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Showcase Gallery of Arts Paid Extensions Paid Support License |
Current miniBB version: 3.2.2 |
Extending miniBB's User Profile with the New Field(s)By Paul Puzyrev, author of miniBB
Beginning from the release version 2.1, miniBB is not only designed to support unlimited new fields in user's profile, but also to handle very custom values, all without destructing the core scripts. The process of adding such values is described below. It could be easy for you if you are a professional coder or at least not afraid to copy and paste pieces of code. However if you have no programming skills at all, I would recommend to stop reading at this point and hire a person, who could handle this job for you. So in this article I will explain:
Everything listed above could be achieved with non-desructive methods of miniBB. Adding New Field to Users Table in DatabaseFirst of all let yourself think, what exactly fields need to be created, and which SQL type you need to define for them. In most cases, each field either could have an INTEGER type (when there is stored a numerical value, and this might be useful for such form elements like dropdown menus); either could have a VARCHAR or TEXT type (this might be useful for form textareas and text input fields). In my example, I will create a field for Birthday and will have a DATETIME type, because Birthday always has a month, a year and a day. Adding new field of any type, first create it in miniBB users table. For example, enter your mySQL interface (phpMyAdmin or whatever) and execute the following command (substituting minibbtable_users for the user's table name you possibly have changed): alter table minibbtable_users add column user_custombd date not null default '0000-00-00'; Note: it is important that new profile field name begins with user_custom prefix. miniBB is designed to work with the custom fields only named that way. Specifying New Field in miniBB's Options FileAfter the field is created, define it in setup_options.php, extending variable array called $dbUserSheme. This array starts with the key, the key defines array of 3 values - first is numerical index for that field in the table; second is the title of the table's field; third is the name of the input element in the profile form (templates/user_dataform.html). For defining index, download our automated "Define fields" script, copy it to miniBB folder and point an URL to it like: http://here_goes_your_domain/forum/determine_fields.php You should see then the name of your new field at the end of the list, and notice the index at the very bottom. Since I've used default installation of miniBB, this field has an index "21". But it could vary of course. After that, I defined the field in $dbUserSheme: $dbUserSheme=array( 'username'=>array(1,'username','login'), 'user_password'=>array(3,'user_password','passwd'), 'user_email'=>array(4,'user_email','email'), 'user_icq'=>array(5,'user_icq','icq'), 'user_website'=>array(6,'user_website','website'), 'user_occ'=>array(7,'user_occ','occupation'), 'user_from'=>array(8,'user_from','from'), 'user_interest'=>array(9,'user_interest','interest'), 'user_viewemail'=>array(10,'user_viewemail','user_viewemail'), 'user_sorttopics'=>array(11,'user_sorttopics','user_sorttopics'), 'language'=>array(14,'language','language'), 'num_topics'=>array(16,'num_topics',''), 'num_posts'=>array(17,'num_posts',''), 'user_custom1'=>array(18,'user_custom1','user_custom1'), 'user_custom2'=>array(19,'user_custom2','user_custom2'), 'user_custom3'=>array(20,'user_custom3','user_custom3'), 'user_custombd'=>array(21,'user_custombd','birthday') ); Note: there is no comma after last element in the array, but there is a comma after all other elements. Most likely you need to define field's key the same as field's name, but for the HTML form we can specify another value. In my case, I named this form element "birthday". That way nobody will know how the profile field in your database is called (yes, it's some security issue, but it's not major - even if you give the same name to the field's title in database and to the element in the profile form, there should be nothing insecure). Adding New Field in User's Profile Form TemplateIf we would have a simple string field, there is nothing else left as to add this field in the form itself. Edit the file /templates/user_dataform.html and paste the following HTML snippet where you prefer (I prefer to add this after "Interests & Hobbies" in default version):
Birthday	  <input type="text" name="birthday" maxlength="150" size="20" value="{$birthday}" class="textForm" style="width:200px;">
  If you log-in to forums and open your Profile section at this stage, or will try to sign up a new user, you will see that this field is already available. Enter it in a valid date format ( YYYY-MM-DD, where YYYY is 4-digits year, MM is 2-digits month and DD is 2-digits day), save your preferences and check the result: But - do you think all users are experienced enough to enter this value properly? If valid date is not entered, mySQL will automatically reset the value to '0000-00-00'. I will explain a bit later, how to handle the valid date. In general, this is only my custom case. For the non-mandatory text-type fields, there would be nothing else to implement, and you don't need to read below. If you would like to implement a mandatory field however there are needed additional functions to handle it. Study below. Displaying New Field's Value on the Profile PageNow let's study where user's custom field's value could appear:
What forum owners say about miniBB: There is a ton of forums I have tried that store their templates in the database. There is also a lot of forums that can't do any form of templates at all, horrible things. I like miniBB's use of templates, it is very easy as you can edit it the same way you would usually make a webpage, and you aren't forced to edit it through a browser which I find to be really really annoying. Jeremy, Australia |
Copyright © miniBB.com 2001-2017. All rights reserved. miniBB® is a registered trademark. | Contact Us @ |


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Mike Edwards, who earned his 21st No. 1 effort of his career with a track record performance of 6.623 at 207.75 in his A.R.T. Pontiac GXP, needs to lead the second place driver by at least 151 points following eliminations to secure the title.
Courtesy: NHRA Media Relations
LAS VEGAS -- Mike Edwards earned his category leading 15th No. 1 qualifying position in Pro Stock Saturday at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals and now sits only a few points away from clinching his first NHRA world championship trophy.
Larry Dixon, Matt Hagan, and Hector Arana also were No. 1 qualifiers at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
With a successful day in Sunday's 11 a.m. eliminations (ESPN2 HD, 7:30 p.m. ET), Edwards can secure his first Full Throttle Series world championship title. Following qualifying, he leads closest challengers Greg Anderson and Jason Line, both former champs, by 139 and 168 points respectively.
"We're looking to try and seal the deal," Edwards said. "This is a huge thing for us, and we're all excited about it. We're looking forward to tomorrow, and hopefully we can fulfill our dreams. No matter the outcome, it's been an extraordinary year for us. We've worked real hard, and now we're in a position to do something we've never been able to do. Maybe we can get it done tomorrow."
Edwards, who earned his 21st No. 1 effort of his career with a track record performance of 6.623 at 207.75 in his A.R.T. Pontiac GXP, needs to lead the second place driver by at least 151 points following eliminations to secure the title.
"You just go into it like it's another first round, like you've done all season long," Edwards said. "You just have to focus, do your job, and hope for the best. It's just like every other race. There's a lot riding on it, but that's just what you've got to do."
Dixon claimed his ninth No. 1 of the season in Top Fuel and 40th of his career with his Friday performance of 3.805 at 318.24 in his Al-Anabi Racing dragster. With his qualifying effort he cut series leader Tony Schumacher's lead by six to 41 points. Schumacher qualified fourth is his U.S. Army dragster with a 3.839 at 313.07.
"You can pick up the nickels and the pennies and all that kind of points in qualifying, but you get 20 points per round on race day, and that's what makes a big chunk," said Dixon, a two-time Top Fuel world champion. "At this point, I'm not looking any further than Morgan Lucas [in the first round]. It's a great car. It's a Countdown car, so you've just got to go in there and race your own race and not get ahead of yourself… If we're fortunate enough to go on to win the race, then obviously we'll have made up some ground."
Rookie Hagan earned his second No. 1 effort in Funny Car with his Friday run of 4.030 at 313.88 in his Shelor.com Dodge Charger. The nominee for the Auto Club Road to the Future Award, which recognizes NHRA's top rookie performer for the year, will face New Zealand's Grant Downing in the first round.
"We've had a great weekend so far, and the only way for us to top this off is with a win tomorrow," said Hagan. "This is a good team and a good car, and we showed that we can run in the heat this morning and we've got a good tune-up. I think that's what Tommy [DeLago, crew chief] is going to do tomorrow. I think he's going to go right back to what we did this morning and make it go right down the track. That's what I'm looking forward to, and hopefully our plan will come together and work for us."
Hagan's competition for the top rookie award are Top Fuel drivers Shawn Langdon and Spencer Massey and Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Doug Horne. All four drivers have made significan impacts in their respective pro categories in the Full Throttle Series this season and the outcome should be very close. The winner will be announced Nov. 16 at the NHRA Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles. More than 135 members of the media vote to determine the winner.
"I would love to come out here and win [the rookie of the year award], but if it doesn't happen, you know that you got beat by the better guy — that's the same way as winning on the dragstrip in the morning," Hagan said. "I think there's definitely some talent out here. I think all the rookies are learning and growing together. As the year has gone along, I think you can see us all polish our driving skills and really focus more on what we have to do to get these cars and motorcycles down the track."
Also in Funny Car, a blockbuster first round meeting between the top two championship contenders, Robert Hight and Ashley Force Hood, could put the winner of that round in the championship driver's seat heading into the season finale in Pomona, Calif. (Nov. 12-15).
"If Robert wins then I want him to win the race," said Force Hood, who struggled most of the weekend in her Castrol GTX Ford Mustang and barely made it into the 16-car starting lineup on her final qualifying attempt. "We want one of us to win this championship. It has come to the end and there are only a handful of rounds left. If it is not going to be our team winning it then I want this Auto Club team to get it."
Said Hight: "We qualified well and got some points in just about every qualifying session. I think that puts us more than a round ahead of her so if we lose it is still not over. Those qualifying points that the NHRA came up with….good job. Those definitely helped us. We are just going to go out there and give the fans a good side by side show."
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, series leader Arana earned his seventh No. 1 of the season on his Lucas Oil Buell with his quick time of 6.979 at 192.03 from Friday. Arana's closest championship challenger, defending champ Eddie Krawiec, qualified fourth on his Screamin' Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson.
