text:
By Daniel Heuman | November 7, 2011
You don't have to spend a lot of money to build a great website. However, you do have to think about your website visitors. Who is using your website? Why? And what's the best way to turn those visitors into clients?
This article answers those questions by teaching you to understand your visitors, avoid common web design mistakes and how to bring in more visitors to your site.
Read Full Article
By Modern Freelance | November 2, 2011
Perhaps you're familiar with the term "scope creep." Perhaps not. In a nutshell scope creep refers to the incremental changes and add-ons that often occur naturally during the life of a project. For example let's say you finish a project for a client and you followed the original specifications to a T. However, during that time the client sent you dozens of e-mails requesting changes and ideas for new features because he didn't fully understand the project's scope. He may say things like "It would be much better if you added this feature, don't you think?" or "On second thought, it might look better if you did this..." Often these add-ons were never included in the original project specifications, but you end up doing them because you want please the client.
Does this sound familiar? If it does, then read on...
By Modern Freelance | October 31, 2011
I'm not sure how advanced your freelance office setup is, but if you're like most freelancers, you probably do not have a credit card merchant account that enables you to accept credit card payments. Identifying the best merchant account for your needs, applying for the account, ensuring you have the proper web platform set up, installing the merchant account on your site, and then paying the minimum monthly fees, which can sometimes run into the hundreds of dollars, is all that is necessary. Of course I'm joking. But in all seriousness, setting up a merchant account to accept credit card payments from clients is no easy task, and therefore, I imagine the great majority of freelancers out there do not accept payments by credit card directly. Until now.
By Modern Freelance Staff | October 11, 2011 | 1 Comment
Everyone makes mistakes. It's part of human nature. Ideally, you learn from your mistakes, configure yourself differently and get back in the game! Remember: even the most successful people in the world started out as beginners and they made mistakes, too. Still, if you just started out in the world of freelancing or have freelanced for awhile but haven't grown as fast as you'd have liked, the please read on.
By Brian Scott | August 11, 2011 | 4 Comments
Learn how to set your freelance writing rates to stay competitive in today's freelance job market. As a freelance writer, you will compete against many writers who are just as talented as you are. You will also compete against writers who write poorly and who offer their writing services at ridiculously low fees. These writers can and do get jobs. Many times you will tempt yourself to lower your rates to match or beat the bids to snag the project. Don't do it! You are a professional. Professional writers don't lower their rates or work for next to nothing.
By April Boone | August 8, 2011 | 1 Comment
Full time freelance work isn't right for everyone. But if you want to supplement your income or retirement then part time freelance work is a great way to earn money in just a few hours each week.
By Bobby Handzhiev | August 4, 2011 | 1 Comment
Already started freelancing? How is it going? Great I hope. Hopefully you have outcome the main issues of the starter - fear, uncertainty, too little customers or too little time. Now what, you still want something... You want to do it better? You want to be more successful freelancer. You want to work less and earn more.
By Modern Freelance | August 1, 2011
As a freelancer, you need to provide great customer service all the time, otherwise success will never be in the cards for you - remember that. Fortunately, you have an edge over bigger companies out there: you can personalize your customer service and thus take better care of your clients. In fact, this can completely set you apart from the rest of the competition and send you straight to the top. Remember: if you take good care of your clients, they will take good care of you.
By Brian Scott | July 28, 2011 | 2 Comments
Why do freelance writers love writing for new magazines? Because new magazines often need freelance writers to write regularly or to pitch articles and column ideas for at least four to six issues in advance. Besides, editors of new magazines are desperate to find freelance talent.
By Modern Freelance | July 26, 2011 | 2 Comments
Contrary to popular belief, freelancing is no walk in the park. You have to take responsibility for your entire future and your overall income, and you have to choose who to work for all on your own. Yes, since you dictate your entire income, you will have to look for clients on a daily basis to ensure that your cash flow is actually consistent. Also, since you are completely in charge of everything, any mistake that you make will only be blamed on one person in the end: you. So, how can you tackle all of these challenges head-on? Keep reading.
By Modern Freelance | July 20, 2011
If you are a freelancer, then one thing you need to keep in mind is that it is perfectly alright to market your own portfolio to various potential clients - and one great way to do this happens to be through blogging. Because of this, you should start a blog as soon as possible where you can add tutorials, articles and resources that will attract visitors and thus increase your overall exposure. Keep in mind, however, that no one will be able to find your portfolio online if don't have any content in your blog yet, so you should start soon. Aside from that, you will also need to build links and learn about SEO. Of course, you will also need decent content before you can build links, but that's a completely different topic altogether.
By Modern Freelance | July 13, 2011 | 1 Comment
Are you interested in freelancing? Are you already a freelancer? Either way, the subject of how much you should be charging for your freelance work will come up eventually. The truth is: different people use different pricing methods when it comes to their services. Some people charge by the hour, for example, while others charge one-time project fees. So, how should you price your services without earning too little or coming across as too pricey? Should you take in bulk work and undercut today's market or should you hike up your prices a bit and tackle less projects? In other words, do you want to be a retail success, like Walmart, or an expensive luxury success, like Selfridges & Co? Let's delve into this a little deeper, shall we?
By Modern Freelance | June 30, 2011 | 2 Comments
If you are currently working as a freelancer like me, then you probably started out working with all the creativity, vividness, spunk and freshness in the world. However, as more time went by, you probably started getting sick of work, started panicking, or just completely lost any motivation and inspiration in your work from time to time. Am I right? Well, you're not alone. Fortunately, I can help you avoid this catastrophe from now on, though. Read on.
By Modern Freelance | June 22, 2011
People say that it is easier to learn from mistakes than from successes, but to be honest, I believe that it is much better to learn from other people's mistakes instead of your own. Freelancers all have personal stories to share, and I am about to share mine with you. Hopefully you will find them more than helpful. Here are my top 5 mistakes as a freelancer and why you should avoid them if at all possible.
By Modern Freelance | June 20, 2011 | 2 Comments
If you are a freelancer, then one of the best perks of your job is to be able to work from practically anywhere. However, you might not be taking advantage of that perk right now if you are still working from home. Although it may be true that your home office (or couch) is extremely comfortable, working somewhere new may actually spark new ideas in your head that can promote creativity, improve your overall business, and give you more chances to network and socialize. Think about it for a second. Okay, now that we're on the same wavelength, get out of that house! If you need ideas on where to work, then read on for a list of great suggestions, ranging from casual spots to work-inducing settings. Try some - if not all - of them out and then work the ones you like into your schedule, so you can enjoy all of the benefits that come with variety as much as possible.
By Shilpa Mudiganti | June 17, 2011 | 5 Comments
Are you a freelancer now? Congratulations! You have already made one of the bravest decisions that any man (or woman) can to take charge of your life. You have decided not to tolerate any more interference from a boss and you want to enjoy the freedom of earning from doing what you really love. Great. But the good part ends right there. The hard part is yet to come. Especially when it finally dawns on you that you do not have a guaranteed paycheck at the end of the month. Therefore, your business plan should include not just establishing yourself as a new freelancer but also how to grow as a freelancer. Listed down are five things that will help you grow and survive when the going gets tough, as it will sometimes.
By Modern Freelance | June 14, 2011 | 2 Comments
Have you ever heard about making residual income as a freelancer? Residual income refers to money that you can get without having to do extra work for it. Here's an example: you might make a theme for WordPress and sell various copies of it, but you actually only had to work in the beginning, when you made the theme, right? Well, any money that you make after that will be considered as residual income since you didn't have to put in any extra effort to get that money. If you are a freelancer, then you should really aim for residual income as an addition to your other freelance work. Not only will you make more money, but you will also make great use of your spare time - and who can say 'no' to that? Fortunately, there are many ways you can get residual income, a lot of which can really help you as a freelancer. Read on.
By Modern Freelance | June 10, 2011 | 2 Comments
If you are just starting in the freelance business, then you probably want to know how you can get more clients. Well, although marketing your services can help sometimes, it would still be best to get other people to rave to new clients about your services. That's right: if other people market your services, you can get more freelance work coming in in no time. All you have to do is hit the right keys - and I can help you do that. Read on.
By Modern Freelance | June 6, 2011 | 3 Comments
Without a doubt, the freelancing world is full of insane competition nowadays. Because of this, you have to step up your game and stand out from the crowd as much as possible if you want a good company to hire you. Think about this scenario for a second: if you had randomly met somebody that you didn't give your number or business card to, would your name actually be enough to help them find you later? In other words, have you ever typed your name into Google and found your services on the first page of results? Let's face it: most employers nowadays turn to the World Wide Web when they want to find new people to hire - specifically to Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter - and they do this for good reason. In a nutshell, these websites are the quickest ways to finding out more about a person beyond what they choose to write on their own resume. So, if you want to create your brand as a freelancer, here are several things you should do...
By Emily Writes | May 26, 2011 | 3 Comments
My foray into the world of freelance writing was not sudden. It had been on my mind for quite some time and my affair with freelance writing started during college days, when I wrote a few research articles and edited my college magazine. Back then, I was not sure that I would make it a career one day, but I understood very clearly that I had a passion for researching and writing and developing my own content, which is why my friends always relied on me for project report writing. But, after completion of my studies and taking my first job, writing took a backseat. Though, in between I was in touch with my first love (writing) through movie reviews and writing short stories, but nothing great happened in my love story.
By Modern Freelance | May 18, 2011 | 4 Comments
Here are some things that you can focus on to outshine the competition, make yourself look like an expert freelancer, and get more work. These things may seem small, but they do make a difference when it comes to any freelance business - believe it.
By Katrina Canlas | May 6, 2011 | 5 Comments
In any endeavor, anyone always starts with nothing - at point zero, null, nil, nada. Apparently, it is one of the toughest challenges a budding online freelancer will experience. This is the point in the change of career of a person that can make or break his decision to be his own boss and work from home.
By Modern Freelance | May 4, 2011 | 6 Comments
No matter what kind of freelance business you might have, you should always strive for turning clients into even better clients and getting your customers to talk about you to other people. Yes, this is the magical formula that will make your business grow - even without spending more money. However, in order to make this happen, you need to ask your clients three specific questions. Keep reading to find out what those questions are and how they can improve your freelance business.
By Raymond Aguirre | May 2, 2011 | 3 Comments
You have seen the advertisements online. Just sign up and get paid to write for so-and-so.com. You get a share of the advertising profits and make some good money while writing about something you love. Pretty attractive isn't it? Well, sure, except for one thing: barely anybody can really make a living on these websites. Despite this, freelance writers still have reasons to get published on revenue-sharing sites that go beyond just financial incentives.
