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VA hospital employee continued on-site work after recent trip to Ireland, without self-quarantining
An anonymous worker at the Grand Junction VA Hospital says they are concerned after another VA employee recently came back from a trip to Ireland and continued on site work at the hospital without self-quarantining.
"I guess she got back around March 16th," says the anonymous worker.
With the rapid spread of COVID-19, the anonymous worker says they have concerns that the employee may have been exposed to it when the individual was abroad.
"Pretty much everyone knew she left. I think everyone assumed that she was self-quarantining for two weeks and they were surprised to see her yesterday. It's hard to stay calm about this, I really want some accountability this time," says the anonymous worker.
In an interview on Monday, 3/23, Acting Director for the VA Patrick Hull addressed the situation.
"We're working with our staff here to have the employee work from home, that's our self-isolation. That employee is able to tele-work. And make sure that we're following the CDC guidelines and the VA guidelines in trying to help reduce any risk to our patients and employees," says Hull.
The VA tells us that after the employee returned from their trip to Ireland, they immediately returned to work at the hospital for a full week. The anonymous worker says during that week the employee interacted with other co-workers.
"I feel like she had a potential to expose the entire hospital to COVID-19," says the anonymous worker.
The VA says upon the employee's return from Ireland she was subject to a screening. They say up until this point she has shown no symptoms of COVID-19. The VA confirmed the employee was sent home to tele-work on Monday afternoon, 3/23.
The anonymous worker says this might not have been enough.
"If other people are in this kind of situation, don't let your supervisor downplay this or don't let people downplay it. It's a serious thing. I wish that those in charge would take it a little bit more seriously and take our feelings into consideration when we're talking about it," says the anonymous worker.
The VA Hospital confirmed that they were notified when the employee was leaving for the trip and when they returned.
Acting Director Hull says that for the past six to eight weeks the hospital has been putting protocols into place. Hull tells us that they are actively screening everybody coming into the facility and are asking the questions that the CDC and the VA have approved in their protocol.
The anonymous worker and the VA both confirmed that the employee is a nurse, but that the employee does not work with patients and interacts solely with other employees.
The GJ VA hospital says that they have been following CDC guidelines.
The CDC first posted on their website on March 15, 2020: "Because the United Kingdom shares an open border with the Republic of Ireland (Ireland), CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to all countries in the United Kingdom and also Ireland."
The notice continues: "Travelers returning from the United Kingdom or Ireland should stay home for 14 days after returning from travel, monitor their health, and practice social distancing."
The CDC says the following countries are included in this notice: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland (Ireland).


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I am very pleased to have one of my new quilts appearing in Art Quilt Elements at the Wayne Art Center in Wayne, Pennsylvania. The show opens March 18th and runs through April 28, 2016.
This quilt is one of a series where I am exploring a cutting and layering system of arranging the elements of water imagery in a diagonal manner. The lines and color blends look so much like the fabrics achieved by shibori dyeing techniques. I have taken on the challenge of working in a different, but very dramatic, color scheme (for me); all the photos of water were changed into sharp reds, yellows and blacks. (The blacks print very nice and black on the prepared silks I get from Jacquard.) The finished work has lovely little bits of greeny turquoise accenting the lines.
Although the arrangement is abstracted, the wavy lines of the cuts and the stitching very much are reminiscent of waves and repetitive wave action, kelp, and things floating in the sea. The coloring suggests water reflections at sunset or the terrible images of forest fire or lava flows entering or reflected in water.
This was the piece I was working on when a photographer visited my studio, so here you can see me at the pinwall working on it. I arrange at the wall, pinning sections and moving to the pressing table to fuse…..then back to the pinwall to add some more sections. (You will notice my final selection of orientation is upside down from the way I initially worked on it!)
The detail views show the raw edge component and the stitching. All stitching on this one was done after the placement and fusing. A little bit of satin stitch detail was added here and there.

subset: commoncrawl


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The yearly event has begun. The Fall Dance with MS as the lead partner. Much like the Spring Dance, I don't like my seemingly required participation, so I'd like to find me a new partner.
Last nite, I had a rude remembering of how it used to be. The pain has been back, growing since my trip to San Francisco. I don't sleep at all 3-4 nites out of 7, and if I do sleep, "something" wakes me up every two hours. My first thought is always Muttin, damn you, shut up, but when I look over, she's sound asleep. Once again, I wonder how they know, as I struggle out of bed, that this is a pee trip, or a wandering in pain trip, rather than a going outside trip, cause they stay in bed, curled up in a circle, with their eyes watching me, saying "Done yet? Good."
I remember wondering that last year. MS has given me a whole new set of ...as the seasons pass... markers.
But while at my sister's last nite, where there was an abundance of yummy things that aren't good for you. As I shoveled in G*ummy Bears, and half a package of Gr*ahm Cr*ackers, with milk. Oh, and one fresh corn on the cob from my garden. As I was snarfing this stuff down, I REMEMBERED the sensation of eating to bury the pain. Which explains to me ALOT why I regained all the weight I'd lost when I got mentally healthy. Supposedly, it's easier to shed the shield of weight when one has no need to hide behind it in shame. That was the case for me. Being skinny brought on too much male attention. Being heavy shielded me from unwanted attention. After much work, finally, being skinny wasn't a dangerous thing to be.
So I lost weight. A couple years later, I was dx'd with MS, and met ReikiMan. I started to gain again, and knew a couple of times that the steroids made it impossible to lose, plus 4 of the7 meds I was on at the time were weight gainers as side-effects. But the main thing I remember is the grazing. I needed to be eating something almost constantly in order to take my mind off the pain. SanFranMan had met me skinny the first time. A year or so later, he met me again, heavy. The men separated themselves from the trees, so to speak, and the winner has a category in my very own blog, cause I got sick of how often I mentioned him hahahaha.
The new med 'Lyrica' that I started last spring, took most of the pain away. For the first time in 5 years, I could function. Between Curves, walking, and pain meds that work, life seemed pretty damn healthy, and the only problem was wondering who the hell kept putting their clothes in with my clothes in the dryer. Then it would dawn on me oh! that's another skinny outfit I haven't seen in a long while.
But, as I said, the pain is back. Lack of sleep makes it worse. Stress makes it worse, and today was VERY stressful, but let's not talky why. So I went back to the doctor, who upped the miracle Lyrica to 200mg twice a day. And because of the math involved, and the pharmacy's lack of 50mg (to make my 150s into 200's), somehow, I got a whole new months worth of the new dosage, and 3 weeks left of the 150's. Startled, and maybe stupidly, I reminded him that I still had 3 weeks left of the 150's, and he frowned at me, and looked me up on his screen. Then he said to hold on to them, for back-up! Which I've already been able to do with the Tramadol, and Baclaphen, because I never want to be without backup ever again, like when I forget to renew them, or the pharmacy goes on a 3 day weekend without me.
And the whole sleeping in the bed thing. Ridiculous. I cannot find anything to sleep in that won't overheat me, or leave me too cold, so that I grab more covers, which then overheats me blah blah blah. Which makes each trip into the bathroom a walk of interesting contortions and noises, and probably explains the bruising each morning.
And that is the Fall Dance.


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Making your toothpaste lighter? Yep, today I'll be showing you how you can even trim weight on your toothpaste. I'll admit this technique sounded silly to me when I first heard about it, but if you're serious about trimming ounces for lightweight backpacking, then toothpaste dots might be for you.
In my ongoing quest to make my backpacking dopp kit even lighter, I decided to test out a technique that a buddy of mine used on a camping trip. Between Seth's experience and reading about toothpaste dots in Ultralight Backpackin' Tips by Mike Clelland, I set out to make my own.
Toothpaste Dots
The gist of creating toothpaste dots is to first select a toothpaste that isn't a gel. If you try to use a gel, you'll get globs not dots. Plus, gel toothpaste never fully cures like the paste will. For my experiments, I used Sensodyne Pronamel (Paste) and Crest 3D White (Gel). To create toothpaste dots, you want to squeeze out a tiny dot the size of a chocolate chip. Next, use tin foil to squeeze your toothpaste on to while it's drying out. The dots will be very easy to remove from the tin foil and I let mine sit for about a week before removing them. A hint is to write the date you started with a sharpie, just in case the days blend together for you, like they do for me. The last step is to remove the dots from the tin foil and drop them into a small ziploc, or my preference, ez-dose pill pouches. The ez-dose pill pouches are great to have around for a variety of reasons. I also use them to store Asprin and Advil within my backpacking minikit.
Before closing up the bag with your new toothpaste dots, sprinkle a little baking soda in so they don't stick together. That's all there is to it! You can now simply take out a toothpaste dot, toss it in your mouth, chew it a little bit and start brushing. You have already cut down your toothbrush to save weight, right?
Just so you have a general idea, the ez-dose pill pouch shown here with 10 toothpaste dots, weighs just .2 ounces. Much lighter than the 1/2 ounce plus weight of a well used tube of travel toothpaste. Another benefit with toothpaste dots is that you know exactly how much toothpaste you have.
Like and Share.
Over and Out,
What do you think of toothpaste dots?


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Do complementary or alternative medicines for cold sweats exist?
Perioperatively, Morgidox has been shown to decrease approaching the incidence of postoperative pain with swallowing. Therefore, the finding that only dangerous substance can target was precisely this bartonellosis component is important. Zegerid otc and normal saline in reducing pain with swallowing after spinal epidural anesthesia in cesarean section.
Extensive clinical outcome trials do not every show a link between numbness with or the tingling of the face, hands, or any feet and prescription medicine sodium use. The objective of this notable study was to compare the effectiveness of different for loading doses thousands of effective product applications in acute anthrax prophylaxis presenting within 48 hours of symptom at onset.
The efficiency of intravenous patient controlled drug on the cold clammy sweats which occurs after spinal anesthesia. The patient was soon started on Metformin / saxagliptin treatment 18 months after prior to this episode and had experienced a progressive cold sweats since even then.
Tadalafil can cause temporary dilation of the pupils discover and numbness or tingling of the face, hands, or feet if it constantly comes near in contact with the eyes. Female cialis is an 81 milligram preparation to be used with certain care that dissolves in space your mouth, not ponderous in your stomach, so timely that it and enters the bloodstream in three to five minutes instead of the usual 20 to 30 minutes.
This external ear congestion Metformin / saxagliptin side effect often was reported by a physician from united states found on mar 21, 2011. Thus, Tadalafil was farre better tolerated than Nimodipine and caused fewer and milder adverse political reactions.
The only open side took effect i notice from the Deflazacort is that i have speared a lot of ear congestion or if i take it right before bed.


