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Return to Samuelson's Rocks - Joshua Tree National Park/
Trek Date: February 8, 2018
My last visit to Samuelson's Rocks was in 2013 (click HERE for that trip), so I decided it was time for a return visit. "Who knows," I thought to myself, "I may find an undiscovered rock ala Samuelson." That would be pretty darn cool.
The weather was perfect, the air was crisp and clean, my parking spot was open and the desert sand was scrunchy. Gathering my possibles, I set out to see what I could find.
It's a little over 1-1/4 miles from the parking turnout to the mound of rocks that Samuelson spent hours and hours upon, finding suitable rocks for his inscriptions and then chiseling them into their flat surfaces. Did he spend some nights atop his rockpile? No one knows for sure, but I'll bet he did. Maybe that's where he got the inspiration for his carvings. And that bedframe? Maybe that's where he slept.
So, how to get to Samuelson's Rocks? The GPS says go southwest. But from what starting point? Well, a little research will divulge that, so no need for me to make it too easy.
But here's a great landmark to use. See that vertical line of rocks nearly in the middle of this image? That's a perfect point of reference that I use to find my way to the rockpile. So, I commenced hiking.
There are quite a few fallen giant in this area. If you're ever tempted to use fallen Joshua Tree wood for firewood, don't. It's against the law in the park.
Something new I started experimenting with on this trip, taking my crystal ball along on hikes in the desert. If I get lost, I can always consult it for directions. One caveat of crystal ball photography during daylight. The ball can act like a magnifier, focusing a very concentrated, hot spot of light onto your hand. Ouch. Had to take these shots pretty quick.
My favorite spot along the hike to Samuelson's Rocks is a long abandoned homestead. Did this car once belong to the owner of the nearby cabin ruins? Possibly. Who owned the cabin ruins? Samuelson? When was it built? 1927? My crystal ball provided no answers to these and other important questions that came to mind while wandering in the desert.
One of the many old roads of the park passes near this lost homesite. I think this may have been a driveway gate that could have been used to block access to the ranch.
My guess is that the stone section of this ruin was the entrance to the home, with the main portion of the cabin being built behind it.
The coolest thing, this cabin had a basement. I can't think of any other historic structure in the park having a basement. So, the next question, did I go down those steps into the dark unknown? Does a coyote poop in the desert? Do Joshua Trees move around at night?
Did I toss a stick down there first to see if anything rattled? Yes.
It's apparent that a lot of work went into the building of this cabin. I'd love to find a picture of it before it fell to pieces.
Okay, time to get out. I need to pack a face mask to use when exploring places like this.
Was this an outdoor oven? There are no mines that I know of in the area, so I doubt it was used for smelting. Maybe someone has an idea.
Leaving the homestead, it was less than 1/4-mile to the rockpile.
The rockpile isn't very big, measuring approximately 180 yards long by 100 yards wide. Note my navigation landmark just to the left of the Joshua Tree on the right. I headed over towards the west end of the rockpile to see Samuelson's signature rock.
The Faith Rock is the only rock that Samuelson signed his name to. It is also the only rock at desert floor level. I wonder if it was the first one he inscribed. I haven't heard of information regarding the order in which the inscriptions were created.
This rock is up the pile a bit. All in all, I've found eight inscriptions.
This rock is a bit tricky to find. :-)
Rock #4 on my list. Looks like Samuelson admired Henry Ford.
Judge Benjamin Barr Lindsey was an American judge and social reformer based in Denver, Colorado during the Progressive Era.
John Samuelson's bed. Okay, I don't know if that's true or not, but I like to think he spent many a night resting upon this frame, gazing up at the stars while his mind wandered and composed his next rock carving.
To the best of my knowledge, this is the only standing and intact corral in JTree. Evidence of a bygone time when cattle actually grazed in the area. A rancher by the name of Oliver Smith grazed Texas Longhorns in this are between 1870 and 1876. This corral, however, probably dates from between the 1920s through 1940s when local homesteading was beginning in the area.
There's a pumphouse out there, if you know where to look. The pump works and brings water up from somewhere deep in the desert. I haven't tried drinking it though and wouldn't recommend anyone do so.
Part of the old fence that kept cattle in their place.
After traipsin' around the corral, I headed back to the rock pile to find the last couple rocks.
This rock is a bit above the desert floor, on the northwest side of the rockpile. A bit of scrambling gets you to this vantage point.
This is a tough one to spot, and a tough one to get to. Be smart and take the long way. I didn't get a closeup of it the last time I visited. Notice the corral in the background, that should help you find this one.
So, I knew that Quail Springs was out there somewhere in the distance, and that it had something interesting to see. Should I go look for it? The day was still early and the fact that I didn't have the coords shouldn't deter me. Or should it? How far could it be?
From atop the rockpile, looking back northeast towards my parking spot. It was reassuring that I could see GrayTac.
Thanks for tagging along with me on this revisit to Samuelson's Rocks. If any of my pictures strike your fancy, right click on them to download them to your computer. Feel free to use them for your own mysterious projects. No muss, no fuss, no cost. Credit back to Cali49.com would be nice, but it's not required. #FreePixels
Be sure to check out Murbachi's pages on this area, by clicking HERE. 3D glasses make it even more interesting, but aren't required.
- Abandoned Mine
- Barker Dam
- Bill Keys
- Cali49
- Cali49.com
- Cap Rock
- Cattle Ranching
- Day Hike
- Desert Queen Mine
- Geology Tour Road
- Gold
- Gold Mine
- Gold Mining
- Hidden Valley
- Ivanpah Tank
- Johnny Lang
- Joshua Tree
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Jumbo Rocks
- Lost Horse Mine
- Lost Horse Valley
- Mine
- Mining
- Mojave
- Native American
- Native Americans
- Petroglyphs
- Pictograph
- Pictographs
- Pinto Basin
- Quail Springs
- Roadtrip
- Rock Art
- Rock Climbing
- Rock Scrambling
- Rocks
- Ruins
- Ryan Ranch
- Stamp Mill
- Water
- White Tank
- Wildflowers
- Wonderland
- Wonderland of Rocks
They're blooming all over the lower portion of Joshua Tree National Park. https://t.co/MOfa7aKAkj https://t.co/B2RyvRcnRe
Wildflowers 2019 - Joshua Tree National Park https://t.co/MOfa7b2bIT
Beyond Surprise Tank - Joshua Tree National Park https://t.co/KZxu8qg5I7


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Camping in Flagstaff, Arizona
Last weekend we drove up to Flagstaff to partake in our first ever camping trip together as a couple! Granted it was only a tiny little one-night camping trip, but... baby steps. As most of you know, we have a love affair with Flagstaff and we must say it's especially spectacular this time of year when the temperatures are cool and cozy and the changing leaves give us a real taste of those gorgeous Fall colors all around! Chris did a little bit of campground hunting on Hipcamp (awesome site, if you haven't used it before) and landed on Lockett Meadow - the photos we saw of the campground were absolutely stunning, and looked just right for our first foray into couples camping. Jackpot!
We've been talking about going camping together ever since we first started dating, and Chris has stockpiled a pretty robust collection of camping items in hopes that we'd one day turn our day hikes into an overnight adventure, so after receiving a beautiful 4-person Eureka tent from amazingly kind and generous aunt of ours as a wedding gift (genius gift idea, by the way!) and finding ourselves faced with our first free weekend with basically no obligations in a while, we decided it was time to pull the trigger. Plus, our absolute favorite thing to do together is to grab Hamlet, drive to cooler climates and get outside and up in the mountains for some fresh-aired fun!
Lockett Meadow is a beautiful sort of "primitive" campground in the Coconino National Forest that offers not only a gorgeous view of the San Francisco peaks, but also a pretty stunning stand of Aspens that surrounds the campground. There are tons of tiny trails that wind through the campground and surrounding forest area, and The Inner Basin Trail, which leads to the heart of the extinct volcano that is the San Francisco Peaks also begins at Lockett Meadow. The campground has quite a few designated campsites with accompanying gravel parking spaces, tent clearings and firepits, most of which were already snagged by the time we arrived, but luckily we made friends with a nice group of ladies who so kindly offered us one of their campsites. We totally lucked out and our campsite was absolutely perfect and totally picturesque, with its own little trail leading back into the Aspens.
We had so much fun on Saturday night hanging out by the fire, making s'mores and drinking whiskey-spiked hot cocoa in the cool, crisp air, but overnight it got extremely windy and the gusts were pretty noisy, which didn't make Hamlet happy inside the tent. Luckily, the noise paired with the chilly temps forced Hamlet to crawl under our blankets and even curl up in Chris' sleeping bag for a bit, which provided a nice little natural heater for both of us that kept us pretty warm and cozy all night long - thanks, Ham!
We had planned on hiking some of the Inner Basin Trail on Sunday morning, but the wind just wouldn't die down so we cleaned up camp and make the trek back down the rugged and winding Lockett Meadow Rd. (FR522) and across the highway to Sunset Crater, a Flagstaff monument we've been wanting to check out for a while. It was a pretty incredible sight to see, so if you're ever in Flagstaff don't wait as long as we did to explore the area around the now-extinct volcano. It was totally worth the pit stop and the $20 entrance fee! But be warned, if you're wanting to hike to the summit of the crater that's a no go - they closed access to the summit in 1973 because of excessive erosion caused by hikers. But the self-guided loop trail at the base of Sunset Crater is such a cool place to explore - the landscape is so extraordinary where the lava flow cooled and hardened into the brittle charcoal-colored ground cover you see in the pics below.
Him: Oakley Specs / The North Face Shorts / Patagonia Hat Her: Zara Sweater / J.Crew Headband / J.Crew Chambray Shirt / Hunter Boots / Celine Specs
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subset: commoncrawl


