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Overcoming Labels
Ice cream is smooth, creamy and delicious because of milk fat. The more the better; but only to a certain limit! To ice cream fanatics is 10% the right amount? Is 20% too much? Great ice cream is a taste of Heaven. However, clogging your arteries produces a different type of Heavenly experience. Labels tell you how much fat is in a particular ice cream serving. Yet, they tend to be confusing and do not necessarily contribute to better decisions. Labels allow people to be lazy and simplistic in interpreting the world around them. And, if simple product labels mislead people from positive outcomes, imagine how far off track labels lead when involving people and all their complexity.
Be Unique
According to highly-acclaimed motivational speaker, Les Brown, "If you hold on to your limitations, you get to keep them." Once people allow themselves to accept labels that others impose on them, that person has embraced limits. In their efforts to fit in, they have allowed others to categorize them. Individual contributors reveal strength through their personal attributes. Succumbing to an imposed label results in forfeiting their individuality. They have accepted and owned others' generic limitations.
However, by claiming their individuality anyone can declare their personhood. They can project uniqueness and complexity. The smart child aspires to become a doctor, because loving parents convince them that smart kids grow up to be doctors. But in the child's uniqueness, she gravitates toward groundbreaking research in impoverished communities. Damn the comforts of a conventional practice. Furthermore, the doctor develops her personal passion as a jazz guitarist. She now gets to perform on weekends! No labels, no limits!
Be Remarkable
Legendary basketball coach, John Wooden proclaimed, "Don't let what you can't do interfere with what you can do!" His no-nonsense, folksy approach turned an intellectually interesting university on the edge of the country into an unprecedented powerhouse. By sticking to his obsessive principles and routines, this rural Indiana native became a Los Angeles luminary without changing his character one bit. Coach Wooden developed and inspired award-winning NBA all-stars, authors, actors, orthopedists, attorneys, and entrepreneurs… so much for dumb jocks!
Excellence is specifically a byproduct of results. Individuals who stand tall on their own convictions make the masses uncomfortable. However, the masses by definition disdain distinction. They exist inside of standard labels. Champions on the other hand are singular. A new champion is crowned after every season or event. They ascend above conformity. Being remarkable defies labels. Champions literally outperform the masses.
Labels are designed to categorize items. Labels are placed on products specifically to identify and group them distinctly from other products. A favorite consumer brand may transcend generations within a family because of comfort and familiarity. Conversely, new and exciting consumer experiences happen daily as people experiment with new ideas and products. Unique styles and remarkable appearances encourage trial and error; which in turn results in breakthroughs. Enjoy pursuing personal success by being true to an inner compass that avoids the tried and true. Experiment and innovate. Overcome imposed labels. Embrace personal greatness.
By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter And Beyond
They're Following Me
Consequences for children are the dreadful results they endure following bad decisions. The consequences may be spending time in their room without any electronic devices. Or, they may have to endure hard labor like loading the dish washer, or scrubbing the bathroom. However, what happens when a naughty parent exercises bad decisions? Worse yet, what happens to the adult when no evidence exists of their destructive decisions. The guilt from the crime exists and it has places to hide. Or, does it?
New Location
Poor behavior can be masked, covered, cleaned, even pardoned. But, it does not truly go away until it is released. While a child has authority figures that are positioned to dispense punishment, the authority figure can often conveniently pardon themselves without pain. Grown-up problems can be secretly masked with addictive substances, or intellectually justified with twisted logic. They can be compartmentalized by blaming extraordinary pressures, or unfair expectations. Unfortunately, the new psychological location for the problem does not really move the problem. The problem's location is not the issue. It follows the perpetrator everywhere. Resolving guilt associated with the issue is the only available relief. Grown-up problems cannot be sent to their rooms. And, they definitely cannot be swept under the rug.
New Attitude
Promises to change behaviors regularly fall short. Internal promises to do better is merely a larger, well-organized trunk to hide the problem unsuccessfully. Relief only comes with a new attitude. Furthermore, the new attitude needs new behaviors to accompany it. Many grown-up missteps are addressed with therapy, or accountability. A new attitude targeting specific priorities and decisions are the only path to true relief. Whether the attitude now highlights forgiveness, regret, or rehabilitation, the change must occur at the point of individual decision. Grown-up problems are often hard to forgive; they are often harder to forget. But, new attitudes leading to better behaviors demonstrate pathways to problem ownership. Problems ranging from blatant lying to infidelity to substance abuse accompany incredibly deep wounds. But, an improved attitude coinciding with life-affirming behaviors uproot destructive problems from a bad location to an open environment. Then, they can be exposed, addressed and ultimately defeated.
Moving grown-up issues to a new location does not achieve resolution. They follow you. Only addressing the problem from an emotional level leads to resolution. Even without a conscience weighing down the individual following harmful decisions, the resultant cover-up comes with significant gravity. Nevertheless, a changed mind, or a new attitude, creates a mindset where genuine reform can happen. Then, healing has a chance. Better choices and behaviors reflect the next step. The process requires much more than surviving the night without video games or a smart phone. But, the longevity and productivity associated with emotional health lasts much longer. A new attitude resulting in better behavior clearly sets the example for genuine rehabilitation, particularly when a child chooses to break family rules. Furthermore, the corrected attitude happens earlier, as opposed to the problem growing into the next generation.
By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter And Beyond
Accountability To What?
A herd of majestic buffalo rumble across the prairie creating a deafening roar. The ground literally shakes as they hurry in loosely orchestrated chaos. Upon reaching a cliff each one races beyond the edge and crashes into the rocks below. The insanity of the thundering group is catastrophic. At least, the group reached their tragic demise together. Buffalo herds, like traditional organizational structure, are built on blind loyalty to the larger group. Their success assumes higher collective intelligence. Sometimes, groups are wrong. People get hurt. Who was in charge?
Improving Performance
Leaders are established to help groups achieve specific results. Considering that such groups are collections of individuals seeking a common purpose or goal, leadership provides a structure facilitating that achievement. Particularly with time-sensitive goals, everyone running faster is a reasonable tactic. But, what about the individual? Is there contribution valued? Or, are they expected to be a component of some unknown, or loosely defined, plan?
Optimally, a group that unites for a specific goal features contributing members. By accessing more individual input, the group potentially benefits from increased output. A good plan is necessary. Additionally, it requires a leader taking responsibility for execution. By getting individuals to improve their input with better contributions, leaders coordinate and enhance results. In the absence of a leader, too often one emerges who will accept responsibility and the glory. But, does this truly meet the members' of the body individual needs? Who is accountable?
Changing Behavior
Actually, leadership's challenge is meeting the individual needs of the members of the body. The old saying, "If you want to be a leader, grab the baton and get in front of the parade.", is both witty and frightening. Declaring a leader in the absence of one, does not mean the group's needs are prioritized nor met. It definitely does not mean that individuals' needs are prioritized and met. Yes, the leadership box is checked. Now, the herd is prepared to be led off the cliff, instead of randomly charging off it.
New and improved behavior requires individual accountability. To get behavior to change, every member must find individual benefit. When real leadership is applied effectively, processes and opportunities exist to develop individuals within the group's framework. The body does not need four well developed arms to maximize performance. It needs two functional arms and two functional legs to perform in accordance with the established design. Sustainable results happen when individual components develop in alignment with the group's success.
Essentially, the leader needs to equip group members to develop fully. The group members need to be equipped to fulfil their individual goals. Sounds like a lot of selfishness in the name of the team. However, individual self-interest is not selfishness. And anyone who claims that it is, secretly is unhappy that they do not have the group's blind loyalty. Improving performance is easy. Changing behavior is hard. All members must contribute toward accountability to align behaviors. Otherwise, the result is ineffective leaders who essentially join the group in running off the nearest cliff.
By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter And Beyond
Building Relationship Is For Them
Who doesn't want to be loved? Some people seem to attract strangers who are willing to share their life stories. Whether they have an empathetic ear or a trusting face, these lucky listeners have people approach them with personal details. The best of these folks embrace their abundant relationship trait. Patience is often a common characteristic. An electric smile emerges as a sure sign in other cases. Nevertheless, recently two friends laughed over really good coffee about how they manage the unusual attraction of people who willingly over-share.
Friend One is a musician who has a full dose of the relationship trait. As a working musician, he finds himself in assorted halls, theaters, and churches where he encounters diverse fans. Invariably, after a set, fans and listeners are inclined to pull up a chair to share. Friend One believes his highly evolved ear makes him a gifted listener.
He receives their input by listening intently. Too often, people do not really want someone to solve their problems; they want someone to listen to them. They equate listening with caring. Because Friend One listens well, his audience believes he cares well. Consequently, they share well and in turn, experience relationship. Friend One's gift is establishing connectivity with people who need it. The music is simply a vehicle.
Friend Two on the other hand, is a lecturer. Whether teaching, presenting, or consulting, he dispenses knowledge for listeners to apply. Establishing rapport is a skill he has developed over time. But in order to personalize information, he has to understand his audience in as much detail as possible. His primary skill is questioning.
Great lecturers do not necessarily create knowledge. But realize that knowledge is more readily available now than at any time in history. A great lecturer personalizes the knowledge. They present information in ways that multiple individuals in the audience want to receive it. Consequently, asking the right questions, while sharing information to ensure understanding, is an exceptionally valuable attribute. And, as the audience responds, either by individual or as a crowd, the connection becomes more firmly established. And, whether the bold learners address him during Q & A, or the extremely bold learners approach as he packs his materials to leave, Friend Two reinforces connection by exchanging more information individually.
Fundamentally, connecting with people happens at an emotional level. President Theodore Roosevelt stated, "Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." The conversation is just the foundation. The listening and connecting is where the value happens. Relationship is the foundation of human and commercial value. Would you buy your morning coffee from someone if you do not believe it is going to be good (or at least dark & hot)? Whether the power comes from listening or questioning, it is the personalized dialogue that expresses caring. And caring is the foundation of relationship.
So, in building relationship, how do you express caring? When are you most receptive to connecting?
By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter & Beyond
Yellow Means You Can Do It
Never has running a yellow light been so hazardous! As more people migrate to Tennessee for the great cost of living, good quality of life, and beautiful changes of seasons, they all bring their native driving habits. Particularly, Californians who move to Tennessee have to adjust to a dramatically different driving culture. Tennessee's driving culture sees yellow lights as a warning that the light will turn red, so let's stop. In the hustle, bustle and unfathomable traffic of California, their drivers interpret yellow traffic lights to mean to go faster: "You can do it!" Same traffic light, but different cultures, results in multiple collisions.
Can Do Attitude
Regardless of which culture is right, the resulting accident is bad. But, the crashing of the two cultures still intersect at a common understanding. The yellow light literally means caution, but a pervading attitude is "you can do it." People relocate for a better life, regardless of any number of factors that ultimately drive the decision. That sense of optimism generates hope and opportunity. By setting goals, the mindset assumes a perspective that a better existence results from achieving the stated goal. Whether it is a healthier lifestyle, a better career, or educational accomplishments, acknowledging that "you can do it", is an essential first step. Naysayers and failure are often around the corner. All the same, see the caution, then go for it anyway!
Still Pay Attention
Despite the decision to seize opportunity, the yellow light still means caution. Risk remains. Not every entrepreneurial venture is a roaring success. Some ideas never take flight. Effective planning helps mitigate some risks. Better information and creative alternatives provide options to the original plan. Inner confidence contributes an even heightened priority because people who want to squash progress and achievement everywhere. Sometimes they are part of the journey. The line between being concerned for someone and selfishly wanting to hold them back is often indistinguishable. Be wise. Be alert. Be courageous.
Yellow lights are not a license to speed, nor permission to enter a congested intersection, regardless of what Californians say. But, they are right when they believe that the caution signal means "You can do it." Find an intersection. Life is full of crossroads. Drive through it. Don't let your old ways, prevent you or anyone else from advancing. Recognize the risk. Perform the necessary internal calculations. Then, seize the moment. Take the chance. Set an ambitious goal. Accomplish it. Or, fail at it. But either way, take the experience, then speed to the next intersection. The road leads to more opportunities. Recognize the caution. Then, proceed to get somewhere new. You can do it!
By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter And Beyond
Get On The Lifeboat
According to historic accounts, the band played until the Titanic sank. People's lives are at stake, and these musicians did their jobs. Jobs are important. But, priorities have a hierarchy. Preserving life is more important than hitting your note. Flatteringly, history acknowledges that the musicians provided a noble service. Still, an individual possesses a higher calling than their occupation. Each individual must take into account their entire contribution for every community where they participate. Then, maximize it. If the ship is sinking, make it a priority to help others get on the lifeboat. Life is precious. Consequently, by all means get on the lifeboat, too!