By Allyson Tessmann | April 29, 2011 | 6 Comments
For some, the risk-reward relationship of being able to set your own hours, choose and reject assignments at will, and value your services at whatever fee you can negotiate, far outweighs the drudgery of a stable 9-5. Furthermore, as many people have discovered in the last four years, there is no such thing as a 'stable' job outside of what you can produce yourself...
By Rebecca Sebek | April 27, 2011 | 4 Comments
Freelance writers who want to grow their freelance writing business will be excited to know that in 2011, certain industries will be growing and hiring. These industries will need web content writing, copywriting, blogs, article writing, newsletters, and other writing. It's up to you to take advantage of the opportunity to market you and your writing services.
By Modern Freelance | April 26, 2011 | 5 Comments
When you open up a business book, the very first thing it will tell you is that you need to have a business plan ready before you can start your business. Well, this doesn't exactly hold true when it comes to freelancing. In fact, business plans tend to be completely useless, if not harmful, in the freelance world.
By Raymond Aguirre | April 23, 2011 | 7 Comments
Much of the appeal of being a freelance writer has to do with the flexibility that the job offers. Having the ability to escape the redundancy and confinement of the office cubicle to work anywhere at any time is something that most people can appreciate. However, the writing profession is much more than that. Freelance writing can also be lucrative, and it is possible to make money from multiple revenue streams.
By Modern Freelance | April 22, 2011 | 3 Comments
Whether you are currently looking for new freelance work or are just spicing up your overall paperwork, one secret to getting the job that you want is to create a successful resume. Read on to find out how to do this.
By Modern Freelance | April 20, 2011 | 2 Comments
Have you ever answered a job ad through email by sending your cover letter and resume over? Well, if you have been looking for freelance jobs for quite some time now, I'm going to go ahead and guess that you have done this quite a few times now, too. Here are several mistakes that I have seen in cover letters that are now deemed as notorious, along with what you should do instead in order to get noticed right away - in a good way.
By Modern Freelance | April 19, 2011 | 10 Comments
Without a doubt, becoming an entrepreneurial freelancer won't be easy and this is why a lot of people don't even bother trying it out. However, programs and services now exist out there that can help you make freelancing entrepreneurship much easier. Plus, a lot of them are free! So, don't throw the idea of becoming one out yet.
By Modern Freelance | April 13, 2011 | 2 Comments
Freelancing happens to be very rewarding. After all, it can give you independence and freedom, as well as full control over your personal destiny. Naturally, it can be hard work and it can be challenging from time to time, but nothing can beat being your own boss.
By Modern Freelance | April 11, 2011 | 1 Comment
Client referrals mean the world to the freelancing industry. In fact, a lot of people will say that these referrals can either make or break a business - and it's true. After all, having people refer their acquaintances to you can help you gain more business and, in turn, help you make more money. Find out how to get more business referrals here.
By Modern Freelance | April 8, 2011 | 3 Comments
A lot of freelancers now use social networking websites as a tool to find jobs and this doesn't specifically refer to just YouTube or MySpace, either. No, many other social networking websites out there now exist just for professional connections and relationships.
By Modern Freelance | April 8, 2011 | 8 Comments
List of the top 35 Best Job Sites for Freelancers including developers, designers, writers, bloggers, sales and marketing professionals, other service oriented professionals, and of course employers looking to find great talent.
By Modern Freelance | April 7, 2011 | 2 Comments
Common sense dictates that freelancers should be great at what they choose to do...However, what most people fail to realize is that every freelancer should also have one particular skill in common.
By Modern Freelance | April 6, 2011 | 1 Comment
If you are a freelancer like me, you are probably wondering what the future holds for you. I started freelance writing years ago, but I have only recently come to notice that the rates have gone down significantly since then.
By Modern Freelance | March 29, 2011 | 1 Comment
So now you're a freelancer. Life isn't too bad. You've been awarded a couple of gigs, and you've performed well. The clients are happy. But why do you feel like you could be doing more?
By Modern Freelance | March 29, 2011 | 2 Comments
Saying goodbye to the security that comes with a full-time job for a new and semi-unknown opportunity can be quite nerve-wracking. However, it can give you the ideal situation to get a paying client for the first time, too.
Have you ever dreamt of working from the comforts of your own home and being your own boss, but thought you don't have what it takes to actually start a business? Then freelancing is the perfect job for you!
It may look easy, but freelance work actually comes with its own set of challenges. Some common problems that beginners usually encounter include managing their time well and balancing their new responsibilities...
By Modern Freelance | March 28, 2011 | 2 Comments
If you decide to become a freelancer, you will soon realize that there are so many benefits that come with it - making it a pleasant and welcome change to traditional jobs. Yes, if you want to start a freelance career, you should definitely explore the pros and cons of freelancing before you start. Here are the main benefits you should know about.
By Modern Freelance | March 27, 2011 | 2 Comments
The key to being successful as a freelancer is creating opportunities for yourself. One necessary tool to do this is your online portfolio, which showcases your freelance skills to prospective clients.
By Modern Freelance | March 26, 2011 | 2 Comments
With a lot of talent comes a lot of available work - every established freelancer knows this. As a matter of fact, finding freelance work only takes several quick searches online...However
By Modern Freelance | July 22, 2011 | 1 Comment
I am currently at a point in my career where I have to either turn away clients or get help. Well, I know that I don't want to turn my clients away, so I guess I have to start looking for help. If you are currently in the same pickle, then you must know how scary and exciting this feels - will we sink or swim? Well, one easy way to outsource help would be to hire a reliable freelancer - but what does this mean?
By Modern Freelance | May 31, 2011 | 1 Comment
Without a doubt, starting an online business can be a very smart decision. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you need to work alone 24/7. As a matter of fact, a lot of freelance contractors now exist out there that can give you everything you need to make your online business succeed.
By Modern Freelance | March 29, 2011 | 3 Comments
Do you need to hire freelancers? Would it be beneficial to you? These are easy and important questions to answer before you begin looking for help with your business. Freelancers can be helpful and fun to work with, but if you don't put some time and effort into attracting top talent, you may be sorry.
By Modern Freelance | March 27, 2011 | 1 Comment
Today, many businesses use freelancers to round out their workforces and meet growing staffing requirements. If you're going to hire a freelancer, be sure you do it the right way and take advantage of all the things freelance workers have to offer.


text:
Skip to Main Content
District Home
Select a School...
Select a School
Foothill Elementary School
Heights Elementary School
Highlands Elementary School
Los Medanos Elementary School
Marina Vista Elementary School
Parkside Elementary School
Stoneman Elementary School
Willow Cove Elementary School
Hillview Junior High School
Martin Luther King, Jr. Junior High School
Rancho Medanos Junior High School
Black Diamond High School
Pittsburg High School
Pittsburg Adult Education Center
Sign In
Search Our Site
Our School
About Us
Principal's Place
General Information
Advisory Committees
Weekly Bulletin
Video Announcements
Pitt Stop Online Store
Map of PHS
Academic Programs
AP Summer Homework 2018
Digital and Media Arts Pathway
English Language Arts
Physical Education
Semester Finals
Special Education
Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID)
AP Courses
AP Summer Homework 2019
AP: General Forms and Reports
Green Engineering Academy & Robotics (GEARS)
Mastery Center
Online Classes
California Scholarship Federation (CSF)
Captain's Log Newspaper
Class of 2018
Class of 2019
Skills USA Team
2018-2019 Course Catalog
A-G Requirements
Aeries (Grades and Attendance)
Class of 2020
Class of 2021
Class of 2022
Class of 2023
Graduation Information
PHS Leadership
Pitt Unify
Student Handbook
Safe Schools
Counseling and Guidance
College and Career Center
LMC Courses for Credit
Academic & Activities Probation
Calendar Events
8th Grade Information Night
Parent Liaisons
Aeries (Grades and Attendance)
How do I Volunteer?
Parent Groups
Parent-Student Handbook
Community Resources
Health Resources
Teacher Classroom
Adefuin, J
Aderinto, A
Agudo, K
Ajani, A
Alatorre, A
Aono, A
Arbuckle, T
Arias, L
Arino, J
Arness, J
Arnold, B
Artus, J
Barker, E
Bascomb, P.
Beardsley, P
Belleci, R
Benson, M
Bentley, M
Berton, K
Bertrand, M
Blades, S
Borja, V
Boss, V
Bouskill, K
Brown, H
Bruno, C
Bruno-Thayer, C
Bryant, L
Buckley, R
Bussey, D
Caccavo, J
Calderon, A
Capupus, V
Cartagena, M
Chand, S
Childers, Mark
Clark, J
Cordova, C
Cortes, J
Craft, D
Crosby, B
Dawson, J
DiGiovanni, E
DiMaggio, S
Fast, A
Fickess, D
Finn, A
Forsythe, B
Freeman, E
Frishman, B
Frishman, J
Fu, D
Fulmer, J
Galindo, A
Galli, A
Galli, V
Garcia, V
Garellick, P
Gee, W
Geronimo, O
Golshan, D
Gonzales, A
Goodson, M
Grabin, R
Grady, E
Greub, E
Grover, L
Gutierrez, G
Hastings, J
Hernandez, J
Herrera, A
Hills, N
Hindsman, R
Hsieh, R
Hunter, D
Huntsinger, M
Hussain, S
Hyland, G
Jawanda, J
Jenkins, K
Jocoy, K
Johnson, G
Jones, A
Jones, L
Kaka, J
Kanyuk, J
Karhu, A
Kartane, S
Kleinjans, J
Knight, T
Kumar, R
LaBass, B
Lacasse, P
Larimer, P
Lau, C
Lavios, Ph
Le, D
Leong, C
Leslie, A
Leyva, P
Lohman, K
Lorscheider, R
Lowande, K
Lu, N
Maguire, J
Maher, A
Maloles, P
Mancillas, O
Martinez, J
Masuda, J
Mattson, M
McDonagh, E
McLennan, V
Mejia-Ramirez, J
Mendoza, M
Meusel, C
Miller, M
Moreno, N
Mulligan, A
Naicker, R
Nelson, J
Nguyen, A
Nieto, E
Nordenstedt, S
O'Brien, D
Olazabal, A
Osmer, K
Ozel, B
Padon, C
Parfitt, J
Parker, K
Pease, C
Pedersen, P
Pena, A
Perez, C
Peyko, T
Phenix, A
Plummer, T
Polk, T
Puzak, A
Ramos, C
Reckard, R
Reid, B
Reyes, D
Reyes, J
Reyes, R
Rideout, S
Rodriguez, E
Rohde, C
Rosette, A
Saldana, C
Schick, B
Schmidt, S
Scott, J
Shabaniani, B
Shah, S
Shipe, J
Simmons, T
Singh, R
Singh, Rehann
Smith, J
Spinnato, C
Sydlaske, C
Taylor, C
Tays, J
Tezeno, G
Tezeno, L
Thayer, R
Tiu, A
Traub, E
Trolson, T
Tulanian, D
Valencia, K
Valenzuela, E
Vieira, R
Voqui, T
Wagner, R
Walters, D
Warren, C
Webb, P
Weidenbach, J
White, S
Williams, C
Williams, K
Williams, R
Yates, C
Yu, K
Athletics Forms
Freeman, E
Pittsburg High School
Meet the Teacher
Class Calendar
Questions or Feedback?
Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated)
Terms of Use
Copyright © 2002-2020 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It all started with a little push from MommaBy JAMIE PATTERSON,
- 1590 reads
His name was Kenneth. He was supposed to be in a special education class. It was said he would never walk. He was told his speech would prevent him from participating in class. Doctors said his crooked spine would keep him from playing with other children.
But those doctors obviously didn't know Kenneth's mother.
It was the beginning of the school year, and I was in third grade. That was the day I met Kenneth for the first time.
As I jumped off my school bus and tugged at my book bag, eager to get to class and catch up with my old friends, I noticed a red van in the drop-off line. There was a woman who had the prettiest (at least I thought) brown, curly hair that fell to about the middle of her back. She was a Momma, I could tell. She had that look about her. She was rushing to the passenger side of the van with a book bag hanging off her shoulder.
As the door slid open, my friends and I saw Kenneth for the first time. His Momma helped him out of the van and straightened his shirt out over his chest. I admit, the first time, I noticed Kenneth's chest almost looked like he had football gear on or something.
But that is not what got my attention. As his Momma fixed his shirt, my eyes went down to his legs. He had two braces on them.
"I wonder what happened to that kid," my friend Jeremy asked, as we walked up the sidewalk.
"I dunno," I replied, picking up my pace so that they wouldn't notice me staring.
Afterwards, I found my homeroom filled with a few new faces. But those familiar grins from my old buddies were there to greet me. We already had our names taped on our assigned desks, but the shenanigans were already in full force. A spitball had already found its way to the chalk board, and a Whoppie Cushion was already confiscated by our teacher Mrs. Collins.
Our laughter ended when we saw Kenneth come in the classroom. He had on that red shirt with the slight bulge. His braces made a weird noise as he slid his feet across the floor. He was nervous, you could tell.
But his Momma walked beside him grinning from ear to ear at all of us kids. She was the happiest looking person I had ever seen before.
"Look at all your new classmates," she said, still holding Kenneth's book bag. "I bet everyone is excited to be back?"
We all either shrugged or shook our heads. But I smiled back at her because she seemed like a nice lady.
For a few moments, Kenneth's Momma and Mrs. Collins talked in the corner of the classroom. Kenneth made his way around the room until he found his desk. I noticed when he sat down, something hard hit the back to the desk chair.
Hoping not to embarrass him, Kenneth's Momma waved good bye to him and told us kids to have fun.
It was later explained to us that Kenneth had some sort of muscular dystrophy and scoliosis. He walked using braces, and that bulge we kept noticing was a brace. He sometimes had a hard time talking, but after waiting a few minutes he always seemed to get his point across.
He was my classmate until I moved away several years later. He couldn't run with us during Red Rover. He couldn't bend his back over the monkey bars and dangle. And he never got that solo in the Christmas musical.
But he was funny, poking fun at himself a lot of the times. He was smart, made straight As all year. He was the best project partner you could ask for. He traded the best snacks at lunch. And his Momma was the best "party Mom" we had ever seen.
He was happy. He didn't let his disability get him down. He was never excluded from us. And he cheered you up when you were down.
And his Momma made him that way. Kenneth's Momma refused to send him to a special school. She refused to let him feel sorry for himself. She joked with him. She would load us all us and take us to the zoo. She threw the best birthday party for him at the agricultural museum.
She showed Kenneth just how happy and awesome life can be despite the struggles that may come daily.
Kenneth certainly was "special," but not special needs. He was a genuine happy person who reminded us kids to laugh more and don't sweat the small stuff.
And it all started getting out of the van that day…with a little push from Momma.


text:
Oral History Society (UK) Statement on the Boston College Belfast Project, May 2014
The legal action taken by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to seize oral histories held by Boston College serves as a warning not only to oral historians, but to all those engaged in collecting historical data about criminal activity or allegations of criminal offences. The case raises legal, ethical and moral issues for researchers and archivists.
We do not believe that there is a lack of legal clarity regarding the status of oral history confidentiality and recording agreements. The law is quite clear. The Oral History Society has consistently advised that we can continue to offer assurances to our interviewees about the closure and confidentiality of their interviews, or parts of their interviews, within archives and other places of deposit, except where they have revealed criminal acts.[1] Furthermore, whilst publicly-funded archives and other bodies holding archive materials are legally obliged to respond to requests under the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts, this does not mean that they have to provide access to closed and/or restricted and confidential interviews.
Nonetheless disclosure of confidential information to meet a legal requirement can be mandatory, and beyond the reasonable control of an archive. Such legal obligations may include (but are not limited to) court orders; or mandatory obligations of disclosure arising from statutory legislation. Oral historians and archivists should be clear about these limitations when working with interviewees. Where illegal activities are divulged and recorded as part of an oral history interview, it is not possible to guarantee that such data, if closed or restricted, will not be accessed in the case of a court order compelling the release of such material.
The Oral History Society has continued to invest effort in keeping our ethical and legal guidelines up to date (see http://www.ohs.org.uk/ethics.php), and remains convinced that oral historians must work to meet legal and ethical standards that protect the people we interview.
We also believe, however, that oral history can make an important contribution to our understanding of the past. Current sensitivities, whether personal or political, may change, as the situation relating to the Boston College Belfast Project shows. Priorities and policies may also change. In this case, state actions, such as the PSNI subpoenas, are potentially harmful to research which is based in the elicitation of the memories of participants in conflict and struggle. This is particularly so when that research is into areas that have not been spoken about publicly and where reprisal is a real fear amongst divided protagonists and victims. But it might also have the effect of discouraging individuals from speaking openly and honestly in a wide variety of contexts.
An overlooked and more reassuring aspect of the US court judgment was that only material specific to a named crime need be disclosed, thus partly dispelling fears that the police can go on 'fishing trips' in archives.[2]
PSNI made use of the subpoenas in the stated belief that the oral history materials might form the basis for criminal investigations leading to prosecutions. When archives are drawn into legal processes by the state or its agents historians are placed in a difficult position and this is particularly the case for oral historians who depend on participants having confidence in our practices. The state itself is of course not always neutral in its use of archived material. We also would note the continuing use of embargoes by civil servants and politicians in other circumstances that have served to avoid legal redress.
The Boston case highlights a key challenge for researchers operating in post-conflict situations in which peace settlements have inadequately addressed past crimes. There can be a lack of clarity for oral historians working in particular contexts. For example, in post-conflict situations in which a peace process has failed to address past culpability, by means of either amnesty or 'special', statute of limitations. Silencing the voices of the past, while undertaking partial and selective legal actions, does not bode well for the future. History, left unaddressed, to paraphrase James Joyce, may well result in a nightmare from which we will struggle to awake.
The Trustees of the Oral History Society
Contact: Rob Perks
Secretary, Oral History Society
E: email@example.com
[1] See 'What should I do if the police want access to interviews in my collection?' in Frequently Asked Questions, Is your oral history legal and ethical?: practical steps, http://www.ohs.org.uk/ethics.php (last accessed 13 May 2014).
[2] In the Boston College Belfast Project case the initial judgment to release all the materials (as subpoenaed up to 2011) was overturned, and only relevant material specific to a named crime was required to be turned over. Sensationalist and inaccurate media reports, failed to note Judge Young's judgment which basically was that there was a 'paucity of information' in respect to the crime and that Boston College need only provide parts of two interviews from two interviewees. Judge Young also stated that the Court was mindful of the requirements of academic freedom.


text:
Versatile and comfortable, this jacket has athletic colorblocking and includes a hood to shield you from unexpected wind and rain. With a 100% polyester shell, this jacket is perfect for mobile use. Drawcord hood with toggles.
Every order is custom printed and personalized to your needs direct from our production facility in Detroit, MI. Items are typically completed within 5 business days and then require additional shipping time to reach your location.


text:
Call Ahead Seating
Gift Cards
A perfect gift for any occasion. Rossi's is proud to offer instant gift cards online. You can email a gift card, print one out and mail it, or it can be stored on a mobile phone for future redemption. Of course you still have the option to visit us and purchase one in person. So many ways to give!


text:
The Beautiful Game
FALKE x Audi
For the introduction of the new 4 GRIP, FALKE has produced an extraordinary film. Learn all about the visionary formation of the campaign.
4 Grip –The Winner Sock
Innovation manager Michael Klein on the development process of the new 4 GRIP.
The world of football through the eyes of an artist
His photographs focus on and celebrate the iconic moment of human togetherness. Fascibation football from the point of view of exceptional photographer Reinaldo Coddou.
Teamwork with the pros
FALKE has sponsored athletes from all over the world for many years and continuously uses their feedback and criticism to improve their products.
The three Fortuna Düsseldorf players Lukas Schmitz, Michael Rensing and Julian Schauerte.
Pelé: King of Dribbling
Pelé, who was named footballer of the century at the end of the last millennium, was an all-rounder. He combined power, elegance, an overview of the game, precision and determination. The story of a football legend.
Under the Surface
Georg Wüllner, sports physiotherapist, talks about his work and the cooperation with FALKE.


text:
While I don't know anything about you, I'm pretty sure you ride a bike, and most likely only on weekends, since so few cyclists ride to work. That's a habit we need to change, unless we believe the oil catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico is not our problem.
I'm telling you it is your problem — it is our problem — and if we don't do something about it soon, we'll pay an even bigger price than we're paying now. And I don't mean the price of gas.
Peak oil
We are in for some big changes in the coming years. We will be tested, but it may be for the better. Our future cannot be based on oil. According to a "peak oil" citation in Wikipedia: "Optimistic estimations of peak oil production forecast the global decline will begin by 2020 or later, and assume major investments in alternatives will occur before a crisis, without requiring major changes in the lifestyle of heavily oil-consuming nations."
A change in lifestyle that would not be draconian is biking to work, to the store, to see a friend. The Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey says 50 percent of the working population commutes five miles or less to work. Most of us can find a store, a movie theater, or other popular destination, even closer.
I will debunk bike commuting myths and knock down the excuses in the coming weeks. That may take a while because I have heard so many!
