text:
A True Story
Hi, my name is Kristian and I'm 19 years old. I was a Free Agent on TeamUp in the 2015 Chicago QØ Catapult Incubator. Later that fall, I asked myself a question that changed the course of my life, 'Should I Take A Gap Year?'
Answering the question wasn't easy, but what I learned was profound. Below is my story about how I chose this path, how I learned to trust my instincts, set my own goals, not follow for the sake of following and some advice for other young people that might be asking themselves the same thing.
A Quick Thought Before We Start the Story
We've all heard it many times before: "You need to do well on your upcoming test in order to make it to the next step."
"You need to get a five on the AP Chem exam in order to make it to the next step."
"You need to be the president of 6 clubs on campus, make straight A's your senior year, have an active social life, and start your own successful company in order to make it to the next step."
Ok maybe not the last one exactly, but it was approaching that when I graduated high school, and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets to that point over the next decade.
Throughout high school, I took the advice of following the standard path by working towards the next step of college; I was too wrapped up in school to think about doing anything else. And by the end of my senior year, I was in a good position to go to one of my top choice colleges.
But in the process of finishing my senior year, I began to become suspicious of the idea that life was a predefined set of steps that everyone had to work through in order to achieve success and happiness. I was sick to my core of going to classes that I wasn't particularly interested in, and I started to entertain the idea that surely there was a better way to do things.
QØ fueled this suspicion. More than anything, it gave me time outside the context of an overbearing workload in school to think about other possibilities, to meet different people, and to live a different lifestyle. Don't get me wrong, my team and I worked hard at QØ, but it was a different kind of work. I enjoyed it! I couldn't wait to get up every morning and "go to work."
And thus, I began to think. I accomplished more at QØ in four months, in terms of content that I was proud to have my name on, than in most of my classes throughout my senior year. I was tired of school, but I really enjoyed surrounding myself with inspired people and working on cool projects for 12+ hours/day. Why couldn't I do more of that?
After a couple of months of mulling these thoughts around in my head, I ultimately decided to try to find a way to ease out of the system and start experimenting with alternative paths to success. A gap year seemed like a pretty low-risk way to do that, especially since I could go ahead and lock down a spot in college as an "insurance policy" and then just defer for a year.
So I decided to give it a go, and it was by far the most transformative year of my life. Among other things, I learned to trust my instincts, set my own goals, and make my own path instead of blindly following others. This is the story of those experiences.
Graduation Day 2015 — Hasta la vista to high school
North Carolina, USA
It was the middle of my senior year when I began to think about how I could spice things up and challenge myself to step out of the cycle of chasing predefined "next steps." This shift in mindset for me — away from being wholly focused on doing well in school and going to a good college — was the result of a variety of experiences, not the least of which was QØ. QØ laid the framework for me to begin to apply my own critical thinking skills to my life path, which led me to question whether I really wanted to follow my classmates to college the following year.
As a response to these contemplations, I began to think about taking a gap year, which seemed like a good idea for two reasons:
The first, of course, is that it allowed me to not go to college directly after high school. This meant that I would have time to focus my energy on other opportunities outside of the context of a traditional classroom. I had many ideas kicking around about how I wanted to spend my time, such as learning to fly an airplane (seriously), and I was excited about the chance to put some of them into action. More on that later.
The second is that I was feeling burned out from academic work and I thought it would be good to take a year off to relax and recover so that I wouldn't become fed up with going to school. It's not that I don't like to learn… I think learning as much as possible about as many different things as possible is a worthwhile pursuit. But I prefer to learn on my own terms. I prefer to seek out the things that I'm interested in and pursue that knowledge until I'm satisfied with my understanding of it. I don't like being force-fed information that I don't find to be particularly interesting or relevant, only to be required to regurgitate it at a later date on a piece of paper that is likely going to end up in the garbage. And all for the sake of making a "good" grade so that I can convince someone else that I'm smart. In my opinion, that's a terrible measure of intelligence. So taking a gap year seemed like a good opportunity to restore some level of tolerance for academic learning so that I wouldn't completely lose it in college.
With this in mind, I began to research potential programs that I could participate in on a gap year. My goal was to find a scholarship to travel, and long story short I ended up receiving the CBYX scholarship to spend time abroad in Germany. Upon hearing the news, I got confirmation from my university (Columbia) that I was able to defer, and started to get ready for my year abroad. I was pretty pumped at this point about the future, and I couldn't wait to graduate to start my adventure.
But by the time the summer came around, a small but crucial dilemma arose regarding my gap year plans. As I talked to more and more alumni from CBYX, I came to find out that the sponsors of the program were going to require me to go to high school in Germany.
That's right. High school. Lord help me.
The thought of spending more time in high school was intolerable, regardless of where it was and who was paying for it. I was done with high school.
I was faced with a decision: I could either accept the scholarship and embark on a low-stress year of studying in Germany on an all expenses paid trip… which meant that I would have to go back to high school… Or I could risk it all, turn it down, and be forced to assume responsibility for my own future.
This was one of the hardest decisions of my life. I had a perfectly good, resume-enhancing, opportunity to spend a year in Germany, but I also had a rare chance to take a real risk and hopefully grow and develop in important ways as a result. Throughout the entirety of that summer, I employed the advice and guidance of many of my most trusted advisors, who included my parents, my brother Lucas, some old teachers, and one of my good friends Conor; their positions on the matter varied greatly, and I carefully considered each of their points.
The seeds of clarity were planted one afternoon about a month before I was scheduled to leave for Germany. I had been asked by CIEE, the organization responsible for executing the program, a few weeks prior to fill out a questionnaire aimed at helping them place me with a suitable host family for the year. Some of the questions on the questionnaire included things like "Why do you want to come to Germany?" I happily filled out their document and responded to their questions with honest answers that articulated the fact that I had almost no interest in actually performing well in classes, and that I wanted to go to Germany to take time to learn about myself, explore Europe, and relax.
They returned the document to me about a week after I submitted it and told me that my answers were not acceptable and that I wouldn't be allowed to do most of the things I wanted to do. They politely asked me to reconsider the questions and write new responses based on my "updated understanding of the program."
I don't normally respond well to people telling me what to do — you've probably picked up on that — and I especially wasn't in the mood to hear such a response regarding the gap year that I planned to take specifically for the purpose of being able to make some of my own decisions. So when they sent me back that document and told me to redo it, it lit a flame of courage within me that gave me the clarity I had been searching for all summer.
And within the same week, I sent the document right back to them, thanked them for their time, and declined the scholarship.
That ended up being nothing short of the best decision I've ever made and has since catapulted my life onto a completely different trajectory full of stimulating experiences, explosive personal growth, and new perspectives.
I was 17, and had never been to a "house party."
Netherlands, Amsterdam
After turning down the scholarship to go to Germany, I immediately found a job and began saving money. I did whatever I could; I worked for my father's construction company in the field, found work in various restaurants around town, and performed little technology related tasks for some of my neighbors. The tech tasks paid by far the best, and were much easier than working a construction job; I was thrilled anytime one of my older neighbors called for me to come set their new TV up.
By mid-September I had about $4,000 in the bank, and I was anxious to get going. I did a little math and came to the conclusion that $4k was good enough to live a basic lifestyle for some number of months so I put my tent in my backpack and set off with a one way ticket to Amsterdam.
The budget I had made prior to leaving did not account for money spent on expensive European hostels at 20 euros/night, so I made a Couchsurfing account and found someone to stay with in the outskirts of Amsterdam a few days prior to my arrival. Nour was a young Iraqi man who was the son of recent immigrants to the Netherlands. He lived in Schagen with Roo, his Dutch roommate from South Africa.
I showed up in Schagen, which is about 25km north of Amsterdam at 11pm after taking almost two days to cross the Atlantic alone. I had a long layover in New York, where I walked the entire length of Manhattan from Columbia University to the One World Trade Center, and a long layover in Helsinki, where I sat on the steps of a church and fed pigeons in front of a Tesla Motors exhibition.
One of my friends, Conor, who had been staying in the southern part of the Netherlands for the previous month wanted to visit Amsterdam and decided to meet me there. Without an internet connection, we wandered around the train station for several minutes looking for someone to point us in the direction of Nour's house. We found an older man, asked him where to go, and set off.
After stumbling around in near pitch black darkness for 45 minutes, we finally found Nour's house. He was a large guy, with a welcoming smile, and a deep voice.
He opened the door and invited us in. The lights were dimmed, there was loud music playing, and I could hear the chatter of a group of men around the corner. He gestured towards a spot near the door and told us we could drop our backpacks there. I shuffled a few pairs of shoes and made a little space before setting my bag down; then I proceeded into the rest of the house.
The first thing I noticed was the light haze of tobacco smoke that filled the room. There were two couches against the walls, which were filled with a handful of large drunk Dutch men. They were all intensely focused on the TV screen in front of them that was plugged into someone's computer playing music videos on YouTube, except for one guy who was rolling a cigarette. Empty beer bottles were scattered around the scene, Conor and I just kind of stood there waiting for instructions on what to do next.
Let me remind you that I was 17, and had never been to a "house party." The transition from my comfortable home in the rural mountains of North Carolina to Nour's man cave filled with things that were illegal for people my age in the US but not in Europe, was abrupt to say the least, and I was a little rattled. But I had nowhere else to go so I grabbed a beer, mustered up a smile, and assumed my position on the couch.
Conor and I ended up staying with Nour and his roommate for 3 days. He was a nice enough guy, but didn't give a crap about us. We slept on the floor of his laundry room in our sleeping bags.
I wanted to start with this story because it marks a clear shift in my life towards taking full responsibility for myself and my future. In a matter of 24 hours, my immediate support structure was reduced down to one person.
While my independence developed considerably throughout the year, I began to learn very quickly to rely on my instincts to keep myself safe and healthy. There was no other option.
This shift towards independence was transformative because it laid an important premise for having the courage to consciously make decisions that advanced my cause instead of blindly following others for the sake of comfort and conformity.
I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my gap year, so I figured I would just walk until I figured it out
Spain, Camino de Santiago
After leaving the Netherlands, I hitchhiked down to Spain to go for a walk. I chose the Camino de Santiago in Spain after a 10 minute Google search on the "best long walks in Europe." I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my gap year, so I figured I would just walk until I figured it out. Walking gave me time to reflect, to learn about myself, to consider my deepest aspirations before making a plan to accomplish them. All in all, I walked over 500 miles on the Camino de Santiago from southern France to the western coast of Spain before I was ready to move on.
In addition to continuing to refine my sense of independence, I learned a lot about personal decision making in Spain.
To illustrate this point, consider that in the rural parts of northern Spain (mostly in the middle part of the country), the landscape is essentially a vacant expanse punctuated by consolidated and infrequent town-sized communities. As soon as you decide to leave a town on foot, you're committed to continuing on until you reach the next town, which may be as far as 25km away — unless you decide to turn back, but where's the fun in that?
Now imagine that you are a young American "man," you have only an intellectual understanding of how the metric system works, and you have a raging sense of adventure and invincibility that you are eager to express whenever and wherever the opportunity may present itself.
This all added up to one evening early on in my journey, when I failed to comprehend how far "25km" really is; I can assure you that it's is not a leisurely morning stroll, especially not with a 50lb backpack. By about 5 o'clock, I found myself in the middle of a deserted landscape, with no water, and no food; I had run out of both a ways back. I hadn't seen anyone else for at least an hour, the sun was setting, and I had no idea when I could expect to arrive at the next town.
So I just kept walking.
And three hours later I stumbled into a town severely dehydrated and ready to collapse. There was a public water fountain on the outskirts of the town that I caught a glimpse of as I approached. I sprinted over to it, and stuck my head under the running water; the cool, soft texture of the water bubbling over my face was electrifying.
The context of walking in rural Spain provided a framework in which I was forced to follow through with my daily decisions. This played a significant role in teaching me how to set my own goals, and follow through on those intentions because it allowed me to realize the power I hold in making a choice and seeing it come to fruition.
On another occasion in Spain, I came upon a nice Polish man who was walking in the same direction and we struck up a polite conversation. He asked me about what I wanted to do in the future and I passively mentioned that I had been thinking about going to Nepal to see Everest Base Camp. Upon hearing this, his face lit up, he pulled out his camera, and he showed me many pictures of when he had visited Nepal a few years prior.
