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A Short History of Life Insurance
Think about this. You have spent years building your business into how it is today. Tirelessly you built up your staff and gathered trusted associates who are around you. You might have even brought somebody in the business to get on some additional expertise that you were unable to get to the business enterprise yourself. Now you can easily take pleasure in the fruits of the labors, content that your organization continue growing and pay back each of the hard work and extended stays it loved arrive at what your location is today. Or could you? Think about your most trusted and important salesman or developer, and what you should do should they were to suddenly expire. Could your small business survive? Do you have the resources reserve that it would decide to try recruit and replace that person? These are important questions to ask yourself when you"re focusing on the longevity of your company and its particular continued survival.
When we take a look at life plans today, we are able to choose from a wide selection of plans. One of the main reasons why people choose term life insurance plans can be so they have certain amount of cash locked away to take care of them if they are don"t capable of working and making profits. Retirement plans or pension plans are specifically built to help give the insured following a certain age, in the event the amount matures, and so the insured can also enjoy retirement on the fullest.
Life insurance is easy to understand. Basically, it becomes an agreement produced by you and the insurance provider. You will be called as the policyholder which is necessary to make regular payments known as the premium. This premium acts since your contribution. Then you have to determine the family members which team you will consider since your beneficiaries. Depending on the kind of insurance that you"re going to purchase, you may be built to give the premium to activate your policy. If you meet an accident or something that is covered with your policy, then you can certainly be justly compensated based on the amount as agreed. This benefit is known as a "death benefit". This can be given in one time with the company or in installments, depending also about the agreement created by the deceased and the company.
One drawback to a no load or low load insurance policies is that you won"t receive of the same quality customer service like with other plans. Since you have no agent to make contact with, you"ll have to go directly over the company. It might take longer to respond to questions or have other service done with regards to your plan. One exception is when you can get a no load plan through your work, club, or other form of association or organization. In that case, you will have a number of other visitors to talk to and getting service could be easier.
The good news is that even social security recipients can still take out some life insurance coverage, although amounts are limited and they"re going to still must be in good health to get approved. click the next web page One recommendation is good for seniors to obtain enough insurance to cover 2 to 3 years price of home loan repayments simply because this money will help their surviving spouse be able to maintain the home, cover the costs, and buy some time when he or she decides what direction to go next.


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I am trying to make the transition from iphoto/jpeg to lightroom 4/raw and finding the language confusing.
Is there an industry standard definition of terms such as "saturation, contrast, definition" etc. At the moment
I feel that I am pushing sliders left or right without any real understanding of what might improve my images.
Links to books/websites much appreciated. Thanks

subset: commoncrawl


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Mike and I would have to say that our favorite Vegas show is The Beatles LOVE.
In fact, I think we have seen it at least five times, perhaps six but recently we were able to go behind the scenes and see all the action that goes on backstage.
Earlier this year a then acquaintance who is now a friend told us that his daughter was one of the dancers with this Cirque Du Soleil production. He suggested that the next time we were in Vegas we should let him know so he could get us a backstage tour. As it worked out the next time we were in Vegas our new friend and connection Tony and his wife were there too.
Our hosts and their daughter.
Have you ever been to LOVE? If not it is a "Must" to add to your bucket list.
After witnessing yet another eye-popping, head nodding, foot stomping, awe inspiring LOVE performance we were fortunate enough to go through these doors and see what magic, organization, attention to detail and critically precise timing goes on behind the scenes.
For those of you that have already been to this production you will recognize some of the props we discovered back stage.
Such as the Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band drums
and the Lady Madonna wellies and laundry line.
There were costumes galore
and I was surprised to learn that there are actually two converted electric white Volkswagen Beetles. One that is reinforced for dancers to dance upon and the second that is able to be pulled apart during the performance.
Then there is what I call the "Lace car".
This might have to go on the front of our Christmas card this year.
Dr. Robert, the tea distributing, risk encouraging character from the show gave us a close up look at his tea pot and showed us how he has learned to create smoke rings with it.
We were also impressed with the on sight physical therapy room and medical clinic and the practice area with its many flags representing the diversity of the cast
Injuries are a constant concern and the list of performers that were unavailable due to injury was a reminder of the risks that these dancers and athletes are exposed to during every practice and show.
The Beatles, I grew up listening to them. Abby Road was the first album I bought for myself and I never tire of this classic rock group's extensive song book.
Layering that world renowned rock sound with the added dimension of fast moving, color infused eye candy is what makes Beatles LOVE so unique and creates a multi-sensory experience that you will never forget.
To help us remember our spectacular evening we were given a poster that had been autographed by the entire cast. I recently got it framed and we now have proudly hanging in our home.
Every time I look at it I know I can't wait to see and experience it all again.
Thanks again to the Smids.
More than a few of you have asked if we have finished our Master bedroom project. The answer is yes, sort of. So why haven't I posted our reveal? Well, while the construction phase is behind us I am still waiting on a few key pieces of furniture. That, and the fact that life has been in full gear here lately and I just haven't had time for blogging. Here is a recap of why I have been a MIA blogger of late...
The last week of January Rosie and I helped our baby girl celebrate her birthday,
I've also been immersed in pulling this event together for the Red Cross.
Anyone interested in buying tickets to this event should click here.
Earlier in February we took a break from the winter blast to visit a windy but somewhat warmer Monterey County in California. It was our first time there and we visited Carmel-By-the-Sea,
and Mission Ranch.
We found some time to visit a few vineyards,
and I experienced my first golf tournament - the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach.
Yes, it was blustery
but when the weather gets tough the tough go shopping.
We drank too much fabulous wine. Is that really even possible? :D
And we ate like royalty at some spectacular restaurants including Casanova, Peppoli's, Rio Grill, La Bicyclette, and the Sardine Factory.
But best of all we met some great new friends.
Thank you Doug, Tara, Sheryl and Allstate Dealer Services for one memorable week.
Thank you to Rose Mary and Heather for being such great shopping buds and thank you to Trish and Henry for introducing us to Uber.
Looking forward to seeing everyone again soon.
I saw this video earlier today and just had to share it. Cynics may dismiss it as a marketing ploy and as marketing goes it is brilliant. But it also awakens that childlike side of us that never gave up on the idea of Santa Claus. It reaffirms our belief in the spirit of giving, the goodness of people, and a pride in what humans can do when we pull together. I would love to meet the person that conceived this idea and had the ambition, tenacity and leadership to see it through to such a fine finish.
Merry Christmas,
Last year I went shopping in NYC with a friend. It was so much fun we are going back for more. We like to call it the NYC Reunion Tour.
This is one of those things that I never seemed able to squeeze in when I was younger so I am making up for lost time now. Time with a bestie and shopping. Does it get any better? I am so looking forward to going but really, half the fun is getting ready for the trip.
I start planning what I will take about a week ahead of time. I pull things I am thinking about wearing and hang them at one end of the closet. A few days later I edit those down to a few favorites that will pack well, don't weigh down my suitcase, and will still look good even with a flat walking shoe because Lord knows when it comes to NYC and shopping we will be doing a LOT of walking.
After I have narrowed down my major pieces I add in the jewelry, shoes, and a handbag for each look. Hopefully there will be a lot of overlapping of accessories.
Today, I got on the computer and then looked up some of my options online and added them to my Polyvore account. It is like playing paper dolls without the mess. Too much fun and time I definitely did not have but I did it any way. I'm bad like that.
The upside is that I can tell when something just isn't right. It needs a boost of color, or a longer or shorter top - that sort of thing. It's a bit like taking pictures of things in my home and when I see them on the computer I am able to see things through the camera's eye that weren't so obvious to me before.
So here is are my planning and playing results...
A short denim skirt and a tank top. Easy peasy.
I feel like I have been living somebody else's life these past two weeks.
My world has been in a whirlwind. There is so much to share and I hope to elaborate further but for now here is the short version of the last fourteen days.
For starters, there was The Traveling Door 2013 event.
This was a terrific success and I want to say thank you to everyone that was able to attend.
As soon as it was over, though, I had to hurry home and begin packing for a trip to Seoul, South Korea. This is way out of the box for me. Other than Canada and Mexico, I have never been out of the US so this was a very big deal in my world.
With everything going on in the news I was more than a little bit anxious about making the trip but I am so very glad that we took a risk and expanded our vistas.
It was an amazing experience. We saw castles,
and we were even tricked into visiting the Demilitarized Zone (which may have been our coolest sight seeing venture).
It was seeing history as it is happening.
These ribbons are left by family members as memorials and testaments to their relatives separated by war and a divided country.