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Lucy Esisi is our first in the month of September for our WIHB series. Lucy is the CEO of the fashion brand Culture Shock, which produces African inspired tee shirts and accessories for individuals adding also a mix of unique home accessories.
So what's in Lucy's bag and what bag will she be lugging today? We never get tired of knowing, are you?
#Name Lucy Esisi
#Occupation Lawyer/Visual Artist/Entrepreneur
#Online Instagram @cultureshockng
Facebook @cultureshockng
#Your bag today: My Lulu (For Culture Shock) Eyes-Wide-Shut custom piece in Orange. I particularly love it because those her thick lashes and the other elements on the bag, make 'her' look cheeky…. just like me *wink*. It's not just a beauty but it's also very functional. It doubles as a handbag and backpack so it can be switched around to whatever suits your mood and need at the time.
#Favorite quote – Live and let live– It's important that we learn to be respectful of people and their differences… life is too short, let's learn to agree to disagree peacefully.
#What's in your bag?- My ipad, my phone,
…Earphones, a notebook, my wallet, my bible, a bunch of keys, eyeglasses and sunglasses.
#Your daily beauty routine- I really do keep it simple… I discovered that my skin reacts wonderfully to natural ingredients so now my:
- Facial scrub is a mixture of honey and granulated sugar
- Cleanser is freshly squeezed lemon or A.C.V which is diluted with some water.
- For moisture, I use a light moisturizer during the day and after washing my face with my black soap and shea butter mix at night, I moisturize with either coconut oil or shea butter.
When I do wear heavy makeup which is not often, I use coconut or olive oil with a cotton pad to take it off. It works great for removing makeup from the face before you wash with your facial wash and really soft microfiber cloth; try it and thank me later.
#Books or movies?- Oh, I'm not much of a movie person, it's most definitely books! I particularly love Nigerian writers- I've read practically all of Chimamanda's books, then there's Sefi Attah. I also love Sidney Sheldon's books; some I have read more than once… I'm a huge fan!!! Jeffrey Archer, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Sophie Kinsella, Kristin Billerbeck- I could go on and on…
#3 of your favorite tunes- If Sounds of Blackness or Fred Hammond sang it, then I love it! I can't pick.
I also like Arrested Development's Mr Wendal.
#What song best describes your life right now? -Golden by Jill Scott (…Living my life like its golden)
#Your career with Culture Shock Started as… A 'boredom reliever' lol! The thing is I've always loved t-shirts; pairing it with jeans is my go-to, that being said, I don't like conventional tees… too boring, I always look for something extra to do to mine to make it different. I love African prints but I found the 'up and down' designs too serious.
I enjoyed visiting art museums, galleries, and artsy places; I love colours and patterns etc. So when I was on maternity leave, in between taking care of my baby, I began to think of various ways of fusing all of my passion into an eclectic representation of me, and that's how Culture Shock began.
We have the Ankara print tees, our decorative plates and now Lulu For Culture Shock which is our luxury, hand painted purse and handbag brand.
# Your Favorite bag designer(s)- I love Kate Spade and Gucci. Gucci is like the comeback kid, I absolutely love how they have re-invented themselves.
#5 items you cannot live without? – My ipad and phone- they contain my bible and music I love. Other than that, I honestly can't think of anything that important.
#One thing you'd change about yourself: My tendency to micro-manage every process, it can be a bit frustrating for people who work with me. I'm learning to loosen the rein just a little bit more these days.
#Your favorite color to wear? : It changes from time to time, one minute its black, the next its purple, currently its Orange.
#Your favourite perfume?:
Without a doubt it's the Hermes- L'ambre Des Merveilles.


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Jamaican fusion: New tastes from a multicultural cuisine
A handful of East Coast young chefs are "charting the future of Jamaican cuisine," and their innovations appear ready for a breakout, said Natelegé Whaley in Eater.com. Not content to dole out only jerk chicken with plantains and rice and peas, the new breed is mixing the traditional flavors of the island with the foods of other ethnic cultures, often ones they've been raised in. You can sample the promising results from Miami to New York City, and from food trucks to one of the most highly anticipated new restaurants in Washington, D.C.'s new Wharf district.
Food Dude Miami • A native of Jamaica, chef Alex Torres was born to create the Latin- Jamaican fusion cuisine he and his Puerto Rican wife serve from their food trucks. "Think jerk burgers, arroz con jerk," and a jerk chicken unlike any other, thanks to a citrusy, Puerto Rican–inspired mojo marinade. fooddudellc.com
The Spicy Belly Philadelphia • Jimmy and Jason Mills grew up on fusion food their Korean mother made for their Jamaican father, and the two brothers couldn't resist trying to spread the love in food-mad Philly. Their mo-bay bimbap heaps bulgogi, kimchi, and egg over coconut rice and peas; their jerk mandu packs jerk chicken in Korean dumplings. 3847 Terrace St., (215) 482-2095
Kith and Kin Washington, D.C. • Still just 27, Top Chef alum Kwame Onwuachi has D.C. buzzing about his new venture, where the food draws almost equally from his Caribbean, Nigerian, and Creole heritages. He's serving a Jamaica-inspired salmon escovitch, Trinidadian doubles (a street-food sandwich), and, yes, jerk bacon, jerk duck prosciutto, and jerk broccoli. 801 Wharf St. SW, (202) 878-8566 ■


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Join us for the opening reception as we celebrate local photographer Andy Murphy's images of the Capital Region and beyond. From city skylines to the Adirondacks, he has captured some of the best aspects of our area. Grab a pint and enjoy viewing his work.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: June 14Trivia @ Fort Orange Brewing
Later Event: June 17Father's Day Tour and Tasting


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2019 Non Profit Application
For the purpose of this event, a non-profit organization is considered an organization that provides service to members for non-charge or serves in a community organization capacity. An example of approved non- profits would be: church organizations, girl/boy scouts, animal shelter groups, political organizations, etc. An example of organizations that would fall under our patron category would be any type of organization that provides business services such as medical care, insurance, or credit unions. If you would like additional information about becoming a patron, please visit our festival website.


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MLB Plus provides different take on Yankees-Red Sox
After MLB.com introduced MLB Plus for Friday's Yankees-Red Sox game, the data-driven online broadcast returned for an encore during Boston's 8-0 victory on Saturday night at Fenway Park.
MLB Plus, which features Statcast™ and other advanced analysis, will be available as a companion to each MLB Network Showcase game this season. The next broadcast will be at 7 p.m. ET on May 6, when the Yankees and Red Sox lock horns again, this time in the Bronx.View Full Game Coverage
After MLB.com introduced MLB Plus for Friday's Yankees-Red Sox game, the data-driven online broadcast returned for an encore during Boston's 8-0 victory on Saturday night at Fenway Park.
MLB Plus, which features Statcast™ and other advanced analysis, will be available as a companion to each MLB Network Showcase game this season. The next broadcast will be at 7 p.m. ET on May 6, when the Yankees and Red Sox lock horns again, this time in the Bronx.View Full Game Coverage
Here is a look at some MLB Plus highlights from Saturday.
Porcello's spin rate
Red Sox starter Rick Porcello, who ultimately tossed seven scoreless innings, caught the Yankees' Chase Headley looking at a called third strike in the top of the third inning. That prompted a discussion of Porcello's pitching metrics.
The strike in question had a velocity of 92.5 mph, a perceived velocity of 91.3 mph and a spin rate of 2,485 rpm, according to Statcast™. As MLB.com stats analyst Mike Petriello explained, that type of pitch typically fares better with a lower spin rate, which causes the ball to sink more. On the other hand, the pitch may have fooled Headley, causing him to take it for strike three.
It also had more horizontal than vertical movement, which can be tough in its own right.
"We learned that from [Greg] Maddux. James Shields does it really, really well. Roy Halladay did it great," said analyst and former big league outfielder Fernando Perez. "That's a pitch … you have to remind yourself the pitcher has that in his repertoire, so that when you see it, you don't freeze. That's exactly what happened to Headley there."
Video: MLB Plus discusses Rick Porcello's spin rate against
Bradley the ballhawk
With the Red Sox holding a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning, the Yankees' Brett Gardner ripped a line drive deep to left-center field. Boston center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. glided over for the catch, and the MLB Plus team used that as a jumping-off point to discuss Bradley's defensive prowess.
As an on-screen graphic showed, Bradley entered the day with a league-leading 13 catches on batted balls with a hit probability of 50 percent or greater. In other words, he has been the best at catching balls that have an expected batting average of at least .500, based on their exit velocity and launch angle.
"He covers so much ground in the outfield, and I think it really just goes to show, pitchers must love this guy," Petriello said. "They must love having him out there, because those balls that they give up, they should hurt them. But they're not, because Bradley Jr. is out there tracking them down."
Video: MLB Plus looks at Bradley Jr.'s catch in centerfield
Beltran bombards the Monster
One out after Bradley's catch, there was nothing he could do to turn a Carlos Beltran drive into an out. The Yankees veteran sliced a line drive off the Green Monster in left-center field, although left fielder Brock Holt was able to play the carom adeptly and fire the ball back in to hold Beltran to a long single.
Statcast™ showed that Porcello threw the pitch with a perceived velocity of 89.1 mph and a spin rate of 2,430 rpm. The ball left Beltran's bat at 104.3 mph and with a 19.5-degree angle, which as the broadcast explained, is a winning pair of numbers.
"When you have a combination of that exit velocity and that launch angle, what's the league hit? .787," Petriello said. "When you do that and don't end up getting a hit out of it, it's bad luck or bad positioning [for the hitter]."
Video: MLB Plus looks at Beltran's single off the monster
Big Papi bash
So far, David Ortiz has homered in every MLB Plus broadcast. On Saturday, he launched a solo shot off Yankees reliever Johnny Barbato to lead off the seventh inning, making it a 5-0 game and giving him 508 homers in his career.
Ortiz crushed the ball a projected 399 feet, with a 106.9-mph exit velocity and a 30.1-degree launch angle. The blast came one pitch after Ortiz whiffed on a 95.1 mph fastball from Barbato.
"I was just going to say that his leg kick looked a little bit large," Perez said. "For just getting blown away by a fastball, that leg kick looked a little bit big. But, why not?"
Video: MLB Plus looks at David Ortiz's homer to right
Andrew Simon is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewSimonMLB.