"Everything's happening so fast this year," Arana said. "I qualified No. 1 in 1994, I believe, and then I went through a dry spell, and now I have seven this year, so it's awesome. I know that Eddie Krawiec is on my side of the ladder, so I just got to stay focused. All I need to do is stay consistent on my lights, and I should prevail."
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text: Hertz is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer and administers all personnel practices without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or domestic partnership status, disability, protected veteran status or military status, genetic information, or any other category protected under applicable law. Hertz is committed to taking affirmative steps to promote the employment and advancement of minorities, women, persons with disabilities and protected veterans. EEO is the Law | EEO Policy Statement | Pay Transparency Policy | Hertz Recruitment Privacy Policy | Application FAQ Hertz participates in E-Verify. Details in English and Spanish Right to Work Statement English and Spanish If you are located within North America and need any accommodations with the online job application procedure due to a disability, you may contact 1-888-222-5650, between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM EST. |


text:
Judging a record by its cover is always a risky proposition, but in the case of Deastro's Keepers, an exception can be made. _Keepers_' laser-eyed celestial feline — a creation of Bay Area-based artist Jesse Balmer — is a mish-mash of sci-fi, fantasy, and comic-book tropes informed by an unerringly earnest enthusiasm: a perfect analog to Randolph Chabot's joyful, intergalactic electro-pop.Culled from the best of Chabot's home-recorded output over the last decade, Keepers is a loose best-of – a tour through the many worlds of Deastro. The record opens with "Michael, the Lone Archer of the North Shore," a swift, achingly lovely slice of shoegaze pop in the M83 mold, with Chabot's plaintive tenor rising up from beneath the swirl of pianos and synthesized strings. For "The Shaded Forests," the broken-hearted introvert of "Michael" shape-shifts into a confident frontman, stuttering "I t-t-t-told you, we're gonna be fine" over a peppy electro-rock beat; "Child of Mine, Son of God" is an exquisitely composed nylon-string folk ballad; "The Goodman of the House" stars a Morrissey-style crooner, dancing around a killer '70s-style electric piano riff.All of this genre-hopping — shy synth-pop to instrumental robot-rock, whisper-soft ballads to sky-high anthems — would be nothing if not for Chabot's deliriously fizzy production and soft-focus melodies. Keepers is like that three-eyed space cat: a strange amalgamation of an artist's various obsessions, disjointed but held together by sheer force of will, coming from humble origins but belying grand ambitions of beauty, positivity, and imagination.
MP3 Download | $9.99 | Add to Cart |
All MP3 Downloads encoded at 320 kbps unless otherwise specified.
Track List | |||
Michael, The Lone Archer of the North Shore | $0.99 | Buy MP3 | |
The Shaded Forests | $0.99 | Buy MP3 | |
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Product | SuperTap |
Developer | Waves |
Price (MSRP) | $100 |
Type / Tags |
Effect(s) |
Operating System |
Latest Version |
Download | Released |
February 16th, 2017 | Downloads | ||
February 16th, 2017 | Downloads |
Copy Protection | Online Activation (Challenge / Response) |
Six taps with up to six seconds of mono or true stereo delay. Each tap includes independent Q10-style filtering, rotation (stereo panning), gain, and precision time control.
Global LFO modulation and 2 feedback modes greatly expand the possibilities. Waves unique Rotation control on the feedback section can make each repetition progressively shift through (and outside) the entire stereo image.
Set either the tempo or pattern using the Tap Pad; set your delays using standard note values or milliseconds. Precision Ampex 440 head spacing delays, killer factory presets, etc.
Please log in to join the discussion


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1000 Friends is pleased to co-sponsor a forum featuring the major 2012 candidates for Portland Mayor, discussing active transportation issues facing the city. Co-sponsors include
Where: Lincoln Hall (Main Auditorium) at Portland State University, 1620 SW Park Avenue, Portland, OR 97201
When: Monday, February 6. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. for light refreshments. Forum from 7-8:30 p.m., followed by reception with the candidates from 8:30-9 p.m.
No RSVP is necessary unless you would like language interpretation or child care. If so, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com by January 30th.


text:
Jackie Mancini
Unabashed lover of large breasts, pornography, foul mouths, and loud music. Childhood diagnosis of Oppositional Defiant Disorder is possibly related to current position as Associate Editor and only female employee at GuySpeed.
Q: What's the best thing about being Rob Zombie? A: Sherri Moon Zombie.
With Mother's Day just around the corner, we thought it might be a good time for some reflection. Our moms can be pretty annoying sometimes, what with all the calling and emailing, but it's only because they care...
Grand Canyon West is privately owned by the Hualapai tribe, and it was they who conceived of and now operate the Grand Canyon Skywalk -- A transparent, horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge in Arizona that allows you to get a feel for just how gigantic the Grand Canyon truly is, by scaring the life out of you.
Before we get into this story, can we address the fact that there is an actual Ice Cream company called 'Mr. Ding-A-Ling?' Did everyone know this but us?
We're big fans of the video mashup, especially when it combines two things that should never, ever be combined: Like Kevin McCallister and the Iranian hostage crisis, for example.
Chicago's may be known as "The Windy City," but who cares about wind, besides oscillating fan enthusiasts, and who cares about them besides their moms? Chicago is also touted as the most haunted city in America, and that's way more awesome. You know what else is awesome? Gangsters, red light districts and serial killers.
There's something about a good old fashioned road trip that just makes us feel alive: good friends, good music, and new places to explore around every bend. See also: townie bars.
If you've ever found yourself in the middle of a riot, you know that there is some standard etiquette. If you haven't yet, it's best to learn it before screwing it up.
What if real politicians were very open about their blunders?
"I don't often endorse political candidates, but when I do, I endorse Barack Obama."


text:
- lists
- blocks
Common words appear frequently in written and spoken language across many genres from radio to academic journals.
Informal words should be reserved for casual, colloquial communication.
implication, hint
Synonyms for overtone
implication, hint
More words related to overtone
noun. implication
noun. musical accordance
noun. suggestion
noun. hint, implication
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source


text:
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text:
My Writing
What Am I Doing This Weekend...
with Students.
with buds (and I get to cook).
(maybe with a friend)...
An Answer to Prayer...
So... Thursday sucked. I don't want to go into
detail about it. But, it sucked. I came home on Thursday night feeling
discouraged. As I thought about everything; all that was said, all that I knew had to be done, I spoke to God. I ended with this, "You know what God? I could really use some of that random encouragement that you sometimes throw my way. I don't know where it could come from, but I could use it."
So, guess what happened today! I went into the office just before church service tonight and found a small envelope in my mailbox. In the envelope was a note from one of my students. I didn't immediately recognize her name (but I remembered her a little later). She remembered something that I said in my message on Sunday and used it to encourage me!
Editor's Note
: Not only was I encouraged, but I was also extremely humbled. I definitely do not deserve to be blessed with this job.
I got my not-so-random encouragement! I'm a little shocked (although I guess I shouldn't be) that God answered my prayer in less than a day. But I am so thankful! I wanted to share this with you in hopes that you could be encouraged too.
Click on the picture to the left to see the note...
Best of the Best: Salt and Vinegar...
Last night, as I made my way home from church, I decided I was bored. I also realized I was hungry and had a craving for salt and vinegar chips. (Bored + Hungry + Craving = Great Idea)
Editor's Note
: Now, I'm about to make myself a little vulnerable. Please tread lightly.
I buy
Everyday With Rachel Ray
every two months (whenever a new issue comes out). And, in every issue, there's a page devoted to sampling and rating the best of some type of food product. One month, they rated different types of soda. Another month, they rated cocoa. So, as a service to you, the reader, I decided that I would do the same from time to time.
So, may I introduce to you a new periodic segment here at "Part of the Process": I call it "Best of the Best"!
This edition is all about Salt and Vinegar chips. I went to
and bought every type of Salt and Vinegar chips they had. All five types. I taste tested them all. What follows are ratings and rankings...
Body Double 4:
Sister Sister
It's time, once again, for another Body Double! This time, we'll be looking at two people who might be long lost sisters. Could
Allison Hibbard
have a long lost sister named
Allison Mack
, maybe you could tell us for sure.
Just in case you're wondering what Alice is talking about in the below pic, it's Nikki from
. See, I missed a key ingredient in last night's episode and she had to explain it to me. Thanks Alli...
Web Wednesday: Float Like a Butterfly...
And now, the return of a long lost weekly bit... It's Web Wednesday! Today's entry is for all of the aeronautic enthusiasts out there. Do you like building paper airplanes? Do you like throwing them? Do you hate touching paper? Well then, this website's for you.
Paper Pilot
allows you to construct and fly your own virtual paper airplane! Go ahead. Give it a try. It's frustratingly addictive...
The Quest...
I'm a guy that enjoys a good chase. Something about crusading for something, even when it seems like the pursuit is hopeless, excites me. And, whenever you actually find that elusive object, you are rewarded with a feeling that has no equal.
The quest has occasionally taken the form of a search for certain evasive song. I looked for 2 years before I found
by the Lo Fidelity All Stars. I had to look twice as long before I could find
On Our Own
by Bobby Brown.
Editor's Note
: It's from the Ghostbuster's 2 Soundtrack.
Well, yesterday I found the third gem in my crown of music. I found a song that has been eluding me for a long time. I mean a loooooong time. I found
The Most Beautiful Girl In the World
. I have been searching for this Prince song for years. YEARS! And I found it in an independant music store in Hillcrest.
God's will be done...
Buffalo Chicken Pizza...
So, how do I top Meatball Subs? How about with a Buffalo Chicken Pizza? Now, I should say that I let it get just a hair darker than I would have liked. But, it was good nonetheless. I did figure out that I don't like blue cheese dressing. I think next time I'll use ranch...
Iron Chef El Cajon...