We discovered a robust and very modern South Korea
along with more traditional venues.
We experienced fantastic dining options.
Top Cloud, Seoul, South Korea
and the fish market.
We rode a bullet train,
went to the beach in Busan,
Shopped the largest department store in the world and the electronic district.
I've never seen so many cameras in one place!
But most importantly we were able to see our son marry this beautiful woman and meet her delightful family. They made us feel so welcome and went the extra mile to make sure our trip was perfect.
Lucky me, right?
We have been back for a couple of days and I still have my days and nights turned around but I am starting to feel like myself again and hope to be up and blogging again this week.
Have a wonderful weekend.
I married a man's man because that is the kind of guy I like.
What I didn't realize is that his take- charge kind of personality permeates into every dimension of my life. For the most part I like it. I have probably embraced it but as I get older I realize that in so many respects I defer to him. It is easy to become complacent and lazy when somebody else is willing to do all the work. Don't misunderstand, I feel like an equal in my marriage but when it comes to the details like travel arrangements, which cell service carrier we should use, or refinancing the house, I let him take over. Since we became empty- nesters, though, I am making a conscientious effort to become more involved in the day to day along with the bigger picture decisions.
From the small things like figuring out why the Tivo isn't working to the bigger issues such as a better understanding of our investments and someday retirement funds, I am striving to be more of a partner than a follower.
Just last week I went to New York City with a friend who is married to an incredible man's man too. Between the two of us we felt like a couple of 50 something rookies. It may be symptomatic of our generation. I guess I am a throw back to the Mad Men era (Betty not Peggy). I used to fly by myself a lot when I was in my twenties. After the kids came along we did everything as a family. Other than a few road trips with my daughter and flying with my mom and aunt last year, I really haven't traveled much without my spouse.
Well, my friend's husband had planned this trip as a gift. All we had to do was get to the airport, figure out how to get checked in, find our connecting flight, meet up with the driver and find our hotel. Easy enough for most people but if you haven't done it for years it is a bit intimidating.
It isn't like we haven't traveled before, we have, but usually, like sheep, we just follow our guys. This time we were on our own.Both of our men were out of the country and out of cell range. We were flying solo. Guess what? With a little help from her daughter we did it! and I have to say there is a real sense of accomplishment and independence that comes with trying something new and being successful at it. I felt like a real grown up. Now I can't wait to go again.
Here are just a few highlights from our girl time getaway.
The site of the 9-11 Memorial
The Memorial Museum scheduled to open in 2012.
One World Trade Center.
I love how it stands so proudly and defiantly above the museum and Memorial Pools as a confirmation of our united determination and spirit.
God Bless the USA!
I'm glad we were able to see this, even though it was so unGodly hot.
The rest of the time we spent on more self-interest pastimes such as this amazing musical,
and some pretty stellar shoe sales.
KR laying out our plan of attack for the next day's shopping circut.
Google Maps are great but sometimes there is nothing better than an old fashioned paper map for being able to visually grasp the layout of the land.
Lunch at Bergdorf Goodman's where two salads and two glasses of wine will set you back about $100.00
Sadly, I would do it all again.
The Express Elevator to the eighth floor of Saks which is the epitomy of
These were just a few of the lovelies that awaited us.
A pair of these followed me home in nude.
A splurge yes, but I do crazy things like that when I am traveling.
These Miu Miu wonders were stunning but really, I don't have anywhere to wear them so I sadly had to bid them adieu.
I had added some "hope to find" things to my NYC Shopping Pinterest board and I was able to score this carry everything 8th wonder of the the world at Century 21.
Thank you God.
On the streets there is just so much eye candy.
My guy would have been all over this jewelry store
and this necklace made me think of my mom.
My daughter would have obsessed over the window displays and design and branding elements.
I had to give kudos to Louis Vuitton for the most eye catching windows.
It was an incredibly fun week and I wish I could do it all over again.
We became pros at hailing a cab and the concept of charge ship. Not once did we get lost.
Yay us!
Next time we said we would be sure and get to Soho but all in all we are just proud to say that we arrived, we saw, we shopped, and we did it all by ourselves.
Those guys may regret ever sending us on this trip because they may have created a couple of grown up, independent travel machines.
Thanks guys.
I just returned from Vegas.
I love it there but there were some moments early on where I wondered if this trip would really happen.
On Thursday we got off to a rough start. A few hours before we were supposed to leave I realized I had a UTI.
Uff da!
Color us determined. I threw a few more things in my suitcase, zipped it up and heaved it into the back of the car. After a break-neck-speed detour to a med stop and still another to the Target Pharmacy closest to the airport, we were beginning to think that we might just pull this trip off after all.
While waiting for the prescrips to be filled we keep eyeballing the time and my hubby was relentlessly giving the pharmacist the evil eye every time she picked up the phone or fielded a question from someone else. It reminded me of the scene out of Planes Trains and Automobiles where Steve Martin keeps pointing to his watch and mouthing the words, "I've Got To Catch A Plane". Apparently intimidation or the squeaky wheel does get the grease though because it worked and twenty minutes later we have the drugs in hand and we were back on schedule.
The plane ride was less than stellar.
You just don't realize how rough that silver bird rides until you are racing down the take off runway with what feels like an increasingly ballooning and urgent bladder and visions of imminent release running through your head.
Good times.
Once we were up in the air things seemed a bit easier but then I had another issue looming.I don't think I am alone in this, but I confess I have a borderline neurotic fear of airplane lavatories.
I have since learned that apparently self portraits taken in airplane bathrooms is kind of big thing. Who knew?
How much time did that take and how long was the line on the other side of the door?
I can't explain it but I will go to utter extremes to avoid these water closets and I have been very successful at this for years...until last week. As a result I have very little experience in this area. Not only do I think they are disgusting but I hate to appear like I'm not in the know or in control of the situation. Since I have avoided these facilities all these years and I am so clueless as to how it all works I am also afraid of appearing like a moron. Who would think there was anything to master regarding this subject but apparently there is.
How weird would it be if after the safety schpeel they gave us a toilet tutorial?
Well about an hour and twenty three minutes ( not that I was keeping track) since my last ditch visit before boarding the plane I knew I would have to succumb to my fears and walk the plank towards the rear of the plane.
About the time I made this bravely momentous decision the beverage cart as if on cue could be heard ambling down the aisle and of course came to a heart stopping halt right next to our row and effectively blocked any escape from my seat.
Really? Not wanting to draw ANY attention to myself, I suffered in silence. Of course this is a discount airline and there is a charge for EVERYTHING. So a money transaction is required for every freaking item on that stupid cart. Add to that the fact that this plane is also on its way to Vegas and everybody other than us appears to already be in a mentally altered party state of mind. They can barely make change or they are determined to reach that carefree Vegas level of insobriety before landing. You know what I mean, those fellow passengers that can be heard yelling to someone in their bridal party seven rows back and asking for beer money which somebody has to dig out of their purse and then pass telephone style over the heads of oblivious headphone donning or passed out passengers.
Meanwhile the beverage cart just sits.
Good grief! Don't you all see I need some relief here????
Finally the cart mercifully inches forward and I make a my dreaded trek only to be stopped in my tracks by a glowing OCCUPIED sign.
And we're not talking Wall Street here.
Okay, I can handle this. Just because I am standing and gravity is now having an adverse effect on me, I am now willing myself to not embarrass myself or the hubs.
My Norwegian stubborness finally serves a purpose here. That and all those kegles.
Of course, as the door opens one of the largest women ever is with great effort manipulating her way through that teeny tiny doorway and tottering towards me.
Oh God, where do I go?
I dive out of the way and pin myself to the back of the kitchenette and I'm brushing up against the the coffee pot. I let her pass with out making eye contact. In my dire state I think evil thoughts along the lines of "Honey, does this plane make my ass look big"? Pain makes me mean and it's possible I just might roll my eyes as she lumbers by so I look down instead.
When I finally look up I see the lavatory door closing and I realize someone has beat me to the pass.
Oh, I see how it goes. You have to play aggressively here.
I keep my eyes peeled on that door and I stand my ground this time. The door opens this time and I pounce forward but as I finally wrestle my way into this tiny metal rabbit hole I discover that I don't know how to lock the door.
Panic! How hard can this be? What is wrong with me?
I'm an idiot!
How old is this G. D. plane? All the signage has worn off except a trace of some obscure Spanish direction on what not to do with feminine products.
Crap! How do I lock the door? There is a lone worn sticker on the door that says something about locking during take off and landing but half of it is missing and I am afraid this is some sort of ancillary lock and I'm convinced that a siren will go off it I use it. Then I will be bombarded by flight attendants or maybe even a federal agent knocking me to the ground for committing some federal offense.