I ended up inquiring about the best time to be in the mountains, suspecting that the trails in the Himalayas are impassable for many months out of the year. "The best time to go is actually right now," he said. "It's late enough in the main season that it won't be so crowded, but the weather will still be ideal."
You can probably see where this is headed…
I decided right in that moment that I was going to go, which was one of the most liberating experiences of my life. At 17 years old, I consulted a grand total of 0 people about my decision to go to Nepal; I was independent, responsible for myself, and able to make my own decisions. By the time I spoke to my parents, my non-refundable flights were already booked.
"She says that they have been promised relief by many others, but we are the only people who have actually returned"
Nepal, Everest Base Camp and Gorkha
The frigid wind rushed by, blowing my untamed hair into a perfect mess. The truck's engine spat and roared as it fought through a foot of fresh snow piled high on the mountain road crudely carved out of rock and earth. As the road steepened and the ice thickened, the truck's onerous crawl ground to a slippery stand still. The snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas dominated the landscape with their towering majesty and stood as a clear reminder of who was ultimately in charge. The yells and cries of my Nepali team rose up over the truck's groans as we started to slide backwards towards the 500 meter unguarded cliff. Raj, the driver, poked his head out the window, spun the wheel, stomped the emergency brake into action, and brought the truck to a decisive halt about a foot and half from the edge of the road. A deafening silence fell over the scene as Raj turned off the truck; then we all jumped out to start digging. Laprak, Nepal. January 2016.
The time I spent in Nepal was the culmination of everything I had learned about setting my own goals and having the courage to follow through on those promises to myself.
To start, my trip to Everest Base Camp was actually relatively uneventful. Other than flying into to Lukla Airport, the most dangerous airport in the world, and slipping a few times on a narrow mountain ledges, it was honestly just a lot more walking.
A quick note about Lukla Airport: Picture a runway that is about as long as a football field built at a 12% grade on the side of a mountain. There is no radar, air traffic control, or navigational aid; pilots have to hand fly the plane all the way in, and if they mess up, the plane will slam into the side of the mountain. Between 2008 and 2013, there was roughly one fatal crash per year at Lukla (plenty more around the country, especially among helicopters trying to fly in the mountains). I tried to limit my exposure to such statistics prior to making the trip.
Anyway, I survived the flight into Lukla and spent three weeks taking the roundabout trail to Base Camp —the direct trail only takes 7 days, but is less challenging and exciting. The only thing I feel compelled to say about that journey is that you would be a fool to make it to your grave without seeing the sobering majesty of the Himalayas. I had never seen such a stunning landscape before, and I am very confident that I never will again.
The more significant development during my time in Nepal was related to a volunteer effort that I led from December to February in Laprak. On Christmas Eve, as I was sitting in a local coffee shop, I read a newspaper article about the devastation caused by the earthquake that had struck in April 2015. The article described high altitude refugee camps in which people were dying from exposure after losing their houses. The road conditions in rural Nepal rendered the camps nearly impossible to reach by truck, a problem that severely limited access to basic relief supplies like medicine and blankets.
So I packed my things and headed further north into the mountains towards the epicenter of the earthquake to see how I could help. The temperature dropped to 10 degrees Fahrenheit as I spent two days climbing endless Himalayan staircases snaking up into the mountains. I eventually arrived, panting and shivering at 10,000 feet above sea level. I found a large camp of displaced people who had come from the village of Laprak in the valley below.
The old village of Laprak had been destroyed by the earthquake; one of my friends took me down to the old village one day and showed me his house. It had been reduced to a pile of stones and wooden beams, indistinguishable from other piles beside it. There were large cracks in the ground, and visible scars on the mountain side where the earth had literally separated from itself in a violent fit of tremors. The new camp, an hour's walk up the mountain, consisted of about 3,500 people living in temporary shelters built out of corrugated iron, wooden poles, and plastic tarps. Imagine if you were going camping, but had to stay in the woods for an indefinite amount of time. That's essentially how a lot of these people were living.
When I arrived, I stumbled into the camp and looked around for a place to put my own tent. The locals were obviously surprised to see me, and eventually, as I continued to wander around, a few guys sitting up on the hill drinking tea got out of their chairs and yelled at me to see what I wanted. I pointed at the ground below me— at this point I had found a relatively flat place — and asked them if I could set up my tent there. They were perplexed, but agreed to let me have the spot and mosied down to offer their assistance.
Then they brought me to the local "English teacher," Ganesh, to have him sort me out.
Between the teacher's pieced together English and my broken Nepali, I was able to gather a decent sense of the condition of the camp. Long story short, there was an obvious lack of basic supplies to ensure the survival of the everyone through the winter.
I have two important memories from some of my first days there that illustrate this point well.
The first such memory is of Sangam, the three year old son of Ganesh, who had recovered from three separate cases of pneumonia in the past two months. With the temporary health post exhausted of basic medicine, it wasn't clear whether or not he would make it through a fourth.
The second memory took place during my first evening when I was looking for something to eat for dinner. Ganesh had taken me to one of the families who lived next to him, and when I walked into their shelter, my face was hit with a wall of smoke that seared my eyes and left me coughing as I took a seat on a piece of wood next to the fire. I ended up eating with them that evening, and as I was on my way out, I observed how they had managed to stay warm throughout the night despite plunging temperatures. With a fire built in the corner of the shelter to heat the inside air, they slept on the ground below the smoke line to avoid suffocating from the fumes.
I am not naïve enough to think the world is a perfect place — one could devote a hundred lifetimes to solving the world's inequality problems and still only begin to scratch the surface. I initially brushed off the immense suffering and misfortune I found in Laprak as just another example of how messed up the world can be.
But the culmination of all of my experiences leading up to this point had equipped me with an unprecedented level of courage and resolve in my own life, and I knew that I would be unable to leave Nepal knowing that I had done nothing to help. So I made the decision to take action.
I returned to Kathmandu and got busy figuring out how I was going to make it back with relief supplies before the brunt of the winter had fully set in. I started a fundraiser online and, with the help of my family and friends back home, raised almost $7,000 in about 3 weeks. I enlisted the help of some of my local Nepali friends and devised a plan to buy and deliver medical supplies to Laprak via the combined efforts of a 4-wheel-drive lifted "tank-truck" and porters on foot.
Two weeks after my initial visit to Laprak, I arrived to within a 30-minute hike of the camp, with enough basic medical supplies and other essential goods to help the 3,500 people of Laprak through the winter. My Nepali friends and I drove all through the night to make it up the mountain before the high altitude sun turned the rural mountain road into an impassable river of slush. It had snowed all night, and as we neared the camp we had to spend just as much time digging as driving to be able to move forward.
But we made it. And as I was leaving the camp a few days later, the director of the health post, Anarda, came running over to my friend Tej and me standing by the truck. She was wrapped in clothing to protect her from the harsh sun and bitter cold, and was smiling enthusiastically. She took my hand and began speaking fluent Gurung to me, the native tribal language spoken by communities near the Manaslu mountain range in Nepal. I sent a look of distress to Tej to elicit his services as an interpreter.
"She says that they have been promised relief by many others, but we are the only people who have actually returned," he said. "And for that, she is deeply grateful."
Intent is only real when you are willing to do what it takes to make it happen.
Laprak, Nepal
Before I continue, I would like to say that I felt like my involvement in Laprak in the form of imported resources was necessary for several reasons. The first, and perhaps the most important, was the fact that the Nepali government had been unable to get organized in the aftermath of the earthquake to effectively relieve the suffering of people living in more remote areas around Nepal. The situation around the country had also been alleviated by private organizations such as Oxfam, and the Red Cross, but the bottom line is that it wasn't enough, especially not high in the mountains where temperatures were significantly lower at night than elsewhere. Ultimately, thousands of people were confronting life threatening conditions in Laprak, and it didn't seem like anyone else had the capacity to help at the time. I am a big supporter of sustainable and responsible humanitarian practices, but in this case, in the context of an emergency, I was much more concerned about just providing as much relief as I could.
My experience in Laprak has doubtless been the most defining experience of my life; I am a completely different person than I was a year and a half ago. A lot of the positive developments that I have noticed in myself have taken shape along the same lines that have transcended this story. The lessons of trusting my instincts, making my own decisions, and having the courage to follow through on my intentions, are all lessons that took hold within me in Nepal.
My time in Nepal refined my sense of hard work and intention. When Anarda was telling me about all the people who had promised to return to Laprak to deliver medical supplies, and failed to do so, it awoke within me a keen understanding of intention and the path to success.
Intent is only real when you are willing to do what it takes to make it happen.
I have developed a bitter distaste of empty promises — not necessarily the kind of empty promise that I make to others — I'm talking about the empty promises I make to myself and then fail to uphold. My experiences in Nepal instilled within me a visceral opposition to articulating an intention to myself and then failing to see it through. Before I decide to do something, I have to make sure that it is something I actually intend to do. And if it is, then I'll be damned if I fail to uphold that promise to myself. That attitude is the only reason I succeeded in accomplishing my goals in Laprak, and it continues to define how I spend my time now.
Similarly, I learned that I have the power to affect real change in the world. My life is not a passive spectator event where I'm condemned to watching larger players make consequential decisions. This is a very liberating mindset, but it's also a lot of pressure. Every second of every day is an opportunity to advance my cause and work towards a larger goal. There's no time to waste! One of my current projects is finding a balance between answering this call to action and taking time to relax and appreciate the present moment.
On a less positive note, I find it much more difficult to relate to people now than I did 18 months ago. I have developed an intolerance for small talk, wasted time, and excuses, which all seem to be staple elements of socializing in college. I remain optimistic that this aspect of my life will improve moving forward; I'm a completely different person than I was before I left for Spain, and I need to allow some time for my social life to evolve alongside me. The quality of one's relationships is perhaps the single most important factor in deciding whether or not an individual is happy, and I'll be thrilled when I can figure out how to go back to having a more healthy social experience.
I have mentioned my current social experience to make this point: the only way to radically grow as a person is to expose oneself to deeply unsettling and challenging experiences. You will benefit greatly from the lessons you learn, but there may be less-than-positive side effects that will have to be remedied in the process. Living life is working through those side effects, which can sometimes prove to be just as difficult as living the experiences that brought them.
To wrap this section up, I decided to pack my things in Nepal in the early days of February 2016 and head to Thailand. I had accomplished my goals in Laprak and had a nagging sense of a need to move on. There is enough humanitarian work in Nepal to keep an army of people busy for several lifetimes, but at some point I had to be honest with myself in saying that I wasn't prepared to spend my whole life in Nepal and February seemed like a good to pack up and move on.
So that was it. I said my final goodbyes to my Nepali friends, asked them to send me updates on the status of Laprak, and hopped aboard a Thai Airways flight from Kathmandu to Bangkok.
"There was no good reason for me to learn how to dive"
I stepped off the plane in Bangkok, stumbled through the airport, and found my way to a taxi outside. As we drove to a nearby hostel, the sights and sounds of a modern city left me shell shocked. Just 24 hours ago, I was sleeping in a temporary shelter in one of the most remote villages in Central Asia, and now I was surrounded by modern highways, towering skyscrapers, and pictures of airbrushed women on billboards.
I have experienced culture shock in my life, but nothing like how I felt for the first few days in Thailand. This, combined with an ongoing intestinal infection from less-than-clean water in Nepal left me feeling like washed up sea litter from the beaches of Cancun after college spring break season.
I spent about 4 days in Bangkok sleeping and eating mango ice cream before deciding to head down to the islands in the Gulf of Thailand to sit on a beach, catch some sun, and formulate my next move. I booked an overnight bus ticket to a small port in the southern part of the country, and hopped on a large ferry from there. Three hours later, I stepped off the boat onto Mae Haad Pier in Koh Tao, which is a small island in the western part of the Gulf of Thailand. It was well above 80 degrees outside; the sun was beating down on my head, and the water below me was as clear as glass. The dense sea-level air filled my lungs with each satisfying breath. After spending months in alpine terrain, surrounded by ice capped peaks, rocky glaciers, and snow, the soft beaches of Koh Tao were a welcome, yet shocking, change of scenery.
Koh Tao is known for its plentiful scuba diving, which I didn't know before I showed up. As I was walking around the main beach area during my first evening there, this became very clear to me; you can't walk more than 10 minutes in any direction without encountering another dive school. I took note of this fact, but had no initial intention of taking advantage of the opportunity to dive for one simple reason: I do not like to swim. I just really don't like it. I prefer to keep both feet on solid ground, and preserve my ability to move across land as my body was intended to do.
