. In case you have installed free software from google called Google Earth on your computer, then just click on the Google Earth Live Tracking Link in your account and you can see the complete track of your vehicle for today along with fantastic Google earth satellite imagery.
Google Earth Satellite Imagery & Maps for most cities worldwide is now available with very good resolution and you can see roads and buildings clearly and identify them. New feature offered by google called Google community inside Google Earth allow you to see placemarks and names of various buildings, roads and key places in the city.
In case you are on move or do not have access to your computer with google earth, you can still see the same imagery and additional maps using our browser based Google maps system.
Along with Google earth and Google maps, we have provided various reports for vehicle owners like Start-stop report which gives information about when the vehice started, where it stopped, for how long and approx distance covered on a particular day. Day Begin-End report give more details about the vehicle from early moorning to late night. Datailed activity report gives detailed information about movements of the vehicle in a day. Other reports like Speed report, Fleet Summary report are also available. We also give customers access to detailed transaction history of the vehicle which can be exported to pdf or excel files for their further analysis.
Customers can also use Google Earth to create list of placemarks in the city like office, store, suppliers and customer locations where the vehicle normally travels. If these locations are marked in Google earth and placemarks provided to our system, then in reports you can see, when did your vehicle reached these locations and how much time they were parked at these locations.
Overall we have developead a system that is useful for individuals, corporates and travel transport companies as well as Fleet owners. Individuals can use it to track usage of their car by other family members, driver and friends. They can also ensure security of the vehicles and recover and track them in case its stolen. We offer special manned services to track your stolen vehicles. Corporates can use our system to monitor and manage company owned vehicles, avoid misuse, increase their availability at right places at right time. Travel transport companies and Truck fleet owners can manage their fleet of vehicles to give optimum output, avoid misuse, take quick actions in case of emmergency and more. Our System can be used in any country where GPS cellular services are available.
Our System has been designed to be cost effective and service oriented.
GPSintegrated.com system has been launched in september 2006 as Beta release and Final release will be launched in october 2006. If you are interested in GPS vehicle Tracking systems please visit www.gpsintegrated.com and learn more.
About GPS Integrated
GPS Integrated provides high quality GPS Tracking Products, GPS Tracking Services to customers and businesses across the world. We offer a variety of tracking systems that are ideal for personal traking, Child Tracking, Elderly Tracking or business use like Vehicle Tracking , Fleet Management, Truck Tracking.
Our Web & Mobile based GPS fleet management & tracking systems can increase the profitability of your company. A GPS unit can allow you to locate people if lost or in case of emergency using our GPS devices. Our vehicle gps, car gps unit, auto gps, gps locator, gps car tracker, gps auto tracker, vehicle tracker will allow you to monitor your vehicles.
We also offer a variety of gps phone, cell phone gps, gps navigator, gps receiver, gps system, mobile gps, handheld gps, gps accessories, gps tracking device, phone tracking, pocket pc gps , gps device, gps tracking cell, pda gps software which is very user friendly and convenient call phone gps tracking.
The various services we offer are vehicle tracking, gps navigation, GPS asset tracking, cell phone tracking , mobile tracking, gps pet tracking, fleet gps tracking, gps tracking devices, gps mapping software, gps tracking systems, personal tracking, truck gps, gps software, gps phone tracking.


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Kirk had a major infrastructure project to plan, execute and complete. None of his employees are project managers. He has no intention of hiring a project manager as a W-2 employee. Yet, the project must be completed on time and within budget.
Kirk hired me for a short-term engagement. I completed the project to his satisfaction. I performed my work according to the principles of project management.
What About You?
Do you have an short-term initiative which requires a project manager? If so, perhaps I can help.


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Real Wedding: Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel
This wedding was definitely one of the most fun weddings of 2016! Amanda and Kenny said "I do" at the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel with the most picturesque ceremony overlooking the ocean. It was a very touching and memorable moment when the Bride was escorted down the aisle by her son to meet her Groom. After they said their vows, Amanda and Kenny's bridal party was ready to celebrate! They got the party started with an epic grand entrance, including the Best Man stripping down to a speedo and afro wig for a "LMFAO inspired" grand entrance. It was hilarious. The guests were a blast and Elevated Pulse enjoyed rocking the dance floor for them. And, because the Bride's father had passed away, she decided in lieu of a father daughter dance, she would dance with her son to a song her father always sang to her..."Amanda" by Waylon Jennings. It was an incredibly special moment. This wonderful wedding was captured by the awesomely talented Mike Villa Visuals. Enjoy the images below!