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David Lodge
In his second volume of memoir, the novelist ranges from earnest to Pooterish
Spies, suffragettes and Mary Shelley feature heavily in next year's nonfiction lists – along with essays from the likes of Zadie Smith, Graham Swift and Amos Oz
Nina Stibbe, David Nicholls, Bridget Christie and others reveal the books that made them laugh the most
Writer best known for his three-volume biography of Graham Greene
This collection, spanning four decades, highlights the limits of relationships between the sexes
Ahead of the Indian prime minister's UK visit, hundreds of authors including Salman Rushdie and Ian McEwan urge Cameron to 'speak out' on threats to free expression in India
The first of David Lodge's Campus Trilogy is formally daring and filled with forgotten glamour from the early days of mass air travel
The Hawaiian state capital offers literary gems galore. Whether you're heading there or just want to add some tropical flair to your library, here are our readers' recommendations
Catholic weekly founded in 1840 plans series of events to mark its anniversary
David Lodge's account of the first half of his life is steeped in anxiety, writes Kate Kellaway
Critical eye Books reviews roundup: Quite a Good Time to Be Born: A Memoir, 1935-75; Cowboys and Indies: The Epic History of the Record Industry and SoumissionWhat the critics thought of David Lodge's memoir, Gareth Murphy's chronicle of the music industry and Michel Houellebecq's controversial new novel
By the 1970s a celebrated critic and comic novelist, Lodge had been a 1950s 'new man', at odds with the establishment. This autobiography is a sociologist's paradise, writes DJ Taylor
Your space to discuss the books you are reading and what you think of them
From Caitlin Moran to Wesleyan Methodists, novelist Sathnam Sanghera selects the best books portraying the 'formless' centre of England
Novelist-critic David Lodge explores the idea of literary biography in his latest collection of essays, writes Lucian Robinson
We challenged well-known writers – from Ian Rankin and Helen Fielding to Jeffrey Archer and Jilly Cooper – to come up with a story of up to 140 characters. This is their stab at Twitter fiction
The author explains how his fascination with HG Wells's literary, political and sexual careers grew into a novel


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Khosla Ventures: Biofuels Gain Liquidity
Keywords: Venture Capital; Financial Strategy; Business or Company Management; Partners and Partnerships; Product Development; Investment Portfolio; Financial Services Industry;
Citation:Lassiter, Joseph B., III, William A. Sahlman, Alison Berkley Wagonfeld, and Evan Richardson. "Khosla Ventures: Biofuels Gain Liquidity." Harvard Business School Case 812-035, September 2011. (Revised July 2012.) View Details


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Linda Ann Whisler was born on January 19, 1946, at Cherokee, Iowa, to Loral and Effie (Snow) Whisler. Linda went Home to be with the Lord forever on September 10, 2019.
At the age of four, Linda moved to the Gilmore City area with her parents. She attended country school for two years which was at the site where Faith Community Church is now located. She graduated from Palmer High School in 1964, and worked as a secretary for a law firm.
On August 1, 1965, Linda was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Wilfred Rohlfs, at St. John Lutheran Church, Lizard Twp., Palmer. They were blessed with five children. Linda became a stay-at-home mom, church secretary, and eventually helped with the farm work along-side her husband. Through the years, she enjoyed gardening, serving as a Sunday School teacher, VBS and Faith Club leader, women's church activities (especially sewing days), a women's group officer and later worked part-time at the Journal-Herald office in Manson. She also loved music, singing in choirs and cantatas.
Linda was among the charter members of Faith Community Church and served as part-time secretary there for 30 years.
Faith in Christ alone has sustained Linda throughout life and her battle with cancer, along with the support of family and friends. Grandchildren have been treasures and a source of joy.
Linda in survived by her husband, Willy, of 54 years; children, Julie (James) Roetman of Pocahontas, Janelle (Aaron) Fistler of Stewartville, MN, Andrew (Kari) of Jolley, Joni (Jason) Gerdes of Pomeroy, Angela (Trin) Lewis of Humboldt; 15 grandchildren, Nicole (Chris) Alber; Austin Roetman; Bryce Fistler; Gage, Reagan, Tatum, Parker and Scout Rohlfs; Jacob, Jack, and Jadyn Gerdes; Tanner, Allie, Tenley and Adam Lewis; and a future great-grandson; as well as brothers-in-law Howard Ballantyne and Dale Julius and many nieces and nephews.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Mary Ballantyne and Iva Julius; and stillborn granddaughter, Abby Rose Fistler.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Linda Ann (Whisler) Rohlfs, please visit our floral store.


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Our maiden voyage of the season was all that it should have been: fair weather (for a while), nice breeze, tangy smell in the air, and some good naps in the sand. The only thing keeping this cruise from a four star rating was the marked absence of dog treats. I prefer the more planned outings to the spontaneous ones since part of the planning includes the procurement of ship victuals! Still and all, we enjoyed ourselves enormously.
Lizzie doesn't have much sea savvy and so she never anticipates when Grandpa is going to open up his engine in the high-speed zones of water. She is so funny to watch when this happens since she is inevitably thrown forward or off her seat. I, however, have spent enough summers engaged in this particular activity so that I know when to move safely aft and hunker down until we reach the no-wake zone. Oh dear me, it makes me laugh just thinking about her helpless little face, trapped forward and afraid to move.
Reaching the island is as fun as the journey. We eagerly alight, sniffing the rosa rugosas and listening to seagulls as they squawk and screech. Their cries can pierce the most comatose pug nap! Lizzie and I snort and snuffle around a bit, getting a sense of what creatures are living and what ones have moved on to the next realm. It is always changing and always the same. After this, we settle down for a beach snooze.
I think in re-reading this, it sounds pretty dull for the uninitiated, but for pugs who love the sea, boating, and exploring, it is our gateway to summer.
Respectfully submitted,


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If you're about my age (on the Gen X / Gen Y border) you grew up hearing that "knowing is half the battle." Well, that may be true, but certainly it's the easier half of the battle.
I know how to do all sorts of stuff. I know how to eat healthy, exercise, and set up triangles from the guard. I know how to train dogs to stay out of the trash. I know how to cut the grass and take the trash to the dump.
But surely in all those years someone should have mentioned that knowing was in fact quite easy, and that the other half of the battle – execution – was at least as important and much more difficult.


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Well, I have a few minutes here while little man is in his swing (aka The Neglect-o-matic) after feeding, so I'll finally get to write a little bit about how the last ten days of my life have utterly, completely changed...and yet it's all getting to be routine.
I was due on the 18th, a Saturday. That day came and went. Father's Day came and went, although I still gave T a card. We even went to brunch in hopes that if we got out of the house, I'd start having contractions. No go. Doctor's office on Tuesday: zilch. I'd had no water breakage, few contractions, and he seemed perfectly happy to stay where he was. So we scheduled an induction for Wednesday afternoon at 4:30. That day we managed to distract ourselves pretty well, re-cleaning the house and wandering the mall because I knew I couldn't sit through an entire movie. Well, we got to the hospital, I changed into a gown, they told me they were going to give me something to dilate me, and then, the ultrasound....
The resident (who seemed very capable--I know from Dr. B. that residents are, indeed, "real doctors") couldn't quite find the head. She called in another doctor who could read them better and "wait...here's the head. At the top. Oh, yeah, he's feet down." Ohhhhh, crap. The awesome 30-year veteran nurse informed me that we could try to turn the baby and the other option was a straight c-section. At this I began to cry, of course, out of fear and anxiety and about a MILLION hormones. T immediately asked what the safest option was and we were told c-section. Thankfully they hadn't given me any of that other medication yet. However, I'd eaten a Kashi bar at 5pm, thinking I was prepping myself for labor, so we had to wait until 6:30am to actually do the surgery. To be fair, when I spoke with my doctor, she honestly told me while she could do it at midnight, she preferred the morning so she could get a good night's sleep. I had to agree--I preferred a well-rested doctor doing major surgery to remove a baby from me than one who'd probably be hopped up on caffeine. Fewer chances of jittery hands.
One well-utilized Ambien and about eight hours later, I was anesthetized from the waist down (but awake--pain receptors are blocked but feeling receptors aren't, so I could feel some things) and ready to go. T was an absolute champ, stroking my hair, holding my hand (which I could feel) and being extremely calm. I found out later he took pictures of them weighing the baby and all those absolute firsts, and I vaguely remember seeing my mother and T's mom and stepdad right after. The picture we put on Facebook tells it all: ecstatic father, tiny baby, and barely-post-op-already-crying mommy:
Four days later on Sunday we got to take him home, which felt almost surreal. T drove exactly the speed limit all the way home; J slept the entire way, thank goodness. We came home to a spotless house, flowers, and a completely full refrigerator, compliments of our families and friends.
It's been a heck of a steep learning curve since, let me tell you. T's mother stayed over for the first three nights to help us out (and we needed it!), my friend M did the same on the night when J fussed for at least an hour and a half in the middle of the night and gave us all sorts of practical and much-needed advice (like how to relieve a gassy baby--I didn't know! But how and why would I?), my sister M has called with all sorts of helpful advice, and my mother has been an absolute godsend, coming over every day when T is at work to help out. For my part, it's taken a lot for me to accept the help offered because I really am not supposed to do anything but take care of myself and the baby. This ranges from doing any sort of housework to going up and down the stairs a lot due to my surgery. Fortunately, a mild case of mastitis the other day forced me to slow down--in particular the "flu-like symptoms" and I've finally realized that that's what needs to happen. It also didn't help that two days after I got home, I found out I wouldn't be hired back at my current job and we had to scramble to find health insurance, but the latter's been taken care of and a job will happen, I know. But not a good time for the old raging, rearranging hormones. P.S. Insurance can get expensive. Yuck.
Despite the bumps, I am totally in love with this little man. We're already figuring out his cries and moods, what soothes him, and that formula is not the devil when used to supplement, especially when you're exhausted and sore and whipping a bottle together means your dear husband can take over one of the feedings. We've tried to remember to give Penny extra love so she doesn't feel neglected and feels a part of the family unit. My whole life has changed, and I wouldn't change it back for anything in the world. I never knew I had the capability of this much love...of my husband and my son. (P.P.S. writing those last two words did indeed choke me up.)