But after spending a few days sitting around on this little island in the middle of a large body of water, eating Pad Thai for $1/plate, I became restless and decided that learning to dive would be an excellent opportunity to get over my distaste of water and embrace my inner fish. Thus, this story of relaxation on a beach in the middle of Southeast Asia becomes a self-taught lesson in how to confront and accommodate fear.
Fear is the single greatest inhibitor of personal success that I know, and it is important to experience fear often enough to be able to identify it and work alongside it when it inevitably arises.
The relationship that I have with fear now is not one of dominance. I have little interest in fighting or diminishing my fear. Rather, I use my fear as a measure of growth, and I try to make a habit of seeking out things that make me uncomfortable. That was a major premise of my entire gap year; I spent a decent amount of time just wandering around looking for opportunities to be scared. Spending so much time on the edge is what allowed me to learn about and develop myself so rapidly.
So I signed up to take classes at Big Blue Dive School one afternoon, one of the largest diving centers on the island, and then went to eat more mango ice cream as I read about how I would have to descend to 60 feet under water multiple times to pass the course.
And after spending a few days in the classroom going over the basic material, the day arrived to actually dive.
I looked over at my dive instructor. He was standing next to me with a big smile on his face giving me the "ok" signal. I took a deep breath. The regulator in my mouth (the device that delivers air from the tank on your back to your lungs) seemed to be working. I took a couple more breaths just to make sure, and then stepped up onto the side of the boat. The waves swooshed back and forth about five feet below me and rocked the boat. I eyed them suspiciously and began to rehearse the words of my instructor from just minutes before. "Put your hands over your mask to hold it in place, bite down on your regulator, and just fall into the water," he had said.
"Just fall into the water." Right. Simple enough. "Just fall into the water." So I turned around with my back to the ocean, gave a salute to the other divers on the boat, and inched backward until there was nothing but thin air between me and my fear.
The diving was incredible. Spending 20 minutes at a time suspended "in thin water" with a ton of fish, diving in and out of coral reefs, and getting up and personal with large sharks is other-worldly. As was typically the case throughout my gap year, the images I had seen on the internet of the underwater world only captured a small fraction of its majesty. Find the nearest dive center and give it a try; you will not be disappointed.
The point of this story is two fold. The first is related to rendering the experience of fear a familiar one so that you are not put off by it when it comes. No one is immune to fear. No one "conquers" their fears and then lives happily ever after. Fear is something that, at best, you can learn to work with, and ideally take advantage of. I am by no means finished with the process of becoming more familiar with fear, but thanks many of the choices I made throughout my gap year, I think I've made a lot of progress. The experience of fear is an opportunity to grow, so embrace it.
The second point of this story relates to the question of what to do when you know not what to do. When nothing piques your interest and you can't seem to ignite your passion, what should you do? I went through a phase towards the end of my junior year and throughout my entire senior year of high school when I just lost interest in everything. I still worked hard and did well in school, but I was going through the motions. There was no real intent or interest.
One approach is to do nothing. I chose to spend a month walking clear across Spain because I had no idea what else to do. I couldn't find a sense of clarity about what I was drawn to and how I wanted to spend my time, so I packed up, flew across the Atlantic to get away from the distractions, and just started walking to clear my head. Twenty-five days later, I had a stroke of clarity about going to Nepal and I acted on it with more urgency and purpose than almost any other time in my life.
The other approach is to do everything. After Nepal, I felt lost again. I showed up in Thailand sick, culture shocked, and deeply changed by my experiences in Laprak, and I had no idea what to do next. So I sat around for a few days in Bangkok, then sat around for a few days in Koh Tao, and then randomly decided to learn how to dive. Besides building on my experience with fear, there was no good reason for me to learn how to dive. But when you're not sure what else to do, you might as well sign up to do a bunch of different things until you find something that really speaks to you.
By striking the right balance between doing nothing and doing everything, the illusive next step will surely present itself in due time. And when it does present itself, you must have the courage and confidence to trust your instincts and act on it with explosive intent.
For me, after spending more than a month in Thailand, a week in Vietnam, and a few days in Japan, that next step was going to flight school to earn my pilot's license. Wheels up!
"How old do you have to be to learn how to fly?"
North Carolina
Now that we have arrived at the final stage of my gap year, allow me to briefly re-articulate the message that I am trying to create through this article. I started my gap year on a suspicion that the pre-described path that is always taught to us throughout school might not be the only way to achieve success and happiness in the world. By the end of my senior year, I was restless, tired of sitting in a classroom, and eager to ride under my own power for a little while to learn about myself and grow as an individual before college. The experiences I lived throughout my gap year taught me many lessons, not the least of which were to trust my own instincts, to have the courage to follow through on my own intentions, and to not follow others for the sake of following.
All of these lessons became ingrained deeper and deeper into my psyche as I advanced throughout the year, and ultimately culminated in my decision to head home in the early weeks of March 2016, find a job, and learn how to fly.
Flying has always been my thing. When I was 9 years old, I was riding in the car on the way to a soccer game with my father. As we approached the local airport, I looked out my window and caught a glimpse of a sign that said "Learn to Fly Here." I had never seen this sign, and it hadn't occurred to me previously that there was a flight school so close to our house, so I begged my father to bring me back after the soccer game so that I could see what it was all about.
My parents have always been the type of people to support me through whatever I want to do. They exert very little influence in terms of helping me make decisions, but as soon as I articulate an intention and start acting on it, they are always standing by to support me. I attribute a great deal of whatever success I have achieved in my life so far to my parents for this very reason.
And even at 9 years old, my father agreed to take me back to the flight school to watch the airplanes, speak to the instructors, and get a sense of what it was all about.
When we arrived in the building, we were greeted by a man named Ben. I have forgotten his full name, but he ended up being my first flight instructor. I couldn't have been more thrilled to even be standing so close to someone who could teach me how to fly.
"How old do you have to be to learn how to fly?" I asked.
Ben explained to me that there was no minimum age to begin flight training, but you had to be at least 17 to hold a license.
"So I can start right now?" I was beaming. "Dad, can I start right now?"
I hope to be as good of a parent one day as my father was in that very moment. "Sure, I don't see why not," he said. "But I'm not paying for it."
To be fair, my parents did end up paying for the first lesson as a gift for my 10th birthday. My parents also bought me the Jeppesen Private Pilot Manual when I was 10, which is a 500 page textbook that details everything that you need to know to become a Private Pilot.
So on a cold October morning in 2007, I climbed up on a stack of pillows in the "pilot of command" seat of Cessna N2055R and began my pilot training. Throughout the following two years, I did whatever small chores around the house I could find to earn a few dollars here and there to take more lessons. My parents were very generous in coming up with things for me to do to earn flying money, but at almost $170/hour, it took me months to have enough. Eventually, I just decided to just wait until I was older to continue on.
As I previously said, I had entertained the idea of getting my pilot's license the summer before I left for Spain, but I never had the gumption to actually make it happen. I was quick to come up with excuses about how expensive it was and how I probably wasn't going to be able to use it much even if I did get it, which are all valid points to be considered. But as I emerged from 7 months all over the world, I was equipped with a new perspective on what I could accomplish. With enough genuine intent, I knew that I was capable of anything — so I made a plan to earn the money, signed up full time at the local flight school, and worked hard at multiple jobs for 6 months to see it through.
And nine years after my first lesson, in late August of last year, I passed my Private Pilot checkride and received my certification in the exact same aircraft, Cessna N2055R, as I had originally begun in all those years before.
My mom, who doesn't much like to fly, climbed into the passenger seat next to me a few days later and spent a little time confronting her own fears. As I taxied onto the runway for her first flight, I glanced over and saw a noticeable look of discomfort on her face: a look I recognized well from my own face over the past 12 months. "You ready to go, mom?"
"I suppose," she said sheepishly. I made some final checks, reached for the throttle, and set it to full power. The engine roared as the plane lurched forward and thirty-seconds later we were flying. I had been telling her that I was going to be a pilot for more than a decade, and there I was, nurturing the aircraft higher and higher into the sky against the backdrop of the setting sun.
That was one of the proudest moments of my life.
"If there's one thing my political science classes have taught me so far, it's that I'm really not interested in political science right now."
Enrolling in College
So after all that, here I am: sitting in my college dorm room studying entry level political science six days a week. If there's one thing my political science classes have taught me so far, it's that I'm really not interested in political science right now. It's a drag to get up every morning and go to class. I almost always emerge from my two to four hour lectures thinking about what I could have accomplished instead of spending my time listening to a lecture about the artificial construction of national identities. I'm sure those lectures are very interesting to many people, but it's not for me at this point.
And yet, I'm still here. Why? Why did I come to college, and why have I decided to continue spending my time here (so far)? After all that I've said about having the courage to follow through on your own intentions instead of following someone else's prescribed plan to success, how can I reconcile those lessons with my recent pattern of nothing less than complacency?
I'm still not sure. I enrolled in college before I left for my gap year, and decided to make good on that promise last fall because I wasn't sure what else to do. I also still have a nagging sense that a prestigious four year degree is going to get me somewhere that I couldn't go without it.
But is that really true? Or is this just a massive waste of time? As I progress further through this college experience, I'm growing more and more suspicious that it is indeed the latter. So what's the next step? Glad you asked.
I would love to hear about what projects you're working on and what has inspired you
My Next Steps
I have been considering what it might be like to drop out of school. I'm not ready to do it yet, because I don't want to make a brash decision that I'm going to regret a few years down the line. But it's still something I'm considering.
The immediate plan that I've come up with is to look for opportunities other than school until I find something that really speaks to me. I can't just drop out of school with nothing to do and go sit at home for 6 months until I figure it out. But, if I can find an inspiring job, or stumble upon a stroke of inspiration that leads me to pursue my own company, then dropping out to pursue those goals becomes a much more realistic option.
To accomplish this, I've been reaching out to the extremities of my network to get in touch with people who I know are always up to interesting things. I've also been sending cold-emails far and wide to try to create as many opportunities for myself as I can. This strategy has been mildly successful so far; I currently have one promising summer job pending in Zurich, Switzerland as a result of this strategy, which could lead to a more long term opportunity if it ends up working out.
Ultimately, I'm trying to strike the right balance between doing nothing and doing everything. In a time of uncertainty, it's important to be patient. I'm "doing everything" in the sense that I'm trying to put myself out there by reaching out to my network to see if any leads open up. And I'm "doing nothing" by cruising through the motions of school while I take time to think. So far, college is not particularly difficult or stimulating; it's a chance for me to feel productive while taking time to collect myself. I also go to the college on the French Riviera, where the weather is nice and the wine is cheap. It's not a bad place to be patient.
One goal of this article is to reach out to all of you as part of that "doing everything" strategy. I would love to hear about what projects you're working on and what has inspired you recently; you can contact me through social media, or by sending an email to the address below! If you've dropped out of college, drop me a line to let me know how it went. I want to hear about your experiences, the good and the bad, so that I can have a better idea of what the best next move might be for me.
Even if you just have a cool story to tell, or a question or comment about any part of my story, let me know. I'm always up for good conversation!
Follow me on Instagram @kayolord; you won't be disappointed. email me k.gaylord at columbia.edu. Give me a phone call, that takes guts, +33 6 79 39 45 86. And check out the latest finance project I've been working on with a team in Philadelphia @ www.dynalect.com !
Closing Remark
Should you take a gap year? that's a good question that only you can answer. A lot of what I have written about describes my own experiences and journeys, but it should be known that there are many incredible people scattered all over the planet who have supported me to no end over the past few years. To think that I have accomplished anything or grown as an individual completely by my own accord reflects a misunderstanding of what has made me who I am today, so I want to express my gratitude to all the people, most notably my parents, who have been there for me when I needed it most. To Mom, Dad, Lucas, Isabella, Conor, Ganesh, Tej, Bella, Jared, Etinosa, Tara, Catalina, Chris, Jay, David, Diane, Nancy, and countless others: I am so appreciative for your support and friendship. Thank you.