Vendor Team:
Venue: Ritz Carlton Laguna
Photography: Mike Villa Visuals
Planning: Kerri of LVL Weddings & Events
Florals: Flowers by Cina
Videography: Love and You Studios
Rentals: Luxe Linen, Chivari Chair Rentals
Signage: Heidi Davidson Design
Hair & Makeup: Beauty and the Beach
DJ, Lighting, Photo Booth: Elevated Pulse Productions


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Okay, Chris Brown, I've had all I can stand, and I can't stand no more! (I'm waving my fist in the air for emphasis.)
You have officially had your three strikes. Even though, unlike most people, your strikes actually descended in terms of severity, they still count, and I'm done.
STRIKE ONE. [February 2009] Rihanna. Even though she's gotten progressively more promiscuous, peaked with "Umbrella," and I don't think she can hold her own in a motion picture, no woman deserves to be treated the way you treated her. And sure, not all celebrities are stand-up citizens. I get that. But your inexcusable actions were not only in the public eye, but directed towards another public figure beloved by the American people. NOT OKAY.
Somehow you seem to have laid low long enough that the Powers That Be in pop music have let you slide back into mainstream music and awards show numbers in which you pretty much just move your mouth whilst popping and locking in sync with about 20 other people dressed in white. And also throw in some acrobatics and giant LED walls, leaving us with some temporary blindness and confusion about what just happened.
Well, not me, Chris Brown, not me. Rihanna may have forgiven you--as evidenced by her collaboration with you on an overtly offensive song I'm too afraid to actually listen to--but I haven't. And I'm not really sure who else has. Besides, apparently, radio DJ's and whoever books the Grammy's.
STRIKE TWO. [March 2011] You erupted in a fit of rage on the set of Good Morning America, just because they asked you about the aforementioned Strike One, which resulted in some chair-throwing and window-shattering and shirt-removing. This is GOOD MORNING AMERICA, Chris. You were interviewed by someone with the name Robin Roberts. You weren't exactly in the hot seat.
And what did you expect? You beat up Rihanna. You can't just expect to come waltzing in there with your dumb earrings and the white pants you're not pulling off and expect us to just NOT mention it. It's the elephant in the room. If the elephant had sat on Rihanna.
Don't publicists train celebrities to respond to questions like that with rambling nothingness such as, "Y'know, uh, what happened was really unfortunate and I wish I could take it back, but uh, I just hope we can move on and live in a more positive way...and bee tee dubs my album drops on April 20."
Where was THAT, Chris Brown?
Plus, there is no place for outbursts that early in the morning. There just isn't.
STRIKE THREE. [March 2012]
First of all, the headline of this article reads: "Brown Probe Nears End."
I think there's probably an immature joke in there somewhere, I'm just not sure what it is yet.
Second of all, really, Chris Brown? You're so angry that you're a celebrity that you have to snatch innocent non-paparazzi's phones just for trying to take a picture of you?
I mean, really.
If you want to be famous, you have to deal with people looking at you all the time and knowing when you beat people up. You just do. You can't be all like "UGH I'M SO FAMOUS I WISH PEOPLE WOULD JUST FORGET ABOUT THAT TIME I BEAT UP SOMEONE ELSE FAMOUS AND NEVER TAKE PICTURES OF ME OR MAKE ME SING ANYTHING REAL BUT STILL LET ME BE ON THE RADIO AND MAKE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. UGH."
AMERICA: Why do we keep letting him do stuff? At what point can we just take a vote and excommunicate him from the pop culture community, along with Spencer Pratt and Kristen Stewart? He is the worst.
Am I alone here?
What's your vote: keep him or kick him to the curb?


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Wow - what a premise for a book, huh? I wanted so badly for this book to be awesome, but I was not impressed. Gemma's halfhearted attempts to escape only come across as frustrating, instead of heart-pounding. Having not been kidnapped myself, but having watched & read the news stories of high profile kidnapping cases in recent years, I'll go out on a limb here and say that Gemma's story is probably close to a realistic situation. But good gracious, it makes for a very boring YA book. Nothing happens, ever. The story goes absolutely nowhere. Most of the book is taken up with endless descriptions of how hot Gemma is and her being in a haze because she can't be bothered to eat anything so she can build up her strength, stay mentally alert, and foil all of Ty's plans to keep her there. Then suddenly it's over.
So yeah, not going to recommend this as a must-have in your collection. Sorry Lucy Christopher! I'm not trying to hate on you so please try again with another book!