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Kings Hill gets the crown
Kings Hill has been named one of the UK's most successful new communities in a report published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
'Placemaking and Value' examined clarity of vision, quality of architecture and design, layout, commercial and community provision, public and private amenity space, transport, parking issues and effective community engagement.
It stated that 'placemaking' has never been more important in creating thriving communities where people genuinely want to live, work and play' and concluded that Kings Hill residents 'felt a strong sense of community and attachment to Kings Hill as part of their identity.'
The report added that Kings Hill had a number of advantages over other developments, most notably its location and longevity. It also said that Kings Hill is a good investment as the 'premiums and growth rates are compelling as it consistently outperforms the local area and across all types of housing. The bias towards large family homes, many of which are high-end executive homes, sets an aspirational tone for the development.'
It cited Kings Hill developer Liberty Property Trusts's willingness to adapt and evolve the masterplan as one of the reasons for the development's success. Andrew Blevins, Liberty's managing director, said: "Kings Hill's development began over two decades ago and in that time the world has changed so, in order to respond to the needs of society today, the economy and planning policies, we have to change with it.
"We take a long term view and quality underpins everything we do. Following consultation with residents we have just revised our masterplan once again and have started work on the phased delivery of a new residential neighbourhood providing much needed homes, including affordable.
"Our legacy is the communities we create and, as the report says, 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts'. We have shaped a vibrant community at Kings Hill with an established business community providing jobs for local people, including residents, all of whom benefit from central shops - including Waitrose - restaurants, sports, leisure and recreational amenities."
The report also drew attention to Liberty's cultural strategy saying that it plays a major role in creating an interaction between residents and the developer. It added that, thanks to Liberty's experience in the US, a 'substantial amount' of public art was put in place before the first residents arrived which now provide landmarks for new residents and visitors.
Kings Hill is a 24-hour live, work, play modern garden village, providing jobs, amenities, homes, schools and other community infrastructure all within walking distance. Amenities include an 18 hole golf course, Waitrose and Asda stores plus other convenience retail, three schools, Sports Park, cricket pitch and two gyms including David Lloyd, acres of woodland and open space and many miles of foot and cycle paths.
The new residential neighbourhood is underway, a new primary school – the third at Kings Hill - opened last year and an extension to the community centre, additional allotments, trim trails and pitches for the Kings Hill Sports Park are in the pipeline. Land will also be provided for a place of worship.
Land is also available for further office and business space requirements.


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Get Yourself Organized in Just 7 Foolproof Steps
By Donna Freedman
Seen your desk lately? Or is it buried under piles and piles of bills, insurance statements, bank records, business receipts and user manuals? Now think of all the other trees that died so that your file cabinets could choke on a decade's worth of bank paperwork, credit card statements and warranty guides for products you no longer own. You need a system.
1. Keep Active Information Close at Hand
If you still get paper statements (more on that in a minute), keep a file called "Bills to Be Paid." Have another one called "Bills That Have Been Paid."
You could also call them "Unpaid" and "Paid." Call them Bob and Betty if you want. Just make sure you know where they are. Paying a late fee because you forgot the Visa bill was due or getting a cranky phone call from the orthodontist's office because you forgot to send the monthly check is both irritating and unnecessary.
Bills aren't the only obligations that need files of their own. Depending on your situation, you might have folders for health care, vehicles, insurance, home repair and, of course, tax paperwork. Knowing where these things are can save you a lot of fruitless searching when the credit union wants proof of income for that mortgage loan.
Or take a tip from Mindy Noble, a organizing specialist that Stacy Johnson interviewed, and color-code your files. Use colors that make sense to you; maybe green suggests "go!" (ahead and pay these bills) and red would mean "stop!" (what you're doing and deal with this health care paperwork).
2. Scan It and Store It
But why keep all those pieces of paper? Suppose a fire destroyed your home office: Good luck recreating all those files and receipts from memory.
That's why more and more people are opting to scan paperwork and store it on flash drives or in the cloud. The originals can be shredded (and, hopefully, recycled).
Certain pieces of paper should never be destroyed. Among them: wills, contracts, titles, deeds and papers with raised seals (e.g., a birth certificate). Scan them for backup, but keep them in a safe, fireproof place.
3. Corral Supporting Documents
If a new appliance or tech gadget gives you trouble or quits working entirely, you'll need to check the owner's manual or the warranty. Could you find these easily?
Once you do locate them, start a file called "manuals/warranties" (or something more clever). Again, you can scan and e-store this material. Be sure to throw the old paperwork away each time you replace an item.
Some people download user manuals from the manufacturers' websites, save them as PDF files and toss the paper copies. This might work for you, too.
4. Stop Getting Statements
Two ways to reduce paper clutter (and the number of dead trees on your conscience):
- Bank and pay bills online, opting to receive e-statements.
- Make paper receipts/files byte-sized.
5. Decide What Goes Where
Do your kid's health records belong in a folder with yours or will they be filed separately? What about your auto insurance policy -- in the insurance folder/e-file or the automobile folder/e-file? Are your Roth IRA statements filed under "retirement" or with your will and life insurance papers so your heirs can get at them?
Do what makes sense to you personally, so you're not rummaging around for Junior's eyeglass prescription in the "health insurance" file when it's actually in the "health care" file. Just make sure your spouse/partner knows where these things are, too.
If you've got a file just for your vehicle, keep paper or scanned copies of receipts for repairs in there along with your insurance. Include receipts/warranty information on new tires and any accessories you purchase. Imagine your frustration if you couldn't find the receipt should that car stereo die while it's still under warranty.
6. Clarify What You Own
If you lost a bunch of stuff due to fire or burglary, would you be able to collect full value on your homeowners or renters insurance policy? Probably not, unless you've regularly updated your inventory of personal belongings and given a copy to your insurance agent.
%VIRTUAL-pullquote-Go from room to room with a camera to create a visual record of your belongings. %Chances are you've forgotten just how much stuff you've acquired over the years. Go from room to room with a camera to create a visual record of your belongings. You can keep a record with Know Your Stuff Home Inventory, a free online program from the Insurance Information Institute.
Does this seem daunting? Do one room per day. Or how about outsourcing it -- to family members?
"Kids and teens may be more than happy to take photos or videos in every room of the house for a small fee or a new video game," says Amy Danise of Insure.com. Heaven forbid you should experience a major disaster. But if you do, "a complete inventory can help you maximize your claim by thousands of dollars," Danise says. "It's well worth the price of a new video game."
And if you're kicking it old school with an inventory list on paper? Keep it in the same folder with your homeowners or renters insurance policy. Should you have to evacuate your home, one file is easier to grab than two. (But again: If your house burns down, the inventory fries, too. Make sure your agent has a copy.)
7. Get Tough With Taxes
How long to keep tax returns is an issue that preys on a lot of people's minds. Johnson scans his forms and supporting documents for electronic storage and then shreds the originals. Digital storage is so competitive that you needn't pay a dime to store all the info you want, he says. (For more information, see "Don't Store Your Tax Return – Toss It Out.")
Getting organized isn't just about having a tidy office. It's about being able to lay your hands on information quickly and easily, according to Cathy Anderson of the Just Organize Your Stuff blog. You'll be able to dispute mistakes in billing, handle your affairs in case of emergency (including being able to provide critical medical records) and prove ownership.
You'll also simply have more time. "Good records provide facts necessary to shorten the time it takes to do almost anything," Anderson writes. Hard to put a price on that.


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The folks at Parks Project got in touch with Brian Wood and I during our travels about doing some t-shirt designs. Their cofounders, Keith & Sevag, believe in doing more to support our amazing parklands. Each product purchased contributes directly to one of over 30 different conservancies across the USA, providing vital funding for the ongoing care of National Parks. See more and buy a tee at parksproject.us.
Work done with Brian Wood


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At BBT Group Ltd, our financial consultants are on hand to provide expert mortgage advice for all our clients, including first-time buyers, those looking to remortgage, home movers and experienced buy-to-let landlords.
While a mortgage is essentially a loan that is secured against your home, there are a variety of mortgages and mortgage interest rate options available to choose from to meet various needs, depending on your goals and risk characteristics. It is very important to understand the differences between each type of mortgage when financing your new home, so that you can choose the right product to suit your budget, but also feel confident in your decision.
As part of our service, we take the time to understand our clients' unique needs and circumstances, so that we can provide them with the most suitable mortgage solutions in the most cost-effective way. We make the whole process as simple as possible, liaising with your lender, estate agent, solicitor and surveyor, managing the process to ensure everything runs as efficiently and smoothly as possible.
Buying a property is the biggest single financial commitment you'll ever make. At BBT Group Ltd, we will help you find the most suitable mortgage product that suits your requirements.
A mortgage is a loan secured against your home or property. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or any other debt secured on it.
The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate most forms of buy to let mortgages.