text:
| Our hand crafted Clover and Aloe 2x3 pillar candles are the perfect for decorating in a small space or to use as accents in larger centerpieces. These wonderfully scented candles will freshen up the room as they give off a warm relaxing glow. These should be burned on a candle holder or heat resistant surface to avoid damage to your table when the flame gets to the bottom. You can also use these 2 inch diameter candles as cute favors by tying a ribbon around it with a decorative note on a punch card. These candles are made out of paraffin wax and a cotton fiber wick.
What It Smells LikeA strong clean earthy fragrance with hints of basil, dried red tomatoes, oregano, thyme, and a hint of red currant, patchouli, mixed with crushed red pepper.
Product Specs:
Copyright © 2006-2019 U.S. Candle Company

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Please join us for our June 2017 Kizuna Meet. 絆 – bond between people, between family or relationship. It's the bonds of friendship!! This month we're going to have the meet at Iowa Taproom. We felt that this is the perfect place to have our Kizuna meet in June to cool off beginning of summer heat at all Iowa beer and one amazing place. For the 2017 CelebrAsian volunteers, your first drink is on us!!
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: June 18Anime DeMoii Coming Soon - Fall 2017
Later Event: June 24Soten Taiko at ERICON


text:
writers block
The Senior's Theatre group is no more, but if you enjoy writing for pleasure or profit this group might be just the ticket. The program will be led by led by Peter Blacklock, who has spent his career in drama and education.
Peter has written numerous shows for Shuswap Theatre and the summer dinner theatre productions for Haney Heritage Village. More information will be coming soon, or call him directly if you are interested.
The group meets Tuesdays from 1:00 till 3:00pm. The cost, just a toonie!
Peter Blacklock's phone number is: 675-3004