The San Francisco Bay Area is an ideal place for riding year around. Let's do our part and move up from the weekend ride to the weekday commute. It will do a world of good for you and planet Earth.


text:
If LotR Had Been Written By Someone Else!?
....What would it look like?
Ernest Hemingway
It was very late and everyone had left the hall except an old man who sat in the shadows the leaves of the old Mallorn made against the moonlight. The two elves inside the hall knew that the old man was a little drunk, and while he usually was quiet and kept to himself they knew that if he became too drunk he would start setting things on fire, so they kept watch on him.
Hes drunk, one elf said.
What do you care?
Hes muttering about the secret fire.
Leave him alone. He used to carry a ring.
Hell stay all night. He should never have been rebodied.
The old man rapped on the table with his goblet. The younger elf went over to him.
What do you want?
The old man looked at him. Another miruvor.
Youll be drunk, the elf said. The old man looked at him. The elf went away.
Look at his bushy eyebrows, he said to his colleague. There is nothing as nasty as an old Man. Hell stay all night and Ill never get any sleep.
The elf took the bottle of miruvor from the counter inside the hall and marched to the old mans table. He poured the goblet full.
You should never have been rebodied, he said to the old man.
Mark Twain
Persons attempting to resolve the question of Balrog wings by means of this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to define the nature of Tom Bombadil will be banished; persons attempting to find allegory in it will be shot.
Per G.G., Chief of Ordnance.
In this book a number of dialects are used, to wit: the Quenya Elvish dialect; the extremest form of the Rhovanion dialect; the ordinary Sindarin dialect; and four modified varieties of this last. The shadings have not been done in a haphazard fashion, or by guesswork; but painstakingly, and with the trustworthy guidance and support of personal familiarity with these several forms of speech.
I make this explanation for the reason that without it many readers would suppose that all these characters were trying to talk alike and not succeeding.
You dont know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Red Book of Westmarch; but that aint no matter. That book was made by Mr. Frodo Baggins and his Uncle Bilbo, and they told the truth, mainly. There was things which they stretched, but mostly they told the truth. That is nothing. I never seen anybody but lied one time or another, without it was the Lady Galadriel, or Elrond, or maybe Gandalf. The Lady Galadriel the Lady of Lothlorien, she is and Elrond, and the wizard Gandalf is all told about in that book, which is mostly a true book, with some stretchers, as I said before.
Heh, anybody have any others?
If I were to tell you the true story behind the unmaking of that ring...that ring!...you would think me mad. Horrors such as are scribed in ancient tomes of eldritch evil cannot compare to the terror...the cruel, cold, braincrushing terror!...that we felt in the lair of that foul spirit which raimed itself in arachnid form, that vile scavenger, that horrid arcane leech lingering at the border's of Sauron's Black Land...
-The Ring-Journal of an Anonymous Hobbit, by H.P. Lovecraft
If it was written by Robert Jordan it would be 10 books long.
LOTR by Mickey Spillane:
I was sitting by the fire, puffing on a pipe, still nursing a hangover from the ale-fest the night before, when HE walked in.
He had a long white beard, a magical staff, and legs that youd like to eat on toast.
"Are you Frodo Baggins," he intoned.
"I might be," I said. "Who's asking?"
"My name is Gandalf, Mr. Baggins. And I need your help."
I looked him over. "Lots of people need my help. What makes YOU special?"
"Well, Mr. Baggins... there is a certain piece of jewelry. If it fell into the wrong hands, it could prove... troublesome. I need someone to take this ring to Mount Doom, where it can be destroyed."
I stuck some more weed in my pipe, and said, "Look, doll, let's get one thing straight- you can't come into my hole, tell me a fairy-tale about a magic ring, bat those pretty eyelids, and have me fall at your feet. I stick my neck out for nobody."
And I'd do a Terry Brooks version, but that would require no more effort than going to get my copy of The Sword of Shannara and copying off a few paragraphs...
Eowyn felt her heart flutter when she saw him. His raven hair flew in the breeze off the plain, and his piercing eyes caught her gaze as if by magic. He bore a kingly attitude; surely he was a prince. Her mind turned to forbidden things, things which would be forbidden to the King's niece, but surely allowed for a free shieldmaiden. She knew that she was made to love this ranger.
-Mark of the King, Danielle Steele
Smeagol writhed in corruption, his lifelong attempts to collectivize the Hobbit economy had twisted his soul and body and brought ruin to the Shire. "Precious," he muttered. "Precious colective good giving according to need." He shuddered at the thought of the unbroken individual standing proudly over a conquered plain with the Ring, and felt jealous that the wholesome power could not be his.
-Lord of the Rings, by Ayn Rand.
"Gandalf, Gandalf! Take the ring!
I am too small to carry this thing!"
"I can not, will not hold the One.
You have a slim chance, but I have none.
I will not take it on a boat,
I will not take it across a moat.
I cannot take it under Moria,
that's one thing I can't do for ya.
I would not bring it into Mordor,
I would not make it to the border."
-excerpt from Dr. Suess's FOTR.
LotR by Terry Brooks
Never gets written.
No source material.
Ah, I see we are off to a great start! Keep them coming...
Ray Bradbury
In which Gandalf gains a new perspective on his heretofore unexamined mission:
It was a pleasure to burn.
It was a special pleasure to see Hobbits eaten, to see them blackened and changed. With the wooden staff in his fists, with this great python spitting its venomous pitch upon the Shire, the blood pounded in his head, and his hands were the hands of some amazing conductor playing all the symphonies of blazing and burning to bring down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history. With his pointed hat on his wizened head, and his eyes all orange flame with the thought of what came next, he mumbled a Word of Command and the Great Smials jumped up in a gorging fire that burned the evening sky red and yellow and black. He strode in a swarm of fireflies. He wanted above all, like the old joke, to shove a haunch of mutton on a spit in the furnace, while the flapping, ridiculous Hobbits died on the porch and lawn of the great Hobbit-hole. While the Hobbits went up in greasy, sparkling whirls that blew away on a wind turned dark with burning.
Gandalf grinned the fierce grin of all men singed and driven back by flame. Fools of Tooks! he thought with an inward chuckle, as the smell of burnt foot-hair filled his nostrils, as welcome as the smell of a fresh-baked apple pie cooling on the sill.
He knew that when he returned to Lothlórien, he might wink at himself, a minstrel man, burnt-corked, in the Mirror of Galadriel. Later, going to sleep, he would feel the fiery smile still gripped by his face muscles, in the dark. It never went away, that smile, it never ever went away, as long as he remembered.
What a great thread idea. I only wish I knew this scene to participate. Great work so far stylistically though - Kudos to all.
The Lord of the Rings
or The Land of Middle-earth
by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan
SCENE. -- Front yard of Bag End in Hobbiton, the Shire. Various hobbits discovered standing and sitting in various attitudes suggested by Rankin-Bass films and trippy illustrations from the 1970s.
If you want to know who we are,
We are gentlemen of the Shire;
In many an inn and bar,
By many an alehouse fire,
We dine on six meals a day;
Our attitude's bright and gay;
But we don't mean it that way, oh!
If you think we are cutesy-poo,
Like an Ewok or Jar-Jar Binks,
You don't know what we do:
When we don't smokes, we drinks!
Our dwelling is Hobbiton;
We only stand three foot one;
We use evil rings for fun, oh, oh!
We use evil rings for fun!
If you want to know who we are,
We are gentlemen of the Shire;
In inn and bar, by alehouse fire;
In many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many a bar, oh, oh, oh, oh!
In inn and bar, by alehouse fire!
Enter Gandalf in great excitement. He carries a pack of fireworks on his back and a staff in his hand.
Gentlemen, I pray you tell me
Where a gentle hobbit dwelleth, named Frodo,
The ward of Bilbo?
In pity speak, oh speak, I pray you!
TED SANDYMAN. Why, who are you who ask this question?
GANDALF. Come gather round me, and I'll tell you!
SONG and CHORUS -- GANDALF.
A wand'ring wizard I,
A thing of spells and magic,
Of stories dark and tragic,
Of counsel I'll prophesy...
That's where inspiration flagged. Although I could post the touching "Departure from Rivendell" scene...
LOTR by Cesil
Dear Cesil: Is it true that Frodo lost the ring to Gollum? We were arguing about it during a study session at the local brewery, when these guys dressed like orcs let it slip that Frodo bit his own finger off, and pushed Gollum in Mount Doom so there was no evidence. Is Frodo the next Dark Lord? Anxious in Hobbiton
Dear Anxious,
You think if I knew the whereabouts of the ring Id tell a puling college student? There have been crackpot doom theories (get it?) about the ring ever since it was lost in the last age. Its been a magnet for PBS loons when anyone disappears in a birthday party or a black rider is seen astride a flying saucer.
Lets set the record straight with a few facts: After Frodo was exhumed in the Grey Havens following the suspicious circumstances of his fading, particular attention was paid to the manner in which his finger had been severed. It was the opinions of experts that the tooth scrapes on the joint were consistent with teeth like Gollums--worn by gnawing and grinding on bones. However the elves, having ignored the valuable lessons on interrogation taught by the Numenoreans, failed to follow up with questions regarding similar markings on various of Frodos toes. Hence the persisting rumors.
No doubt youre hoping that the ring was finally put to bed in the flames of Mordor--lo those many years ago--but thats not certain. There are unsubstantiated rumors that the nursery rhyme from the Middle Ages Ring around the Rosie is about the destruction caused by Sam Gamgees wife Rosie when entrusted with care of the ring while Sam was off fighting wiccans and environmentalists who had risen in the ruins of the witch kingdom Angmar.
Wagners famous Ring Cycle is held by certain cultists to be a covert reference to the growing power of the one ring--soon to be passed to the Kaiser, and subsequently Adolf Hitler. Music lovers claim the evil influence of Isildurs Bane pervades Wagners music, but between you and me, Anxious, it doesnt take much miscalculation to make opera sound like crud.
Finally, those whacky New Age pranksters claim that the metal from the one ring flowed into the magma of Mount Doom, and is now present in minute quantities in every volcanic eruptionthereby gradually turning the whole of humankind into dark lords. This goes a long way toward explaining prime time TV.
But in conclusion well have to admit that unless its hidden in a yet another unfound Nazi stash, part of the crown jewels, or that talisman the Dalai Lama keeps around his neck, the one ring of power will just remain a happy memory.
LoTR written by *shudder* Piers Anthony.
Forget it, that's for stronger stomachs than mine.
a la "Doc" Smith
"QX, Sam!" Cried Frodo. "That zwilnik Gollum had just enough jets to cut me free from that blasted ring!"