I have a vivid imagination and I've been told I have a flair for the dramatic.
Could they put me on a do not fly list?
I like to think I am of at least average intelligence, so why can't I figure out how to lock the damn door???
How about a simple locked/unlocked or Occupied/Not Occupied sign or for those of us that are really stupid maybe some picture clues?
Something like this is perfectly understandable. Not on my plane.
The sense of urgency is overwhelming me now so I decide to just hold on to the handle for dear life to avoid someone turning and opening it at my worst possible moment. My luck it would be a small child and I will be arrested on some sort of flasher/ child molester charge.
I should have stayed home.
So yes, it was a rough start to what we were calling an anniversary getaway, even though our anniversary is still over two months away.
Finally, though, we are wheels down in Vegas. I sprinted off the plane to the nearest ladies room. It had been two hours and seven minutes since my last debacle. I made a game out of how long I could go without a repeat performance.
After checking in to the hotel we went right up to our room and I must say a bed never looked so good to me or felt any better.
A good night sleep can do a body wonders and that bed and those pillows at The Bellagio were heavenly.
No, you just can't keep a good woman down and by morning I was feeling much better.
Ready, set, shop!
Shopping in Vegas requires a LOT of walking. If you are going be sure and wear comfy shoes. You can look cute later.
My hubs actually put me in cab right after lunch and directed the driver to the Palazo Shops. Wow. Do you think he wanted to get rid of me?
He did a bit of gambling and I did more than a bit of shopping. That's how we roll and how we have stayed together for so many years. It just works for us.
One of the evenings while we were there we went to a concert of Frank Sinatra music performed by Clint Holmes and Vince Falcone.
We weren't expecting much but it was superb. A forty-piece orchestra and the whole bit. Fabulous.
After the event and having a couple martinis under his belt my better half actually "borrowed" this sign from out front.
We both felt pretty bad *ss but I don't think they cared because the next day he asked them to package it up and ship it home for him and they did. It was pretty obvious what we had done and they just laughed with us.
I guess we are really more dork than delinquent.
The whole evening was magical and the highlight of the trip for us was dinner at Picasso out on the patio by the fountains.
Life doesn't get much better than this.
Thanks babe for an awesome evening and an incredible life.
So glad I said "I do" all those years back and so happy we didn't let a little set back the other morning keep us from adding this adventure to our reel of memories.
I usually don't like to write about going on a trip until I get back for what should be obvious reasons. So, you may not know that last month the big guy and I took a couple of days and met some great friends down in Vegas.
We stayed here.
I won't bore you with a bunch of trip photos but I will say that Vegas in December is incredibly festive.
There is just so much eye candy in this town but particularly at Christmas.
I loved this Grinch made entirely of chocolate.
In Vegas there is so much do do but one of our favorite things is going to the shows.
We were totally stoked and couldn't wait to see this one
but I would have to say we were horribly underwhelmed.
One of the highlights for me on this trip was an excellent and forever memorable dinner at a Russian restaurant called The Red Square.
Caviar and vodka reigned. I loved it.
The memory though that will be etched on my mind and in my heart for years was standing with Mr. Rosie on a chilly December evening, sipping Sambuca outside and watching the Bellagio fountains.
In a word:magical.
When they performed The Hallelujah Chorus I was totally moved. If that music and the corresponding and choreographed sight doesn't give you a little religion I don't know what would. Seems a bit improbable to have a moment like that in Vegas but I guess it can happen anywhere.
This post, though, is not about the trip but how I pack for a trip.
On a day to day basis I am a great list maker but for trips not so much.
The only list I make is for my electronics.
iPhone, check.
iPad, check.
charger, check.
Technology covered.
As for my cosmetics, by this stage of my life I have my face down to such a routine that it is fairly simple. I set my toiletries out in the order I put them on. Hair products are bit more complicated because so many of them are liquids which is an issue when flying and styling tools add weight to my suitcase and yes, I am usually that woman that checks in with a bag weighing 49.5 lbs. So these things take a bit of thought. Pairing down hair products usually means transferring my shampoo, conditioner and styling cream into smaller bottles because I like my own products so much better than the freebies the hotels offer. As for the basics, I buy a sample size of toothpaste, deodorant, and hairspray.
Even with all this effort, to my husband's disappointment, I will never be that super cool and confident woman smartly pulling her carry on bag behind her. You know, that woman that never needs to check her luggage. I kind of hate her because seriously? my liquid toiletries would never fit in one of these.
Since I have to donate a percentage of my prime suitcase real estate to cosmetics I find myself looking at my clothes and mentally calculating how much they weigh. I do the same thing when I go to the doctor.
I wear the heaviest items on the plane often times looking like some sort of indigent woman with fourteen layers of clothes on.
The only exception would be my boots. They usually end up in my suitcase even though they are heavier because when it comes to what goes on my feet I have to consider how easily my footwear is to slip on and off. I don't want to be that woman that has to sit on the floor struggling to manipulate her midwest calves into a pair of zip up knee high boots.
Air travel, when did it become such a science?
So after I have pulled together my electronics and cosmetics it is on to the fun stuff...
what to wear.
No long lists for me. When it comes to the clothes I am going to take I have a totally different approach.
I just figure out how many days and nights we will be gone and then I add one extra outfit for each because a girl has to have options.
I try and stay in one color family - usually black. Not only because I have probably mistakenly convinced myself that I look slimmer in black but also because everything mixes and matches so easily. Color comes with the accessories; a handbag, tights, or a scarf.
Then I lay out each outfit from giddy up to whoa.
That means undergarments, shoes, jewelry and accessories - the whole deal.
I confirm my stellar eye for style and repeat.
I'm a very visual person. So the upside of this method is I don't forget or overlook anything. For example, I don't end up with all black bras and a white shirt. Plus, I can look at my line up of outfits and tell myself that the boots I am wearing on day 1 will also work for evening 3. Thus, consolidating and keeping that bag weight limit in check.
Another little trick I use is to put my costume jewelry, all twenty pounds of it, in my purse. This allows me to take a few more pairs of shoes or boots. I do get some interesting looks though when they x-ray my purse and I lean dramatically to one side while carrying said purse.
So, when I was packing last month my mom stopped by. I knew how ridiculous my method looked by the expression on her face at seeing by clothes spread out all over the floor. So I decided this was worthy of a blog post with pictures so you could get a chuckle out of it too.
It's a good thing we weren't going on an extended trip because I was quickly running out of hallway.
Happy travels.
Don't forget tomorrow is Motivated Monday and next week will be laundry and kitchen organization and a decorating update.
This has been a harried week.
Thank you again for all of your concern and prayers for our family and our son James.
He is still in Tokyo and other than being a bit hungry he is relatively safe.
Even so, I now have the Tokyo Embassy on my cell phone
and I read their updates daily.
Never thought that would happen.
While all of this was happening Mike and I were in Dallas.
We loved seeing friends but I'm not sure we were the best of guests.
Our bodies were in Texas but our hearts and minds were in Japan.
Despite everything we did get to see the Home Show in the new Cowboy Stadium.
The jumbo-tron is truly immense.
It's like they say -
everything really is bigger in Texas.
Yes, that is our boy Ty.
It wasn't a lot different from our home show here.
It was just bigger and in a much cooler place.
I did find a few things to put on my wish list.
For example,
I really think I need one of these bad boys to help me bring my Christmas tree up from the storage area and then take it back down again in January.
Then, when we eventually remodel our bathroom
I would love to have one of these ingenious little devices in the cupboard to keep all of my styling tools ready and organized.
I took a picture of the display so I can remember exactly what to ask for whenever that time comes.
I know Mike is hoping I forget. :)
I'm pretty sure I saw an eye roll.
How great would this be though?
We came home on Monday and since then I have been catching up a bit on my painting.
Remember this wonderfully wacky mirror I was painting for a client?
I almost forgot to take the before picture.
I started with green but then I put words on it.
Didn't like them.
Painted it black.
Then red.
Now it looks like this.
We are deciding if it really needs knobs.
I did find some fun ones but they add to the cost.
What do you think?
Knobs or no knobs?
Once again,
thank you for all of your prayers and good thoughts.
It meant more than you will ever know.
For now, we are good.
Linking up to party here:
I'm such a blogging slack but I have a good excuse.
Since it was such an unusual Christmas for us we decided to take unconventional to the limit and head for Vegas!
We were actually here for Christmas day but left on the 27th for the gliz, glam and shopping that is Sin City.
The holidays in Vegas?
It really was a terrific way to top off another fun filled year.