text:
A Preventative Maintenance Program is a proactive approach to help to identify roofing problems in their early stages.
Thinking ahead before it's too late…
It is also an investment for the future…spending a little bit today may save you a large amount of time and money tomorrow.
Regular roof maintenance and repairs can make a difference
Regular roof maintenance and repairs can also help identify and address the source(s) of potential costly roof leak(s). Most roof system warranties may have maintenance guidelines to follow in order to keep your roof warranty in effect. By enrolling in a qualified Preventative Maintenance Program you may be able to extend your warranty and even help to extend the life of your roof.
Consider a customized Preventative Maintenance Program
Perry Roofing Contractors offers customized Preventative Maintenance Programs specifically for your roof. The quality of how your roof is installed is not the only factor to determine how well your roof will perform.
Your local roofing company
Perry Roofing Contractors is a local, licensed roofing contractor, serving the Gainesville Metro area since 1976. We have a dedicated service team that will help assist you to make the best Preventative Maintenance decisions for your home, facility or business.
Have roof damage or need emergency roof services – Click here >>
Learn about the benefits of a proper Roof Preventative Maintenance Program >>
Do you have a Roof Leak? Let Perry Roofing Help! >>
Do you know the condition of your roof? A Roof Inspection can help! >>


text:
Watch/Listen to past Superfest films for FREE on SFGovTV2 (or stream live!)
What: Superfest films will be shown from 7-9am on Tuesdays. Expect additional screenings and more films added during the week and weekends in the coming months. Be sure to check the SFGovTV2 schedule for updates!
Where: SFGovTV2, Channel 78 or stream live at https://goo.gl/nt9dpb
When: The following films will be shown on Tuesdays from 7-9am.
All films are captioned and audio described. See below for film listings and descriptions.
Right to be Rescued
Lefty & Loosey
On Beat
Well Done
Like If...
This reverent ode to the service dog tells the story of German immigrant Sonja Ohldag, who is diagnosed with a seizure disorder after moving to the U.S. in 1999. Unable to afford a service animal from an organization, Sonja trains her dog herself and takes a chance on Chief, who is not your average service dog. (2016), US, 17 minutes
A young woman born with a disability searches for a career despite rampant discrimination. She travels to Japan where she finds strength in disability activism and community, and returns home with a newfound sense of pride. (2014), Myanmar/Japan, 25 minutes
"On the Outs: Reentry for Inmates with Disabilities"
ON THE OUTS follows three inmates with disabilities as they prepare for reentry, get discharged and navigate the challenges of returning to their old lives. Produced by the Amplifying Voices of Inmates with Disabilities (AVID) Prison Project, this documentary scrutinizes the prison institution and its treatment of inmates with disabilities. (2016), US, 34 minutes
"The Right to be Rescued"
The Right to Be Rescued is a short documentary about the impact of natural disasters on people with disabilities. This documentary tells the story of those disabled people left behind in Hurricane Katrina and what New Orleans and other cities are doing to make sure it never happens again. (2015), US, 15 minutes
"On Beat"
This documentary short follows the lives of a deaf couple with hearing children and the unexpected outlet that brings their family closer together. (2015), US, 7 minutes
"Like If"
An unlikely heroine must deal with a particular epidemic; will she alone be able to save the world? (2014), Italy, 5 minutes
"Lefty & Loosey"
In this techy ode to film noir, two amputee veterans turned private investigators uncover a diabolical plot and must overcome their fears to crack the code and save the world. (2016), US, 5 minutes
Anna, a woman living with Multiple Sclerosis is visited by Doreen, a door-to-door proselytizer who makes herself at home and stays the day, slowly defrosting her non-welcome. Together they walk in the park, bake a chocolate cake, and watch an Ingmar Bergman film. (2015), England, 22 minutes
Forty years after the Vietnam War, the toxic remnants of Agent Orange have not faded. In this dreamlike meditation on the impact of war and the resilience of humanity, "Rhizophora" follows 11 disabled Vietnamese youth on a whimsical, poignant and whirling journey through a day in their lives. (2015), Germany, 16 minutes
Just before closing time, a completely bald man walks into a barber shop. Reflections in the window and an irritating fringe have told him that it's time for a haircut. (2014), UK, 10 minutes
"The Sea Reminds Me"
Mark, a disabled man who cannot come to terms with his father's death, is yearning for real touch and connections. He is drawn to a Welsh seaside town, a place haunted with childhood memories. (2013), England, 11 minutes
"Well Done"
A sharply-dressed young man with Down syndrome sneaks out of his house to visit an art museum and causes a disruption. Through humor and irreverence, this film reminds us that art can be interpreted by everyone, not just the "experts." (2016) Italy, 11 minutes


text:
"His [God's] intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Ephesians 3:10-11)
Many people view church as just a place to come to once a week, on Easter or at Christmas, or for the occasional wedding or funeral. For them, it doesn't have any more influence in their lives than any club or social group might. Others may view the church as being irrelevant, judgmental, or intolerant.
But when God dreamed up the Church, He clearly had something quite different and much greater in mind for it. His dream entails His Church being a living, breathing organism made up of individuals who realize that they are it! They are the Church. He intends that they be His agent to forever change people's lives and restore hope in their circumstances. In this sense, the Church is very personal.
Join us for a four-week series of


text:
Representing alternative paths on a timeline
Thanks J*B for pointing me on this awesome timeline of timelines. One of the timelines that struck me was the chart by Charles Renouvier's that depicts "the theoretical relationship between the actual course of history and possible alternative paths":
Why do I blog this? I am working on a chapter of my dissertation about visualizing coordination over time. This is an interesting example of how to express divergence in timelines.


text:
Brand development for the full range of events at Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR).
Bulletpoint strengthened and simplified the overall image to improve brand consistency across the range of printed and digital promotional materials.
Event branding
An ongoing series of logos to be used to promote a variety of different events KWVR run throughout the year. These logos needed to be distinct and specific to each event and yet also remain part of a family, thereby strengthening the overall brand.
Event posters
KWVR initially required general promotions for the railway, for a variety of placements including printed advertisements, on-site posters and digital screens at Leeds Bradford Airport. They also needed material developing for their imminent Easter holiday activities.
Client Testimonial
"Within three months Bulletpoint Design had transformed our brand. We needed a refresh and they have certainly managed that. Working to tight deadlines and specifications on each project Bulletpoint have delivered on time. There is still a lot of work to do and I am looking forward to seeing what is produced next." – Sarah Howsen, Marketing Officer, Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR)
Choose Bulletpoint
To discuss how Bulletpoint could help you with your latest promotion please call us on 01274 452 085 or email for details. Or click here to view the Promotion category.


text:
Ebook : Exam Ref: 70-744 Securing Windows Server 2016
Chapter summary
- It's true that BitLocker Drive Encryption as well as Encrypting File System have a strong use case in protecting corporate laptops. After all, seemingly countless laptop computers are stolen from airports around the world. Nonetheless, in this chapter we made the case that implementing BitLocker and EFS on our servers strongly improves the security posture of those machines, so long as these controls are added in addition to physical security and least privilege.
- The baseline server configuration for BitLocker involves an up-to-date UEFI firmware as well as an on-board TPM chip. These features support Secure Boot, which protects the server's startup environment against the insertion of unauthorized code.
- Microsoft offers administrators many options for recovering a lost BitLocker unlock password. These options include key/password escrow in Active Directory and self-service key retrieval by using the Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) toolset.
- While BitLocker encrypts entire disk volumes, EFS provides a granular method for encrypting files and folders.
- AppLocker was Microsoft's first foray into application whitelisting. To remind you, whitelisting is the exact opposite of application blacklisting, which was the method used by Group Policy software restriction policies.
- Control Flow Guard is a .NET Framework development feature that strengthens a Windows desktop application's relationship with system memory.
- Credential Guard relies upon the Hyper-V hypervisor to store sensitive credentials in a secure LSASS process and thereby prevent credential theft.
- Because NTLM is an old and largely unsecure authentication protocol, Microsoft makes it possible for administrators to block NTLM traffic in a workgroup or domain.
- NTLM blocking is configured via Group Policy.
- The best practice suggestion is to use the NTLM auditing Group Policy settings first to ensure that blocking NTLM entirely won't break any of your applications and services.
- Security Compliance Manager (SCM) is a database-backed desktop application the aim of which is to simplify the generation, comparison, deployment, and reporting of Group Policy security settings.
LSASS : Local Sercurity Authority Subsystem Service
SCM : Security Compliance Manager
NTLM (old) –> Kerberos (new)
New Technology:
Device Guard VS AppLocker
Device Guard (Code Integrity) expresses a high level of "trust", whereas AppLocker allows for granular rules – https://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Ignite/2015/BRK2336
Root Cause:
- Users can install and run unauthorized/untrusted apps
- Most security products are reactionary by nature
- Attacks are narrowly focused with specific goals
- New malware is easily obtained for a few BitCoin
- Advanced social engineering methods
- Relaxed attitudes toward local administrators
- Enforce application standards
- Eliminate threats associated with untrusted apps
- Improve management and control of application sprawl
Device Guard and Credential Guard hardware readiness tool
New Technology:
BitLocker encrypts entire disk volumes, EFS provides a granular method for encrypting files and folders
Technology for encryption entire disk volumes:
1. BitLocker
2. Trend Micro Encryption
BitLockert –> encrypts/decrypts –>
Enterprise implementation
BitLocker can use an enterprise's existing Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) infrastructure to remotely store recovery keys. BitLocker provides a wizard for setup and management, as well as extensibility and manageability through a Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) interface with scripting support. BitLocker also has a recovery console integrated into the early boot process to enable the user or helpdesk personnel to regain access to a locked computer.
Trend Micro Encryption Component
1. Policy Server
2. Device/Asset/Computer/Laptops
** Server <—sync –each other –> Devices.
Exam 744 – Securing Windows Server 2016