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Scripture | Psalm 107:1-9, 43 | Colossians 3:1-14
Paul paints such a study in contrasts. Anger, greed, meanness, ugliness, lying… vs. mercy, kindness, patience, humility. Paul isn't describing two kinds of people, he's describing two different ways for us to live in our own skin. If you're anything like me, you know what both those 'selves' feel like.
And I for one know which place I'd like to live in my own head. I mean, it's kind of a no-brainer. One's a place where nothing's ever right, and no one can be trusted, and the world is hopeless. The other's a place with calmness, trust and confidence. And the thing is, those 'places' have nothing to do with what's going on out there. They have everything to do with what's going on inside our own hearts and heads.
So how do we live 'in Christ'? How do we get to that place of peace?
It isn't a matter of willpower and self-improvement. "Living in Christ" isn't a program of trying harder, or being more diligent, or forcing ourselves to be better. In fact it's the opposite of that kind of striving, striving, striving. Paul is inviting us to claim what's already ours. He's asking us to embrace what's already been given: New life. A full life. A lovely, glorious life!
Notice: Paul is not saying, "What is wrong with you people? Get with the program!" He's not scolding, he's encouraging. He's not judging, he's inviting. Hey, people, look! Look up! There's a whole new life right in front of you – and it's yours for the taking! Why do you keep living in that ugly place in your heads when in Christ, there is so much more?
It's like shedding your old skin and having a completely new one, the way Paul describes it. It's like a new set of clothes, Paul says, a whole new wardrobe. Put on this new way of life, he tells us.
I like Eugene Peterson paraphrases Paul in his translation called The Message:
In the early church, new Christians literally put on new clothes when they were baptized. Most people would be baptized as adults, and their baptism was highly symbolic. The baptismal pool would have three steps going down into it, and three steps going back up. Going down into the water meant dying with Christ; the old life of sin was washed away; coming up was being raised to new life. As they emerged from the water of baptism, they were covered with a new white robe – new clothing, a new identity, a new start. It was a dramatic way of saying, "You are a new person now. You are clothed in Christ. He is your life, that really is life."
You are in Christ. Whatever else is going on in the world, you are living in it in a new way – with Christ's own Spirit.
Now, I'm going to state the obvious: getting baptized does not make us saints. It doesn't magically take away the ugly voices in our heads or take away the old impulses and knee-jerk reactions. We can put on all the clean, white gowns we want but we may still not be Christ-like. We can be as determined as we want to be good people, but the old habits and patterns still haunt us. We all have our challenges. We all do. No sense in pretending we're better than we are.
Not a saint in the bunch, I'm afraid. No offense.
So does anything change?
Or do we just give up trying and accept that we've got some less-than-lovely feelings and attitudes? Do we chalk up meanness or flying off the handle as "the way we are," or figure our greed or selfishness is "just being human"? Do we compare ourselves to others and convince ourselves we're not really that bad?
I mean, do we really believe a new life is possible? What do you think? Is it?
I've got to believe it is, or everything I stand for is a sham.
And I do believe that it is, because I've seen new life grow again and again. People wrestling their demons to the ground. People coming clean about the things that are destructive in their lives, that hurt themselves or the world or the people they love. People finding hope, and relief, that it doesn't have to be that way. Kindness, forgiveness, patience, love – they really are possible. They are.
And thank God they are. In this world of ours, thank God they are. The world does not have to be an ugly place. At least, we have a choice about our part in it. Jesus offers us a better way, a way of life the world desperately needs.
That old-self/new-self struggle, it's not just about us and our own happiness. It's really important that we remember this. It's not just about us and what kind of mood we're in on any given day, or if we're feeling good about ourselves. How we're living affects everyone around us. It changes the world.
And – you need to know this - it affects how other people see the faith we profess.
The world is watching us. If we claim to be Christian, they want to know what difference it makes in our lives, how it shapes us. Does it make us more loving and generous - or just more judgmental? Are we full of joy and peace - or does it make us kill-joys? Are we walking the walk – or just talking the talk? In other words, are we living any differently than the rest of the world, or is this just another club we belong to?
There's a quote that makes its way around Facebook from time to time:
No pressure here, guys – but people are watching. When they see you, they're making judgments about Jesus.
What kind of Jesus do they see when they see you? Are you living 'in Christ'?
You know, I cringe every time there's something nasty in the news about a Christian leader. You know what I'm talking about. Some priest is accused of child abuse… a minister has run off with the church's money… a pastor is inciting his congregation to protest at the funeral of a fallen soldier. It's terrible, just terrible. Good people are hurt, and Christianity gets a bad name. Again.
But it's not just the big news-splashes that determine how people see this faith. It's how we live, too. We are ambassadors for Christ, Paul says in another passage, and he's right.