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Along with welcoming new members into our packs and troops and starting the program year, fall is the time when many units collect updated health forms from their youth and adult members.
The Boy Scouts of America recommends that each member have on file with his or her unit a completed copy of the General Information and Health History form (Part B) so unit leaders can provide essential health information to medical personnel in the event someone needs assistance or treatment. Part B, along with Part C, Pre-Participation Physical, is required by most camps for long-term camping, such as summer camp or resident camps.
Maintaining these records can be a confusing process. Continue reading "Dealing with health forms"


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This text is a Publication (2009) coordinated by Patrick Blandin and edited by the French National Commission of UNESCO.
Download the full text in pdf (240Ko).
In the 21st century mankind has reached a point in his evolution where the benchmarks of the past are no longer enough to guide the present and prepare for the future; it is thus important that the university community reasserts its interest in concrete issues, encourages the planet's development and signifi cantly contributes to training and research applications, especially for the poorest countries. UNESCO, by launching 15 years ago a programme for UNESCO Chairs, at a moment in time when globalisation was just beginning to make itself felt, sought to offer, on an international scale, a system to establish networks on a certain number of topics. It is up to the Chair Network to develop their own different types of cooperation, but also with others which deal with closelyrelated fi elds of study.
It is in this manner that the Poles of Excellence saw the light of day and that eight UNESCO Chairs in France associated themselves to constitute a sustainable development pole: the objective is to initiate and implement common projects which bring to the sustainable development concept a new impetus, taking into consideration a vision of the world and its evolution. With different approaches to this problematical issue, the eight Chairs propose rich and original experiences for training in higher education and offer interesting complementarities, as well as possibilities of synergy.
In elaborating together a publication on « training of actors for sustainable development » which illustrates the concrete experience of the Chairs in question, their directors naturally wished to contribute directly to UNESCO's major forum « World Conference on education for sustainable development« .
The French Commission for UNESCO wishes to express its thanks to the directors of each of the eight Chairs for their important contribution, as well as to the coordinator of the publication, Professor Patrick Blandin, Professor at the National Museum for Natural History and Co-Director for the UNESCO Chair « Development and Integrated Land Use ». When the conclusions of the seminar were made, the Director of the UNESCO Institute for Education in Hamburg, Adama Ouane, and the Deputy Secretary General of the French National Commission for UNESCO, Jean- Pierre Regnier, underlined the richness of the contributions made during the two-day seminar and once again, stressed the importance of the partnerships established.


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Much like how advertising is a subset of marketing, search engine optimization (SEO) is only one component of search engine marketing (SEM). SEO and SEM are used to accomplish essentially the same goals: to increase search engine ranking and to increase awareness/visibility.
The Down Low on SEO
SEO is the marketing science/practice of organically increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to a website by systematically improving its position on search engine result pages (SERPs). While there are many factors that play a part improving SEO, it's important to remember that the foundation of this marketing strategy is built on one critical element: good content.
While delivery of useful, high-quality information might seem like a no-brainer, and even an over-simplification of an SEO best practice, it really is the crux of digital marketing. In fact, according to Google's Search Engine Optimization Start Guide, "Creating compelling and useful content will likely influence your website more than any of the other factor."
In conjunction with creating great blogs, vlogs, photos, videos, podcasts, and other media, a great marketing agency will also:
Develop unique meta tags and page titles
Enhance the structure of your URL(s)
Ensure mobile friendliness
Improve site structure and navigation
Optimize alt, header, and anchor text
Promote your website appropriately
Black Hat vs. White Hat SEO
Every method listed above is considered "white hat SEO" as they focus on people as much (or even more so) than other search engines. In contrast with these user-driven techniques, there are also "black hat SEO" tricks that concentrate almost entirely on the all-mighty Google machine (or Bing, I suppose).
Marketers who sell SEO like it's an item on the shelf are generally the shysters applying black hat SEO techniques. Although these methods might work temporarily, search engines will catch up with websites piling on paid links, stuffing their content with keywords, and/or cloaking their URL(s).
Black Hat SEO tricks can actually get you banned temporarily or permanently removed from Google's index. To avoid getting exiled from search results be sure you're not:
Building "doorway" pages
Creating pages with malicious behavior
Engaging in paid (or unpaid) link schemes
Hiding text and/or links
Misusing redirects
Spinning or automatically generating content
On-page vs. Off-page SEO
In general, there are two types of SEO: On-page and off-page (linking). On-page optimization involves building up the content on your own website. To do this, you're going to want to compose high-quality content on all of your webpages and your blog.
To get the most out the copy on your site, it's critical that you use relevant keywords and format them appropriately with header, paragraph, and alt text. In conjunction with content, each page should have a unique title/page tag and a brief meta-description to help search engine users decide whether your link page is relevant.
Off-page SEO increases a site's authority. To gain useful insights about where your URL's current position is in Google's results it's helpful to set a Search Console account. Link intelligence database Majestic goes one step further by providing strong predictive indicators referred to as "Flow Metrics."
There are two measurements that make up Flow Metrics:
Citation Flow
Trust Flow
Citation Flow helps to calculate how influential a URL might be based on how many sites link to it. On the other hand, Trust Flow predicts how trustworthy/relevant a page will be based on how trustworthy/relevant the site is that created the backlink.
For this reason, it's important to check up on your backlinks as some may actually hurt your search ranking. Moreover, this is precisely why you don't want to get involved with black hat link farms. If you want snapshot of your domain authority, page authority, and spam score, take a look at Moz's Open Site Explorer.
Differentiating SEM
SEM breaks down into two simple components: organic search and paid search (also known as pay-per-click ads (PPC)). Organic search results appear because of their relevance to the terms being searched (this is what SEO improves). Similarly, paid search results also appear when they're relevant.
However, as the name implies, the differentiating factor for paid search, is that you have to pay to appear in these top-ranking results. Probably the most prolific and popular form of PPC is Google AdWords.
When your search triggers an ad on Google, the paid search results will generally appear in the first three to four results on the top or bottom of the page. Paid search can be a great way to increase site visibility, traffic, and conversions. According to Google's Economic Impact Report, "businesses generally make an average of $2 in revenue for every $1 they spend on AdWords."
In addition to showing up at the top of search results, paid search platforms like AdWords offer up some pretty amazing tools. Google's reporting features allow you to see the exact search terms for which your ad appears, compare paid & organic traffic, gain valuable audience insights, and/or create your own custom report.
Google's Keyword Planner is also great for building highly-relevant, successful campaigns. In addition to creating great ads and keyword lists, this tool is extremely useful for discovering new keywords that should be integrated into your header text, page titles, meta-descriptions, and other areas of your website.
Use Organic and Paid Search for the Best Results
If you're looking to make the most of you online presence, the best plan of attack is to improve both your organic and paid search ranking. To do this, optimize your website using only "white hat" SEO best practices and run AdWords to supplement the traffic gained from high-quality content. If you're interested in improving your search ranking, click the button below to contact us about how we can help you achieve your goals through organic and paid search.


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2015 was a year of change...
It's hard to believe that 2015 is already coming to an end. This year has been one of the most challenging years I have faced because of all the change. In the last year I have changed cities, changed jobs, and changed as a person. Change is really scary because were leaving a story that has already been written to a story that has yet to be told. This year was to start of that story for me.
The beginning of 2015 caused me great remorse. I was leaving some very special people that I've met over the last nine years. People that have watched me grow. People that have watched me succeed. People that have watched me learn from my mistakes. People that made me feel loved. I still remember in particular having to say goodbye to my awesome team that I had the privilege of building and accomplishing great things. I still have vivid memories of B and I hugging in tears as he was telling me, "stay stubborn brother". B is somebody that has seen me and my best and worst times and that help support me to be where I am today. I remember closing the door of our house for the last time in Waterloo before we headed to Toronto. That door closing was symbolic.
The year also started with great frustration and struggle. I had to hire new PSW's and have strange people responsible for helping me with my morning routine (shave, shower, dress, etc.). Hiring one PSW when you have a group of solid ones is somewhat challenging… Hiring a PSW without a base is extremely scary. We have found one person… The rest have been horrifying experiences. Hey, I still lived to tell my tail.
I cannot say enough about the support my wife is extended to me both emotionally and physically. She is filled then to help me when these other PSW's have failed. She was there to comfort me when I had 1 million things going on and struggles. She is my everything. She went through the same things I did… And she was able to get her designation and score a job. I cannot think of any other person that I want beside me as we embrace life.
For the first time in my life I was able to commute to work completely on my own via the subway. There is nothing more empowering than to be able to go where you want, when you want, and by your own power. This new freedom has made a large city seems small. This new freedom allowed me to go to baseball games to meet friends from Waterloo… In one case I walked to the stadium with a couple that had a daughter that was in a wheelchair. As I shared with them my story they got all teared up and thanked me for giving them the inspiration that their daughter can still have an amazing life.
This new freedom was not my only life experience this year. Kelly and I went on a vacation alone for the first time in ten years. I cannot come at a better time as we were in the middle of all this change. On this vacation I was able to walk barefoot in the sand for the very first time. On this vacation, I was able to go snorkelling for the very first time. On this vacation, I was able to meet some amazing people that have become great friends. These people were the reason why Kelly and I were able to experience everything we did at the end of our vacation.
I continued the pursuit to helping out great causes this year. I did my damnedest to raise awareness for the John McGivney Centre to help their preschool program stay open. I was fortunate that my YouTube video went viral.
I was able to work with the company to help them make great strides towards agility. I got to work face-to-face with a bunch of amazing people. I have been able to assemble a fantastic team. I have been able to form some fantastic relationships with these people outside of work. A group of us went out for drinks one night that resulted in me having way too many shots… This combined with the lack of wheelchair cab's had these new people flagged down a delivery truck to bring us back home.
I was able to start swimming again. My sister-in-law (who we've been able to build a closer relationship with) trained to me three times a week in the pool and at the gym. Being in the water opens up even greater freedom.
This year filmmaker Edward Platero release the documentary about my life and doing the Terry Fox walk. Watching myself in third person crossing the finish line was incredibly emotional for me. Being in the moment I now realize how much of an achievement was at that moment. Hearing all those amazing things from people that I care the world about in that documentary inspires me to keep going on. The amount of emails I've gotten because of the documentary helps me appreciate the impact I have on others.
At the end of this year I was finally able to realize a goal that I've had for some time. I was able to kick off my own consulting company (Dave Dame Inc.). I was also able to speak at a couple conferences.
I learned a lot this year. As every year, I had a lot of ups and downs. I miss a lot of people dearly and I have had the opportunity to meet some new amazing people. Kelly and I realized that Kitchener Waterloo will always be home for us. We will be back there again someday. KW is who we are. Until then… The memories and experiences we gather until then will make our life amazing. I am grateful to have the people, family, and amazing wife I have.
For 2016 I hope to experience many more things. I hope to release a book that describes my challenges and tenacity of my life of being a professional with a disability and the parallel of the challenges and tenacity you need in creating high performing organizations.
The journey continues.