Your Job
Receiving value for individual contributions is part of the economy of humanity. When money enters the equation, quantifying the contribution's value and discerning comparisons, become measurable, if not easier. Roles as parent, sibling, companion, mentor, bridge partner, or golfing buddy also matter. Fulfilling the highest contribution takes many forms. Understandably, work demonstrates economic and psychological worth. But, what happens when a worker's replacement is identified? Is the predecessor rendered worthless? What about the boss who benefited from extraordinary efforts from previous staff? Is that contribution marginalized by the inability to maintain productivity? To the contrary, effective leaders constantly develop talent for contingencies. Inevitably, needs emerge for replacements. Hopefully, contributors evolve and grow. No rational individual should confuse their entire personal value with their organizational position, or economic contribution. The job is important. So is individual self-worth.
Your Responsibility
Saving and comforting perishing passengers is a noble duty. However, every individual has individual gifts to perpetuate. The Titanic's exceptional musicians admirably performed their jobs and tragically left gaping holes with friends and families. Ultimately, responsibility is contributing to a greater benefit than the individual. The job is important. Fulfilling each human's potential is also important. A higher responsibility is to contribute to family, community, and mankind. That greater purpose features assorted talents. Develop and deliver diverse and evolving skills that greater purpose. Seek opportunities to grow and contribute more. Ignoring that personal responsibility empowers someone else who will gladly use the value of such individual gifts for their own personal improvement.
Try naming ten martyrs. How about five? On the other hand, quickly name five lives that you presently enhance! Your personal gifting, not your professional role enhances those lives. Clearly, establish a purpose and fulfill it. It can certainly coincide with professional duties. Performing a job well is important. But, it does not qualify as a life purpose. Account for the impact that an individual's successful performance delivers. Recognize the difference between a duty and a calling. A duty is the performance of a task for a specific benefit. A calling is the application of individual passions and skills to maximize contribution for many. No one can save another in the long-term, if the first person sinks in the present. Yes, you have a job. You also have a responsibility. To maximize your personal contribution, choose which of your attributes impact the lives or community that most matter to you individually! Prioritize and deliver on that calling.
By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter & Beyond
Bloom Where You're Planted
Community gardens uniquely reflect growth! The location's inherent beauty and the unconquerable human spirit jointly emerge regardless of the surrounding environment's condition. The individual may suffer. Aggregately, life thrives despite the surroundings. Whatever conditions may dictate the environment, in the presence of community, life perseveres. Similarly, great ideas are birthed wherever the human spirit intercedes. Today's dilapidated warehouse becomes tomorrow's technology hub. Like the garden in a field of asphalt, the result demonstrates that life, people and ideas have the capacity to bloom where they are planted.
Before the garden spreads, the first seeds must have their breakthrough. All the seeds have the genetic capacity to emerge in harsh soil. However, certain seeds have either genetic tenacity, or a fortuitous crack near their germination which results in their breakthrough. People, and subsequently communities, must take advantage of breakthroughs as soon as they happen. Blooming never gets the chance without an available opportunity. Call it luck; call it favor; call it destiny. But to bloom where planted, the individual has to answer the call. Whenever someone emerges successfully from squalor despite nearby death and destruction, that individual seized their breakthrough and then absorbed a disproportionate amount of radiance and nutrients. Another nearby person may have had more innate talent. Yet, they failed to seize the resources that were available to all. Blooming requires grabbing resources where seeds take root, then expanding beyond the local boundaries. Do not wait for the next turn. Fight for resources that provide individual transformations.
Greatness is not a singular event. The bloom that emerges in their desolate environment needs to spread seed in the environment so that additional growth can occur. The garden is not successful with one stalk. Success requires a community of vegetation to make the soil healthy enough for more growth. The goal is to bloom where you are planted. It is not bloom, then wait to be transplanted. Even with expanding growth opportunities, no guarantee exists that every new seedling has a breakthrough. Bloom where you are planted requires cultivating a more vibrant and fruitful garden which enriches the soil to reproduce additional growth. The pockets of life interact. Their networking strengthens their aggregate opportunities to benefit each other and grow. A community does not grow one individual at a time. It grows and flourished when multiple pockets emerge in the same general location. The groupings share resources and nourishment, then the garden eventually changes its characters. The asphalt gives way to fertile growth.
Creating a vibrant community requires a symbiotic, pro-growth environment. Tilling, seeding, watering, pruning are all components of growing a garden, even a community garden. Spreading ideas and opportunities into pockets of growth facilitate the next generation enduring the same routine. Blooming is not a singular event. Growth demands time and replication. To change the environment, the enriched soil must be maintained. Remove weeds that choke the growth. Also, introduce outside influences that understand how to grow gardens so that they benefit from proven practices. Blooming communities require the ability to develop and nourish each other. It is difficult, but it is worthwhile. But to start, the first intentional cultivation must bloom where it is planted.
By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter And Beyond
I Never Go Back, It Changed
A friend told me they no longer visit their old high school. It changed. Well, he did too! The story in no way advocates living in the past. It is not a plea to "go back home" and change the old neighborhood. The point is to recognize that an individual is a composite of all their experiences. The successful person has more experiences and embraces them all. The past is part of an individual's legacy – for good or for bad. The legacy is a byproduct of the changes that occurred. Change is a choice. Make the choice. The past is static. Go forward to a dynamic future.
Embrace Change
Regardless of the foundation, growth is based on new inputs and experiences. Revisionist history can reveal new insights, or perhaps tell an entirely different story. But, it does not change the events, or how they may impact an individual. The individual who continues to grow beyond their foundation, acknowledges the prior events, then embrace changes toward progress. Education is an easy example of this phenomenon. However, trials and tribulations are more powerful. The process of overcoming difficulty builds character, commitment and a chart toward triumph. Accept life challenges. Improve based on new experiences. Dare to be great. Upon escaping the furnace, the individual does not have to return to prove their mettle. But, he ignores character building challenges at his own risk.
Launch Change
Change is not inevitable. People stay stuck all the time. But, progress is impossible without change and a leap of faith. Some individuals deny the opportunity to go back because they never leave. But, leaping from any foundation propels forward. Each experience, each introduction, each risk brings a new set of potentially positive outcomes. Positive outcomes are not guaranteed. But, stagnant existence is fairly certain, if no movement exists at all. Risk does not have to indicate danger; but, it always represents opportunity. Fundamentally, success is a product of change. Energy starts and continues change. The energy can be a push out, or a lift up, or a shove down. But once the energy is released, change surely happens.
Accept the possibilities that involve choice. Accept it, then embrace it. Leave your past behind you, if you choose. No need to criticize the past after moving forward. Focusing on the past becomes a weight slowing an individual down, or worse, holding them in place. Regardless, change is inevitable. And, progress is not guaranteed. No need to go back, unless it is a choice. But if that is the choice, bring back progressive, forward- facing experiences. Upon returning, share experiences with the next person that goes forward. Just do not go back and add to the problems. Deciding not to go back because it changed is a choice. But, going back to show the path to progress is a virtue. The next one who embraces the risk is now prepared to launch into a better future. Be that difference.
By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter And Beyond
Learning?? What's my Grade!!
What do I have to do to get an "A"? This refrain echoes throughout classrooms everywhere. "What do I need to know to get my certification?" is another version of the same song for the professional learner. Unfortunately, learning is not embraced, nor respected in neither case. Students want to benefit from presented information as painlessly as possible. The act of learning is just a necessary evil. Too often, learners in classrooms at any level are so eager to swallow and regurgitate information that they never digest the lesson. They fail to grow. They do not progress.
The Journey
The process of learning multiplies value through connections to more information and skills. Too often students simply give correct answers to get to the next lesson. Then, they can ace that part, too. Learning's real value involves applying acquired knowledge in new, innovative, and more beneficial ways. A student masters algebra, in order to conquer calculus, then get their diploma. Except, the diploma is not the end. Learning to process information with multiple variables is the point. Then, understanding more complex processes to explain them to others creates the most value. Do not be shortsighted. The student who learns, applies, explains and contributes knowledge to a group becomes the boss and eventually benefits more. Every student moaning, "Why do I have to learn this; I'll never use it in the real world" deserves the harsh response, "You are right. You never will use this information or any other new information with that attitude!"
The Destination
While the journey is important, the destination facilitates growth. The journey features a finite set of instructions. But, the destination continues to evolve and expand. More learning results in more questions, which results in more innovation, which results in better answers. Acing the test and advancing short circuits all the compounded, long-term benefits. The worker brags about getting a great review. Meanwhile, the leader focuses on solving problems that significantly improve the enterprise and team member's personal well-being. Rank and file mindsets complain that leaders have enough money and they do not need more. Therefore, she does not need the worker's best contribution. The leader simultaneously thinks that this minor contributor is hurting the team's efforts. Then, she searches for a replacement so that all can achieve more. Next the leader resumes planning to groom her successor, then charts a path to the next adventure. Mindsets of poverty fester and deny growth. Mindsets of prosperity continue to reset destinations and promote opportunities. Acquire and develop more resources to keep pursuing additional horizons.
Ultimately, "What do I have to do to get an A?" is the wrong question. "What do I have to do to pursue my destiny" is much more satisfying. Learning is more than acquiring facts. It is acquiring new ideas and constructing them creatively. Students who only want to learn familiar material in the same way are starving themselves. Permit multiple teachers to feed your curiosity. Learn, then spread, ideas across the landscape. Let losers argue and manipulate their grade in one class. Take new knowledge and apply it with innovation toward the next learning experience. Incorporate feedback and insight to create more value. Enormous value results from pursuing destinations that continue moving just beyond reach. So, "What do I have to do to get an A?" Who cares! "What do I have to do to maximize my value?" Keep learning! Then, share the lessons with others to help everyone involved benefit more.
By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter and Beyond
One Day, One Chance, One Change
You are only one defining decision away from a totally different life. ~Mark Batterson. John Maxwell used this quote in his book, "Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn". Consider the power of a single decision, or even a single day, changing a lifetime; even a legacy. These decisions may not happen every day, but they can happen without warning. A decision to abandon addictive behaviors qualifies as a life altering decision. So, does the decision to follow a friend to apply for your first real job. On the other hand, consider how preparation and accountability impact processing such decisions for better outcomes. Consider the comfort in anticipating how to manage big decisions and their consequences when they come.
One Chance
Be thankful for each day. Value each moment. By seizing the right moment, one chance at one decision may be all that is required. Decisions must be made. Perfect information is preferable, but never practical. However, decisions do not require perfect timing; they require willingness and time to execute. Consider someone with a dysfunctional family life. Must that family's history dictate its legacy? Or does the decision of one child, deciding to enroll in a college curriculum with the determination to earn a degree, pave a path toward a better life for subsequent children? The decision for one child to take a chance on higher education can change the trajectory for the next generation across siblings to pursue and successfully complete college educations. Unlikely? It happened in my family.
One Change
Embrace a new season. Make a dramatic personal commitment. Do something differently. Start today. Reaffirm it tomorrow. You have a job; change and launch a career. Apply for the new opportunity. If you fail, learn and apply again. The change is in the attitude. Acquire new skills. Numerous reasons exist to stay put. The status quo is an option. It's also a choice. So is change and progress. One decision starts the change. Attend a lecture on a Friday night instead of the latest night club. No invitation is required. Simply bring a sense of adventure and a curious mindset. Changing physical environments coincides with changing habits. The first change is a challenge. Subsequent change gets easier. Then, improved results are easier, still.
In determining life choices, establishing goals and regularly re-visiting them equips individual accomplishment. That knowledge is no secret. But accepting that truth and acting upon it reveals valuable rewards that appear as if it was some mysterious success secret. In reality, establishing and re-visiting goals is a success characteristic that progressive people regularly adopt. The secret is the courage to take a chance that a change will be better. It requires risk. It requires faith. It offers no guarantees. Failure happens. It even repeats. But persistence presents rewards. Preparation helps, too. Seek encouragement and accept it. Get a coach. Take ownership of personal improvement that enables excellence! These steps are available. They simply require selecting one day to take action to improve. Today works.
What if I fall? Oh, my darling, what if you fly? ~Erin Hanson
Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter And Beyond