2010 was a full one and I had a tough time editing but here are a few of the highlights from my BeColorful filled year.
The year started for us at the GMAC Bowl and meeting Sir Charles.
Then in February we learned that the casinos really do mean it when they say, "No minors". We had gone for the crab legs but Mike and Adam stopped by the slots.
We were quickly ushered out and told we were banned for two years.
I know, bad parenting, but hey we always have the most interesting stories to tell at parties. :D
On Easter I spent a very memorable afternoon with my mom. The flowers at the garden show were stunning and made for some great pictures.
Then in June we watched her walk down the aisle.
This past summer was the second anniversary since the floods.
My high school reunion was in July.
I didn't even think I would go.
You can read about my anxiety here.
So glad I went, though, and I would advise all of you to do the same.
Some things really do get better as we get older.
The morning after? Well that might have been a low point. :D
Thanks for that honey. At least I have make up on..... because I never bothered to wash it off.
This was also the year I had to learn how to make peace with hot flashes.
Gotta love a friend that gives you a flower fan for your birthday.
There were fun memories of times with friends,
new ventures,
great trips,
great shows,
great shopping,
and some amazing holiday moments.
Sadly, this son left Christmas morning for Tokyo.
I am reluctantly acknowledging that I am not the center of his life anymore and, if I'm honest, really? what a fabulous adventure.
Can't wait to hear all about it and see more of his pictures.
The family was dropping like flies because the very next day this son left to go skiing.
and dog sledding in Colorado.
Talk about adventure! I would really like to try that too.
So we figured we would have to make our own fun and we headed to Vegas with our girl child and her hubs.
The Bellagio is always glamorous but it was spectacularlly decked out for the holidays.
These life size polar bears are covered in carnations. This guy was getting a bit of a touch up.
It truly is eye candy over load in Vegas.
it It was a very good and colorful year.
Here's to an even better 2011 and yes, somebody needs a few more blue cheese stuffed olives in that martini. :)
Happiest of New Years.
A new year requires fresh inspiration. I hope you will share yours here on BeColorful's Motivated Monday.
Look at what Gail made at Can't Stop Making Things shared last week - a New Year's Wreath. How timely!
What inspires you? What are you working on? We would all love to see it.
Dear Mr. Wynn,
I am a self confessed Wynn Groupie.
I read that you are single again after forty years.
R e a l l y.
For a brief moment I contemplated the possibilities
but the cold hard fact is that I am still very happily married.
Guess it just won't work out for us on that level.
You will have to just be satisfied knowing I am a huge fan of your interior designs.
You see,
I am one of those people you have heard about.
When I watch a movie I am also canvasing the background and taking in the furniture, the paint colors, the flooring etc.
I know I am not alone.
So many of my readers have told me that they do the same thing.
It isn't much different when I go away on vacation -
especially to Sin City.
Of course I enjoy the time away from the mayhem that is my life
but I also look forward to being constantly inspired by the eye candy that I know I as Vegas.
We have stayed at the Wynn couple of times before.
Thank you, though, for upgrading us to the Tower Suites this time.
Very nice.
The private entrance and easy access to cabs was really quite sweet.
I would also like to thank you for some of those past comps but was it really necessary to report my hubby's good fortune to the IRS last year?
Didn't realize you were such a buzz kill.
Whenever I am in town I do hope to see you though
so I can bow down before you and your design team.
I'm really not sucking up...
well not much,
but honestly,
my two favorite hotels in Vegas are The Wynn and The Bellagio.
They both have the bright colors and casual opulence that I am so crazy about.
Casual opulence,
I just kind of pulled that term out of no where but it describes the feel and look of these hotels for me perfectly.
During my first visit a number of years ago it was love at first sight.
When we entered the lobby of the Bellagio and I saw that fabulous red signature carpet I was a smitten kitten.
This isn't your typical bad or boring commercial floor covering.
It's a traditional carpet in bright fresh colors that give it that modern feeling.
Truly INSPIRED!
As much as I love this one though it is the dark chocolate and white floral carpets that made my heart skip a beat this time around.
They have me rethinking the runner in our foyer here at home.
An unconventional twist on the common runner may just be the shake up and unexpected welcome to our guests that this old traditional house needs.
The carpet below is in the cafe where we like to eat breakfast.
Now this is definitely a colorful way to jump start the day.
While looking down I was mesmerized by these glorious carpets.
Looking up I was awed by spectacular ceilings and chandeliers.
These red chandeliers in the Wynn Encore are off the chains!
Everywhere I look there is something exciting to make a mental note of ... or in my case to obnoxiously photograph.
From the sunny yellow coffee cups
to the closet doors that I have made a mental note to install if we ever build a house
along with the television
and the pop art in the bathrooms.
You didn't miss a single detail.
It was like being on a visual high,
with all of that color and your use of fabrics.
Here is a closer look at the bold trim on these draperies.
Sigh, if only I could afford these custom touches.
It makes me happy just looking at it.
Really Mr. Wynn,
you're on a whole other level.
I am inspired by your use of mirrors
and your flowers are to die for.
After swooning over all of the decorative eye candy
I was ready to do a bit of shopping.
This little beauty literally took my breath away.
Like Carrie said, " I thought it was an urban myth"
This is my dream handbag
Maybe someday.
Do you think it will ever be on Bluefly or Salemail?
Sadly, I had to walk away.
My friend and I hit the mother lode, though, at Donald Pliner in The Forum Shops.
and yes, those bad girl fringe boots and the animal print booties both came home with me. :)
Shopping in Vegas is so different than it is at home.
I love humor in everything ... even window displays.
Who ever did the design concept for this window is my creative idol.
Finally Vegas just wouldn't be Vegas without the shows
We saw The Beatles Love (for the second time but I'm already dreaming about a third)
and Jersey Boys.
They are totally different shows but we throughly enjoyed them both.
Well, I've been home for a week and I'm just now getting caught up and finally sharing my Vegas take in a post
but Steve, dear, I will be back in late winter.
I know you'll leave a light on for me. (Wink)
I would really love you if you could mark that handbag down about 75% and I hope you will save us a spot in The Towers again.
You're such a doll.
Linking up with Whatever Goes Wednesday
This past weekend we went down to the Lake of the Ozarks with some great friends, the Millers, and this is the amazing view off of their ginormous, must- be- seen- to be- believed deck. Now a girl could get used to a view like this. Plus, what a perfect vantage point for the Fourth of July fireworks that are fired off on that little island out in the center.
We've been trying to get down to the lake and the Miller's place for about two years but it is difficult to get four people as busy and as important as we are all together at the same time :)
What was bittersweet about this weekend was it would be the last weekend for the Millers at this condo that they have owned for eight years. Their family is growing and the condo is not so they sold it earlier this summer and are now looking for a bigger place in this area. Mike and I made it our mission to help them find that picture perfect dream home on the lake.
After fortifying ourselves with dinner - and a martini of course- at J.B. Hook's on Friday night,
we set out Saturday morning determined to meet our real-estate objective. I don't know if it was the full moon or the black cat that crossed the driveway at our first stop, but we fell short of achieving our goal. There were some great houses but apparently no "warm fuzzies" for the Millers.
So we decided to regroup. The guys went to play golf...
and the girls went shopping. I'd have to say the shopping went better than the house hunting.
I even came across this little beauty at the Coach Outlet. Instyle is saying it is all about the colorful handbags so not one to be shy I decided to go big or go home and went all out with purple!
We topped off the day with dinner at Docknockers. This place could be a post all on its own.
Usually we would have gone there by boat but it was unusually cool so we opted to drive over. I loved it here. From the nautical dive bar decor to the humorously designated facilities this place was a study in eye candy.
Haha! You've gotta love it but the real reason to come here is for their amazing crab legs. They are served in a bucket with a wooden mallet to break open the shells. I guess I got a little over zealous with the mallet (sorry Annie) but hey I was a newbie and maybe it is an acquired skill :)
The crab meat was flying but it was also delicious - as were the steamers.
Good friends, good food, good Miller Times
Thank you Dean and Annie. Can't wait to do it all again.
Two years ago my hubby saw a downturn coming in the economy and more specifically in the auto business. He decided he wanted to diversify and started talking about a towing and recovery company. He knew nothing about this line of work other than his fascination with the cable show Wrecked. I didn't think he was really serious but I should have known better. He was looking for something that was a bit more recession proof to supplement his current business and he has always, as he says, "loved big trucks". A year and a half ago he bought his first tow truck and a building to keep it in. I would have preferred a diamond. It was fun, though, to see him excited about this new venture. He has always been a risk taker but he is also a pretty smart guy so I encouraged him to take that leap of faith. Six months later he bought a second truck and hired his first employee. Wow. The employee thing made it a bit scarier because now this wasn't just about us. Two years after the dream began he is up to four trucks and three employees. There is even a Hook'er Towing website ( be sure to watch the intro. I love the flash on this) thanks to our tech savvy son-in-law and Page Smith Designs (I love his intro too. Check him out in the top left corner of his site. Funny).