Meanwhile Sam's steely gaze followed the form of Gollum into the cracks of doom. The kinetic energy of its wretched body's translation into one with the magma became heat. Heat added to heat. It piled up ragingly, frantically, equilibrating, then turning hotter. Hotter! HOTTER! "By Ulmo's carballoy bowels, ringman Frodo! We gotta get to clear ether!"
"Udun's jingling bells, Sam! Its covered. I phialed a message to Galadriel to alert our boys in Aeries we'd be needing them! They'll be here in 3.3 minutes, Eriador standard time."
And as the Grand Fleet of the Eagle Patrol blasted away from Mordor airspace with the two second-stage ringmen firmly in their grip, Frodo wondered when he would next be called upon to pull the chestnuts of the Valar out of the fire again.
By Neal Stephenson (heavily borrowed, and eerily appropriate)
Frodo, the Deliverator, belongs to an elite order, a Fellowship of nine members only. He's got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out his only mission that matters. His armor is silver like the light of the full moon, jangling only slightly with its decorative gems. An arrow will bounce off its dwarvenmesh weave like a hammer off an anvil, but excess perspiration wafts through it like the winds over the charred plains of Gorgoroth. All the arrows of all the hunters in the world couldn't cut it against this one.
When they gave him the job, they gave him a sword. The Deliverator never looks for trouble, but some Orc might come after him anyway---might want his armor, or his cargo. The sword is tiny, aero-styled, lightweight, the kind of sword a Hobbit would carry; it cuts quickly into load-bearing beams without visible effort, and when you get done using it around evil, you have to sheathe it, because it glows in the dark.
The King of the Nazgul (KotN) fingered the safety buckle that secured the shortsword in it's scabbard. It was modeled after the Gladius design, making it wholly inadequate for going up against Elven armour, but it was perfectly suited for being jammed in the collarbone of a Hobbit 'merc, without calling too much attention to it's owner. His XO, "Camel" Khamul had used a similar weapon in numerous CoIN missions in North Gondor, where he had been sent to disrupt "Elrond's" supply fellowships sneaking down the Is-ild-ur trail.
The KotN smiled, even without a head. This mission was almost going to be a mead-run. Taking out a squad of sleeping halflings was going to be easier than slaying Wyvyrns sitting on a tarmac...
-Hunt for the Ring, Tom Clancy
LOL! Great stuff guys!
partly_warmer: LotR by Cecil!? Hehe, that was good!
A Lost Short Story by J.R.R. Tolkien
The chicken, sunlight coruscating off its radiant yellow-white coat of feathers, approached the dark, sullen asphalt road and scrutinized it intently with its obsidian-black eyes. Every detail of the thoroughfare leapt into blinding focus: the rough texture of the surface, over which countless tires had worked their relentless tread through the ages; the innumerable fragments of stone embedded within the lugubrious mass, perhaps quarried from the great pits where the Sons of Man labored not far from here; the dull black asphalt itself, exuding those waves of heat which distort the sight and bring weakness to the body; the other attributes of the great highway too numerous to give name. And then it crossed it.
Frodo looked blankly at the garden. "Sam, is there a reason you pulled up all the flowers?"
"Oh yes sir, Mr. Frodo, sir. Cause a them wassits, the bugs gottem. Aye. Yessir."
Frodo turned his questioning stare back to Sam, "And I'm sure this has nothign to do with the fact that Farmer Maggot has been buying them for ten-pence a dozen, either?
"Errrr....Oh no, not a bit of it, Mr. Frodo."
* * *
About that time, the visiting Archprocurer of Old and Mostly Unwanted Documents to Stick on a Dark Shelf in the Library, Gandalf of the More-or-less-seen tower of Isenguard showed up at the Inn of the Prancing Pony. The rough and tumble Eastern men eyed him supiciously. WHich was not unusual, they eyed everyone suspiciously. Including themselves, when they were about a mirror. "Hello there, Barliman. Could you get me a pot of Ale? On my credit, if you please."
"You've been running up a good tab lately, Mr. Gandalf, sir. You sure you're good for it?"
Oh, of course, Butterbur. 'Sides, the same law goes all down to Mordor. The night watch'd have my hide if I tried to cheat you. And its not like I expect some horrible fiend from beyond the pale of mortal ken to fight me in a gigantic duel above an ancient Dwarven City, leading to both our deaths, after all.
Barliman stared at Gandalf. "Errr... that wouldn't be a Balrog you're a speakin' of, right?
"Exactly sir. I cannot possibly be speaking of a Balrog since they don't exist. Hence I must be good for my debt. Haha."
~Terry Pratchet, though he would have done a much better job than I, surely.
LotR Z
"This foe is beyond any of you... his power Level has reached at least 30,000 after fighting every Dwarf in Moria. Ki Fhy to the gate Aragorn, you must lead them on!" The muscles beneath Gandalf'sGrey Cloak strained in anticipation of the coming battle.
Soon after, when they were nearly at the gate, the Balrog launched a surprise Ki attack, knocking down Borrmir and stunning Blazing Fist Gimli.
Gandfalf turned to face him. "Fool!" said he, I don't have time for this nonsense... "Pure Flame of Arnor Shield Wall Strike!" The massive energy wall sstreaked off towards the Balrog, who was knocked flying... though no-one was sure whether or not he had wings.
"Raaaaauuuugggg! Gandalf, I have not shown you my true power!
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...
five minutes later
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaa!
Now I am a Super Balrog 2!!!!! My power level has gone up to 3 million!"
Gandalf just smirked. "I probably shoud have told you, after you left the service of Eru, we figured out a few new tricks. Here's a good one:
-The Balrog laughed in anticipation of Gndalf's feeble attack-
The resulting explosion threw the Balrog back agaoinst the walls of Moria. His expression turned to one of complete disbelief. "Urrrghhh.... Ahhh... Ugghhhhh.... That's...not possible...."
The rest of the Fellowship of the Z Ring stared, twitching slightly and grunting in awe at Gandalf!
Gandalf grinned, "another one of those tricks I learned... I learned how to Hide my POWER level!"
Somebody write a Gene Roddenberry version. I can't get up the willpower to subject myself to the Horror.
My name is Baggins. Frodo Baggins. 00Hobbit, license to quest.
Oh Frodo! Last night was magnificient! Stay with me here in Lothlorien forever.
I cahn't Galadriel. The Grey Wizard, G, gave me an assignment to infiltrate Mordor, & destroy the One Ring.
I know, and when I take the Ring from your corpse, I shall rule in glory, and all shall love me and despair. Last night was Heaven, Mr. Baggins. Now go there.
Galadriel, a Double Agent. Well, well, well. Too bad. But, I always preferred my elves shaken, not stirred. And certainly not shot.
No. not e.e. cummings. Guess again.
The four characteristics of humanism are curiosity, a free mind, belief in good taste, and belief in the human race.
E.M. Forster
Of the great War of the Ring, and the tast
Of that Forbidden power, the long and
Arduous trek, thru fiery, blasted plains
With faithful Hobbits and treacherous beasts
To Chaos edge, and there to cast the One
To endless fire and eternal death:
Sing Heavnly Muse, that in Rivendell didst
First teach of the Rings of Power forgéd,
In the beginning how the Dark Lord Sauron
Brought into the world from fiery depths
Of Doom this ring of gold, pouréd intot
His Malice and his Evil; I now
Invoke thy Aid to my Adventrous song
That struggle as it might to take to thair
Though will I drag from bottomless perdition
Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhime
And justifie the ways of men to Elves.
LotR, by John Milton
The Lord of the Rings
Starring Humphrey Bogart and Marlene Dietreich
Directed by Howard Hawks
OMG, Fingolfin, that's AWESOME!
And now, LoTR, by an anonymous japanese poet:
Ring of great evil
Small one casts it into flame
Bringing rise of Men
I haven't read a Piers book in recent enough memory to get his style down, but I know there would have to be a much more in-depth examination of the Hobbits' nudity after they escaped from the clutches of the barrow-wights, not to mention a thorough investigation of elvish attitudes towards sex with mortals (Arwen and Aragorn).
o/` Wraith-wraithery, wraith-wraithery, wraith-wraith-eree,
A Nazgul's as nasty as nasty can be.
Wraith-wraithery, wraith-wraithery, wraith-wraith-eroo,
your luck will run out when I'm looking for you.
So give me the Ring, or you're Nazgul, too! o/`
o/` Just a spoonful of lembas helps the athelas go down,
the athelas go down,
the athelas go down.
Just a spoonful of lembas
helps the athelas go down
in a most delightful way. o/`
o/` Feed the orcs, tuppence a bag,
tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag. o/`
o/` Oooh...taurelilomeatumbalemornatumbaletaurealomeanor,
if you say it too slow then you won't make it to dinner.
Unless you've got some time on hand don't say I didn't warn ya.
taurelilomeatumbalemornatumbaletaurealomeanor. o/`
-excerpts from Merry Poppins, P.L. Travers & Walt Disney.
People were always asking me, did I know Gollum.
With a crazed and deformed Stoor clenching his jaw on your finger, you only speak in vowels.
With my finger, I can feel the half-chewed fish stuck behind his tongue. I totally forgot about the whole Ring destruction thing for a second and I wondered how clean his teeth were.
The cave we're standing in won't be here in three minutes. You take an ancient evil Ring of Power and add a 98-percent concentration of flaming lava. Explosion. I know this because Sauron knows this.
This is our world now. Two minutes.
Two minutes to go and I'm wondering how I got here...
Fade to a support group: "Remaining Hobbits Together."
--Openning of Chuck Pahlaniuk's LoTR
LotR by George Orwell:
"I cannot read the fiery writing," said Frodo.
"There are few who can," replied Gandalf. "It is the language of Mordor, which I will not speak here. Translated into the common tongue, it reads:
'All rings of power are equal,
But some rings of power are more equal than others.'"
LotR by Dave Barry:
At the end of the Council of Elrond, everyone concluded that 'Shards of Narsil' would be a great name for a band.
LotR by Matt Groening:
Frodo suddenly reappeared, bleeding from the hand.
Gollum triumphantly cried, "Hmmmm...hobbit finger with ring of power garnish."
But as he danced in victory, Gollum slipped and fell into the pit of fire. The Cracks of Doom echoed with his last despairing cry of "D'oh!"
We were 20 steps from the exit when the giant flaming Balrons first appeared over our heads. These weren't your normal giant flaming Balrons but some sort of interdimensional Maia that would sit and spin in mid air before dissolving before your very eyes and sneaking up behind you. Gandalf had the pipe and I had the ring which, so far, I had been able to resist trading to the local drug lords for another package of white. Gandalf was shouting random Macrohydration spells while simultaneously trying to not trip over his robes and fall face first into the local pools of goo. Legolas took another drink from his flask and, once again, began explaining how elves were different than humans and much, much mellower.