text: Report post Posted November 11, 2016 Ok I have 2 questions: 1) Does an extra fishing skill points...past the 800 normal cap, give you higher chances of catching any of that rare bait? 2) Should I even go for that "underlight blessing" that turns me into a fish...as a druid? Is it faster than the seal form? Or should I purposely avoid taking that talent cause it will cause issues? (Please only definite and certain answers!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites

subset: commoncrawl


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On his first day in Zimbabwe, incoming leader Emmerson Mnangagwa and the rest of the motorcade drove through the capital Harare with a large police escort. Reuters' journalist James Pearson caught the spectacle on video from a great vantage point, which you can see below, as the president passed a crowd of supporters.
Mnangagwa told crowds who turned out in Harare to greet him that "all patriotic Zimbabweans [should] come together" to ensure prosperity.
"We want to grow our economy, we want jobs… all patriotic Zimbabweans [should] come together, work together," he told the crowds gathered outside the ruling ZANU-PF party's headquarters, after his return to the country following the resignation of veteran leader Robert Mugabe.
He will be sworn in Friday morning.
Aerial view:
#Zimbabwe's incoming President Emmerson Mnangagwa motorcade + helicopters – 22 November 2017
=>Mnangagwa arrived from #SouthAfrica via Manyame Airbase
=>Is Zim headed for strong man politics i.e Kagame (President with military experience) #Mnangagwa #MugabeResigns #Zimbabwe pic.twitter.com/XgB9gR876w
— Povo Zim (@povozim) November 22, 2017
The arrival of #Mnangagwa in Harare pic.twitter.com/PjtNIxPMWB
— African (@ali_naka) November 22, 2017