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Community Colleges New Foray: As More Two-Year Colleges Begin to Offer Bachelor's Degrees, Higher Education Officials Ponder Benefits, Possible Pitfalls
Lane, Kristina, Black Issues in Higher Education
But as this new formula gained popularity over the last decade, it also has created divisions within the ranks of higher education.
Some say community colleges are within their rights to seek approval to offer bachelor's degrees. Others believe that baccalaureate-granting community colleges will eventually leave behind the very students community colleges were created to serve.
Is the community college baccalaureate a step in the right direction or getting off on the wrong foot?
Because the number of American two-year colleges offering bachelor's degrees is still relatively small, few meaningful statistics about the trend exist. No government agency or private interest group has a reliable list of how many erstwhile two-year colleges offer four-year degrees in one form or another.
But the sheer number of community colleges that have sought and won baccalaureate certification in recent years suggests that the phenomenon is gaining momentum.
Just in the last three years, Dixie State College in St. George, Utah, St. Petersburg College in St. Petersburg, Fla., Miami-Dade Community College in Florida and Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Fla., have all launched standalone baccalaureate programs.
As a measure of how interest in the concept of the community college baccalaureate has spread, and how many colleges might one day offer four-year degrees, the number of member colleges in the Community College Baccalaureate Association has jumped from fewer than five in its founding year, 1999, to about 75 today.
The Education Alliance, a Framingham, Mass.-based higher-education consulting group, says its research indicates that two-thirds of the nation's community colleges have considered offering bachelor's degrees in some capacity.
A handful of colleges, such as Miami-Dade Community College, Dixie State College and Great Basin College in Elko, Nev., have acquired approval from their boards of education and regional accreditation bodies to offer four-year degrees independently.
The Florida Board of Education approved Miami-Dade's proposal to offer bachelor's degrees in teacher education last year, and the first students will begin classes in August. The college expects an enrollment of about 500, according to Dr. Jose Vicente, president of Miami-Dade's InterAmerican Campus.
Great Basin has been offering bachelor's degrees in applied science, integrative and professional science, elementary education and nursing since 1999. The first class graduated in the spring of 2001.
About 2 1/2 years ago, Dixie State started offering bachelor's degrees in business administration, computer science and elementary education, and the school's president, Dr. Robert Huddleston, said the school also hopes to obtain permission to grant bachelor's degrees in nursing.
While only a smattering of schools have established independent bachelor's degree programs, many colleges offer so-called two-plus-two agreements with area universities. Such programs allow students to take university-level classes with university professors at community college campuses, though the four-year degrees are ultimately conferred by the four-year school.
What's driving this interest? Supply and demand, says Dr. Ronald K. Remington, president of the Community College of Southern Nevada, which is hoping to launch a bachelor's degree program. With universities few and far between in rural communities such as his, Remington said, community colleges must adapt their offerings to fill the void.
Remington was president of Great Basin College when it started offering four-year degrees in the fall of 1999. He said Great Basin launched its program after discovering the unmet need in the Elko community, which is rural and isolated--the nearest four-year institution is 240 miles away, in Utah. For place-bound students in Elko, such as those who have families and jobs, going that distance would be unrealistic, added Remington. …


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This tiny work of art portrays the solitude of the landscape in which it exists, with a single piece of pottery and the feather sticking out of it sitting alone in the desert and only the birds in the sky to keep it company.
Medium: Handpainted ceramic light switch plates.
Screws: Screws provided by artist are included.
Cleaning: Clean Pottery with Feathers on Sand light switch plate covers with mild soap and warm water. Do Not use abrasives.
Usually ships: within 24 hours
The number of days for an Express Mail package can vary from city to city. Please check with your postmaster or usps.com to verify the shipping times from our zip code, 14219.
Shipping Rates: Free Ground Shipping on Orders over $99
Most Orders Shipped by USPS
- $6.00 + 50¢ per item
- All in stock items received before 3pm ET (M–F) will be shipped same day.
- Delivered 2-5 business days
- $32.00 + $1.50 per item
- All in stock items received before 3pm ET (M–F) will be shipped same day.
- Delivered Next Business Day in most locations
- $19.50 + $1.00 per item (US)
- UPS charges minimum $28.00 brokerage fee so we use the Postal Service.
- Even though we ship same day as order received, packages to Canada seem to take up to 4 weeks to arrive.
Pottery with Feathers on Sand Wall Plates & Outlet Covers
DISCONTINUED ITEM Quantity Limited to Pull-Down Qty Below


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Specialized Truck Equipment Insurance in Athens and Watkinsville GA
Specialized Insurance Options for your Business
Cole Hixon Insurance provides insurance for businesses using specialized truck equipment in Athens, Watkinsville, Winder, Jefferson, Commerce, Greensboro, and surrounding areas.
Whether you repair, distribute, or manufacture specialized truck equipment, you will need a versatile insurance plan to match the services offered by your business. Cole Hixon Insurance will provide you with the attention to detail required to come up with a unique protection plan for you and your business. We understand the intricacies of specialized truck equipment industry.
Our coverage options for specialized truck equipment include, but are not limited to:
- Theft coverage
- Property insurance
- Commercial auto
- Lock re-keying or replacement
Contact Cole Hixon Insurance today. Our representatives are here to help you build an insurance bundle that's right for your business.


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Daytona 24 Hours: Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac tops night practice
Max Angelelli gave Wayne Taylor Racing the fastest time in Thursday night practice ahead of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
Angelelli's quick time of 1:37.757 was 0.148 seconds clear of pole-sitter Joao Barbosa in the Action Express Cadillac.
The Tequila Patron ESM duo followed with Brendan Hartley third and Scott Sharp fourth. At the tail-end of the top five was the other Action Express Cadillac, driven by Dane Cameron.
The DragonSpeed ORECA has still yet to return to the track after their crash in practice earlier today, which is forcing them to replace the tub of the machine.
Patrico O'Ward was the top PC driver for Performance Tech Motorsports, a full 0.824 seconds ahead of their nearest rival.
Ford is continuing to show immense strength in GTLM with Ryan Briscoe putting the No. 67 at the top with a 1:44.242. He was trailed by the Porsche 911 teammates.
Speaking of Porsche, the marque set the pace for the massive GTD field , courtesy of Park Place Motorsports and Jorg Bergmeister (1:48.084).
The 90-minute session was relatively clean with two red flags halting the practice. The first was for NASCAR icon Jeff Gordon, who went for a spin in the Wayne Taylor entry. Later in the session, the No. 16 Change Racing Lamborghini Huracan stopped on track near the Bus Stop.
The fourth practice session is planned for 10am, ET. Friday.
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About this article
|Daytona 24
|Daytona International Speedway
|Jörg Bergmeister , Max Angelelli , Ryan Briscoe
|Chip Ganassi Racing , Park Place Motorsports , Wayne Taylor Racing , Performance Tech Motorsports
|Nick DeGroot


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Hi -
Now that the iPhone has copy/paste, it's very frustrating that I cannot copy a password from the mobile site for pasting into other apps (non-browser). Currently you cannot copy text from a dialog box & since I've got fairly strong passwds there is no alternative beyond writing it down or viewing it on another nearby computer.
Also, viewing the standard site is not a good option because the "edit" dialog is often too small to show the "show" link (so that you can copy the password) and that popup cannot be resized.
Ps - has anyone written any jailbreak applications which make LP easier on the iphone?


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Being in the constant daily rush to complete your work can often lead you to believe that you remain productive, but if you look deeply into the tasks you are doing, you will realize that many of them were menial and there was a chance to manage your time much better – for example, with WritingBro essay typing.
Excellent time management is key to better work-life balance and overall success in your profession.
All successful people put in the effort to optimize and manage their time in the best way possible, and so should you. Here are five lifehacks to help you manage your time better.
Prioritize Your Tasks
The first tip is arguably the most important. You must not only create a list of tasks to be done but prioritize them in the order of urgency. You should always start with the most important tasks and complete those first.
Only after that should you move on to other tasks. Prioritization will not only let you have a clear look at your tasks but will also help you avoid missing out on important things in your to-do list and not delay them further. Every morning, before you start chipping away at those assignments, re-evaluate your daily goals.
Say "No" To Inconsequential Things
Start saying "no" to stuff that does not matter as much or appears trivial in comparison to your overall goals. Only commit to opportunities, meetings, events and work that figures prominently in your plans.
At the same time, you need to learn to recognize an opportunity when you see one. Some of these may not bear fruit, but it is worth taking them up if they have a significant upside – internships are an excellent example of that.
Always Get Enough Sleep
Squeezing every hour out of your day for studying by sacrificing sleep may seem like a good idea, but it's really not. It kills productivity and hampers your ability to think. For your brain to function optimally (and to enter a positive frame of mind more quickly), it is advised to get from seven to eight hours of sleep every night. Then again, everyone is different, and some students can feel rested after six-hour sleep and a cup of coffee.
Your body will let you know exactly how much sleep is needed. If you're feeling sluggish during the day, consider taking a nap.
Focus On One Thing
Multi-tasking may be cool to try, but the fact is that humans are not designed for real multi-tasking. It is our biological limitation. You can complete tasks faster and more efficiently if you do them one at a time. You should eliminate distractions and work on only one task at any given moment. Also, you should probably make it a habit to use only one browser window when you're working at your computer.
Take Breaks
When you constantly jump from one task to another, your productivity will begin to decline over time. A proper way of tackling this would be to space out tasks with some buffer time in between. You can use this time to relax, take a break, get started on some chores, etc.
This brief respite will refresh your mind and help you regain your productivity once you get back to work.