As a pastor, I'm in the business of helping people. So naturally, when I get calls asking for aid, I spring into action. That's why, on Sunday, when
called, I was glad to offer my wisdom. He claimed to be so bored that he wanted to cook something. So I directed him to one of my favorite chef's
s for recipes.
Now, I've
ed on my appreciation for Sam the Cooking Guy before. So, I won't go into how awesome he is. I mean, c'mon, now that Puddles is
on board
, you've probably got all the proof that you need. But, just in case you need more, here's a pic of some incredible meatball subs that I made last night:
Oh yeah... want to know how you can make it? Check out
Sam the Cooking Guy
And, on a completely unrelated note, Last night I also baked cupcakes.
Editor's Note
: I know that this does not lend itself to my Iron Chef street cred. But I don't care! Sometimes, you just have to bake cupcakes...
Of course, they were funfetti and rainbow chip frosting. The only kind worth baking.
Emasculating? Maybe. Delicious? Definitely...
Here Are Tonight's Top Stories...
I'm always looking for different ways to serve you, the reader, as you surf around the internets for information, entertainment, and funny clips of that
grape lady
falling on her face. So, today I've decided to gather a few interesting bits of news that I ran across this morning that might help you make it through the day...
This morning the Associated Press reported that actor, Eddie Griffin, crashed a rare Ferrari Enzo worth $1.5 million into a concrete barrier while practicing at a racetrack Monday for a charity race to promote his upcoming film, Redline. The film's publicist, Wendy Zocks, said Griffin was "doing OK." Executive Producer, Daniel Sadek, whose exotic car collection is featured in the movie. said the Enzo was damaged beyond repair.
Is it just me, or do celebrities have a very strage idea of what charity is? This guy was driving a car that is worth more than every possesion I own put together and covered in gold. He crashed and wrecked it. I'm not sure what kind of a charity this is for, but I'm pretty sure that now, it owes more money than it took in. Why do celebrities always have weird charities like this.
Hey, let's raise money to raise awareness of our nation's depleting supply of diamond encrusted blackberries! But, how should we do it? I know! Let's get together and race million dollar cars! That'll raise awareness!
I know that Eddie Griffin isn't exactly known for making wise choices.
Editor's Note
: Just look at his resume on
But next time you want to benefit a charity, maybe think about selling
World's Finest Chocolate
door to door.
Want to see a video of it? Check it out
Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle star Kal Penn is set to add professor to his resume after taking on the chance to be a guest instructor at the University Of Pennsylvania next year. Penn will teach two undergraduate courses, according to university director Grace Kao.
So, the guy who starred in
will be teaching high education courses to university students? Right... Stay tuned because next we'll be looking at other universities' guest faculty; like Harvard's
Seann William Scott
. Or, UCLA's
Marlon Wayans
. Don't even get me started on
's course load at MIT.
Finally, today is
Nathan Fillion
Captain Mal's, 36th birthday. Do yourself a favor and go to
and but the DVD of
today. However, be warned; the addiction is worse than
thin mints
Even More
Than Meets the Eye...
, I know that you don't read my blog. But, I saw these tonight and thought of you. These are the brand new one-sheets for the
movie. It's definitely going to be Uh-mazing! Hopefully, someone in the office will read this, and show it to you.
, I'm looking your way...
So, my friend, I hope you enjoy...
I'm So Excited! And I Just Can't Hide It! I'm So Excited! I'm So... I'm So Scared...
Some people get excited for March Madness. Some get excited over the beginning of baseball season. Still, for some others, the anticipation of football season is what they live for. Me? It's the summer movie season. With the hot weather comes car chases, explosions, sequels, giant talking robots, buddy cops, and boy wizards. This summer is one of the biggest yet. In fact, as
Gerry Rojas
once said, "I might have to get a second job just to pay for all the tickets." So, as a service to you, the reader, here's a calendar of the movies that I'm most excited to see this summer. Anyone want to join me...
My Obituary...
Sometimes, it's best not to open random emails from your friends. Case in point; this morning, I received an email from
. Now, this isn't normally such an alarming thing, as it doesn't happen with much frequency. However, this time was different. In his search for new life goals, he decided to attempt to complete the
Disneyland Half-Marathon
. Good for him, right? One small problem, he doesn't want to do it alone. Enter the email.
"This could be the greatest think you will ever do in your life. Join me. I need someone there to take me to the hospital if I collapse."
Editor's Note
: Yes, he really typed think.
So, because I am a supportive friend (and because I have a little bit of a death wish) I agreed to run with him.
Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. I've been working out for a little over a year now. I run a mile at least three times a week. So, technically, I'm in shape.
Editor's Note
: This is where you would say, "Yeah, what shape is that? Round?"
But the farthest I've ever run at once is 4 miles. This is
So, at my funeral on September 4th, please remember the good times. Make sure you say something nice about me. And, unlike me, try not to
fall off of the stage
Body Double 3: Offspring...
Time for another
Body Double
! This time, I figured we'd look at someone who could possibly be a child of one of my heroes of the 80's.
, the drummer for
The Roots
, the undiscovered son of former
B.A. Baracus
Clubber Lang
Mr. T
? Maybe...
"It's Winters." "Actually, it looks more like fall. Get it?"
I am a huge
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
fan. Growing up, I had all of the action figures. I watched the cartoon religiously. I even bought the soundtrack to the second movie.
Editor's Note
: I did this so that I could have the Vanilla Ice song,
Ninja Rap
So, of course, I had to see this movie. I had planned to take some students with me, but that didn't work out.
Editor's Note
: I was going to take some kids so that I would have a cover story for why a 26 year old dude would be seeing a kids' movie.
So I went with
Running Time:
1 hr 30 mins.
Directed By:
Kevin Munroe
Chris Evans, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mako, Patrick Stewart
This movie was good. There were times (like the rooftop fight between Leonardo and Raphael) that the visuals were awesome. It had a couple of pretty good one-liners. The voice work was excellant. But, the story left much to be desired.
And so, to TMNT, I give the honor of being awarded a certified 2 1/2 Yarmulke™ rating.
Fun for kids and fans, but for everybody else; go rent the first live action movie...
Rock Around the Clock...
I've been trying to think of something to write about all day. But, to no avail. I've got a bad case of the writer's block. Don't worry. I'm 75% sure it's not contagious. So, in place of something profound or humorous that you might find here some other time, today you get 6 songs that have been on a constant rotation in my truck for the past couple of weeks.
Editor's Note
: This is, of course, due to the fact that my iPod got stolen. Stupid thieves put a serious cramp in my musical rotation.
I can't wait to switch back from CD's to an iPod...
Just Friends (Sunny)
by Musiq Soulchild
Geek In the Pink
by Jason Mraz
How Love Should Be
by Tyler Hilton
It's Not Over
by Daughtry
Crooked Teeth
by Death Cab For Cutie
And the one that I have played the most in the past week:
Everybody Have Fun Tonight
by Wang Chung
An Open Letter To the Producers Of LOST...
Dear producers of
Thank you for Wednesday night. It's about time...
16 Things It Takes Most Of Us 50 Years To Learn...
As always,
has provided me with something amazing. Here it is...
16 Things It Takes Most Of Us 50 Years To Learn
The badness of a movie is directly proportional to the number of helicopters in it.
You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight-savings time.
You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above-average drivers.
There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 11.
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."
The main accomplishment of almost all organized protests is to annoy people who are not in them.
If there really is a God who created the entire universe with all of its glories, and he decides to deliver a message to humanity, he will NOT use as his messenger a person on cable TV with a bad hairstyle or in some cases, really bad make-up too.
You should not confuse your career with your life.
A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter/janitor, is not a nice person.
No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously.
When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that individual is crazy.
Your true friends love you anyway.
Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
More Spider-man 3 Pics...
Only 42 days left! Here's some more pics from
Spider-man 3
. Pay special attention to the one in the bottom right. It's the first pic of the big Spidey / Venom final battle. Once again, you can use it as a desktop. But this time, I made the resolution 1024x768...
I Guess I Missed One...
I got done with small groups tonight, spent a little over an hour rehearsing for our worship night this Sunday, and then made my way home to watch
. It was then that all of my hopes were dashed against the rocks. It seems that, in my transition to Daylight Savings time, I changed all of my clocks except my VCR.
Editor's Note
: Yes, I still have a VCR!
So, it started recording an hour late!
I guess I'll have to buy it on iTunes tomorrow...
I Don't Wanna Grow Up...
Check out
's blog for an amazingly funny piece that he got from
The New Yorker
of a conversation that is going on at the adult table at a family dinner as imagined by the children at the kids' table. So funny...
Grand Canyon Skywalk...
Of DEATH
Today was the grand opening of the new
Grand Canyon Skywalk
. Is it just me, or does this thing look like a disaster movie waiting to happen? This will be item #1 on my list of things I will never do in my life...
Third Time's a Charm...
Tonight the trailer for
Pirates Of the Carribbean: At World's End
was released onto the internet. Above is a screen captured pic I took from it. It's Johnny Depp's face but it appears to be on a rock and under water. Maybe he becomes part of Davey Jones' crew for a while... Anyway, you can check out the trailer
. I know where I'll be on May 25th...
Here's Your One Chance Fancy Don't Let Me Down...
In the past week, it seems like everytime I turn the TV on in the afternoon I've been greeted with
. At first, I would quickly switch channels. But then,
came on. So I decided to stay a while. Turns out it's a pretty funny show. I think I might just watch it more.
, I think that you would love it. After all, it's set in Texas...
Quotable Quotes...
Last year, my mom got me a subscription to
Reader's Digest
. I love Reader's Digest for two reasons:
Because of the variety of subject matter that its articles cover, it makes the perfect bathroom magazine, and
The Quotable Quotes section. I don't know why, but I'm obsessed with quotes. They're the first thing I turn to in RD
US Weekly
Here's some of my favorite Quotable Quotes from the past four months...