- Hunter S. Thompson
Bosda: Ian Fleming?
"Strider, we've got to get out of this snow. Legolas, did you get a reading on that creature?"
"Fascinating, Captain. It appears to be an unknown creature that lurks in the pool waiting for passing strangers. Ecologically implausible, captain."
"Do you know what it is?"
"I believe I said it was unknown, Dr Gimli. Logically, if I knew what it was, then it wouldn't be unknown."
"Cap'n, we're in some sort of temporal warp, stretching and deforming the plot. The snow should take place a day before our encounter with this beastie."
"Captain, what are we going to do?"
"Boromir, put on that red armour."
"Cap'n, she can't hold much longer...."
Legolas allowed himself the luxury of allowing himself the luxury of a stray thought. What new treachery is this? he mused at the form coming slowly toward them through the world-haze. He reached out with senses sharpened by years of Elvish training. It looks like ... no! That cannot be! It must be a vision. Nazgul spies must have poisoned my lembas.
But the self within himself knew that his lembas was uncorrupted, that the vision that he saw now was not merely of a possible future but of an inevitable future. Yet still it strode closer, and closer, its pointed white hat contrasting sharply with the dull oceans of unbroken forestland and mountainrock behind it.
Galdalf lives!
"I am no longer Gandalf the Grey," the wizard intoned, his white stillrobes glistening in the day's heat. "Through the Trial of the Balrog I came close to death, but now the sleeper has awakened! I shall now be called ... Gandalf-Muad'Dib, the Mithrandir, the Lisan Al'Maia!"
-- from Ring Messiah, by Frank Herbert
Someone really ought to report this thread to threadspotting!
The Dr. Suess version is perfect. The Milton is also eerily excellent. James Joyce, anyone?
The trouble with writing an epic, I find, is knowing just where to begin. So here I am, quill and parchment at the ready, a full bowl of pipeweed and, dash it, have great difficulty in beginning! That's the trouble with epics, as I suspect old Treebeard himself would say, and wasn't he a one for insisting that every story begin at the very beginning - of time, that is, and it takes all one's memories of school training to be polite to the old boy when you're rushing to catch an Eagle.
I brought this up with Gandalf when he dropped by yesterday. "Gandalf", I said, "Do you remember that old ROP we dropped into the crack of Mount Doom?" He did, of course. It was one of those rectangular - no, I mean rhetorical - questions. How could one forget? It was a tale to freeze thy blood, to make one's hair stand on end like quills upon the fretful porpentine - though I've never understood why one says porpentine when you mean porcupine. Something to do with elves, no doubt. I had been thinking of making a start by putting one of the elven marching songs on the title page, but all I can remember os 'Ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong, I hurry along', which would never do. Elrond would never approve.
So Gandalf applied himself to the task at hand - and that's a sight to see that makes strong men gasp and the ladies swoon. You could see the blood whizzing through that magnificent brain of his, chock full of all that health food he grazes on with Tom Bombadil. When there's a problem to be solved, just slip a few nuts and berries to old Gandalf and stand back, I say. Frightening, really.
So after a good think, Gandalf suggested Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday, and I knew right away I held the winning ticket, cash for life with no taxation. "Perfect" I told him. "That's just precisely where I'll set the starting post. You have hit the n. right on the h."
P. G. Wodehouse
James I. Hymas
I'd do LotR by Stephen Donaldson, but I can't decide who Frodo would rape.
On this particular evening, something changed hands quietly in the back of a hobbit-hole in the Shire many miles from the dark realm of Mordor. A small, metallic something. Something which could be accurately described as a circular loop of shining metal.
The land of Middle Earth was almost oblivious to the change of ownership, which was wonderful for the two parties concerned. The trade went unnoticed among the citizens of Rivendell, it escaped the Nazgul completely, and even the dark lord himself continued straight on with his day without noticing. This was a pity for him, because it was exactly the thing he had been searching for all these years.
-- from The Mostly Harmless Ring of Power, by Douglas Adams
In summer, the scorching sun above Middle-earth sears the land. Perched high on the dome of the sky, it bakes everything down, forcing the Hobbits, the Elves and the men to do their work quickly and retreat to their homes, staying in the cool shade while the orb of light attacks them from overhead. During the winter, on the other hand, the sun only climbs above the horizon for a few hours each day, and then dips back and plunges the world into darkness. The snow drives downward, the winds howl, and everyone, men, Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, and Orcs, can feel the chill penetrating to their bones.
Frodo had set out from his home in the Shire, hoping for a chance to see the real Middle-earth. While his official purpose for the journey was to destroy a magic ring in the fires of Mount Doom, he had really accepted the invitation to join the quest because he viewed it as an opportunity to experience the genuine outside world. He had heard stories, of course, about how Hobbits who left the Shire, although naïve and ambitious at first, would eventually turn against the other cultures with scorn, and would long for their cozy hobbit-holes, their elaborate tea parties, their pipes of tobacco before second breakfreast. Is it true what they say about hobbits who journey eastward, that we all eventually lose the spirit of adventure and just want to return to our cozy homes after a few months, he asked Gandalf once as they sat around the campfire, but the wizard declined to provide a direct answer.
Regardless, he had remained inquisitive during the flight from the Nazgul and the stay at Rivendell. But as each day passed and the winter grew colder and more ominous, the dark bulks of the Misty Mountains loomed on the horizon up ahead. Their peaks seeming to be lost in the cloud cover, the mountains dwarfed everything, blotted out everything. Their massive bulks weighed on the members of the Fellowship, and the swirling snow seemed to wrap around them, cutting off and suffocating them. There, on the slopes of the Caradhras, Frodo suddenly felt small and insignificant, as if nothing that a little Hobbit could achieve would ever amount to anything more than that, snowflakes whirling in a storm.
from A Passage to Mordor, by E. M. Forster
I don't have the talent to write it, but if I did, it would be by Homer.
Thomas Hardy
--Insert reams of thick prose and endless paragraphs here---
And Frodo never got in to Christminster and all his children died in difficult circumstances.
I'd like to see a J.D. Salinger version of LotR. Or Graham Greene's. Or Faulkner's. Or Elmore Leonard's.
Charles Dickens, paid by the word, A Tale of Two Towers
IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way- in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
Not a word changed.
Or didn't you mean that Homer?
See Frodo run,
Run Frodo run.
See Sauron search,
Gollum and Frodo are playing,
Oops, Gollum dropped the ring in Mount Doom.
Now Sauron will have to find another ring.
-- See Frodo Run
Frodo crept down the stairs of the of the castle, his invisible cloak sweeping around his legs. He simply had to get the ring into Professor Saurons office without attracting attention. The castle was quite and he made his way without difficulty. A faint light was glowing from under the Professors door but nobody appeared to be in the office. Sneaking in quietly, he saw the volcano on the ledge bubbling quietly. He was just about to throw this ring into the fiery chasm when the door burst open and the Professor strode in. Not having time to think, Frodo Potter froze on the spot, grateful for being invisible.
Professor Sauron wasn't the only person who entered the room however. A massive hulking glowing monster had also ambled in alongside him and they were now deep in a conversation. Frodo froze, although he had never met one of those before, he had heard about it enough times to know that the thing standing in front of him was a Balrog!
"I want you to send a message to Professor Saruman, Tell him that I am prepared to join forces so that we can both live our lives without worrying about prying eyes. Fly swiftly for I need the message soon"
"But I dont have no wings" said the Balrog dumbly
"Use a broomstick you fool" snarled professor Sauron and swiftly left the classroom.
So it was true thought Frodo Potter, Sauron wan't to get rid of him and he was willing to enlist the help of Saruman to do it. He had to tell his friends Pippin and Merrione, they would know what to do.
"striding out of the classroom as fast as he could, he turned down a corridor without looking and a giant flash of green light blinded him. The scar on his forehead was now excruciating with pain. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was the figure of Elrond laughing madly.
Frodo gradually became aware that he was now lying in a bed. Trying to get up, he heard a gently voice in his ear.
"Ah, Frodo, it seems we are up and about already", it was the gentle voice of Headmaster Gandalf.
"I suppose you want to know what happened last night, It turns out that your last Defense against Dark Arts teacher wasn't really Elrond at all but was actually Lord Melkor's minion, Smeagol. You see, nobody actually knew what Elrond looked like before he came to HobbitWarts becuase he kept to himself. When Smeagol arrived, we all assumed it was Elrond. Quite unfortunate really."
"But I saw Professor Sauron with that Balrog, he was talking about removing those prying eyes"
"Yes, Sauron was one of the first suspect something about Smeagol, it was all those potions full of rotten fish that gave it away he said. He knew he couldn't tackle Smeagol alone so he enlisted the help of Saruman. He was the one who found you unconcious"
"You mean... Sauron is innocent?" stammered Frodo
"Yes you fool of a Took! I've been trying to tell you that for the last 4 years" snapped Gandalf rather angrily "Now get some rest so we can send you home to your awful Uncle Bilbo"
-- Frodo Baggins and the One Ring by JK Rowling ("Frodo Baggins and the Knarliest Ring" in the USA)
Irvine Welsh:
Gandalf hud jest telt us aboot the ring an aw, an ay was feeling a bit queasy like, so ay started cooking up. Ay needed it an all, ye ken? -Can ye dae me a hit too, says Gandalf.
By now ah'm feelin all barry likes, and me and Gandalf ur discussin the fitba, which was nae a gud idea since ah'm a Hibs supporter and Gandalf's Herts. -Ye fuckin Proddy wanker he shouts at me and I start tae clobber him, a good clean fight n aw, ye ken, until he pulls oot a blade.
Ah nivir seen th' cunt so pissed in ehs puff, but ay dinna have tae put oop wi this shite. Ay swear ah'll murder th' bastard, ring or nae ring, land ay Mordor or nae land ay Mordor...
Because I'm.. legally required to submit a version of Chuck Palahniuk's "Lord of Rings" modeled more closely to the book than gonzoron's more movie-like offering: (?)
"Frodo gets me a job as a waiter, after that Mr. Frodo's pushing Sting in my mouth and saying, the first step to eternal life is you have to die. For a long time, though, Frodo and I were best friends. People are always asking me, did I know about Frodo Baggins.
The tip of the sword just touched the back of my throat, Frodo says, "We really won't die."
With my tongue I can feel the fuller forged into the bottom of the blade. Most of the weight of a sword is in the middle, a mass increasing as the blade broadens for extra cutting power. To reduce the weight and improve manueverability, you forge channels in the face of the blade. This makes it light for its width but helps it retain some cutting power.