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by Max Lucado.
Remember when you thought you could change the world? You still can! These are difficult days in our world's history. 1.75 billion people are desperately poor, natural disasters are gouging entire nations, and economic uncertainty still reigns across the globe. But you and I have been given an opportunity to make a big difference. What if we did? What if we rocked the world with hope? Infiltrated all corners with God's love and life? We are created by a great God to do great works. He invites us to outlive our lives, not just in heaven, but here on earth. It's not enough to do well. We want to do good. We want our lives to matter. So, let's live our lives in such a way that the world will be glad we did.
Monday, 20 September 2010
Book of the Week: Outlive Your Life
Posted by Ards Evangelical Bookshop at 09:43
Categories: Book of the Week
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text:
Not wishing for these horrific underground catacombs to become her tomb, Rocky sought to burst through the brick wall before her and provide both herself and her companions a means of escape. With one mighty thud, the Goron Barbarian used her brute force as she rolled directly into the wall, causing it to collapse almost entirely. Rocky, Talir, Amara and Impa then began the short journey through the tunnel ahead, soon arriving at the entrance used by Amara and Impa only an hour or so earlier. The small group ascended the rope and emerged into the Kakariko Graveyard more, soaking in the fresh air and mild warmth of what sunlight remained before the impending dusk. They each took a few moments to recuperate and view their surroundings before heading back down the path out of the Graveyard and towards Kakariko Village.
Back beneath the well at a slightly-earlier time, Albus, Mei, Lao and Xiao began to feel a unusual and alarming trebling all around them. They unanimously agreed that this was a sign of a major disturbance, and that their departure from the place should no longer be prolonged. While the two brothers gathered what belongings they could, along with the bodies of Kin and Shadow, Mei helped Albus to his feet and provided him with all of his original belongings. As Albus quickly prepared himself for the journey out of this dark place, his thoughts called back to a short time ago, to the moment when Amara made the bold decision to render her fellow party members helpless, strip them of their prized scrolls and leave them trapped beneath Kakariko's well.
Back on the surface, Amara wandered to the road near the Death Mountain trail, arriving at a pre-scheduled meeting point at which she would trade The Magical Scrolls for a large sum of gold. A child greeted her, and took the scrolls while providing a heavy sack of what was presumably gold, eventually discovered to be mostly stones. Furious, Amara stormed back down to the village, heading into Impa's home for a quiet drink to help calm herself.
At this stage, Talir chose to bid the party farewell as he opted to head out into Hyrule in search of his daughter, beginning with a dangerous journey back into enemy-controlled Castle Town. When returning to Impa's home, Rocky became acquainted with the bard Cyrus von Belradg, who offered his services in exchange for the party aiding him in discovering the location of his lost love, Allira Nahla, as well as his former master Micheletto.
The group fought through a brief ghostly encounter before emerging from the open grave in Kakariko Graveyard, with Lao and Xiao taking the bodies of Kin and Shadow with them on their journey home while Albus and Mei headed into the village in search of Amara and the rest of the party. Their search brought them to Impa's home, where Amara chose to flee into a nearby store. She is pursued by the party, even attempting to fire at them with her bow, before agreeing to parlay back at their room. A heated discussion ensues, before the party begrudgingly agrees to continue working together, particularly so as to retrieve the The Magical Scrolls.


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van den Hul Colibri XGW Stradivarius MC Cartridge 0.38mV
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The Colibri XGW Stradivarius MC Cartridge is van den Hul's top model custom handbuilt phono cartridge!
The Colibri XGW Stradivarius MC Cartridge is van den Hul's top model custom handbuilt phono cartridge, featuring matched gold coils and a 0.38mV/channel output. As a result of A.J. van den Huls continuous research into improving his phono cartridge designs, the Colibri has seen the light of day.
The Colibri XGW Stradivarius MC Cartridge is the improved successor to van den Hul's Grasshopper Beauty series of phono cartridges where many building components have been removed in a highly successful quest to return to the plain essence of phono transduction. The result is an unbelievably straightforward sounding clean and open design, in all its aspects bearing much resemblance to the "Colibri" named tropical birds swiftness, elegance and beauty; Hence the cartridges name.
The van den Hul Colibri XGW Stradivarius MC Phono Cartridgege features a Koa Wood Body treated with 400 year old formula Stradivarius lacquer that gives it a rigid, hard shell that results in superior sonics and an amazing sound! The Stradivarius also features a medium (0.38mV) output, 24 karat gold coils, a Samarium-Cobalt magnet, extended channel separation and superb tracking ability!
Compared to van den Hul's Grasshopper Beauty series the following differences stand out:
By minimizing and adapting the cartridges total magnetic circuit the related distortion and (Barkhausen) noise have undergone a considerable decrease. This opens up many subtle sound details that never have been heard before; Especially the decay of instrument sounds now stands out much more clearly in the musics totality.
Due to the minimization of the cartridges total magnetic circuit the cartridges mass has been reduced. Together with the possibility to tune the cartridges static compliance on special customer demand it is now possible to use very light tonearms whilst maintaining a very good tracking ability.
By removing the frontpole is has been possible to apply an even shorter cantilever; This further improves the groove-modulation-transductions directness and accuracy.
Due to the minimal magnetic design the output voltage has slightly reduced.
24K Gold Coils
Proprietary van den Hul 1s Stylus
Boron Cantilever
Koa Wood Body treated with 400 year old formula Stradivarius lacquer
Output: 0.38mV
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text:
William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance proudly presents THE EVENT 2018 at Mohegan Sun Casino and Convention Center.
Welcome to The Event 2018 at the Mohegan Sun Casino where it's in our nature to nurture, and care is at the core of everything we do.
To be the best, we need the best. That is why we go the extra mile to help you reach your goals. Whether you join us as a sales associate, sales manager, sales representative, relocation specialist, mortgage originator or administrative assistant, we provide the extra tools and training to fast track you or your business to success. This means: More Mentoring, More Tech, More Marketing, More Teamwork. And while you're at the event, More Networking!!
NEW! Raveis Night at the Avalon Nightclub Benefits Charitable Fund
Join us for "Raveis Night", a VIP celebration at the Avalon Nightclub benefiting the William Raveis Charitable Fund. You will dance to the beat with a DJ who will overwhelm your senses with high energy audio by EAW in a stunning 10,000 sq. ft. setting.
Tickets: You must reserve your spot when registering for The Event 2018.
Cost: There is no cost to attend, however we suggest a donation to the William Raveis Charitable Fund. There will be a cash bar!
Here are some highlights from this year's upcoming event:
- Bill, Chris and Ryan Raveis will share their insights on "Welcome to More" and discussing everything we have done so far and what is still to come in 2018.
- Mike Staver, this year's keynote speaker, will show you how "Winning is No Accident". Here is an opportunity to learn and apply EXACTLY what you need to do to accomplish outstanding results!
- Special Guest, Ryan Oakes, Magician, Mentalist and Purveyor of Mystery will dazzle you!
- Stephanie Anton, Executive Vice President of Luxury Portfolio International, will be on hand to address our Luxury Property Specialist training class and make a guest appearance at the Chairman's Elite Luncheon where she will reveal the latest white paper on the luxury consumer.
- Sales and Administrative Managers will be recognized at an awards presentation on Tuesday afternoon, March 27th.
- Attend the very popular Networking Cocktail Reception on Tuesday evening. Get to know your fellow agents from over 130 offices in 9 states! What a way to build a great referral network. See many of the new products and services offered by our exhibitors.
- You can choose from a variety of skill-building workshops including social media, technology, sales, marketing and idea-sharing panels. Sessions will be offered Wednesday afternoon following lunch.
- Network with other William Raveis real estate agents, mortgage loan officers, insurance agents, managers, staff and executives.
- We will be offering Certified Homeownership Professional (CHP) classes for new agents looking to become certified and those agents looking for re-certification on Tuesday afternoon, March 27th. Sign-up when registering for The Event.
- Top Producer Awards reception and dinner will take place on Wednesday evening, March 28th.
- Have a chance to win great prizes.
- Enjoy some entertainment, fun, dining and gambling!
* Hotel Accommodations are available for those wishing to arrive on Tuesday evening. We have reserved a block of rooms at the discounted price of $149 per night plus tax and $14.95 resort fee while supply lasts. After registering for the event, you will be redirected to the Mohegan Sun hotel website to make your room reservation.