"Temptation usually comes in through a door that has been deliberately left open."
Arnold Glasow
"Even the worst haircut eventually grows out."
Lisa Kogan
in O
"Be open to learning new lessons even if they contradict the lessons you learned yesterday."
Ellen DeGeneres
in Elle
"Hot heads and cold hearts never solved anything."
Billy Graham
"To say my fate is not tied to your fate is like saying, 'Your end of the boat is sinking'."
Hugh Downs
in My America (Scribner)
"Life asks us to make measurable progress in reasonable time. That's why they make those fourth-grade chairs so small-so you won't fit in them at age 25."
Jim Rohn
in Jim Rohn's weekly e-zine
"The beaten path is the safest, but the traffic's terrible."
Jeff Taylor
founder of monster.com
"People will accept your ideas much more readily if you tell them Benjamin Franklin said it first."
David H. Comins
"You have to remember one thing about the will of the people: it wasn't that long ago that we were swept away by the macarena."
Jon Stewart
Stuck At the Drive-Thru...
If you've ever seen R. Kelly's
Trapped In the Closet
, you know how completely ridiculous it is. I mean, a little person craps his pants in it. How much more awesome can you get? So, naturally, when something is this ridiculously awesome,
Weird Al
does a parody of it. I present to you: Trapped At the Drive-Thru. Here's your warning: It's eleven minutes long. But it's awesome...
When I Wake Up In the Mornin' The Alarm Gives Out A Warnin'. I Don't Think I'll Ever Make It On Time...
Here's a typical Sunday morning for me:
Wake Up, Shower, Breakfast.
Arrive at church, begin prep for morning service.
Be completely done with prep so that I can be free to hang with students as they begin arriving.
First service starts.
Second service starts.
Now, here's how
morning went:
Roll over in bed, realize I slept through my alarm, panic.
Slip and fall in the shower because I'm trying to hurry up and get to church.
Arrive at church, rehearse one song with Middle School worship band, begin prep for service.
First service begins.
I have the first of what would turn out to be many brain farts on stage as I make my best attempt to form sentences
My friend and amazing volunteer,
, hands me a Latte. My morning officially begins.
Needless to say, second service got 100% more Josh than first...
Sweep the Leg Johnny On iTunes...
I just found out that
Sweep the Leg Johnny
is available on iTunes. Click on the pick to enjoy...
The Gym Gives Me the Runs...
About a year and a half ago I joined a gym. Now, I've never been a part of the gym culture before, so upon entering into it I found that I didn't exactly fit in. I didn't fit in because I didn't belong to any of the preexisting gym personalities. If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's an introduction to some of the native breeds...
Cell Phone Treadmill Talker
If you've ever been to a gym, you've seen this person. They stay on the treadmill for no less than an hour and talk on their phone the whole time. Have you ever seen that clip on the internet of the guy who gets his treadmill going super fast only to jump on it and fall flat on his face? Yep. Everytime I'm beside a CPTT I want to sneak up in front of them and turn the speed up so that happens to them.
Girl Who Never Works Out
I'm actually convinced that this girl is part of the gym's plan to keep members from leaving. This is the girl who is always
the gym, but never
the gym. She usually selects a guy or two to talk to while she's there and spends her time following him around. Occasionally she will ask him to
show her
how to work out. You can always spot a GWNWO because she's the only girl in the gym with a matching
Obnoxious Friend Who Doesn't Workout
This guy never comes alone. He can't. He's like a gym +1. He can't get in without the guys he comes with. Like the GWNWO, he never actually uses the gym equipment. He does, however, run his mouth. He's the guy who is always laughing, cracking jokes, and cursing loud enough for everyone in the gym (even the raquetball courts) to hear. The OFWDW will one day find a barbell dropped onto his head, courtesy of yours truely.
Back Hair Guy
Do you really need an explanation for this? BHG is at every gym. He always wears a tanktop (most of the time it's the kind with a Y in the back). And he always
Giant Covered In Tattoos Guy Who Makes His Own Sound Effects While He Kick Boxes In the Mirror
This guy might be a rare breed native only to my gym. I kid you not; he stands in front of the mirror so he can watch himself as he kick boxes. Not only that, but he makes his own sound effects. (Picture a little kid reenacting a ninja fight scene.) This is one of the most dangerous of the gym dwellers, mainly because it's almost impossible to not laugh at him. However, with him being about 6'4" tall and covered in tattoos, my fear of getting pummelled gives me a great deal of assistance in this area.
Sweep the Leg Johnny...
If you were born in the eighties, you are aware of
The Karate Kid
. In fact you're probably not just aware, you're a huge fan. If you love Mr. Miyagi, the Cobra Kai dojo, and learning martial arts through auto detailing, then this music video is for you! The whole cast is back...
HT to
You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry...
Editor's Note
: The following post may reveal things about a pastor (me, specifically) that you might not know about. I hope this lends itself towards an understanding that spiritual leaders are still human and struggle against tempatation and doubt, and does not aid in furthering a belief that all "men of the cloth", a name that
was once called by a neighbor, are simply shooting stars waiting to fall.
This week, in the midst of a conflict, I got pissed at God. I don't just mean miffed or annoyed; I mean totally pissed. So, in the private confines of my office, I decided to write God a letter. I took out pen and paper and began to correspond with my maker.
I didn't bother relaying to Him the details of the situation that I was pissed about, as I knew He would already know all about it. So, I went right into my feelings. I told Him how angry I was over it. How, I thought it wasn't fair. I told Him that, even though I didn't understand how He worked or the way that He times things out, He owed this to me. I made a list of the huge things that I had done for Him in the past two years.
Editor's Note
: This actually made me even more mad, as I knew that me making a list of things I had done for the Lord was completely ridiculous. Upon this realization, I wrote, "I can't even be mad at You without being convicted!"
I continued throwing my written-tantrum. I concluded with, "I know that this may not be right, but I felt it important for You to know." I balled up the paper, walked outside to the dumpster behind our office, and threw it away.
I found myself wanting to blame someone for the situation that I was in, and I looked around and decided God was the best person for the job. He would be my scapegoat. Post-tantrum, now that the conflict has been resolved (at least partially) a couple of questions have come to my mind about my reaction and whether or not it was honoring to God.
The question of "Is anger ever OK?" is raised quite a bit in discussions about honoring God with our lives. But, is anger at God ever OK? By OK, I mean to ask "Is being angry at God a sin?"
The example of Jesus clearing the temple is always brought up. (Matt. 21, Mark 11) But this is a righteous anger, based on someone dishonoring God in His temple. Besides, this anger was never directed
God. We see throughout the book of Job how, at many different times, Job was
by those around him to curse God and die. But he didn't. In fact, in Job 1:22, we see that it says "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." Job understood that God must have had a purpose in what was happening to him. "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." (Job 1:21)
It would seem that, even though God understands our anger, He is honored more when we choose to praise, not blame, Him in the midst of it.
But, what if you're already angry? Should you just fake it with God and pretend to be cool? I don't know for sure on this one. My heart says that God appreciates when we're real with Him more than when we try to go through the motions. David was a mess, and God said his heart was a lot like His.
I think that, the more we get to know God, the more that our heart and mind are changed to become more like His. The more this happens, the more we will begin to understand and appreciate His grace. We'll begin to move away from blaming God, and move more towards seeking solace in Him.
Funny thing about me losing my temper and writing that letter... The situation was resolved in a less than a day. I wish I were just more patient...
Josh vs. Annie...
The gauntlet has been thrown, and I must respond.
While at Disneyland on Monday,
decided that, were I to be a Disney character, I would be
Peter Pan
. Not because I wear green tights, or have pointy ears; but because, like the pan, I have red hair. I disagreed, based solely on the fact that Peter Pan's hair is brown. This led to a spirited discussion on the hair color of one of Disney's most beloved and aeronautically gifted characters.
Well, this morning, Annie decided to bring the debate online
. But she chose to use a picture that helps her cause. I, in all of my benevolence and fairness, have provided pictoral support for both sides. That way you, the reader, can decide for yourself.
So, please join in the discussion. Which color do you think Peter Pan's hair is? Help us settle this once and for all...
There's Hope Yet...
Straight from the pages of
Civil War: The Initiative #1
. Maybe there's hope for us yet...
These Are A Few...
Here's a few of my faves from the past week...
Death Of Captain America
Duke Losing In the First Round
Guitar Hero II
New Friends
Cheetos Naturals
Hollywood Video
Sweet Tea
Indiana Jones
Editor's Note
: The death of Captain America doesn't actually make me happy in any way. Just the thought of getting my hands on that comic does. After all, it's selling for $40.00 on eBay right now!
Still having problems with Blogger... I pieced this post together using two browsers. I found this cartoon on
. After seeing
, I could definitely carry things this far...
Blogger Trouble...
I'm having a little bit of trouble with Blogger right now. Sorry about the lack of posts. As soon as I get it figured out I'll be back...
Pastor Josh...
I got a hair cut yesterday. Getting my hair cut is always a little bit of an interesting experience for me. It's interesting because it never fails to remind of how I don't fit the "pastor" stereotype.
Editor's Note
: A fact about myself that I don't mind at all.
I only get my hair cut about every three or four months. Basically, whenever it's absolutely necessary. You see, I have curly, thick hair. So, when I let it run wild, it
runs wild. Also, I don't shave on a regular basis. If you see me with a three week old beard, and you ask me if I'm growing it out, the answer is usually no. I just lack the ability to shave without cutting myself. Anyway, both of these things contribute to the reaction of "
a pastor?" that I get everytime I get a haircut. I guess a pastor is supposed to look like the guy in this picture.