So how do we live in a new-self way? How do we keep living in Christ, even when the going gets tough?
I don't know how you manage your old-self/new-self struggle – I would love to hear your stories - but I've found something that helps me with mine. It has to do with that image of 'putting on Christ.'
For starters, I've learned to pay attention to those times when I'm obviously not living out my better angels. I know the signals. I can tell by how I'm feeling. The self-talk gives it away every time. I know which voices in my head are worth listening to and which ones mean trouble. The self-doubt. The judgment. The hopelessness. They're the warning signs that I am in trouble. They're symptoms, if you will.
What helps me get back to my 'Christ-self'? Different things work for me, and you may have your own bag of tricks. Some people call them "spiritual disciplines" but I think of them as re-tooling.
- Going for a walk and really noticing what's around me.
- Paying attention to beauty, and breathing deeply.
- Talking to someone who has my number and can talk me off the ledge – again - who can help me see more clearly.
- Journaling out whatever's frustrating or anxiety-provoking.
- Simply praying. Praying, praying, praying.
This may sound strange, but sometimes I just sit still and 'feel' myself put on Christ, like a robe. I imagine the warmth of Christ's Spirit settle on my shoulders. I feel gentleness and compassion surround me, and hold me, like a blanket. I feel courage coursing through my blood, making me strong again. I feel my mind clear, like a fog is lifting from my mind. I feel myself set my sights on 'things that are above,' as Paul puts it.
It really is amazing. I feel like I am 'putting on Christ,' and it's such a relief. The 'new life' is back. I'm patient. I feel tenderness and respect towards others. I have a sense of the goodness of the world, even in the face of evil. I am not afraid.
We 'put on Christ' once and for all in our baptism. But we can call on Christ again and again, to remind us of the new life he gives. We can be renewed into the creatures God meant us to be.
We don't have to settle for being Christian in name only. We're invited into a life that really is life. There is So Much More…
It's a promise, a promise Christ keeps.


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Michelle Johnson
Michelle Johnson is the adventurous and wise music supervisor behind an array of hilarious and heartwarming television shows including Grace and Frankie, Love, and Nobodies. Coming from a diverse musical background, performing in bands and DJing around New York City, Michelle found her way to Los Angeles and garnered a position as a music coordinator at Thomas Golubić's SuperMusicVision. Learning the ropes quickly, she developed rich expertise working on the likes of Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Ray Donovan, and Halt and Catch Fire. Presently, she has taken a prominent role at the company, running point on various high profile projects. In our inspiring discussion, Michelle shares the strange coincidence that led her pursuit of music supervision and the soundtrack to her life.
I read that you come from a family of farmers originating from Southeast Texas and are a musician in your own right. Can you tell us about your introduction to the world of music and what events led to your relocation to New York and later, Los Angeles?
I always loved music as a kid. I was constantly listening to the radio and buying records and 8 tracks. Some of my earliest memories have been surrounding music. I also always wanted to be a musician. I wanted to be a drummer when I was young. My mom said "too loud"! When I was in 5th grade, the band director from middle school came to give all the fifth graders an introduction to music. He was a trumpet player, so he played for us so enthralled. I went home and announced, "I want to play trumpet!." So my mother couldn't object to that, so I started playing the trumpet.
I have to say that being in the band in school is one of the greatest things that any kid can experience. It goes so far beyond playing music. It teaches you teamwork. It teaches you leadership skills. It teaches you how to work with others and the true value of camaraderie. It was really a great experience for me. I ended up playing trumpet all through middle school and high school. I was the drum major in my senior year, which was pretty fun.
Somewhere along the way, when I was about 13 or so, I started playing guitar. I bought a cheap guitar at Sears and I figured out by ear how to play "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield. I played that over and over and over until my mother said, "Let's get you some lessons, so you can learn another song." I started taking lessons and I went on to play in a high school band with friends. After high school, I just felt like I wanted to be somewhere besides Texas. I wanted to see the world and play in bands. I didn't really know how to do that and didn't have the financial means, so I just figured I'd move to New York to study audio engineering and be a musician.
I studied audio engineering at the Institute of Audio Research in the Village. I don't even know if it's still there anymore. I never ended up working seriously in audio engineering. I worked in a couple of studios, but I was playing in bands at the same time and also working side jobs in retail. I did that pretty much through the 90's and never really had much success as a musician. At a certain point, I didn't really want to live this life of touring, being on the road, and the struggle, so I started working in real estate. Big change!
What was your motivation behind becoming a DJ?