You forge the fullers too thin, and the blade can break in your hand.
"This isn't really death," Frodo says. "We'll be legend. We won't grow old."
I tongue the elven blade into my cheek and say, Mr. Frodo, you're thinking of ringwraiths.
The mountain we're standing on won't be here in ten minutes. You take a 98 percent concentration of a fuming portion of a dark lord's power and add it to molten gold. Then, pour the gold into a mold in the shape of a ring. Take it out of the mold and remove the sprues in a closed environment, and you have a ring of power.
I know this because Frodo knows this.
Throw the ring into the fires in which it was forged, and you get a massive explosion that brings down the mountain. A lot of folk feed them to dragons or pay a Balrog to lash the ring. Dragons and Balrogs have never, ever worked for me.
So Frodo and I are on top of Mount Doom with Sting stuck in my mouth, and we hear rocks crumbling. Look over the edge. It's always a cloudy day, especially this high up. This is Middle Earth's most evil mountain, and on top of it the wind is always cold. It's so quiet this high up, the feeling you get is that you're one of those Nazgul steeds. You do the little job you're told to do.
Get ridden to battle.
Confront a shield maiden.
You don't understand any of it, and then you just die.
Three-thousand feet up up, you look over the edge of the cliff and the plane below is mottled with a shag carpet of orcs, walking, marching to the West. The stone crumbling is the cliff-face right below us. Gollum climbs up the side of mountain, eyes big as Gandalf's old hat as he picks his way up slowly. Bits of ragged clothing catch on jagged rocks and drop, getting smaller, disappearing into the packed crowd."
So.. there you go.
This thread is turning out much, much better than I thought it would! Utterly fantastic!
Old man willow, whistling like a tea pot, shining like a star, oh so brilliant in the dreaming and smoke and by the river, Goldberry's river, dancing like a vision, Bombadil, Bombadil, Bombadillo. Rock of ages, young and ageless, naked before my eyes like Rivendell Rock, sweet and hard and trusting....
Shalmanese The HP one is perfect!
Suruga, I bow to your superior version of "Barrow-Wight Club" (I didn't have the book at hand, only the movie script, and forgot how different the intro was.)
Drat... I've lost my touch. I've been wracking my brain for an hour trying to do Shakespeare. It's just too hard!
Here, I'll do an easy one:
As Gandalf the half-celestial wizard took blow after crushing blow from the Balrog, Frodo the halfling rogue stood in shock. His shortsword of quickness, Sting, would do nothing against that beast. It's damage reduction was just too great. Just then, on Gandalf's initiative, a deafening blast was heard, as he cast Rary's destructive dweomer, sending both he and the wandering monster into the depths of Kazad-dum. The Fellowship was devastated, but once out of the caverns they realized that they had all gained valuable experience that would take them to new levels of strength. So, Gandalf's sacrifice was not in vain. And who knows, perhaps the clerics in the next town could raise him? They went off together in search of a tavern...
-From LoTR, the D&D novel (1st book in the 12-part Mithrillance series)
Yeats is turning in his grave...
Another easy one: (my first post ever!) most humble apologies to all for the terrible rape of this poem.
WB Yeats
The Lake Isle of The Grey Havens
I will arise and sail now, and sail to the Grey Havens,
And a small tower build there, of mithril and magic made:
Nine ent friends will I have there, a hole for the hobbit free,
And live alone in the pipe weed glade.
gonzoron: Heh. If you're going to do LotR as a D&D novel, you might as well go all the way:
"A balrog!" Gandalf rasped. "I might have known!"
Pippin hauled out his well-worn copy of the Monstrous Manual, while Merry peeked over his shoulder. "I don't see 'Balrog' listed in the index anywhere."
"Of course not, foolish Took," the high-level mage chided him. "The copyright to the 'Balrog' name is owned by the Tolkien estate. Gygax had to call it 'Balor' or a 'Type VI demon' when he put the MM together."
Merry quickly thumbed to the Demon section, only to recall that in 2nd Edition, "Demons" and "Devils" had been renamed Baatezu and Tanar'ri, although he never could remember which was which. He cursed the Fundamentalist Christian parents' groups who had threatened to boycott TSR for creating a "demonic" game, and which had forced that particularly stupid name-change upon them. Finally, though, he located "Balor" in the Tanar'ri section, grateful that they weren't among the discontinued demon listings like Orcus and Demogorgon.
"They're only 13 hit dice," Merry dutifully reported, "But they can cast dispel magic every round at 20th level, so watch yourself, Gandalf!"
"That also do 4d8 damage if they make a to-hit roll with their whip and drag you close to their bodies," Gimli noted. "I'm outta here!" He turned and ran at his full movement rate of 9 (12 if he wasn't wearing armor).
"Leave him to me," the mage intoned. "They're worth 46,000 experience points apiece, and if I kill him by myself, I get all of those points!" He strode toward the Balr-- er, Balor, and blocked the 10-foot-wide corridor leading out of the room. "You shall not pass!!"
|Closed Thread
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
Linear Mode


text: Bucharest, Romania, July 31: Romanian brides pose for pictures at the Triumph Arch. The arch, a replica of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the French capital, is a rendezvous place for brides after midnight on the wedding night during the stealing of the bride ritual. The ritual, of ancient origin, is performed by wedding guests who take the bride away from the party and then demand a ransom from the groom, usually money or alcoholic drinks, to return her.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)


text:
The Thanksgiving Collection
Thanksgiving is so special to me. As a home entertaining enthusiast, it is a holiday that embraces all of the elements I absolutely love - traditional recipes, classic decor, a cozy wood-burning fire, a big table filled with family in a warm home. We are hosting this year, the first in our new house. My mind is brimming with ideas for making it a special (yet simple) holiday for our family. I want to make sure our house is filled with traditional accents - piles of cloved oranges, bittersweet branches, pumpkins and gourds, lit candles everywhere, and of course, delicious aromas of the feast. I think about all of these elements when I put together this collection.
I really focused on finding simple ways to set of beautiful table for our family celebrations. You'll find versatile items to use all year long with seasonal touches, restocked linens and lots and lots of candles : )
Two years ago, this "Thankful" card became a tradition for many of you. The first year's read "I Am Thankful For" - but last year I changed it to "We Are Thankful" to really reinforce the Thanksgiving spirit. It is such nice way to be greeted as you sit down to a feast that is all about bounty and thanksgiving. Sometimes knowing (and seeing) that someone is grateful to have us in their lives is all we need to be fulfilled - feeling this love just might encourage them to spread that love to others. I like that it brings the real point of the Thanksgiving holiday into focus. Having it right there on the table helps everyone remember what the holiday is all about.
These cards work great as Place Cards or as Gift Tags tied on a present or hostess gift.
The card is a natural, creamy cardstock printed in the a warm chocolatey brown.
The card is a natural, creamy cardstock printed in the a warm chocolatey brown.
As you all know, I'm a big fan of Taper candles. I think there is nothing more elegant or classic than a hand dipped taper candle on a mantle or on a table. Typically, when I come across hurricanes they are for pillar candles. When I saw this pewter hurricane base for a taper candle paired with a tall thin glass sleeve I knew it would the be the perfect thing for our Thanksgiving table.
It is a little bit modern with its super tall clean glass, and a lot classic with the pewter base and taper candle. I envision it paired with bittersweet trails and gourds on Thanksgiving, and maybe filled with cloves and cranberries for Christmas morning. I love, love, love these.
Shop the Pewter Hurricane >
One of my favorite things to do now that the weather is getting quite chilly is to wake up early in the morning before anyone else is awake. I come downstairs and I light this single taper candle before I turn on any other lights. (This particular candle is a Bayberry Candle, below, and smells like earthy, warm, natural spice.)
There is something so primitive and luxurious about using the light of a candle in the early morning to make your coffee or tea, or to read a book.
This early American antique style candlestick is meant just for that. In fact, it is called a "Library Candle Holder." Made from pewter with simple, yet elegant design.
The natural scent that these candles have from the Bayberry is warm, earthy and just a bit spicy. If you've ever visited Nantucket, the scent of the Bayberry shrubs greet you as you get off of the fairy - completely nostalgic and comforting. The candles were among the most prized candles in colonial America because of their clear, consistent light and warm scent.
The card that is enclosed with the candles tells the history of using Bayberry Candles at Christmastime :"These tapers are handcrafted using the purest bayberry wax. Bayberry wax is the rarest and most prized of all candle waxes, and has a warm, earthy, spicy aroma. According to tradition, to bring good luck, you must burn a Bayberry Candle on Christmas Day. If the flame burns bright and the light shines clear, then heaven will bless you throughout the year."
I don't think there is anything as classic and lovely as transferware. Popularized in 18th century England, it seems to never go out of style and look great and fresh every season. These planters are so versatile. They can be used for display on a mantle or a shelf, or on a table. I plan to plant paperwhite and amaryllis bulbs in mine and give them away as hostess gifts this year.
I also love them going down a table filled with various things - piles of clementines, nuts or gourds.
Set of 3 : Small 4", Med 6", Large 8"
I used this round set of planters in various ways, creating a clustered centerpiece. I used some as as candle holders by inserting foam into the base. They were very simple to make and can easily change with the seasons. Others simply hold piles of cloved oranges.
Hand-Dipped 6" Taper Candles, $6
These are a new addition to my candle collection (addition? obsession?). I recently saw these in an issue of a magazine and thought, oh aren't they so cute! Then I saw the packaging and realized they were made by the same company that makes mine... right down the street from my house. Of course, I had to have them. Since Thanksgiving is all about the ultimate family meal, what is more appropriate than these cute, classic candles for your table.
Seasonless and classic, Blue & White is one of my favorite combinations - and a new one for me to collect. You might remember seeing these on our hearth room mantle!
A couple of years ago I had an old wooden box that sat on our kitchen table. Each season I found more and more uses for it. I loved the linear shape and how it so easily lend itself to a line of planted bulbs (paperwhites or amaryllis) for the holidays, or daffodils in the spring. I used it filled with herbs in the summer and piled with mini gourds in the fall. It worked great on our old, more rustic table (which was on a porch), but now I found myself looking for a more refined vessel.
Last year, our friend Tessa (Nine and Sixteen) featured an oblong metal planter on her Holiday table with candles going down the center and greenery tucked all around. Brilliant. It is one of those images that stuck in my head. I searched and searched for the perfect shape and patina (this unlaquered brass will age over time) to duplicate the look in our home this holiday season. I hope you can do the same : )
Turkey Copper Cookie Cutter, $15
I can't wait to have these waiting for Emma and my nieces on Thanksgiving day. I'm still debating on using them as yummy placecards, or have the girls enjoy decorating them while the adults enjoy pie!