I'm almost two years into being a pastor. My story thus far has had some ups and downs and, in earnest, I have a
way to go. But, over the course of my first two years, I've developed what I consider to be a basic job description for anyone in ministry; pastor, minister, coordinator, director, or volunteer. It's comprised of three things that, I think, are at the core of doing ministry. This kind of helps keep me in check as I try to run the race as best I can...
Get To Know God
I've never had a job that is so intrinsically tied to who I am personally before. My abillity to minister to others, as well as my ability to continue on in life without losing my sanity, depends squarely on my pursuit of God. Somebody once told me that you can't lead people to places you haven't been. While I don't necessarily think that this is always practically true, it is completely true in our relationship with God. We can only love as we have been loved. We can only feed others with what we've been fed.
Get To Know People
This is actually the toughest part of the job. It doesn't so much matter if you're a "people" person or not. Nor does it matter if you're an extrovert or an introvert. The simple truth about ministry is that we are called to spread the message of God's big love for us to
. You can't do this without getting chest deep in the messy business of relationships. We need to learn peoples' stories. We need to walk far with them. We need to support, encourage, grieve, laugh, eat, and wonder with them. We need to love them.
Help the people get to know God
This is why we do what we do. Bringing the ultimate love to others who haven't heard. It's not an optional calling so much as it's an overriding command. We all have different styles, but we share a common purpose. When we give our lives to God, He comsumes every part of us. When you're that comsumed, you can't help but sing about it as loud as you can to everyone who'll listen.
OK, I have to go be a server at our College program now.
's playing. So I don't want to be late...
Choose Your Own Adventure...
I've had this idea running through my head for the past couple of days. Now, it's not a completed idea. In fact, some would say that it's still in its embryonic stage. But, I wanted to share it with you nonetheless. It's for a summer event for our Middle School group called "Choose Your Own Adventure".
Editor's Note
: I haven't decided whether this will be for a guys only event or for everybody.
The idea would be that the students would get to vote on and design their own event. The trick would be to figure out how to do any combination of the options for the same price. Here's where my brain's spinning so far. It's not exhaustive, so if you have any ideas for activities, let me know...
Everyone would vote and the most popular choices would become the event. I.E. (A) then (C) then (B)... I loved these books so much I knew I wanted to turn it into an event!
Flame Thrower...
I don't know why I think this is so funny...
Eat Mor Chikin... Or Else...
For those of you who regularly dine at
, you know all about how great their chicken is. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure, I will pray for God to bless your life soon.
The company uses cows in their ad campains. These cows are attempting to persuade people to stop eating beef and to start eating more chicken. You know, to save their lives.
Well, one cow in Kolkata, India took this a little too far. Here's the article from
KOLKATA, India (Reuters) -- When dozens of chickens went missing from a remote West Bengal village, everyone blamed the neighborhood dogs.
But Ajit Ghosh, the owner of the missing chickens, eventually solved the puzzle when he caught his cow -- a sacred animal for the Hindu family -- gobbling up several of them at night.
"We were shocked to see our calf eating chickens alive," Ghosh told Reuters by phone from Chandpur village, about 240 kilometers (150 miles) northwest of Kolkata.
The family decided to stand guard at night on Monday at the cow shed which also served as a hen coop, after 48 chickens went missing in a month.
"Instead of the dogs, we watched in horror as the calf, whom we had fondly named Lal, sneak to the coop and grab the little ones with the precision of a jungle cat," Gour Ghosh, his brother, said.
Local television pictures showed the cow grabbing and eating a chicken in seconds and a vet confirmed the case.
"We think lack of vital minerals in the body is causing this behavior. We have taken a look and have asked doctors to look into the case immediately," Mihir Satpathy, a district veterinary officer, said by phone.
"This strange behavior is possible in some exceptional cases," Satpathy said.
Hundreds of villagers flocked to Chandpur on Wednesday to catch a glimpse of Lal, enjoying his bundle of green grass for a change.
"The local vets said the cow was probably suffering from a disease but others said Lal was a tiger in his previous birth," Ajit added.
More Pictures Of Venom...
I totally hate it when I tell people to go to such-and-such a website to look at sweet pictures from an upcoming movie only to find out they'd been taken down. So, I decided, upon finding these photos, that I'd download them and make them into a collage for you to enjoy. So, I present to you a sweet collage of production photos and artist's renderings of
Spider-man 3
. It's 800x600 just in case you want to make it your desktop background. Enjoy...
Captain America Is Dead...
Anybody who knows me knows that I am a comic book nerd.
Editor's Note
: Actually, several types of nerd can be used to describe me. I prefer to think that it makes me an interesting person.
It's also common knowledge that my two favorite superheroes are
Editor's Note
: Asking me to choose one would be like asking a parent to choose their favorite kid. Although, if most parents were
honest, they would probably say that they have one.
But, third place in my heart has always belonged to
Captain America
. Something about the purity with which he represented the ideals of our country always spoke to me. And let's be honest, he has an amazing costume! He's an icon in the world of comics. His character was created during World War II for the sole purpose of lifting America's spirits by kicking Hitler's butt in the comics. He represented the spirit of America in tough times.
retired him right after the war, but resurrected him years later and did a whole "man out of his own time" story line.
That's why it is with an extremely heavy heart that I have to report that, as of March 7, 2007,
Captain America has died
. In the issue of his namesake comic that was released today, he was gunned down by a sniper. No doubt in response to his views on the superhero registration act at the center of
Civil War
It's a sad day for comic fans. It's also a great day for collectors. Go buy this issue today, as it will be worth a
of money. We'll miss you Cap...
If You Blow Chunks and She Bolts, It Wasn't Meant To Be. If You Spew and She Stays, She's Yours Forever...
That's a long title for such a short post. I found this article on
. It's about how the
is doing research on the possibility of a weapon that shoots an invisible wall-penetrating beam that makes people so dizzy they fall over and puke.
Editor's Note
: The following statement is completely and totally meant in jest.
Imagine the implications of this beam in youth ministry games. Check out the article
If you don't watch
, then you're missing one of the greatest shows on television right now. You also missed a special preview of
Spider-man 3
that ran during the show this past Monday night. Lucky for you, I'm slightly obsessed with Spider-man and have watched this clip at least 10 times already. Also lucky for you, I am of the personal opinion that you should be obsessed too. Step one: show the clip. Step two, sit back and watch the obsession begin. Unfortunately, the clip has been taken off of the official site. Fortunately, God created
. I don't know how long Sony will let this stay up, so you'd better hurry up and watch it...
Sex God...
Last night, on the way back from Disneyland, I decided to stop in at the
Barnes & Noble
at the
Irvine Spectrum
to buy a book.
Here's something that you should know about me before I proceed on with the story: I don't like asking for help. I especially don't like asking for help when I can't find something in a store. I believe that if I'm not smart enough to find something on my own then I probably don't deserve to have it. However, after searching for a while last night, I decided that my desire to have this book superceded my distaste for requesting assistance.
So, I approached the customer service kiosk and timidly said, "I'd like to find a Rob Bell book." "What's it called?" asked the staff member.
This is where the awkwardness kicked into overdrive.
"It's called
Sex God
", I said. I immediately began to wonder if this customer service clerk thought that I was some kind of perve. She ponted me in the right direction and I found my book.
Rob Bell, I know that you're laughing about our embarassment when asking for this book. You're also freezing your butt off in Michigan. Too bad it's 75 degrees here in San Diego...
The Happiest Place On Earth...
I am not a patient person. I don't like waiting. Today, the wait ended. Perhaps I should expound on this a bit more.
One of my favorite amusement park rides of all time is Space Mountain. Growing up, I was fortunate enough to ride it twice. I lived in South Carolina and Disneyworld is in Florida. This was a distance that was far too great to travel on my
. Needless to say, I treasured my time on the mountain.
I moved to Orange County on January 13th, 2003. I realized that I lived 20 minutes from Space Mountain on January 15th, 2003. I began to make plans to visit the mountain five minutes later. I found out that Space Mountain would be closed for over two years ten days later. I mourned for 6 hours. They reopened Space Mountain a month after I moved down to San Diego. Bummer...
But today, the four year wait ended. Today I rode Space Mountain. And it rocked. Throughout the whole ride "
Higher Ground
" as performed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers was blasting in my ears. The lights made this a rock star roller coaster. My life is now complete...
I went to Disneyland because
was going, and I figured; I like Puddles. I like Disney. Why not combine the two? It just so happens that, at winter camp, I convinced
into coming along. Oh yeah... Disney Dude Day was done dutifully decent.
joined us later to finish out the day beautifully.
I love these people. I love this park. I loved this day.
I also love this picture of Puddles pretending to be splatted up against the mural in California Adventure.
, I'm going back on March 12th...
Busting Myths, Freezing Toes, and Matted Hair...
We just got back from winter camp this afternoon. It was a weekend filled with driving (
of driving), snow and ice, time with old friends, and the end of, what has been for me, two weeks of massive amounts of stress.
We teamed up with three other churches to put on this camp and it was, for the most part, a blast. It all started with me meeting with the pastors of the other Middle School groups in Mid-January to plan what this was going to look like. We divvied up responsibilities and began to prepare. I was put in charge of stage design and videos. Now, normally this would delight my heart, as I am thrilled whenever I'm given the chance to be creative.
And, it started out that way.
But, on the video side of things, it turned into a nightmare of ruined plans for me. More on that later.
Each of the pastors of the four churches that came to the camp spoke at one of the chapels. To be completely honest, I did not put as much time and preparation into my message as I am usually comfortable with. This, coupled with the fact that I was speaking during the Saturday
session made me a little nervous. But, for reasons beyond my understanding, God chose to speak through me in a big way. It seems like my message on the myth of "It's better to ask forgiveness than permission" aka Romans 6:1-14, was one that a lot of people needed to hear.
By the way, I also fell off of the stage in the middle of my talk.