text: Called in at the last minute to pinch-hit for a sodden defense attorney, product-liability expert Max Bramble agrees to defend Courtland Motors' antique-auto restoring division against a claim by the estate of TV executive Stanfield Standish (nÉ Stanley Scheidler) that Courtland is liable for his getting incinerated in his 1930 Duesenberg. Building his defense, Max's secret weapon is Wylie Nolan, a PI specializing in arson. Wylie shortly finds evidence (a telltale ring, a missing set of car keys, a pattern of combustion indicating the fire started in several places at once) that despicable Standish got a boost into Valhalla. For somebody who keeps insisting he's only interested in vindicating his client and couldn't care less who lit the bonfire, Max spends a lot of chapters filling in Standish's family background (weak-willed father, affectionate long-term mistress spurned by the children) and his business dealings (a Ted Turnerish plan to replace the stars of classic films with the computerized faces of brain-dead rockers so he can release them for a big new audience). Once the smoke from Max's good-natured, digressions and Wylie's sharp-eyed investigations clears, readers are stranded in a routine whodunit with nothing to wait for but the jury's Not Guilty and the culprit's confession. First of what promises to be a cheeky series with curlicues of preadolescent humor -- and not much else on its mind.


text: hi all, tn messing about wasting some time. What it is when your run a DISM command I thought it would be nice to not have the command window show. after some searching I found you could call a.cmd from a .vbs which made the command window invisible. I have tested this on some .cmd's I have and it seems to work ok. I try to point this invisible.vbs at a DISM command and it does not work. My thinking is because the DISM command has to be run as admin. I have tried to find out how to tell the .vbs to run the .cmd as admin but I have failed and come up with nothing that works. My scripting skills are not very good, even though I do try I sort of end up looking at it the wrong way. So if one of you clever lot could give me a pointer or two that would be great.. Thnaks Would the invisible.vbs have to be in the same DIR as the DIS .cmd ? ( think I tried this though )


text:
heated discussion"
Online asics shoes to summarize: He wasn't happy that Childress considered benching him, for whatever reason.
Again, my column on the subject delves into the subject and contains all of Favre's quotes on the topic. It's in the Monday paper.
My short take: Favre wasn't the problem Sunday night. His offensive line (particularly Bryant McKinnie) was awful. The Vikings' defense got ripped in the fourth quarter, but even when it was limiting the Panthers in the first three quarters, it wasn't making enough big plays. As a couple of defensive starters said after the game, there's nothing wrong with a defense scoring some points, too.
Steve Hutchinson and Jared Allen, in particular, sounded mildly disgusted by the team's performance, although they didn't say anything too harsh.
My online asics shoes short take No. 2: The Vikings have lost three of their last four games on grass, with the only victory in that stretch coming at Green Bay, in a game Favre was desperate to win, a game that the team wanted to win for Favre.
Since they moved into the Metrodome, the Vikings have struggled cheap asics shoes on grass. Even their good teams have struggled on grass. Their lone regularseason loss in 1998 came at Tampa, on grass.
I wouldn't be surprised if the last two online asics shoes losses, at Arizona and Carolina, are the product of an overconfident team playing on an unfamiliar surface.
Here are the two real problems with the loss:
1) Favre is incredibly strongwilled, for better and worse. If he senses a lack of trust on the part of Childress, their relationship could go south in a hurry, and with it the season. I don't think that will happen, but that possibility was raised Sunday night.
2) The Vikings no longer are assured of a cheap asics shoes firstround bye, because they are only one game ahead of the Eagles, and neither of their remaining games look like gimmes. The Bears stink, but the Vikings just lost a coldweather game on grass to a mediocre team, so they shouldn't exactly be cocky about this one. And the Giants, for all of their problems, are talented and wellcoached.
To me, the elite teams in the conference _ the Saints and Vikings _ no longer look all that much stronger than the teams they may have to face in the playoffs _ the surging Eagles, the talented Cowboys, the mercurial Cardinals, the intriguingifflawed Packers.
This is going to be quite interesting the online asics shoes rest of the way.
Upcoming: I'll be on with Reusse at 6:40 on am1500 to recap the Vikings game. I'm on WJON in St. Cloud at 7:14. Flying home tomorrow, taking a few vacation days from the paper, although I'll continue to do the radio spots online asics shoes.


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Writing Strands - Beginning 2 Featured Belongs to series: Writing Strands
Publisher: New Leaf Publishing Group
Item #: E521
Pages: 268
Class: Softcover
Price: $44.95
Students will learn how to effectively master using sentences and paragraphs, main and supporting ideas, and point of view, as well as the process of creating characters in this self-directed course.
Topics addressed in this one-year course include
following carefully written directions
controlling sentences and structuring paragraphs
creating character thoughts
organizing information in a description
constructing a story
creating characters that readers will like.
Provides a suggested daily schedule, worksheets that are three-hole punched and perforated, and the new reading and literature component that helps students look more deeply into the Bible, as well as other books chosen by their teachers.


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Dave is a controls and communications enthusiast. He has conducted research, design and deployment of smart grids, smart buildings and automated demand response systems. At LBNL, Dave architected and helped manage the deployment of an automated demand response system that shed over 200 MW from the California Electric grid last summer. Dave has contributed to the California energy code (title 24) as well as numerous publications on Demand Response and Energy Information Systems. He previously held product development and management positions at Grid-Net, Honeywell and Echelon Corp. where he helped create hardware and software products for the monitoring, controlling and visualizing the use of energy.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory


text: Hi ladies, so I went for my first ultrasound yesterday. I thought I was about 9 weeks but baby was measuring 7 weeks and some days. We saw the sac but no heartbeat using vaginal ultrasound. She had me do bloodwork and the first one came back as 131,000 then I go back tomorrow to do another bloodwork to compare. Just so worried and can't focus. At the beginning I had some spotting here and there but wasn't anything then recently my legs have been cramping a lot especially the left one but I am not sure if it's related. Doctor said it could be miscarriage or that I ovulated late. But with baby measuring 7 weeks and some days does that count for anything? I still have the morning sickness but it doesn't seem as bad as it was in the beginning. Has anyone had this situation and how did it turn out? I can't deal with this waiting period it's driving me insane. Thanks!


text: 0zm0sis 0 Report post Posted December 10, 2017 My favourite update is 1.7 as I feel it had the least amount of dumb gimmicks and it is a very enjoyable experience in both survival mode and creative mode. My least favourite update was 1.9 as it completely changed the combat system and made me go from good at pvp to being horrible at pvp. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
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The purpose of a fireplace screens by Uniflame, Pilgrim, Woodfield, and Minuteman are to protect the area immediately beyond the fireplace opening. Screens stop sparks and flying ash from landing on the flooring or furniture and are absolutely essential when using an open faced fireplace. But this accessory is also helpful on more modern models complete with glass doors.
Whether you have a wood burning fireplace, wood stove or even a gas model, installing a fireplace screen is a wise addition. These items are decorative and functional, creating a safer, more attractive hearth space in your home.
A fireplace screen is a visual reminder of the heat and danger your fireplace presents. Small children and pets can be held back by a properly placed fireplace screen. When opening and closing the doors on your stove or fireplace, the screen will offer protection for the surrounding area as well
It is also recommended by gas log manufacturers that you have a fireplace screen or spark guard with their products to prevent sparks from dust escaping the fireplace.
We have over 100 high quality fireplace screens, designed to last you for years to come and enhance the appearance of your home.