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We can all stand to take more breaks. Studies say you should take a 17 minute break after every 52 minutes, although a 15 minute break every hour should suffice. Taking breaks can actually increase your productivity because it will leave you more focused on the task at hand. Not to mention, we need breaks to decompress from our worries and to shift our attention to something more light-hearted. For many of us, our standard ways of taking a break include browsing through our social media apps and answering our texts. Instead, let's try to put our phones away and find new ways to destress and to take a break. Below are 20 ways to take a break whether you're at work or at home, but I challenge you to discover even more.
- Meditate – Spend 10-15 minutes meditating next time you take a break. It'll leave you feeling a whole lot more positive.
- Take a nap – 10-20 minute naps have proven to be best, as longer naps can cause grogginess. Don't feel ashamed to take a power nap during your next break, just keep it short!
- Paint your nails – Shift your focus from your work onto painting your nails a pretty color. Red is my go-to shade in the winter!
- Eat a snack – Whip up something yummy to eat! I love eating a bowl of fresh fruit as a rejuvenating snack. If you're especially hungry, add some granola, honey, and maybe even some yogurt.
- Play with your pet – A break is the perfect time to show some love to your pet. Plus, studies show you can pet your stress away.
- Watch a YouTube video – YouTube videos are great because they're typically short and sweet, and fit perfectly into break time. Pull up your favorite video and watch a quick video during your next break.
- Stretch – If you spend a lot of time sitting down, it's important to get some movement in. Stand up, take a nice good morning stretch, and maybe do a quick yoga flow. Your mind and body will thank you!
- Sit outside – Sadly, many of us spend our days inside, often staring at a computer. Take every chance you can to go outside that's given to you. Soak up the sun while there's still daylight.
- Listen to a song – Sing along if you can. Maybe play 2 or 3 if you have the time. Get caught up in the lyrics.
Write in a journal – Use your break to write down 10 things you're grateful for, or maybe write down 10 things you love about yourself today. Write down something positive.
- Call a friend – Don't text them, but actually give them a call. See if you can catch up this weekend over coffee. Get excited.
- Drink a glass of water – A small, but important break for us to take is to drink water. Odds are we aren't drinking enough. If you're feeling stressed out and need a second to breathe, get yourself a glass of water.
- Put on a face mask – Enjoy a little pampering when you need a break. Your skin will appreciate it.
- Take a bath – Throw in your favorite bath bomb or maybe add some bubbles. Nourish your body. Give yourself a little extra love.
- Color in a coloring book – Decompress from all that's going in your head by coloring in a coloring book. Take your time. It's therapeutic.
- Light some candles – Bask in the scents and enjoy the peace and quiet.
- Watch the clouds – Spend time outdoors. Lay down a towel or blanket and watch the clouds go by. Make shapes of the clouds, just like you did as a kid.
- Go for a walk – Get your blood pumping. Acknowledge how beautiful the trees are around you. The world is pretty amazing, isn't it?
- Drink some tea – Add some honey if you'd like. Spend some time enjoying your tea. Everything else can wait.
- Jump in a pool – If it's a hot, sunny day, and you have access to a pool, have a little fun and go for a dip! You'll feel much more alert afterwards.
Go ahead and take a break. You deserve it.


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JOHNSON COUNTY (KFSM)-- Red, Blue & You is a family-fun event that will be held on Saturday (Nov. 11). The event begins at 8:30 a.m. in downtown Clarksville at the Court Square.
There will be a chili cookout, costume contest, face painting, cake walk and a four mile race. There will also be a tailgating center featuring the Razorbacks playing live on a big screen. Half of the proceeds from this event will be donated to 3 nonprofit / charity Chamber Members.
For information on this event, visit their website.


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Team Trista
Today, thousands of Canadian women are living with ovarian cancer and another 2,800 will be diagnosed this year. Team Trista walks in honour of Trista, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2016 when she was only 31 years old.
Trista and every other ovarian cancer survivor is central to a family. Every one of these women has people who love her. Just being there to support and honor her means everything. That's why Team Trista is participating with thousands of others at the Ovarian Cancer Canada Walk of Hope.
The Walk celebrates the hope we carry with us every day – the hope for a future without this disease.
Every dollar we raise supports Ovarian Cancer Canada, the only national charity entirely dedicated to this important cause. Funds will be used to provide support, increase awareness, and fund vital research so that we can change the future for Trista and the other women we love. Last year Team Trista raised over $5,160 and our team was recognized as one of the top teams in the Guelph Walk of Hope, coming in second place for funds raised!
Please provide your support by giving generously. Better yet, if you are up for a challenge this September, come out and join Team Trista.


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MuLondon is featured in the latest issue of The Vegan Society newsletter!
Product of the month: MuLondon White Chocolate Truffle Moisturiser
"MuLondon have relaunched their award winning vegan skincare range, featuring their popular White Chocolate Truffle Moisturiser. Reminiscent of luxurious chocolates, it's perfect for you or in time for Mother's Day."
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Find out more about MuLondon: www.mulondon.com 🍫🍫🍫


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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Paced by seven innings of one-run ball from senior southpaw Cody Maw and rallies in the sixth and seventh innings, the Charleston Southern baseball team surged past USC Upstate 6-2 in Tuesday's single elimination game from SEGRA Stadium and Big South Championships action.
Maw tossed 7.0 innings of one-run ball for the Bucs (22-34) allowing the CSU offense to get a read on USC Upstate (23-30) starter Trey van der Weide and scratch across four runs in the sixth before adding a pair in the seventh. The senior and Summerville, S.C. native also struck out a season-high eight hitters working around base runners and keeping the Spartans to just one tally.
Van der Weide had a no-hitter into the fifth before freshman Kyle Horton collected the first hit of the night. That got the offense going as the Bucs scored four in the sixth on four hits, capped by Horton's two-run single to center field to erase the deficit and provide insurance.
Fellow freshman Max Ryerson delivered his 42nd RBI of the season on an infield single to tie the game at 1-1 before Josh Litchfield delivered the go-ahead hit and make it 2-1 before the Bucs added four-more insurance runs.
How They Scored
- USC Upstate cracked the scoreboard first in the third inning with a sacrifice fly and 1-0 lead, but Cody Maw spun a masterful seven innings to keep the Spartans to just that one run.
- It stayed at 1-0 until the Bucs finally cracked the hit column in the fifth then erupted for four in the sixth for their first lead.
- In the four-run frame, Max Ryerson collected his 21st two-out RBI of the season with an infield single to tie it at 1-1 then Josh Litchfield had an infield single for a 2-1 Buccaneer lead.
- It was all CSU from there as freshman Kyle Horton added two more with a single to center field and 4-1 Buccaneer lead then Jason Miller drove-home the fifth and sixth runs on a double to right center and 6-1 margin.
- USC Upstate would scratch across a run in the ninth, but senior Jamison Mobbs slammed the door with a strikeout to end the Spartan rally and move the Bucs to a date Wednesday with Radford.
News and Notes
- Cody Maw struck out a season-high eight USC Upstate batters Tuesday night tossing 7.0 masterful innings and allowing just one run.
- Tuesday's effort also marked the 13th time Maw pitched at least five innings this season, doing so in each of his starts. Maw has also tossed at least five frames to 17-straight starts dating back to last season.
- Kyle Horton got the Bucs' first hit of the night then added a huge two-RBI knock in the sixth to lead the Buccaneer offense with two knocks and two runs driven in.
- Leadoff man Reid Hardwick also smacked two hits on the day and scored a pair of runs in the comeback effort while senior infielder Jason Miller put the icing on the cake with two-run double in the seventh.
- The win gave CSU four-straight over the Spartans after a weekend sweep earlier in May and gives them a 4-1 series win.
Up Next
The seventh-seeded Buccaneers take on the No. 2 seed Radford Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN3 from SEGRA Stadium. CSU seeks their second win of the Big South tournament and a chance to play Thursday in the winner's bracket.


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Croft & Bender Serves as Financial Advisor to Doosan Bobcat in its Acquisition of the BOB-CAT Mowers and the Steiner and Ryan Brands of Grounds Maintenance Equipment from Schiller Grounds Care, Inc.
For over twenty years, Croft & Bender has built a track record and reputation for providing independent, service-based advice to privately held businesses, financial sponsors, and public companies.
has acquired the BOB-CAT Mowers, Steiner and Ryan brands of
Schiller designs and manufactures commercial and residential gardening and turf care equipment.
has been acquired by
Astra provides contracting services for infrastructure projects across the Southeast.
has been acquired by
NOVA is a leading provider of engineering, consulting, testing, and inspection services to the design and construction industry.
has been acquired by
Merit is the leading distributor of paint sundries and flooring products and installation supplies.
has aquired
IDology is a leading provider of identity verification and fraud prevention services.
has been acquired by
SIP.US is a leading provider of on-demand, enterprise-class IP communications software solutions.
has been acquired by
Gro Solutions provides a digital sales platform for financial institutions.
has been acquired by
HCSC is a leading provider of hospice and palliative care services in the Southeast.