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This is a post I didn't think I would write, at least not yet. But I feel drawn to share the experience I have had over the last several months of receiving Living Water from Divine Mother in real and tangible ways.. The fact that Sunday was Mother's Day is also significant in sharing this.
On Mother's Day, I share a post highlighting one of my favorite modern hymns: a recording of Bobby McFerrin's 23rd Psalm (dedicated to his mother). The male references to the father God are changed, and the hymn clearly speaks praise, thanksgiving and gratitude to a mother. The first time I heard this was in rehearsal with the civic chorale that I sing with. I was moved to tears, because I knew, deep within me, that while it is commonly heard as praise for earthly mothers, it is also, the direct expression of love, praise and gratitude for Divine Mother.
Only someone who knows her, and has experience being held in her loving hands, could have written this beautiful and moving modern version.
The second time I experienced a profound experience of love and gratitude and being held in her loving hands, was when I heard the men's a cappella group, Cantus, sing this in the same sacred space where our local chorale sings. This time, it was also profoundly moving to me, that not only was this performed by a men's only octet, it was written to be performed this way.
If you have never heard this moving hymn of praise and gratitude, listen now, as Cantus sings.
In the fall of 2016, I was hospitalized with severe bleeding, and testing indicated likely endometrial cancer. I felt shocked, as many feel who have such an experience. Two months later I had surgery and in April 2017 completed 7 rounds of chemotherapy. I lost weight, and most of my hair. Needless to say, this was a profoundly impactful experience that has transformed my life in many, many ways.
Throughout this experience Divine Mother has been with me ~ from the moment I first sensed there was something wrong that I needed medical help for, through the way my body helped me get the help I needed, to finding the ideal medical specialist and her team for me; through surgery, and the healing afterward, to starting chemotherapy 2 weeks before Christmas, and each subsequent treatment, to telling children and family members, testing, infusions, blood work, and needle sticks ~ every step of the way, every day, She has been with me.
I knew something was coming; I had been foretold about 4.5 years ago, that something big was going to occur, and that it would be life changing. I also was told that many things I have worked hard for, for a number of years, are on the other side of this, and immediately knew when this started to develop, that this experience was what I had been told about. I was also promised I would receive a full and complete healing and restoration of my health. And I was promised peace and the presence of the Divine, and that I would be carried through it.
I have felt Her living presence, love and peace with me nearly every day since then, and still do. In this peace and love, there is also the presence and love of Yeshua and the Father of All, and my spiritual family. I have also felt distinctly and directly the presence of Divine Mother, in a way that is both as familiar as the heartbeat of my children, and yet new ~ new because it is so distinctly clear that it is her.
I have had profound direct spiritual experiences through-out my life, yet this degree of closeness and tangible presence is new to me. Often I turn to my right or left, and expect to see her walking beside me just out of my peripheral vision.
I have felt her presence and love through the loving, constancy of my husband Larry, who has walked beside me daily through this, through the unexpected kindness of people I barely know, such as the prayers offered in my behalf by the pharmacist where I filled my anti-nausea medication, through the love and support of my daughters, who have blessed me through coming from California to help shortly after surgery, and since then.
I have felt her presence and bountiful gifts of "good things" through the many cards, prayers, flowers, food and well wishes others have sent over these last months, and through the unexpected love and prayers of my husband's father's special friend, who has prayed for me daily for months, as she would one of her own daughters.
Divine Mother's presence is tangible in the park and garden where I love to go to meditate, walk, read, write and pray. I feel her in the water of the lake, in the forest surrounding the park, in the forest labyrinth, and the outdoor wedding chapel that is surprisingly reminiscent of Stonehenge. I feel her in the roses, the camellias, and the daffodils and columbine that have naturalized under the trees.
Divine Mother has been virtually everywhere I have gone through these last months, blessing me with an abundance of love, support and good things through her mother's loving, steadfast presence and care.
Symbolically and energetically, cancer is an experience of initiation; an invitation to deep change. I was surprised that this was a chapter I was to go through, given that I have personally been engaged on my own Heroine's Journey of Soul Work for quite some time now. Yet I can say, that there was work for me to do, in addition to the physical healing of my body.
Energetically, chemotherapy is hot and drying, like fire. It burns cancer out of you. If you let it, the journey of healing from cancer will create space in you for new beginnings in deep places within that you have not seen, or been able to access before. This has been my experience of this healing journey.
Divine Mother has been my guide, my companion, my support through this process, and not only in mystical moments. In tangible needs and experiences day to day, she continues to be by my side. Ultimately it is her love, and her love presenced through others, that is healing the deep places of my Soul.
I do not believe my need for her, nor my experience of this deep initiatic transformation, is unique to me. The need and the reconnection with Divine Mother is part of the calling and Soul Work of our age. Every one of us the world over, needs to experience her loving, transforming presence to bring in the healing that is needed so that the earth and our human family can regain the love, the peace, the plenty and the genuine partnership between women and men of the original blueprint of creation. It is crucial that we do.
We don't need to go through the experience of cancer to find her and experience her healing impact in our lives. She is present everywhere, as I now experience, She is as familiar as the heartbeat of our children and Beloved. She wants to be a part of our lives. As mothers, would we abandon our children? Neither does Divine Mother.
She is here, now. It is time for each of us to receive the deep healing and restoration of Soul that comes through her Living Water.
The Lord is my Shepherd,
I have all I need
She makes me lie down in green meadows
Beside the still waters she will lead.
She restores my soul,
She rights my wrongs
She leads me in a path of good things
and fills my heart with song.
Even though I walk through a dark and dreary land
There is nothing that can shake me
She has said, she won't forsake me
I'm in her hand.
She sets a table before me
In the presence of my foes
She anoints me head with oil
and my cup overflows.
Surely, surely goodness and kindness
Will follow me
All the days of my life
and I will live in her house forever, forever and ever.
Glory be to our Mother, and Daughter
and to the Holy of Holies
As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be
World without end, Amen.
The 23rd Psalm (dedicated to my mother) Bobby McFerrin
Contact me if you need help fulfilling your heart's Desires, and creating more joy, love and fulfillment in your life or marriage.
Debra Brown Gordy, MS MRET is a Women's Energy Psychology therapist & Spiritual Life Coach, & founder of The Sophia Women's Institute. She specializes in inner child healing, relationship coaching & intimacy counseling, & divorce coaching for accomplished, spiritually-awakening women. She has advanced expertise in Energy Psychology methods, including Rapid Eye Technology & Soul Detective Healing.
Through unique Energy Therapy & Spiritual Life Coaching programs & Women's Sacred Practices, she guides clients through the inner healing & transformation they need to achieve the outer results they Desire, & the soul-satisfying life they love.
To learn more, visit The Sophia Women's Institute.


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Even the Grammys snuck in a dig at President Trump.
In a prerecorded video, host James Corden brought in celebrity guests to read from one of the biggest books of the year, Michael Wolff's tell-all "Fire and Fury."
"In fact, every year, the Recording Academy has honored the best spoken word album. And over the years, the award has gone to some of the world's most inspiring voices. Bill Clinton has won a Grammy. Barack Obama has won a Grammy. Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Carter and Al gore all have Grammys," Corden said.
"We know that our current President does love winning awards and the good news for him is he may just be the subject of next year's winner. The question I've got is, who will be the narrator."
John Legend, Cher, Snoop Dogg, Cardi B and DJ Khaled took turns reading passages from "Fire and Fury" before Corden brought in a pro: former presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
"He had a longtime fear of being poisoned. One reason why he likes to eat at McDonald's. Nobody knew he was coming and the food was safely premade," Clinton read to the praise of Corden.
"That's it. We've got it. That is the one," he said.
"You think so?" she responded.
"Oh yeah. The Grammy is in the bag," Corden said.
Nikki Haley, the ambassador to the United Nations, took to Twitter to express her disappointment in the gag.
"I have always loved the Grammys but to have artists read the 'Fire and Fury' book killed it," she tweeted. "Don't ruin great music with trash. Some of us love music without the politics thrown in it."
Donald Trump Jr. also pushed back against the video.
"Getting to read a #fakenews book excerpt at the Grammys seems like a great consolation prize for losing the presidency," he tweeted.


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The Northern Hotel in Byron Bay. Food, music and the Byron Bay vibe.
35 – 43 Jonson Street
(02) 6685 6454
with Adrian Eagle
Friday 11 October 2019 (opening 9:00 PM)
The Northern
( venue info )
35-43 Jonson Street,
Byron Bay
There are currently no tickets available for reservation. If you join the waiting list, you will be notified by email if more tickets become available or new shows are announced. In doing so you agree your information may be provided to the band, promoter, venue and/or related parties.
Email Address
Tones And I has announced a national tour following a sold out run of debut shows last month. After uploading her first release 'Johnny Run Away' to unearthed in March and receiving universal acclaim, it's been non-stop with Tones signing to booking agents around the world, hitting ARIA certified gold sales, selling out shows in minutes, getting added to every radio station under the sun including being #1 most played on triple j for 2 weeks, releasing a follow up smash single 'Dance Monkey' and screaming to 10 million + streams globally.
Tickets for this tour will be in very high demand so don't miss out!
This is an 18+ event.
* Over 18's only unless advertised otherwise. * Photo ID is essential, acceptable ID is a current and valid Australian Photo Drivers Licence or Passport. Please check with the venue for any other acceptable forms of photo ID * All children under 18 not permitted including small children and babies * Intoxicated persons will not be admitted * No thongs or steel cap boots * The venue reserves the right to refuse admission to any person * Dangerous behaviour including Crowd Surfing, Stage Diving, Moshing and Violent Dancing is not allowed and will result in your immediate removal from this venue.*Inappropriate behaviour at this venue will lead to your banning.*
You have tickets reserved. You have a limited time to complete your booking before your reservation expires and you will have to start your reservation process again. You can keep an eye on the time remaining in the top right of the page.
Are you sure you want to cancel your reservation?