text:
|Anupam Mukherji
Sometimes Being A Fake Blogger Also Pays!
17 comments:
- Zave said...
So, can I infer, faking pays out in the end?
No no, don't worry, I'm not taking it in some other sense.
- August 30, 2010 at 5:06 PM
- Shilpa Garg said...
A very cool imaginative guy!! Simply wow!!
- August 30, 2010 at 5:52 PM
- Sakhi said...
Okay, this guy was phenomenally popular when IPL2 was on, but I think he should have revealed his identity right then (when he said he would, originally, at the end of the season) as I feel now that the hype has worn off and less people will care and he will eventually not achieve too much.
- August 30, 2010 at 6:43 PM
- Md. Muddassir Shah said...
I beg to differ. He may have gained temporary stardom, but how long can one last blogging.
i agree it payed off in short term but just think the path he chose to rise to fame- creating controversy.He has been branded and he has to go one that way.
He has a good writing style, if he had used it in a positive manner he could have gone much ahead.
Yes, at the end of the day, its a matter of personal choice and If I was in his place I would not have chosen this path :)
As always, nice way of putting it.
- August 30, 2010 at 8:20 PM
- Niket said...
The Fake IPL blogger lived up to his name I would say! :)
- August 30, 2010 at 9:02 PM
- UB said...
Hmm...thanks for writing this..I had no clue about this story.
- August 30, 2010 at 9:38 PM
- magiceye said...
sure thing!
- August 30, 2010 at 9:59 PM
- Purba said...
The media lapped up his blog, we got to read all the made-up juicy details.
It made for fun reading, who cares whether he was fake or not.
- August 31, 2010 at 10:41 AM
- A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...
No Zave, I didnot mean that!
@ Shilpa- yeah! :)
@ Sakshi - right, it doesnot pay to be fake forever!
@ Md Mudassir Shah - True, its a matter of one's personal conscience, everybody has to answer his own self. May be it suited him!
@ Niket- yeah, he lived up to it!
@ UB - my pleasure! :)
@ magiceye - cheers! :)
@ Purba - yet another way of looking at things... thanks Purba!
- August 31, 2010 at 1:03 PM
- Mag[m] said...
m planning to change ma blog's name WORLD CUP 2011.... nice story
- August 31, 2010 at 3:39 PM
- Vee... said...
@ Sakhi - But, this is guy is getting to write his own book and there are publishers for him too. While blogging as fake IPL player, he was jobless and now he got a job as well. That sure is way better than what he would have achieved had he been original. :)
- August 31, 2010 at 8:46 PM
- Vee... said...
@Md. Muddassir Shah -
Some people do things for the thrill part. There was this 17 year old kid who became popular as "bare foot bandit" stole a private jet of some rich guy and drove it across countries until he crash landed in Bahamas. He certainly knew that he would get caught by the authorities, but i guess he couldn't help himself... To this fake ipl player, may be its not about blogging but about how he achieved popularity (or notoriety) by being fake.
- August 31, 2010 at 8:50 PM
- Lakshmi Rajan said...
He blogged, he faked, he triumphed. He did hijacked the IPL 2's wind from cricketing action to his spiced writeup.
- August 31, 2010 at 9:52 PM
- Mayank said...
FIP aka Mr Anupam is truly a master of sharp analytical mind.. Nice tht he put it to good use...
- September 1, 2010 at 12:40 AM
- Vaish said...
Again..lady, where do you get all this first hand info from?? Such a gutsy guy!
@ Lakshmi - loved your comments...
- September 2, 2010 at 12:04 AM
- Reema said...
I see no harm as long as no one was really hurt (hurt egos dont matter :D)
- September 2, 2010 at 12:52 AM
- A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...
@ Mag - :) thanks!
@ Vee - @ur comment for sakhi- psst :)
oh that happened?!
@ Lakshmi Rajan - right!
@ Mayank - hmm, right use!
@ Vaish - thanks!!!!
@ Reema - LOL! true!
- September 13, 2010 at 5:21 PM


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The past decade has witnessed a dramatic increase in environmental concern in Poland (Figure 9.1). Since 1990 there has been greater freedom of access to previously unobtainable information and the development of an ecological movement which has influenced considerable changes in public opinion. One of Poland's early post-communist priorities during the transition to a market economy was to tackle its environmental problems. Environmental protection has been given a much higher pre-eminence, due to serious problems inherited from the communist past with air pollution, inadequate water treatment and contaminated soil. Untreated industrial discharges, unmarked toxic waste dumps and unacceptable water supplies are found throughout the country. The early efforts were focused on specific chronic environmental cases; later endeavours were concerned with the provision of more long-term solutions linked to sustainable environmental management (Clarke and Cole, 1998).
The Polish government itself proved the main stimulus in trying to overcome the ecological crisis. This involved setting into motion major conceptual changes for policy implementation at the national level, through establishing environmental goals and the creation of an institutional support system. In conjunction with these developments, subnational policies were introduced at the regional and local levels. The lower administrative levels have become increasingly important as greater emphasis in Polish society has been placed on environmental decision-making (Warner, 1999). The aim of this chapter is to discover how much progress has been made in solving Poland's environmental problems during the 1990s. This will involve some appreciation of state environmental policy, the impact of major polluting factors, the role of biodiversity and nature conservation and character of environmental movements in the country.