In the 90's after I stopped playing in bands in New York, I was also coming out as a gay woman and I started going to the clubs and becoming a part of that scene. I was hearing house music that was new and exciting, learning about electronic music I had never heard before, and discovering all these underground disco tracks. I felt like I had just added a new dimension to my musical knowledge. It was inspiring.
I had a couple DJ friends that suggested I get a couple Technics and then pushed me to start buying vinyl and learn how to mix. I sort of learned like that and it was fun because I had always made mixtapes as a kid and as a teenager so it was a natural progression to want to DJ and create set lists to play for an audience.
How did you begin cultivate your vast knowledge of music?
I think it comes from a deep interest from within for as long as I can remember. I've always loved so many kinds of music from an early age. I loved Barry Manilow and also loved Led Zeppelin. I could get into Cajun Zydeco music and also love Vivaldi. I do have to admit that I hated country music growing up because it was all around me, growing up in Texas, but the moment I moved away from Texas and heard country music on a radio station, I realized how much I did actually love it. And now through working as a music supervisor, it's been incredibly fun and challenging to learn about so many musical genres from 1700's traditional ballads to jazz fusion. There's truly not a music genre now that I don't enjoy in some way.
How about opera? Are you interested in that?
Yes, but I'm saving opera to get really get into later in life. I've still yet to have one of those moments where I turn on a classical station and there's an opera piece that makes me start weeping. I'm not there yet. I've decided that I'm saving opera love and devotion for after 60. It's important in life to have things to look forward to.
Can you share a story of one of your most unusual or memorable live performances to date?
One gig immediately popped into my head. It was in the early 90's. I was playing in this band in New York called Day For Night and we were playing a benefit at The Wet Lands, which was very a very hot club at the time. It was a very progressive, socially conscious place. They did a lot of fundraisers for social justice causes and things like that. We would play there from time to time. Our band randomly got asked to play at a democracy for China benefit there one night. It seemed an odd fit - us scraggly rockers that sort of played alt rock-country hybrid songs, but a gig is a gig and it was for a good cause. So, here we are on stage playing for a very sedate gathering of activists and diplomats and politicians all dressed in suits and quite polite and conservative seeming. No one is really paying attention to us at all. Then suddenly we look up mid-set and realize that a large number of the guests, like 40 people, were all dancing to bunny hop through The Wet Lands to our music. We all looked at each other and just smiled and how surreal and amazing it all was. I wish someone had filmed it.
What was your entrance to the field of music supervision? Can you tell us about your path to becoming a team member of Super Music Vision?
When I moved to L.A. in 2004, I knew I wanted to work in the entertainment industry. I did not know how or in what capacity, but I had some friends out here who were working in films, either on a crew, acting, or directing in mostly indie projects. I started crewing on films and trying to figure out what I was good at and truly interested in. At the same time, I was DJing out here at a few clubs and some of my friends who were in the film community said, "You should really get into music supervision. You know a lot about music." Back then, I didn't really know what music supervision really was, but I bought some books and tried to learn as much as possible. I worked on a couple student films. Creatively, it was great but logistically, it was impossible because you can't reach anyone to license music if you don't have connections in the industry. Also, none of the filmmakers had any sort of budget for licensing. So, that made things even more difficult. I started getting creative and figuring out how to source music from local bands or royalty-free libraries - anything to find creative options my films could afford.
At the time, my friend, Kara Stephens, who's a producer, knew Thomas Golubić. She was at my house one day and she said, "You know, my friend lives right next to you. Do you know him?" She made an introduction and we got together and realized we had indeed seen each other in passing over the years. He didn't really have any openings and I was working in production at the time as well. I was also doing some editing and he happened to have a project that needed some help with. He hired me to do a small editing project and we worked together well. He liked my organizational skills, my taste, and my initiative. Shortly after that, he had someone leaving and offered me a spot on the team. He was working on Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Killing at that time. Pretty soon more jobs started coming our way. And here we are today!
What were your primary duties and most meaningful lessons learned from your time serving as a music coordinator on hit shows, such as Breaking Bad, Ray Donovan, and Halt and Catch Fire?
I was incredibly lucky to have Breaking Bad as my first true professional learning experience. It's pretty crazy, looking back on it. I came onboard to SuperMusicVision in the fourth season, so it was really great to learn the system that Thomas had in place of how we do searches, how we manage the budget, and how we review creative options. At the time, when I just starting, I was just sort of covering any loose ends that needed covering, paying attention and learning as much as I could. Though early on, I wanted to start pitching ideas and he was totally supportive of it.