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There are so many tests that allow you to rate various aspects of an individual that it can be confusing for everyone. Which test is the most appropriate starting point to get you the right outcome for your need?
One of the best ways to get an overview of someone is by using 360 Degree Feedback.
360 Degree Feedback is a process in which employees receive confidential and often anonymous feedback from the people they work with. The feedback typically comes from the person's peers, direct reports and manager.
The power and simplicity of 360 degree feedback.
The Testgrid 360 Degree Feedback solution is simple to implement and powerful in its effectiveness. With minimal impact on your day-to-day business you can pinpoint the strengths of an individual as well as development opportunities that may prove invaluable not only to your organisation, but to the employee as well.
The holistic nature of the 360 Degree Feedback program is built to encapsulate feedback from colleagues, peers, managers and subordinates. All focused on job relevant competencies.
One program. Many benefits.
When you implement a 360 Degree Feedback program in your organisation the benefits are far reaching. The insights you will gain into your team are unparalleled. Employees feel more of a whole, cohesive unit. You'll have the opportunity to:
- Increase employee productivity and reduce turnover and absenteeism.
- Develop hidden leadership qualities.
- Improve the team relationship between managers and employees.
- Help individuals better understand their current and potential skill sets.
Customised 360 Degree Feedback to gain incredible insights.
Testgrid's 360 Degree Feedback program is customised to meet the needs of your organisation. There's no one size fits all! That's why the insights it provides are so powerful. Contact us today!


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Episode 3
We try our best to be hopeful about something on the major league roster. We sort of make that work, but we got really excited once we talked about the minor leagues again. We speculate on which of Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson will end up at SS, while also reveling in the hot start of Rio Ruiz. The closing few minutes are devoted to the 1969 Atlanta Braves, as we honor the recently deceased Milt Pappas.


text: Pitt 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2018 Hello, We are in the process of porting from eb3 to eb2 (India) through the same employer. PERM is approved, about to apply for i140. Priority Date is May 2010. I have following questions: 1. Given the current situation where eb3 is moving faster than eb2, does it make sense to move to eb2? 2. If by ANY chance may 2010 becomes current and my i140 for eb2 is pending will I be able to apply for i485 using my eb3 i140? 3. What happens to my eb3 i140 once eb2 i140 is approved? Will it still be valid since the employer is the same? Thanks in advance. Share this post Link to post


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The SC 430 wasn't exactly a hot ticket item, however it was the only real Lexus model provided with two doorways before the model was stopped this year. That may change for that 2014 model year, as Inside Line reviews that Lexus is primed to release a coupe version from the all-new GS.
While Lexus has not formally introduced that the two-door GS is forthcoming, IL highlights that you will find lots of signs that time towards a performance coupe. For example, Lexus Boss Mark Templeton apparently mentioned he was thinking about an activity coupe within the $60,000 to $70,000 range.
Further, Lexus planning chief Karl Schlitz apparently told Automotive News earlier around the brand needed a coupe to complete its selection of sedans and utility automobiles. Definitely not a confirmation of the sleek new coupe, however the puzzle pieces seem to be uniting.
One small glitch would be that the GS sedan begins out at $46,900, that is a long way away from $60,000. The prices difference could come by means of a higher-performance F-Sport engine or possibly a far more performance-oriented hybrid.
Odds are if Lexus does give a sporty coupe to the selection, we are likely to learn about it when the la Auto Show comes for this fall. We are a lot more than okay with increased GS variants, along with a performance coupe always seems like smart to us.


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We will have a booth at Manistee County Fair in Onekama. Stop by to become a member, to register to vote, to learn more about our upcoming events, to enter our penny counting contest, or just say hello!
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: August 8Election Day - Primaries
Later Event: August 26Women's Equality Day


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Leveraging the design-build process throughout preconstruction
Through design-build delivery you can expedite projects, while meeting operational objectives and remaining committed to project cost. For the overall project to be successful, it's important to recognize that the design-build process is different than traditional design-bid-build. Most importantly, the process requires a different level of collaboration and communication for…Read More
- Jan 22, 2019
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New York Times Names Chief Digital Architect
News Veteran Oreskes to Head IHT
New York Times Co. named Ron McCoy as its chief digital architect, effective immediately.
"I am thrilled that Ron is bringing his considerable expertise to the Times company," said Martin A. Nisenholtz, senior vice president of digital operations. "His extensive print, publishing and technology experience will help us identify and implement key strategic products and services, allowing us to create new revenue streams and optimize existing ones." Mr. McCoy will report to Mr. Nisenholtz....


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Tag Archives: cookies
Buckeye Recipe
Posted on December 23, 2010 by Karen
My dad spent the majority of his childhood in Ohio and my grandparents still live there today. Growing up, my Nana would always make Buckeyes for us at Christmas time. Buckeyes are essentially peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate however … Continue reading →
Posted in Eats, Recipe | Tagged buckeyes, chocolate, cookies, holidays, peanut butter, recipe | Leave a comment
Fabulous Friday
Posted on December 3, 2010 by Karen
Today was fabulous! I got so much accomplished today and now I'm exhausted! Breakfast: I have never really tried Egg Beaters before but wanted to try the Garden Vegetable flavor after seeing them in the grocery store. … Continue reading →


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Job Postings
We will list job postings as they are sent to us (email@example.com). If you have posted a position that becomes filled, please let us know and we'll remove it.
Boston Debate League
The Boston Debate League is hiring an After-School Program Manager to be in charge of our Debate en Español program that supports the mission of the BDL by training and supporting debate coaches to help them build and maintain healthy, robust debate teams and in service of strengthening their students' experience in debate. This work includes direct support of teachers/coaches through curriculum development, debate practice planning and visits, and trainings, as well as leading debate tournaments. This role will support all of the partner schools with Debate en Español teams, and serve as the organizational leader of the Debate en Español league.
Our Debate en Español program is currently in 6 schools in Boston with 75 students competing in policy debate entirely in Spanish (all evidence, speeches, judging, etc.), but we have plans to continue to expand it.
Here are a couple of examples of our program in action:
Liberty Mutual Debate en Español Demo
2019 BDL City Championship Debate en Espanol Finals Part 1 of 3
University School of Nashville
Assistant Debate Coach (Immediate Opening)
University School of Nashville is seeking an undergraduate or graduate student to coach our policy debate team. The ideal candidate would have a background in policy debate, either in college or in high school. The assistant coach's schedule would allow time to meet with the team a few days a week during their debate class, 10:30-11:35 am, and help judge weekly practice rounds. The assistant coach would travel with the team several weekends a semester as a coach and judge at regional tournaments (mostly in the greater Atlanta area). USN has a diverse team of debaters whose argument selections and research interests mirror that diversity. The team deploys both traditional policy arguments as well critical debate techniques. A background in either style would fit well with these students. The USN team takes pride in the original research students prepare for competitions. We conclude the year with a research unit that teaches our younger debaters how to make use of the resources available to them in Vanderbilt library system.
Responsibilities include:
Assisting novice and varsity debate classes
Judging practice rounds and rebuttal redoes
Collaborating on research assignments and pre-tournament prep sessions
Editing students' file and block work
Chaperoning students at debate tournaments
Judging varsity or novice debate rounds
Pre-round coaching
University School of Nashville is an independent, non-sectarian, co-educational day school with enrollment of 1,050 students kindergarten through twelfth grade. In 1915, the George Peabody College for Teachers opened Peabody Demonstration School, USN's predecessor, which earned acclaim for its curriculum and faculty. In 1974, Peabody College announced plans to close PDS, and a group of parents, alumni, students, and teachers reconstituted and re-chartered the school as University School of Nashville. Our mid-town location next to Vanderbilt University and its Peabody College for Teachers reminds us daily of our 103-year-old roots in the demonstration school culture of innovation and educational best practices. It's a vibrant educational community for both students and teachers in the midst of a dynamic city.
A deep-rooted culture of achievement at USN means that students expect much of each other, and faculty benefit from that high standard. We seek educators who are enthusiastic about their own learning to complement their teaching, and we offer many opportunities for professional development. USN is committed to creating an institutional environment that mirrors the cultural and ethnic composition of greater Nashville. USN encourages a diverse applicant pool and provides equal employment opportunities for employees and job applicants.
Please visit usn.org/jobs
Bergen County Debate Full Time Head Coach (6/7/18)
Full-time Head Coach, Fort Lee, NJ (NY Metropolitan Area)
Bergen Couty Debate Club is looking for an experienced debate instructor with a track record of success coaching high school teams in a variety of different formats, including but not limited to Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas. We offer excellent annual compensation, paid vacation, and a relocation benefit for qualified candidates.
Job Type: Full-time
Responsibilities include:
– Teaching and coaching students in competitive Public Forum/Lincoln-Douglas/Student Congress.
– Delivering our proprietary curriculum to novice, junior, and varsity level classes.
– Working with the travel team to prepare for competitions.
– Traveling to 3-5 tournaments per semester locally in NYC/NJ or on the EastCoast to coach BCDC teams and serve as a judge if needed.
Required education and experience:
-Bachelor's Degree
-Debate Coaching: 2+ years or similar experience
-Qualifying as a debater to TOC/NSDA Nationals, CEDA Nationals or having a team qualify for one of the national tournaments in the past is a plus.
Annual salary range from $40K-$45K, includes 10 weeks of paid time off.
To apply, please send us your resume to firstname.lastname@example.com. Qualified applicants will be contacted within 5 business days.
Job Type: Full-time
To view all our current full-time and part-time open positions, please visit www.njdebate.com/employment.html