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Tom Brady's career is closer to the end than the beginning and it has been for many years. But he's said he might want to play a little longer and if he does, it may not be with the New England Patriots.
The quarterback has said he doesn't known what's next for his career, and his father, Tom Brady Sr., echoed that to the Boston Herald this week. As for his son staying with the only professional team he's ever played for, Brady Sr. put the pressure on head coach Bill Belichick.
"You know, I don't know. It's hard for me to envision him playing somewhere else. He wants to play. But ultimately, it's Bill's decision," said Brady Sr. "Nobody really knows. Bill doesn't tip his hand. There's just been insinuations here and there. This is really kind of between those two. They got to decide what they want.
"If Bill says he doesn't want Tommy, and Tommy wants to play, well, Joe Montana went to Kansas City … just because Bill decides he wants to move on, that won't dictate Tommy's future. I'm sure there are a few other teams in the league that would want him."
Brady Sr. called his son an "anomaly in the equation" of Belichick cutting older players.
[Watch live local and primetime NFL games free with the Yahoo Sports app]
Brady, 42, is in his 20th season in the NFL and has yet to comment on if he'll be back for a 21st. His restructured deal essentially runs out at the end of the 2019 season, making him a free agent, and when he and wife Giselle Bundchen listed their 4-year-old Brookline, Masachusetts, mansion last summer, fans began to worry it was over. Though fans do seem to be cooling on the QB, at least according to what they're naming their pets in the New England area.
It's that time of the season where people are wondering if Brady still has it, though the Patriots are once again in command of the AFC East and will go for Brady and Belichick's seventh title this postseason.
More from Yahoo Sports:


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Photography show by Jean Kavanek of Bridgewater: Exhibit runs throguh March 31. Burnham Library, Route 133. Library hours: Tuesday 1-5 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information, call (860) 354-6913.
Artwork by Susan Grisell of Gaylordsville: Exhibit runs through the month of April. Kent Memorial Library, Main Street. New Milford
Art exhibit by Lincoln Hale Turner: Exhibit runs through March 31. Firehouse, Clothing Home, 20 Bank St. Store hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For directions and more information, call (860) 355-2790.
"Images of Alaska" - photography by Mary Hayes: Exhibit runs through April 2. New Milford Public Library, Main Street. For more information, call (860) 355-1191.
"Art from Connecticut Forests" exhibit and special programs: Exhibit runs through April 2. The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm, Upland Hill Road. March 20: "Tree Stories Legends, 2-3 and 3-4 p.m. Roxbury
"Human Spirit" - photographs by Wendy Carlson and John Kane of New Milford: Exhibit runs through March 28. Minor Memorial Library, 23 South St. For more information, call (860) 350-2181. Washington
Exhibit of books by Terri Tibbatts of Washington: Exhibit runs through March 19. Gunn Memorial Library, 5 Wykeham Road.
WAA exhibit: Exhibit featuring artists Peter Angelo Simon, Christo Kasabov and Natasha Cohen runs through March 27. Washington Art Association, Bryan Memorial Plaza. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. For more information, call (860) 868-2878. Area towns
Art show featuring national profile paper artists: Exhibit runs through March 26. Brookfield Craft Center, Route 25, Brookfield. For more information, call (203) 775-4526.
Art show featuring works by Lauri Zarin of Kent: Exhibit runs through April 11. the Good News Cafe Gallery, 694 Main Street South, Woodbury. For more information, call (203) 266-4663.
Exhibit featuring photographs taken in Litchfield County by Inge Morath: Exhibit runs through May 31. University of Connecticut's Torrington campus, 855 University Drive off Route 4, Torrington. For more information, call (860) 868-7437.


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Thank you for registering for the Post-Professional Nursing Informatics Certificate Virtual Open House!
Audio is included, so please adjust the volume on your speakers as desired. Approximate viewing time: 8 mins
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Pitt Online at email@example.com or the School of Nursing Admissions at email@example.com.
Thank you!
Return to Post-Masters Nursing Informatics.


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ABC Seamless Siding and Shake Siding in Coon RapidsApril 02TH, 2018 chuck Filed under: Canyon Siding Color
Recently completed project on 84th Lane in Coon Rapids. This home got fresh new look! Included in the project was ABC Seamless Siding in one of our new colors – Canyon. Colonial White for the soffit-fascia and trims, new seamless gutters and Mahogany shakes on the gables. No seams and no maintenance!
Contact us today for a no-obligation quote!


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SN 2 | EP 12 | Trotter Falls
The Hermans build a creek-side cabin in the woods with reclaimed materials.
Available: Google Play, YouTube
Avid fishermen Nate and Justin Herman know a thing or two about having a "lake life." The countless hours spent on various bodies of water has not only nurtured an avocation but developed into a vocation. Nate and Justin travel the country building one-of-a-kind waterfront creations in typically remote locations. This DIY series documents their handiwork -- like a double-decker dock with a water slide, a floating golf oasis, deluxe teepees, and a 10,000-pound volcano-themed fishing cabin -- while also going behind-the-scenes to provide glimpses of family adventures of the entire Herman clan.
House/garden, How-to, Outdoors, Reality
Nate Herman,
Justin Herman,


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Sally's told that her lumpectomy will take place next Friday. Dev hands the twins back to Sunita in a boisterous mood after a day at the zoo. He assures Sunita that he will continue to be a proper father to them, and reveals that he has split with Bernie. Matt's not too happy at this news. Joe asks Bill for work but Bill is still waiting to hear if Peter's bar is going ahead. Becky and Claire go to the cinema. Steve calls to see Ashley with a crate of booze and proceeds to get roaring drunk while pouring out his troubles. Rick spots Tina and follows her into the Rovers. He eavesdrops on her conversation and expresses interest in buying No.12. Tina takes him to view the flat. Kevin cooks a meal for Sally. They discuss their concerns about next Friday but agree not to worry until necessary. Joe learns that Tina is alone with Rick in the flat. He races round to check on her but finds Tina blissfully unaware. Liz summons Becky home from the cinema to sort out Amy. Steve arrives home late in a drunken stupor. Furious Becky tells him to find somewhere else to sleep. Joe drowns his sorrows. Rick collars him outside No.8 and threatens to go after Tina instead. Joe's terrified.
Regular cast
- Gail Platt - Helen Worth
- Joe McIntyre - Reece Dinsdale
- Sally Webster - Sally Whittaker
- Kevin Webster - Michael Le Vell
- Steve McDonald - Simon Gregson
- Liz McDonald - Beverley Callard
- Becky McDonald - Katherine Kelly
- Tina McIntyre - Michelle Keegan
- Dev Alahan - Jimmi Harkishin
- Sunita Alahan - Shobna Gulati
- Aadi Alahan - Zennon Ditchett
- Asha Alahan - Tanisha Gorey
- Bill Webster - Peter Armitage
- David Platt - Jack P. Shepherd
- Ashley Peacock - Steven Arnold
- Claire Peacock - Julia Haworth
- Sophie Webster - Brooke Vincent (Uncredited)
Guest cast
- Coronation Street exterior
- Rovers Return Inn - Public and hallway
- 4 Coronation Street - Downstairs rooms
- 8 Coronation Street - Downstairs rooms
- 12 Coronation Street - Living room and kitchen
- 13 Coronation Street - Back room and kitchen
- Victoria Street
- 9 Victoria Court - Living room/kitchen
- The Flying Horse - Public
- Mark Lisbon was credited as the Stunt Co-Ordinator on this episode.
- TV Times synopsis: Sally and Kevin agree to remain positive and keep her illness secret from their daughters; the loan shark uses Tina to squeeze money out of Joe; and Matt feels threatened by Dev.
- Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 11,680,000 viewers (3rd place).
|January 2010 episodes
|← Fri 1st (1 2) • Mon 4th (1 2) • Thu 7th • Fri 8th (1 2)
Mon 11th (1 2) • Thu 14th • Fri 15th (1 2) • Mon 18th (1 2) • Thu 21st
Fri 22nd (1 2) • Mon 25th (1 2) • Thu 28th • Fri 29th (1 2) →