text:
Active Tour, Culture Tour
7 days
from €800
This Walking Tour in Maramures is a perfect choice for those who wish to combine an active vacation with a unique cultural experience.
Alternating active days of hiking and walking with more cultural discoveries, the Walking Tour in Maramures is based on an original itinerary that highlights, at the same time, the famous and more remote attractions of Maramures.
Accommodated in one of the traditional villages of the region, you'll easily discover the authentic lifestyle and cultural heritage that shaped Maramures as a singular ethnographic space, best-known for the skillfulness of its artisans to turn wood into art.
The tall wooden churches that made it on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the hand-carved sculpted gates are the best examples.
Tour also suited for active families. It can be customized for active seniors.
This tour can be modified according to your time and points of interest.
Car transfer from Cluj-Napoca airport to Desesti village.
There are several flights per day from Bucuresti to Cluj-Napoca in case you arrive in Bucharest.
Driving time: around 3-4 hours
Accommodation: guest house in Desesti (the same for the entire tour)
The first walk of the tour, until Mara village and back, on a charming route covered in grass and surrounded by haystacks.
Back in Desesti, we'll visit one of the beautiful wooden churches from the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Romania.
Dating from the 18th century, the church from Desesti has some of best preserved interior paintings in the region. Done in 1780, the paintings present classical Biblical themes. A unique element is the painting of people from different nations (Turks, Tatars, Jews) dressed in traditional costumes in the illustration of the Last Judgment scene.
We spend the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying the home cooked delicious dishes of our host.
Optional horse cart ride in the afternoon.
Highlights: traditional landscapes, the wooden church from Desesti
Hiking trip to Creasta Cocosului, one of the best-known symbols in this part of Maramures, is the main activity of the day. With a maximum altitude of 1,450 meters, Creasta Cocosului was formed from lava consolidated after eruptions that took place millions of years ago.
What makes it particular is its aspect similar to a cock's comb that inspired its name. From the highest peak, you'll get a panoramic view over Mara-Cosau Valley where we'll spend most of the time during this trip to Maramures.
Highlights: hiking to Creasta Cocosului
Relaxing after the hike from the previous day, we embark on a journey of cultural and historical discoveries.
We spend the day in Sighetu Marmatiei, the oldest city in historical Maramures. We'll visit the Memorial of the Victims of Communism, a former prison transformed into a museum as a tribute to political prisoners illegally detained here during the first decade of the communist regime.
The second part of the day is reserved for the Jewish heritage of the city: the Memorial House Elie Wiesel, the Jewish Cemetery, the Holocaust Memorial, the Synagogue.
Highlights: the Victims of Communism Memorial, Elie Wiesel Memorial House, Jewish Cemetery, Holocaust Memorial
Driving time: around 2 hours
We walk from village to village to explore the old landscapes of Maramures. We'll walk across apple orchards to discover traditional wooden houses, haystacks fields and meadows covered in flowers.
Afternoon drive to Budesti to visit one more wooden church from the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and to Sarbi to visit the local artisans.
Highlights: traditional landscapes, local artisans, the wooden church Budesti Josani
Driving time: around 1 hour
We spend the day in Sighetu Marmatiei and Sapanta. We visit the open-air Village Museum of Maramures where we can admire some of the most beautiful wooden houses of the region. We head afterward to the Merry Cemetery from Sapanta. An unusual and authentic meeting space between humor and death, this cemetery is a world unique attraction.
In Sapanta, we also visit the Peri Monastery that has one of the tallest wooden churches in the world.
Highlights: the Village Museum, the Merry Cemetery, Peri Monastery
Driving time: around 2 hours Accommodation: guest house in Viseu de Sus
We head back to Cluj-Napoca, but we make a day out of it. We visit an original open-air museum of sculptures, Florean Museum, and the wooden church of Rogoz, also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Romania
Driving time: around 4 hours Accommodation: Cluj-Napoca
We end the tour in Cluj-Napoca. Optional transfer to the airport on the following day or other destinations you prefer.Back to top
Easy: Easy short walks on flat terrain.
Moderate: Up to 5 km walking per day or/and optional cycling routes and easy hikes.
Intense: Up to 10 km walking per day with some inclines or/and optional cycling routes and more demanding hikes
Challenge: Hiking on uneven trails at altitudes above 1,000 meters. Longer optional cycling routes. Requires good health and physical condition.
Ultimate: Full day of hikes and/or demanding cycling tours. Requires excellent health and physical condition.
Basic: Limited interaction.
Moderate: At least two or three cultural sights included in the tour.
High: Cultural visits everyday of the tour.
Total: All about culture.
Basic: Limited interaction.
Moderate: At least two or three historical sights included in the tour.
High: Visits at historical monuments everyday of the tour.
Total: All about history.
Basic: Limited interaction.
Moderate: At least two hours per day spent in nature.
High: Most activities take place in nature.
Total: All about nature.
Please take your time to read and understand the booking conditions presented below before initiating the booking process. These terms and conditions apply to any travel products and/or services you have booked with or purchased with Us and guide the contractual relationship between You, the Clients, and Us, the tour operator Uncover Romania Tours. The tour operator is managed by SC Uncover the World SRL, registered at the National Supervisory Authority for Personal Data Processing with number 36310.
All travel products and/or services presented on www.uncover-romania-tours.com or presented by our agents via email, in case of our tailor-made travel products and/or services, are designed and sold by Uncover Romania Tours, company registered by the National Tourism Authority of Romania with the license number 7244 from 09/10/2014.
Uncover Romania Tours reserves the right to decline any booking, in their sole discretion.
All bookings are made by You, the Clients, with Us, Uncover Romania Tours. By booking one of our travel products or services you acknowledge that:
a) You are over 18 years old;
b) You have read and understood these terms and conditions and You express your acceptance;
c) You express your acceptance with these terms and conditions on behalf of all clients named in the booking in case you include more clients besides yourself in the booking;
d) You are authorized by the other clients named in the booking to represent them;
e) You will provide full and accurate information needed for the booking both for You and the other clients named in the booking;
Once You have initiated the booking process You will receive the deposit invoice and the contract that will become valid once we receive the deposit.
In order for Us to confirm your travel arrangements You must provide the following details: full name as in the passport, date of birth, nationality, passport number, passport expiry date, contact address, email and phone number. Your booking cannot be confirmed without these details needed for contractual purposes. By booking one of our tours You agree to provide Us this personal information. We will not disclose under any circumstances your personal information to third parties except when asked by state authorities. We will only use the information you provide for contractual purposes.
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3.1. Deposit
A booking is confirmed once We have received a deposit from You. The value of the deposit (30% to 50%) depends on the total cost of the booking, the size of the group and the time left until the beginning of the tour. If a tour is booked less than 30 days before the date of the tour, the payment will be done in full.
3.2. Final payment
Uncover Romania Tours will send the Clients at least 30 days before the departure date an invoice for the amount constituting the final payment for the travel products or/and services booked. In case the full payment is not received 5 days at the latest before the departure date, Uncover Romania Tours may change the rate payable for the travel product and/or services booked, or may treat the booking as canceled and shall retain the deposit paid on booking as a cancellation fee.
3.3. Payment methods
You can pay your booking either by credit card, via PayPal or through bank transfer to one of our accounts, opened on the name SC Uncover the World SRL at Banca Transilvania.
For EUR: RO51BTRLEURCRT0V27712601
For GBP: RO19BTRLGBPCRT0V27712601
For USD: RO91BTRLUSDCRT0V27712601
In the case of city tours and one day tours booked only a few days in advance, you can also pay in cash on the day of the tour, in RON, based on the EUR-RON currency conversion cost announced in the previous day by the National Bank of Romania (www.cursbnr.ro).
3.3. Commission fees
3.3.1. The commissions associated with the above payment methods, except cash and credit card payments, are not included in the price of the tours listed on www.uncover-romania-tours.com. The Client is responsible for paying the commission fees associated with the preferred payment method (4.5% fee for PayPal, variable fees for bank transfers).
3.3.2. Except for cash payments in RON, a 1% currency conversion fee will be added to the final price of each tour booked by the Client.
4.1. If the Clients decide to cancel the tour with a prior notice of at least 30 days, they will be refunded the deposit, minus the transfer fees and the costs that could not be recovered from third parties, for instance, accommodation and other local services already booked. The Clients will not be reimbursed if they cancel the tour less than 30 days before its start except in cases of major force.
4.2. We may cancel a trip at any time prior to departure if, due to terrorism, natural disasters, political instability or other unplanned events that make it not viable for Us to operate the planned tour. In this case, You can transfer the amount paid to an alternate departure date or alternatively receive a full refund, minus the fees already charged by third parties operator fees that cannot be recovered. We are not responsible for any expenses You may have done in regards to the booking including but not limited to visas, vaccinations, travel insurance or non-refundable flights.
4.3. In the case of unforeseen events, except those mentioned at point 4.2, that could determine Us to cancel the tour before its start, the Clients will be fully reimbursed.
At any time before a booking is confirmed, Uncover Romania Tours reserves the right to increase or decrease the prices of any of its travel products or/and services. The price of the tour can be modified by Us after signing the contract only in the case of important changes like alterations in the cost of transportation caused by an increase the fuel price, significant changes in the exchange rate of the currency in which the tour is paid or unforeseen increases in local taxes at the destination. The price cannot increase by more than 10% and cannot be modified under any circumstances in the 30 days before the start of the tour.
5.1. Standard Tours Price
The standard tours are the ones presented on www.uncover-romania-tours.com. The final price is the one mentioned on the website. The price includes the costs of accommodation and everyday breakfasts, tour leader services, transportation, including gas and driver, but also planning costs. The price does not include plane tickets, travel insurance, visa costs if applicable, meals except breakfast, entry fees, specialized local guides if necessary.
6.1. The Clients can cancel the contract partly or entirely at any time. If the reason for canceling is attributable to them, they have the obligation to compensate Us for the prejudice caused if the cancellation takes places less than 30 days before the start of the tour. The values of the compensation cannot be more than the total price of the tour.
6.2. The Clients are the only responsible parties in case they do not follow the program of the tour or lose their official ID documents. They are responsible for securing travel and health insurance as well as paying any taxes or fees that may apply to their time in Romania.
6.3. The Clients should notify Us in writing if the present contract was not fulfilled properly maximum 5 days after the end of the tour. We have maximum 30 days to respond, mentioning the compensations that apply and identifying the guilty parties.