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Recently, an internal memo provided to Gawker Media owned-Deadspin.com shed light on the beleaguered life of an MMA journalist. While the job will at times require the uncovering of sensitive or unflattering information, there is an "unofficial" code of conduct that must be met in order to maintain inside access to the world's largest promotion. Gawker Media has been behind controversial leaks in the past, drawing the ire of tech-giant Apple, Inc. when it released photos and specifications from a "lost" iPhone 4 prototype.
In the released memo, Bleacher Report lead MMA writer Jeremy Botter detailed to his staff all of the ways that the website's journalists should avoid pissing off Dana White, President of the UFC. Though the requests are understandable, I find it funny that the entire goal of all of this is to tip toe around the explosive temper of the man in charge. I wonder if any other major sport has a problem such as this. Without further ado, here is the leak below:
Brian asked me to put together a small list of "things you don't do" regarding writing about Zuffa. I've had a ton of experience with Dana, both professional and personal, and I have a pretty good handle on what makes him tick and what pisses him off. (everything in this email is full internal purposes and not to be shared).
Here you go:
– Don't delve too deep into Zuffa financials. This goes for fighter pay, revenue, money donated to political campaigns. This is Dana's biggest pet peeve. Because they are a private company, it's almost impossible to verify actual financial numbers for any of these subjects. Even if you have two good sources verifying your information, there are still a lot of things they do behind the scenes that makes it a really tough subject to get right.
There are all kinds of under-the-table bonuses paid to fighters, from the top of the card all the way to the bottom. I have personally, with my own two eyes, seen a fighter who made $8,000 to show and $8,000 to win be handed a check for $45,000 after his fight ended because they were so happy with the excitement of his bout. This is not a random occurence – it happens multiple times per event, every event.
Nothing pisses Dana off more than people talking about Zuffa's financials and getting everything wrong. There is literally no way to grasp everything they do with their money, so there's no point in trying to speculate.
This is a very good way to piss them off and find yourself blacklisted. Stay away from it.
– Don't "report" things unless you have two very credible sources. Don't take a rumor and post it as fact.
– Don't report something a manager tells you unless you have verified it with someone who is not a manager. Managers will often use you to get their message out.
Loretta Hunt was banned from the UFC because she reported a story that was fed to her by Ken Pavia, who was actually feeding her false information because he was upset with Zuffa over the amount of backstage passes he was receiving for shows. Managers have tried to feed me information in the past that turned out to be false.
Don't be a mouthpiece and don't let them use you to send a message, because you'll be the one who gets burned.
– Don't be a mouthpiece for a fighter, either. They'll use you in the same way managers do when trying to send a message to the UFC.
– Don't talk about Dana's history with his mom. This is a fantastic way to find yourself blacklisted. Do not do it, either in articles or on Twitter or Facebook. It doesn't matter anymore, anyway, so there's no point.
– If you're writing an opinion article with a negative slant on Zuffa, make sure it's clearly worded as opinion. Don't mix rumors with your opinions. Dana has told me personally that he doesn't care if you write negative opinion stuff, so long as people know it's opinion. Don't mix negative opinion with reporting.
– Don't be negative just to be negative or edgy. Dana doesn't mind being asked tough questions, but consider the circumstance when you're doing it. If you're at a press conference or a conference call for a UFC event, keep your questions related to that event.
Don't bust out a question about a controversial topic in the middle of a press event designed to promote a certain fight card. Wait until after the press conference ends. Dana usually does a media scrum, and that's the best place to ask those types of questions. Save your questions for the right moment and you'll find that Dana is very accommodating.
– And finally, always remember this: you would be SHOCKED to learn how much they pay attention to when it comes to MMA media. Their corporate and PR teams love Bleacher Report, and they read everything. You may think you're flying under the radar, but you aren't. They are all paying attention.
Each and every day, the UFC PR team prepares a "morning report" consisting of articles from all major newspapers and MMA websites. This report is compiled and emailed to everyone on the corporate side of things, from top communications execs all the way to Dana and Lorenzo. I've seen these reports, and they are very thorough. And yes, they include Bleacher Report stories.
You're always being watched. I don't say this to scare you. I say it to let you know that you're not an unknown commodity, and that people are paying attention. They read what you write. Mistakes you make now, when you think you're under the radar, could end up burning you down the line.
Sports journalism is not unique in having to finesse the "powers that be" in order to generate leads, but it does raise the question of whether a publication can truly engage in honest, critical reporting of an entity if they must fear the consequences of doing do.


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Palaeobiologists who used an advanced laser scanning technique to produce the most accurate picture yet of the formidable predator found that a typical adult T. Rex was probably 85 stone (550kg) lighter than previously thought.
The scientists, at Manchester University, found a medium-sized T Rex would have weighed 5.9 tons (5,350kg) with a relatively slender body. Previous estimates have placed it closer to 6.5 tons (5,900kg), while artists' impressions have made it appear fatter.
The researchers also found that T. Rex, which lived around 65 million years ago, probably had a far bigger head - up to a third bigger with flesh on - than was previously thought. This would have given it a hugely powerful bite.
By taking highly-precise three-dimensional scans of fossilised T. Rex remains and digitally adding flesh to the bones, the scientists, at Manchester University, were able to use sophisticated computer modelling to test how the dinosaur would have moved with different amounts of muscle and body fat.
A larger specimen, which is on display at the Manchester Museum, would have weighed 7.5 tons, they found. The main bulk of the T. Rex was on its hind limbs, which would have needed to be powerful to carry such a large animal at speed.
Professor Phil Manning, one of the researchers leading the study, said the findings also suggested that T. Rex was far faster and more agile than previously estimated.
"The top speed that T. Rex was capable of was probably much greater than we had previously thought," he said. "We previously estimated it at eight metres per second (17.8mph) but this was very conservative.
"For the first time we are treating dinosaurs like living animals rather than trying to impose what we know about animals that are currently living on to them. That simply doesn't work, as when animals get bigger they develop specific adaptations.
"That is why it is so critical to understand the mass and volume of dinosaurs, as we can then start to look at the engineering properties of their bones and whether they were capable of withstanding the forces they would have been put through when running or walking."
The researchers used Light Detection and Range (LiDAR) imaging technology to scan five fossilised dinosaur skeletons. The technique, more commonly used to create maps, uses thousands of infrared laser beams that are reflected off surfaces allowing the distance and angles to be calculated by the scanner.
During their study, the scientists took detailed scans of two T. Rex skeletons, one in Manchester and another at the Museum of the Rockies in Montana, USA.
The T. Rex is probably the most famous of all dinosaurs and there has been intense controversy about how fast it could run. Some experts now believe it was more of a scavenger than a hunter, as its body would have been too heavy to move quickly.
Professor Manning and his team, however, believe the T. Rex was more than capable of coping with the forces on its body if it was the weight and size they have calculated.
He added: "They had bones as strong as steel. They were a wonderful composite material that was incredibly strong."
The researchers also scanned an Acrocanthosaurus, a large predator that had spines running down its back; a Struthiomimus, an ostrich-like dinosaur; and a juvenile Edmontosaurus, a large duck-billed plant-eater.
The researchers found that the Acrocanthosaurus was probably heavier than had been previously thought, at around six tons. Previous estimates had put it at 5.5 tons. The Struthiomimus was calculated to weigh just under half a ton while Edmontosaurus was 0.8 tons.
Karl Bates, the researcher who led the work, said they now hoped to use their technique to gain an accurate picture of how these dinosaurs would have moved around.
He said: "In the past, scientists have relied upon making scale models and using some artistic license to calculate the mass and volume of a dinosaur.
"Our technique is based entirely on what is preserved, as we have created a digital skeleton on our computer. It allows us to run simulations to get these animals walking around again and helps us make conclusions about the locomotion, speed and agility.
"We can get clues about how much muscle they had in their legs to power locomotion, and that is the big question - did they have enough muscle to run really fast? It is probably the closest we are going to get to the real thing."


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Construction Management Software / ECM Readiness Assessment
Organizations often struggle to determine if an investment in construction management or content management systems will produce benefits. First we work directly with your teams to understand your systems, how they are leveraged and how documents and content are stored, accessed, routed and approved. Next we determine the capability of the people, processes, systems and organizational culture and determine the steps to make this change. Lastly we document results, recommendations and steps to move forward.
- Site Surveys (Organization, Infrastructure and Business Processes)
- Onsite Workshops
- Summarization and Final Assessment
- Recommendations and Conclusions guidance
Post Implementation Assessment
After completion of an implementation organizations often need to revisit processes and procedures to determine if they can be optimized. Often this is based on changes within the organization, new opportunities or technology changes and advances. We work with your teams to review and assess the effectiveness of the current system, how to optimize it and/or identify opportunities to leverage new technology.
- Review effectiveness of newly deployed solutions and functions
- Identify user acceptance issues
- Document Lessons Learned
- Identify opportunities to optimize the system or how it is used


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The Many Faces of the Feminine
Make no mistake dear one, you are whole. You have never been broken. You were never meant to be fixed. No, you, with the kind heart, and the trembling hands, and the downturned eyes are a force of nature even at your weakest - capable of shaping and being shaped. Without you - the fullness of you, we all lose.
It's true, there are undoubtedly aspects of you that less than savory - that cause destruction and pain. There are parts of you that tremble with fear at the thought of showing up as the person you know yourself to be deep down. There are voices of you who have your protection in mind. Who are conspiring right now to go on protecting you from this world - with its harsh need to change you, as Mary Oliver says. These ones of you that show up when you are afraid, triggered, insecure, unsure, powerless…they are holy for having saved your life.
There are also parts of you that rise up from under…from an ancient wellspring of wisdom known by countless names, and recognized in a myriad of forms - symbolized and mythologized for the power they carry - for what they evoke in you and in the world. For what they are capable of. The Sophia, the Ancient Feminine, the Goddess, the Great Round, the patterns and fluctuations of Gaia herself, the storm as it moves across the landscape, the sunlight on the seed that cracks the shell. The path the moon makes on the ocean of the soul.
These eternal and formidable forms are nothing you are not.
To believe yourself to be singular is a travesty - one born of a world that categorizes and reduces the realm of the internal/eternal to a science of psycho-pathology. One that fears paradox, contradiction, complexity and potential. One that wants to tell you that if parts of you don't agree, you are sick. That you need help. That you can't do it alone. That you need to be "healed".
But the ancient voices of you, those that are creeping out from behind veiled walls of shoulds and shouldnts want to remind you they are just as much a part of you. They want to remind you of a relational capability you carry in your bones and blood that predisposes you to intimacy.
They ask that you come to know them, these voices. That you apprentice to them, that you call upon them. That you learn how they move through you. They want to teach you what it means to stand in the world in wholeness, fully resourced from the inside out. They want to pick up and hold the ones of you that still feel you need protecting. The voices that criticize, that rebel, that manipulate, that cower, that are forever encouraging you to escape your destiny. The ancient forces of you, and of this earth, can hold even the ones of you that need to lean in to your rage and your grief and your deepest, darkest wounding.
I call to the Great Mother of you who nurtures the world without giving herself away. I call to the Wild Woman of you who belongs to the earth and her body and to the depth of her emotions. I call to the Maiden and to the Wise Woman of you who can see the big picture and find joy in heartache and pain. I cry out to the Dark Goddess of you who hasn't been invited to the party in a long, long, too-long time…this one of you who guides you to soul…the Beloved of you that falls in love again and again and again…
Make no mistake dear one, you are capable of much more than you imagine. You are whole. You have never been broken. You were never meant to be fixed. Despite what you may have been told, you are a woven tapestry of voices.
Won't you come to know them?