These cookie cutters are extra special, as they are handmade in the US from copper - the most traditional metal for cutters. They are a truly heirloom quality cutter that can be passed down for generations. I love collecting copper cutters - and I love thinking that Emma will be using them with her kids and grandkids as they make holiday memories as I did with my Mom and Sister.
I have a special recipe for a Pecan Pie that uses this syrup, giving it an amazingly deep taste! Stay tuned : ) This makes a great gift, along with a bag of pecans and the recipe.
12 oz.
With its warm colors and traditional colors, this stately throw is just the perfect thing for your home. It will transition beautifully from fall to the Holidays with the mix of warm camel, brown and red.I can't tell you how soft this is! It is definitely a throw you will want to actually use.
Linen Collection
Of course, nothing completes a table like linens. I've restocked all of the most popular linens from the Fall Collection, including this Provence Tablecloth and these checked tea towels. Shop all of the linens >
I hope you found something that inspired you and will help you make your Thanksgiving simple and special for your family.


text:
Select a City
Altamont, MO
Best Libraries around Altamont, MO
Add an Organization
Antioch Branch Library
6060 North Chestnut Avenue
Kansas City, MO
Read More »
Antioch Library
8700 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Mission, KS
Among the original libraries set up by volunteers was the "Merriam" Library, sometime in 1953. It was housed in the basement of a resid...
Read More »
Archie Branch Library
317 South Main Street
Archie, MO
Read More »
Altamont Top Searches
Car Dealers
Hotels and Lodging
Argentine Branch Library
2800 Metropolitan
Kansas City, KS
The Argentine Library first opened in a storefront in 1911, and moved to its current location in 1917. The building is the only Carnegie library re...
Read More »
Atchison County Library - Fairfax Branch
118 Main Street
Fairfax, MO
Monday 9:00 -11:30am, 12:00 - 5:00pm Tuesday Closed Wednesday 12:00pm - 5:00pm Thursday 12:00pm - 7:00pm Friday 12:00pm - 5:00pm Saturday...
Read More »
Atchison County Library - Tarkio Branch
4051/2 South 11th Street
Tarkio, MO
Read More »
Atchison Public Library
401 Kansas Avenue
Atchison, KS
Library Hours: Monday - Thursday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sunday - Closed
Read More »
Atchison Public Library
401 Kansas Avenue
Atchison, KS
Library Hours Monday - Thursday 9:00AM - 8:00PM Friday 9:00AM - 5:00PM Saturday 9:00AM - 2:00PM Sunday Closed
Read More »
Basehor Community Library
14500-R Parallel
Basehor, KS
Mission: The Mission of the Basehor Community Library is to provide recreational, educational, and reference information materials and service...
Read More »
Bedford Public Library
507 Jefferson Street
Bedford, IA
Mission Statement It is the purpose of the Bedford Public Library to assemble, preserve and circulate books, pamphlets, magazines, art print...
Read More »
Bethany Public Library
1509 Central Street
Bethany, MO
The mission of the Bethany Public Library is to build and maintain a collection of Library materials in a variety of formats that will meet the edu...
Read More »
Blue Ridge Branch Library
9253 Blue Ridge Boulevard
Kansas City, MO
Library Hours Monday - Thur 9:00AM-9:00PM Friday 9:00AM-6:00PM Saturday 9:00AM-5:00AM
Read More »
Blue Springs North Branch Library
850 North West Hunter Drive
Blue Springs, MO
History: The Blue Springs North Branch Library was formed in 1892 by the Independence Library Association. Miss Carrie Wallace, a relative of for...
Read More »
Blue Springs South Branch Library
2220 South 7 Highway
Blue Springs, MO
History: TheBlue Springs South Branch Library was formed in 1892 by the Independence Library Association. Miss Carrie Wallace, a relative of former...
Read More »
Blue Valley Library
9000 West 151 Street
Overland Park, KS
Mission: Johnson County Library provides access to ideas, information, experiences and materials that support and enrich people's lives. Vision:...
Read More »
Boardwalk Branch Library
8656 North Ambassador Drive
Kansas City, MO
The Boardwalk Branch opened in 1994. Located near I-29 and Barry Road, this branch is in one of the fastest growing parts of the metro area. Last y...
Read More »
Bonner Springs City Library
201 North Nettleton Avenue
Bonner Springs, KS
Hours Monday to Thursday: 9 am to 8 pm Friday & Saturday: 9 am to 5 pm Sunday: 1 pm to 5 pm
Read More »
Brookfield Public Library
102 East Boston Street
Brookfield, MO
The first library in Brookfield was in 1881. It consisted of 63 members who paid a fee of two dollars per year plus twenty-five cents quarterly due...
Read More »
Buckner Branch Library
19 E. Jefferson St.
Buckner, MO
History: The Buckner Branch Library was formed in 1892 by the Independence Library Association. Miss Carrie Wallace, a relative of former First La...
Read More »
Camden Point Branch Library
401 Hardesty Street
Camden Point, MO
The mission of the Camden Point Branch Library is to provide expanding access to materials, programs, technology and a world-class genealogy and fa...
Read More »
Show More
More on Altamont, MO
Search in a different zip code / city:


text:
Is it me or did this week go by quick as hell? Anyways to the DISASTER Mobile!
Well it's Sunday people! You know what that means...
Aside from having like, the most awesome name for a spaceship, the new Kazakh rocket also gave us a new frame of the famous Soviet Comic Strip Anton & Viktor about a man and his loving but contentious relationship with his dog.
Is it me, or does this film seem unusually dark and violent for a kids film? I mean, look at this screengrab from the trailer!
Well, it's been a week for the post coital red spinal glow to wear off and I think we've moved into the acceptance stage. But, National Geographic got all excited that they had Ron Moore reading an issue of their rag at the end of the episode to claim that Mitochondrial Eve was Hera... Uh huh. Well, thanks to Bill "I'm saying my final good-bye to my son even though I'm only taking a ship capable of traveling light years in a second a few hundred miles" Adama, here is what I think would have been a more appropriate National Geographic cover.
Ok... Just how terrible is Dragonball going to be?
Until next time my friends...
Garrison Dean's real name is not Garrison Dean and he doesn't limit himself to still images.


text:
The BP oil disaster off the coast of Louisiana is affecting the progress of wind power as an energy alternative at the world's biggest energy conference in Dallas.
Ironically, the fate of wind has quite a bit to do with the fate of petroleum.
That's why the estimated 20,000 visitors among the 1,400 exhibitors here have one eye on all the innovation in wind power, and the other on what is happening both in the Gulf of Mexico, where the oil spill is spreading, and in Washington, D.C.
"The oil disaster highlights the difficulty of relying on fossil fuels as a society," said Ray Wood, managing director for power and renewables at Credit Suisse . "So, if anything, it will raise the public consciousness about what is our addiction to oil, what is our addiction to fossil fuel.
"It should raise public awareness for renewable energy. It should help the federal government to support legislation to allow a phasing in of renewables in a more aggressive timeline."
It turns out, that might be the most idealistic angle among the thousands attending the conference. Yes, a huge oil spill makes wind power seem cleaner and safer, but to be truly viable, wind power needs what is called a renewable energy standard—a federal mandate to reach a certain amount of renewable energy production by a particular date.
That mandate would ensure wind energy's presence as a core part of the nation's alternative energy plans.
The possibility of that happening in the United States is closely tied to a broader energy bill that is now in Congressional limbo because offshore drilling was one of its key components.
Now, because of the BP spill, offshore drilling is a political albatross, hence a breakthrough in wind power is being impeded by the Gulf's oil disaster.
And the timing is problematic for the wind industry. After showing impressive growth in 2009—breaking records for installing nearly 10,000 megawatts of generating capacity—the first quarter of 2010 has shown the slowest growth rate in three years.
"Wind in the U.S. has been going gangbusters for the past five years," said Ned Hall, president of AES's wind generation division.
"Unfortunately, with what's going on in the economy and the lack of a national renewable energy standard, things are slowing down."
That doesn't mean Windpower 2010 has lost its collective sense of business optimism. The sheer scope of the conference is enough to prove that fact. And the industry is moving forward as if the legislative help will come, even though it likely won't be this year.
"The legislation will be helpful for long-term growth, but I think right now, there's enough momentum at the state level and enough momentum at the financing markets to keep wind going," added Credit Suisse's Wood.
At Windpower 2010, energy giants like General Electric and Siemens are on hand, along with hundreds of developers from places as far away as Perth, Australia, and as near as right as Dallas.
These participants are making deals and showing the next phases of technology. And it truly is a global story, especially since more than 35 countries have the renewable energy mandates that each exhibitor wants to see in the United States.


text:
I'm not a fan of the New Year's resolution phenomenon. I do think it's got some good or at least non-insidious applications — I'm in favor of periodic reevaluation of whether you like your life and how you might like it better, and I'm in favor of small achievable goals (a friend vowed, for instance, that she would do one pull-up this year, which I think is terrific). And I empathize with the desire to do them right now, not in my case because it's the first of the year but because I just got off of a pretty long vacation, which made me think about how I spend my time. I have things I'm planning and things I'd like to change — for instance, I want to learn to crochet, and I really ought to blog more, and the gym has been feeling like a chore lately instead of energizing me and I want to find a new type of exercise that I get something out of. Coming back to work has made these thoughts about my daily routine more immediate and important. I get that, and in that sense I approve of resolutions in theory.
But I don't like how they're marketed, and in fact I think they're packaged for failure. Keying them to the beginning of the year, with its clean-slate implications, essentially imparts the sense that this is a chance to shed your sins and diet and exercise your way into purity and virtue. New Year's resolutions are about abjecting your "former self," condemning her as someone in need of scourging or salvaging. It's not about contemplation of your life and your pastimes, but about making a grand statement of conversion — "last year I was bad, but this year I'll be better." This generally peters out quickly, like any other grand personal narrative with nothing backing it up, leaving people feeling stuck with the "old self" they now see as a failure (Miss Conduct has more on this).
So as an alternative, let me ask you this, Shapelings: what did you already do in the last year that made you healthier, stronger, happier, better-adjusted? It can be something as big as discovering (or rediscovering) that exercise can be fun, or as small as adjusting your office chair for better support. Tell us what you did in 2008 to make the self with which you enter 2009 who she is today. Did you get fitted for a bra? Start taking vitamins or drinking red wine? Make time for yourself? Learn a new language or skill?
Nothing's keeping you from continuing to grow in 2009, or even from setting new goals and making new plans at the beginning of the year. But please don't forget that 2008-you was pretty great too.