text:
Throwback Thursday/
November 2007.
Scene: Business luncheon for social purposes.
I was dining with my direct manager, our portfolio manager and a team of portfolio managers from servicing. Our team managed commercial loans before they were packaged into securitization. Portfolio managers from servicing managed pools of loans after they are securitized. This is relative.
Not so random observation: The restaurant was located in the Gateway Village which has been a problematic location for restaurants. I'm witness to three great concepts unable to maintain.
The conversations range in scope from education; a few are paying tuition for their career college students still trying to figure out what they want to be in life, relocating and travel. The latter stands out because all of our separate conversations merged into one as 'Frank' talked about an upcoming trip to tour Europe that would include visits to multiple cities. Everybody else is doing it, so why can't we? [This is relevant because I was drinking Cranberry juice.] Without fail the group opined about the cost, to which he replied how economical it could be for any of us with proper planning. His plan included overnights with friends and family to offset the cost of hotels. I believe he stated it was customary to repay their hospitality by treating them to an incredible meal and drinks. One universal truth, we all share a love of great food and drinks. So everyone wins? I did have a thought as I looked down at my $14 bill for a half sandwich, bowl of soup and glass of cranberry juice. Picking up the tab for a group of people may prove to be more costly than… never mind.
End Scene.
Life was good for living souls during this time, especially for our man 'Frank' who closed on a condominium in Uptown Charlotte. It is the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered. I was genuinely happy for him; I did however become envious when I heard he may have paid cash for it.
Envy turned to laserslike intensity on January 10, 2008.
"Francisco 'Frank' Fernandez, 43, was arrested this morning on a federal criminal complaint alleging theft, embezzlement and/or misapplication by a bank officer." It was alleged that from July 2007 through December 2007, he embezzled approximately $457,384.79 by allegedly given a bank customer his personal bank checking account number for them to wire payments into instead of the correct bank account number to which these payments should have been wired.
Mr. "Let me know if you caught the Cranberries reference" TramueL


text:
Profile Last Updated:
Grant Information Last Updated:
Access lists of funders based on detailed search criteria and other features such as:
Grants for Protestant church support and religious programs, including Christian education, evangelism, welfare, and support for foreign missions.
Incorporated about 1952 in TN; corporation liquidated into a charitable trust in 1987
Family foundation
90% of Foundations don't have websites.
Find them in Quick Start.
Please share any feedback you have about Foundation Directory Online. If you would like us to contact you for follow up, please include your name and e-mail address and we will be in touch.


text:
Avid diva won't be alone at palindrome awards night
The nominees really will know their stuff backwards: the first awards show to recognise "outstanding palindrome achievement" will take place tomorrow.
The SymmyS, to be held in Portland, Oregon, will showcase one of the most fiendishly tricky feats in worldplay: the composition of phrases that read the same both backwards and forwards, such as "Madam, I'm Adam".
Judges include Will Shortz, editor of The New York Times crosswords. He will be looking for "sense and naturalness of syntax", qualities illustrated by the classic: "A man, a plan, a canal: Panama!"
But size also matters. His favourite palindrome is one of the longest he has seen: "T. Eliot, top bard, notes putrid tang emanating, is sad. I'd assign it a name — gnat-dirt upset on drab pot…


text:
Isabel (Belle) Crinklaw passed away Monday, May 1, 2017. She was born March 10, 1927, to Freddie and Lucille Broussard at Kaplan, Louisiana. Shortly thereafter they moved to Abbeville, Louisiana, where she grew up and attended school. After graduating high school in 1944, she attended Western Union School and accepted employment with them, and worked for Western Union in Chicago, El Paso, Texas, and Los Angeles, California.
During the late forties she returned to Louisiana, where she met her husband to be, Howard Crinklaw, and they were married April 1, 1950, at Clayton, New Mexico. In 1951, they moved Roseburg. To this union were born three sons, Rick Crinklaw (Carla) in 1953, Greg Crinklaw in 1955, and Glen Crinklaw in 1957.
The only time Belle worked outside the home was between 1952 and 1953, while Howard served in the U.S. Army. During those two years she worked for Coos Bay, Lumber Co. Plywood Plant, Coquille, OR.
Belle is survived by her husband Howard; her three sons, Rick, Greg and Glen; three grandchildren, Garrett, Kerey and Kaley; and great-granddaughter, Marlee


text:
Pre-Owned Agricultural & Outdoor Power Equipment
Pre-Owned Ag & Outdoor Equipment
Get the Best Equipment at Can't-Miss Prices.
Rathbone Sales has an expansive inventory of pre-owned and non-current ag equipment. Get the equipment you're looking for at an unbeatable price! We carry industry-leading brands, including Massey Ferguson, Hesston, MacDon, Case IH, Sunflower, and more. All of our pre-owned equipment is in top, clean condition and ready for you to take home today.
Browse our equipment online, and stop in to take home yours! We're located in Moses Lake, just outside Spokane and the Tri-Cities.
Ask about Tractor Appraisals!
We offer a simple way to discover the trade-in value! Simply complete an online request form and we'll respond with the trade-in value as soon as we're able! Learn more below.
Contact Rathbone Sales
We are proud to be Washington's #1 Tractor, Mower & Outdoor Power Equipment Dealer! Please feel free to contact us at (509) 765-1234 or stop in today!


text:
It's that time of the year agin. Fellowship Church is getting ready to begin a whole new semester of Growth Groups. These groups, ranging from just a few people to a full class, are built from the ground up with specific goals in mind.
New to Christianity or trying to Discover what Fellowship Church has to offer? We have a group for that!
Are you further along in your faith and are looking for a more specific approach to progressing your spiritual walk? WE HAVE GROUPS FOR THAT AS WELL!
Check out the full list of groups by following the link below, and sign up for a group that best suits you.
Click HERE to see a full list of growth groups this semester and sign up.