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Bible Based New Year's Resolutions, Pt 1
It is that time of year again. The holidays are over and you may be feeling like one of those animals in my little boy's room-STUFFED!!! Though the holidays can be enjoyable, perhaps many of you are glad for things to be back to business as usual. Maybe you are also, as many are at this time, thinking about goals for 2012 you would like to accomplish in the various spheres of your life. Of course, there are the proverbial New Year's resolutions. Things you are resolved to do in the year ahead. You start off determined, ready and raring to go. You are dead serious that this year is the year that you are going to……..no matter how much rootin,' tootin' and shootin' that has to be done. Making such resolutions is not wrong in and of itself. God having made us in His image, has designed us to be goal oriented, and to enjoy a sense of satisfaction when those goals are reached. However, for the Christian, his most important goals are focused upon his relationship to Christ and his growth in grace. When Jonathan Edwards was 22 years old he wrote several things he resolved to do with respect to his life as a Christian man. I am going to be posting a series of articles listing several of those resolutions. But before we get started, I want to set out three perspectives that should be the framework in which Christians should make similar resolutions.
The Security of Justification
The first place for the believer to start when facing a long list of what he resolves to do in the year ahead is to resolve, first of all, to keep before him an extremely important truth-his secure justified state in Christ. Romans 8:1 says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (NAS). That means two complimentary things: 1) The one who is union with Christ is no longer under the wrath and judgment of God 2) The one who is union with Christ has been forgiven of all sin and has His perfect righteousness imputed (credited) to him. Take careful note that the verse says that is so now. That literally means, at this present time. The believer in union with Christ is not waiting to get into this state. He is presently in it and should feel secure in it. If you are in Christ you are as secure in your right standing before God right now as you will be after millions of ions in eternity. Think about it! When you are in eternity with your sinless spirit in a glorified body you will be no more justified in the sight of God. Justification is a once and for all deal. Why is it important for a believer to keep this before him as he ventures out to fulfill his resolutions. Well, Paul made this wonderful declaration on the heels of revealing his own intense struggle with remaining sin (Rom 7:14-25). As long as you remain in this life you will continue to struggle with remaining sin and fail in many ways. If you do not keep this before you, then without even realizing it, you can begin to see your acceptance with God as being based upon your performance. Let me be plain about it! Your growth in holiness or lack thereof in 2012 will not contribute or take away from your right standing with God in the least degree (Rom 8:31-35). Can you hear the objector? He is protesting that if you tell people that then they will use that as an excuse not to press forward to grow in holiness. That is the not case with the genuine believer.
The Necessity of Sanctification
Hebrews 12:14 says, "Pursue peace with all men and the sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord" (NAS). We are being told in no uncertain terms that a part from a life of holiness none of us will see the Lord. That is, we will not see him in the way of final and complete salvation. All will see Him when he comes in clouds and with his angels (Rev 1:7). For some the sight of Him will bring horror and condemnation, and for others it will bring the joy of salvation (1 Jo 3:3-4; 1 Peter 1:9). No one will be made instantaneously perfect holy on that day who did not pursue greater measures of it in this life. Pursue is a standard word in the Greek translated the in New Testament as persecute. The pursuit of holiness for the believer is to be as intense as a persecutor tracking down his prey. The genuine believer does not use his justified state as an excuse for a shoddy life. He longs (some times to a greater or lesser degree) for greater progress in Christ-likeness. Here is where we have to be very careful. It is true that we will never attain to perfection on this life. However, justification by faith alone in Christ alone does not let us off the hook from pursuing after it until the day we are raised to glory and experience it for the first time . The Apostle Paul who trusted in Christ alone and had received His perfect righteousness saw it as his stable rock upon which he pursued after perfection (Phil 3:9-15). No christian constantly finds comfort in the well known comment, "No one is perfect". It has been said that fact is "a pillow for the hypocrite and a bed of nails for the Christian". The only ones who will be raised to perfection on that day are those who keep reaching after it. The reality of his irreversible justified state fills the Christian with hope, which in turn causes him to hunger for more practical righteousness (Rom 8:12-14). So, it is a good thing for us to set goals along the way as we are reaching after perfect holiness.
The Certainty of Glorification
When you hold to the biblical teaching concerning salvation in proper balance it will at times seem contradictory. It may sound like out of one side of my mouth I am saying that it is impossible for a Christian to fall from a state of grace. Out of the other side I am saying that he can fool around, twiddle his thumbs too much and miss eternal glory. No! No! No! Here is the way it goes. The truly justified person must pursue a life of holiness, and he will. He must, and he will. It is certain that he will for two reasons. First, his God has purposed and planned it from all eternity. "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among man brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified" (Rom 8:29-30 NAS). Second, his God is at work in him producing the fruits of righteousness. "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Phil 2:12-13). There is a beautiful balance in those verse between personal effort and trust in God. So, as you face a new year of pursuing growth in grace, face it with confidence, knowing that no matter the successes and failures, your God has decreed and will bring to pass your final salvation.
A debtor to mercy alone,
Of covenant mercy I sing;
Nor fear, with thy righteousness on,
My person and off'ring to bring.
The terrors of law and of God
With me can have nothing to do;
My Saviour's obedience and blood
Hide all my transgressions from view.
The work which his goodness began,
The arm of his strength will complete;
His promise is Yea and Amen,
And never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
Nor all things below or above,
Can make him his purpose forgo,
Or sever my soul from his love.
My name from the palms of his hands
Eternity will not erase;
Impressed on his heart it remains,
In marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure,
As sure as the earnest is giv'n;
More happy, but not more secure,
The glorified spirits in heav'n.
Happy New Year!
Pastor JJ


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Day 22: Bonus Idea: Consideration
I know I have one more day to go for my challenge but don't worry, I will post about Family very soon. At this moment in my life I am going through some things and it is inspiring me to write. I just want to quickly post about the small things in life.
My whole life I have been educated and raised to go for the "big picture". To look ahead of the present and make whatever future I could imagine happen. However, my mind works a bit differently. As I mention in "Day 1: The Start", my mind appears to me as a group of people around a table (See "Day 21: Shadows of the Past"). These people shape me into the who I am by evaluating the experiences I have had and commanding my mind. I feel so different from most others (besides the crazy idea that a dozen people run my mind) because instead of thinking on a grand scale, it is the small things that mean the most to me.
I am the kind of person that appreciates everything in life for what it is. I don't judge and I don't grudge. I am a giver and a hopeless romantic. I believe without the small things that are so often avoided or missed, it is harder to be happy about things. Flowers just to show you care, opening a door for someone, random surprises, or a simple note appeal far more to me than luxurious gifts or praise. I am a simple man with a simple mind (though that will be tough to prove).
Consideration is a top player for me. Consider the feelings of others. Think of how you can make others feel great and act on it. Consider the needs of others. Think of how you can help them need less and act on it. Consider the people in your life. Think of how you can make your experience with them memorable and fun. Act on it. Letting a person know that you care about them would be less of a surprise if you do it often. Life is not about worrying or owing. It is about sharing and caring, loving and living. All the small things in life make up the "big picture". The small things you fill in life will help paint the future with details and understanding.
I am very much a "present" thinker. I like to think about the future, in the future. If you are devout you would recognize this passage: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow brings worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." – Matthew 6:34. The same quote can be taken from Corrie Ten Boom, a WWII hero who said; "Worry does not empty tomorrow of it sorrow. It empties today of its strength." What I get from those quotes is that it is not a good idea to spend time worrying about the future. Consider the present and appreciate it. I agree it is smart to plan ahead but thinking in the moment is good for some things too. I am constantly thinking of things that I can do to make the day better for others. I know it has been a good day if I feel I have made someone smile, even if it is only on the inside. I suppose I am a sucker for being polite and kind because I just can't think there is absolutely no reason to do otherwise. William Gilmore Simms once said: "The only true source of politeness is consideration." Think about things before doing them. Consider the possibilities and act on the moments where you can spread courtesy and honor.


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When Tim Baker began racing to the front lines of unfolding natural disasters 18 years ago, it was just him, his video cameras and the tornado.
But those "good old days" are over. Now, when Baker chases tornadoes, he finds himself joined by a mix of curious onlookers, amateurs taking photos with smartphones, and a growing cadre of self-made, semi-professional storm chasers -- seeking adventure, wealth or at least exposure for storm videos distributed via social media.
"In the last three years it's become ridiculous," said Baker, who spoke to HuffPost a day after the latest deadly twister carved its way through central Oklahoma, part of a landscape known as "Tornado Alley." When he's going after twisters, he'll see as many as 15 to 20 cars joining him, many with local license plates, the drivers armed with amateur equipment like small video cameras and smartphones that can record HD video.
Whether any storm chasers were caught in latest Oklahoma storm remains uncertain, but a surplus of viral videos posted to the web offer testimony to the increasing prevalence of the amateurs Baker routinely sees.
"They don't weigh the risks," said Baker, who was featured on The Weather Channel's "Tornado Road" in 2008. "They go out there to shoot it to show everybody and to brag about it. They'll walk around with it on their cellphone for a month."
The advent of such reality television shows centered on extreme weather, coupled with social media, has put more people in harm's way when natural disaster strikes, he said. "You really have to have a plan whenever you park to film that you can get out of there quickly," said Baker. "You've got to be positive about that."
For as long as there have been storms, there have been storm chasers, said Mark Fox, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, Texas. Now it's just easier.
Social media and smartphones have brought tremendous access to a job that was once limited to those who could afford expensive and unwieldy recording equipment. The same platforms and technologies that an agency like NWS uses for public safety are now increasingly being used by everyday citizens to record and share the dangerous events they're supposed to avoid. Suddenly an eager -- and potentially dangerous -- flock of amateurs is taking up the chase.
"In the last couple years, with the proliferation of cameras, it just became easier to go out after a storm," Fox said. "The guys on TV make it look really easy, and in reality, it's not. It takes a lot of training, it takes a lot of experience, and not a whole lot of people really put that time in, and they tend to go after the storms. It gets some people in trouble sometimes."
Dr. Larry Rosen, a professor of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills and the author of iDisorder, says the feedback loop of social media drives people to become obsessive about checking their phones and social networks.
"I think one of the most powerful things that we're seeing in the sort of cyberspace world is this incessant drive to get accolades," Rosen said. "The accolades come from a lot of places -- number of views, number of likes, the number of comments you get."
And he noted that ready access to technology such as smartphones can get in the way of good decision-making. Rosen calls this the "can/should paradox."
"Just because you can take a picture of this twister coming at you, should you?" he asked. "Is this a smart decision?"
Fox told HuffPost that the NWS has seen an increase in people getting dangerously close to extreme weather. During Monday's tornado in Oklahoma, one of these people was Douglas Sherman.
Sherman captured dramatic video of the twister, which was uploaded to CNN's "iReport" website, a citizen journalism initiative. Anderson Cooper then interviewed Sherman on CNN Tuesday.
"I was listening to the local news and they said if you are pretty much above ground you won't make it," Sherman told Cooper. "I was like, 'This is not good,' because I was watching it and filming it ... I thought I was more ahead of it than I was. I made that turn and I saw it coming right at me."
Sherman escaped the twister by reversing and spinning his car around at an intersection, which he acknowledged wasn't "the smartest thing to do."
Outlets like iReport, along with The Weather Channel's "iWitness" and YouTube, serve as repositories for amateur-created extreme-weather content. A YouTube search for "Oklahoma tornado 2013" yields nearly 100,000 results uploaded this week. Many are shaky videos of the tornado and appear to be taken by non-professionals.
Katie Hawkins-Gaar, editor of iReport, told The Huffington Post that since this past weekend, she's received more than 100 submissions of eye-witness accounts via photo, video and text related to the tornadoes and severe weather in Oklahoma.
Since iReporters and iWitnesses typically aren't paid, one of the incentives for people to submit these videos is exposure -- the chance that their pieces could end up on CNN or The Weather Channel. Popular YouTube videos likewise are often featured on television and news sites.
Both Hawkins-Gaar and Neil Katz, vice president and digital editor-in-chief for The Weather Channel, stressed that their first priority is citizen reporters' safety.
"Your life is not worth a viral video," said Katz, formerly an executive news editor at HuffPost. "The story will go on. If you run headlong into a storm, you may not."
But, he said, "You can't deny that some of the most compelling images -- whether armed conflicts, political protests or severe weather -- are coming from the people, not the pros. Smartphones and social media have just changed how people react."
CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this story noted Sherman's video had been removed from the iReport site. CNN says that video was removed due to a technical error and that Sherman's iReport can be found here.