Lately all I have been hearing about is a red Feather-Lite car hauler/trailer that he has been bidding on via eBay. This same trailer has been up for auction three times and each time it goes unsold because the minimum wasn't met. I know now that once my guy sets his sites on something like this he will probably end up with it - or at least one like it. For him the thrill is first in the hunt and then how cheaply he can purchase it. He sometimes tends to overlook the logistics such as where the item is or how to get it home. This latest acquisition was no exception. The trailer he found ... and by the way, do you know how hard it is to find a RED Feather-Lite??? Do you care? I have been told repeatedly that it is like finding a needle in a haystack. Anyway, the trailer he found was in North Andover, Massachusetts - a mere 1268 miles from home - EACH WAY. Being the fabulously devoted wife that I am, I didn't want him to make this trip alone. So I actually volunteered to ride along. Such a sap. I'm thinking there must be a diamond in this for me some day.
I was kind of dreading this trip and I can't lie and say it was awesome but the reality was much better than I anticipated. We did have fun rocking to the tunes, listening to the game on Sirius, and just sharing an adventure together. Instead of cosmetics and blow dryers I packed my ipod, iphone loaded with an audio book since I can't read in the car, a set of bad boy headphones and my laptop for when we stopped. Add in Mike's ipod, Blackberry, the invaluable Garmin GPS and his laptop and we were loaded for bear. We had more chargers than we did clothes. You can tell which item is mine. Even though I didn't wear much makeup I still moisturized :)
When I got bored I took pictures of myself or whatever was around me.
The upside was I had only flown and had never driven this part of the country. It is truly beautiful. We drove through Pennsylvania on 9/11 and I really wish we hadn't been squeezed for time because I really would have liked to have stopped in Shanksville, PA for the memorial services there.
Our reward when we got to Massachusetts was an incredible dinner of lobster, steamers, and shrimp and the discovery that after two days in the car we still had stuff to talk about.
and of course a cosmo.
And yes we did get what we came for. TA DA.... here is the newest addition to the Hook'er Towing family.
I'd still rather have that diamond !:)
ya down in texas we got our own style
we say "we're fixin' to" in country mile
10 cowboys hats and cowboy boots
we say "howdy yall" well ah, howdy doo
we're laid back crazy 'cause it's understood
when you live down in Texas life is good
~Allman Brothers
Hello again, it's you and me
Kinda always like it used to be
Sippin wine, killin time
Tryin to solve life's mysteries
How's your life? It's been awhile
God it's good to see you smile
I see you reachin for your keys
Lookin for a reason not to leave
Bon Jovi
It was six years ago this past weekend that we bought our home in Galena. This was our refuge after dropping off our first baby at Luther College. We cried all of the way from Decorah to Galena. It seems overly dramatic now, but I will never forget my first bath there in the jetted tub with candles and a glass of wine thinking my heart might break. I didn't know then how quickly I would adjust and how special a relationship can be with an adult daughter. The lump in my throat that weekend was somehow eased by the relaxed pace and change of scenery. It was just this past September we watched that same little girl walk down the aisle at the Point Patio at the Galena Eagle Ridge Resort . It seems the memories in this very special corner of the world just keep coming.
Ever since our old boating days I've thought of Labor Day weekend as summer's final fling and this weekend didn't let us down.
There was the installation of our new basketball hoop and the realization that none of us are quite the
hoop masters that we had imagined we were.
A great weekend can't be complete without amazing food so there were Lizzie's chocolate chip
cookies and Rice Krispie treats and Mike's heavenly pasta salad and beef tenderloin.
There were burgers and ribs at Dirty Gurt's and the fabulous
brunch on Sunday at the Eagle Ridge Inn and the photo ops
they presented.
This past Friday we went to Des Moines to see James and Han off for their trip to Viet Nam. While we were there we met Han's family. I think we had all been a bit apprehensive because of the language barrier but they were so gracious and brought over a huge array of food. Food is, of course, a great ice breaker but when all else fails you can always bust out a camera because
mỉm cười
At the airport. I loved the pink polka dotted
bows that Han tied onto her suitcase. I love
the girly girl in her.


text:
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text:
Product detailsHighlights
- Timeless classic design
- Fine knitwear
- Exceptional comfort
Timeless classic! This elegant dress in contrasting colours boasts a cheeky peter pan collar. The long sleeves and adorable knee length exude vintage-inspired charm. The fine quality knit is beautifully soft against the skin. A cute and characteristic dress!
Colour: Black-White, Dark Red Material: 100% Polyacrylic More details:
- Peter pan collar
- Fastener: button at the back of the neck
- Knee length
Care: Machine Wash 30 °C Product Code: 122415
Payment & delivery informationDelivery Time: 2 - 6 business days
Estimated delivery date: 20.02.19 - 26.02.19Shipping with
Payment methods
- Free delivery and returns on orders over €60,00 to Ireland, Slovakia, Finland, Poland, Czech Republic. *
- Returns period until 31/01/2019
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text:
What are those three little words? "Can I Help?" Whether it be DIY or making dinner, there are times when the assistance of a four year old is not always that helpful. Behind the eyes, my brain may be screaming NO but answer is almost always, yes. In general, with a little guidance, the job still gets done, often a little slower than planned but the job still gets done.
But that situation is improving. Our four year old has helped with cooking for as long as he has been able to. From stirring, sprinkling and rinsing to weighing, spreading, cracking of eggs and ALWAYS tasting, he loves to be involved. Our Thermomix is a massive help. The wonder machine that weighs, chops, blends, mixes, grinds, grates, cooks, steams, whisks, kneads and more really allows kids to get involved.
He loves using the machine to cook. It is simple to use and control and with a little assistance he can more or less produce dishes himself. We made bacon and pea soup recently and he was in charge of adding all the ingredients and pushing all the buttons and the result was a great tasting soup which he referred to as "my soup".
Whatever your method of getting kids involved in cooking the benefits can include developing fine motor skills, understanding food and it's components, achieving a sense of accomplishment but it is also quality, fun time too.
Our motives are not entirely selfless though. One of the best benefits of getting kids involved in the kitchen is that they tend to eat what they make. This recipe contained pearl barley, lentils and split peas to name but a few ingredients and when it came to eating "his soup" the bowl was licked clean. This is great for us as it allows us much more variety in our eating. There was a time when our son was a tomato soup or nothing man. Getting him involved in the kitchen has broadened his horizons and subsequently the repertoire of meals we can serve.
This will be an ongoing process which will hopefully allow us as a family to eat broadly and assist in our children having a healthy relationship with their food. Watch this space to see how this journey progresses.


text:
Distressed Finish Wooden Photo Frame
Product Description
Hand-painted and hand-finished, this free-standing thickset and handsome picture frame is a piece of artwork in itself. The distressed finish is that of a chalky paint one, wiped and waxed to create a lovely beach-weathered look, and the frame is designed to sit on a shelf or mantlepiece with a sturdy prop at the back, in either landscape or portrait mode.
Supplier Info: The medium scale manufacturer is proud to be one of the largest exporters of handicraft products in India, with commitment to quality and social and environmental issues. They own two premises employing around two hundred artisans at each location. The manufacturing processes they use involve the traditional (wood carving and pot throwing) and state of the art, modern technology. Components for products are wood, ceramics, terracotta, iron and glass and workers receive paid leave, GPA and bonuses, plus social get-togethers at festival times, twice a year.
Why we love this product!
- Handmade
- Fair Trade
- Hand-painted
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- A handsome frame
Dimensions: Picture window 13 x 18cm
Frame: W: 25cm D: 1.5cm H: 30.5cm


text:
As a former special educator, I knew about ADD and ADHD but it helps to have a friend who is an expert on such matters. I'm shouting out her article here because 1) she's a very kind soul 2) a good writer and 3) it's good stuff. --Thanks.