text:
Lies about Mortal KombatEdit
- There is a code to unlock blood and arcade fatalities in the censored SNES version of the game.
- Such a code does exist, but only in the Genesis version.
- This was the basis of an April Fools' prank in Nintendo Magazine System, which claimed that 'super death moves' were present in the SNES version and could be unlocked by a ridiculously complicated chain of actions that included sellotaping a coin to your cartridge if it had a particular serial number.
- There is a playable character named Ermac, a red palette swap of Scorpion.
- In tribute to this, Ermac could be fought at the Warrior Shrine in Shaolin Monks during a series of missions, referencing one of the methods to reach him which involved the Warrior Shrine.
- This lie stems from a misinterpretation of the ERMACS option on the diagnostic screen, which stands for "Error Macro." Ermac finally appears as a real character in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, as a response to this lie.
- In Mortal Kombat (2011), Ermac appears a character for Liu Kang to fight in the Story Mode in the first tournament.
- There is a certain extra joystick movement that, if performed during Scorpion's spear throw, will cause him to say "Get the fuck over here!"
- This eventually occurs in Shaolin Monks (albeit rarely and without the alleged extra combination)
- The ability to play as Shang Tsung and Goro.
- Goro can be unlocked for play in the Gameboy port. Also, he is available for play in Mortal Kombat Trilogy.
- A recently discovered glitch on the SNES allowed the second player to play as Goro (albeit very limited)
- Reports of an African-American kickboxer named Nimbus Terrafaux as a hidden opponent.
- Reports of a secret character named Go-Nad.
Lies about Mortal Kombat 2Edit
- As an arcade exclusive secret, if you select Johnny Cage and insert a coin while pressing start at the same time, you will play as a superpowered version of him that has his "Green Bolt" move from the original Mortal Kombat, as well as a Shao Kahn-like "Shadow Elbow".
- There is a "meathook" finisher that lets you uppercut an opponent onto the chains in the Dead Pool stage.
- An uppercut as a fatality on this stage actually does send an opponent into the acid below the stage.
- Midway actually added meathook finishers into the Dead Pool stage in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks where you have to uppercut your opponent onto the hooks in order to advance further.
- There is a finisher that allows you to uppercut an opponent into the mouth of one of the trees in the Living Forest stage.
- This rumor serves as the major puzzle for the Living Forest area in Shaolin Monks.
- In Mortal Kombat (2011) the Living Stage fatality was made made into reality where the defeated opponent is thrown into the mouth of one of the trees, they get gobbled up leaving only the legs behind.
- Amongst other fake finishers rumoured were the "Animality" (sometimes "Bestiality") and "Nudality".
- The Animality would later be implemented in Mortal Kombat 3. Nudalities would never surface in the series proper.
- Pressing a certain combination of buttons in front of a specific tree in the Living Forest would lead the player to a battle with Skarlett, a female assassin wearing red (as opposed to Kitana, Mileena, and Jade's blue, purple, and green, respectively).
- In Shaolin Monks, Kitana's alternate color swap depicts her outfit as red
- Skarlet later became a fully playable character through DLC for Mortal Kombat (2011) as a knife-wielding ninja who utilizes blood in a variety of techniques including morphing into a puddle.
- Reptile says "Friendship!" and bows before lashing his tongue out and eating his opponent's head when his Fatality is performed.
- There is a special move that transforms you into Kano, a character who was selectable in MK1 but not MK2.
- Among the gameplay audits tracked by the game is one "Kano Transformations" which was deliberately added by the developers to trick people into believing this was possible.
- There is a new character named Smoke who has cigarettes for fingers.
- Smoke is a secret (non-playable) opponent in this game, and is playable in the sequel in cyborg form. He does not have cigarettes for fingers.
- Kano and Sonya can be made playable by defeating Shao Kahn with a Double Flawless victory, at which point you character will break their chains. (Kano and Sonya appear chained to posts in the background of Shao Kahn's stage)
- In Shaolin Monks, the player can free these two near the end of the game which is followed up with a fight against Kano with Jax assisting the player(s). Winning the battle results in Kano's death and Jax rewards the player with both a health upgrade and a spare health item to use in the final battles.
- Kintaro can be unlocked for play via Shang Tsung's morph
- Shang Tsung can only briefly change into Kintaro as a somewhat, difficult-to-perform Fatality.
- There is a secret character called Pedro, a Mexican fighter who attacks by farting fire.
- This was an April Fools' hoax by Computer and Video Games magazine.
Lies about Mortal Kombat 3Edit
- There is a special move that allows the character to impregnate one of the female characters. This is said to cause the character to explode after a span of time and make babies appear to come out of the character's belly.
- This is only partially true. In the Nintendo 64 version of Trilogy, when the winner performs a Babality, the loser must hold down High Punch, Low Punch, High Kick and Low Kick in which the loser reverts to normal after being turned into a baby and explodes shortly after.
- When the face of Dan Forden appeared saying "Toasty" for a very short time, the player should press Select while he was still on screen in order to unlock cyborg Smoke character which could be seen in the character selection screen but could not be selected (SNES version of the game).
- Although this is a lie, there is still a password which consists of a combination of buttons, that if entered correctly at the opening screen unlock the cyborg Smoke character.
- The lie may have been based on the original method to reaching him in MKII where the player has to press Down and Start when Forden shows up while at the Portal stage.
Lies about Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3Edit
- There is a cheat code to unlock Rain as a playable character in the Arcade version
- The character Rain was made as a deliberate farce by Midway for players to try and find him to increase the game's lifespan. He only briefly appears in the Attract Mode and even then, no coding for him actually exists. Despite this, the player was encouraged of his existence by a clue that states 'Rain can be found in the Graveyard'. He is added to the roster of playable characters along with Noob Saibot in the SNES and Sega Genesis/Megadrive ports.
- There are special 'Friendships' that were added where the female ninjas would turn towards the opponent and flash them but the player didn't see anything revealing. These were supposed to be a joke referencing nudalities, and were probably the result of confusion with Killer Instinct, where such a fatality actually exists.
Lies about Mortal Kombat 4Edit
- Reiko is Shao Kahn unmasked
- The PC and PSX versions featured CGI-rendered endings added more to Reiko's ending. The original version was viewed as a joke to many; the character merely walks through a portal and the ending finishes there. The CGI version shows Reiko at the destination of where the portal led him: a throne. He assumes occupation of the throne and Shao Kahn's helmet descends on his head, identifying him as Shao Kahn. Deception later put this to rest as the Konquest mode revealed that not only are the two completely different characters altogether, but that Reiko was merely obsessed with Shao Kahn by constantly wearing his helmet at times. Both the comics and Shaolin Monks have shown Shao Kahn unmasked, but looks nothing like Reiko.
- In another nod to this, Reiko's appearance in Mortal Kombat Armageddon depicted him in strikingly similar attire to Shao Kahn and his ending has the emperor's helmet stuck to his head.
- There's a secret character based off of Iron Man that has blades on his hands and looks a little bit like Reptile in a sparkly jade and turquoise Iron Man suit. His name is Reptron. The only way to unlock him is by beating the game with Reptile six times then entering the cheat code "Ironsuitacid".
Lies about Mortal Kombat Gold Edit
- There is a playable character called Belokk.
- Belokk was a character created by fellow developer Eurocom as a new character for the game and screenshots of him were even posted. Belokk was supposedly an improved, boss-like version of Shinnok, possessing the moves of every character in the game, even Goro. He was removed from the game for a couple of reasons. He was thought to have been in the final version, as Tanya's portrait in the character select screen can be rotated to reveal a secret character like Cyrax to Sektor or Reiko to Noob Saibot. This effect, however, appears to be merely cosmetic and nothing changes.
Lies about Mortal Kombat: Deadly AllianceEdit
- A person wandering around the Krypt hints to be a hidden character.
Lies about Mortal Kombat Armageddon Edit
- Smoke has a relic called "Smoke's Cigar."
- This was a false item fabricated by the unofficial guidebook from PrimaGames. Smoke's actual relic is his mask and is located in a different location.
Lies about Mortal Kombat VS DC Universe Edit
- There have been several rumors about hidden DC characters who didn't make the cut, and hidden costumes for various characters. The method for unlocking these characters frequently involved insane controller inputs while getting shocked by Captain Marvel at the Rock of Eternity stage, or while standing on the glowing line in one of the split stages.
- A Heath-Ledger-looking Joker.
- A cartoon "Slade" style Deathstroke.
- A Jay Garrick flash.
- Black Adam instead of Captain Marvel.
- Various different Green Lanterns including Guy Gardener, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Kilowog, and even Sinestro. This one usually involved getting perfect-KOed an impractical number of times on the Oa stage.
- Crime Syndicate of Amerika versions of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, and Green Lantern. Ultraman, Owlman, Super Woman, Johnny Quick, and Power Ring respectively.
- One 4chan /v/ poster insisted it was possible to escape from Captain Marvel's grip during his shock attack, causing the lighting bolt to strike him instead and transform him into Billy Batson.
- There's a way to unlock James Earl Cash from Manhunt as an unlockable character, though he has a more Devil-like look to him: just beat the game with Kano three times and with Jax three times in a row then enter the cheat "StrappedforCash" at the cheat menu.
- Apokolips was originally planned to be in the game in a gold and silver costume.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


text:
November 27, 2015 - November 28, 2015
12:00pm - 6:00pm
Rootwood Cider Company
45 Wapato Way
Manson, WA 98831
Join us on Fall Barrel Tasting weekend to sample ciders paired with selected small bites, featuring artisan cheeses and charcuterie from Glondo's Sausage Company in Cle Elum. Newly released cider gift packs & holiday presents available. All ages welcome.


text:
Keri Top - Black
Keri Top - Black
The Keri Top is a wrap shirt designed to be styled two ways: wrapped around waist and tied in the back or tied in the front for a more dramatic look. The Keri Top has been Girlfriend Tested™ to make sure it looks great on women with different bust sizes. Also available in white.
Add To Cart
Made in LA
Inspired by my cousin Keri, this top is both short and sweet. The Keri Top is designed to help to transition from day to night.
100% cotton
Spot clean in between wears, steam clean to freshen, cold wash, and hang dry.
Made to Order
This item is made to order and takes 1-2 weeks to complete. You'll receive updates on the progress to see your garment being handmade in our Downtown Los Angeles studio.


text:
Makeup Mirror with Light 22 LED
Cosmetic / Makeup mirror 22 LED lights with 1 x 10x magnifying mirror.
Each morning, have a good mood, smile to yourself, smile to life, every time the "Mirror with light" smile to you.
- LED display: The 22 LEDs provide a clean and light reflection when you need it. Also you can adjust the LED lights according to your preferences.
- Rotating: Rotating 180 degrees so you can get it all with.
- Adjustable height: With the adjustable up and down the slope, you can adjust the height favorite.
- ON / OFF Switch: ON / OFF switch on the back of the unit activates the power when you need it. When you do not need it, turn it off to save electricity.
Case Material: Plastic
1 X White Makeup Mirror with 22 lights
1 X 10x Magnifying mirror
1 X Foot
1 X USB micro power cable
1 X English manual
Size: 26 x 17,2 x 11,7 cm
Mirror size: 21,3 x 16,3 cm
Battery: 4 x AA batteries (not included).


text:
I'm Andrew Peirson. Having spent ten fun years in the wine trade, in 2006, I started to develop a strong interest in managing my own financial affairs and found it to be quite a 'minefield'. This interest grew and grew and I decided that I wanted to pursue a career helping other people make sense of it all as well.
So I resigned from my position in the wine industry, started taking the exams and secured in early 2007 a position with a firm in London as a trainee financial adviser. The penny really dropped for me in the Spring of 2008 when I attended a workshop which was all about delivering a service which completely revolves around helping clients to achieve and maintain the lifestyle they want.
Since then my purpose has been to work on my life and hone my financial planning skills to deliver a service that will make a real difference to my client's lives.
As I wanted to work with client's closer to my home in rural Essex, I joined HLS Financial Planning in 2009 where I started to deliver the service I provide today: Lifestyle Financial Planning. During my time at HLS, I continued my studies and gained higher level professional qualifications.
In 2013 I realised one of my aspirations by setting up ontrak Financial Planning. This has enabled me to design a service around helping client's have more time and freedom to do the things they want to do, giving them peace of mind and confidence their financial affairs are being well managed.
When not doing this, I spend time having fun with my wife Jo, and four children (as well as being a taxi driver!). The trak of ontrak comes from the first letter of each of our children's names: Tom, Rosie, Alex & Katie.
I play a variety of sports including rugby for Saffron Walden Rugby Club and cricket for Great Canfield. I also coach mini rugby which I enjoy immensely. When all that is done I enjoy relaxing with Jo with something interesting in my glass!
Please call if you think I can help you.