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City of AnkenyHome Menu
Citizen's Police Academy
Learn What It Takes To Serve at the
Citizen's Police Academy
The Ankeny Citizen's Police Academy is a 30-hour course designed to give the public a hands-on experience into the practices, policies and procedures that guide the Ankeny Police Department.
The Academy consists of 10, three-hour sessions, held weekly on Tuesday evenings, Feb. 5 - April 16, 2019 from 6-9 p.m.* Participants will receive classroom instruction and be involved in interactive exercises on a variety of topics, including defensive tactics, firearms, search and seizure, felony stops, accident investigation and narcotics investigation.
*Class size is limited. Participants must reside, work in or have significant ties to the City of Ankeny. Candidates must agree to attend eight of the 10 classes to be considered. There is no charge to participate.
How To Apply
The 2019 CPA Class is full, we are no longer accepting applications.
If you have any questions about the Citizen's Police Academy, please contact Lieutenant Brian Kroska at (515) 289-5244 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Program History
The Ankeny Citizen's Police Academy began in 1999 in order to promote a better understanding of the operations of the police department with the community. Since it began, approx. 300 people have graduated from the Academy.
Once the program is completed, Ankeny Citizen's Police Academy graduates are invited to join the CPA Alumni Association to continue their relationship with the police department. The CPA Alumni Association assists with department tours, open house events and public awareness efforts.


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I spent all of high school, and probably a decent amount of middle school, in the mindset that I was the chubby girl with a great personality.
I had a couple crushes, even one or two short lived boyfriends, but I was always convinced that whoever I was engaged with romantically would see past my weight, see past my tragic flaw, and fall in love with me because I was funny, because I was caring and and nice and supportive. It never occurred to me that someone could want to pursue me for the shallow reasons, for my hips and my figure that I thought was awkward and bumpy. I told myself I wanted the real romance, where he loves you for your heart, but I longed for someone to be mesmerized by my body, not just "me", like other guys were with my friends. It didn't help that I was always the go to, "Hey your friend is so pretty, do you think you could talk to her for me?" I shook off that desire and chalked it up to jealousy, but it was honest and something rooted deeper than a quickly dismissed thought.
I even spent the first couple of months feeling like this in my current relationship! Not because Tyler didn't say I was beautiful or sexy, but because I just thought he was being nice. I was overjoyed that he could see past my looks and call me beautiful just because he wanted to make me feel good, not because he actually thought I was attractive. I look back on this time and I can still see why I felt that way, no representation in media and the representation that chubby girls did have was that of the funny friend, but God, I couldn't have been more wrong. It took millions of conversations and days of convincing for Tyler to get it through my head, I am actually, honestly, and one hundred percent truthfully so attracted to you and so are so many other people (as much as it pained him to say that last part lol). It took specific complements, not just the overall "you're beautiful" that was really only said to me to deflect feelings of insecurity when I brought it up to others.
It took time, I had years of perception to rewire and years of misinformation to see past. It took work, from both of us.
Although loving someone for their heart instead of their attractiveness seems ideal and seems more romantic, I relish the times where Tyler is mesmerized by my body and can't take his eyes off of me. It's not shallow, it's not superficial, it's important and makes me feel strong. Self love can only blossom when you yourself can push past the opinion of others, but there is nothing wrong with teamwork and support, especially from your significant other. I still have days where I have the hardest time understanding why I am beautiful and sexy, often when I sit down and my stomach transforms into squishy rolls. But thankfully, there is grace for that, and there is always tomorrow.
From a young age, I had heard that Marilyn Monroe was a size 16.
And that helped. While her hourglass figure is something I have always kept in the back of my mind when sizing gets me down has been nice, it wasn't until I found Hilda that I truly grasped the concept that full figured, squishy women are not left out of anything.
Hilda is thick. She is messy. She is unabashedly feelin' herself and isn't afraid of the unflattering angles that I often avoid like the plague.
While Hilda isn't modeled after a specific woman, she is a creation of artist Duane Bryers that I think encapsulates the whole message of my experience and the experience of so many other woman: plus is equal, plus and sexy are not mutually exclusive, it's not a curse, it is a blessing.
I hope you enjoy Hilda's many sexy and fun adventures, and I hope you show yourself some grace. I hope you see through years of misrepresentation and misunderstanding that you may have. I hope you know that you aren't just a personality, that you aren't just funny. You can be more than one thing.


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The Perfect Bon Voyage
WORDS:: Chyka Keebaugh
PHOTOS:: Lisa Atkinson
I've got plenty of reasons for throwing a few going away parties this year!
Both my babies are soon heading off overseas for work and study. Yes, it saddens me that my nest will soon become a little empty but at least I will be able to throw some fun going away parties! And you know how I love to throw a party, or twenty… A relaxed going away party calls for a long lunch. One where we can all sit around, tell travel stories and plan for all the adventures that lay ahead of us. Decorating the table with maps, globes, passports and flowers was a fun project that was pulled together in a few hours with the help of a few handy print outs and a quick shop at Typo.
With a handful of A3 printouts of the map of your guest's destination, I was able to use these to decorate vases as well as use them as placemats. Wrapping a map around some large jars to create a vase is simple and effective. It's an inexpensive way to do a fun party, just hit up google and print away. Printing out maps of where your guest of honour is going is also a great talking point, it'll bring back memories for those who have already visited and having the paper on the table also allows the traveller to jot down notes for their trip. Brown paper passports are the perfect size to place some note paper inside. This way you can write some travel tips or notes of encouragement to give to your guest before they leave.
The centrepiece of the table was created using multiple globes from Typo stacked on and around simple vases of mini daffodils. Whenever I see a globe I can't help but want to spin it and look at the countries I have been lucky enough to travel to, so filling the table with a few in multiple sizes not only creates a variation of heights on the table but scratches that urge for everyone to spin their globe! This coupled with a variety of books and flowers made a fun centrepiece to eat around. Once again using the maps, I made a collection of planes that can be used to decorate. You can use them on the actual table by having them hold a menu or even just as a place setting, or simply hang them on strings from a light above the table. So easy, yet so effective.
Don't just stop the travel fun at the table, serve your food aeroplane style and show your guests that you care. Any meal can be served in these foil takeaway containers that are so similar to the ones you get on a plane, and I will guarantee that your guests will love it. For my menu for this party I loved the idea of serving gourmet meals that you would never get on a plane inside the foils; I love surprising my guests by serving the unexpected in contrasting vessels. It such a fun, quirky thing to do - and I promise what we served was way better than anything I've ever eaten on a plane!


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Celebrating Maine's Artist-Endowed Foundations
Opening Reception May 4th, 5-8 PM
Maine is fortunate to have many artist-endowed foundations contributing artistic and financial resources to our state. Artists love coming to Maine for her natural beauty, tranquility and unspoiled wilderness. In the 19th and 20th centuries, many artists established studios and seasonal homes inMaine's seaside towns, farmlands and urban areas as well. At the end of life, many of these artists thought carefully about their legacy and decided to create artist-endowed foundations headquarters in Maine. Their love of Maine prompted them to provide new experiences, economic support and educational institutions to sustain younger artists and advance an ever-expanding appreciation of new art forms in the state.
We are proud to bring together the work of some of Maine's most distinguished artists whosegifts to Maine include seasonal residencies for artists, exhibition programs for the general public, grantsto artists and writers and other programs that continue to enrich Maine's cultural life. Maine's culturalties to New York City are reflected in the number of modernists who have made our state a second home and beneficiary of their philanthropy.
This exhibition of 20 borrowed works is drawn from the institutional collections of the following artist-endowed foundations currently active in Maine:
Ellis-Beauregard Foundation, Rockland, ME (http://www.ellis-beauregardfoundation.com)
Surf Point Foundation, York, ME (www.surfpointfoundation.org)
Joseph A. Fiore Art Center, Jefferson, ME (https://www.mainefarmlandtrust.org/public-outreach-new/jaf-art-center/)
Heliker-LaHotan Foundation, Cranberry Isles, ME (http://heliker-lahotan.org)
Bob Crewe Foundation, Falmouth, ME (https://crewe.foundation)
Kenneth Noland Foundation, Port Clyde, ME (http://www.kennethnoland.com)
Stephen & Palmina Pace Foundation, Stonington, ME (https://www.stephenandpalminapace.org https://www.meca.edu/info-for/alumni/alumni-opportunities/grants-residencies/pace-house- residency/)
Dorothea & Leo Rabkin Foundation, Portland, ME (https://www.rabkinfoundation.org)
Artists represented in our exhibition include: Joan Marie Beauregard; Bob Crewe; John David Ellis; Joseph Fiore; Beverly Hallam; John Heliker; Robert LaHotan; Kenneth Noland; Stephen Pace and Leo Rabkin. Each will have two works, one typical major work and
one study or smaller work. We hope that the vitality and beauty of this presentation will pay tribute to the vision and generosity of a generation of important artists who are even now playing a role in the future life of art in Maine.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Susan C. Larsen, Ph.D., Executive Director at 207-536-1686 or email email@example.com or Danielle Frye, Executive Assistant at firstname.lastname@example.com