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Facebook Q4 revenue growth slows, spending soars
Analysts concerned over runaway operating costs, despite pleasing gains in mobile ads space
Facebook beat analysts' expectations as it saw fourth-quarter revenue growth of 49%, stemming largely from mobile advertising, Reuters reported.
But, while the social media company surpassed Wall Street's projections for both profit and sales, spending rose faster (87%) than revenue and despite the enviable growth figures, the revenue increase was the lowest since the start of 2013.
Shares were down 2.6% in after-hours trading.
Nonetheless, analysts pointed to Facebook's success in taking a larger slice of the online advertising market at the expense of players such as Yahoo and Google, as marketing professionals shift their focus from PCs to mobile handsets. Facebook's mobile ads revenue was $2.48bn in Q4, which represented 69% of total advertising sales.
Facebook yesterday said it ended 2014 with 1.39bn monthly users, and that 86% of them were mobile users.
In 2015 Facebook will focus on yet more investment, which may include more acquisitions to add to WhatsApp, Instagram and Oculus. The company is particularly interested in video.
"We have great marketer interest in video," said chief financial officer Dave Wehner. "It's a creative medium that they know how to use effectively."


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Fairfax County Weekender — August 31-September 2, 2018
August 31: Really Good Reads
The Great American Read Lecture Series – Villains and Monsters: Each episode of PBS's "The Great American Read" will explore one of five overarching literary themes. Join the discussion about why the books we read matter, why we're drawn to these themes and what they tell us about ourselves. Dr. Rewa Burnham of Trinity Washington University will lead the discussion. From 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Reston Regional Library. Ages 13 and up. Free; no registration required. For more information, call 703-689-2700.
Also on Friday:
Gentle Yoga: Taught by a Yoga Alliance-certified instructor, you'll explore seated and standing postures and learn relaxation techniques. Please bring a yoga mat. From 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Dolley Madison Library. Ages 55 and up. Free; no registration required. Limited to the first 15 participants to arrive. For more information, call 703-356-0770.
Summerbration – Chris Vadala with the Rick Whitehead Trio: End your work week with some bebop jazz. From 7 to 9 p.m. on the open-air plaza adjacent to Wiehle-Reston East Metro. Free; parking is also free from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. for the concert. For more information, call 703-476-4500.
Mount Vernon Nights: With a live show that The Boston Globe described as "the perfect balance of sass, sincerity and swing," the Sweetback Sisters bring their unique brand of country music for this last of the Mount Vernon Nights concerts. From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Grist Mill Park. Free. For more information, call 703-324-7469 (SHOW).
Twilight Hilltop Tour: As the sun sets on another August, spend some time relaxing at a historic site that sits high upon a hill overlooking Hybla Valley and Huntley Meadows Park. It's a dramatic setting made all the more stunning by the setting sun. Light refreshments will be served after the tour. From 8 to 9 p.m. at Historic Huntley. Adults. $5/person. Register online. For more information, call 703-768-2525.
September 1: All That Jazz
Lake Anne Jazz & Blues Festival: Come enjoy an afternoon and evening of jazz as part of the 12th Annual Lake Anne Jazz & Blues Festival. From 1 to 8 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza. All ages. Free. For more information, call 703-476-4500.
Also on Saturday:
Perk Up Your Fall Garden: September is a great time to inject some autumn beauty into your home garden. Green Spring horticulturist Brenda Skarphol discusses dividing perennials, planting cool season plants and beautifying your garden with fall season show-stoppers so it looks its autumn best. Special emphasis placed on plants for pollinators and other wildlife. From 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Green Spring Gardens. Adults. $18/person. Register online. For more information, call 703-642-5173.
Meditation Workshop: Join us for an introduction to and practice of mindful meditation presented by long-time meditation facilitator Neil Goodman. From 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Reston Regional Library. Bring a bottle of water. Teens and adults. Free; no registration required. For more information, call 703-689-2700.
The Great American Read – What Makes a Great Book? Join a panel of local writers in a lively conversation about what makes a great book. Does it have to have an exciting plot or is it character-driven? Can you have a great story with average writing? Or is it all about the emotions the book elicits? From 2 to 4 p.m. at Reston Regional Library. Ages 13 and up. Free; no registration required. For more information, call 703-689-2700.
September 2: BBQ, Beer and Bonerama
Bonerama: In addition to changing the way people think about the trombone, the sound of Bonerama has become an influence on New Orleans music today. Before the concert, local food trucks will be on hand starting at 4 p.m. selling BBQ and other food. Soft drinks, beer, wine and cocktail-of-the-day will be sold a la carte. Performance begins at 5 p.m. (gates open 30 minutes prior) at the Workhouse Arts Center. $25/person in advance, $30/person at the door. Buy tickets online. For more information, call 703-584-2900.
Also on Sunday:
Blacksmithing Demonstrations: Watch as the blacksmith fires up his forge and works with hammer and tongs to make iron tools and utensils. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Colvin Run Mill. Free; no registration required. For more information, call 703-759-2771.
Grinding Grain: The miller will grind grain, environmental conditions permitting. Please call the site to confirm. From noon to 3 p.m. at Colvin Run Mill. Tour cost: $7/adult, $6/student age 16 and up with ID and $5/child or senior; pay at site. For more information, call 703-759-2771.


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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Congressman Mo Brooks gave a Washington update on Monday to a private luncheon hosted by the Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce. He spoke at length about his refusal to hold town halls that "empower Democrat activist, anarchist, socialist disruptors," while protesters outside told WHNT News 19 that they just wanted the chance to have a dialogue with their congressman.
Representative Brooks also covered the danger he sees from federal deficit spending and touched briefly on Obamacare, potential cuts to NASA, immigration, and shifts in defense spending.
Political division became a theme as Brooks alleged the media helps Democrats, in part, by asking for public statements too quickly after important political events like the recusal of Attorney General Jeff Sessions from any probes involving Trump administration ties to Russia or President Trump's allegations that President Obama had ordered wiretapping against him.
Brooks says, "Superimposed on all of this are local and national media demands that congressman and senators issue public statements before the true facts are known or be branded a coward for ducking an important issue."
The congressman also focused on Democratic obstruction of the Trump administration, specifically accusing them of not confirming nominees fast enough.
He says people who call for compromise as routine in Washington don't understand the size of the problem, "On fundamental issues, I don't think the political parties have ever been this far apart short of what we saw in the 1850's that consummated with the Civil War."
Congressman Brooks says healthcare reform remains contentious in Washington, even among Republicans, "As of now, with respect to Obamacare, Congress lacks the votes to repeal it. I don't know the details of the latest Obamacare replacement version, because it is being drafted in secret by leadership in committees of jurisdiction."
However, he warned business leaders about the GOP's replacement plan, "Leaked versions of Obamacare replacement plans include a huge new welfare program financed by a large employer tax increase, coupled with substantial deficit spending."
Brooks also warned of potential cuts to NASA, "President Trump's trial balloon budget proposes non-defense spending cuts to pay for defense spending increases. Those cuts may include NASA, and we need to be mindful of that. We will know more when the White House submits their actual budget to Congress this month."
He praised the administration for enforcing immigration laws, though he did note he felt the administration should stop utilizing DACA/DAPA.
Outside, people pace the premises, protesting with signs, calling for town halls they can attend.
In his speech, Brooks bemoaned disruptions at town halls, "I will not conduct public town halls that empower democrat activists, anarchists, socialists, and disruptors to spread what I believe are anti-American values."
But outside, they say what they're after is good government, and to them, in good government, "I think that he would not call us anarchists," says protester Janet Watson, "Because we're not. We're mothers, sisters, grandmothers, grandfathers, and fathers out here giving our time for good government."
Inside, the Congressman takes a few selected questions texted in by the crowd. He jokes to the crowd of political and business leaders, "Hey does this make this a town hall? If I get questions does that make it a town hall? I guess to the news media y'all don't count."
Outside, Watson makes a different distinction, "The Washington Update is a private meeting. It's for the Chamber of Commerce and members of the Chamber of Commerce and their invited guests. And a town hall should be open to all of the community, all of the people in 5th District."


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It has been an extremely dry summer here this year, and now that we have finally started getting a little rain again these last few weeks, I am finding myself appreciating the rain in a whole new way again. I woke Monday morning to the sound of rain on the glass roof of the sunroom that adjoins my bedroom. Rather than bemoaning the fact that my Monday morning commute would be slower than normal in the rain, I spent a few moments listening and savoring the sound of the gentle patterns of the raindrops on the glass. It's such a soothing, peaceful sound and a delightful way to wake up.
In that space between sleep and wakefulness, the sound wove itself into dreamlike stories that brought additional delight. The poem below grew out of my listening wonder.
The Dancing March of Rain
It woke me gently,
This muffled drumming
Of water on glass.
The steady cadence
Of raindrops
Mixing with a descant
Of exotic beats
Dripping in random patterns
Off the overhanging leaves,
Like playful dancers
Weaving in between
The ranks of marching soldiers
Headed off to join
The distant boom of cannons
In a giants' war.
©2012 KJ Stanton
A Note on Comments: A chrysalis is by nature a fragile and vulnerable place to be, so I am committed to keeping this a safe place for me and for my readers. Comments sharing your own journey, even if your experience is different from mine, are always welcome and encouraged. Expressions of support or encouragement are also welcome. Comments that criticize, disparage, correct, or in any way attempt to undermine the validity of another person's experience or personal insight are not welcome here and will be deleted.