It was the best way to really learn. Having someone like Thomas that was open to collaboration and having everyone pitch in their ideas was great. He, Yvette Metoyer, and I would all gather to review together. At the time, it was just the three of us. We'd put all our pitches onto one playlist. We'd play them all against the picture, talk about the pros and cons of each, and it went on to the next stage, or it was kicked out for something else.
That was really the most invaluable way to learn how to creatively approach music to picture. Working together is always really inspiring because everybody gets to look objectively at each song choice and collectively pull the strongest ideas. We still get to do that occasionally, but not as often with multiple projects and deadlines on any given day. It is always a great way to check in and monitor your creative instincts, bouncing them off of other people's ideas. Even though we're all so busy, when a big moment or closing song comes up, I still reach out to Thomas, Yvette, or Garrett and say, "Let's just hear the song options. Let's just talk about them". You need that feedback because music supervision can be a very lonely, insular experience. Just you and your headphones and too many possibilities.
Nobodies follows the hilariously painful journey of three actors/comedians hustling to make it in Hollywood while all their friends go on to achieve dreams of fame and fortune. What were the initial conversations to determine the musical energy of the show?
Nobodies is a really fun show to work on because it's so incredibly funny. It's very Los Angeles, and yes, Hollywood, but it doesn't feel like a pretentious sort of show at all. We try to place mostly indie artists or developing artists on major labels. That's largely due to budgetary restrictions, but I actually find that can be one of the most rewarding opportunities of all. You get to make new discoveries of artists all the time and I love that.
There were a lot of initial conversations about the music in the show somehow "feeling Los Angeles" but still feeling really grounded in these struggling characters worlds. The right songs to me generally have a little quirk to them, but not a lot. The right song will be warm and can possibly have a slight sense of playfulness about it, but not be comedic. Sometimes, it will just be a warm emotional song, which can work really nicely in our characters stories. We've used artists like First Aid Kit on the show. We've used a lot of new and developing artists that are more acoustic-based and certainly not loud and rock. We've featured The Teskey Brothers in an episode which works really well. Another favorite of mine this season is Ten Fe's "Single, No Return".
Judd Apatow produced, Love focuses on the dysfunctional yet charming relationship dynamic between wild child, Mickey and a peculiar nice guy, Gus. This past season featured everything from The Grateful Dead to TLC to Chance The Rapper. In this show specifically, the music drives the viewer's experience and often indicates how particular situations should be interpreted. In your opinion, can you explain the intended impact of Love's soundtrack? What are your criteria for selecting songs that fit into the youthful and emotionally demanding landscape of Love?
That's a great question. Anything can work in Love in a certain kind of way! At the beginning of all our shows seasons, we send the producers and editors mixtapes, with big collections songs that we feel could possibly work in the show. From there, it sort of springboards from what happens in the storyline. Love mixtapes are always one of the most diverse mixes of music we ever put together. Our inspiration is very much driven by Judd and his love of music. Paul Rust, the star who plays the character of Gus and is also a producer of the show also is a big inspiration for us. He is a musician and is also passionate about music as well. We get a lot of input about the music from our producers during the entire post-production. The musical landscape is very open to us on Love and that's really fun to explore.
It's really cool because we might put some Grateful Dead in there, then Judd comes up with ideas like Loudon Wainwright. Then we have a ton of general ideas and the majority of those never end up in there. For the second season, we were able to throw out Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" track "What Makes You Think You're The One". Judd also loves Paul McCartney, so we pulled out a lot of his old gems. This season we got to use McCartney's cover of "Love Is Strange" from his 1971 Wild Life album. The Beatles were my first musical love for sure and they're still number one, so that was a real treat for me.
Grace and Frankie examines the beautiful and kooky friendship that blossoms between two polar opposite senior citizen women after their husbands come out as homosexuals after decades of marriage. The show has mass appeal for viewers of all ages. Does this influence the musical choices made for the show? What have been some of your personal favorite moments from the series so far?
One of my personal favorite moments from last season was being able to find a home for Kozmic Blues by Janis Joplin. It's a well-known song but it's not one of the most obvious ones. I'm a huge Janis Joplin fan and it was cool to get to use a song by a childhood musical hero.
We also opened up season three with a little known Aretha Franklin song, "Ain't Nobody (Gonna Turn Me Around)", which was written by her sister. That was pretty cool. Closing season three with Fairport Convention's "Who Knows Where The Time Goes" was amazing. Getting to feature Valerie June's "Pushin' Against A Stone" was another favorite. And of course, for me being such a Paul McCartney fan, we used his sweet acoustic song from Flaming Pie "Calico Skies". That was a favorite as well.
What can you share with us about your work on the upcoming film, Good Girls Get High, which is slated for release this year?