Help, my child has ADHD: 5 tips for parents - Ann Arbor Special Needs Kids Examiner.com


text:
HYMNS & SPIRITUALS: SORGENFRI KIRKE vol 1 1998-99
MUSIC MECCA CD3068-2, 2001, 15 tracks, 79min
*Over In The Gloryland, *Just A Closer Walk With Thee, *When I Leave The World Behind, ~Bells Of St Mary, ~Royal Telephone, #Burgundy Street Blues, #Salee Dame, #Only A Look, +Lily Of The Valley, +If You See My Saviour, ^Oh I Want To See Him, ^Does Jesus Care, ^He Touched Me
Live recordings from Sorgenfri Church Denmark by *Sonny Morris and the Delta Jazz Band, ~New Orleans Delight with Ken Pye & Mike Lunn, #The Blount Band, +Jensen's New Orleans Jazzband with Brian Carrick, ^Gota River Jazzmen.
Whilst often this type of CD is often the sort that you buy as a souvenir at the time and later wonder what the hell you did it for, this one is actually very good. The fact that the recordings are live means that the perfection you would get in a studio is sometimes missing, but just listen to the natural reverb that the church's design gives to the band!
There is only one surprise in the tunes presented , Salee Dame, a song about whores, but does Jesus care? I doubt it as he was often in trouble for comforting and keeping company with the down-and-outs, including prostitutes.
I was pleased with the session by the late Sonny Morris as he was in fine fettle, something he wasn't always in during his last years. New Orleans Delight is a Danish band that I am not familiar with. They are quite raucous but in a very enjoyable way. The Blount band was making one of its first appearances after the death of leader and clarinettist, Chris Blount. Chris' replacement was Colin Radford and he fits in very well, though trumpeter Dan Pawson seems at a bit of a loose end at times. Jensens New Orleans Jazzband is another Danish outfit. Almost a family affair it is lead by clarinettist Kurt Jensen and has his wife on bass and daughter on banjo. The Jensens have English reedsman Brian Carrick with them and the extended front-line works very well. Last, but certainly not least, are my old mates and great jazzmen, the Gota River Jazzmen. What more can I say about them that I haven't already said? Gothenburg's finest? Sweden's finest? Scandinavia's finest? Europe's finest? world's finest? Listen and make your own mind up. Ok, so I have the Gota River tracks already on their CDs, but just listen to them live at Church and they are different again.
Lovely CD and well worth visiting http://www.cdjazz.com to order a copy.
HYMNS & SPIRITUALS: SORGENFRI KIRKE vol. 2 2000-01
MUSIC MECCA CD3069-2, 2002, 14 tracks, 78min
Lord Lord Lord*, The Old Rugged Cross*, Walking With The King*, Lead Me Saviour~, My Curly Headed Baby~, Will The Circle Be Unbroken~, Precious Lord+, In The Springtime Fair+, Jesus Has Given His Life For The World+, Sing On+, I'll Fly Away^, Just A While To Stay Here^, Pass Me Not O'Gentle Saviour^, There Is Sunshine In The Shadow^.
Live recordings from Sorgenfri Church Denmark by * The Blount Band, ~New Orleans Delight with Kristin Lomholt, #, + Gota River Jazzmen, ^Brian Carrick's Algiers Stompers.
This CD has more wonderful live tracks from jazz concerts held at Sorgenfri Church, Denmark. Whilst the recording quality is excellent there are some small faults. Oft times the piano is under powered and ' I'll Fly Away' has a couple of minor mike squeals. But then, as the Bible tells us in Romans 3:23, 'For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God'.
Before I go into the contents of this album, let me tell you how I go about listening to a CD I am going to review. I normally listen to the CD twice just to get the feel of it. I then listen twice more looking for details and technique etc. When I write the review I run the album again as I write, skipping back and forth to clarify any comments I wish to make, as, indeed, I am doing now. Usually I do this in my 'den' on my old, but quality stereo gear. For Christmas my beloved wife bought me portable CD player. Her reasoning was quite sound: I am burning a lot of records and tapes to CD and she preferred that I sat in the lounge rather than hiding in the den whilst 'test driving' the CD before clearing the tracks from the hard-drive. Subsequently I have taken to 'test driving' whilst travelling on the bus to work. Normally I don't take a review CD on the bus, but on this occasion I have. The interesting thing to me was that, whereas most jazz CDs are best on the main stereo and not so good on the portable player, the Sorgenfri CDs are an exception as they are as good as the other jazz CDs on a big stereo but are absolutely brilliant on the portable. I put this down to the very sharp sound track division that sound engineer (and New Orleans Delight's clarinettist) Kjeld Brandt has used. The music really does get into your head. Add to this the natural reverb of the church building and you really are there. No, honestly, you are. I have been to the odd jazz concert at St Matthews in the City, Auckland, NZ, and this is just how it sounds. Well done Kjeld.
Well that's the sound quality, but what of the music and the bands you ask.
The Blount band has settled in with the new front line and, apart from an odd fluff from trumpeter Dan Pawson, play well with much verve. The tunes are all old Gospel favourites, but they sparkle none-the-less.
New Orleans Delight, a Viking band. I say that because it is a mix of Danish and Swedish members. I if the Swedes are from Skåne and that their inclusion in what was a Danish band a sign that the Danes are re-claiming their old homeland? The front line is trumpetless by design. On the earlier volume they had guest Ken Pye sitting in on trumpet, but this time they fly on their own and shew that they are fine just the way they are. Joining them on two tracks is vocalist Kristin Lomholt. The sleeve notes describe her as being 'the wonderful singer' and I am not going to disagree.
Way down upon the Göta River live my favourite band. What more needs to be said? They play as beautifully as ever and continue to delight me with both their playing and their choice of material. Oh, and pianist Ingemar Wågerman seems less affected by the balance bias than the other pianists. I am not sure if this is because of a different set up for the mikes or whether he was 'pounding the keys' rather than just 'tickling the ivories' on this occasion!
I have another CD that features Brian Carrick's Algiers Stompers, so I know that I will always enjoy anything they put out. Brian is a skilled reedsman, but on this CD he only plays the clarinet. In the hands of such a big man it is amazing how delicate he sounds. I loved 'I'll Fly Away' with Derek Winters half talking and half singing his way through the lyrics.
As I said last time: 'Lovely CD and well worth visiting http://www.cdjazz.com to order a copy.' So off you go then, click on the link and have your Credit Card ready. Just tell them I sent you.
HYMNS & SPIRITUALS: SORGENFRI KIRKE vol. 3 2001-2
MUSIC MECCA CD4023-2, 2002, 14 tracks, 80min
Live recordings from Sorgenfri Church Denmark by * Jensens Jazz Seranders with Brian Carrick, ~ Max Larger's New Orleans Stompers, #, +The Ray Brother's New Orleans Jazz Band, ^New Orleans Delight with Kid Bastion & George Berry.
Lead Me Saviour*, Old Rugged Cross*, Royal Telephone*, The Pearly Gate~, Over In The Gloryland~, Ting-A-Ling~, Cradle Song+, Yes Lord I'm Crippled+, I'm A Pilgrim+, In The Sweet Bye & Bye+, San Antonio Rose^, Jesus Is Calling^, Rivers Of Babylon^, Highways Are Happy Ways^
Another wonderful collection of live recordings from the Sorgenfri Kirke jazz Church Concerts, this time 2001-2002. These really are fun outings and one day I have promised myself that I will be there in person rather than joining in via my CD player.
As always: live recordings are not the same as studio ones. The only faults are the occasional moment with an 'off mike' instrument and the fact that some singers appear to be using a mike set up for instrument rather than voice and thus down on volume and rather 'bass' in tone. But …. whatever is lacking in balance is more than made up for in enthusiasm and ambiance.
So, just who is on volume 3? Jensen's Jazz Seranders with Brian Carrick provide tracks 1-3, Max Larger's New Orleans Stompers, 4-6, The Rae Brothers' New Orleans Jazz Band 7-10, with New Orleans Delight featuring Cliff 'Kid' Bastien and George Berry bring up the rear and playing track 11-14
As on Volume One Kurt Jensen and Brian Carrick weave their clarinet magic and present us with a sound that is too rarely heard in traditional jazz circles. As an aside: Kurt's wife, Nan, is on bass & their daughter, Nina, on banjo and vocals.
Max Lager's New Orleans Stompers are said to play in the style of 'Kid' Thomas Valentine, though with his trumpet phrasing Bo Erisson has a touch of the Ken Colyer's to him too. Their rendition of 'The Pearly Gate' surprised me as, for the first time I can recall, we have a Swedish band singing in their own tongue rather than English. Very tantalising as you can almost understand them, but not quite: rather like when I visited Liverpool for the first time in 1967 and found that the bus conductor and I couldn't quite understand each other.