I'd love to take this opportunity to tell you about the two people in the above photo.
Jarred Benitez
Emily Merk
soon to be Benitez
, are two of my dearest friends. They also happen to be volunteer leaders in our Middle School ministry.
They are a huge part of why our ministry has made giant strides forward in the past year.
They were responsible for the amazing stage design for the camp. You'll find a picture below.
Go ahead; marvel at its awesomeness.
My hope and prayer is that our students understood a little bit more about God after this weekend all the while getting to know other students a little better than they did before. I love camps...
Dude, Where's Josh? Winter Camp, Dude...
OK, don't worry. I'm OK. I'm safe. But, for the next couple of days, I'll be with my Middle Schoolers at Winter Camp. We'll be going up to
Thousand Pines
tomorrow afternoon through Sunday. If you knew how little sleep I've gotten in the past week, and all of the crap I've gone through trying to film a video... Ughh... Anyway, I'll be back blogging after camp.
Oh yeah, you're probably wondering what the picture has to do with Winter Camp. Well, nothing. It's just a sweet combo of four shots I photoshopped together last May of my buddy Robbie. That's the beauty of having my own blog: I can out up what I want...
The Future Of Office Work...
As someone who spent 2 1/2 years at a cubicle and now spends his days in his own office, I'm very concered about where office technology is heading in the near future. My hope is that it's heading in a direction that will make my job (at least the part of it where I sit at a desk) easier. Well, according to this
, it looks like my dreams may come true. Ultimate office chair: check. Transparent monitors: check. Cordless power: check. Staples containing tracking devices so you'll never loose your documents: Well, that's a little too "Big Brother" for me. But, check. This stuff makes me excited to sit in my office and file...
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text:
KHa and Capt Ben Discover America
About this blog
Two MBAs, one a ship captain, the other an ultra marathoner, undertake a ten week exploration of the United States in a Toyota Prius.We're looking for beautiful sites, interesting people and quirky activities. Having spent most of our adult lives outside the US, it's time for us to discover America.
Trip Start
May 27, 2012
Trip End
Aug 10, 2012


text:
Controversey has not hyped box-office results for Aaja Nachle
Controversies mostly act as oxygen for films. However, the row over the objectionable lyrics in "Aaja Nachle" that led to a brief ban on the film in some states, couldn't work wonders for it.
According to box-office reports, Madhuri Dixit's much-awaited comeback vehicle opened to a poor response of 25 to 30 percent across the country and hasn't set the cash registers ringing yet.
"As compared to other Yash Raj movies, 'Aaja Nachle' hasn't got a great opening. Even the hype hasn't helped it," Deepak Taluja, vice president of operations at Fun Cinemas, told IANS.
"The film registered 50 to 55 percent occupancy in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. With up to 60 percent in Rajasthan and Mumbai it was a little better over the weekend. Only in Bangalore we recorded 90 to 95 percent occupancy," he added.
In the capital and its suburbs, the occupancy in some popular multiplexes was dismal. JAM had 30 percent, Satyam about 65 percent and M2K Cinemas had less than 40 percent.
However, it is expected that increased curiosity amid viewers might bring them to cinema halls in the coming weeks.
"The film is doing reasonably better than those which are already going on in multiplexes. It is also expected that by Wednesday and in coming weeks, the movie might pick up courtesy the high curiosity among audiences," said Pramod Arora, president and CEO of PVR Ltd., who refused to divulge the occupancy figure.
The film was banned in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana after Dalit leaders alleged that the title song made derogatory insinuation about the community.
The objectionable portion of the title song was: "Bazar mein machi hai maramar; bole mochi bhi khud ko sunar" (There is so much chaos in the market that even a cobbler is calling himself a jeweller).
Trouble first erupted when Udit Raj, who heads the Indian Justice Party, Friday led a demonstration to a movie hall in New Delhi where the film was being screened.
The ban was revoked after producer Yash Chopra tendered an apology and removed the objectionable line from the title song.
Indo-Asian News Service


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see above |


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9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
Though I only have a few orange and yellow coneflowers among all those pinks, whites and even reds, I love their brightness and reminder of sunshine.
The intense heat has returned along with the humidity, and it seems our chances for more rain are slim. Still, with Indepence Day on Monday and the college closed on Fridays, everyone is looking forward to a long weekend -- me too! LOL
Our votes are accumulating -- please continue to support the hungry in this way! Thank YOU!
Volunteers arrive shortly and we've a good harvest to do - tomatoes are ready!
Have a great day
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Yellow and Orange Cone Flowers
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
6" x 6"
Arches 140#CP
I painted this small version of a pond last week when longing for a cool break from the heat and having little time for painting. I'd like to paint this again in a larger format at some point - but for now, I"m considering this an exercise in methods ....
It's so funny how our moods and time allowances play into our artwork .... I suppose like anything else, we are all affected by events and emotions at the time we pick up our brushes. I'm finding these days that after a long day at work and after the high heat and humidity of the day, my energy stores are about depleted, and my paintings that night aren't as relaxed and energetic as they are when done over the weekend when leisure time is more available. Do you find that too?
At any rate, work nights will have to be practice for the most part - something to keep the brushes wet and the ideas flowing .....
How about you?
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Blue Hydrangeas
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
Though a lighter blue than the photo I posed as a challenge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/linfrye/5867369944/), my painting here is an effort to show that wonderful light that seems to bounce off these blue hydrangea. There is something so cooling about blue in a garden, especially when temps reach high in the 90s as they tend to do in our region. I also love the challenge of these complex flowers -- the effort of keeping them simple and yet defined.
Back to work and quite a bit of catch up after a few days away. We had some rain last night -- yahoo --! But we hope to have a bit more today. Our plants and streams really need it!
Have a terrific day -- and keep voting, please!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Peach Roses
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
It's a day of rest today as I catch up on sleep, email, painting, chores. It seems the last several months have been an intense bevy of activity -- and I am apppreciating a much needed day of rest -- or at least - less frenzy! LOL
Thank you for all your kind wishes for my son and daughter-in-law!!
These bright flowers are based on a photo reference from Wet Canvas .... I love their peach hues and the vivid colors .... the work in natural light is less intense than this looks on my computer screen.
We're hoping for a bit of rain today ... and sending prayers to our mid-country states facing a terrible flood. Gracious, the weather continues to confound ...
Have a great day and week!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Rose of Sharon - Blessings for Mike and Brittney
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
Hibiscus syriacus, Rose of Sharon, blooms now in a wonderful pink at the Arboretum.
It is an especially appropriate dedication for my son and his bride on their wedding day. The flower has a plethera of symbolism - one from the song of Soloman: "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys." (Solomon 2:1), that has been interpreted to mean the love of God, the love of husband and wife. In other symbolism, this flower also means fertility, abiding love, and the symbol of the perfect bride.
Today of all days, may the blessings of such richness be upon my son and new daughter-in-law as they take the vows of love and marriage. May their union and lives be filled with joy, happiness and the blessings of a lifetime.
Friday, June 24, 2011
More Purple Vetch
1/8 Sheet
Arches 140#CP
Another visit to the park and the purple vetch that scrambles over the neighboring grasses and blackberry vines. I love to see these colors against all that green!!
Festivities for the wedding begin today. The weather is hot and still no rain - so at least the outdoor events will be sunshiney!
Hope your weekend is terrific!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Passion Flower - A surprise from my garden
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
Passion flower, Passiflora incarnata, occurs naturally in our region. I remember picking DOZENS of these when I lived in South Carolina -- their flowers symbolic of Christ's passion - the ten petals representing the ten apostles excluding St. Peter and Judas, the anthers representing the wounds of Christ, the three stigma (part of the female reproductive system)representing the nails used on His hands and feet, the purple filaments - the crown of thorns, the vine itself - the whip used during his flagellation, and the colors representing purity and the heavens.
Native Americans used these plants extensively as a food item. Once the flowers are pollinated, they form a greenish oval shaped 'ball' that turns yellow when ripe. Similiar to the pomagranate, when 'popped' open, the fruit contains dozens of lemony-tart seeds that can be eaten or rendered into a wonderful drink and jam.
These pretty vines appeared years ago in the back of my property only to disappear the following year. This summer, almost eight years later, they've surprised me again by 'popping up' in my 'wild' front garden. The bees seem to LOVE the blossoms, and already there are several fruits ripening. I hope to gather enough to make some special jam later this year. Meanwhile, they're quite vigorous and have already climbed a few shrubs and crawled their way to the walk.
It's preparation time for my son's wedding this weekend. We've got family coming in so I'll be somewhat scarce.
The heat continues....
Have a great day!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Barn and Flowers
1/8 Sheet
Arches 140#CP
My practice work for the week - I'm still playing with landscape approaches and ideas. I love the flowers in this and that old barn - so reminescent of the barns I try to capture in my own county. To me, this view represents summer at its best - tawny fields, wild grasses and lots of flowers ...
HOT HOT HOT here! Today will reach a heat index of 105F!! We have a wildfire burning on the coast making our air not only stifflingly hot, but so filled with smoke, it's difficult to breathe. The thunderstorm last night helped clear the air a bit, but it left its humidity - make being out of doors mighty unpleasant.
In other parts of our country, floods are threatening so many states .. prayers and thoughts for folks facing another type of weather challenge ...
At the rate we're going, I suspect it'll be a long, hot, difficult summer...
I suspect it'll be a long, hot, difficult summer at the rate we're going.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Morning Sunrise Before the Rain
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
This is a painting from my archives ... Folks have asked me if I have an endless 'archive' ... but I assure you, I don't! LOL What a have are a handful of those paintings that I have a love/hate relationship with -- there are days I'll look at something I've painted and decide I should toss it, but I'm not quite 'sure' ... so I hold onto it -- and then there are other days the same painting looks better .... this is one of those.