Oh, it's going to be fun, silly and lovable. It's a very small budget movie and that certainly extends to the music budget, which again has opened up some really fun opportunities. It's directed by an incredibly talented director and writer named Laura Terruso. It's a story of two nerdy girls that are co-valedictorians and best friends who don't see themselves as nerdy girls. They decide to sort of break out of their good girl mold. I won't give away the plot but everyone will love it I think.
We've used a lot of great indie hip-hop throughout the film. We've got a lot of indie rock as well, and we feature this crazy Korean dance song by Hitchhiker called "Eleven" that is such an earworm you can't get it out of your head.
What are your tried and true strategies to nail a music search? Are there any particular relationships or resources that consistently come through for you across the board? Is there anything unconventional about your approach to supervision?
Lately, if my go-to starting point for searches as been Spotify. For just out of the box brainstorming, it's the best. I have several Spotify playlists that I have encountered or created from other searches that I keep saved in a "cool stuff for inspiration" folder. Those never fail to spark a direction I wouldn't have considered.
For each project I work on, I have a general playlist with songs I've either heard on the radio or been pitched from colleagues that just 'feel' like a particular show. I'll add them to my iTunes playlist of general ideas for a particular show and also refer to them at the start of any specific music search. When I have to reach out to colleagues for a music search, I'll always try and pull a few song ideas as guidelines for what I'm looking for and then have folks refer to my reference songs as springboards or general guides. I like to give a pretty detailed creative description of what I'm looking for and as well as much of a scene description as I'm able to give.
We are lucky to have such a great group of people that pitch to us from publishers and labels and third party resources it's a constant source of great ideas as well.
Who are some of the emerging artists that you are currently most excited about?
Gosh, there so many great artists out there. Let's see…I'm really into Sinkane. He puts out just beautiful and cool work. I love the latest Aldous Harding record as well as the new Phoebe Bridgers. Beautiful songs. I've also been really loving the Majid Jordan album too. I love Maggie Rogers too.
Are there any trends in the field of music supervision that you think have been exhausted and would like to hear less of?
Well… the trend of slow and moody trailerized versions of classic songs really needs to stop now!
If you were to supervise a documentary about your own life, what would be the top five songs you would license and why?
Ooh, wow. I always loved Ringo Starr's "Photograph", so that would be one for sure. Simon and Garfunkel's "My Little Town". I always think of that song when I go back home. For my fond Texas memories, I always hear that song from the Urban Cowboy soundtrack "Hello, Texas" by Jimmy Buffett of all people. I would need some Heart in there too. Probably "Barracuda". That was a big song when I was a kid. I'd also have to throw in some Paul McCartney. Maybe "Goodnight Tonight". It's not my favorite McCartney song, but it has a soft spot in my heart.
What has been your greatest achievement to date as an LGBT activist?
I think number one is just being visible and out is one of the greatest activists things every gay person can do. Just living your life in the open is really powerful and important. I'm also really proud to be one of the founding organizers for a free day in the park we do here on the East Side of Los Angeles every Pride Saturday. The event is called Dyke Day LA and it's my favorite pride event every year. It's such a simple concept - provide a free location in a park, provide music and just a few activities and everyone invites their friends and family. Allies are welcome too! It ends up feeling like the best picnic hang in the park you could ever have. The organization just became a non-profit this year and I'm so looking forward to seeing how we can expand into helping the community in the years to come. It's going to take place on the second Saturday in June, this year on the 9th during Pride Weekend in Elysian Park.
Interviewer | Paul Goldowitz
Research, Editing, Copy, Layout | Ruby Gartenberg
Extending gratitude to Michelle Johnson.


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I've gotten a lot of quesitons about the dog and I thought it'd be easier to answer all of them at once.
I don't understand; you're such a savagely macho person. How can you be content with a little fluff dog? Don't you need something that more nearly accords with your inner nature? Like a dingo?
Ideally, yes. But:
a) We live in a big city
b) We live in an apartment
c) We have no yard
d) I don't have the time to attend to a larger animal.
MAN he is cute. Is it legal for a living being to be that cute?
It is in Moldova. I can't go into more details, but let's just say that if the Animal INS comes calling, we're in trouble.
Are you going to turn into one of those pet people?
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
You know—who talks about their pets all the time? And shows everyone they meet pictures of their pet?
First of all, we don't meet anybody to talk to. Or show pictures to. So it's really moot.
But, no, I think we're going to be restrained and even-keeled about the new puppy ("Untitled.") Aside from getting his face tattooed on my back. And making muffins using a mold we make from his body shape, and eating them every morning, and calling them "Doggy Bites." And changing our wills so he inherits all our possessions.