I must confess ignorance of The Rae Brothers New Orleans Jazz Band. My only excuse is that they are well north of the Wash, let alone Watford or my own border of the Thames. I was most impressed with these rather distinguished silver haired Geordies and as the sleeve notes say they have CDs issued I must track them down to buy one.
New Orleans Delight have done another chameleon act and with Kid Bastion and George Berry in their front line, changed their sound completely. The result is more mellow and relaxed than usual. These boys continually astound me with their ability to 'borrow' a trumpeter and then adjust their style to fit around the said trumpeter and sound as if they have all been playing together for years. This time, in addition to Kid on trumpet, they have George on tenor sax and still manage to pull it off with aplomb. This was especially amazing when you read that most of the tunes they play on this CD are ones that Kid had just introduced them to.
If you love jazz, and even better if you also love The Lord, then buy the Sorgenfri CDs. Of course the best thing would be to go to Denmark, attend the jazz service and then buy the CDs from http://www.cdjazz.com.


text:
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text:
Thanks again for taking the time in your day to talk to us, can you tell us little bit about who you are and the work that you do?
Of course, thanks for having me! My name is Georgia Hill and I'm an artist and illustrator. I mainly focus on creating black and white artworks with bold phrasing and textures, ranging from exhibition works to large scale murals, installations, community based events and client projects. I really like to create powerful works than connect the viewer to the structures, environments and sense of self that shapes each of us, whether it's mentally, physically or emotionally.
I've been following your work around the time you finished your design degree mainly because your final year projects had strong lettering elements in them. How did you find yourself in the world of type specifically? Was it always been a subject/discipline that interested you?
I've always loved letters and words, and how they can be manipulated (whether in writing or visually) to be so emotive and powerful. It's not just the words on a page which shape a message, but this whole world they exist in, and is something I have really carried past my design degree into working as an artist. It can be a really scary thing to dive into because words and phrasing are so personal, but I think that's where some of the most bold works come from.When I was finishing up my degree at UTS (Vis Com), it was really the first time I'd ever been shown you could use letters as a base of a career – I'd always thought if I went down the design/illustration path I would eventually get to draw some nice headlines if it just so happened to be a good week. I studied around the time letterers like Stefan Sagmeister, Like Minded Studio/Luca Ionescu, Jessica Hische and Alex Trochut really took off in Australia, which also combined with a tutor suggested I focus on what I had actually always loved to do (which is drawing letters, not making websites, and thankfully) it really took off from there into artworks instead of design.
Who, what or when were the biggest influence and teachers that helped shape the way you think/work now?
I think I really came into my own style after living and working in Berlin. I was part of an incredible small studio there and met a lot of other great artists who were really coming up as far as graffiti and mural works. It got me out of the rut in my brain and really made me question what kind of work I want to make, and what life I want for myself. I really love that I've gotten to work with some incredible teams and artists over the past five years, which has really shaped how I see and am influenced by things too. I love to look to type and all it's applications (graffiti, hand styles, formal type design, illustrative lettering, branding, manipulation and even day to day use) but also really push myself to look into disciplines or themes I'm interested in but aren't obviously type related.
Definitely – it also means I get to more pizza places haha. I really thrive on the immediate challenges travel can give you, and I need that feeling of my brain working, but I also love the effects of thing you saw 3, 6 months ago finally sinking in and forming that next idea – I feel like the effects and growth takes a really long time to sink in but it's so important and unpredictable. I also really feel more myself when I'm 'away', and have to focus on the main things, which right now are painting and the people who come with that world. Travelling also leaves me with all these contradictory states – it gives me energy and completes exhausts me, makes me want more for myself and for my work, as well as being this constant stimulant. It makes me feel capable and small at the same time, and I think through all these contradictions you really learn something.
Your style is super distinct with playing on textures, mostly hand done, and keeping things black and white, is there a rationale to work strictly in those parameters? Your choice of subject matter in terms of words cover the idea of relationship and time, both very very abstract subject matter what is the reasoning behind that?
I eventually put these limits on myself because they are tones, themes and an approaches that I'm just really passionate about. I really thrive on contrasts, boldness, detail, and messages that connect with a viewers own context and environment to build an overall meaning, which could change from day to day or person to person. I think this stems from me being worried about preaching or tell people what to do with these words, so instead it's an invitation to bring their own story or interpretation to what I've created and have an open conversation or moment of reflection about it. I also think this lets me deal with more abstract themes, as some people read things so literally, or in new ways I can't even predict.
You seem to be at home with working with your hands and not only that you seem to be equally at home transferring those designs into large scale murals. Has it always been a goal for you to work in such mediums?
It's always been a goal for me to be versatile – I'm not so sure why, but I think I like knowing I can get any idea I have across. I'm having to change my mindset on this though, as things get bigger and bigger and asking for help is actually *so* helpful haha. There's mediums I still need to get my head around – oil paint, concrete, leatherwork – which aren't exactly large scale mural works but need just as much time and attention (which might explain why I'm being very slow at getting to it!). I'd always wanted to make sure my work scales up, and I really forced myself to be happy with my style and output before I got to that stage. But more and more it's about being able to execute the idea, so whatever the medium is I'm going to try to get my head around it.
I've never experienced any deliberate push back, but I think there are plenty of small ingrained things that do add up, which both men and women do. Sometimes even the way females talk about their work puts themselves down a peg, whereas guys often have a blind confidence, and I made an effort to try to stop myself falling into this trap. There's a lot of small things to be tweaked, but I've also been very lucky to work with really supportive people, both male and female, who have pushed me and know I want that challenge too. I think collaborating with people and brands shows this too – it's not about who you are but it's what you produce and the attitude you bring to that.
How do you keep things fresh and inspired? A lot of people are usually asked to play out their greatest hits all the time yet you're still standing out in the crowd.
I really push myself with every job, which can leave you a bit exhausted but in the best possible way! When I feel this slipping away from me I try to take a bit of time out to refresh and see what new ideas are there for myself, that will eventually come around into a job again. I always want to see myself do something better every time, whether it's trying a new style, a little tweak, being faster than I was 3 months ago, or putting in 3 more times the detail. I have limits I set for myself – a pretty standard font and a black and white palette – which actually gives me so many exciting directions to explore and build on. I also really make a point of offering a client a latest sketch, a new approach, or some variation of what they're seeing of my work, because often that's at least a year old and my brain is in this next stage. I make sure to ask for more and try to make someone else's project work for what I want to see myself do too.
What are the biggest tips do you have for letterers, calligrapher, and generally typographers? (which is a the majority of our members)
I think it's so important to look past trends – it's a tricky thing, because you need to be informed and know what's happening in your industry at the same time, but you really need to make sure your own style is coming through too. It's so important to look to what make you excited, not just your client or the latest good thing, and be willing to do the marathon instead of a quick sprint. I know it's easier said than done but you can work on your own style, at your own pace, and find success with that when the time is right. Being original to me is so, so valuable, comes in so many forms and has limitless applications.
Is there any parting advice you want to give to us concerning the work or the industry that you want to mention before we say our goodbyes?
Be original, be brave with your work (advice I should take on too!), and be good people! I love that we have such a creative industry where we all shape our own values, integrity and directions, so if we all bring each other up we'll keep thriving. I think this is something Australian creatives do really well – with my friends and I, we have really honest conversations about clients, prices, all of it – so when we're all informed and on the same team we can make this work work for us too.


text:
Okay, seeing the success of the poll and the major lack of updates lately, I'm gonna post Edward's song. I think some people were wondering why I put a poll up though. It wasn't because I have extremely low self esteem or anything like that, its just that the other songs didn't seem to get many comments, but it seems that you guys do want to see them. Here we go.
Ow! What was that for?!
That is not the song you chose!
But this ones better...
No it isn't! Use the original before I accidentally throw your taser off a cliff!
No! Not Tasey!
Oh be quiet.
Fine. Since Star seems to be opposed to the new one, I'll use the original song. Edward's song is Time after Time as performed by Quietdrive. Now I know this is an old song, but I like this version the best, and that kinda works because Edward's been around for a while. (Happy really late 107th B-Day Edward! It was June 20th for those of you who didn't know) And it was JacobFan who introduced me to it, so this is kinda like revenge. Heh heh.
Here's the link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rvmumINKapg Once again, just coverart.
Lyrics: (and explanations)
Lying in my bed (Because he can't sleep)
I hear the clock tick
And think of you (Aww)
Caught up in circles (He lives the same life over and over)
Confusion is nothing new (With all the thoughts he can hear)
You say go slow (He's faster than her)
I fall behind (All her human things are hard to keep up with)
The second hand unwinds (He loses track of time with her)
Chorus (The whole chorus is self explanitory)
If you're lost you can look
And you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you
I'll be waiting
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Sometimes you picture me (In her head, he could tell even with out reading her thoughts)
I'm walking too far ahead (Again, he's faster)
You're calling to me
I can't hear just what you've said (Okay, so he's really far ahead)
You say go slow
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
After my picture fades (Lots of time has past)
And darkness has turned to grey (AKA Twilight!)