I remember this particular morning - looking out at my woodlands with streaks of brilliant colors surrounded by the purply dark trees as the sun made its way east - glowing the sky --- then as quickly fading to storm-metal gray ...
Our own thunder storm woke me last night - finally giving us a bit of welcome rain ... yahoo!
The weekend with the grands was fabulous - but oh, we are no longer young. My son and his finance had their 'batchelor/ette' celebrations this weekend too - and when they came to pick up Emily and Nick and our dinner and dishes were completed, we were all ready for a long night's slumber! LOL
Much yet to do before the wedding next weekend. More company and deadlines ....
Hope you have a great week!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Dancing Daylily - Happy Father's Day
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
To all the fathers, uncles, brothers, men as well as the women who also have those roles -- a most HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO YOU!!! Today we celebrate those in our lives who are dads, brothers, pals who give our lives the richness that makes living such a joy. Though my own dad is no longer living, the influence he played in my life was immense, just as the fathers and men in my children's lives and my grandchildren's lives, have shaped and inspired them. We are grateful ... ever grateful.
The daylilies have made their annual blooming - and the array of colors, types and sizes are dazzling! In my own garden, I have bright yellows, pinks, oranges and burgundies - and the Arboretum boasts even more varieties! The roadside are in full daylily bloom as well - despite the lack of rain ....
Last year, I showed our volunteers how these flowers can be cooked and enjoyed ... we stuffed them with a variety of cheeses, dipped the bundles in egg whites and breadcrumbs, and fried them --- YUM!!! Each color had a subtle, different taste -- In Asia, one can find these flowers in the market - canned for easy preparation.
My attempt here was to create something a bit unusual for this famililar flower - so I played with contrasts to give the orange/yellow blossom a boost.
The grands are here and we have been running - quite literally. I forget just how much energy a 7 and 6 year old have ... sure wish they'd learn to bottle that stuff! LOL
Have a great day!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Hot Papaya Coneflower
1/8 Sheet
Arches 140#CP
I am growing more and more fascinated with all the new varieties of cone flowers. I purchased this one last year - hot papaya, and it has successfully returned for another performance this year.
The bright red with yellow-center flowers have an almost chrysanthemumlike mop 'head', an 'anemone' nose, and cone flower petals. I haven't noticed if the 'nose' forms the same kind of prickly cone as the pink echinaceas, so I'm keeping a firm eye on these to see what happens over time. Right now, they're most striking against the white yarrow that has suddenly appeared in the bed with them. The hot papaya leaves are similiar to the pink coneflowers - and I haven't observed any crossing between these and the pinks that are growing alongside.
But oh, they are mighty bright amongst that sea of pink and white coneflowers!
We've our fingers crossed for some of those 'scattered' showers. It's been so dry! And the Japanese beetles have made their appearance as well and they've begun nibbling at the petals of those coneflowers.
It's summer indeed!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Village on the Hill after Ann Blockley
1/8 Sheet
Arches 140#CP
Working again with Ann Blockley's new book and ideas, I've begun trying to incorporate what I'm learning about experimental methods and abstract ideas into my own work and style.
I began this small painting with the idea of using contrasts - blue, purple, yellow and orange. I wet the paper, and began to add color, letting the paint drip and move on its own. I didn't have any particular reference material - simply ideas in my mind, paint and water ...
Off to the office for a quick harvesting of vegetables with our volunteers - rain in the forecast and we've all got our fingers crossed for a good soaking!
Have a great day!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Chilopsis 2011- Dessert Willow
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
In several spots of the Arboretum, we have planted this unusual tree, native to the southwestern US. We have two variations - one with pink flowers; the other with white. It's blooming now and has successfully weathered our dry, hot, humid summers.
The flowers resemble those of the catalpa tree which occurs naturally in North Carolina, while the leaves resemble those of a willow. The flowers are pollinated mostly by large bees.
We don't see this small tree planted very often in our area, but perhaps once folks see how lovely it is, there'll be more planted in our landscapes.
Our farm trip yesterday was FABULOUS!!! The weather, though warm, wasn't oppressively hot. Each farm was different not only in the things that were grown or raised there, but in philosophy, style and approach to keeping the land as a 'farm.' We walked among the rows of corn and listened to the thrumming of an emu at one farm, walked the lavender labryinth and had a wonderful lunch of lavender chicken salad and lavender lemonade at another, picked blueberries and blackberries at a different farm, and after a long day, enjoy and see huge turkeys, silken chickens, farm activities for children's trips, enjoyed home made ice cream at the last farm. WONDERFUL TIME!
Today is a day of catch up ...
Hope you have a great one!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Rubeckia - Cherokee Sunset
1/8 Sheet
Arches 140#CP
These brown/red/tinged with yellow rudbeckias were planted last year, and now I find them dotting my garden in places I couldn't imagine - but now love. These Cherokee Sunsets are far perkier than my painting shows... but I find that when I'm in the throes of a learning curve, I am more challenged to create in my traditional way ...especially after a long day at the office ...
We're off today with a group of guests to visit the various farms in our county ... I hope to catch up with everyone tomorrow!
Have a great Tuesday!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Bluebell Woods Inspired by Ann Blockey
1/8 Sheet
Arches 140#CP
I have been an admirer of Ann Blockley's work (www.annblockley.com) for a number of years. Her new DVD and book "Experimental Flowers in Watercolor" is all about playing with paint, collage, textures, paper and the like to move outside the boundaries of traditional watercolor and moving toward the abstract.
This experimental work I've done was done from her new book ...What I loved most about this was the freedom of 'slinging' paint (so to speak) - watching the FLOW of paint, adding textures, and yet giving the work a mood, a feel, a sense -- in lieu of representing the actual -- Painting it was somewhat like meditation, and I suppose it's the imaginativeness of the painting that is appealing to me.
Above all - it was FUN!
We had another rain last night and I'm doing my happy rain dance in gratitude!
Hope you have a great day!
Me among my 'Tall' Flowers
I was asked for a few more garden photos -- this is me among the rudbeckia - and no, I have never seen them grow so tall either! lol
Another look at the front of the 'wild' garden
This red verbena is about three years old -- it continues to grow into the garden as well as out along the walkway - but I just can't clip it back!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
White Petaled Cone Flowerr
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
After the much welcomed storm and RAIN!!! last night, I stand by my front door and look out at the sea of 'wildness' before me - coneflowers, blanket flowers, coreopsis, delphinium, spider flowers, roses, salvias, red verbena, and some whose names I've forgotten, and gaze in sheer wonder and gratitude. Few of these plants were planned and planted by my hands - the others, simply strewn in the hope of survival ... and THIS year, the flowers, bees, butterflies- all seem to have come to some kind of jubilation ...
Trying to capture THAT still eludes me ... but I suppose there is a joy (as well as frustration) in attempting to ...
Still, the peacefulness, the beauty of the moment, are gifts beyond words, beyond the sketch, beyond the paintbrush - and mostly -- of the heart.
The Lavender Festival was a sheer joy yesterday! HOT HOT HOT -- but filled with people, flowers, the scent, taste and enjoyment of lavender! I not only had my chocolate lavender ice cream - but when we got home -- made some of our own! YUM!!! The lavender scones were out of this world, and I just had to indulge in a lavender cookbook - with recipes already marked for trying. Yep, bought MORE lavender too ...a wonderful day ... decent sales - new friends, renewing acquaintances I hadn't seen in a while, and reinvigorating my love of herbs.
Today, company for dinner, Charles' jam and even more company - whew, the weekend has flown by.
It's supposed to be cooler today - high 80s, which, after so many days of heat indices over 100, should feel down right balmy ....
Have a great Sunday!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Lavender Shrub
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
For the lavender festival, I painted a close-up of a lavender shrub - for this painting I used references from my garden as well as photos I took from the festival several years ago.
We've packed the car and will be off soon -- It's supposed to be a beautifully warm day, and between the food, people, plants and flowers - should be a lot of fun!
Hope you enjoy your Saturday!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Lavender and Birdbath
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
We are readying for the last outdoor festival of the summer -- the Lavender Festival at Sunshine Lavender Farms. Since the gardens at this farm emphasize lavender, I thought I'd do a few paintings of the farm. This was from a photo I took several years ago - that bright blue birdbath played a central role in this portion of the garden surrounding their home. I understand that more gardens have been added, and I can't wait to see what they are showing!
This festival, held annually, but by invitation only, features some of the BEST creations made with lavender -- and my mouth is drooling already for chocolate lavender ice cream!! There'll be plants for sale, music (Charles will get a chance to sing too!), plants, crafts, animals and more ....It's supposed to be quite hot, but I suppose that means we'll just 'HAVE' to sip on that luscious lavender lemonade ... ah ... the challenges!!! LOL
Hope you have a great day!
A Part of my Garden
Here I am standing amng the coneflowers looking out toward the side of my home home - the coneflowers in front are as high as my nose! LOL Quite truthfully, I didn't do anything special to this area of the garden except add mulch and a bit of fertilizer LAST year ... the seeds overwintered from where I strew them in the 'bare' patches ...
A close-up of a piece of my Garden
White cone flowers, blanket flowers, coreopsis, purple coneflowers ... all merely a bit of this run-away garden.
Thursday, June 09, 2011
More of my Purple Coneflowers - Butterflies and all
9" x 12" Arches 140#CP
My purple coneflowers are running riot over my garden! This year, there are even more white petaled ones than last year, and even the reds (tomoato soup) have reproduced! The butterflies are busy pollinating the flowers, which means even more echinacea next year! What surprises me most is how tall they are. They reach over my head (over 5'!!) - and I can get lost among them -- wow!!!
Our volunteers harvest for the hungry this morning -- so don't forget to vote!! THANKS SO MUCH!
Hope your day is great!