Any good name ideas?
Our friend, Incremental, says that you have to meet the dog and divine his internal essence before you can name him. That will be next week. More reports to follow.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Ecco The Dog
That's him--our new dog. At least he will be if all goes according to plan. We pick him up on June 1. And then, as you would assume, start to train him to herd sheep. And, if we have time, to rescue mountaineers. I also have an idea that we might be able to lease him to a movie studio, for shots when they need a trained killer attack dog, but that's still working itself out.
Savage-looking, isn't he?
He's a Maltese. Right now, we don't have a name. So if anyone has any good ideas (GOOD IDEAS, Johannes), please--send them along.
By the way, "Xerxes" is already out. I tried, but the wife's anti-Persian bias pretty much makes that impossible.
Posted by ANCIANT at 11:07 AM 9 comments:
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Philip, Wake Up
I keep thinking about this scene. It's from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Bowie does a Southern accent and sheds light (sort of) on some of the lingering mysteries of the series. My favorite line--the one that made me think of this in the first place--was with me when I woke up today. "I've BEEN to one of their meetings!"
Posted by ANCIANT at 12:27 PM 5 comments:
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text: Marianne has performed with Runway Theatre Company for nine years, mainly in their pantomimes but also in the Scottish Premiere of The Drowsy Chaperone. She has played lots of comedy roles, including Teenie in last year's Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood. Marianne has been singing and dancing for as long as she can remember, and she also teaches Drama to the young people of Troon, where she has directed The Addams Family musical and The Wizard of Oz. Her next venture with Marr Musical Theatre is We Will Rock You in June 2018.


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How to Boost your Self Confidence
Do you ever wonder what would be possible in your life if you could only boost your self-confidence?
Self-confidence is based on the parts of yourself you choose to look at and amplify.
The building blocks of your self-esteem come from the voices of your primary authority figures from the time you were born through puberty.
You didn't ask for it…
You didn't give permission for it…
It just got put in your subconscious mind.
But it doesn't have to define you.
As a child, you had authority figures who helped shape the beliefs you have about yourself, which are now driving the voices of your subconscious mind. Deep down you know that these authority figures were only doing the best they could under their situation or circumstances, because that's all we ever can do.
So why are you still letting these voices define your self worth? It's time to take back control of your self-worth!
People stay in lousy jobs and relationships because they are afraid they cannot replace what they have, or fear the next one will be worse. Your level of self-confidence can affect your life in an extremely powerful way.
If you look in the mirror every day and only focus on what you love about yourself, your whole life will change.
However, we don't do that. We only tend to focus on what we seem to be lacking.
Now that you understand where your self-esteem comes from, you can slowly begin to become aware of the negative thoughts you have about yourself. And once you become aware of them, you can begin to change them.
Society has set an unrealistic standard of what it means to be good enough.
Screw society.
You are enough.
You are worthy of love.
You are worthy of success.
You are worthy of greatness.
And once you begin to believe this for yourself, your life will start to change in amazing ways!
Here's a video on 5 Self-Esteem Exercises to Boost Your Confidence


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Chocolate Bark
This chocolate tastes so good! It even passed the husband test. These are the exact words that came out of his mouth – "this chocolate tastes better than the ones you buy from the shops". Well…that was unexpected. If you have a craving for chocolate right now, I guarantee that you'll be able to make this quicker than it will take you to go down to the shops and buy a block of the sweet stuff. And an extra bonus is that it will be much MUCH healthier! Minimal sugar and packed with antioxidants from the high amount of cacao powder and extra toppings. As if you needed for encouragement to have chocolate anyway.
You're welcome….
Chocolate –
½ cup cacao powder
1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
2 Tb maple syrup
Swirl –
2 Tb nut butter (I use mayvers super spread)
1 Tb coconut milk
1 Tb coconut oil (melted)
Toppings –
1 Tb coconut shavings
1 Tb cacao nibs
3 chopped medjool dates
7 chopped cherries (I used frozen)
Line a tray with baking paper. To make the chocolate, mix together the cacao powder, coconut oil and maple syrup in a bowl until smooth. In a separate bowl mix together the swirl ingredients until smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture onto the baking paper. Use a tablespoon to drop the swirl mixture onto the chocolate in random patterns. Scatter over the toppings. Place the tray in the freezer for ~30mins or until set hard. Break the chocolate into bite sized "bark" pieces and return to freezer or fridge in an airtight container wrapped in baking paper. Make sure you keep the chocolate in the freezer/fridge to keep it from melting.


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