Watching through windows
You're wondering if I'm okay (She always worrys about him when he's not with her)
And you say go slow
I fall behind
The drum beats out of time
JacobFan is going to be mad when she realizes that she gave me the perfect Edward song. Haha. She can deal. I'll get a convo up soon (maybe). Star is sick so we haven't been able to do much.
Yay, for 4000 hits! I'm not gonna do anything this time, so that I can do something big next time. Yeah, lame excuse. But I'm using it.
Keep sending those e-mails. We love your ideas!!
And last, Star and I will be at Youth Camp from Tuesday to Saturday of next week. As such, there will be no updates during that time. Sorry!
EDIT: For all of you who seem to like the terrible doodling that I call art, there's a new comic up on my DeviantArt page. Here's the link: http://featherwriter.deviantart.com/art/The-Theater-90546465
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Edward's Song
Okay, seeing the success of the poll and the major lack of updates lately, I'm gonna post Edward's song. I think some people were wondering why I put a poll up though. It wasn't because I have extremely low self esteem or anything like that, its just that the other songs didn't seem to get many comments, but it seems that you guys do want to see them. Here we go.
Posted by FeatherWriter at 9:06 PM
8 comments:
- RaeOfShadows said...
This song is going on my ipod, just like Unbreakable.
Thanks for the songs! I really do love them. And I hope Star feels better!
- July 3, 2008 at 10:02 AM
- Anonymous said...
hey are you guys going to the youth camp called falls creek? if you are please tell me i will be there as well mabey we can meet i am a huge fan of your website! keep it up
- July 3, 2008 at 12:19 PM
- FeatherWriter said...
Nope, sorry Hope. We're going to this Wesleyan youth camp with our church. What's Wesleyan? It's this teeny tiny denomination of christianity. It's pretty much presbyterian, but easier to spell. ;)
- July 3, 2008 at 2:04 PM
- rosestar14 said...
love the song! ha ha jacob fan...wat i like jacob....
o well.
the drawing is kl 2.
as live on
-black rose
- July 3, 2008 at 3:56 PM
- Anonymous said...
cool, I hope you guys have a great time and a wonderful fourth of july!!!!!!!
- July 3, 2008 at 8:26 PM
- New York's Bella said...
This is the perfect Edward song. You guys rock at picking songs for them. I hope to hear more!
New York's Bella
- July 4, 2008 at 1:25 PM
- Anonymous said...
great pic and nice song
- July 8, 2008 at 8:08 AM
- CJ 512 said...
OMG this is the PERFECT song for Edward! Don't worry, FeatherWriter, i like the other idea you had. I'm Too Sexy For My Shirt would be an awesome song for Edward! LOL
Peace and Hufflemuffins
- July 9, 2008 at 3:34 PM


text:
The St. Louis Fed Financial Stress Index (STLFSI) rose appreciably in the latest reporting week, reaching its highest level since the week ending April 4, 2014. For the week ending Aug. 8, 2014, the STLFSI measured -1.202, an increase from the previous week's revised value of -1.288. Last week's increase was the fifth in the past six weeks.
Over the past week, nine of the 18 indicators contributed positively to the weekly change in the STLFSI, which was four fewer than the previous week. Like the previous week, the two largest positive contributions were made by the Chicago Board Options Exchange Market Volatility Index (VIX) and the spread between high-yield corporate bonds and 10-year Treasury securities (HighYield_CRS). Six of the 18 indicators contributed negatively to the change in the STLFSI over the past week, five more than the previous week. The largest negative contribution over the past week was made by the yield spread between the 3-month London Interbank Offering Rate and 3-month Overnight Index Swaps (LiborOIS_3mo).
Over the past year, 12 of the 18 indicators contributed negatively to the change in the STLFSI and four indicators contributed positively. For the 11th consecutive week, the largest negative contribution over the past year was made by the Merrill Lynch Bond Market Volatility Index (Mlynch_BMVI_1mo). For the second consecutive week, the largest positive contribution over the past year was made by the VIX.
For an explanation of the 18 component variables in the STLFSI, refer to the STLFSI Key.


text:
Saturday September 1
My friend Kevin came over from Pittsburgh to ride. The route was announced as 50 miles but it ended up being 45. We started at the Bloom Carroll High School in Carroll Ohio and headed east on Carroll Eastern Road. We then turned north and stair stepped through the cornfields. After we emerged from the fields Buckeye Lake appeared on the horizon. We rode the southern shore past houses and a park and ended up at the Millersport Sweet Corn Festival (www.sweetcornfest.com). As we were pulling up to the festival the bell started to ring announcing that the corn was ready. They do it right at Millersport. They have an automatic husking machine that spits out gobs of corn. After a few pieces of corn and a sandwich we headed back to the high school back through the cornfields. Beautiful weather. Great people. Good food.
It always amazes me the people you meet on a ride. Kevin kept up with a faster group and when I caught up to him I was introduced to Andrew. Kevin started chatting with him and found out he is from Pittsburgh (of all places). Small world indeed.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Millersport Corn Festival Ride Report
Posted by Columbus Rides Bikes at 10:53 AM
Labels: #bikeCBUS, bicycling, columbus rides
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
AOPA is asking the FAA to suspend its study on decommissioning four NDBs in Alaska until a better strategy for transitioning to satellite navigation can be established. In particular, pilots are concerned about the affordability of new GPS technology. AOPA submitted formal comments on the FAA's proposal to decommission the four NDBs along with the associated routes and approaches. While AOPA is a champion of GPS and the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), the organization wants to see that the transition is managed carefully. The NDBs in question are Wessels (ESS) on Middleton Island; Wiley (IEY) at Barrow; Nabesna (AES) near Northway; and Wood River (BTS) near Dillingham. AOPA is continuing to take comments on the issue. Please e-mail yours to [email protected]. You can review the proposal and submit formal comments on the FAA's Web site.
February 18, 2005


text:
Mrs. Linklater answers questions about the comic, sorry, cosmic universe, in between other stuff.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Long Good Bye
AOL is kicking its bloggers [journalers, whatever] out of here as of October 31. Halloween. How perfect. They promise to have a plan to help us move to another spot. Or we can do the move manually ourselves. I wonder if the movers are cute.
I think I'll back up everything in WORD. And then let them move my stuff someplace else for me -- as long as I like the amenities. You know guacamole and chips, free M&M peanuts.
Meanwhile I'll try to make each one of these final days something to remember, as we wind down here at the world's cheesiest place to blog. Sorry, I meant sleaziest.
6 comments:
Wow...wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm really not. And I notice over at the Magic Smoke blog that AOL even added insult to injury by NOT sending emails to many of the bloggers who had just found out some other way.
It's a shame that the community -- those good members of the community, at least -- have to now force themselves into places they've so far never cared to go.
- September 30, 2008 at 8:10:00 PM CDT
Ho-hum. They never gave a crap about us in the first place.
The only downside is you people will never get to find out who I am or where I work. That was going to be fun.
- September 30, 2008 at 8:16:00 PM CDT
I just read the emails & found out now. Have they said why? This is just stupid. They get rid of blogging when it gets bigger & bigger in the world? OMG...what is going on with them? Are they totally folding? Just let some other Bank, I mean company, do a take over! Did someone call their mortgage in? Did they rely on Senator McCain to help them? Has Palin gotten pissed off from all the bloggers saying she is only cute but does not have a lick brains under all that hair? Where are those AOL Sucks pix?
- September 30, 2008 at 11:42:00 PM CDT
AOL has kicked us in the ass numerous times before, but this is the biggest, swiftest kick ever. I'll probably abandon blogging altogether, and resume some of my other bad habits...... I'll miss you! Jon
- September 30, 2008 at 11:58:00 PM CDT
I will be in blogger, same name on it, but I haven't done anything there yet. It's an empty house at this point. Be sure to share your new address :-)
- October 1, 2008 at 11:04:00 AM CDT
Sigh. Not that I have bothered with my AOL journal in forever. Mrs. L.? Decide where you are going sooner rather than later? You, Jon and Mushie are three journals that I would rather not have to do without!
Did you hear me Jon?
Blogger is not as horrible as it seems at first. Let the world know where you are going Mrs. L.!
- October 1, 2008 at 9:48:00 PM CDT