text:
Caring For Your Braces On Vacation Doesn't Have To Be A Chore
If you've got a vacation coming up and you have braces, there might be some things you need to consider that didn't occur to you. Braces have an effect on every aspect of your life, but that doesn't mean they need to get in the way of your next great adventure. With just a little planning you can maintain proper care of your dentures and be off on your next jet-setting vacation without care!
Be Smart About Snacking And Plan Ahead
Not everywhere you go on your adventure is going to be able to accommodate your snacking needs, and there's nothing worse than needing a little caloric pick-me-up and not being able to find them. You know what you need to avoid while on the road, so what you need to do is make sure to pack extra snacks for when accommodating snacks aren't available. Using your list of soft, chewy things you can snack on check with the locals and see what they might suggest that are local treats. This way you can have a combination of smart snacking and local experiences all at once!
Never Underestimate The Importance Of Routine For Your Braces
It's routine that makes us not forgot the essential maintenance part of having braces, like ensuring we put in and wear our Invisalign for 22 hours out of every given day. One way to get around this is to set frequent alarms on our phones to keep us stepping in line with our dental needs. Also, be sure to carry your previous aligner with you just in case you happen to lose one in a panic. While tracking your routine remember to floss and brush regularly to ensure you don't let decay creep in while having a good time.
Travel Kits Are Braces Best Friend
Sure, you've probably outgrown the need for waxing your lips to protect from the braces, and you always have that extra brush in your purse or pouch to ensure that you can give your braces that extra bit of attention after a meal, but that's at home! Now that you're on the road you're going to want to bring all your waxes, extra tooth-brushes, a compact mirror, dental floss, even a water bottle to make sure you can take proper care of your braces.
Stop In And See Your Dentist Before You Go
This little tip can stop disaster before it ever has a chance to set in. Making an appointment with your dentist before you leave will ensure that they have a chance to go over your teeth, check in on your bands, examine your braces for damage and stability, and otherwise ensure that you'll experience no problems while you're out on your adventure.
If you're getting ready to go on a wild vacation and have braces, contact Midtown Dental Care and give a call and speak to Dr. Jaskaren Randhawa for an appointment. She's been helping adventurers and travelers throughout the New York area prepare for their next big story by ensuring their dental health is up to par for years and would be proud to help you enjoy your next adventure care-free.


text:
WOODLAND SPRINGS Glamping Devon
CostFrom £40 per night for up to 2 people
Accommodation sleeps
Pods sleep 2 Adults
Chris and Jan Patrick
Woodland Springs Touring Park
Devon EX6 6PG
Tel: 01647 231695
Email: email@example.com
Website: woodlandsprings.co.uk/camping-pods
Glamping Devon
Woodland Springs offers glamping in camping pods exclusively for Adults in the Dartmoor National Park, Devon. Surrounded by farm and woodland we are in a tranquil setting in the hamlet of Venton near Chagford and Dartmoor is on your doorstep.
Our natural setting encourages wildlife and you will see many species of birds as well as rabbits, if you are very lucky you may also get to see deer, stoats and foxes. Our park changes greatly throughout the year so make the most of us being open all year. You could even visit for Christmas and New Year.
The toilet blocks have free hot water and showers and is also centrally heated during the colder months. We welcome dogs and other pets, we also have Day Kennels for hire should you want to go somewhere you cannot take the dogs. You can walk out in the lanes behind Woodland Springs or exercise them in our dog exercise field where they can be exercised off the lead.
On site we have a small shop that sells the bare essentials including wine and local ciders and beers. We bake fresh bread to order in the morning. Our Information point features a freezer as well as a coffee machine that grinds coffee from the bean.
These family sized pods are a great alternative for two adults to camping. They are built to a very high standard so you can enjoy your holiday in all weathers. Forget about having to pitch your tent when its windy or wet, or even sunny, and the taking down of it as well, your wooden, insulated tent is ready for you! All you need is your camping equipment. You can take your dogs into the pods but we do ask people not to cook in the pods.
They are fully insulated with the extra "sub zero" pack fitted, carpeted and double glazed the pods include
- Heating and light
- 2 electric sockets with 2 x 2.5 amp USB ports to charge your phone etc.
- Roller blind for the lockable, double glazed, front door to give you that added bit of privacy
- Waterproof 13 amp external electrical socket on the outside for your cool box or electric grill
OUTSIDE includes
- A bistro table and 2 chairs great to sit out on the decking and watch the world go by
- You can hire a BBQ from us
We suggest you bring an inflatable mattress, bed roll or other bed, sleeping bag or duvet and pillows, cooking stove, kettle etc. A cool box for your milk etc, mugs, glasses, crockery and cutlery, towels and tea towels and anything else you might need.
Cooking in not mandatory as you could always eat out as there are many places to eat in the area from some of the finest cooking in the country to good honest pub and cafe food.
We have all of the usual camp site facilities including
- Excellent toilet and shower facilities
- WiFi (charged for service)
- Small shop selling the bare essentials including, wine, local beers and ciders
- Coffee Machine, grinds coffee from the bean
- Fresh bread baked to order (not available in Winter months)
- Information point
- Freezer
- Indoor dish washing
- Washing machines and tumble dryers
- Iron and ironing board
- 1 acre of open land for exercising dogs off the lead
- Day kennels for hire
Dartmoor National Park is on our doorstep you can have many invigorating walks on the adjoining moor. There are local shopping facilities in Drewsteignton, Chagford and Okehampton and Exeter is only a short drive away.
Attractions also nearby enjoy
- Castle Drogo
- Spinsters Rock
- Finch Foundry
- Stone Lane Gardens
- Dartmoor Prison Museum
- Bowden Hostas
- Fernworthy reservoir just outside Chagford
- Chagford is a small quaint stannary town with traditional shops
- Okehampton is a more modern town with a mixture of traditional butchers, bakers, farmers shops and supermarkets
- Exeter with it's many attractions
- The sandy beaches of Devon are only a 45 minute drive
If you fancy doing something else then there is golf, fishing, swimming and horse riding and many other activities can all to be found nearby.
Nearby pubs include the Post Inn at Whiddon Down, the Drewe Arms at Drewsteignton, the Fingle Bridge Inn at Fingle Bridge (there is a good walk from here), Taw River Inn at Sticklepath and the Sandy Park Inn at Sandy Park and many more in the area.
Pods from £40 to £45 per night season depending
Minimum stay of 2 nights over weekends and 3 nights over Bank Holidays.
Shorter stays may be available at short notice if a Pod is not booked out.
Dogs welcome.
Please note that we do not allow instant/disposable BBQ's or open fires of any sort.
Special offers
DISCLAIMER The information displayed about this business is a advertisement. Love Glamping makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the advertisement or any linked or associated information. The information on this business is provided and by the business named on this page.


text:
2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Price
2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 is trying to be rivals among the rates of new cars presented up coming year. This unit has been designed for many years to get updates. Come up with the improvement of the newest facilities and believed to be allowed to increase and wish to be able to order good sale. There are a lot of features that can be pinned, the total changed design that was presented on the auto motor show previous moment. Customers allow confident scores on concept cars, the release this time had been awaited. If you may be one of the customers waiting for the introduction of this truck, we hope this snapshot can reduce your curiosity.
2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Facelift
2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 is not like rivals, some units come with facelift styles. Despite that with a facelift style, the corporation is pretty observant in including attributes and replacing the display. The brand is quite serious about the public's want, with the perfect research and a little touch of design style, this vehicle deserves to compete. Usually, there are a few points that often have a reshuffle. As is in many cases the case is grille design, headlight layout, taillight shape and also the extra of body kits. But whenever the manufacturers makes complete change, of course, it deals with a new platform, new body line shapes, more features, adjusting sizes, driving comfort, but also improved power and torque.
We actually hope so much with this truck, each shortage is wanting to be fixed up. But any change usually boosts fabrication prices so that it affects the price range. 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 arrived as a masterpiece if this truck was released it may make made people criteria. Higher capacity engine, better comfort, increased safety. The latest gps navigation and also network features. Almost everything has been prepared, a few photos and spy shots that you see today are possibly not the most relevant, sometimes coming as an estimate. We are able to take the latest updates instantly if you do not mind this is the newest photo we have confirmed for 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.


text:
This sold out one day workshop took place in November in the Schoolhouse for Art Enniskerry.
The workshop was an intensive day long course looking at creating atmospheric pastel drawings concentrating on the Landscape. During the course of the day students studied elements of composition, creating harmony within the work, layering, colour mixing and pastel drawing techniques.
The theoretical elements were then put into practice by working on 2 separate landscape drawings.
"It was a very enjoyable and educational day. He is a wonderful teacher, so clear in his instruction and clearly is such a talented artist. One of the best things about his workshop was that he made us all feel confident and enabled us to discover what was possible".
S. McCarty Nov. 17
About David West
Dave West was born and raised in South Wales and is now settled in Balbriggan, North County Dublin. He studied at the Carmarthenshire College of Art & Design and recently completed a degree in Art History with the Open University. He has had numerous solo exhibitions. He has exhibited widely in Group Shows including the Royal Hibernian Academy, Royal Ulster Academy and Eígse, and in the UK with the Royal West of England Academy, Royal Society of Oil Painters, Royal Society of Marine Artists, The New English Art Club, The Royal Society of British Artists, and the UK Pastel Society, at which he won the 2013 Schminke Award. In 2017 he won the Mayoral Gold Award at the 'Art In The Open' Plein Air painting festival.
Keep me posted on workshops with David West....


text:
Happy Monday and Happy November! I hope everyone had a lovely Halloween weekend! It was so fun to see everyone's costumes on Facebook and Instagram! I love seeing how creative, resourceful, and original everyone is. The three of us went as the cast of Pitch Perfect 3-- Jesse and Beca get married and have a daughter named Bella! Originally I wanted to be Fat Amy and have Jesse be bumper but I did not want our photo to go viral and end up being taken the wrong way for making fun of Fat Amy.
We had so much fun celebrating Lillian's 1st Halloween! My only regret is that we did not take more pictures. I am just grateful we snapped this one before the party really started!
It is hard to believe that it is already November! I swear it was just June and I was holding a newborn- how have five months passed already?! We are still loving every moment of parenthood and cannot wait to celebrate Jesse's favorite holiday, Thanksgiving and my family's favorite holiday, Christmas (my favorite holiday is Valentine's Day!!!).
Stay tuned for some exciting news later this week! I cannot wait to share!!
Hope everyone has a great day!