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Last Rays on the Hay
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
Last weekend while Charles and I were walking our park trail, we spotted more hay bales in an adjacent field across from the park. After the walk, we drove down the dirt road to snap some photos of the field, barns and the sun as it set over the bales of hay. I've painted a twilight scene of haybales ... and this time, I kept the painting LIGHT in tone and value to reflect more of the warmth (HEAT!!!) of the day and the 'just beginning' to lower sun. I was undecided as to add darker values to heighten the sun's rays ... but decided to keep it lighter and live with it for a while.
The high temps are unrelenting and we've begun our rain dance again. Fires are still burning in Arizona and prayers continue.
Stay cool today!
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
Each time I walk onto my front porch, the glorious scent of gardenias wafts my way. This fragrant shrub is in full bloom on the side of my home, and its perfume seems to wrap the front property in its sweet scent. Here too at the Arboretum, our gardenia are blooming ... and with the heat indices reaching the high 90s, no rain in sight, these silky, sweet white flowers seem to cool us off simply by their presence.
Our thoughts turn to the folks in Arizona and the horrific wildfires that are ranging there .... may it rain soon!
Monday, June 06, 2011
Splash and Splatter Fall Landscape
1/8 Sheet
Arches 140#CP
This is another from the archives ... something bright and vivid and a bit wild for a slow Monday morning... perhaps it'll help wake me up! LOL
Yesterday was a flurry of readying for company next week, a bit of garden chores and readying for another festival - there's been a mere smidge of time to paint and finish a work and next weekend is full as well. It seems the summer is flying by as quickly as the spring ...
We're expecting power outages at work today because of work being done throughout the town ... I expect all will be restored by tomorrow ...
Hope your day is terrific!
Sunday, June 05, 2011
Pale Poppies
9" x 12"
Arches 140#CP
With the spring rains we've had, the gardens continue to bloom and I am jaw-dropped each time I walk through my own garden as well as those we visit through the Arboretum.
Our visit to Montrose Gardens several weeks ago still serves as inspiration for me. These pale, lavender poppies were such a sight at those Gardens - that I just HAD to paint them! These five were merely a small cluster of hundreds that were in only 'one' of the gardens - all filled with poppies!
My own garden is yielding surprise after surprise. I tossed out several packages of flower seeds last year, and this year, so many of those seeds are growing and I eagerly await their blooming to even identify some of them!
The festival yesterday was an absolute delight! Many, many people, decent sales, good music - including a spontaneous jam that Charles was able to join - a booking for another display - and so many new friends and wonderfully shared ideas. The weather was terrific - warm - but not as blistery as early last week, and the tent we had worked well to keep the heat off us as well as the paintings.
I have one more art festival next week and many items to replace before then - another busy Sunday.
Hope your Sunday is wonderful!
Saturday, June 04, 2011
Cindy's Challenge - Bird's Nest
1/8 Sheet
Arches 140#CP
My thanks to Cindy who posed this marvelous challenge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/cindyzlogic/5711964775/) and awesome photographs !! Such fun, Cindy -- and a wonderful challenge for us!!!!! I can't wait to do this again! THANK YOU!!!
I've watched chickadees build a nest and hatch a clutch in my own bluebird box, and now the bluebirds have reclaimed their 'home' with a nest of eggs of their own. Seeing Cindy's wonderful photographs make me appreciate even more the incredible life that goes on in the small places we don't often notice or pay attention to ... THANK YOU again, Cin!
We're off early this morning to another art festival. I've not attended this one before, but there are over 25 artists displaying their art in an outdoor festival near my work place. I know two other folks also attending - so it should be fun.
The weather promises to be warm again - so plenty of water and sunscreen.
Hope you have a great day!


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With the dry and cold winter upon us, lately my mane seems to have a mind of its own! The extreme dryness in the air often leads to the odd morning where my hair mimics that of a kid at the Science Centre, discovering first-hand the wonders of static electricity. Cool back then, but definitely not pretty when you have 30 minutes to tame the hair (and still get the rest of the body ready) for work, right?
I know, I know - my dehydrated locks can partially be blamed on my inner blow-out hairdrying enthusiast, and I'll admit I am rather heat styling dependent! But usually there's not enough time to let my hair air or towel dry! grrr.
Enter my beloved Moroccan Oil.
I first heard of Moroccan Oil through my pal and talented hairstylist Fabio (who is responsible for a bulk of the gorgeous hairstyling you see in my portfolio). They sell Moroccan Oil at the salon where Fabio works, and he has been an adamant supporter of the product from the day I met him ...and with good reason!
I use a generous drop (somewhere between the size of a dime and a quarter) and I smooth in into the hair before just before the usual morning blow-out. I keep the application towards the mid-shaft and downwards, as I don't want the roots to get too greasy and weighed down later in the day (once those natural oils kick in).
What I love about Morrocan oil is how it brings life back to my overly heat processed hair. It leaves an instant shine and soft texture, without being greasy nor looking like a kid at the Science Centre. Frizz be gone! Apparently, Moroccan oil also reduces hair drying time (...but I'll have to pay more attention to that during the morning-get-ready-frenzy!)
The main ingredient in Moroccan Oil is argan oil, which comes from the fruit of argan trees that grow almost exclusively in southwest Morrocco. Other ingredients in the product are silicones that help to restore that smooth and silky feel to the hair...again, all without feeling greasy!
Moroccan Oil retails for approximately $40 for a 100 mL bottle...but really can you put a price on a product that makes dry, damaged hair look like salon hair?! This one's a definite essential for both the personal and client kits!
Image courtesy of Moroccan Oil
KIT ESSENTIAL | Moroccan Oil
2010-01-05Congrats to Claudia for being featured on weddingbells.com (the official site for WeddingBells mag!) as one of Canada's Top 25 Inspiring Wedding Photogs! That's maaajor and truly well-deserved!
Can't wait to start the e-shoots up again with Claud! (In fact, can't wait for the warmer weather that accompanies it!!!) The main pic of Claud's above is one of our e-shoots from summer 2009 with Flora + Daniel, where I did the make-up for the engagement shoot from the trunk of a car! True story :)
If you haven't checked out Claudia's site, what are you waiting for?! Click here or on the logo at right.
For any brides-to-be that are in the midst of planning right now, read up on more details of the ongoing artistrhi make-up x claudia hung collaboration and how to get a complimentary mini make-up session, courtesy of yours truly!! Be sure to book early with Claudia...if you haven't already!! :)


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August 3, 1997 I managed to nab Jeff Allen's plain Stormtrooper armor that he put up for sale!
August 19, 1997 It has arrived, today, I have suited up, and my pictures will be up as soon as they are developed :) Sept 30, 1997 I finally got the pictures up :) |
October 31, 1997 Here's a couple of pictures of my kids and I, just before heading off for Trick or Treat'n |
October 31, 1998 Here's a picture of my family this Halloween, and I'm decked out in my new suit... which one am I? I'm the one with my hands on my hips silly :)
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This page best viewed with There have been visitors since June 24, 1997. This site is in no way sponsored or endorsed by:George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts Entertainment Co., or any affiliates. Star Wars and all its characters are © and TM Lucasfilm Ltd. Web Pages and HTML Sources are Copyright © 1997 Wilder Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved. All copyrights ©, registered trademarks ®, trademarks (TM), or service mark (SM) used on this page belong to their respective owners.


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New neighbour moved in. Their indoor cat got out and ran up a tree, maybe 30-40 feet high. Tonight will be the third night. How long will they stay there before coming down to eat and drink?
Someone really needs to go up and get the cat. At this point it's most likely the cat will lose consciousness before it falls down and that will be how it comes out of the tree. Also, it is definitely nearing the time it can no longer survive without water if it hasn't already reached it. Please call the fire department or someone else who can help.
I would call the fire department like tulosai says. If they can't help; they may know who can. I would do this sooner; rather than later. Perhaps you can call on behalf of the neighbors if need be?
2 neighborhood guys got the cat down this afternoon. I would think if the cat was hungry enough or thirsty he would try to come down by himself.
I'm glad to hear he is down! Sometimes they do really get stuck there and don't know how or can't get themselves down. Hopefully no more tree climbing for him!!


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Working to improve the lives of the world's poorest people, at home and abroad.
26th Feb 2014
The weather may still be chilly, but green shoots were showing at Duffryn Community Allotment in Newport where the first working day of the season got off to a flying start this week.
36 people from the estate turned out in wellies and woollies to get the first gardening jobs of the year under way. It being half term, there were plenty of children lending a hand.
The allotment, funded by Oxfam Cymru and The Co-operative Group, has now expanded to include a disused grassy area, and everyone soon got stuck in to uncover a huge bricked circle hidden under the turf. Then there was weeding to be done and thick overgrowth on the walls to be cut back. After all the hard work, the gardeners went indoors to warm up, and enjoy delicious homemade soups cooked by fellow volunteers.
"It was a great turnout and everyone felt glad to get back in action," said Sarah Lewis, an allotment volunteer who also runs the project's fascinating website: http://duffryngrowyourown.weebly.com
Jane Lewis, Duffryn Community Link's Learning Co-ordinator said: "It was fantastic to see everyone getting stuck in and enjoying the allotment. Here's hoping we have many more days like this!"
The allotment is very much community-run with the support of the National Trust, Growing Spaces and Duffryn Community Link, Oxfam Cymru's local partner for one of its Livelihoods projects under the charity's UK Programme. The project works directly with families on the estate, including many of the gardeners, to support their parenting goals and other positive life choices.
Oxfam Cymru's Livelihoods project in Newport is supported by the Big Lottery Fund Wales.
Livelihoods, Poverty in the UK, Wales
UK poverty, Wales
© 2017. Oxfam is a registered charity in England and Wales (no 202918) and Scotland (SC039042). Oxfam GB is a member of the international confederation Oxfam.