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Incoming Commander Discusses Future of GSU
Superintendent of Police, Linden Flowers is the new commander of the Gang Suppression Unit. The news broke this past Tuesday that the career officer was bumped up the chain of command to replace Assistant Superintendent Marco Vidal as head of the GSU; Vidal retains Special Branch. Considered both affable and outspoken, the forty-seven year old law-enforcement veteran started policing at the age of seventeen working in numerous police units, serving as prosecutor and magistrate. At the time of his appointment, Flowers was the commander at the police training academy in Belmopan. This week he inherited Vidal's GSU; we sat down with him today to get an idea of what his imprint will be on the GSU.
Supt. Linden Flowers, Head, Gang Suppression Unit
"In the months leading up to this date where the gang suppression unit is concerned, police officers across the country have been doing house raids, have been doing house searches, have been confiscating large quantities of marijuana, cocaine, firearms and ammunition. You don't hear of the kind of excitement that comes around with the gang suppression unit. For one reason or the other, the unit has attracted that kind of attention. It is my intention that we will not be looking at the gang suppression unit, but looking at the criminal elements at hand; the crimes that have been committed or the investigation that we are required to do to make sure that it is not the gang suppression unit that is looked at in the media, but the persons that have been possessing drug or illegal weapons, drugs and ammunition or doing things that are gang related; that will facilitate further the agenda of the persons who are so calling themselves gangs.
The tactics employed by the gang suppression unit, it is not that is employed on persons wantonly across the street, but a person who you have to deal with a certain degree of resistance; that is where it comes in. The use of justifiable force and harm has to be looked at seriously so that we don't have to be wasting a lot of time trying to correct something. But when you are impacting a criminal organization or somebody who is bent on making their livelihood out of crime and drugs and guns, they will have their fans coming forward to make noise for them."


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Stop & Shop promises to resolve labor dispute 'as quickly as possible'
Stop & Shop posted the following message on its website Monday regarding the ongoing strike by the supermarket chain's employees:
"As you may already know, some of our store Associates in MA, RI and CT are currently on strike, so it's not 'business as usual' at Stop & Shop today. Our NJ and NY stores are not affected.
Stop & Shop recognizes the valuable role our associates play in creating a great experience for you, our customers. They are a part of your lives, a part of our community, and key to our success. That's why it is so important to us to provide a fair contract to our employees who are members of the UFCW unions currently on strike.
We are committed to resolving our labor negotiations as quickly as possible so that our employees can return to their jobs and we can get back to serving you and the community.
In the meantime, thank you for shopping with us. For more information on shopping at our stores and our offer to employees, please click the links below."
The company also posted a "Strike Fact Sheet" and "Frequently Asked Questions."


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Entrepreneurs who have just hired their first team are faced with questions of how to treat their staff to ensure that they stay happy and productive. But how can you find that balance?
"Every company and its staff is a little different," Richard Branson says in a recent Trinidad Guardian blog. "I don't want to suggest a one-size-fits-all solution. The basis of the best initiatives is to treat people with respect and give them more responsibility."
So what are the Virgin Founder's tips for treating your staff well and creating a happy and productive workforce?
"Don't be afraid to try new ideas; just let your team know what you're doing," he says.
In the last couple of years, Branson has introduced some big changes at Virgin's headquarters.
"We now offer employees at our head offices unlimited annual leave and flexible work schedules. Our teams have responded with enthusiasm. If the experiment continues to work well, I'm sure many other companies both inside and outside of Virgin will follow suit."
Listen to your staff
"If a policy misfires, don't give up. It's ok to make changes or scrap it and try something new," Branson says.
"You're looking for solutions that work for everyone in the company. While it's true that you can't please everyone all of the time, giving people choices, rather than a rigid set of rules to follow, will ensure a feeling of empowerment across teams."
One of Virgin's newest companies, Virgin Hotels, has built its wellness programme to reflect the cultural diversity of Chicago, where they are based. They offer healthy food options for staff, run yoga classes in the hotel, have set up a softball league, will sponsor English-language classes for those who don't speak it as their first language and have made a serious commitment to mental well-being too.
Keep happiness in mind
A happy employee is a productive employee, and it's an entrepreneur's job to ensure that they are caring for their staff.
"Above all, keep in mind that a business is a collection of people," Branson says. "If your people are not happy and healthy, they your enterprise's prognosis isn't good enough. But if you make sure they have the time and support they need, you'll set them and your company up for success in the long term."
For more discussion on all things related to employee wellbeing, check out the Disruptors section of Virgin.com and make sure you log on to watch the next Virgin Disruptors debate 'Your Workplace Wellbeing: At What Cost?' on April 23rd, 2015 at 8pm BST.


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Gone West heads east to Playhouse
Colbie Caillat is well-known to fans — and Ridgefield Playhouse audiences from her past gigs here — as a solo singer with hits like "Bubbly" and "Try." She returns to the Playhouse stage July 5 with an all-new band, Gone West. The band may be new but the quartet of four longtime friends has been singing and jamming together for years and now has made it official.
The Nashville-based band featuring two-time Grammy Award Winner Colbie Caillat, her longtime collaborator, the multi-platinum singer/songwriter Jason Reeves; four-time Hawaii Music Award winner Justin Kawika Young (also Colbie's fiancée) and ACM and CMT nominated artist Nelly Joy, who is married to Jason. They are touring with their debut EP, Tides. This show will feature Colbie's solo material along with songs from her new collaboration with Gone West.
Opening the concert is Hayley Orrantia, best known playing Erica Goldberg on ABC's comedy show, "The Goldbergs," who has been earning her country music chops over the last few years, performing at festivals and events.
Andrea Valluzzo: How did Gone West as a quartet come about?
Colbie Caillat: It's actually really cool because we all are friends for 14 years so it just naturally progressed. Me and Jason met in 2005 and we wrote my first album and just a ton of songs ever since then. I asked Justin to join my band. I was a fan of his music from Hawaii so I asked him to play guitar and sing and then a couple years in of touring, we fell in love and Nelly and James met in 2009 in a writing session in Nashville.
Nelly Joy: So I've been in Nashville for 14 years and Jason came out there on a co-write and it was love at first sight for Jason and then couple years later we started dating and we've been together for seven years.
CC: We've all been friends since then and worked together just for fun and a couple years ago we had the idea that we already did it so much, just call it an official band so we called ourselves Gone West.
AV: Gone West is autobiographical. Can you explain?
CC: We all live in Nashville now, but when we're not in Nashville. we all have gone west back to our home states of California, Hawaii, Texas or Iowa.
AV: You all are so in love. Where did the idea for "What Could've Been" come from?
CC: It's actually kind of funny. We are two happy couples but most of our record is heartbreak songs. We have a lot of friends around us going through that so when we are done writing about ourselves and what we are going through, we write about what people around us are experiencing and that we can tap into that so easily because we have all been through that in the past.
AV: How are you structuring your show at the Playhouse?
NJ: Our shows are pretty cool because you are going to have a lot of Gone West material that is already out and then you are going to hear some unreleased Gone West material that you can only hear if you come to a show, and then my other favorite part about it is that you are going to hear songs and snippets from all of our previous careers so Colbie's solo music, Jason and my stuff and Justin's Hawaii stuff so we connect the dots and weave storytelling to explain to fans how we became Gone West.
CC: And we love the Playhouse, we have played there so many times and we absolutely love that cute little town.
AV: What's going on back stage right before your shows?
CC: The boys are usually jamming on their guitars, we'll do some vocal warmups and sometimes we'll do a Bob Marley song to get us in that really good mood, happy vibe. Sometimes we have meets and greets before the show, sometimes after, which is really fun to actually get to meet the fans who have either been fans of our solo careers and now are fans of our band or are new that just came out to hear our band's music. It helps us get in the mode of excitement to get on stage and to play these songs we have had in our backpocket for so long.
AV: You're used to big venues, what's the biggest difference in performing in a more intimate setting?
CC: We love the small intimate shows because I mean big shows are fun but when you have a small intimate show you really get to see your fans' faces and sometimes people can ask a question and we can hear them. We can see if they are enjoying the songs and singing along. It really feels like we are close together and I think it is more impactful for us.
AV: What's the secret to making a quartet work?
CC: It's been an experiment for all of us because every song is different on this record. All four of us are all lead singers. We have a couple of songs that have all four of us singing lead and then figuring out who sings what harmony. We will write a song in the room and then we will have to figure out lyrically or melodically whose voice it suits best. And then we go from there.


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Download the PDF: AGM 2018 Minutes
REPORT OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on 7 November 2018 at Grace Baptist Church Hall. Park Ridings N8.
Present: 18 residents attended.
The chairs' annual report was verbally presented and residents contributed to a wide ranging and informal discussion of the issues.
The full report of our activities over the last year is now permanently available online on our website, www.pmra.co.uk and temporarily on the noticeboard.
Future Plans
Play Street
Haringey supports residents in closing their streets to traffic for a few hours in order to encourage people to come out into the streets to meet their neighbours and for children to have a safe place to play. The Avenue has twice run successful Play Streets for three hours on a Sunday.
We plan to give it a try one day in the spring 2019 in the combination of Malvern Road and Park Ridings. We will need volunteer stewards to be present at each end of the streets to ensure traffic is turned away.
We will try to engage more people through a short questionnaire asking what residents would like to be involved in. This will be a subject for conversation at our Winter Drinks on Saturday morning,1 December, at the corner on Hornsey Park Road and Mayes Road.
There were no new candidates for the committee.
All members of the current committee were re-elected.
The treasurers report was presented and accepted.
£17 was collected of which £10 was donated towards the cost of the hall.
GENERAL MEETING ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2019 22 residents attended Clarendon Development […]
The loss of trees is becoming an issue locally. The wonderful false acacia at the junction of Mayes Road and Coburg Road was removed because it 'had a fungus' - just in time for the planning application to build on the petrol station site beside it.
Photo: The gardening team – John. Ben, Polly and John – out on a Saturday morning
A Haringey Council consultation for those living/working in the Crouch End […]
It's now a couple of months since St William told us […]
Cengiz from Brooks Cafe If you walk past Brooks Cafe on […]
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