6.4. The Clients acknowledge all tours involve a certain amount of personal risk and that it is also their responsibility to acquaint themselves with all relevant travel information and the nature of their itinerary.
7. Rights and Obligations for Uncover Romania Tours
7.1. If during or before the tour, Uncover Romania Tours acknowledges it is not possible to completely respect the travel itinerary, the tour operator must inform the Clients and offer them alternatives or financial compensations if any fees already paid by them were part of the tour not offered.
7.2. Uncover Romania Tours is obliged to inform the Clients as soon as reasonably possible if there is a major change in the tour itinerary. The definition of a major change is deemed to be a change affecting at least one day in five of the itinerary. When a major change is made, the Clients may choose between accepting the change, obtaining a refund of money paid on the land portion of the trip only or accepting an alternative tour offered.
7.3. Uncover Romania Tours reserves the right to change an itinerary after departure due to local circumstances or events outside of our control. We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that may be incurred as a result of the change of the itinerary.
7.4. Uncover Romania Tours is not responsible for any damages, expenses, losses, or claims which are attributable to the fault of any Client, the unforeseeable or unavoidable act or omission of a third party unconnected with the provision of any travel products and/or services or a force major event.
Travelers under the age of 18 years old must be accompanied by a legal guardian or an escort above 18 years old named by the legal guardian. One legal guardian or escort cannot be responsible for more than two minor travelers. In the case of more challenging adventure tours, You will need to specify whether You suffer from a medical condition which may affect your ability to complete the travel arrangements.
You must have a valid passport and have obtained the visa by yourself. Citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area or the United States of America do not need a visa to stay in Romania for a period of maximum 90 days. Citizens with simple passports from other 58 countries are exempted from the Romanian visa requirement. Check the 58 countries here
The list of countries whose citizens require a Romanian visa is available here
The procedures for obtaining the visa are available here
10. Travel insurance
The travel insurance is compulsory for all our Clients and should be taken out before the departure date. Your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses and emergency repatriation with a recommended minimum coverage of US$200,000 for each of the categories of cover. We also recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects. The travel insurance is not included in the price of our travel products and/or services. You must provide proof of your travel insurance on the first day of your trip or you will not be able to join the trip without it.
11. Validity
The prices advertised on www.uncover-romania-tours.com are based on costs in effect at the time of posting to the website. Uncover Romania reserves the right to alter prices of any travel product and/or services at any time prior to receipt of the first installment. Changes, revisions, or other amendments may be made to the offers from www.uncover-romania-tours.com before a booking is confirmed, and such changes, revisions or amendments shall be incorporated herein as of the date of such amendment
12. Flexibility
The Clients acknowledge that the type of travel products and/or services booked requires considerable flexibility and acknowledges that they will permit reasonable alterations to their booking. The Client acknowledge that the routes, itineraries, types of transportation or schedules may be modified without prior notice due to various circumstances or events, such as sickness or mechanical breakdown, extreme nature phenomena in the location where the product and/or service will be operated, flight cancellations, strikes and other unpredictable or unforeseeable circumstances which are beyond the control of Uncover Romania.
If We make a major change We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before departure. The definition of a major change is deemed to be a change affecting at least one day in five of the itinerary. When a major change is made you may choose between accepting the change, obtaining a refund of money paid on the land portion of the trip only or accepting an alternative tour offered.
We reserve the right to change an itinerary after departure due to local circumstances or events outside of our control. In such emergency circumstances, the additional cost of any necessary itinerary alterations will be covered by You. Please note we are not responsible for any incidental expenses that may be incurred as a result of the change of itineraries such as visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights.
13. Authority on tour
All our tours except the self-guided ones are run by a tour leader representing Uncover Romania Tours. The decisions of the tour leader are final on all aspects likely to affect the safety or well-being of any person participating in the tour. If the Clients fail to comply with a decision made by a group leader or affect the well-being or mobility of the group, the tour leader may ask the Clients to leave the trip immediately, with no right of refund. The Clients must at all times comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange and drug regulations of all countries visited, and also agree to travel in accordance with responsible tourism guidelines.
14. Acceptance of risk
While we design only tours with a high level of safety, the Client acknowledges all tours involve a certain amount of personal risk and that it is also his or her responsibility to acquaint yourself with all possible relevant travel information and the nature of his or her itinerary.
15. Liability
Uncover Romania Tours is not responsible for any damages, expenses, losses, or claims which are attributable to the fault of any Client, the unforeseeable or unavoidable act or omission of a third party unconnected with the provision of any travel products and/or services or a force major event.
Uncover Romania Tours is liable to the Clients for any damage caused to them by the failure to perform or the improper performance of the contract unless the failure or the improper performance is due to or arises from factors attributable to the consumer or to any third party unconnected with the provision of the services contracted for, are unforeseeable or unavoidable; nor shall Uncover Romania Tours be liable for any failure to perform or improper performance of the contract due to unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control , the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised; or an event which Uncover Romania Tours, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall.
If any damage arising from the non-performance or improper performance of the services involved in the booked tour, the Clients agree that any compensation payable shall be limited in accordance with the Romanian Law that governs such services. In the case of damage other than personal injury resulting from the non-performance or improper performance of the services involved in the booked tour, the amount payable to the Clients shall be limited to a maximum of the price which the Clients paid for the booked tour, not including insurance premiums and administration charges.
16. Financial protection
We will provide security for the money You paid for the travel products and/or services booked from us and for your repatriation in the event of our insolvency, based on our OMNIASIG Insurance Policy number 49299.
17. Photos and marketing
You agree to let Us use images of yourself taken during the trip for advertising and promotional purposes in any medium we choose as long as these images do not offend your dignity. You grant us a perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide, irrevocable license to use such images for publicity and promotional purposes. You are entitled to deny the use of these images for this purpose based on the stipulations of the Romanian Law 677/2001.
18. Claims and complaints
If the Clients have a complaint about the tour he or she should inform the tour leader in order that he or she can attempt to rectify the matter. If satisfaction is not reached through these means then any further complaint should be sent in writing to Us within 5 days of the end of the tour.
19. Governing law
The laws of Romania govern these Booking Conditions to the fullest extent allowable. Any disputes in connection with a trip or these Booking Conditions must be initiated in the courts of Romania.
20. Updating of terms and conditions
Uncover Romania Tours reserves the right to update and/or alter these terms and conditions at any time, and it is the Clients' responsibility to be familiar with them. The latest terms and conditions can always be found on www.uncover-romania-tours.com and will supersede any previous versions.
The price includes tour guide services, accommodation plus breakfast and dinner every day, transportation including driver, car and gas costs, planning costs, specialized local guides if necessary.
The price does not include plane tickets, travel insurance, visa costs if applicable, entrance fees, meals except those mentioned above, activities booked locally by the clients themselves.
The price below is per person and can vary according to the timing of your booking. The price is based on two persons sharing a double room.
Discount rates for children under 14.
Group of 2 persons: €1,585 per person
Group of 4 persons: €1,015 per person
Group of 6 persons: €800 per person
Contact us for a different group size quotation.
€800 per person for a group of 6 people
The price is based on two persons sharing a double room. Contact us for a single supplement quotation.
Available dates 2019:
September 7-13; September 21-27; October 12-18
Other dates are available upon request.
Payment methods
Credit card, bank transfer, PayPal, cash (only for certain tours). The fees related to the payment methods are not included in the prices above.
Contact us if you'd like to get a price quotation for larger or smaller groups or a shorter/longer version of this tour.
Cluj-Napoca or other cities
Cluj-Napoca or other cities
Breakfast and dinner every day
Local guest houses
Around 700
Car or minivan
3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Landmarks: the Memorial of the Victims of Communism, Elie Wiesel Memorial House, the Jewish Cemetery, the Village Museum, the Merry Cemetery, the Florean Museum
Plus: traditional villages and local artisans, village walks, Gutaiului Mountains
Discount rates for children
PRICE from
Thank you for such a great day! We truly appreciated and enjoyed you sharing your knowledge, expertise and passion for Bucharest! We would not have been able to truly appreciate the city without you and the information that you provided (...Read more
What a great tour, we were met at 08:30 at our Hotel by Diana for our Full-Day Historical Bucharest Private Walking Tour . We were then driven to the Parliament Building for the start of our tour. I won't go through all the places we visited, but...Read more
Sighet Memorial is a former communist prison where Romania's elites were tortured and exterminated during the first years of communism in Romania.
Discover the eight wooden churches built centuries ago in Maramures are part of the UNESCO World Heritage of Romania.


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Short answer:
Using a smartphone is the easiest way to book and get trip instructions on the go, but you can still use Car Next Door without a smartphone.
Having a smartphone is highly recommended as it makes booking, finding and accessing the cars ridiculously simple. It is always a good idea to ensure you have a fully charged mobile phone before you start your Car Next Door journey.
You can still use Car Next Door without a smartphone. 15 minutes before your booking starts, you'll be emailed all the details you need for your trip, including where to find the car, how to access the lockbox, fuel and parking instructions, and how to end the booking.
How to find the car without a smartphone
Log in on a computer within 15 minutes before your trip starts and go to "My Trips" to see the car's real-time location on a map.
How to get a Lockbox code without a smartphone
- Log in on a computer within 15 minutes before your trip starts and press 'Generate PIN'; or
- Call us (a $2 call centre fee may apply) on (02 8035 8000)
How to end a trip without a smartphone
To get the lockbox code at the end of your trip, you can reply to the SMS you received at the start of the trip with the text 'X'. You will get a code within a few minutes. Sending this SMS will also end your booking.
Call us if you need help - a $2 call centre fee may apply (02 8035 8000)